"This...since the Master has personally inquired, may I ask what plans the Master has for the future? If there are no other intentions, settling at Luoyun Sect would be a quite satisfactory choice. The two individuals there are both at the early stage of Yuan Ying cultivation. Should the Master remain within this sect, he would face no constraints from anyone. Moreover, Luoyun Sect is a fairly substantial sect, capable of providing the Master with solid support. Of course, if the Master has other plans, that would also be perfectly acceptable. A Yuan Ying cultivator, even one who is a free practitioner, would not be easily challenged by any sect." Yin Yue spoke calmly. "If that's the case, then Master might as well stay at Luoyun Sect for now. Independent practitioners still tend to be somewhat isolated, and having a Yuan婴-period cultivator to guide them is certainly beneficial for Master's cultivation." After a moment's thought, Silver Moon offered this suggestion. "Hmm, that makes sense. I do feel a bit tired now—go ahead and take your leave." Han Li didn't explicitly say whether he accepted the suggestion, but instead changed the tone of his words and rose to head toward the bedroom. The white fox tilted her head, gazing at Han Li's retreating figure, her eyes reflecting a thoughtful expression, and then followed him out of the hall. ... Lying on the stone bed in the bedroom, Han Li stared silently at the stone ceiling of the pavilion, his emotions fluctuating, finding it difficult to fall asleep. The process of forming his Yuan婴 had seemed straightforward at first, yet the risks involved left him still uneasy when he recalled it. The intense pain and reversal of blood flow throughout his meridians during the fragmentation of the Dan, though nearly unbearable, had been managed thanks to his deeper cultivation level compared to peers, allowing him to endure and persevere. The miraculous efficacy of the Nine-Curve Spirit-Participating Pills undoubtedly played the most crucial role. Otherwise, Han Li would have doubted whether he would have fainted right there and then. The process of breaking the pills was perilous, yet in comparison to the heart-mage's counterattack, it was merely a minor feat. He had originally believed that with the protective divine artifacts such as the Soul-Nourishing Wood and the Borobu Jewels, along with the specially prepared Calming-Soul Pills, he would have managed to pass through the heart-mage trial without too much difficulty—certainly far easier than other cultivators at the Ju-Stage. Yet he had not anticipated the heart-mage's skill and cunning, which far surpassed even the accounts by several times. It first caused Han Li to experience a series of events that were most deeply feared and most terrifying to him—many of which had been quietly buried deep within his mind, even without his own awareness—recurring one after another in the visions. Whether it was the sudden raid of bandits on his hometown village, resulting in the deaths of his parents and younger sister, or the complete loss of his cultivation, plunging him back into the status of a common mortal, or Such scenes, each one striking at the very vulnerabilities within Han Li's heart, unfolded before him with the vividness of a dream, as real as illusion, so immersive that once he fell into them, he could not extricate himself. Even though Han Li was usually resolute and steady in temperament, he nearly succumbed to fury and fear. Fortunately, the Calming Pill and other treasures were no mere empty promises—they upheld his mental clarity at the crucial moment, enabling him to break through the illusion and return to reality. Still, this left Han Li drenched in cold sweat. Before he could steady his mind, the heart-mage launched its next wave of assault. In a state of mental confusion, he found himself immersed in a series of beautiful, blissful visions: reuniting with his parents and younger sister, returning to the happy days of his childhood; unexpectedly becoming sworn brothers-in-law with Nan Gong Wan, sharing a dual cultivation dream; and finally, scenes of him sharing his life with several women—such as the Mu sisters and Chen Qiaoqian. While Han Li lingered in these visions, he soon found himself free from their enchantment. Later, he achieved great enlightenment, ultimately dominating the celestial realm of the southern heavenly region, and eventually ascending to the spiritual realm, becoming a true immortal of the immortal realm, living in harmony with heaven and earth. Over time, all these grand scenes unfolded one by one. Immersed in these visions for countless years, as though having experienced countless joys and sorrows across lifetimes, he suddenly awakened to a new awareness through a fortunate turning point, finally overcoming the illusions of his inner demons and solidifying his true Yuan婴 (infant stage of cultivation). After a moment's reflection, Han Li gradually understood the reason behind this situation—he had only recently achieved his Yuan婴 stage and still could not fully unify his mind and spirit. Once his Yuan婴 fully solidified and his cultivation advanced further, such occurrences would naturally cease. Worn out from the repeated movements and the physical strain of the Ju-ying process, he drifted off to sleep in a drowsy, half-conscious state. To his delight, he had an exceptionally pleasant dream—seemingly returning to his mountain village, joyfully running through the hills with his brother and younger sister, then returning home to share meals and laughter with his parents. What a wonderful dream! ...Three days later, when the two silver-haired elders arrived together, Han Li promptly agreed to join the Luoyun Sect without hesitation. The two elders of Luoyun Sect were naturally overjoyed. They immediately proposed holding a grand internal assembly of the Sect and invited senior cultivators from other sects to celebrate Han Li's official enrollment. Upon hearing this, Han Li immediately shook his head vigorously, as if shaking a drum, and firmly rejected the proposal. He suggested that everything should be kept simple—only notifying the other two sects at Yunmeng Mountain of the matter. After all, the Yuan-Enlightened elders of these two sects would eventually have to interact anyway. All other matters should remain low-key, as Han Li did not wish to draw too much attention to himself. When truly meeting Han Li, although he had no idea what thoughts the others might be harboring, each of them displayed profound respect, with no one showing any sign of hesitation or discomfort. Han Li, upon encountering his former "master elders," the red-robed elder and the two peak masters from Tianquan Peak, was consistently addressed as "Master Han" throughout the conversation. Though his expression remained composed, he found himself slightly amused. With a simple gesture, he invited them all to rise, showing no reluctance or formality. However, upon scanning the room with his consciousness, he noticed that the woman with the surname Song displayed a touch of complexity when addressing him as "Master," her voice slightly hesitant. Perhaps she recalled the time she had attempted to probe his inner thoughts, only to find it unsuccessful. Given Han Li's current level of cultivation, he did not find this detail particularly significant. After exchanging greetings with these Jin Dan cultivators, the silver-haired elder immediately spoke. Along the entire eastern spine of Yunmeng Mountain, he could freely choose any mountain rich in spiritual energy to establish his abode, without necessarily having to reside on any of the several peaks within the sect. Hearing this, Han Li did not hesitate. Over the course of the next day, he searched and eventually selected a medium-sized peak on the eastern side of Luoyun Sect. Though this peak was neither particularly lofty nor renowned for its exceptional spiritual energy, it possessed a rare feature—the letter-shaped peak. In addition to its main summit, three smaller, adjacent peaks encircled it, making it ideally suited for setting up magical arrays and seals. Han Li was highly satisfied with this choice. Establishing a dwelling for himself was an effortless task for Han Li. Even though this was the largest such dwelling he had ever constructed, it only took him half a day. Immediately after the abode was completed, Han Li arranged powerful temporary magical arrays on each of the three peaks using array instruments. Instantly, a dense mist enveloped the area, covering all within dozens of miles. As for these restrictions, Han Li naturally would not be very satisfied. He had long decided that once he mastered a more advanced method of arraying the formations, he would reestablish the restrictions. After completing all this, Han Li returned to the original herb garden of Luoyun Sect. He intended to move some items from his old residence there. Yet upon his arrival, he found a graceful and alluring figure already waiting for him in the herb garden beneath the stone mountain. As soon as she saw Han Li, she bowed deeply and respectfully, then gently pleaded, "Mù Pèi Líng has always been blind in her vision, and has often offended Master Han in the past. I hope you will not mind. However, I have one request—would Master Han be so kind as to accept me as your disciple? I solemnly promise to serve you faithfully for the rest of my life, never to falter or depart." After saying this, the usually radiant and proud woman stood beside him, hands folded, slightly nervous, her bright eyes filled with hopeful anticipation.