As for the beautiful young lady Mu Peiling, she is a concubine of Han Li. The silver-haired Cheng Elder, who needed to remain at Luoyun Sect to guard against any potential disruptions from lesser disciples, did not make it to the gathering. According to this elder, he has attended such events several times—over seven or eight times—and has no urgent needs, so naturally he decided to give the opportunity to his two younger disciples. Thus, Han Li and Lü Elder now appear here. Mu Peiling, however, has encountered a block in her cultivation and has just emerged from her closed meditation. Upon hearing that the grand trading event of the southern region is about to take place, she was greatly excited and proposed to go together to broaden her horizons. After all, if she fails to achieve Dan Stage success, this event might very well be her only chance to attend. Han Li, not being a rigid or unkind person, and considering the potential risks of traveling for trading purposes, readily agreed. Moreover, having a beautiful companion along the way would surely be a pleasant experience. Of course, during this trade fair, several cultivators from the three sects of Yunmeng Mountain either traveled together or went individually. Naturally, Han Li and his companions were unwilling to journey alongside these younger disciples and thus departed earlier, heading first toward Yu State. By carefully selecting routes that avoided the core lands of the Zheng and Mo sects, they smoothly entered the Nine Kingdoms Alliance territory and eventually reached the vicinity of Qian Tian City. At this moment, Han Li was casually observing the surrounding scenery, occasionally seeing cultivators pass by in the distance. However, whenever their awareness swept over the Lu-named middle-aged man and Han Li, those cultivators instantly grew pale, their faces filled with alarm, and hurriedly took off, flying away as if afraid of being noticed or disturbed. Han Li and the traveling elder had no need to conceal their cultivation levels—any ordinary cultivator would be struck with awe upon seeing two Yuan-Infant stage cultivators together, and would immediately choose to detour. Initially, Mu Peilin found this somewhat unfamiliar, but after witnessing it repeatedly, she eventually grew accustomed to it and treated it as nothing unusual. At that moment, Lü elder was walking forward, chatting pleasantly with Han Li beside him about something. "The trade fair has only recently been held in Qian Tian City—this is no more than a century old. In the past, it was always the forces of the Zheng and Mo sects that controlled the trade fair, rotating between Tian Luo and Feng Du nations. Back then, the Heaven Dao Alliance had not yet been established, and the Nine-Nations Alliance was under constant pressure from the Muran scholars, so such a profitable event could only be managed by these two dominant powers. However, once the Zheng and Mo sects began expanding, the cultivators from other factions naturally no longer trusted the Zheng and Mo nations to host the trade fair. Since the last time, the hosting rights have been firmly and uncontentiously granted to the neutral Nine-Nations Alliance. This must surely be a bitter disappointment for the Zheng and Mo powers after their rise!" "Lü senior's words truly favor the Nine-Nations Alliance. Still, I've heard quite a bit about Qian Tian City, and I'm genuinely curious about it." There's only one city of cultivators throughout the southern lands. It's this very one. I heard that back when the alliance of master cultivators first advanced, they even reached deep into Yu's territory, only to be decisively defeated by the newly allied nine nations of cultivators right beneath the walls of Qian Tian City, using their "Shangyuan Mieguang Array." I heard that battle alone claimed several cultivators at the Yuan Ying stage—how truly devastating! Han Li, with a look of genuine interest, said. "Ha ha! Brother Han, don't worry—Qian Tian City will surely not disappoint you. However, I've always felt that since your last period of seclusion, you've changed a bit from before. But not in the way of simply advancing your cultivation level. It seems you've finally mastered some profound internal technique. Otherwise, I wouldn't feel such an unusual sense of difference." The middle-aged man with the Li surname smiled, then suddenly shifted the topic, asking with a touch of hesitation. "Indeed, I've recently begun studying a new cultivation technique, though I still have a long way to go before achieving full mastery." "Actually, I've heard from my other disciples that Master Lu's 'Thousand Wave Technique' is a renowned top-tier cultivation method—one that I've always wanted to see in action," said Han Li, smiling slightly and smoothly steering the conversation back toward the other party. "Don't listen to the younger disciples' exaggerations—I'd have to say my 'Thousand Wave Technique' is merely a fairly ordinary water-based method. While it handles Dan-stage cultivators with ease, it often falls short when facing peers of the same stage. Fortunately, the technique includes two vital life-saving techniques, which have kept me from being defeated and losing my life." The elder Lu shook his head, offering a wry smile. Upon hearing this, Han Li found himself more convinced. He recalled that once, both this elder and the silver-haired Cheng elder had been jointly besieged by the forces of both the orthodox and the magisterial sects. In the end, Master Lu emerged unscathed and returned safely to Yunmeng Mountain, while the silver-haired elder, who had a higher cultivation level, suffered serious injuries before being able to break free. It was evident that the other party's means of survival were truly remarkable. Han Li's mind stirred with a sudden thought, just as he intended to say more, when his face suddenly tightened, and he turned with some surprise toward one side. "Master, what's happened?" asked Mu Peilin, who had been standing closely beside Han Li. Now a de facto concubine of Han Li, she no longer maintained her cold demeanor—instead, her graceful features bloomed with charm, her eyes shimmering with allure. "A group of cultivators is approaching us, among whom one appears to be at the Yuan Ying stage. It seems they've also noticed our presence." Han Li furrowed his brows, but quickly regained composure and spoke calmly. "Hmm! Indeed! I didn't expect my younger brother to have such a strong awareness—detecting us even earlier than I did! Yet, he is truly cautious—maintaining his awareness constantly, even here near Qian Tian City!" The middle-aged man with the Li surname glanced in the same direction as Han Li, his face also expressing surprise, and he now looked at Han Li with even greater admiration. Han Li smiled silently. In truth, with his powerful awareness, he didn't need to deliberately release it—he simply sensed it automatically. Nevertheless, the Yuan婴 cultivator from afar could sense them and fly toward them over such a distance, indicating he too possessed strong awareness. Han Li and the Li-named middle-aged man were equally curious about who the visitor actually was, and unconsciously slowed their flight. A while later, a serene and melodic drum and flute music drifted gently toward them. At the horizon, golden light flashed, and a procession of warriors clad in golden helmets and armor, resembling heavenly soldiers, advanced slowly, bearing spears and escorting a magnificent golden vehicle. In the distance, white cranes soared ahead, while attendants carrying cauldrons trailed behind, creating an imperial procession atmosphere. Mu Peilin stared in wide-eyed astonishment, her mouth slightly open in surprise. Han Li was equally stunned, though his expression remained calm and composed. He knew well that cultivators in the immortal realm were as diverse as possible, especially after reaching the Yuan Ying stage, where some, due to the influence of their cultivation techniques or other reasons, became eccentric and illogical—such occurrences were quite common. Thus, after a moment of surprise, he soon grew accustomed to it. Yet the middle-aged man with the surname Lu gasped sharply, lowering his voice and exclaiming immediately. "Master Nanlong! How is it that this old oddball has come to attend the fair as well?" "Fraser, please don't speak out of turn. This man is immensely capable, though rather odd in temperament. I once had the pleasure of meeting him, so everything shall be handled by me." The Lu man hurried to give these instructions, then asked Han Li and the other two to halt their flight, standing respectfully in place, awaiting the arrival of the group of cultivators. Seeing the Lu man's evident anxiety, Han Li finally felt a touch of respect, though he said nothing further and simply followed suit. Mu Peilin, observing this, became even more tactful, remaining silent. In just a short while, the golden-armored warriors and the beast-carriages gradually drew near. Upon clearly observing the figures of the other party, Han Li felt a sudden surge of alarm. The warriors wielding spears were still acceptable—though each appeared tall and imposing, their strength was merely at the Foundation Stage. What truly startled Han Li were the two spirit beasts pulling the gleaming carriage. One had a green scales armor, with strange horns on its head, resembling a qilin divinity; the other shimmered with fiery plumage, its golden eyes and long feathers giving it the appearance of a great phoenix. As Han Li was silently marveling at the magnificent forms of these two spirit beasts, the carriage had already reached the front of Han Li and his companions. Before the carriage even came close, the middle-aged man with the surname Lu raised his hands and bowed respectfully, saying, "Is the noble lord of Nanlong within? I am Lu Luo of Luoyu Sect, and I have had the pleasure of meeting you before. I last saw the lord three hundred years ago, when I accompanied my master, Master Mulu, to the southern region. To meet you again today is truly a great fortune for me!" Although the middle-aged Lu clan man spoke with composure and dignity, Han Li clearly heard the undercurrent of reverence he held for this southern Lóng Marquis—almost as if viewing him as a junior. The massive beast-carriage was enveloped in a shimmering golden glow, making it impossible to discern any details on its surface. Yet, the drum and music that had previously emanated from within the carriage abruptly ceased the moment the Lu clan man offered his greeting. The procession, which had been advancing at a steady pace, halted suddenly at a distance of several dozen paces from Han Li, falling instantly silent. Han Li, now fully aware of this development, briefly narrowed his eyes, then regained his composure. "Ah! So you're the disciple of Mu Li, that scholarly recluse! I remember back then you were just a Ji Dan cultivator. It's surprising that after three centuries, you've now achieved Yuan Ying stage. I heard that after parting ways three centuries ago, your master passed into transcendence. That's truly a pity. But who is the Daoist companion accompanying you? His face seems quite unfamiliar." A lazy voice emerged from the golden light, and the final sentence unexpectedly mentioned Han Li.