"I don't know what this item is," Han Li said without pretense, simply asking the question. "What is 'Thousand-Leaf Dew'?" Ancient Yu was momentarily startled, but after a moment's thought, quickly replied, "I have a somewhat clear memory of this. It's quite coincidental—had this question been raised a few years ago, I would have been completely unaware. However, two years ago, I came across an ancient text that mentioned Thousand-Leaf Dew. I've already copied this text onto a jade scroll. Would the elder care to view it personally?" Upon finishing, Ancient Yu displayed a touch of cautious anticipation. Han Li, meanwhile, was deeply pleased, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "Having a written record is even better. If this truly is the item I've been seeking, Qu will surely offer my heartfelt gratitude to you." Han Li managed to suppress his inner enthusiasm and smiled warmly. Upon hearing this, Ancient Yu was equally delighted. To receive such a commitment from a Jianding-period cultivator was truly a great fortune for him! He immediately stopped hesitating, rummaging around his body and producing a pale yellow jade scroll, which he held out to Han Li with both hands. "This is precisely the scroll, Master—please take a close look," Ancient Yu said respectfully. "Quan didn't expect this to be so troublesome—especially considering its connection to a beast of eighth rank." Han Li smiled wistfully. "An eighth-rank beast?" Li Xun gasped, staring at Han Li with wide, incredulous eyes. "Exactly. The so-called 'Thousand-Leaf Dew' is actually the sap of the 'Companion Herb.' However, this Companion Herb must grow beside an eighth-rank beast to be effective." Han Li sighed, speaking with a touch of resignation. Upon hearing this, Li Xun found himself at a loss for words. "Companion Herb," he naturally knew what it was—those delicate, magical plants that grew near the dens of various beasts, nurtured over time by the lingering aura of the beasts themselves. In principle, such herbs were quite common. Yet, when it came to Companion Herbs growing specifically beside an eighth-rank beast, the situation was entirely different. Though the Outer Star Sea was said to have even seen beasts of ninth or tenth rank, these accounts remained largely anecdotal. At least a seventh-rank beast, and that was the highest level he had ever seen in Black Stone City—let alone an eighth-rank one. Li Xun's gaze toward Han Li now carried a touch of astonishment. Unaware of what precious pill this man intended to concoct, he found himself needing such extraordinary materials. "Some of the contents recorded in this scroll I may wish to study more carefully in the future. Would Ancient Friend be so kind as to allow me to take a copy?" Han Li gently handled the scroll, hesitated slightly, then unexpectedly addressed Gu Yu. "If it proves useful to the senior, then by all means, take it!" Gu Yu was momentarily stunned, yet immediately responded without reservation. Seeing his graciousness, Han Li nodded slightly. With a flick of his hand, he now held a small vial and a yellow-sword-patterned talisman. "As a senior, I won't take your gifts for granted. Here is a vial of pills that can slightly enhance your cultivation, and a talisman of value—please take them for yourself." Han Li gently tossed the two items forward. "Thank you so much for your generous gifts!" Gu Yu received them with great delight, repeatedly expressing his gratitude. To a cultivator at the Qi Stage, these items were truly invaluable. "Since Qu Daojun has already bestowed gifts upon you, Gu Yu, you may now step aside." Li Xun was somewhat surprised by Han Li's generous gesture, yet composedly allowed Gu Yu to exit the room. Inside, the room now once again contained only the two of them. "Does my esteemed friend have any other matters that I might assist with? Please feel free to mention them at any time." Li Xun spoke with great openness and warmth. "Given that you have said so, I actually have one more matter that would be most grateful if you could assist me with. Do you happen to have any single-horned antler from a jade-horned beast available?" Han Li paused slightly, carefully asking. "Ah! Indeed, you've come to the right place!" Though this crystal horn is exceedingly rare, our shop just acquired two of them last month. If your esteemed friend needs one, I'll have someone deliver one right away." The elder clapped his hands and smiled lightly, giving no hesitation before issuing the command. Han Li naturally looked delighted and thanked him repeatedly. Not long after, a young servant entered the room, carrying a silver tray. On the tray lay a finely crafted wooden box. "Please take a look, sir. Does this crystal horn suit your needs?" Han Li nodded seriously, reached out, and opened the box. A slender, half-foot-long horn emerged, glowing with a blue light, shaped like a sharp cone spiraling upward. "Excellent! This one is quite suitable. How many spirit stones would you like to pay for it?" Han Li smiled contentedly and closed the box again. "Our shop purchased this horn for five thousand spirit stones. Since you truly need it, we'll settle for a fair purchase price." "Li Xin smiled warmly and said, "I'm very good at making people feel at ease." Han Li naturally had no further room for negotiation. He immediately thanked him and then drew out an adequate number of mid-tier spiritual stones from his robes, handing them over. The elder waved his broad robe, neatly gathering the stones, and then smiled pleasantly, asking, "Curly, upon your arrival here, do you have any specific plans? Though your magical prowess is strong, the high-level beasts in this region are quite formidable—many of the cultivators who have reached the Condensation stage have been seriously injured simply because they were alone. Perhaps Li might introduce you to a few fellow cultivators of similar levels so you can get to know them. With all of you sailing together, safety will be greatly assured." Han Li smiled slightly. The elder's consistent courtesy and warmth had finally led him to express his intent of fostering a closer relationship. "Thank you so much for your kind offer. However, in the near future, I plan to prepare several pills for refining. Once consumed, I'll need to enter a period of seclusion and meditation. As for sailing out to hunt the beasts, I don't necessarily need to do so immediately." "Han Li wasn't inclined to outright reject the other party, nor was he comfortable sailing together with unfamiliar cultivators. Thus, he gently declined. "That makes sense. It would be more prudent to first strengthen his cultivation and become more familiar with the local conditions. However, should Qu Daoxiang ever need to find someone in the future, he mustn't forget to come to me!" The elder, though his face briefly showed a touch of disappointment, quickly composed himself and continued speaking. Han Li naturally agreed wholeheartedly and then spent a while chatting casually with the other before bidding farewell and leaving. The elder saw Han Li off all the way to the door before returning indoors. "How do you think? Is this person suitable for our purposes?" As soon as the elder sat back down, a soft voice suddenly echoed within the room. Then, a slightly blurred figure mysteriously drifted out from a landscape painting hanging on the wall. It seemed that there had always been another person present in the room. This figure wore a flowing white robe, with a jade-like glow enveloping his face, exuding an air of profound mystery. "Don't worry." Although he hadn't spoken much with the other party and appeared quite unfamiliar, this monastic cultivator of the surname Zhu must be a solitary, independent practitioner. Once he had encountered a few dangers while traveling alone at sea, he would naturally come to appreciate the advantages I suggested earlier and eventually return to seek me out. "The elder spoke with great confidence. "Hmph! That's not certain," the white-robed figure coldly countered, pouring cold water on the matter. "How can a cultivator at the initial stage of Jin Dan truly manage to single-handedly hunt down mythical beasts in the deep sea?" Li Xun shook his head, unconvinced. "The other party is likely no ordinary Jin Dan cultivator. During the conversation you two had inside the room, although he never looked toward my concealed position, I somehow felt as though he was constantly observing me. I suspect he has already detected my presence, merely choosing not to reveal it." The white-robed figure remained silent for a moment before suddenly said seriously, "Have you mistaken something? Your skill in concealment is such that even cultivators one stage higher in rank would be unable to detect you." Don't tell me that Qu, the man from this family, is actually a cultivator at the late Jie Dan stage." The elder was startled, then showed some doubt. "It's hard to say! Perhaps his cultivation technique is unique, or maybe he possesses some special treasures." The white-robed figure spoke with some hesitation. "Well, regardless of whether he's ordinary or exceptional, we've made every effort to establish good relations with him. That's all we can do—nothing wrong there!" Li Xun said after circling the room several times and then frowning. Upon hearing this, the white-robed figure nodded in agreement and said nothing further.