Han Li sat cross-legged in a quiet chamber on the second floor of the attic, his eyes closed, his entire body glowing with a clear, jade-like light. His ten fingers formed an unusual hand seal, and a purple flame, about the size of an egg, gently floated between his palms. This flame was the result of Han Li combining the cold blue ice flame and the cold breath emitted by the six-winged frost serpent, refining it into a magical fire. Clearly more powerful than the original blue ice flame, this purple flame had become Han Li's most potent weapon. Since discovering this flame, every time Han Li absorbed even a small amount of the blue ice flame, he immediately transformed it into this purple magical fire, fully integrating it into his own power. To distinguish it from the Shura Holy Flame, Han Li named it the "Purple Luo Ji Fire." He believed that even a Yuan-Enlightened stage cultivator, if exposed to this fire, would find it utterly unbearable. As for whether this fire could actually eliminate a Yuan-Enlightened cultivator, Han Li had never personally witnessed such a confrontation, so he could not yet predict the outcome. Unfortunately, while the power of this flame is truly astonishing, it is limited by the quantity of Qianlan Ice Flame that has refined it. Thus, at present, he can only command so much Ziluo Jixue Flame. Should the quantity of this rare flame grow severalfold, even a direct confrontation with a late-stage Yuan婴 cultivator would no longer be out of the question. If your claim about the power of the Heavenly Spirit treasure is true, then with this cauldron in hand, I should be able to sweep across the southern heavens without any further worries. Only then will I truly be at ease in this realm." Han Li opened his eyes and spoke slowly. "Master need not worry—the power of the Virtual Sky Cauldron surpasses what I have just described, and certainly exceeds it." Yin Yue smiled gracefully, speaking with full confidence. Han Li nodded in response, just about to add something more, when suddenly a beam of white light shot in from outside, and Ying Ning's clear voice hurriedly came through it. "Master Han, come quickly to the hall! Master Ma and the others have just returned, and the Mulu people are on their way." As soon as these words were finished, the white light spiraled once and then shot out again, vanishing from the chamber. Han Li's expression darkened, and his eyes flashed with cold light several times before he stood up and walked out. When Han Li arrived at the hall, Gu Duipu and the bearded man were already there. The elder named Ma, along with another robe-clad cultivator slightly hunched and pale, was conversing with the two. Mu and Ying Ning, together with several others, stood nearby, listening to the two unfamiliar Jin Dan cultivators, their faces serious. However, upon seeing Han Li enter, Ying Ning glanced at him and offered a warm, pleasant smile. "Han Daojun has also arrived. Allow me to introduce you—this is Bu Yunhe, the head of Tian Tai Valley. And this one is Han Daojun from Luoyun Sect." The man with his sparse eyebrows managed a forced, composed smile, giving a relaxed introduction. Seeing this, Han Li felt a slight weight settle in his heart. The situation seemed even less favorable than he had anticipated. "I've heard of Bu Daojun's reputation from Lu from long ago. It's truly a joy to hear that you managed to escape unscathed." Han Li smiled gently and politely. "My current disheveled appearance must surely have been quite embarrassing to Han Daojun. This time, it truly thanks to Ma Daojun's timely assistance. Otherwise, things would have been quite perilous." The Bu-family cultivator had heard of Han Li's existence from others, so he didn't show any surprise, but instead smiled gently, expressing his gratitude toward the elderly Ma-family elder. "It's nothing—just a small favor. As for the pursuing forces, I had already withdrawn before I even stepped in, which actually made me quite uneasy!" the elder chuckled. "This is your ancient artifact, truly impressive in its presence. The Mu-Lan forces who arrived couldn't quite muster the courage to engage directly. However, this invasion is truly different from previous ones. Not only are they much better trained, but the ancient colossal beasts they bring are exceptionally formidable—thick-skinned, heavily armored, and astonishingly large in stature. Moreover, these beasts are imbued with various strange sealing spells. Once they breach the array, the array's collapse is merely a matter of time." As he spoke, the Bu-family cultivator's face subtly revealed a sense of lingering apprehension. "Can even your Yuan-ying stage cultivation fail to harm this great beast?" Han Li was startled upon hearing this, his face displaying a look of surprise as he asked. Though he had long known that the great beasts brought by this army were no ordinary ones, their sheer strength still made him find it hard to believe. "With my cultivation level combined with the full power of my divine artifacts, I could indeed wound this beast. However, at the time, I was simultaneously attacked by two senior cultivators, leaving me unable to focus. This is precisely why the great array was broken by the beast. As for Lu Dao, with your reinforcements including Ma Dao, I believe the situation won't be as dire as the one in my TianTai Valley." Bu Yunhe, after a moment's thought, saw his expression ease. "Bu Dao, how many senior masters—those at the level of Grand Master—are among this contingent of cultivators? If the number is not large, then we five Yuan-ying cultivators could all step forward together, catching them off guard. Even if we cannot eliminate one or two Yuan-ying cultivators, we should be able to seriously injure them," suggested Gu Shuangpu, his tone somewhat grave. "This might fall short of Brother Gu's expectations. Though I haven't personally faced each of them, aside from two prominent senior masters who have appeared, I've also encountered a third one—another unfamiliar master who later sent a message urging us to pay close attention. Though this master has yet to engage directly, his aura is truly peculiar, suggesting he may indeed be an unusual being transformed over time. Moreover, beyond these three, I'm still uncertain whether there are other senior masters concealed within, waiting to make their move." Bu Yunhe sighed, expressing his reservations. "Ah, that makes sense. We should first assess the strength of the opposing forces. If they prove particularly strong, we'll rely on our grand array to hold them off, since our current mission is merely to buy time for the coming stages." The bearded man nodded in agreement. Gu Shuangpu furrowed his brows slightly, showing a matter-of-fact attitude and abandoning further objections. Han Li and the elderly man with the horse-like surname also saw no need for additional discussion. Thus, the bearded man first sent Chongxu the Daoist to tend to Bu Yunhe in the quiet chamber, then instructed Ning Ying and the other cultivators to arrange the defeated Tiantaiguan cultivators, and immediately ordered reinforcements to be added to the guarding array. Watching the Lu-named man manage all these matters with such seamless efficiency, Han Li silently nodded in approval. It seemed clear that the nine-nation alliance's decision to have a single representative defend this sector was indeed well-founded. At that moment, the guests in the hall suddenly heard a steady, resonant drumming—growing louder from afar, like thunder on a clear day. Their faces turned pale. "Apparently, the Mulan forces are pressing hard on us. Just as we returned, they've arrived." The Ma-named elder, his face pale with frost and his eyes blazing with determination, remarked. "Good. Let us first meet them and assess the strength of their delegation. For now, I shall place the burden of this task upon the three of you. "You two should also join us on this journey. After all, you've already faced them off—your insights into their more subtle tactics could prove invaluable." The bearded man first bowed to Han Li and his companions, then turned his head and addressed the two Jin Dan cultivators who had retreated alongside Bu Yunhe. "Agreed," the two nodded immediately upon hearing the elder man's words. One had thick brows and a dark complexion, the other a lean, horse-faced figure with a somewhat gloomy expression. As the land-based man spoke, they exchanged glances and promptly bowed, fully assenting. Meanwhile, Han Li, however, gazed quietly toward the direction of the drumming sound, his face expressionless, his thoughts evidently deep in contemplation. At the very forefront of the Fengshi army, several dozen high-ranking Fengshi stood shoulder to shoulder, their bodies radiating shifting streams of spiritual light and precious aura. Among them, three stood out particularly. One was enveloped in a vibrant red glow, with a strange, bowl-thick fire serpent coiling around his body, its form fierce and terrifying. Another was slender and tall, resembling a bamboo pole, so delicate that even a gentle breeze could easily knock him over. A third wore a dark robe, his face obscured, yet his entire form exuded an eerie black mist, and faint ghostly wails seemed to rise from within the robe, sending shivers down the spines of those nearby.