There were only two people left. Initially, between Han Li and the woman of the Song surname, but when they were far enough to see Tianyi City, the woman hesitated slightly in her flight and suddenly asked, "Master Han, the Fumaguan Valley has seen countless Yuan-Stage elders enter and never return. Do you think we, as Jian-Stage cultivators, really have a chance of finding the immortal fruit and safely exiting the valley?" Upon hearing this, Han Li was somewhat surprised. The gentle glow around him flickered, and he slowed his flight speed. Then, with a look of astonishment, he turned to gaze at the woman. It was unexpected that she had asked this question at this moment. Yet after a moment of silence, Han Li simply said, "In terms of cultivation techniques and proficiency, you naturally fall short compared to the earlier treasure-hunters who entered the valley. It is quite normal that your chances of survival after encountering danger are much smaller than theirs. However, those cultivators who perished in the valley were mostly driven by greed—otherwise, they would have succeeded." With so many young cultivators entering the valley, it's impossible that no one could secure even a few treasures. Most likely, the treasures themselves are eager—desiring not just one but another, or perhaps they're solely seeking medicinal herbs capable of prolonging their lives or enabling a swift breakthrough in cultivation stage. Thus, by traversing several perilous terrains, encountering misfortune is merely a matter of time. "According to the senior uncle's words, shall we also face a near-certain death upon entering?" The woman with the surname Song furrowed her brows, growing increasingly concerned. "Should there be no means of entry into the valley, nor a more secure path, let alone a nine-in-one-out scenario. In fact, among all the cultivators who have entered before, only one, the Elder Coangkun, has ever made it out. Had it not been for the favorable conditions over the past two days, I would never have considered entering the valley at all. Otherwise, it wouldn't be about collecting treasures—it would be a suicide mission. Though your cultivation levels may be slightly lower, as long as you don't become overly ambitious and have thoroughly investigated the precise location of the Ling Zhu Fruit, you simply need to head straight for If things don't go too badly, one naturally ends up with a mobile phone. Of course, the Ruined Demon Valley is renowned as the most perilous place in the southern region—no matter how well-prepared one is, one must still be ready to meet a fate of falling within its bounds. If the Ling Zhu Fruit is truly so easily obtainable, then the Gui Ling Sect, being well-informed of this, would have acted much earlier rather than waiting until now. Their current move to retrieve the treasure from the valley is likely prompted by the fact that the Nan Long Marquis has also secured a method of entry—fearing that the latter might claim the valley's treasures first. Thus, they are now compelled to take a risk. Perhaps their method of entry is quite hazardous, after all. Han Li hesitated slightly before finally expressing his own conjecture. "Master Uncle, since you've deduced that the Gui Ling Sect's method of entering the valley is unsound, why didn't you mention it earlier—during the presence of Zi Ling and the others?" The woman of the Song surname listened intently to Han Li's words, her eyes flashing with surprise and a touch of astonishment. "Didn't you expect me to have some other "Never mind. I have no intention of doubting Master Uncle." The woman with the surname Song was startled and quickly clarified. "Rest assured. It's entirely natural that you might have some doubts. However, I haven't mentioned these matters out of any ill will. Indeed, should the Lady of Immortality speak them, they may prove useful to you and Mei Ning. But for Zilin, they may not have much effect. After all, although the Dan of Fate is exceptionally precious, it may be somewhat wasteful for a cultivator who has already reached the Condensation stage. Mei Ning, if she doesn't take the Dan, will have a strong chance of entering the Condensation stage. It's well worth the effort. Once she reaches that stage, her lifespan will extend by several hundred years. Yet you and Zilin are only at the early Condensation stage, with quite ordinary qualifications. Even without taking the Dan, you're likely to safely surpass your current limitations and reach the mid-Condensation stage. Taking the Dan merely saves you both a hundred years of contemplation and refinement. On one hand, it saves a century of cultivation time; on the other, it requires you to take great risks, journey to the Valley of the Falling How one chooses is entirely dependent on the individual. I'm not sure how Shīshí will decide. But for the past hundred years, Zǐlíng will likely take risks to enter the valley. She doesn't wish to be merely a Jiāndan cultivator. By saving herself decades of rigorous cultivation, her chances of reaching Yuan'ing stage have greatly increased. Han Li said this, his face expressing deep thought. "So, Master Shī means that Daoist Zǐlíng is resolute in her determination to become a Yuan'ing cultivator? Even if the risks are great, she will still enter the valley and strive for it!" The woman with the surname Song murmured, her expression subtly puzzled. "Exactly. That's precisely what I mean. Zǐlíng's journey has been somewhat different from yours and Mei Ning's. She has been repeatedly pressured by powerful cultivators, and even her mother's original sect was eventually taken over by other forces. Though she managed to escape and has never mentioned these events since, I can still faintly sense that her drive for strength now surpasses that of most others." Han Li raised his head and gazed at the distant evening glow, slightly tinged with red, recalling past memories and spoke softly. Then, with the bewilderment in the Song-family woman's eyes, Han Li seemed to grow more animated, paused momentarily, and continued, "If there truly are Spirit Candle Fruits within the valley, I would likely have pursued that opportunity as well. After all, advancing one more step beyond the Yuan婴 stage is no easy feat—without seizing this chance, one might well remain stuck in the early Yuan婴 stage for life. However, prior to this journey to the Fallen Demon Valley being absolutely necessary, I didn't wish to dwell on trivial details or offer unnecessary explanations. When it truly comes to the point of making the journey to the Fallen Demon Valley, I will certainly reemphasize the dangers involved and point out potential shortcomings in the method by which the Ghost Spirit Sect enters the valley. Nevertheless, these are merely my speculations. It's quite possible that the Ghost Spirit Sect has already refined their entry method even more thoroughly than Master Cangkun. This is not an impossible scenario. This, too, is one of the reasons why I haven't immediately shared these thoughts with you." The woman of the Song surname remained silent, yet a look of growing understanding shimmered in her bright eyes. "Actually, I didn't intend to tell you these words now. But since you've asked, I'll share a few with you. Now that you've arrived in Tianyi City, your foremost task is to ensure your survival in the great battle that's coming soon—this is what you must focus on right now. Should fortune turn against you and you meet with misfortune during the battle, then Tianyi Valley will naturally no longer need to worry about this matter. I shall be the same—once I return to Tianyi City, this matter will simply be set aside and forgotten." With these words, Han Li smiled faintly, a touch of self-mockery evident on his lips. "Thank you, uncles!" The woman of the Song surname, deeply moved by Han Li's words, bowed respectfully and expressed her gratitude. "It's not exactly a guidance from me. With a little reflection, you would have come to understand these points yourself. Now, let's go into the city. The sky is still bright." Han Li waved his hand, his expression calm and composed. "Indeed, uncles!" A jade-colored light surged forward once more, racing straight toward the city gate. ... Several days later, in a secluded chamber at the Luoyun Sect's headquarters in Tianyi City, which was protected by multiple layers of magical seals, Han Li sat cross-legged in the center, his hands cradling a massive sword about five or six feet long. He was deeply concentrating, his brows furrowed in thought. Strange flames of purple and jade burned upon the sword—precisely Han Li's Purple Luo Fire and the enigmatic jade-like flame that had first appeared when he returned from Zilin. Since returning from Zilin, Han Li had been invited by Lü Luo to meet numerous Yuan-Stage cultivators who were well-connected with the Luoyun Sect. Previously, such an opportunity to meet even one cultivator of this rank had been rare. Yet within just a few days, Han Li had met no less than a dozen, a truly exceptional experience. These cultivators were well aware of Han Li's reputation and treated him with great respect, making pleasant interactions. Indeed, he had even found genuine rapport with several of them. But after these few days, Han Li immediately sought out such a quiet chamber and began to address the lingering issues from the battle on Huanglong Mountain that day. Specifically, the ever-burning green flame that continues to blaze steadily upon the Qingzhu Fengyun Sword. This green flame has thus far remained stable on the sword thanks entirely to the balancing and suppressing power of Zi Luo Tian Huo. The nature of this green flame is indeed mysterious—its strength even surpasses Han Li's own Zi Luo Tian Huo. Although Han Li has managed to contain it through sheer numerical advantage, the task of fully integrating and transforming this flame remains a pressing challenge. Should this flame remain unextinguished, not only will the Qingzhu Fengyun Sword become unusable, but Han Li's Qianlan Bing Huo and Zi Luo Tian Huo will also find it difficult to deploy effectively against his enemies. Han Li naturally cannot endure this situation. Now, he gazes intently at the sword, pondering for a long while. After a moment, he throws the massive sword into the air and, with a gesture of his hand, casts a green spell upon it. Instantly, the great sword spun once above the room, then emitted a low hum, transforming into dozens of slender, flying swords. With a mere thought, Han Li guided most of these flying swords, which instantly became streams of emerald light, shooting directly into his body. One sword, however, descended horizontally, settling gently before him. Han Li gazed at the cyan-purple flames dancing upon the blade, narrowed his eyes, then opened his mouth, expelling a stream of purple flame that struck the sword's surface. Immediately, the purple flames surged, swiftly suppressing the remaining cyan ones. Then, with a swift motion of his hand and a series of incantations, the powerful purple light pressed the cyan flames toward the tip of the sword, gradually compressing them until they condensed into a small cluster of emerald light, no larger than a soybean. Observing this, Han Li's expression grew increasingly serious. He took a deep breath, his fingers rapidly tapping and fluttering, swiftly casting a series of incantations of varying colors upon the sword. At once, the purple flame on the sword surged in power under the impetus of the spell, forming a continuous wave after wave of purple flame that pressed fiercely upon that single point of green light. The green flame trembled wildly at the tip of the sword, as if it might vanish at any moment. Yet, under the relentless pressure of the purple flame, after a while, the green glow gradually brightened and shone more vividly. No matter how vigorously the purple flame was driven, it remained steadfast, as though rooted firmly at the sword's tip, neither dimming nor extinguishing. A flicker of anxiety passed through Han Li's eyes, and he hastened his spell-casting. After another long while, seeing no improvement in the situation, his face grew somewhat troubled. After a brief thought, a flash of cold determination flashed in his eyes. He raised his hand slightly and gently swayed it. Instantly, a brilliant layer of purple flame spread over all five fingers and his palm. Then, without hesitation, Han Li closed his fingers together and pressed directly upon the green flame hovering on the flying sword.