After gazing at the jade box in his hands for a long time, Han Li sighed, then a flash of green light passed through his fingers, and the pale green jade scroll reappeared in his palm. Should he take the risk and begin cultivating his second immortal embryo now, or wait until he had fully mastered the "Xuan Mu Embryonic Formula" before making a decision? After all, the risks and challenges involved were far from minor—he had better proceed with caution. With this careful deliberation in mind, Han Li immersed his consciousness into the formula once again, returning to a state of complete absorption. The door to his meditation chamber remained closed and sealed, while Yin Yue, in a nearby, adjacent chamber, similarly focused and practiced in stillness. All other daily tasks within the estate were managed by several large, humanoid automata. Time flew by swiftly—within just over a year, the seasons had changed from spring to winter. On this day, two long streaks of silvery-white light broke through the sky, approaching the Letter Peak where Han Li's estate was located. After the glow faded, two figures emerged from the dim, misty haze—precisely the two senior monks of Luoyun Sect, an elderly man with silver hair and a middle-aged man named Lu with a pale yellow complexion. Upon seeing the array's seals tightly locked, they exchanged a smile. The man named Lu flicked his finger, sending a pre-prepared messenger scroll soaring forth, which transformed into a streak of flame and vanished within the seals. Then, turning to the silver-haired elder beside him, he smiled and said, "It seems Master Han has not stepped out of his pavilion since his last return—truly dedicated to his cultivation." "That is quite normal," replied the elder, his expression shifting. "Otherwise, Master Han could not have successfully condensed his Yuan婴 at just two hundred years of age. Unfortunately, my life span is drawing near, and I shall not be able to advance further on the path of cultivation. As for you, your prospects seem rather limited as well." The middle-aged man quickly interjected, eager to reassure him. "You're mistaken," he said. "With your age, you're certainly well on your way—there's no doubt you'll make it another one or two centuries at least." "Hehe, Li Shizhong! Don't I know my own condition well? Perhaps before this injury, I could easily live another one or two hundred years. But now, although my injuries have healed to a great extent, the vital energy lost can no longer be fully restored simply through meditation." The silver-haired elder shook his head, speaking calmly. "Brother Li!" The middle-aged man named Li frowned, about to say something more. But the elder raised a hand, cutting him off and continuing: "Even if I never engage in any more physical confrontations or disputes, I can only manage to hold on for another fifty to sixty years at most. This is certain—there's no need to reassure me. Otherwise, I wouldn't be so eager to recruit Han Shizhong into Luoyun Sect and make a point of cultivating a close relationship with him. After all, under ordinary circumstances, even if one is eager to bring someone in, one would still carefully investigate the other's background first." But now, at last, my judgment has been confirmed—though his background is somewhat winding, he truly does not have any ulterior motives toward us of the Luoyun Sect. The silver-haired elder spoke slowly. "Did your brother's dispatched disciple actually uncover the origins of Han brother?" Li, the middle-aged man with a Li surname, was momentarily startled upon hearing this. "Indeed. Although Han brother has been vague about his own background, merely by his name, appearance, and his roots in the Yue State, our dispatched disciples have quietly investigated in the Yue State and finally pieced together the general background of our Han brother. You might find it hard to believe, but Han brother himself was once a Foundation Stage cultivator from the Huangfeng Valley of the ancient Yue State over a hundred years ago. At that time, he was quite well known among his peers. It is said that during the conflict with the Magician Sect, he single-handedly defeated numerous cultivators of the same stage." But later, when Huang Feng Gu passed its defeat, the usually cunning and ghost-like Ling Fu elder, for some reason, failed to see the value of our younger brother Han and treated him as a mere pawn. Since then, Han has vanished without a trace, quietly practicing and living in obscurity somewhere, until recently he suddenly reappeared—now having reached the late Jading stage, and even achieving Yuan Yin cultivation at Lu Yun Sect. It seems that during this period of silence, he must have encountered remarkable fortune. "Treated as a mere pawn. That truly is amusing. A disciple of such rare talent—rarely seen in a thousand years—was cast aside, yet he advanced so swiftly from Foundation Stage all the way to Yuan Yin. I wonder if Ling Fu elder, upon learning of this, wouldn't be furious enough to jump out of his seat! After all, Huang Feng Gu is currently struggling in the Nine Kingdoms Alliance, and relying solely on him, an old man, is quite a strain. And if I'm not mistaken, he and my senior brother were contemporaries in their cultivation journey, and neither of them has much left in their lifespans. A middle-aged man from the Lu family smiled coldly, speaking with scorn. "Indeed, the old fox spirit is a bit older than me. Yet he is well-versed in the arts of longevity and has lived a longer life. Moreover, with his reputation as a Yuan婴 cultivator, at least until his passing, Huang Feng Valley should remain stable. I used to share the same concerns about Lu Yun Sect. Should I depart, I truly fear my younger brother would be unable to manage alone!" "Were it not for our strong hold on the sacred mountain and spiritual artery of Yun Meng Mountain, even a single disciple like my brother would have been sufficient to ensure the sect's prosperity. But now, if the sect's strength is only slightly weakened, I suspect many would grow envious and begin to challenge our authority. Originally, my intention was to urge my brother to proactively withdraw the entire sect from Yun Meng Mountain, to avoid any major calamity. However, with the addition of Han brother, all this has naturally changed." "This young disciple from Han appears to be a dedicated practitioner, entirely focused on the path of immortality, showing little interest in the affairs of our sect. Yet the more so, the more I feel at ease. As long as we secure his loyalty, unless some unprecedented calamity befalls us, the Luoyun Sect will be secure for a thousand years." The silver-haired elder gently stroked his long beard, exuding confidence. "Still, Han is clearly a talented cultivator, though rather young—his Yuan婴 is only just formed. I'm not entirely sure what true powers he possesses, however." The middle-aged man hesitated, expressing a touch of concern. "Ah, I share your concern. Indeed, there are some dedicated practitioners who are unwilling to invest time in mastering powerful techniques, instead solely pursuing the elevation of their cultivation stages. Though such cultivators may achieve profound depth in their practice, they often struggle to defeat even those a few levels below them in combat. While I don't believe Han fits this profile, it would still be wise to test his abilities thoroughly." Therefore, this time at the fair, I have特意 chosen to remain inside the hall, while sending you to accompany Han's younger brother. The silver-haired elder spoke with a touch of mystery. "So, does that mean—?" the middle-aged man replied, slightly puzzled. The elder smiled gently, just about to add something more, when the mist before them suddenly surged and rippled. At once, the elder fell silent. The middle-aged man likewise closed his mouth. The swirling mist gently parted to either side, revealing a clear path of its own. The two stepped in side by side without hesitation, their figures gradually fading into the thick mist until they were completely gone. … Three months later, the largest fair in the southern lands—occurring once every century—was set to take place in Yu State, located at the northernmost part of the region. The Qian Tian City, built deep within a mountain range of Yu State, served as the headquarters of the Nine Kingdoms Alliance and was the only city in the southern lands inhabited entirely by cultivators. Every resident, regardless of age or gender, possessed a spiritual root. There are already six or seven senior elders from the Nine-Country Alliance, all at the mid-Immortal or higher stage, residing in this city alone—enough to instantly eliminate any修士 who dares to cause trouble or make an incursion. Hence, whether from the orthodox or demonic traditions, the Celestial Dao Alliance, or the independent, unruly cultivators, none dares to act too boldly or provoke conflict here. Even a few months prior to the opening of the Southern Heavens' Premier Trade Fair, the Nine-Country Alliance—acting as the city's host—began systematically dismantling the majority of the restrictions of its famed city-protection array, the "Shangyuan Mieguang Array." By then, several distant cultivators had already arrived, and some more eager ones had even set up stalls within various market districts. Indeed, there were already other cultivators coming forward to inquire about prices and conduct transactions. After all, while the fair days themselves boast abundant treasures and a continuous stream of rare materials, these offerings are far beyond the reach of ordinary cultivators. To secure even moderately rare and suitable materials, early preparation and timely acquisition are truly essential. The slightly quiet city of Qian Tian soon came alive, bustling with the everyday vibrancy of a regular human settlement. However, the people walking along the city streets were all cultivators of relatively high attainments. The medium of exchange for goods and services was limited to spiritual stones. The city's only auction house, established by the Nine Kingdoms Alliance, began accepting submissions and appraisals of various rare items. Gradually, Qian Tian warmed up and gained momentum. When only about a month remained until the fair, three beams of light, drifting steadily from thousands of miles away, approached the city. As they drew nearer, it became clear that the travelers were three cultivators—two men and one woman. Among them, a strikingly beautiful and composed female cultivator stood closely beside a young man dressed in a plain green robe, displaying a notably warm and friendly demeanor. The third was a middle-aged man in a blue robe, his sleeves flowing gracefully, radiating an impressive presence.