"Master Liu! Master Han!" The four green-robed cultivators were startled upon seeing the two white-robed women. "Never mind the formalities. I've heard part of your conversation with Master Liu and my sister. Please recount it to us again—more in detail, if you can." The woman with wide eyes and pale, slender features spoke gently, her voice carrying a warm, earthy tone. She was Han Yunzhi, whom Han Li had known face to face several times before. Though her appearance remained much as it had been, her figure had grown fuller and more robust, no longer thin and frail, now embodying the grace and charm of a truly beautiful cultivator. Her cultivation level had also advanced remarkably, now reaching the early stage of the Jiadian stage. "Thank you, Master Han. I shall follow your instructions faithfully," the elder said, representing the other three green-robed cultivators with respectful formality. Han Yunzhi smiled and nodded, then stepped forward a few paces, finding a clean spot and sitting cross-legged. "Your offenses are certainly not minor." "Truly, if we can't recover the Spirit Infant, I doubt even our master will be able to plead on our behalf!" The other woman, with delicate eyebrows and bright eyes, exuding a touch of languid grace, smiled lightly. She was the one who had first spoken, awakening these several disciples of the Yu Ling Sect. "I know that this offense is beyond redemption, yet we truly feel somewhat unjustified this time. I hope the two senior uncles will kindly intercede with our master." After a sigh, the elder spoke with a tone of earnest appeal. "Ah, very well. Then let me state two matters at once. The one who has imprisoned the Spirit Infant is currently far beyond our reach, thousands of miles away—so we don't need to rush matters now." The woman gracefully extended her slender, alluring form, her bright red lips flashing as she spoke. "Yes, this begins with the time when Master Ning and I, along with several others, were transporting the Spirit Infant through Kunmu Mountain. At that time, Master Ning claimed that..." The elder then respectfully and in detail recounted the entire sequence—the escape of the Spirit Infant, its subsequent imprisonment, and the tragic extinction of the Fu family. Huan Yunzhi listened quietly, her face showing no unusual expression, as though she had already made up her mind. The other woman of the Li surname, however, had her eyes darting back and forth, occasionally displaying curiosity, clearly interested in what the elder had said. Two days later, Han Li appeared at the border between Yuanwu and Yue states, entering the territory of the Yue state with a flash of azure light. According to the information he had received, the current Yue state was now entirely under the control of the Gui Ling Sect, whose main headquarters was precisely where the ancient Yan Yue Sect had once stood. The Tai Yue Mountain Range, where Huang Feng Valley had once been located, had also become a branch of the Gui Ling Sect. Immediately upon entering the Yue state, Han Li set off directly toward the Tai Yue Mountain Range. "Everything has remained exactly the same!" Han Li said, standing before a massive pile of scattered rocks, his expression somewhat listless and desolate. That day, to prevent the magi of the demonic path from discovering his dwelling, he had deliberately destroyed the entire mountain peak. Now that many years have passed, the place appears entirely desolate. No one could have imagined that beneath this massive pile of rocks lay a hidden monastery for cultivators. Han Li murmured a few words to himself, then raised his hand—white light flashed, and several giant ape puppets were released. Under his divine awareness, these great apes swiftly began clearing the scattered rocks. In truth, their "clearing" involved merely the constant emission of colorful light beams from their fingers, striking and shattering the large stones to clear a path leading down to the buried monastery. In mere moments, a straight passage was fully established. Han Li ordered the puppets to guard the entrance, then transformed into a streak of jade-green light and entered the monastery. The layout inside was exactly as it had been when he had hastily evacuated—indicating that no one had entered here at all. This fact slightly troubled Han Li. He had come here not for nostalgia, but directly to the chamber housing the Spirit-Eye Spring. This time, his intention was to take the spring with him. Although he already possessed the Spirit-Eye Jade, the highest form of Spirit-Eye treasure—the Spirit-Eye Tree—there was no one who would ever feel burdened by having too many Spirit-Eye treasures. This smaller Spirit-Eye Spring, though modest, was certainly worth bringing along once he had returned to the Yue State. The spring remained undamaged within the chamber, exuding delicate strands of white spiritual energy. Standing before the spring, Han Li gazed at it with a mixture of emotions, his mind instantly recalling the memories of his early days—when he first achieved Foundation Stage and, upon establishing his dwelling, first discovered this spring. Those memories felt as if they had happened just yesterday, stirring a range of emotions within him. After a long, thoughtful gaze, Han Li finally sighed, then pressed two hands together, casting several colorful spells from his palms that struck the spring. At once, the spring radiated brilliant light, and the ground nearby began to tremble slightly. Han Li remained calm, settled into a meditative posture, formed an unusual hand seal, fixed his gaze on the spring, and murmured a low incantation. To everyone's astonishment, the surface of the spring began to boil without any apparent cause, as though an invisible giant hand were constantly stirring the water, causing it to swirl and rise, gradually forming a deep, dark, bottomless vortex. Then, a powerful, shimmering stream of pure qi burst forth from the vortex, vanishing instantly and passing straight through the roof, disappearing into the distance. Han Li's expression slightly changed—this sudden emission of qi was beyond his expectations. Yet after a brief pause, he regained composure, paying no further attention and instead accelerating his spellcasting. At this moment, the ground tremors grew more intense, and a vivid yellow glow appeared in a ring around the spring. This yellow glow gradually contracted and transformed, and the spring itself within the ring correspondingly shrank in size. A brilliant glow enveloped the entire spring, dazzling to the eye. After a moment, Han Li issued a low command, and the light dimmed, leaving behind a deep yellow orb about the size of a clenched fist, gently floating in place. Beneath it, a vast crater had formed, empty and lifeless—where the spirit-spring had once been, now vanished. Han Li smiled slightly at this, but then his expression darkened suddenly, his head tilting with a somber air. He clearly sensed that the several giant ape puppets he had placed at the entrance had been struck. Though they had not yet been destroyed, they were clearly struggling, and were soon on the verge of collapse. Without hesitation, Han Li swiftly produced a jade box, carefully placed the orb inside, and sealed it. Then, transforming into a streak of jade-green light, he directly vanished back through the original path. As soon as he stepped out of the passage, he saw several black-robed cultivators fiercely attacking the giant ape puppets. At about twenty to thirty paces beyond these figures, a gray-clad man in his thirties, with a stern and severe countenance, stood, gazing in puzzlement at the scene. As the jade-green aura emitted by Han Li suddenly surged forth, the cultivators all gasped. After the gray-robed man shouted, "Halt!" several black-robed cultivators quickly ceased their attacks and retreated to gather around him. The jade-green aura soared into the air, and Han Li's form materialized, then paused, his eyes expressionless as he silently stared at the group. Gradually, the aura emanating from him intensified, clearly revealing his Yuan-Infant stage cultivation. "Senior, please don't misunderstand! I have no ill will. I merely, by chance, noticed an unusual energy fluctuation in this area and came to investigate out of curiosity. My name is Gui Ling, from the Gui Ling Sect. My master is Master Shuihun, the One Who Shatters Souls—there is absolutely no intent to oppose you." The gray-robed man glanced at Han Li, his heart suddenly leaping with apprehension, and quickly offered a composed, startled smile. "Master Shuihun!" Han Li furrowed his brows, feeling a familiar sense of recognition. After a moment's reflection, he recalled this person. Wasn't he one of the Yuan-Infant stage elders of the Gui Ling Sect? He seemed rather stern and protective, difficult to deal with. The white-haired elder from Luoyun Sect had even mentioned him once, urging him to pay closer attention. Han Li was thinking it over. The gray-robed man noticed that Han Li had heard of his master's name, which eased his mind somewhat, though he still remained uneasy and forced a warm smile: "It's a pleasure that you know my master. Perhaps we've known each other for a long time. I must have been rather impolite last night. I didn't realize you were here, so I was quite startled. If there's anything I can do for you, please just let me know. Otherwise, I'd better retire now. You're welcome to proceed at your convenience." Though the gray-robed man had a rather imposing appearance, he was remarkably polished and courteous. After carefully delivering these words, he bowed with deep respect. After all, facing an unknown Yuan-Stage cultivator alone, he felt his palms grow damp with sweat. Han Li stared impassively at the gray-robed man, showing no intention of responding to his words. Yet, as he expanded his awareness, he found no traces of other cultivators within a hundred li. It seemed the man and his party had indeed stumbled upon the disturbance here by accident, arriving alone. With that... Han's resolve to strike intensified. Whether he had once been a cultivator of Huangfeng Valley or now held the rank of Senior Monks at Luoyun Sect, he had no reason to forgive these Gui Ling Sect cultivators. The young master of Gui Ling Sect back then had nearly claimed his life, leaving a lingering resentment in his heart ever since. Moreover, this covert journey into the Yue State was precisely to avoid the older Gui Ling Sect masters learning that a stranger at the Yuan Ying stage had recently appeared in the region. Should these elders take notice of him, it would pose a serious problem. He certainly didn't want to be pursued and driven out of the Yue State by several Yuan Ying cultivators of equal rank. "Hm!" This person is..." Just as Han Li had already decided to act silently, one of the elder black-robed cultivators suddenly looked at Han Li, lightly exclaiming, "Huh," with a look of profound astonishment on his face.