"The Yin Luo Sect elder only knows the art of casting incantations. According to the information I obtained through soul-searching, the specific technique for lifting the seal on the soul has been known exclusively to the Sect's abbot and the senior elder within the sect. All other elders, like the demonic cultivators I eliminated, are only proficient in casting incantations and are unable to lift the seal." Han Li sat on one of the wooden chairs beside him, offering a wry smile. "Can't perform the incantation technique?" the silver-haired elder frowned, finding it hard to believe. "Indeed. It seems that the technique for lifting the soul-seal is deeply tied to a particularly advanced secret art of Yin Luo Sect, one that has historically been accessible only to the abbot and the senior elder. Everyone else has no right to cultivate it," Han Li said, his expression dark and resolute, with no concealment. "Without being able to lift the incantation, then what about Nangong's condition?" the silver-haired elder's face grew serious. "Although they haven't directly learned the incantation technique, there are indeed other methods in the world capable of breaking through the soul-seal." This master indeed lives up to his reputation as a senior disciple of Yin Luo Sect. From his consciousness, I've learned several methods of forcibly breaking seals by utilizing external aids." Han Li's eyes flashed several times, then he shifted his tone and said. "What kinds of things can lift a seal on the soul? Brother Han, please share them with me." The elder stirred with renewed interest and asked. "These are all rare treasures hard to find in this realm. Under normal circumstances, they might simply be impossible to locate." Han Li sighed, casually mentioning two examples. The silver-haired elder was startled, standing speechless for a moment. "Even in our Tian Nan region, I doubt whether such things still exist in this realm," he murmured. "That's not necessarily true. I actually know the whereabouts of one of these items. However, it's equally difficult to obtain. I'll need to carefully prepare for it, and only then will I have a reasonable chance." Han Li drew a slight smile, responding calmly. The elder was surprised upon hearing Han Li's words, yet seeing that Han Li seemed unwilling to elaborate further, he decided not to press the matter. Instead, he spoke sincerely: "Shall we assist you and the sect in this matter? Master弟, please don't be too formal!" "No, this time it's not simply a matter of numbers." Han Li paused a moment, then shook his head firmly, declining. "Since you're certain, I'll leave it at that. Still, should you need anything, feel free to draw upon the sect's resources at any time." The silver-haired elder, without pressing further, gently stroked his beard. "Your kindness is greatly appreciated, Brother. I'll go see on Wanye's condition." Han Li managed a weak smile and then rose to bid farewell. After seeing Han Li depart from the hall, the elder stood by the entrance, thought for a while, then sighed softly, and vanished into a streak of brilliant light, heading toward his own abode. …The chamber housing the ice wall remained undisturbed, with no unexpected incidents. Han Li stood quietly before the ice wall, gazing at the graceful and pure young girl reflected within, his expression slightly dazed. This quiet contemplation lasted for an indeterminate length of time. After a complex expression passed over his eyes, he suddenly murmured softly, "Wan'er, you must have quite a bold spirit. You've chosen to refine the most perilous technique of the *Cycle of Rebirth*, the *Chaji Tianyue Decision*, precisely when your life hung in the balance. Didn't you know this was a technique that requires one to face certain death in order to survive? What if, when I remove your soul seal, you encounter complications during the practice? Then I would be deeply concerned indeed!" Han Li continued to whisper, his voice gradually softening until finally he walked to the ice wall and gently touched the youthful face of Nan Gong Wan'er, his fingers passing through the thick ice layer. "You probably don't know this, but the magic cultivator who cast the incantation upon you never revealed the method of its dissolution. Yet there's no need to worry. I've discovered an alternative means to awaken you within his consciousness." With certain external items, the seal can be dissolved. Though these items are hard to find in the world, fortunately, one of them is precisely available within the Valley of the Fallen Demons. The inner essence of the ancient fire beast, indeed, is rarely encountered under normal circumstances; yet, within the Valley of the Fallen Demons, there resides an ancient fire toad beast that perfectly matches the required condition. Thus, my journey to the Valley of the Fallen Demons in a few years will no longer be a matter of hesitation—it is now inevitable. Although this method of utilizing external items only has a fifty-percent chance of dissolving the soul seal, even if it fails, it will significantly weaken the potency of the toxic spell. With this time gained, I can now confidently proceed to Jin State. Regardless of the method employed, I will surely obtain the spell formula by then. As韩立 spoke, his voice gradually grew cold. After briefly expressing his inner frustration to Nangong Wan, who stood within the icy wall, he remained in the chamber for a full ten minutes before finally stepping out. Then, he transformed into a streak of azure light and flew back to his dwelling on the Zimu Peak. In the hall of the cave dwelling, Han Li sat at the main seat, slightly lowering his head, deeply absorbed in thought. Yin Yue stood gracefully by his side, her dark eyes darting continuously over his face, displaying a touch of playful mischief. "What are you looking at? Did my face bloom with flowers?" Han Li spoke softly without lifting his head. "Master is jesting," Yin Yue smiled lightly, then hesitated slightly. "I've been wondering what plans you have for the future. The time until the journey into the Plum-Magic Valley isn't long, nor is it short. Both Zilin, the young lady, and Nanlong Marquis have extended invitations to you. Which of the two do you intend to join? And have you truly made up your mind? The Plum-Magic Valley is said to be the most perilous place in the southern heavens. Though you possess great abilities, the journey itself will still be fraught with danger. Even if you wish to rescue Lady Nan Gong, you could certainly find other ways and seek other treasures. Going into the Plum-Magic Valley seems rather risky indeed." "Other things? You're referring to either the eggshell of the Everlasting Azure Golden Bird or the fruit of the Bodhi flower, aren't you? These several items have likely gone extinct in this realm long ago. Even if they still exist, they're probably hidden deep in some remote, unvisited corner, utterly beyond reach. Only the immortal spirit essence of the ancient fire toad is easiest to obtain. As long as I follow Master Anguo's route without being overly eager or rushing into unfamiliar terrain, I won't lose any of them. As for forming alliances with any particular faction, that will have to be decided later." Han Li shook his head, speaking calmly. "Master's intention has now been settled. The young maid naturally has nothing further to say." Yin Yue lowered her head slightly, speaking honestly without further argument. Han Li smiled gently, stroking his chin, then added: "Before entering the Fading Demon Valley, I plan to visit the far western lands. There, I intend to secure the final two layers of the Daxian Technique, and also pay a visit to the Thousand Bamboo Sect to see if I can obtain some advanced methods for crafting high-grade mechanical automata." The several ancient puppet-making techniques obtained last time, comparable to those of top junior cultivators, involve some less-known materials. While these can be found in the remnants of earlier puppets, certain auxiliary materials remain exceedingly scarce and cannot be gathered within a short timeframe. Moreover, the primary material—thousand-year-old iron wood—requires substantial green essence to mature, making it impossible to fully prepare before the journey to the Valley of the Fallen Demons. The technique for crafting puppets at the Condensation Stage is equally unusual, and currently, most cultivation realms likely have no means of sourcing such materials. Given that the Thousand Bamboo Sect originated with puppet craftsmanship, they should possess at least two or three such techniques. It would thus be more practical to seek out the Condensation Stage puppet-making methods there. If I can secure a large number of Condensation Stage puppets as assistants, my strength could see a significant enhancement before entering the Valley of the Fallen Demons. Otherwise, relying solely on cultivation techniques and法宝 cultivation over just a few years would yield limited results. Furthermore, these puppets would serve as exceptionally reliable scouts in the perilous terrain of the Valley of the Fallen Demons. "Having said that, Han Li's eyes flashed with bright light, indicating that he was confident and well-prepared. "What the master has said indeed makes sense. Then, everything shall follow the master's preference," replied Yin Yue, smiling warmly and radiating an unparalleled charm. "However, although this western region is geographically adjacent to our Tiannan, reaching it is still quite challenging. We must first pass through the nations of the Zhengdao Alliance and then cross a vast desert that stretches for countless myriad miles before we can arrive there." Han Li suddenly recalled something, furrowed his brows, and spoke slowly. "A desert?!" Yin Yue was momentarily stunned, her mouth slightly agape in surprise. "Indeed, and this desert is rather unusual. For some inexplicable reason, fierce hurricanes blow continuously across the entire desert year after year. As cultivators, if we wish to traverse it, we can only walk on foot. Otherwise, before we even manage to leave the multiverse, the hurricane would drain our spiritual energy completely." That is why, although the various sects in the southern heavens are all aware of the existence of the westernmost region, they have never shown much interest. First, they consider it relatively small—only the size of two medium-sized states in the south. Second, its resources are relatively scarce. Moreover, it lies separated from the southern lands by this vast desert, making travel quite inconvenient. Thus, neither the orthodox nor the magical sects, nor other monasteries, have ever taken a strong interest in it. The entire westernmost region has remained under the control of the Thousand Bamboo Sect all this time," Han Li explained as he spoke. "If we have to fly across the desert, won't that take a very long time!" Yin Yue frowned, her brows tightly knit, clearly concerned. "Indeed, it will take a long time. Even under the most favorable circumstances, I estimate the entire journey—going and returning—will take about a year. Therefore, before I depart for the westernmost region, I still have several matters to attend to. Only then can I feel at ease and leave. During this period, Yin Yue, I would appreciate it if you could also lend a hand. I'll entrust this matter to you. Please pour "Han Li said, extending his hand to pull out a jade chest from his storage bag and offering it to Yin Yue. "The Heavenly Sky Immortal Vine! Master, are you really entrusting me with this?" Yin Yue immediately recognized the contents of the chest, expressing some surprise. "Heh, if this doesn't save the day, it'll just be a regular alchemy material—nothing special. I'm taking this opportunity to first attend to the Wood Spirit Infant, planting the second true embryo. Then I'll go handle that corpse spirit. I found a method for cultivating a magical corpse in one of the senior monks' storage bags at Yin Luo Sect. It's perfect timing to make use of it. After all, that corpse spirit has been trapped deep within Yunmeng Mountain, always posing a problem. With so many tasks ahead, I simply can't spare my attention. All the affairs within the estate will naturally be entrusted to you." Han Li glanced at Yin Yue with a half-smiling, composed tone. "Very well. Who else would you have chosen as your master? I'll carry out your instructions without fail." "Yin Yue gently pressed her full lips together, accepted the jade box, and finally agreed with a sense of helplessness. Han Li smiled slightly, then exchanged a few more words with Yin Yue before preparing to leave the hall. But at that moment, after a brief hesitation, Yin Yue suddenly called out to Han Li. "Master, there's something I've been holding onto for a long time. Would you mind if I asked you about it?" Yin Yue blinked her bright eyes, asking the question with serious demeanor.