Han Li stood on the deserted platform, gazing at the strange circular stone disk before him. The disk was nearly a zhang in diameter, lying flat, adorned with peculiar patterns and numerous seemingly profound runes and incantations. Though no one was currently performing rituals at the spot, a faint purple mist rose steadily from the disk, rising gently into the sky and blending seamlessly with the purple clouds above the village. Han Li, himself well-versed in array techniques, immediately narrowed his eyes and began studying the stone disk closely. Soon, his expression grew increasingly restless—sometimes bright with sudden comprehension, at other times furrowed with concentration. He became completely absorbed in his thoughts. "Hmm, have you noticed anything remarkable about this disk, friend?" A sudden, unfamiliar voice echoed from behind him as Han Li was fully immersed in his contemplation. Startled, Han Li silently cursed his own carelessness—how he had failed to notice someone approaching from behind without even realizing it. If this person intended harm, then indeed, he might be in serious danger. Yet, it cannot be entirely blamed on Han Li's carelessness. Used to maintaining full control over his surroundings through his spiritual awareness, he now found himself suddenly losing both his spiritual awareness and magical power, making it difficult to adapt quickly. Han Li remained composed, silently turning to face the person before him. Standing there was an elderly man with a long beard and white hair. Though lined with deep wrinkles, his eyes were bright and lively, gazing warmly at Han Li. "Are you also a cultivator?" Han Li could only hesitate and speculate, as his spiritual awareness had now faded. "Old sir, I am Bao Huanzi of Wulong Sea. You are one of the two newcomers, aren't you?" the elder replied with a smile. "Wulong Sea?" Han Li felt a spark of recognition at this name—his senior had mentioned it before. He now found himself genuinely interested. "Ah, Bao Huanzi, thank you. My name is Han. I am a wandering cultivator from Luanxing Sea." Han Li spoke with a more relaxed demeanor. "Luanxing Sea?" There used to be another disciple from the Luan Xinghai sect here, but unfortunately, he perished during a mission when he encountered a powerful yin beast. Nevertheless, among the immortal cultivators proficient in seal arts, there aren't many. Given how intently the esteemed guest has been studying this stone seal, I believe your expertise in this area must be quite impressive!" The elder first sighed, then shifted his tone and asked. "Do you mean the circular disk I'm holding?" Han Li expressed a look of mild surprise. This wasn't a deliberate expression on his part—he had indeed never heard of this term before. "Ah, that makes perfect sense, guest. Stone seals and jade seals—these items have likely vanished from other regions long ago. It's only among our Five Dragon Sea sects that such ancient seal traditions are still preserved and practiced." The elder with the long white beard narrowed his eyes, his facial wrinkles slightly trembling, speaking with a touch of pride. Upon hearing this, the surprise on Han Li's face gradually faded. "Indeed, I have never heard of stone seals or jade seals before. However, regarding the art of seal scripts, I have studied it for some time, and I was particularly amazed by the script inscribed on this stone disk. Now, with your explanation, I have gained a clearer understanding. Yet, there seems to be a distinct characteristic of a spell array appearing on this stone seal. Could it be that I have misjudged it?" Han Li glanced at the elder, slightly frowning. "I never expected you to be so proficient in both array and seal arts—your expertise truly impresses me! You are correct. This sand-cloud stone seal indeed differs from a true stone seal. To harness the power of Yin-Ming energy, it has undergone certain modifications resembling spell arrays, allowing it to simultaneously exert the effects of both seals and arrays. However, such adaptations have significantly diminished its overall power." The elder first showed mild surprise, then burst into applause and laughter. Hán Lì nodded thoughtfully, but upon turning back to gaze at the stone platform, suddenly asked, "As the senior elder mentioned, you are able to harness the power of Yinming here through the combination of Yinming beast crystals and magical arrays. Yet I fail to see any embedded crystals on this stone tablet. Does this stone tablet then conceal some other secret?" A flicker of doubt passed through Hán Lì's eyes. "This guest is likely unaware. I'm sure you've also observed that elusive beast today. Though the villagers have mostly trained in martial arts and possess far greater physical prowess than ordinary outsiders, should such a powerful Yinming beast charge directly at them, even the most skilled individual would be no match. Even if they prevail through numbers, the villagers would suffer heavy casualties—something we simply cannot afford. Thus, relying on Yinming power to cast spells and encircle the beasts has become the very key to the village's survival." And the amount of Yin-Ming Beast Crystals stored—as a consumable for spellcasting—is indeed a key measure of the village's strength. The elder smiled slightly, pausing briefly before continuing with a lingering sense of thought: "However, these crystals are truly hard to find! While it's generally true that stronger Yin beasts are more likely to have crystals within their heads, this isn't guaranteed. Often, even beasts that appear extremely powerful—ones we've spent great effort to defeat—turn out to have completely empty heads. There are also cases, like today's returning villagers, who managed to kill only a few weak Fire-Scale beasts on the way and still found a small piece of crystal—something truly hard to predict." "Overall, though, the village frequently needs to cast spells to repel enemies and maintain daily defenses, resulting in a high demand for crystals. Yet, throughout the year, we typically collect only a dozen or so Yin-Ming Beast Crystals—barely enough to meet the demand. Therefore, the crystals are usually managed by a few of the village's elder leaders. This magical seal is only activated when we need to cast spells to drive off enemies, and it's immediately withdrawn once the battle is over. As for this stone seal, we normally infuse it with several days' worth of the required essence to maintain daily consumption. We never directly embed the beast crystals into it. That does leave the specially reserved slots left unused when the seal was originally crafted—somewhat of a waste, I'd say. The elder with the long beard seemed somewhat dissatisfied with the village elders' approach, lowering his head and gently running his fingers over the series of rhombus indentations around the stone plate, a touch of self-mockery in his expression. Han Li said nothing in response, merely offering a quiet, calm smile. Though he didn't know the exact reason behind the elder's openness, he suspected it was tied to power struggles within the village. He had no intention of staying in this village long-term. Naturally, he didn't wish to get involved. It seemed that once the path of cultivation was abandoned, these cultivators had become no different from ordinary villagers—engaged in the very same games of power and rivalry. Han Li sighed quietly, feeling truly pitiful. The elder, seeing that Han Li had not stepped forward to speak, flashed a brief look of disappointment, but soon regained his composure and began chatting with him about other matters. "As you know, this place has existed for countless thousands of years. Though few cultivators are drawn into it, over such a long span of time, the number of cultivators who have perished here—especially in the阴冥 realm—must surely number in the hundreds, if not over a thousand. Indeed, it's said that even some cultivators who had reached the Ji Dan or Yuan Yin stage have been completely trapped and suffocated to death here." The elder mentioned this casually. "Has there ever been a Yuan Yin cultivator who visited this place?" Han Li was moved by this. "Yes. Though the exact time is unclear, this elder was eventually absorbed into the realm and spent his entire life in this village. He, too, must have encountered the same phenomenon—the eruption of the Absolute Spirit Qi—as the two of you did." Otherwise, such a master of extraordinary abilities would surely be unaffected by ordinary strange mists. The elder sighed lightly. "Perhaps that's true. Still, the Jie Ling Qi is quite formidable. I'd wager only the legendary Fu Shen stage cultivators remain unimpeded by it." Han Li chuckled. "Fu Shen stage! Hah, you're thinking quite far ahead. Nevertheless, although the senior cultivator at the Yuan Ying stage passed away, he left behind some records during his leisure time—some of which contain his personal insights and experiences in cultivation. These would naturally be extremely valuable if kept outside. But now, heh... ." The elder with long white hair nodded thoughtfully, expressing a touch of regret. "Cultivation insights! I'm genuinely interested. Do you know where these records are currently located?" Han Li, hearing this, showed a hint of interest. The personal reflections of a Yuan Ying stage cultivator were certainly no ordinary matter. He naturally intended to take a closer look. "Hah!" Your reaction is exactly the same as mine when I first heard of this matter. Yet, as long as one stays here for several years, one soon grows indifferent to such things. Without magical power, no matter how many there are, they remain merely a sight. But if you are truly interested, by all means, take a look. They, along with the belongings of other cultivators, are all stored in a dedicated warehouse." The elder stroked the wrinkles on his face, said nothing further, then slightly inclined his body and pointed toward a corner of the village—a stone cottage that appeared quite dilapidated.