Upon seeing the fellow roommates who had just been together, the faces of the other cultivators turned pale. Their colorful protective shields and defensive artifacts surged forth, and most of them fixed their gaze tightly on the scholar, unable to shift their eyes even for a moment. For a while, no one dared to move or speak. The Mu-named woman, initially startled, quickly stepped away from Du Dong and activated her silk-band devices to shield her entire body. As for Sun Huo, he had already subtly retreated several paces the moment the scholar appeared, his eyes constantly shifting between the scholar and Du Dong, his expression growing increasingly grim. Han Li silently moved to a corner of the quiet chamber, his gaze flickering uncertainly at the scene, lost in thought. At that very moment, Du Dong suddenly surged with an intense aura, his body enveloped in a dark glow. Fine black runes began to shimmer on his face and neck. Then, within the radiant light, his form expanded dramatically, transforming into a towering giant of two zhang in height, his features fierce and his eyes glowing emerald. His cultivation level instantly rose to the mid-Jiedan stage. "Excellent!" As for the art of concealment and transformation, the Thousand-Phantom Sect ranks second in the southern heavens—no one dares to claim first. Indeed, the "Great Celestial Thousand-Phantom Technique" lives up to its reputation and truly stands as the sect's foundational masterwork. Upon seeing Du Dong's astonishing transformation, the Bai-family cultivator was not surprised but rather beamed with delight, clapping his hands heartily. "Hmph!" Du Dong, now transformed into a towering giant, merely snorted without responding. Instead, his dark, penetrating gaze swept over the others before settling once again on Han Li, a flicker of sternness crossing his face. "Whoosh!" "Thud!" Two sounds followed one another. The cultivators inside watched as the giant shifted position, a gust of wind sweeping through, and then closed in on Han Li, who was protected by a luminous shield. Without hesitation, he raised his hand, instantly shattering the shield, and then swiftly plunged his arm into Han Li's chest—so fast it seemed like lightning. He then withdrew, pulling out a crimson, blood-soaked heart. Han Li's body collapsed to the ground. "Ah!" The other disciples, stirred by the bloody scene, gasped in outrage, thinking that the opponent was finally about to launch a full-scale assault, and each of them grew increasingly alarmed. "Hmm!" So smoothly had the giant dispatched the opponent, yet he displayed a faint sense of bewilderment, as though he couldn't quite believe the opponent had fallen so easily. With a furrowed brow, he glanced at the crimson heart still warm in his hands—indeed, the opponent had been killed without doubt. "What are you doing? These disciples aren't simply killed at will—several of them are quite prominent. One in particular is the direct descendant of the old monster the day before. Don't act rashly!" The scholar, startled by Du Dong's sudden intervention, shouted in astonishment. "Hmph. You can kill one person; why can't I? Besides, this young man seems rather unusual. It's only natural to act first. The descendant of the old monster of resentment? Certainly not him. He's just like me—a fresh apprentice." Du Dong replied calmly, then set the object he held down. "Then you're satisfied." Though it was uncertain whether the heir of the Heavens-Hating Elder was male or female, or which sect he belonged to, the three sects, desiring to cultivate good relations with him, would surely ensure that his heir was among the ten selected disciples, thus securing opportunities for purification through the clear and refreshing essence. Should such a person indeed be harmed by accident, the consequences would be serious. As for the one I killed, I am certain of his identity and know his background well—he is certainly not the descendant of the Elder. With that said, the scholar's expression eased slightly, yet remained somewhat serious. "Enough. As for the others, I will not act rashly. Of course, I cannot allow them to simply cause disturbances at will—I shall have them rest quietly." Saying this, Du Dong spun around in place, and suddenly a surge of black light erupted from his body, swirling violently and spreading to cover the entire chamber like a vast, sky-enclosing veil. At that very moment, the other cultivators, who had just relaxed after hearing the preceding conversation, were instantly enveloped by this black light. They immediately felt dizzy and disoriented, losing consciousness altogether. Seeing the disciples inside all unconscious, the scholar nodded, a satisfied expression on his face. "Let's go. We can't delay any longer." "Understood." The two exchanged words and immediately strode toward the door. However, when Du Dong reached the doorway, a slight unease stirred within him. He glanced once more at the corpse he had opened and pierced through the chest and heart. Seeing Han Li lying motionless in the pool of blood, already lifeless beyond all doubt, he found himself smiling faintly, realizing how overwrought he had been. With that, he felt at ease and followed the scholar out. As soon as the two departed, the chamber fell into complete silence. Yet only a moment later, a clear, pleasant voice from a young woman suddenly echoed within the room. "Brother Han, I believe my Tian Hu Mi Ling technique is superior to that of the Da Luo Qian Huan Sect's cultivation method. That person's cultivation level is strong, yet he has no awareness of whether he truly killed the individuals—he is truly amusing!" As the woman spoke, the body of Han Li, previously lying in the pool of blood, began to emit a faint glow, then transformed into a compact silver aura that coalesced into a small white fox about a foot in size, shaking her head in annoyance. "Indeed, that's quite impressive. Yet you are clearly descended from the Silver Wolf lineage, yet you have mastered the fox clan's techniques—this is truly exceptional. However, this is due to the relatively low cultivation levels of the two of you. Should either of you reach the late Jiadian stage, such an easy concealment would be impossible. Moreover, the Great Luo Thousand Illusions Technique is truly outstanding. At least, when this person conceals their true cultivation level, I am unable to discern their actual rank." Han Li's voice drifted gently from the stone wall several feet behind the white fox. Then, a flash of yellow light, and he emerged, holding a jade如意 shaped like a wolf's head, stepping out from within the stone wall. Unnoticed, Han Li had silently seeped into the wall. The Han Li remaining in the still room was actually a phantom created by Yin Yue, taking the form of the white fox. Although this transformation technique wasn't durable, it was certainly sufficient to handle a brief period and two relatively less experienced Dan stage cultivators. "Indeed, the technique is that impressive? Didn't Brother Han spot something amiss at first glance?" Yin Yue still wasn't fully convinced, brushing her lips with a slight expression of doubt. "I've practiced the Da-Yan Technique, and in terms of spiritual awareness alone, I'm comparable to a Yuan-Ying stage cultivator in the early stages. If such a technique fails to reveal any inconsistencies, then it can't claim to be the best for concealment and disguise in the southern region—rather, it would have to be the very best in the entire realm." Han Li spoke with ease and confidence. Upon hearing this, the white fox tilted her fluffy head slightly and remained silent, no longer offering any counterarguments. Han Li then walked several steps to the center of the room, taking in the sight of everyone unconscious with a single glance. However, as his gaze shifted, it ultimately settled on the black-robed young man, Meng Di. The young fox seemed to have sensed Han Li's thoughts. After a few hops, it landed gracefully on the young man, promptly pulling off his satchel from his waist without hesitation, then leapt back to Han Li's side, neatly offering it. Han Li smiled slightly and took the satchel without further ceremony. With a mere glance of his consciousness, he retrieved the jade box containing the Calming Spirit Pills. Then, he casually returned the satchel to the young man. After all, the item was unlikely to be of use to the latter at his current level of cultivation—so he gladly accepted it. "Let's go. Those two should have reached the cave within the Spirit-Eye Tree. We'll follow and take a look." After securing the box, Han Li gently touched his chin and called out. With a sweeping motion of his sleeve, he enveloped the white fox, and the two shot forth as a streak of azure light from the still room. Though the explosions outside continued unceasingly, Han Li listened to a few more before a faint expression of doubt briefly flickered in his eyes, then he paid no further attention. When Han Li reached the entrance of the cavern, the stone gate was wide open, the seals completely gone, and the two figures had already entered. Inside, faint voices of surprise and anger could be heard. "Wei brother, what is this? At the last moment, you've suddenly changed your mind. Have you forgotten the great favor the Master once showed you? Or have you truly lived in Luoyun Sect for so many years that you've completely forgotten your roots as a Tiansha Sect disciple?" This was Du Dong's furious outburst. Upon hearing this, Han Li's mind stirred, and as he prepared to move forward, his expression suddenly changed—he vanished from his spot without a trace. According to his awareness, there were no fewer than seven or eight people inside the cavern, among whom one was clearly a Yuan-En stage cultivator. The others, several Jin-En stage cultivators, had silently withdrawn beneath the cavern floor, appearing as if trapped like fish in a bowl. Han Li then quietly entered the cavern, hiding in a corner and observing the scene with calm, steady eyes. Several Dan-stage cultivators hidden beneath the ground were protected by a thin, pale yellow light shield. The caster, Han Li, was familiar with this figure—indeed, it was the blue-robed young disciple who had been stationed outside to defend against attacks. Precisely because of this, the three figures above had not yet detected the hidden group beneath. Upon lightly probing his awareness, Han Li discovered that within the shield were not only the blue-robed cultivator and the gray-robed elder, but also two additional figures: the elderly scholar from the Fu family and the young scholar's partner, the white-robed young woman. The woman's face was pale and lifeless, and she was holding a comatose person—none other than the elderly man with a long face. Seeing these individuals, Han Li, who had been concealing himself, drew in a sharp breath and felt a slight sense of puzzlement. The sounds of the breaking of the barrier outside had never ceased, yet now, who exactly was fighting outside, or was it all merely a ruse—no actual battle taking place at all, just a carefully laid trap? At that moment, a calm voice emanated from within the golden light shield. "I know that the Celestial and Earthly Daoist sects have recently discovered an ancient Xuan Tian Immortal Vine near Mulan Grassland. Though the vine has long since withered, if we irrigate it with the pure nectar from the Spirit-Eye Tree, it stands a strong chance of reviving and coming back to life. That is precisely why, after years of quietly serving within the three sects, we have been summoned without hesitation—so much so that even our original plan to undermine the three sects has been set aside. As for my esteemed friend Du, who holds the position of Junior Master of QianHuan Sect, he has willingly taken on the risk of entering secretly and has brought with him the instructions from above, urging us to collaborate closely between the Celestial and Earthly Daoist forces." The bearded elder spoke slowly.