Suddenly, an eerie scene unfolded—the transparent liquid began to slowly split and transform, gradually forming six silver beads, each the size of a thumb. Han Li took a deep breath and suddenly bit through the tip of his tongue, spouting a stream of pure blood. As the blood touched the surface of the beads, it was completely absorbed without a single drop remaining. Immediately, the beads changed color, turning a golden yellow, as if forged from solid gold. Witnessing this, Han Li felt a surge of renewed energy. He then opened his mouth again, and a streak of green light shot out, spiraling before settling in front of him. It was a small, delicate sword, about an inch in length, glowing softly with a gentle luminescence. Han Li pointed at a golden bead formed from a jingjing essence and gently touched it with his finger. Instantly, the bead transformed into a beam of golden light, which struck the sword and then melted, evenly coating the entire surface. The sword now shone brilliantly, radiant and dazzling. Han Li raised both eyebrows, then pointed several times at the ground, and various auxiliary materials soared upward, mysteriously integrating themselves into the flying sword. He then extended his hand toward the sword, and in an instant, the sword flew to his palm, where a cluster of jade-green infant flames materialized with a soft "pffft," enveloping the sword completely. Han Li slowly closed his eyes, using his divine awareness to guide and manipulate the infant flames, beginning the refining process. Only when the refined essence infused with his vital blood was fully and seamlessly blended with the sword—becoming one with it, indistinguishable from the blade—could the refining be considered complete. Day after day passed, and Han Li continuously refined the Qing Zhu Feng Yun Sword in the chamber, never taking a single moment of rest. Had it not been for his thousand-year elixir of life, which replenished his spiritual energy promptly, he truly could not have sustained such an effort over such a short period. Outside the pavilion, as the appointed day with the black-robed visitor drew near, Han Li still remained inside, and those who were aware of the situation began to grow increasingly anxious. Among them, the silver-haired elder was naturally the most anxious, for just yesterday, someone had used a flying sword to transmit a scroll, delivering it directly into Luoyun Sect. The scroll contained the precise location where Han Li had agreed to meet. That location was not only geographically challenging but also far from Yunmeng Mountain; if Han Li did not make his appearance soon, he would surely be too late. While the silver-haired elder sat restlessly in the side hall of the council chamber, Han Li appeared silently at the entrance. "Brother, you've finally emerged from your retreat, and your法宝 have been completed, haven't they?" The elder turned around, sensing the change, and immediately spotted Han Li at the doorway, his voice filled with surprise. "Finally, I've managed to complete them all. Brother, I heard that the person has sent another scroll, this one with the exact location where we're to meet. Is that true?" Han Li's expression, more composed than it had been a month ago, conveyed a calm assurance as he asked in a steady tone. "Yes, he has arranged for you to meet him at the summit of Tianzhushan. Here is the scroll he sent—please take a look The elderly man nodded and tossed a green jade scroll toward him. Han Li caught the scroll at once and immediately immersed his divine awareness within it, quickly scanning its contents. "Hmph! Letting me go alone, and insisting I bring the Golden Thunder Bamboo artifact—clearly, he has thoroughly investigated me and knows quite a bit about my relationship with Wan'er. Otherwise, he wouldn't be so confident." Han Li sneered, a streak of sternness flashing across his face. "Given his divine capabilities, it's indeed easy for him to uncover everything about your brother and Miss Nan Gong without anyone knowing. After all, lower-tier cultivators simply cannot keep secrets in the presence of such powerful magi. But, Brother, I cannot let you go alone on this journey. I've already arranged for fire dragon youths and five or six close companions. When the time comes, you'll go first, while we follow behind. As soon as that person appears, we'll all converge on him and surround him—definitely capturing him. We'll make sure he understands that our Xī Guó isn't a place one can simply arrive at or depart from at will." The silver-haired elder suddenly said with growing frustration. "Brother's method is sound. However, this person is likely well-prepared. Still, having you and your companions along is a great advantage. Should the opponent grow careless or overly confident, it would indeed be a tragedy for them." After a moment's thought, Han Li nodded in agreement. Having some allies was something he naturally welcomed. "Then it's settled. Though Dayuan Peak is extraordinarily lofty, to us cultivators it remains no more than a flat plain. I'll implant a mark on your body to track your movements. Should the opponent prove truly unyielding, simply delay the battle a little—by then, I and several of my friends will arrive promptly." The silver-haired elder added with a reminder. "This matter, I shall be deeply grateful to Brother. I will surely repay this kindness." Han Li, who rarely accepted favors, spoke these words with genuine warmth. "Ha! As a member of Luoyun Sect, you're part of our family. Why be so formal?" It was already getting late. "Huan, you'd better make some preparations. You must leave by tonight to arrive at Tianzhushan on time," the silver-haired elder said with a smile, as though unconcerned. Huan nodded and immediately excused himself, heading back. Watching Huan's retreating figure, the silver-haired elder sighed gently and smiled with a touch of satisfaction. Hearing Huan say those words just now, he knew his efforts had not been in vain. He was certain that after Huan's own passing, the young disciple would honor this personal gesture and wholeheartedly support Luoyun Sect. A sense of ease settled within him. Yet, after a moment's thought, he raised one hand and tapped the storage pouch, several scrolls appearing in his hands. He then tossed them into the air, where they instantly transformed into several streaks of red light, shooting off toward the side hall. With these transmission scrolls sent out days ago, the friends who had checked in at the Reception Pavilion would surely gather here shortly. The elder settled into his chair with a thoughtful expression, remaining motionless. …In the evening, after saying a brief word to the silver-haired elder, Han Li departed from Yunmeng Mountain, heading directly for Tianzhuyuan Mountain, a journey of one full day's distance. Meanwhile, the silver-haired elder, along with the Fire Dragon Child and several other Yuan-Infant elders from Luoyun Sect, left the sect one hour after Han Li's departure, quietly following behind. To conserve his spiritual energy, Han Li's luminous glow, though swift, was only ordinary in speed. As he drifted forward in the light, he casually handled a small golden sword, about three or four inches long—among the thirty-six Qingzhú Fengyun Swords infused with Geng Jing that Han Li had incorporated. For some reason, these swords, once infused with Geng Jing, had completely transformed into a deep crimson-gold hue. If Han Li remembered correctly, during the crafting process, Geng Jing would alter the surface luster of the artifacts; however, once the Geng Jing fully penetrated the internal structure of the artifact upon completion, the original color should have been restored. Yet these thirty-six swords had preserved their golden hue right through to the end, never fading. This somewhat surprised Han Li. The power of the flying swords remained unaffected, and in fact, Han Li felt that the Bing Jing might be even more effective than what was previously reported. After testing it, he found that the power of the swords had increased by nearly thirty percent, and their sharpness had vastly improved compared to before. Han Li believed that even法宝 of slightly inferior quality, if now interwoven and struck against these swords, would likely be reduced to uselessness. Han Li was deeply delighted, yet also somewhat puzzled. Finally, he recalled the primary material used for the flying swords—the Jin Lei Bamboo—and the other rare material, Lian Jing, previously blended into them. These materials were all exceptionally rare. Could it be that after incorporating the Bing Jing, an unforeseen transformation had occurred? After pondering for a long time, Han Li could only offer this self-explanation. Since the situation was progressing favorably, he decided not to spend much time investigating further, but instead focused his attention entirely on the Da Bing Sword Array. This divine ability required almost no special cultivation from Han Li—she simply manifested it effortlessly. Han Li tested the sword array's power within the sealed chamber, only to be utterly astonished. The array's strength fully validated the subtle yet precise claims on the golden scroll. Though currently only forming a relatively simple Da Geng Sword Array, its intricacy and brilliance already left Han Li in awe, significantly bolstering his confidence for this journey. Otherwise, he would never have been so humble in approaching the other party. However, figuring out how to learn the method of lifting the Seal of Soul Binding from the other party proved genuinely troublesome. Han Li had no choice but to meet the black-robed man step by step, adjusting his approach as he went. After a light sigh, Han Li's hand flashed with golden light, and the small sword vanished. Then, he used his divine awareness to glance back. He found no trace of the silver-haired elders, which was no surprise. To avoid being secretly observed by the black-robed man, they would surely retreat to a safe distance and rely solely on their secret techniques for tracking. After all, the man might be a late Yuan-Ying stage magical cultivator, and thus they would naturally remain extremely cautious, lest they inadvertently expose themselves. Tianzhu Mountain lies to the west of Yunmeng Mountain, a solitary, steep peak rising over ten thousand zhang in height—hence its name, "Tianzhu." From afar, one-third of the mountain is swallowed by mist, giving it an imposing and majestic appearance. Surrounding the mountain are low rolling hills; from halfway up the mountain, one can easily survey the entire surrounding area. This might also be one of the reasons why the cloaked figure chose this location. However, as Han Li approached within a hundred miles of the mountain, he immediately sensed a divine awareness wrapping around him. This awareness seemed quite strong, yet it appeared to be at the level of a mid-stage Yuan'ing cultivator. Nevertheless, Han Li could not afford to be careless simply because of this. Who knew if the other party was deliberately concealing part of their strength, aiming to create a false impression in him? Thus, Han Li deliberately pretended not to notice this awareness probing him, maintaining his steady pace toward the summit of Tianzhushan. At the same time, on a patch of green stone atop the summit of Tianzhushan, a cloaked figure opened his tightly closed eyes and coldly gazed in the direction from which Han Li was approaching. "You've finally arrived," he murmured. "It seems my intelligence was accurate. Indeed, there's something truly special in the connection between you and that female cultivator!"