"Indeed, you are both from the Mei family! I and several of my disciples passed by here and spotted the extraordinary events unfolding on this island from afar. We have only just arrived. Yet, your siblings seem remarkably perceptive—can you discern something unusual from this celestial phenomenon?" The elder with the Zhao surname, appearing to know these two well, smiled warmly. "Your brother is being overly polite," the woman replied gracefully. "Even our esteemed guest is unaware of this celestial sign, so how could I and my brother possibly know? However, the way the shadowy energy seems entangled suggests that whatever rare treasure is emerging may be a formidable, even ominous, force!" The woman spoke with quiet elegance, while the man merely nodded slightly, maintaining a reserved, somewhat distant demeanor. The elder, unbothered by this, cleared his throat, preparing to say more. At that very moment, a pleasant flute melody drifted in from the distance, followed by flashes of green light along the horizon. A bright point of light approached steadily, drawing nearer. Upon hearing the flute music, the Mei woman's refined features changed several times, yet soon settled into calm and composed serenity. The elder of the Zhao family was first stunned, then recalled something, gazing at the young woman with a few moments of puzzled expression, his face showing a touch of strangeness. The man standing beside her remained expressionless, though a flicker of annoyance passed through his eyes. A moment later, green light points approached the scene. To their surprise, a young man arrived, flying swiftly with a jade flute held horizontally. He was handsome, dressed in a flowing white robe, exuding a graceful air. "I didn't guess wrong," the white-robed man exclaimed, stopping his flute music only when he reached close to the group, "Mei-miss truly has come here!" "Ah, Master Fu has also arrived!" The young woman's face briefly revealed a sense of resignation as she responded with forced politeness, clearly not enjoying the presence of the other. "What is your purpose? My younger sister has already made it clear she does not wish to be your partner in dual cultivation. Yet you continue to pursue her. Do you think that merely having a Dan-stage master will make me hesitate to send you away?" said her brother, speaking coldly with a slightly hoarse tone. "Indeed, I sincerely admire your younger sister. As long as Lady Mei remains unmarried, I shall always accompany her by her side. I'm certain you will be touched by my devotion!" The young man in white gazed deeply at the Mei-named woman, his face filled with heartfelt affection. "Hmm! The weather on the island is changing!" The young man, who had previously appeared utterly unconcerned, suddenly looked startled after a casual glance. Both the elder and the Mei siblings were equally surprised and turned to look up. Indeed, the clouds that had been swirling incessantly in the sky began to rotate around a specific point, drawing in vast amounts of dark qi from the surrounding island area and rapidly expanding in volume. Soon, a massive, dark entity loomed into being. "What on earth is this? Is a precious treasure about to manifest?" the woman gasped, her face pale with astonishment. "It doesn't matter whether it's a treasure or not—let's at least take a look. Perhaps this is indeed our long-awaited fortune," said the man of the Mei family, his expression now tinged with something unusual. "But what if it's not a treasure, but rather a high-level cultivator practicing a top-tier cultivation technique? Will we not have offended them by our presence?" Upon hearing her brother's words, the woman hesitated, her expression uncertain. "There is never anything in this world that comes without effort. To seek treasures naturally involves certain risks. Moreover, if indeed someone from a previous life has already been on this island, we might simply retire gracefully." The man's voice grew cold and impatient. Then, without paying attention to anyone else, he stepped on the sword-shaped artifact beneath his feet and shot directly toward the small island. The woman was first startled, then grew concerned, urging her own artifact forward and following closely behind. The white-robed man paused slightly. Then, glancing sideways, he noticed the old man with the surname Zhao remained still, and a hint of doubt appeared on his face. "Zhao, don't you wish to investigate further? It was you who first proposed going to the island to seek treasures. Has your mind changed so quickly?" he asked, frowning. "My suggestion was merely that—never once did I say I myself would go. Moreover, this time, I have brought a group of younger disciples along, and I do not wish to take on this risk. If there truly are treasures, I shall gladly share them with all three of you." The elder chuckled, his calm demeanor evident as he gently stroked his beard. "Hmph! Zhao brother speaks most beautifully. I suspect he sees us merely as trail markers!" The young man in white glared at the elder, but after glancing back at the Mei-named woman who had already taken off, he nodded firmly and vanished into a streak of light, determined to follow. "You're indeed clever—not to have taken that risk. Otherwise, even if a treasure truly emerges, would your younger disciples be worthy of possessing it?" The elder with the Zhao surname was deeply startled upon hearing this. The disciples hurried to look behind Zhou, only to find the space empty, with no trace of anyone present. "I wonder which senior has arrived. Taiyang Sect Zhao Qiao respectfully bows to the senior." The elder himself failed to perceive the speaker's presence, and felt a sudden chill, promptly bowing with due respect. "Taiyang Sect! Who is this step-by-step, Step Master Bu Diankong, in relation to you?" Still no one appeared, yet the cold, clear voice drifted in and out from left to right. "Step Master Bu is my senior uncle. Does the senior know of our Sect's master?" The elder stiffened, speaking with utmost urgency. "Heh—he's been a familiar face to me. Originally, I intended to eliminate your entire Sect to avoid any obstruction here. But since we've come to know each other, I'll give you a chance. However, your younger disciples—stay right here and remain still. Otherwise, don't expect me to be gentle." After a moment's hesitation, the messenger spoke more calmly. "Of course, we shall never trouble you, senior." Hearing this, the elder's face turned slightly pale, yet a sense of relief washed over him—he silently thanked his good connections within the sect. Ten, nine, eight..." Han Li, behind the white screen, showed no intention of responding. Instead, his voice grew colder, and he began counting down without the slightest courtesy. The three Jianji-level cultivators exchanged startled glances—his tone was truly imposing, and it was unclear whether he was merely intimidating them or if he truly was a Jidan-level cultivator or above. As they hesitated, Han Li had already counted halfway. At that moment, the light screen flashed, and a dozen giant, life-like ape puppets burst forth, forming an arc and moving steadily toward them. "Not good! Retreat quickly! These are all high-level puppets—absolutely beyond our reach," the Mei woman, clearly well-informed, immediately recognized the strength of the ape puppets. Her face turned pale. Without hesitation, she pulled her brother's arm and took off, flying backward. The white-clad man, far from being dull, also sensed the threat and gasped in surprise, swiftly following behind the Mei siblings, turning to flee. Upon seeing the three of them retreat in the face of difficulty, Han Li's counting voice suddenly cut off abruptly. The colossal ape puppets pursued them for over ten paces before halting and coldly observing them without moving. Only after seeing the three figures fly out of the small island without turning back did the apes turn around, push through the light curtain, and vanish into it!