Inside one jade box lay a small green porcelain bottle. In the other, a compact, purple-hued mass rested. Upon casually opening the green bottle and lightly inhaling near its mouth, an intensely pungent aroma surged forth. Han Li’s face instantly paled, as if confronted with a venomous scorpion; he hurriedly reseated the lid, then stared at the bottle with a strange expression before carefully placing it into his storage pouch. Finally, his gaze settled on the glowing purple object. He picked it up, gently squeezed it between his fingers, and instantly felt its softness. Radiant filaments of light sprang forth from within the glow, shimmering brightly. "Hm!" Han Li murmured in mild surprise, concentrating his awareness into a single point to examine the object closely. After a moment, he suddenly shook his hand, and the glowing orb instantly transformed into a swirling purple mist that hovered above his head. However, upon the application of a spell, the mist solidified once more and settled back into his hands. It turned out to be a delicate, layered purple silk net, so thin it seemed as if made of light gauze. The silk threads were fine and shimmering, glowing with a clear radiance—clearly a rare and extraordinary treasure. "Isn't this the 'Purple Chime Veil'? I've heard it's a well-known ancient artifact from the early, wild ages!" the white fox exclaimed, her voice filled with astonishment upon recognizing the purple crystalline net. "Do you know of this item? If so, is it truly one of the celestial, immortal treasures?" Han Li's eyes sparkled with delight, and he gently suppressed his inner excitement, asking with a touch of eager anticipation. "Not exactly. While the Purple Chime Veil is indeed among the top-tier ancient artifacts, it still falls far short when compared to the celestial immortal treasures. However, in terms of defensive capabilities, it truly excels. Depending on the strength of its crafting, once activated, it can shield an area ranging from hundreds of feet to thousands of feet—making it a rare, large-scale defensive artifact. It's said that the most refined versions of the Purple Chime Veil can even fully enclose a hundred li of life within their protective sphere Of course, this precious artifact is extremely effective when used to trap enemies, capable of releasing its own "Yuhang True Fire," sufficient to annihilate strong adversaries," said Yin Yue with the warmth of a family heirloom. "Yin Yue, you seem to know this 'Zi Cheng Dou' quite well—have you seen it before?" Han Li's face briefly showed disappointment, yet as he held the purple net in his hands, he asked with a puzzled expression. Upon hearing this, Yin Yue fell silent. After a moment, she offered a wry smile and said, "Master, you've just made me realize it. In my remaining memories, before I was transformed into an artifact spirit, I seem to have known of this ancient treasure—the Purple Cloud Cloak. That's why I know so much about it." As she spoke, a thoughtful glint passed through her eyes, as if recalling something, but then she shook her head and sighed, growing increasingly frustrated. Though this Purple Cloud Cloak appears so powerful, I have never heard of Cang Kun the Elder using it in battle. It seems likely, therefore, that it was obtained from the Valley of the Fallen Demigods. Unfortunately, among the four jade boxes we obtained, there was not a single mention of the Falls of the Demon's Valley. It seems the relevant information must have been accidentally contained within the two jade boxes belonging to the Southern Long Marquis. That is truly a pity. Han Li said this with a touch of self-mockery, yet his expression did not truly reflect much disappointment. He was well aware that while uncovering the secret of the Falls of the Demon's Valley would open up opportunities for him to enter the valley and retrieve treasures, it would also make him a target for numerous powerful old masters and factions. As soon as the news spread, countless such forces would surely come knocking. The advantages and disadvantages of this situation were truly hard to gauge. "Master, does the jade scroll inside not contain any information?" Yin Yue finally asked, eager to know more. "The scroll records the techniques and powers of the Master of the Sky and Earth, Cang Kun. While I am unable to practice his primary cultivation technique, the 'Moon-Gazing Decree,' several secret arts and insights from his cultivation journey are quite useful to me and can be effectively adopted." Since Yin Yue had asked, Han Li had no intention of withholding anything, and calmly informed her. Upon hearing this, Yin Yue sighed and grew somewhat listless. At that moment, Han Li gathered all the jade boxes and instructed Yin Yue to close her eyes and settle into a meditative posture, then closed his own eyes and settled cross-legged. Without hesitation, Yin Yue pressed closely against Han Li, curling her fox form beside him, her dark, luminous eyes fixed on the empty corner, gazing in quiet wonder. The group of Mulan people advanced steadily, and Han Li and Yin Yue remained undisturbed within the carriage for two days and two nights. During this time, the procession encountered two separate inspections by lower-level magicians. However, after being awakened by Yin Yue, Han Li merely performed a few spells, and these junior magicians departed empty-handed. This carriage was specifically designated for carrying less important items, and no Mulan civilian had ever entered it or even glanced inside. As a result, as soon as the group exited the Mulan Grasslands, Han Li quietly took with him Yin Yue and slipped off the group, taking a different route into the wilderness, heading straight toward Tiannan. Thanks to his strong awareness, he could clearly sense the presence of the legal cultivators from hundreds of li away, allowing him to easily avoid unnecessary complications and smoothly traverse the wilderness, eventually entering Fengyuan State—the one of the three nations closest to Mulan. Throughout the border regions, several spiritual mountains were typically garrisoned with numerous cultivators from the Nine-Nation Alliance. However, within several days of entering Fengyuan State, Han Li encountered not a single cultivator along his journey—only the lingering presence of legal cultivators, which he observed in abundance. Clearly, under a full-scale assault by the Mulan legal cultivators, the Nine-Nation Alliance had suffered an initial setback and had temporarily retreated. The decisive battle between the two sides had not yet begun! Han Li didn't dwell on this, simply choosing remote, secluded wilderness areas and pressing on steadily. For several consecutive days, everything had gone smoothly. On this day, however, he surged forward as a streak of azure light. As he passed just over an unnamed small mountain, he suddenly paused, turning his head toward one side with a look of surprise, his expression then becoming uncertain and shifting between calm and troubled. After a moment's hesitation, Han Li could not suppress his curiosity and silently vanished into the air. With his divine speed technique, such a short distance was naturally covered in an instant. However, ahead, flashes of luminous light erupted, colorful energy forms rising skyward, accompanied by a continuous roar of explosive sounds, as though the battle were fiercely intense. Five male and female cultivators, dressed in varied attire, were jointly defending against an opponent, surrounding a single master. Han Li immediately noticed that although the five cultivators at the Dan stage were giving their utmost efforts, each masterfully activating and channeling their life-bound artifacts, the central master in yellow robes was still being gradually pushed back by a series of yellow mist waves he emitted. This yellow-robed master, with broad, muscular features, possessed the cultivation level of a Yuan婴 (Initial Yuan) stage. Though he had not summoned any of his artifacts, he effortlessly dominated the battle through his refined internal technique and profound cultivation. Indeed, if it weren't for his reluctance to fight fiercely and his repeated acts of sparing a particularly beautiful female cultivator, who he seemed determined to capture alive, the situation would have been even more favorable to his opponents. Perhaps even these five cannot have lasted this long. Although Han Li found the stunning young woman somewhat familiar, his gaze settled on the stout elderly man with a full-bodied frame. Whirling silver-white lightning arcs surrounded the elder, and the法宝 he wielded was a massive sword constantly radiating electric light—its power among the five Jin-level cultivators was truly first-rate. "It's him! What a coincidence in this world!" After clearly observing the old man's appearance and cultivation style, Han Li murmured to himself, his face displaying an indistinct mixture of emotions. "You young lady, don't act so ungrateful! Had it not been for the specific cultivation method I've been practicing, lacking a suitable furnace vessel, you wouldn't have survived this long. If you don't yield and submit to me now, don't be surprised if I no longer show mercy or kindness!" The yellow-robed cultivator, having fought for so long, finally grew impatient, and with a sharp expression, turned his gaze sharply upon the beautiful young woman. Then, with a sudden exhalation, a yellow fan materialized, radiating brilliant light and faintly inscribed with something that seemed to shimmer—caught instantly by the bald monk. At this sight, even the unnamed Yuan-Gen cultivators, including the stout elder, all grew pale, sensing immediate trouble. They had long known that the opponent had not yet fully exerted himself. Yet they dared not retreat. For once their alliance was broken, each of them would be easily subdued, and their chances of survival would vanish. Though silently cursing their fate, the five pressed on, drawing upon their full reserves of inner energy and intensifying their attacks. At once, the five treasures erupted in power, scattering much of the yellow mist and regaining some of their lost momentum. Yet the monk in the yellow robe, seeing this, grew furious. He raised the fan high into the air, then expelled a thick, golden-hued essence directly onto the treasures, while chanting continuously. The feather fan trembled, brushing gently at the several figures across the way. Instantly, a roaring wind surged forth from the fan, deep yellow in hue, swelling rapidly until it became a hurricane towering over fifty paces—swiftly sweeping all five Jin Dan cultivators into its powerful embrace.