The lady named Mu had always maintained a neutral, indifferent demeanor toward Han Li. Ideally, Han Li hoped she would completely forget this place and never disturb his cultivation again—then he would be truly delighted. After one month passed, Han Li finally grasped the Ling-Ju Array to a great extent. As soon as he achieved this understanding, he immediately laid out the Ling-Ju Array outside his dwelling according to his insights. Consequently, the faint, intermittent fluctuations of spiritual energy in the arrays vanished entirely. From outside, looking toward the small stone mountain, no unusual signs were apparent—Han Li was thoroughly satisfied with the result. Over the following two or three months, the refinement of the Ming-Hun Pearl and the elimination of the Feng-Ling Qi were both accomplished successfully. To Han Li's surprise, after the Ming-Hun Pearl was fully integrated and became fully synchronized with his own consciousness, he experienced neither headaches nor any discomfort. It seemed that the unexpected evolutionary development of the Ti-Hun Beast had induced unforeseen changes in the Ming-Hun Pearl, which was intimately linked to its life and death. Han Li was overjoyed. As for those wind spirits and lingering maladies, although they were initially very difficult to expel and often left the person utterly exhausted after just one session of pressing and forcing them out, once a significant portion had been driven out, the remaining ones became much easier to manage. Not only did the discomfort associated with their attacks diminish considerably, but the time required for each expulsion session also shortened dramatically. In the final few instances, Han Li effortlessly cleared away the remaining maladies. After carefully inspecting himself repeatedly and confirming that there were no further anomalies within his body, he finally felt at ease. With the urgent matters now settled, Han Li turned his focus to cultivation and the preparation of the Nine-Curve Spirit Root Pills. Regarding cultivation, after careful consideration, he decided to practice both the Fourth Layer of the Da-Yan Technique and the Qing Yuan Sword Technique simultaneously. Based on his earlier experience during the process of consolidating his spiritual essence, he believed that a strong consciousness was particularly beneficial in overcoming cultivation bottlenecks. Even though the Fourth Layer of the Da-Yan Technique was extremely challenging, Han Li still decided to give it a try. After all, while a strong spirit awareness offered little direct advantage in solidifying a Yuan婴, it proved highly beneficial in combat and in anticipating and outmaneuvering opponents. Even if he reached the False Infant stage somewhat later than others, he did not regard this as a mistake—he had willingly invested that time. As for the preparation of the Nine-Curve Spirit Root pill, Han Li was far from careless. While other materials were easier to find, the Nine-Curve Spirit Root, the Eight-Rank Companion Spirit Grass, and the Jade Horn were simply nowhere to be found in the southern heavens—indeed, even the finest spiritual stones could no longer be obtained. Should the pill-making process fail, Han Li would be completely helpless, merely watching in frustration. Thus, beyond his regular cultivation, Han Li began studying the recipe for the Nine-Curve Spirit Root pill in depth and frequently prepared other pills using techniques and procedures similar to those in the recipe, thereby refining his alchemical skills. Through continuous cultivation and pill-making, time passed steadily. During this time, Han Li also studied the elven script, hoping to better understand the content inscribed on the copper tablets and the leather scrolls he held. Thanks to his remarkable ability to remember what he saw, he quickly mastered the ancient elven script and successfully translated the content of the leather scrolls. The scroll described a technique known as "Nine Transformations of the Wind," a method specifically tailored for avian-type elven beasts. It included a set of spell formulas, a set of movement techniques, and two secret arts. The spell formulas and movement techniques were entirely suited for elven practitioners. Unless Han Li possessed the strong, robust physique of an elven being, he would likely perish before reaching halfway through his practice. As for the two secret arts, the "Concealing Wind Technique" was essentially the same as the previously learned "Wu Ming's Breath-Conserving Method," only slightly modified to better suit human cultivation. While this provided Han Li with some reference value, it held little genuine significance. However, another secret technique—“Blood Shadow Evocation”—captivated Han Li profoundly. As the name suggests, this technique enables a practitioner to vanish instantly and travel up to a hundred li away, relying entirely on the power of their vital essence. Many sects, especially those specializing in the magical arts, employ secret techniques that harness the power of one’s essence to unleash powerful abilities at once. Yet, “Blood Shadow Evocation” differs somewhat from these human-based secrets. First, the distance covered is not controllable—once activated, the practitioner instantly transforms into a streak of blood shadow and is propelled instantly to a distance of a hundred li. Second, the amount of vital essence required is substantial and fixed. Immediately upon activation, the essence begins to burn automatically within the body of the practitioner. Should the essence be insufficient, the body will rupture mid-journey, dissolving into a mist of blood and vaporizing the practitioner—making this technique exceptionally perilous. Finally, to perform this technique, one must possess a pair of wings. Because the Blood-Shadow Flight was so swift, if one lacked wings to maintain bodily balance or employed a special lightness technique, the practitioner would soon turn over and tumble—possibly landing with their head on the ground or spinning in place—making a straight escape impossible. Han Li carefully studied the technique again and again, still feeling as though he might be able to master it. Though others didn’t possess wings, he had a pair of Wind-Thunder Wings. These wings, formed by the magical essence of the treasure, moved freely and were nearly indistinguishable from real wings. If the Blood-Shadow Flight were truly as remarkable as it seemed, it would undoubtedly be the best method for evading powerful adversaries. After all, even when his Wind-Thunder Wings enabled him to use Lightning Flight, he could only dart and flicker within a limited area, unable to vanish completely. Han Li silently committed the method of practicing Blood-Shadow Flight to memory and then turned back to examine the thin copper plate once more. The spirit script inscribed on the bronze plate contained no name of the technique nor any explanation of its origin—it merely presented a series of disconnected mantras and odd meditation postures, leaving Han Li utterly confused. After a closer examination, he found himself even more disoriented, unsure of what to make of it all. Later, recalling that the toxic dragon had once mentioned the suspected Fragments of the Buddha Saint were already fragmented and incomplete, Han Li realized why the techniques on the plate were so incomprehensible. Once this connection was clear, he felt deeply discouraged and decided to store the scroll away. Meanwhile, while refining the Daxian Technique and the Qingyuan Sword Method, Han Li began to study and practice the Xueying Duan Mi Technique as a supplementary discipline. Though he believed he had mastered it, he still hesitated to perform it in actual practice, for the significant loss of vital essence was no trivial matter. Thus, time passed unnoticed, and gradually reached the halfway point of six months. On this particular day, Han Li was seated in his quiet chamber, closing his eyes to meditate on the Daxian Technique. Suddenly, his expression changed as he opened his eyes, a look of surprise flashing across his face. Ma Dan flashed a shimmer of green light around him, and in an instant, he transformed into a streak of green light, vanishing from the still room and flying straight toward the herb garden outside the dwelling. A short while later, Han Li collected the automata within the garden and stood before the thatched cottage. He glanced toward the southeast, pondered for a moment, then turned and entered one of the cottages, taking a seat and brewing a cup of tea—calm and composed, neither hurried nor anxious. A few moments passed, and then a polite voice came from outside the garden's magical barrier: "Excuse me, is Yuan Sister inside? I'm Kui Huan from Yin Jian Peak." It was a young man's voice, slightly sharp. "Yuan Sister? The female disciple who originally managed the herb garden, correct?" Han Li's expression remained unchanged. After the visitor called out a few times, he finished off the clear tea in his hand, sipped it slowly, and replied calmly, "Brother, no need to call again." Master Yuan had already left this place a year ago, and now it is under my care. If you wish to find her, simply inquire at Master Mu's abode. "What? The herb garden has been taken over!" The young man seemed rather surprised. It sounded more as if he had come for something specific rather than to look for a person. "Ah, well, since Master Yuan hasn't been here sooner, I suppose I can also find this young disciple equally convenient. Would you be so kind as to allow me to have a brief conversation with you?" The man smiled warmly. Han Li stroked his chin. With such a gentle and courteous tone, refusing now would indeed seem awkward. After a moment's thought, Han Li stepped out of the room and produced the yellow token. A beam of light radiated out, gradually dispersing the thick mist surrounding the herb garden. To his surprise, standing just outside the southern-eastern seal was a young man dressed in yellow robes. The man had broad brows, small eyes, and a prominent nose pointing upward. Yet his head was a bit smaller than average, so that though he wasn't particularly ugly, his appearance seemed rather comical. His cultivation level, merely at the Qi Condensation stage, was even lower than what韩立appeared to have. It was truly puzzling how this man had managed to gain entry into Luoyun Sect.