"We naturally know there's something amiss, but when the Mu Lan forces advanced, most of their allies came from the Nine States Alliance. Still, many of our disciples from various sects and lineages were also caught. The envoy mentioned that these captives numbered no less than a thousand." The Zhiyang Elder said, his expression grave. "How so? Didn't they say they would only allow the duel if we refused to accept it? If that's the case, wouldn't they fear our retaliation through other means?" Elder Cun exclaimed, startled. "The envoy never mentioned killing the captives, but consistently emphasized to us that we have an opportunity to rescue these monks and nuns. Over ten duels, besides offering the materials as stakes, they add hundreds of captured monks and nuns to each match. As long as they win, these individuals will be released." The Zhiyang Elder continued. Hearing this, the elder masters present exchanged puzzled glances. At first hearing, these over a thousand cultivators seemed rather modest in number, mostly low-level practitioners with limited cultivation—seemingly not even under pressure from the enemy. Yet, if anyone truly proposed to leave them unrescued, they would immediately become the target of widespread criticism. After all, while these cultivators themselves were not particularly significant, the families and smaller sects they represented were numerous and influential. Many of them had even been captured by the Muran people specifically to delay the advancing forces of the cultivators. Should they be abandoned, the morale of the main army would likely suffer before the battle even began, and the lower-level cultivators would feel deeply disheartened—many would no longer be willing to fight with full commitment. "It seems everyone has now realized that, regardless of the opponent's intentions, we cannot avoid this duel. We must utterly defeat their master practitioners in battle, or else the blow to our morale would be severe indeed. Moreover, observing the manner in which they have proposed this duel, it appears they are not planning to manipulate the outcome during the combat—rather, they likely have other schemes in mind. Therefore, the friends joining us need not worry about any hidden disadvantages. Should anything seem amiss, we will intervene directly to prevent this conflict. Of course, as this is a decisive battle, whether or not each of you chooses to participate remains entirely at your discretion. We will not insist." The Zhiyang Monastic Master glanced steadily at the assembly before speaking seriously. "Voluntary?" As these words reached the ears of the elder beings, all of them exchanged cold glances within themselves, then fell silent, their eyes flickering with hesitation. No one was foolish! Even if this duel were entirely unusual, or even if it were perfectly ordinary, no one would willingly engage in a battle to the death. After all, how many of them have not spent centuries in relentless cultivation, only to finally emerge triumphant? How could they easily risk their lives? Han Li also remained calm, with no intention of stepping forward. Though he was willing to contribute to this great battle, he insisted on doing so without endangering his life. During the battle at Huanglong Mountain, he had nearly lost his life—there was no way he wanted to go through that again. Seeing the composed demeanor of the others in the hall, Huahuan's Elder grew increasingly serious, and emitted a cold, sharp exhalation. The sound was so piercing that it caused subtle changes in the faces of the seated cultivators, yet none of them rose to speak. Zhiyang's Master shook his head, his expression revealing a touch of resignation. Wei Wuyi narrowed his eyes, silent, as though pondering something deeply. Unable to let this awkward silence persist any longer, Zhiyang's Master spoke again: "Before our arrival, I had discussed this matter with my two companions. This gambling battle truly proves to be quite perilous." Therefore, if the participating cultivators win, all the rare materials won in the wager shall belong exclusively to the victorious cultivator, thus offsetting the risks incurred during this campaign. What do you all think? Moreover, as I understand, several of you are currently lacking certain rare materials in your cultivation practices and have been searching everywhere for them. We three have some of our own collections, which should be sufficient to meet the needs of these several cultivators." Upon finishing these words, the Master Zhiyang glanced over at several of them—among whom were clearly including Han Li. Han Li felt a sudden sense of alertness and began to wonder. The other attendees were no ordinary cultivators either, and their faces likewise reflected expressions of surprise and hesitation. Although the proposal sounded highly attractive and had moved many of them, no one had yet stepped forward to formally join the wager. At that moment, however, Wei Wuyacha—until now silent—suddenly raised his head toward the nearby Suin Ren, his lips moving slightly, and transmitted a message directly to him. The Shu Hun True Person, who had been bowing and gazing respectfully, suddenly changed expression—first showing astonishment, then a mixture of excitement and delight. After listening to a few more words, he opened and closed his mouth silently, as though engaging in a conversation with Wei Wuyi. A moment later, his face grew hesitant, his expression shifting between clouded and uncertain. At the same time, the black-robed magistrate transmitted a message to the Huhuan Old Demon. This old demon, who had remained indifferent since entering the hall, immediately furrowed his brows and grew somewhat gloomy upon hearing his own senior elder's transmission—unaware of what the magistrate had just shared. "Well, as long as the esteemed one honors your promise, I am willing to take this risk," said the Shu Hun True Person after a moment's thought. The other elders were momentarily stunned by this statement. Yet at that very moment, Yun Lu Old Demon spoke up: "Since Brother Shu Hun has already joined, then I shall also go. To leave all these rare materials behind would be truly a great pity." "The old magician sneered, his brows subtly furrowed with irritation, as though deeply displeased. The other cultivators exchanged glances; though they said nothing, they were clearly astonished. Regardless of the reasons that had convinced these two, their presence now stirred unease among the rest. Indeed, the three cultivators below took turns conversing in private with several others, discussing matters in detail. After listening, most of these individuals either expressed joy or concern and agreed to join the wagering journey. Only two remained stiff-faced, shaking their heads firmly and outright declining. Han Li watched this scene, his thoughts racing with various considerations. Yet at that very moment, the voice of Zhiyang's Master reached him. "Friend Han, I've heard you've been gathering a large quantity of Jing Jing essence—does that indeed ring true?" Han Li had anticipated this question, yet upon hearing it, his heart skipped a beat. It was no surprise that the other party knew of his request for the Tian Dao Alliance to assist in gathering Jing Jing essence. "Indeed, Han has indeed needed some Jingjing to refine into divine artifacts. Does it happen that your esteemed friend holds a substantial supply of this substance?" Han Li steadied his mind, asking calmly. Sitting in the hall, listening to the mid-level and senior masters discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the magical army, as well as the specific details on how to use banner flags and other array tools to counter the particularly difficult spiritual array techniques employed by the magical forces, Han Li's mind had already drifted far away, occupied entirely by thoughts of Gong Jing. Honestly, he was not entirely satisfied with the power of his primary artifact, the Qing Zhu Feng Yun Sword. This wasn't because he believed that flying swords were inherently less powerful than the primary artifacts of other cultivators. Rather, the opponents he had encountered were either extremely weak or extremely strong. Against weak opponents, he often didn't even need to deploy the flying sword—his Qing Yuan sword qi was sufficient to defeat them. But against powerful adversaries, whose cultivation levels generally surpassed his own, the flying sword often felt like a mere afterthought. However, upon reading the final technique of the Qing Yuan Sword Sect's scripture—the "Da Gong Sword Array"—Han Li realized the formidable potential of the Qing Zhu Feng Yun Sword when combined with the Qing Yuan Sword Technique. Even if he could only execute a fraction of this sword array, its power was sufficient to rival that of a late Yuan婴 cultivator. As for the Xuting Ding, though it had been praised by Yin Yue to no end, Han Li had always remained slightly skeptical about its actual power until he had personally witnessed it. Therefore, this Dangge Sword Array would undoubtedly become his great ability for establishing himself in the immortal realm. In order to successfully cultivate the sword array, he would absolutely need to secure a substantial amount of Geng Jing. However, whether or not he truly had to participate in the gambling competition remained uncertain. After pondering it for a while, he decided to first assess the quantity of Geng Jing offered by the opponent. If the amount was sufficient and gave him a strong chance of successfully crafting the Dangge Sword Array, then participating in the current gambling competition would certainly be a viable option. As long as his opponents were not the Mulan Immortal Masters, he would naturally not fear anyone. Even if the Mullan masters manipulated things subtly during the competition, could a mere barrier, powered by the might of Fenglei Wings and Ziluo Heavenly Fire, really hold him captive? With his strategy firmly settled, Han Li regained his composure and began to listen attentively to the discussions among the other cultivators. The gathering lasted nearly an hour, with the three cultivators clearly centered around Zhiyang Master, who frequently received supplementary remarks from Hehuan Elder. Wei Wuyi, on the other hand, remained quiet throughout, speaking only a few words in total. Nevertheless, both Zhiyang Master and Hehuan Elder consistently held Dragon Han in high regard, often seeking his opinion when matters related to the Celestial Dao Alliance arose. It was evident that the joint influence of Dragon Han and his wife in countering one of the three senior cultivators was no mere formality. Eventually, the discussions concluded, and specific responsibilities were assigned to most of the attendees who had not participated in the wager battle. Then, upon Zhiyang Master's simple remark—“All of you, go prepare yourselves”—the group dispersed. However, three cultivators were left behind, among them Han Li. The other two were Yun Lu Elder and a delicate, pale-faced woman who, like Han Li, remained silent throughout the discussion.