Lingfu the Elder looked at Han Li with a composed expression, showing no trace of surprise—either he hadn't recognized the once-ordinary Juzhi-level disciple, or he was simply deeply reserved. Han Li glanced around. Besides these few, seated at the center of the hall were an elderly man with a purple complexion and a regal, elegant woman dressed in imperial robes. When Han Li briefly probed their presence with his awareness, he felt a sudden sense of awe. Both were at the mid-Yuan-ying level, likely the principal figures of the Nine-Nation Alliance. While Han Li was surveying the other cultivators in the hall, they too were observing the young newcomer. Most were slightly astonished by Han Li's youthful appearance—indeed, it was not common to find a male cultivator who could maintain such a youthful visage over time. "Han, you've finally arrived," said the Lu-named cultivator, smiling warmly. "Come in. We've just been discussing matters concerning the Mulan people with our abbot and others." The fire dragon child by the side also smiled gently and nodded kindly. Han Liping smiled in return, bowed slightly to the other cultivators in the hall, and then sat down in the wooden chair beside the Lu-named cultivator. "This is Han Daojun from Luoyun Sect, isn't it? I am Beiye Sect's Wu Peng. From Lu brother, we learned that you have reached the Yuanying stage after more than two hundred years—what a rare talent among the cultivators of the southern heavens! Perhaps, with your progress, the great Dao might truly come to fruition!" The purple-faced cultivator said, smiling warmly at Han Liping once he had settled in. Though Han Liping's current cultivation level was still slightly behind, he certainly didn't underestimate his potential. "Master of Beiye Sect is too kind. I merely managed to reach the Yuanying stage by good fortune—how could I possibly speak of achieving the great Dao?" Beiye Sect, ranked alongside Huayi Sect among the Nine Kingdoms Alliance, was a major force, and Han Liping didn't dare to overstate his claims, thus remained humble. Yet, as he finished speaking, his gaze briefly swept over the middle-aged, beautiful woman Since this purple-faced elder is the abbot of the Beiyè Sect, this beautiful lady must be a cultivator from the Huayi Sect. Indeed, as soon as Han Li's thoughts turned in that direction, Wu Peng cleared his throat and said, "This is Qi Lady from the Huayi Sect, with whom I am currently handling the affairs of the Nine Kingdom Alliance. The other几位 friends are..." The elder then introduced each of the other cultivators in the hall to Han Li, one by one. When he reached Ling Fu Valley's old master, the elder responded with a neutral expression, showing no special reaction. Han Li's expression slightly shifted, yet he merely nodded calmly. After completing the introductions, Wu Peng straightened his demeanor and said, "Han friend has come at the perfect time. We have just been discussing how the power of the other sects has grown far beyond our initial expectations. We've heard that the senior elders ahead have suffered another major defeat. In fact, even the sealing arrays protecting two regions have been forcibly breached by the opposing forces, using their giant beasts. We have lost many of our cultivators in this battle." Even Huang Daojun of the Shadow Sect perished in this engagement. This marks the second Yuan-Stage disciple to fall since our conflict with the legalists began. It is evident that the Mulan forces have come with great determination. The Union now urgently requires the strong support of all of you. Hearing the careful tone of the Beiye Sect's words, the smiles on the faces of the cultivators instantly faded, and a sense of gravity immediately settled throughout the hall. "Our sect has received some updates on this matter. After all, our disciples from various sects stationed at the front lines are also engaged in combat against the legalists. However, we still lack clear details regarding the specific circumstances of Feng Daojun's demise. Could Brother Feng kindly elaborate on this? It is indeed surprising that, within such a short span, two Yuan-Stage cultivators have been lost consecutively. Could it be that the higher-ranked legalists have already mobilized in large numbers?" An elderly cultivator, dressed in green robes with a crow-like face, asked in a沉沉 voice, slightly hoarse. Han Li noticed this man and glanced at him several times. Just now, upon hearing Wu Peng's introduction, this is a senior disciple of the Magic Path's Yuling Sect. I'm not quite clear on their relationship with Liu Yu and Han Yunzhi. "As for whether all of the high-level magicians from the other side have been deployed, I haven't received that information. However, both Feng and the previously fallen Zhen were killed in one-on-one engagements—neither was surrounded or attacked," Wu Peng remarked, his expression somewhat puzzled. "That's impossible. Even if facing a mid-stage Yuan-Infant level magician, one should still be able to escape. Could it be that the master-level seers among the Muling people were involved?" The green-robed elder exclaimed, startled. "No—it were only two Yuan-Infant level magicians. Yet these two, who came one after another, seem rather unusual. Their spiritual techniques were exceptionally powerful, surpassing those of peers of the same rank, and they employed a most peculiar artifact. After both of our friends suffered major defeats and their Yuan-Infant bodies just began to manifest, the opposing side used this artifact to trap them—so completely that they were unable to utilize their teleportation abilities, and thus fell." "Wu Peng seemed to have anticipated the question, and sighed as he spoke. "A Yuan-Elm cultivator cannot use teleportation—what kind of treasure is that? Is it an ancient relic or a divine artifact?" One listener, hearing this, drew in a sharp breath, slightly skeptical, asked, "Is that really true?" Others present, including Han Li, also grew visibly alarmed. After all, the very reason Yuan-Elm cultivators are so hard to kill lies in their ability to teleport once their Yuan-Elm body separates from their physical form. Now, the emergence of a treasure capable of countering this very ability was truly astonishing. "The exact nature of this treasure, however, remains unclear even to the members of our alliance who were observing the battle," Wu Peng said, pausing thoughtfully, his expression hesitant. "Our Grand Master, by this point, is there anything still unwilling to reveal?" the green-robed elder remarked, his tone now impatient. "It's not that my brother is unwilling to speak," Wu Peng replied, "but rather, he finds it somewhat unlikely." "That's why they've been hesitant. Allow me to explain," smiled Qi Fu, the Lady of Hua Yi Sect, suddenly stepping in to relieve Wu Peng. As both of them belonged to the Nine Kingdoms' allied sects, she naturally wished to lend a hand. Hearing this, Han Li found himself growing increasingly curious. Everyone else in the hall likewise leaned forward, intently listening to what Qi Fu had to say. "Here's what happened: some of our disciples who were observing the battle noticed that the two Yuan婴-period cultivators appeared remarkably unusual—seeming to directly absorb the living souls of the fallen combatants, whether they were cultivators or martial practitioners. Indeed, they didn't spare anyone. Thus, our master has begun to suspect that these two might not be human at all, but rather transformed into some kind of unusual being. However, no distinct aura of spirit or ghostly presence has been detected on their bodies, and the disciples themselves are still unable to make a firm judgment. Still, considering that several unusually powerful, wild, and formidable beasts have recently emerged among our martial cultivators, it seems likely that these unfamiliar cultivators are connected to this phenomenon." Therefore, we suspect that the Mulan people have colluded with other powers to launch such a large-scale assault upon our southern territories," Qi Fu sighed, speaking softly. "Unusual! By 'unusual' do you mean creatures capable of transforming into human form—spiritual beasts?" Upon hearing this, everyone in the hall was startled, and Ling Fu, the elder, calmly asked in a steady voice. "It should be so. However, even if they are not spiritual beasts, they might be practitioners who have cultivated techniques drawn from demons and ghosts—those who follow the path of the strange and the ill. If that's the case, I would rather encounter the spiritual beasts; otherwise, the situation would become even more troublesome," Wu Peng said, his expression darkening. "When did our sect master receive this news?" Han Li, who had remained silent until now, stirred slightly and asked gently. "This information was sent along with the latest battle report. Han friend, what is your intention in asking this?" Wu Peng paused, stroking his long beard, slightly puzzled. "Nothing in particular." I simply feel that regardless of whether those unfamiliar figures are human or spirit-beings, since they've dared to act so boldly and early without fear of us uncovering their identities, it seems the Muran people will no longer engage in the prolonged campaigns they've done in the past. They're likely to strike swiftly, concentrate on our main forces, and settle the matter in one decisive blow. Has something major happened in the Muran grasslands? Han Li propped his chin and spoke thoughtfully. Upon hearing Han Li's analysis, Wu Peng and Qi Fu were both startled, their faces pale as they exchanged stunned glances. The other cultivators likewise felt a deep sense of gravity. The meaning behind Han Li's words, they all naturally understood. In the past, Muran's repeated invasions had always been protracted campaigns—lasting at least a year, and often stretching over a decade. Both the Nine Kingdoms Alliance cultivators and the Muran spirit-beings had consistently avoided any single, decisive battle involving their main forces. For if either side were to proceed this way, one would either be completely extinguished or both suffer a decisive defeat—typically the latter. The celestial southern cultivators and the Mulan magistrates alike cannot withstand such severe depletion of vital energy. Particularly, the Mulan people are composed of numerous tribes, and the celestial southern cultivators are a coalition of various sects and monasteries, making it difficult for either side to achieve unified coordination. Yet now, observing the Mulan forces' resolute and vigorous advance, it clearly differs from their past incursions. Moreover, the appearance of those wild, colossal beasts and enigmatic magistrates suggests that something significant has indeed transpired within the Mulan ranks. "Brother Han is correct. It appears the Mulan people are indeed off their usual course. We cannot afford to be careless. All sects from the southern lands must be mobilized immediately, and a second wave of reinforcements must be dispatched without delay. Otherwise, should they succeed in breaking us one by one, the situation would be dire. I hope each of you returns to your respective sects and clearly communicates the urgency of this matter—action must be taken promptly. By ourselves alone, we shall not be able to sustain this for long. After a while, Wu Peng smiled bitterly and said solemnly.