The graceful young woman who appeared before Han Li was Mei Ning, who had come to Tiannan alongside him. Compared to her appearance several years ago, she now looked even more refined. After a fleeting expression of lingering resentment, Mei Ning quickly assumed a respectful demeanor. Han Li, now at the Yuan Ying stage, was far more distinguished in status than he had been at that time. "Mei sister! Is Zi Ling also present?" The woman from the Song family stepped forward from behind Han Li, greeting warmly. This surprised Han Li, who took a moment to observe her closely. "Song senior! Zi Ling is currently practicing within the room and will soon finish her meditation. Please both sit with me in my room." Mei Ning spoke with evident courtesy and slight apology. Han Li paid no attention to this, as his awareness revealed someone in another stone room, seated in meditation with qi flowing dynamically between the body and surroundings—clearly in the process of concluding their practice. Thus, under Mei Ning's gentle persuasion, Han Li and the So-called Ms. Song entered the stone pavilion and took their seats. Mei Ning then gracefully served them each a cup of spiritual tea. "Mei Miss, where have you and Miss Zi Ling been practicing these years? Have you not considered joining the sect?" Han Li sipped his cup of spiritual tea calmly and asked. "With careful discussion with Miss Zi, we've decided to first observe the various sects in the southern region of the sky, and only after further solidifying our own cultivation will we consider joining a sect. That's why we've been traveling and visiting various places these years. Indeed, the situation in the southern region seems to be more chaotic than in our own area." Mei Ning stood at Han Li's side, hands folded, and replied softly. Seeing that Mei Ning, before the So-called Ms. Song, did not conceal her status as an outsider, Han Li was momentarily taken aback but soon realized that his Ms. Song likely had some knowledge of the turmoil in the Star Sea. It seemed clear that the two shared a genuine and close friendship. Yet, seeing Mei Ning's gentle and earnest demeanor, Han Li rubbed his nose and found himself unable to press further questions. Only after glancing briefly at the woman standing on the other side of the room did he smile and ask, "This time, you've summoned me suddenly on behalf of Zilin—surely it's not merely to allow me to catch up with your friends, is it? Otherwise, why would Song's junior nephew have hesitated so long, concealing his message and appearing so uncertain?" "Master, I—," the woman named Song blushed slightly, stammering a bit. Mei Ning also looked a little embarrassed, having just opened her mouth to speak when suddenly a soft, melodic laugh drifted from outside the room. "Master Han, why trouble the two sisters? In truth, most of this invitation was Zilin's own idea." As soon as the words fell, a young woman in a white robe stepped into the doorway. Her presence was radiant and commanding, her eyes like flowing autumn waters, her every gesture and movement captivating and enchanting. "Actually, I should now address Brother Han as an elder, but I still feel that calling him 'Brother Han' is more fitting. After all, I'm not sure whether Brother Han is older than me, especially when compared to the young lady. I doubt he would mind." Zi Ling gracefully entered the room, smiled gently as she spoke. Having shared countless experiences together—such as the journey through the Xutian Hall and the Yinming Realm—and having spent several months together on the Boundless Sea, the two had grown quite familiar. Now, she even regarded herself as a true confidante of Han's. Upon hearing this, Han Li glanced at her several times. Even with his current Yuan婴 stage cultivation, the moment he saw Zi Ling's true form, he found his spirit stirred, naturally drawn to her. Indeed, the phrase "a woman who brings disaster and ruin" must refer to someone as stunning as she is! In terms of beauty alone, even Nangong Wan, whom he deeply cherished, seemed to fall slightly short when compared to her. Of course, the clear and composed grace of Nan Gong Wan is quite different from this lady's vibrant and graceful charm—both are equally impressive. "As for what name to use, it doesn't matter much. But the way Zilin has stepped out of the valley with her true self, she's likely to create quite a stir in the southern lands. Just don't let those old beasts notice you and snatch you away." Seeing a familiar face from the past of Lun Xinghai, Han Li found himself pleasantly teasing her. Zilin smiled calmly, showing no irritation, glanced at Han Li with a look of mild disapproval, and then greeted the Song-family lady: "This truly is a great favor, Song sister. Me and Mei Ning have actually found it rather difficult to enter the Tianyi City." "It's nothing at all! I've also been involved in this matter, so it's only natural that I should contribute my share." The lady expressed some surprise. Though she already knew that Zilin and Han Li were old acquaintances, the ease and naturalness with which they interacted still surprised her. Yet, her confidence in the purpose of this journey had grown by a third. At this moment, Zǐ Líng smiled gently at Han Li and softly said, "Each time I meet you, the rapid progress in your cultivation always astonishes me. I truly have no idea how you manage your practice. Moreover, the acclaim you've earned now is so impressive that even I and Mei sister are utterly amazed. It's widely rumored outside that your prowess surpasses even that of a Yuan婴中期 cultivator—do you know if this is truly the case?" As she asked, Zǐ Líng looked at Han Li with a smile that held a hint of both amusement and gentle expectation. Han Li felt a spark of awareness, yet after a moment's thought, he did not answer directly. Instead, he gazed at the beautiful woman before him and asked, "Miss Zǐ Líng, it seems rather urgent to inquire about my cultivation level upon our first meeting. Might I ask your purpose for coming first? I would like to understand the matter thoroughly before we discuss anything else." Han Li maintained a composed, unhurried demeanor. Upon hearing this, Zilin blinked her beautiful eyes, slightly embarrassed and said, "I've actually been rather eager about this. But that's understandable. The matter is truly significant—it requires at least a mid-Immortal Elixir stage of cultivation to succeed. I've also been somewhat anxious." "Indeed significant? Then, could you please specify what it is, and why I should assist you?" Han Li's gaze flickered several times, his smile fading as he asked calmly. "It seems that even without my explanation, Brother Han has already deduced a good portion of it. We have indeed come to collaborate with you. However, before that, I would like to ask—have you recently been to the Mulan Grassland with several senior Immortal Elixir cultivators, and have you obtained relics from Cangkun Master there?" Zilin's expression grew equally serious. "How do you know about this! It should be quite a rare piece of information!" Han Li's face slightly changed, surprised. "This information, we learned from a cultivator of the Gui Ling Sect." The man was a direct descendant of a senior elder of the Gui Ling Sect, and upon accidentally seeing the true form of his sister-in-destiny, Zi Ling, he immediately fell deeply enchanted, unable to speak of anything else. "What more could she possibly conceal?" Mei Ning remarked lightly from the side. "You silly girl, what are you talking about!" Upon hearing this, Zi Ling lightly spat, her cheeks flushing pink. It was clear that the two had grown close over the years. "It's natural that the Gui Ling Sect would know about this," nodded Han Li, his earlier suspicion easing considerably. "I didn't expect you, Brother Han, to have already reached the Yuan Ying stage—yet you remain as cautious as ever." Zi Ling's eyes sparkled as she glanced at Han Li, speaking with a gentle tone. "I've only just stabilized my Yuan Ying, far from invincible. Naturally, I remain cautious at key points. But I went to the Mu Lan Grasslands in search of treasures—how does that connect to you bringing me here? Does it mean you've uncovered some secret from the Gui Ling Sect?" Han Li asked thoughtfully. "My senior, your gaze is sharp. This matter actually involves a precious artifact within the Fallen Demon Valley. That disciple from Gui Ling Sect inadvertently revealed some details to us three, and only then did we become aware of the matter." The Song-family woman, who had previously felt uneasy when facing Han Li, now felt at ease as she observed his gentle demeanor toward Zi Ling and the other two young women. Her unease eased, and she interjected. "As for the Fallen Demon Valley—I recall only Master Ang Kuang having emerged unscathed. How could Gui Ling Sect know of the artifacts within? Have you not been deceived?" Han Li was momentarily startled, then replied with a puzzled expression. "It's unlikely. At the time, out of curiosity, we jointly employed several illusions. Not only did we learn the name of the artifact, but we also unconsciously discovered its approximate location. As for how Gui Ling Sect came to know of it—I cannot say. That particular disciple seems unremarkable, so I'm not sure. Nevertheless, I believe this matter is almost certainly true." Zi Ling's eyes sparkled as she spoke. "Even if this is true, what kind of treasure could have moved you so greatly? It surely can't be an ordinary ancient artifact," Han Li furrowed his brows and finally asked about it. "Has Master Han ever heard of the 'Spirit Candle Fruit'?" Upon hearing Han Li's words, the three women exchanged glances before the Song-family woman spoke seriously, "Wait—Spirit Candle Fruit? You're certain about that? That item has long since vanished from this realm. Actually, the Valley of the Fallen Demons has remained sealed since the age of wilderness. It's possible that such a fruit still exists within the valley." Even Han Li, who had remained composed all along, was now genuinely surprised—almost excited. "It seems Master Han knows quite a bit about this fruit. He should also be familiar with the 'Transformation Pills' crafted from the Spirit Candle Fruit. According to legend, a cultivator can only consume such a pill once in their lifetime, and it's limited to cultivators below the Stage of Spiritual Transformation. This ancient elixir clearly plays a vital role in helping cultivators overcome their developmental bottlenecks." It is said that after taking this pill, a cultivator’s awareness will be catalyzed by the medicine’s power, allowing them to experience the astonishing transformations of the next stage of cultivation ahead of time. Though these sensations cannot be fully described and vary from person to person, most cultivators eventually break through their stagnant bottlenecks afterward—this is indeed true. Numerous ancient texts record such occurrences. Otherwise, this immortal pill would not have gained such renown and remained in circulation for so long. Unfortunately, the primary ingredient for this pill—the Spirit Candle Fruit—was a rare and hard-to-find medicinal treasure even during the wild, untamed periods. Although the recipe exists, no one has successfully prepared it since ancient times. “Zi Ling said, striving to remain calm. The Song woman and Mei Ning, though already aware of this matter, could not help but display visible excitement when the topic of this pill was raised. Especially Mei Ning—should she obtain a Pill of Transformation, her confidence in successfully achieving the Dan Stage would greatly increase. But at this moment, the excitement on Han Li's face gradually faded, and he began to ponder. After thinking carefully, he calmly asked, "It makes sense that the Ghost Spirit Sect has this rare fruit—having spent great effort to attract other treasure-hunting cultivators to the Muran Grassland and aiming to eliminate the Southern Long侯's immortal demon in order to seize the heirlooms left by the Cangkun Master. However, I still have several points that remain unclear, which I need you to explain. Otherwise, even if the fruit is highly appealing, I would not risk my life for it."