"You and Master Lü haven't left as agreed—how could I possibly return?" Han Li sighed, a touch helpless, but after glancing at Mu Peilin several times, he lightened his tone and smiled. "Though, I never expected you to have broken through your bottleneck during this time. Truly wonderful!" "I only managed to make the breakthrough five days ago, by good fortune. This is all thanks to the pills you've provided. Without them, I never would have reached this stage so quickly." Mu Peilin was thrilled, her face growing even more graceful and charming as she spoke. Han Li was momentarily struck, yet soon regained his composure, brushing his nose with a composed expression. "Since you and Master Lü haven't left, must it be due to the incursion of the legal scholars?" Han Li asked casually, without committing to a definite answer. "You've already guessed it. Indeed, we originally intended to return once the fair concluded. But just as the fair was drawing to a close, news arrived of the scholars' invasion." As a Yuan婴 cultivator of the Heaven's Way Alliance stationed in Qian Tian City, Master Gu was compelled to remain and negotiate strategies with other factions. Thus, I have also stayed behind." Mu Peilin gently bit her full lips and spoke carefully. "Then indeed, it's not unreasonable for you. But what about Master Gu these days?" As Han Li was about to continue his inquiry, his expression suddenly brightened with surprise, and he paused mid-sentence. Mu Peilin was momentarily puzzled, not yet grasping Han Li's intent, when suddenly a young man's loud voice came from outside the pavilion's seal. "Mister Mu, are you there? I am Bai Shujun, and I would like to see you, please." "Who is this person? Someone you've recently met!" Upon scanning outward with his consciousness, Han Li spotted a well-dressed, refined young cultivator in the Jie Dan stage standing calmly outside the seal, facing the pavilion, and asked calmly and thoughtfully. Mupailing's face paled instantly upon hearing the man's voice. As soon as Han Li asked his question, she quickly explained: "Please don't misunderstand, sir. This man is a disciple of a senior monk from Tianji Sect. A few days ago, he happened to see me and has been pursuing me ever since. I've already told him that I am your concubine, yet he continues to follow me relentlessly. I'll have to drive him away right now." "Is that so? Has Lu Senior mentioned this matter to you?" Han Li raised an eyebrow, speaking calmly. "I've informed Lu Senior about this, but it seems he knows the senior monk from Tianji Sect personally and has some reservations. He has asked me to temporarily handle the matter with courtesy, postponing everything until you return." Seeing that Han Li remained composed without showing any anger, Mupailing breathed a quiet sigh of relief. "Oh! Tianji Sect—isn't it one of the four major sects of the Zhengdao Alliance? That explains why Lu Senior is so cautious." Yet, a young cultivator only at the Jade Condensation stage dared to act so boldly—his audacity seemed rather excessive. You come with me and see what this junior has truly in mind." After a moment of silence, Han Li suddenly chuckled. "Understood, sir!" Mu Peilin was momentarily startled, then bowed respectfully. Han Li then quietly stepped out of the room without speaking, heading down toward the lower level. Mu Peilin followed close behind, her graceful movements flowing like a breeze. "Mister Mu, you've finally—ah! Senior, you are—" Upon seeing someone emerge from the upper room, the young man who had introduced himself as Bai Shujun had initially assumed it was the woman he admired. But upon seeing Han Li, he was first taken aback, then immediately recognized Han Li's profound cultivation level, and his expression changed instantly as he greeted him. At that moment, Mu Peilin stepped out from behind Han Li and stood beside him. The young man from the Bai family's expression shifted several times, as though suddenly gaining a deeper understanding. "You are a disciple of Tianji Gate," Han Li said, his face darkening, and asked the young man with an unkind tone. "Indeed, I am a disciple under Lu Elder of Tianji Gate. May I ask—aren't you Master Han?" Bai Shujun proved quite remarkable, for though facing Han Li, a Yuan Ying stage cultivator, the slight anxiety on his face faded swiftly, and he then politely inquired. "Now then, what exactly is your meaning? Why are you persisting in pursuing my concubine? If this is merely a matter of instinct, without any thought, there must be some other purpose behind it," Han Li said, his voice cold. Upon hearing this, Mu Peilin's expression revealed a moment of surprise. "Master, I truly understand. It is actually my master who wishes to meet you personally. However, since Master Han has remained silent and unresponsive, I have taken the initiative to act. That said, I am genuinely fond of Mu friend. Should you be willing to grant me this favor, I shall be deeply grateful." The young man with the Bai surname smiled and spoke with a refined tone. "Grateful? What use is my gratitude to you?" Stop dreaming. Han's concubine has never been one to let people go unattended. As for me and your Tianji Door—having never had any dealings with each other, why should I be summoned here?" Han Li narrowed his eyes, glanced at an empty spot to one side as though observing it, smiled with a strangely composed air, and at the same time radiated an astonishing surge of spiritual pressure. The young man with the white surname gasped, staggering back several steps with a series of sharp movements, then his shoulders sank heavily, as if a mountain were pressing down upon him, his knees buckling and his body ready to collapse. Deeply alarmed, he quickly tried to resist the immense force, but after a few tremors, his form finally bent slightly. Just as he was about to kneel, a sudden white figure emerged from the side, flashed into place before the young man, and gently tapped his shoulder with a palm. Instantly, the pressure on Bai Shujun eased, and he straightened up once more. It was an elderly man in a white robe, with gray hair, kind eyes, and a well-proportioned face. While Han Li was gazing at him, the elder smiled gently and said, "Master Han, please don't be angry. It was actually me who instructed my disciple to act this way. Otherwise, I have not been able to meet you at all!" "May I ask your name? Why do you wish to see me? Master Han, if I'm not mistaken, this is the first time we've interacted. And you've never met me before." As soon as the white-robed elder appeared, Han Li's spiritual pressure instantly dispersed, and his expression returned to its usual calm—seeming as though nothing had happened at all. "Ah! My name is Lu Weiying, and I have recently been appointed as a senior disciple of Tianji Gate. As for the reason I wish to see you, it's not quite convenient to explain here in detail. If you'd like to know the full story, I invite you to join me here tonight. Then, Master Han, you'll naturally understand everything." Elder Lu remained composed, then raised his hand, and a green jade scroll that had been prepared in advance shot gracefully toward Han Li. With a sweeping motion of his sleeve, Han Li sent a ripple of azure light flying out, which swiftly enveloped the jade scroll within his sleeve. A brief sweep of his consciousness over the object confirmed it contained an address-like designation. Han Li did not examine it closely. As he raised his head to speak, the elderly master from Tianmen simply bowed both hands and, accompanied by the Bai-named youth, drifted away gracefully. Han Li frowned. The other seemed unusually composed, as though aware of something but mistaken about it—perhaps believing that Han Li had been residing in Qian Tian City all along, deliberately staying hidden from view. Han Li stroked his chin, momentarily puzzled, and thus did not intervene. Yet after a moment's reflection, he decided to return with Mu Peilin to the pavilion. "Where is Gu Shifu currently?" Han Li asked calmly as soon as he entered the pavilion. He mentioned nothing about what had just transpired, as if it had instantly slipped from his mind. "It seems the frontlines have become even more tense. Gu Shifu has gone to discuss strategies with them." "Discuss strategies—where exactly?" Han Li asked with some interest. "It's in the Hall of Council of Qian Tian City. I've heard that any cultivator who has reached the Yuan Ying stage can attend. Master, do you wish to take a look?" Mu Peilin spoke softly. "The Hall of Council?" Han Li murmured, though already a vast hall situated at the heart of Qian Tian City had formed vividly in his mind. It was surrounded by numerous seals and wards—exactly what they called the Hall of Council. "Very well. I'd like to learn more about the legal scholars. Let's go there first. You stay here and don't wander off too much." Han Li had already made up his mind. As soon as he learned of his senior's whereabouts, he gave the young woman a few instructions and then left the pavilion. In fact, the "Hall of Council" was built on a grand elevated platform at the very center of the city, standing out prominently. However, aside from matters of vital importance concerning the survival or demise of the Nine Kingdom Alliance, the hall served mostly as a symbolic venue and rarely saw visitors. But a hundred years later, upon receiving news of another invasion by the Mulan people, the high-ranking officials of the Nine Kingdoms Alliance immediately opened this grand hall and convened senior cultivators from other factions for a meeting. After all, this time the invading cultivators came with great force, and it seemed that the Nine Kingdoms Alliance alone would find it difficult to withstand them. When Han Li arrived at the hall, the guards stationed at the entrance recognized his cultivation level, asked his name, and promptly reported him inside. Han Li was granted entry without any difficulty and then entered the hall under the respectful guidance of one of the cultivators. The number of Yuan Yin cultivators present in the hall was surprisingly small—only about a dozen, far fewer than Han Li had expected. However, upon a moment's reflection, he found this quite understandable. Although the city of Qian Tian gathered many Yuan Yin cultivators, most of them belonged to the major factions and thus did not need to all attend. It was sufficient to send a few representatives. Elder Lu sat on one of the chairs to the left, smiling warmly at him. Next to him was someone he also knew—none other than the Dragon Child. As for the others, aside from one elderly man in yellow robes, he was quite unfamiliar with them. Upon glancing at the man in yellow robes twice, Han Li couldn't help but sigh inwardly. That elderly man was none other than the old Master Lingfu of the former Huangfeng Valley!