Han Li watched Long Han release an acoustic shield, then pull out several small flags from his person, forming a mist wall that separated him from the outside world. He remained silent. There were not many cultivators here—besides a few elderly masters still trapped within the blood shield, only about twenty or so. These individuals naturally represented the majority of the participating factions. "Long friend, what exactly has happened? The Mulan people have suddenly decided they no longer wish to continue fighting," said Zhiyang the Elder. "It does seem unusual. We've already pushed this far. Shouldn't they expect peace negotiations?" Wei Wuyua also expressed his doubts. "They aren't expecting peace—they're actually making it impossible for us to refuse it," said Long Han, with a wry smile. "What's going on? Are there other factions involved?" Huahuan the Elder frowned, sounding surprised. "Indeed. It's sudden—some outsiders have stepped in. Moreover, it's reported that they've allied with several sects from the Jin Dynasty, jointly pressing the Mulan people." The leading clan of Mulan, stationed at the rear, had been completely wiped out a month ago. It was only that the Tuxu people had effectively sealed off their information. The other Mulan tribes were unaware of this development. It seems the Tuxu people are eyeing the situation of a divided struggle—perhaps even showing interest in our Tiannan as well. Long Han said solemnly. The other cultivators listened, their hearts sinking. A silence fell over the gathering. Han Li, too, frowned deeply, clearly troubled. This is truly a case of a tiger entering through the front gate and a wolf coming from the back! "Hmph! Is this news genuine? The Tuxu people are quite distant from our Tiannan. Isn't it possible that the Mulan people are merely exaggerating?" Master Suihun expressed his skepticism. "It's unlikely. The group of elders who entered Qian Tian City, led by Tian Hen, suffered a setback. It's said that Tuxu spies embedded within the Mulan people had also been working toward the same goal—sending a contingent into Qian Tian City to plunder Mulan's warehouses. They unexpectedly encountered Tian Hen's group, and thus both sides were naturally exposed And now, after this battle, everyone should have clearly seen it. Though the Mulan forces, when giving their full effort, may slightly fall short in strength compared to us, they fought with the determination to die. Had it not been for Friend Han's outstanding performance at the crucial moment—consecutively defeating those bronze-armored corpse-soldiers and the Mulan sacred birds—the outcome might well have been a complete defeat. While our Tiannan forces mobilized all major sects, we cannot truly say we gave our utmost. Every sect has left nearly half its disciples behind to guard their mountain gates. Should the battle continue, even if we ultimately annihilate all the Mulan clerics with no retreat, we would certainly suffer a complete exhaustion of strength. It was unexpected that the Mulan forces launched such a sudden and vigorous attack right after. We would certainly be unable to withstand them. "Lóng Hán said, with a sigh of resignation. Upon hearing that Han had defeated the corpse-soldiers and the divine bird, even those who had just learned of the event looked at Han with surprise and admiration. Han's expression remained calm, showing no signs of astonishment. "Hmph! If the Mulan people wish to claim our territory, Could it really be half of our territory? Wei Wuya seemed somewhat displeased, speaking coldly. "It's impossible to divide the territory in half. However, along the border of the Mulan Grasslands, we could simply designate a section for the Mulan people to inhabit. This way, the attacks from the Tuhu people would still be absorbed by the Mulan. These two tribes have always been mortal enemies—there's no way they'd switch sides. Of course, with the Tuhu currently in a strong position, we still need to ally with them." Just moments ago, they were still fierce rivals, yet now, Long Han had effortlessly positioned them as allies. Yet none of the cultivators showed any surprise. After all, they were all ancient beings who had lived for hundreds of years—hadn't they seen countless such developments already? As long as it served their interests, they wouldn't be emotionally invested. "Near the border, wouldn't that mean we'd have to cede our nine-nation alliance's territory to them?" Wei Wuya's expression was not very favorable. "That's unfortunately the only option—we can only offer the alliance's territory that directly borders the Mulan Grasslands." Of course, the losses cannot all be borne solely by your alliance. We'll discuss it further and see if we can make some appropriate compensation to you," Long Han explained. "We can discuss this matter later. First, let's find out what the Muling people think, and then we can proceed accordingly," Wei Wuyi clearly seemed dissatisfied, gently pushing the matter aside. Upon hearing this, Han Li glanced at Zhiyang and Hehuan, the two elders, who appeared thoughtful, clearly considering the matter. Yet, in their expressions, Han Li sensed a growing interest—though, out of respect for Wei Wuyi's face, they were hesitant to speak up immediately. Han Li sighed. It seemed that as soon as each party's interests were involved, the factions immediately began to compete and vie for advantage. Upon hearing Wei Wuyi's remarks, Long Han did not show any surprise. Instead, he smiled and agreed, saying, "These are merely my personal observations. The specific course of action will require further discussion among us." We must immediately send envoys to the Mulan Grasslands to verify whether this event is genuine. Only then can we negotiate with the Mulan people. As long as the facts are confirmed, further conflict with them will be impossible—we will all have to step back by half. Otherwise, we will all suffer a loss at the hands of the Tuxu people." Dragon Han's words pleased the present assembly of cultivators, and Wei Wuyi's expression eased slightly. The group immediately began discussing the details. Meanwhile, Han Li remained silent throughout, neither offering suggestions nor joining the discussions. To him, unless it directly involved himself or the Luoyun Sect, there was no point in expending effort. With Dragon Han present, the Tian Dao Alliance's interests were likely to remain secure. Not long after, these elder cultivators finalized their strategies and contingency plans before removing the seals and dispersing the mist. On the other side, the faction of the magistrates also convened urgently for discussion and concluded their talks. Thus, representatives from both sides made brief exchanges and reached a temporary truce agreement. As for the other matters, they would naturally have to be formally negotiated at a later date. Yet the senior masters within the cultivation circles all appeared gloomy. With their retreat routes severed, they now felt rootless and deeply uncertain about their future—markedly demoralized compared to their pre-war morale. After witnessing the departure of the legalist army, the cultivators, including Han Li, gradually withdrew from the area, heading toward Tianyi City. The large-scale battle involving over ten thousand cultivators at the border thus came to an end. Upon hearing the sudden and unexpected news that the outsiders intended to profit as neutral mediators, the people of Mulan and the various powers in Tiannan, though reluctant, were forced to temporarily halt their hostilities. Once, through the confirmation from the old master Tianhen, who had escaped back to Tianyi City, it was verified that other powers indeed harbored ambitions toward the people of Mulan, several major factions immediately dispatched multiple waves of cultivators to tour the Mulan Grasslands. Indeed, they found that the common people of the Mulan clan had been driven to the edges of the grasslands. Meanwhile, traces of the outsiders began appearing in the very heartlands where the Mulan people had traditionally resided. With this development, the leading figures in Tiannan no longer hesitated and promptly launched intense negotiations with the people of Mulan. Initially, the Mulan people demanded one-third of Tiannan's territory; otherwise, they were willing to risk the entire extinction of their clan and go to war with Tiannan. For a time, the two sides could not reach an agreement. However, as the bulk of the Mulan commoners gathered at the grassland's edge and the outsiders began openly and systematically pursuing the Mulan cultivators, the situation intensified The leading diviners of the Tiannan clan could only gradually yield. After all, while the Tiannan cultivators would grow increasingly isolated in the future, the peril of the Mulan clan's extinction loomed right before them. The Mulan and Tutu people have been bitter rivals for tens of thousands of years—there was no room for compromise or surrender. Following several rounds of concessions, the two nations they had occupied were finally used to settle the Tiannan people. In return, the Tiannan side relocated the common folk of these nations to other territories. The three major powers each designated certain regions to compensate for the losses of the Nine Kingdoms Alliance and to accommodate the cultivators and sects from these nations. Of course, in return, the Mulan clan, despite Tiannan's goodwill, had to fully defend against the Tutu invasions. The Tiannan forces provided support from the sidelines, uniting their efforts to resist the common threat. Thus, although the Mulan clan secured a place of rest, they also assumed the same responsibilities as before—the Nine Kingdoms Alliance—constantly vigilant against the Tutu people's attacks. Moreover, with only two nations involved, the southern realms had no concern that the Mulan people would grow stronger and eventually turn against them. After all, the size of a realm's cultivation resources directly determined the scale of its influence. Although the Mulan clan was confined to these two nations, it had fortunately avoided a complete extinction and no longer faced the isolation of fighting against the Tuhu people alone—now possessing the strong backing of the southern realms. Both sides were thus reasonably satisfied with the current arrangement. However, several matters directly involving Han Li had unfolded in the meantime. Naturally, Han Li had slain the companion of the Yin Luo Sect's abbot, prompting this Jin State magic cultivator to remain unresolved and repeatedly dispatching letters, demanding a one-on-one duel with Han Li. Yet upon receiving the challenge, Han Li merely rolled his eyes and instantly reduced the jade scroll to ash, showing no intention to respond or accept. It was truly remarkable that a Yuan-Stage late-period cultivator would dare to challenge a Yuan-Stage early-period cultivator like Han Li. Han Li was no fiery young upstart, so he simply scoffed and paid it no mind. After the successful peace negotiations between the Muling clan and Tiannan, it was said that the Yin Luo Sect's abbot had engaged in detailed discussions with the Muling master of divinity and then promptly departed with his retinue. It was reported that he had returned to Jin State shortly thereafter. This finally eased the weight of concern that Han Li had carried ever since. Under pressure, Han Li could only ask the other party to substitute the ancient lamp with other rare materials and then return it. He had no intention of truly keeping the lamp. Though the ancient lamp was indeed magical and extraordinary, it was a hot commodity—each day he held it, numerous admirers of the Mulan sect would keep a close watch. If this situation continued, disaster was certain. It was better to get rid of it as soon as possible.