"That's Qian Tian City, isn't it?" Han Li stood on a hill, gazing at the massive city walls several miles away. "I'm sure Han, your younger brother, has never seen a stone city of such scale. This grandeur is the result of several expansions by the Nine Kingdoms Alliance. While it may not claim the title of the top city in the southern region, it certainly ranks among the top five. And the entire city is built entirely of massive stones—no other city in the region matches this." Lü Luo stood beside Han Li, equally impressed. Han Li smiled slightly at this. When it came to great cities, what in the southern region could compare with Tian Xing City of Luan Xing Sea? That city truly stood as a colossal powerhouse. In comparison, Qian Tian, though a city spanning over a hundred li, seemed rather modest. Han Li didn't find it remarkable, but his companion, Mu Peilin, standing close to him on the other side, looked visibly astonished. The stone city clearly left her deeply impressed. "Still, once you enter the vicinity of Qian Tian City, you'll have to walk in." "It really is a bit frustrating!" Lu Luo shook his head, speaking with a touch of dissatisfaction. Han Li pressed his lips together before replying, "The Nine-Nation Alliance has its own difficulties. Otherwise, with so many high-level cultivators arriving here—everyone coming from the sky, all of them floating in—how could they possibly manage this city? Fortunately, for us Yuan-Ying cultivators, this restriction is merely a formality. If we truly wanted to float into the air, wouldn't such a restriction be able to hold us back and make us complain?" "I didn't expect you to be so optimistic, brother. Very well, let's go. Perhaps if we arrive earlier, we'll be able to make some gains!" Since the recent spiritual confrontation with the Southern Long Marquis, this elder Lu had been much more warm and friendly toward Han Li than before. Thus, upon Han Li's cheerful nod, the three of them descended the slope and strolled confidently toward the distant city gates. Because they were near the city of Tianshi, cultivators came from all directions on foot, giving the city a lively and bustling atmosphere. Han Li and Lu Luo did not wish to cause any disturbance, so they had long concealed their true cultivation levels, appearing instead as foundation-stage cultivators much like Mu Peilin. As a result, the three of them blended seamlessly among the other cultivators and entered the city through a gate towering over ten zhang in height. Though there were some enforcement cultivators from the Nine Kingdoms Alliance stationed at the city gate, they noticed no unusual signs about Han Li and the others. After passing through the gate, a series of stone houses came into view, neatly arranged in rows. Between these houses stretched winding stone streets of varying widths, forming a dense network reminiscent of a spider's web. There were many people moving in and out. "Let's first secure a place to stay. We needn't crowd into any inn with other guests. Here, there's a guest pavilion specifically offering free accommodations to stage cultivators. Simply head there." Lu Luo, having visited Qian Tian City before, spoke with the seasoned familiarity of someone well-acquainted with the way. Han Li naturally agreed, and with Mu Peilin, followed the middle-aged man named Lu. As a result, Lü Luo led the two of them directly toward one corner of the Great City. After a while, they passed through several streets and finally arrived before a vast white light barrier. Behind the barrier lay numerous quiet, elegant pavilions, each distinct in style and exquisitely crafted. Whenever other cultivators passing by glanced at the pavilions within the light barrier, they all expressed awe and admiration. Yet none dared to linger longer, and all hurried away. "This is it," Lü Luo said, pointing with a finger. Then, with one hand he gently separated the light barrier, his palm flashing a blue glow. "Pffft!" The white light barrier parted wide open under the force of Lü Luo's imbued hands. Without hesitation, he stepped through. The barrier instantly sealed itself, closing with astonishing speed. Han Li was momentarily stunned and said nothing. He simply opened his mouth, and a sphere of green light shot forth. After the jade glow flashed on the white light curtain, a crack measuring a zhang in width instantly shattered. Han Li reached out with one hand, cradling Mu Peilin's slender waist, and, carrying her in the fragrance that filled the air, stepped through into the light curtain. Half leaning against Han Li's chest, Mu Peilin felt a gentle blush on her face, her heart stirred with a peculiar sensation. Seeing Han Li effortlessly breach the barrier, Lü Luo's eyes briefly flickered with surprise, then settled back into calm. "These pavilions can be freely chosen by Yuan婴-period cultivators, with their disciples and apprentices. However, if a seal glows on the pavilion's exterior, it means someone has already taken it—then we'd need to select another. Not all Yuan婴-period cultivators, though, are eager to come here. Some old masters would rather reside outside the city or in inns." Lü Luo spoke while smiling and gesturing toward the pavilions. Indeed, a small number of pavilions already displayed the shimmer of active seals. "Brother! Let's take these two adjacent pavilions. That way, we can look out for each other should anything arise." Lü Luo pointed to two pavilions some fifty to sixty paces away and suggested, "Then let's follow Senior Brother's suggestion." Han Li glanced around briefly and simply replied, "That will do." As Lü Luo was about to say more, the pavilion nearby, enveloped in a glow of white and yellow light, suddenly had its seal lifted, and from within stepped a small, slender figure. Upon seeing Han Li and the others, the figure immediately exclaimed in surprise, "Huh! Isn't this Lü Brother? I didn't expect you to arrive so early!" Han Li hurried to examine the figure closely. The young man was pale and delicate, resembling a jade child—exactly the Fire Dragon Child known among the three sects' holy grounds. After finishing his words, his clear, well-defined eyes darted swiftly, fixing directly on Han Li and Mu Peilin, his face showing a touch of astonishment. With such exceptional memory, the Fire Dragon Child, who had only seen Han Li and his companion twenty years ago, instantly recognized Han Li as one of the participants in the last sword-fencing tournament. But now, Han Li merely employs ordinary cultivation techniques to conceal his修为, which naturally cannot escape the notice of one of his own rank. Upon being startled, he immediately adopted a look of sudden comprehension. "Ah, it's really Master Lan! I must say, we've been waiting quite a while—actually, it's you who arrived first this time. By the way, this is Master Han, the newly appointed elder of Luoyun Sect. Master Han, I'm sure you've already met, so I needn't go into any further introduction." Lu Luo was first taken aback, then brightened up with a warm smile, as though he had a particularly good relationship with the guest. "I didn't realize Master Han was actually the newly appointed elder of your sect—back then, I truly missed that." The Fire Dragon Child, upon hearing Lu Luo's words, adopted a wry, slightly apologetic expression, as though unwilling to press the matter of the past incident too seriously. "Master Han has long heard of the Sacred Eye Tree's renown, and thus came to visit the holy land for a closer look. I hope Master Lan won't hold it against me." Though the guest made this statement, Han Li still smiled and offered "Now that your esteemed friend has become a senior disciple of Luoyun Sect, this matter naturally no longer needs to be mentioned. However, your arrival is most convenient—my acquaintance has just invited several fellow disciples to host a small exchange gathering at Jinglong Pavilion. Why not join us there and perhaps discover something suitable?" The Fire Dragon Child, being straightforward, immediately extended the invitation. "Such a gathering is already underway! Remarkable—our arrival is truly timely. Brother Han, such exchange events among Yuan婴 cultivators are not common. We must attend. Otherwise, we might miss something truly valuable." Upon hearing this, Lü Luo was delighted and promptly turned to Han Li, speaking seriously. "Then it shall all follow Blue Brother's suggestion!" Han Li remained composed, smiled gently, and responded calmly. Thus, Han Li and his companion first established a seal outside the pavilion, then followed the Fire Dragon Child as they stepped out of the white curtain. After giving a few instructions, Han Li temporarily left Mu Peilin in the attic. "The Crystal Dragon Pavilion was established by a friend of mine within the Nine Kingdoms Alliance. My friend has an extensive network—across both the righteous and the demonic realms, as well as among us—so it was through his connections that this exchange gathering came to be. However, to avoid any unforeseen complications, all attendees must wear masks to conceal their true identities." The fire dragon child, with a clear, bright voice, recounted the details of the exchange event in full. Yet, upon hearing this, Lü Luo was struck by a sudden thought and expressed surprise: "Is it indeed Tianjing the True Person you're referring to? I believe only he possesses such qualifications. Yet, I recall that Tianjing the True Person generally avoids getting involved in such affairs. How then does he take the initiative to host this exchange gathering?" "Ah, I'm glad you're aware of Tianjing's reputation. Indeed, while my friend prefers to avoid hassle, he has recently been in urgent need of several rare items—though he has yet to find them." "It's probably for this very reason that they've convened the exchange meeting." The Fire Dragon Child said with a cheerful smile. "Ah, then, this elder might indeed have a chance." Lu Luo nodded, slightly understanding. Han Li listened quietly from the side, maintaining a calm expression throughout. As they conversed, the three of them arrived at a pavilion as pure and white as jade. The pavilion had three stories, with the floor space gradually decreasing from the ground level upward. On the pavilion's gate hung a classic, elegant plaque with a silver border, inscribed with the three golden characters: "Jing Long Pavilion."