In recent days, at a stretch of the border between the State of Yu and the Northern Liang, a series of cultivators and practitioners have steadily established large camps from both sides, each several dozen miles apart, utilizing existing outposts. Overnight, the majestic Zhengqi Grand Array has emerged one after another, transforming the once-sparsely-populated region into a bustling, charged atmosphere filled with martial energy. Small detachments of cultivators and practitioners have ascended into the sky, patrolling the perimeters of the camps with constant vigilance, as if fearing a sudden assault from the enemy. As days passed, more cultivators and practitioners gathered at the site, and defensive spells and barriers of various scales spread across both sides of the border, deepening the growing sense of tension. Yet at the central section of the border, patrols occasionally encountered one another, exchanging cold glances—though no conflict erupted. After all, initiating action at this stage would serve little purpose; everyone held their breath, patiently awaiting the eventual decisive confrontation. By the sixth day, the defensive arrays and spells of Tiannan and Muran were nearly fully established. Everyone began to streamline their operations, focusing on refining strength and preparing for the coming battle. Even the patrol staff saw a significant reduction. Yet, high-level cultivators started appearing more frequently in the patrols. Senior officials from the sects and monasteries were urgently planning their final battle strategies within the camp. To the north of the Tiannan Monks' Camp, where Tianyi City lay, the array of seals and spatial arrangements were naturally less dense than in the direction of the sects. Nevertheless, all essential watch posts and patrol personnel remained intact, and some even increased in number. Under these circumstances, a group of about fifteen cultivators was flying steadily and unhurriedly at a distance of twenty or so li from the main camp. Leading the group was a beautiful young woman in her twenties, a junior Condensation-level cultivator, with the others behind her at the Foundation-level stage. As the great battle approached, these individuals remained cautious and vigilant, frequently glancing around despite the routine nature of their patrol duties. Only the leading young widow appeared slightly composed, yet she focused her awareness at its peak, sensing every anomaly in the immediate surroundings. Suddenly, her expression changed, and her drifting light instantly halted. She raised her head in surprise, gazing toward the distance. The other cultivators were momentarily startled, then turned to look as if facing a major threat, but saw nothing out of the ordinary. "Master Xiao, you—?" One of the blue-robed cultivators asked in surprise, but before he could finish, a flash of white light appeared on the horizon, and a luminous dot emerged, swiftly approaching them. "Such swift flight!" one cultivator exclaimed. In the blink of an eye, several of them noticed the white dot growing larger, and within the radiance, something seemed to shimmer faintly. "It must be one of the senior masters arriving," the widow said with a composed, elegant demeanor. "However, according to protocol, we still need to go up and inquire. You may all remain here." Then the yellow light on her body flashed, and she directly faced the white light. The several cultivators exchanged glances, but said nothing. They were not from the same sect, and their levels of cultivation were lower, so they naturally had no grounds to object. The young lady had only flown a short distance before halting her flight. The luminous point had now reached her and transformed into a brilliant, radiant orb, suddenly stopping. Within it, a strange vehicle-shaped artifact seemed to shimmer, with faint figures moving indistinctly. "Late disciple Xiao Cui'er from Huang Feng Valley, respectfully paying homage to the elder. Could the elder kindly reveal your identity? I am acting under orders, and I hope you will forgive me for this." Though surprised internally, the beautiful young woman spoke with a pleasant tone. "Ah! Xiao Cui'er?" came a voice of surprise from within the white light. "Does the elder recognize me?" Xiao Cui'er blinked her clear, bright eyes, expressing astonishment. Among the Yuan Ying cultivators she knew, none appeared to match this particular figure. Yet the voice sounded familiar, as if she had heard it before. As the young woman stared in astonishment at the light sphere, the glow flickered several times, then settled, revealing what lay within. On an odd white flying carriage stood two young male and female cultivators, both appearing delicate and graceful. The man wore a long green robe, his features unremarkable, while the woman in a flowing white dress was strikingly beautiful. "Master Han!" As soon as she saw the man in the green robe, Xiao Cui'er covered her mouth with her hand, gasping in surprise. Her eyes brimmed with disbelief! "Little one, you've grown so much. Compared to when you were younger, you've truly changed," Master Han remarked, gazing at the young woman with a familiar, gentle smile. "Master Han, it really is you! Though Nei Sister and Lei Brother mentioned your attainment of the Yuan Ying stage, I still find it hard to believe," Xiao Cui'er said, her expression still echoing that of a young girl when she first met Han. "At the time, meeting them was purely coincidental," Han Li smiled, speaking casually. This woman had been introduced to Huangfeng Valley by him personally. Though they hadn't had extensive interactions, he sensed a certain difference in her. Moreover, she was a direct disciple of Ma Shifu from back then. Naturally, Han Li treated her with more warmth and connection than he did with Nie Ying or Lei Wanhe. By the side, the woman with the surname Song silently mused to herself. She had heard, vaguely, that her own uncles had once been disciples of Huangfeng Valley—now it seemed they had encountered old acquaintances. The young woman before her appeared exceptionally bright and insightful—what exactly was the connection between them? Regardless of how the woman with the surname Song speculated, Han Li and Xiao Cui slowly shared the details of their lives after their parting, including how Xiao Cui and the old man had narrowly escaped the magical sect's pursuit and returned safely to Huangfeng Valley, Ma Shifu's transformation into a sage, and the fortunate circumstance that led to Xiao Cui achieving the Golden Dan stage. This made Han Li marvel at the astonishing pace of change in the landscape. But after a moment's hesitation, Xiao Cui'er couldn't help asking, "Uncle, have you truly become a senior disciple of Luoyun Sect, and will you never return?" As she spoke, a touch of hope shimmered on her face. Thus, despite knowing that Han Li had previously declined the offers of Lei Wanhe and others, Xiao Cui'er now found herself compelled to reiterate the matter. "It's impossible for me to return. Luoyun Sect has treated me most generously; I will not leave. There's no need to go into further details," Han Li said, his smile slightly fading as he shook his head. "But what about our Huangfeng Valley in the future?" Xiao Cui'er's expression darkened, and a look of resignation settled upon her face. "You needn't worry too much. I've previously made certain arrangements with Lixu the Elder. Should Huangfeng Valley truly face a crisis, within a certain range, I will still step in to assist." Han Li sighed, vaguely mentioning this arrangement to her. "Such a thing indeed! Thank you, Senior Master!" Xiao Cui'er was first stunned, then immediately brightened up. "Let's set aside these matters for now. You are Master Ma's only disciple, and we haven't seen each other in so many years—how could I possibly not lend you a hand? This is a piece of法宝 I obtained from the other Dao-Condensed cultivators I eliminated in the Though not suitable as your primary法宝, once you refine it, it proves useful in combat. Moreover, this pill is highly effective in advancing your cultivation and overcoming your current limitations—take both with you." After a brief pause, Han Li reached into his storage pouch and produced a jade-green ring and a vial of pills, offering them to the young woman. "Thank you so much, uncles!" Seeing this, Xiao Cui quickly bowed deeply in gratitude before joyfully accepting the two items. "That will do. I still need to head to the main camp to see those old beasts—I shall not linger any longer. We shall meet again when our fates align." After the young woman had secured the items, Han Li calmly delivered his parting words. Then, without waiting for her reaction, he lightly pointed his foot at the ground, activating the flying vehicle beneath. A brilliant white light surged forth, and as the light intensified, Han Li and the woman with the surname Song gradually blurred into indistinct forms. "Farewell, Master Han!" The woman intended to say more, but upon seeing the scene, she swiftly bowed and watched the luminous sphere transform into a streak of white light, swiftly vanishing into the sky. Then the young woman stood motionless, gazing in the direction where the light had faded, her expression stunned. Meanwhile, the attendants finally arrived by means of their flying vehicles. "Master Xiao, who is this elder? Is he a Yuan-Infant stage cultivator?" "But his appearance seems quite young," the several cultivators said, gathering around with growing curiosity. "Do not inquire further. This person is indeed an elder at the Yuan-Infant stage, and he once rendered me great favors in the past. He is not someone we can casually discuss. We shall continue with our patrols," Master Xiao Cui replied, returning her focus, her face darkened and her beauty now as cold and clear as ice, casting a firm, unyielding glance at them. The others immediately fell silent upon hearing this. ...After leaving Master Xiao Cui, although the speed of the wind-car diminished, it still reached the vicinity of the camp in a short while. Han Li, finding the vehicle too conspicuous, decided to store it for later use, and the two of them proceeded instead by means of their flight lights. The lady of the Song surname, showing good judgment, never asked about what had just occurred, which caused After flying a little farther, a vast luminous screen appeared ahead of them, displaying five hues, dense and brilliant, enveloping the entire camp. Before韩立 had even brought the woman down, a group of on-duty disciples had hurriedly come to meet them. Upon verifying their identities, they immediately cleared a path and respectfully allowed them to enter the screen. As soon as they entered the camp,韩立 parted ways with the woman. The woman was to inform Lu Luo and then wait at a pre-arranged group of cultivators. Meanwhile,韩立 proceeded directly to the central area of the camp, where he met the senior cultivators, including Zhiyang, the chief officer, and the other two senior figures. Upon seeing韩立 arrive as scheduled, they were naturally very satisfied. After a few words of greeting, they briefly outlined the arrangements for the great battle.韓立 showed little interest and departed after listening to a few sentences. Then he was assigned a separate temporary stone pavilion, where he settled into meditation, focusing on restoring his strength and conserving his energy.