"That person was an old acquaintance of mine. I was slightly surprised to see him again just now." Dong Xuaner's expression seemed a bit unusual, yet her tone remained calm and composed. "An old acquaintance? This person is a cultivator at the initial stage of Yuan婴, yet he's able to attend today's gathering, and his appearance seems so youthful—surely he must be the newly rising senior monk from Luoyun Sect. Moreover, he shares the same surname, Han, and the very same name as the one you mentioned earlier. Could it possibly be him?" Cloud Lu, the elder demon, didn't lose her temper at Dong Xuaner's stiff reply. Instead, she calmly inquired, as though their relationship were anything but ordinary. Upon hearing the elder demon's words, Dong Xuaner's face turned slightly pale, yet she remained silent, saying nothing. A flash of cold light passed through Cloud Lu's eyes; she emitted a sharp breath, then stopped questioning, though a subtle cloud of displeasure lingered in her expression. When the elder demon led Dong Xuaner to the entrance of the hall, the on-duty cultivators at the gate were all nervous and attentive, only exchanging a few words before hastily allowing them Of course, Dong Xuan'er could not enter the inner hall and had to be guided by a cultivator to a side pavilion for temporary rest. Upon entering the hall, Han Li soon spotted the entrance to the main hall and immediately hastened his pace to walk in. The hall was simply arranged—besides towering stone pillars, a vast open space in the center featured intricately crafted wooden chairs placed every few zhang apart, totaling about sixteen or seventeen. On these chairs, only seven or eight cultivators sat, each with a distinct demeanor. Some glanced coldly at Han Li upon his arrival, others paid no attention, and still others remained closed-eyed, meditating, all going about their own business as if no one else were present. However, one of them greeted Han Li warmly, waving him over and saying, "Friend Han, you've just emerged from your meditation. If you don't mind, please sit beside me." This person was Long Han, the chief representative of the Celestial Dao Alliance from the Luan Ming Sect. "Thank you, Brother Long!" Han Li did not hesitate, simply sat down on a chair beside him, then glanced briefly at the others present before settling into a quiet, silent posture. A short while later, Yun Lu, the Elder Mage, appeared at the entrance. Upon seeing the people in the hall, she smiled warmly and walked over to an empty chair, sitting down with a composed air. Nearby, a blue-robed elder was already seated. He held a small green teapot in one hand and a white jade wine cup in the other, drinking and pouring with complete self-assurance. As Yun Lu settled beside him, a faint scent of perfume immediately wafted away, prompting the elder to glare at her and feel rather annoyed. Yun Lu's displeasure at this did not bother her in the least; instead, her gaze flickered several times before settling on Han Li, who sat diagonally across from her, and she once again studied him with growing interest. This time, it was Han Li who found himself restless. Frowning slightly, he closed his eyes gently and maintained a composed, expressionless face. Yet in his heart, he pondered the relationship between the old demon and Dong Xuan'er. When Dong Xuan'er was taken by the young master of the Hehuan Sect and joined the demonic sect, the old demon, though renowned for his ill repute, should not have targeted a disciple of his own sect. There must be some deeper connection between them. Otherwise, the old demon would not have come to this gathering, nor would he have brought Dong Xuan'er along. As Han Li grew somewhat puzzled, one after another, guests began to enter the hall. These were naturally all cultivators at the mid-Stage of Yuan Ying, some of whom were familiar with the earlier arrivals, while others harbored significant grievances. As a result, greetings and sharp remarks echoed continuously within the hall. At that moment, Yun Lu, the old demon, had shifted her gaze from Han Li. Yet Han Li remained motionless, his eyelids undisturbed. He felt that among the Yuan Ying中期 cultivators, he barely knew a few of them, and thus saw no need to make any introductions. "Friend Suishun! It's a surprise to see you here too. I've heard that your 'Nine-Hồn Secret Technique' has now "Truly a joyous occasion!" "That person is someone even the three senior cultivators from Tiannan found difficult to deal with." Long Ha smiled slightly and spoke in a pointed tone. "Someone who can make the three senior cultivators feel troubled? Is there really such a person?" Han Li's eyebrows raised slightly, showing some surprise. "Of course there is. This person once fought against one of the three senior cultivators—the one specializing in Yang energy. Though he nearly sustained critical injuries himself, he managed to lightly wound the Yang cultivator and then escaped unharmed. Thus, this person is widely recognized as one of the top-tier figures below the three senior cultivators. However, this person has always been independent, accustomed to coming and going on their own. Even in the case of such a major event as the invasion by the legal cultivators, it's still uncertain whether they will actually show up. Otherwise, they would indeed be a significant asset." Long Ha explained carefully. "Being able to seriously injure a late-stage Yuan-Infant cultivator! This person truly stands out. I wonder who this esteemed master is—shouldn't he be quite well-known?" Han Li pressed his lips together, expressing curiosity. "This person has certainly heard of him. Isn't the name "It's really him—indeed, I've heard of him for a long time," Han Li smiled bitterly, murmuring as memories of his earlier performance as a low-level cultivator within the Sacred Tree's sanctuary flashed through his mind. At that time, both the Celestial and Earthly factions' spies had shown exceptional deference toward the old man, clearly intimidated by him. "However, among Yuan-Ying cultivators, isn't it true that your esteemed couple, Long and Feng, should rank just below the three great cultivators?" Han Li blinked, speaking with a light, cheerful tone. Yet upon hearing this, Long Han shook his head. "Though we possess certain abilities, we are not particularly strong when facing him alone—ten out of ten times, we would fall short. Of course, if we work together, then it would be a different story altogether," he said seriously. Han Li smiled at this, just about to add something more, when suddenly he felt someone observing him, their gaze cold and somber, as though harboring ill will. Han Li's alertness immediately heightened, though his expression remained calm, and he gently turned his head to meet the other's gaze. He was an utterly strangers, a long-bearded elder dressed entirely in emerald robes. Upon seeing Han Li's gaze directed at him, the elder drew his eyes' cold light, calmly shifted his gaze, and maintained a composed, indifferent demeanor. Yet Han Li did not relax at all; instead, he kept his eyes fixed on the man for a long while, flickering with intensity. Han Li rubbed his nose, smiled sadly, and thanked repeatedly. The time had passed in just a single minute, and the hall's chairs were nearly full of cultivators. It was rather amusing—whether by design or mere coincidence—the magian cultivators had mostly gathered on the right side of the hall, while the orthodox alliance cultivators occupied most of the chairs on the left. The cultivators from the Celestial Path Alliance and the Nine-Country Alliance seemed indifferent, seating themselves freely on either side. Among them, Han Li recognized another familiar face—Li Naihang's Cheng surname cultivator, who had settled on the magian side. When Han Li looked over, Cheng smiled warmly at him. Han Li nodded in return. At that moment, Long Han transmitted a voice to Han Li, identifying two more cultivators from the Celestial Path Alliance: a plain-faced, simply dressed woman, and an elderly man with a worried expression. Han Liduo glanced at the two and took note of their appearances. At this moment, perhaps due to the increased number of people present, everyone's expressions grew more serious; no one engaged in casual conversation, all instead quietly observing the others. Each of these individuals, when they left, had been among the most prominent figures in the southern region—now gathered together in one place. Whether they knew one another or not, various thoughts and intentions naturally arose. Among them, Han Li was by far the most exceptional. With the sharp perceptiveness of these elder masters, Han Li's relatively limited cultivation level became evident the moment their gaze passed over him—without any deliberate concealment. Naturally, they recognized him. After all, Han Li's reputation had grown remarkably strong over the past half-year, and these elders could hardly have failed to hear of him. Yet Han Li remained seated with his eyes slightly lowered, paying no attention to anyone, maintaining a composed and unchanging demeanor. Just as the hall had begun to grow profoundly still, even solemn, three figures finally emerged from a side gate. The elder mystics, who had been quietly observing others, instantly turned their attention to them. A man in black robes, an elderly man with green hair, and a Daoist carrying a sword on his back. Han Li remained composed on the surface, yet his heart leaped with excitement—these three were the three great cultivators. Indeed, among the entire southern realm, only three such Yuan Yin stage cultivators had existed in over a thousand years. Others displayed varied expressions, yet most, like Han Li himself, remained calm and silent, gazing steadily at the three figures, waiting patiently for them to speak.