"Miss Qiao had never married back then. The family that originally proposed a marriage alliance with our Chen family—we naturally couldn't send Qiaoqian off to them. Later, the seventh sister became increasingly reserved, no longer showing interest in men, and remained single until the end." Chen Qiaotian hesitated slightly, yet still shared with the elder before him the circumstances of Qiaoqian's early days. Now, gazing at the young face of Han Li, he suddenly recalled a certain tale circulating within the household, his expression becoming noticeably different. "Never married?" Han Li's eyes flashed with a touch of surprise, then he looked up at the sky, silent. After a while, he lowered his head and spoke gently to Chen Qiaotian, "I already sense something about myself—perhaps you've guessed a bit. I won't elaborate further. Now, with so many magical beings gathered here, since you've come seeking the treasure of the Fallen Magic Valley, go ahead and make your way." Upon finishing these words, Han Li turned away from the three, his body radiating a luminous glow, swiftly transforming into a streak of jade-green light and vanishing into the sky. Three scholars had barely managed to utter their farewell words when Han Li vanished without a trace. The three men and women standing in place were left momentarily stunned. "Brother, what's this elder's background? Does he have any connection with your Chen family?" the female cultivator asked immediately, once she regained her composure. "Connection? How could our Chen family possibly be linked to someone of this stature. If I'm not mistaken, you should already know his name quite well. He originally hailed from Huangfeng Valley, once survived a battle against Mu Lan, the Divine Master, and later defeated Mu Lan's sacred birds in the border conflict. Furthermore, he's the one who slew a senior magus from Jin State—someone you at Hua Dao Workshop would surely recognize. Yet, just now, he mentioned a connection to my late seventh sister. That seems rather unusual." Chen Qiaotian gazed toward the direction where Han Li had disappeared, his expression puzzled. "Wait—so this person is the one famously spoken of?" Indeed, he looks quite young. It's said that when it comes to seniority, he used to be our peer among the six sects. Now, he has achieved such extraordinary prowess—what a marvel! The female cultivator seemed well-informed about Han Li's affairs, clearly astonished, and exclaimed in surprise. "That's correct. When he first joined our Huangfeng Valley, I had just successfully attained the Foundation Stage. Later, he participated in the Blood-Color Trial alongside my elder brother and sister No. Seven, and from then on, his progress never ceased. Yet now, he has risen to become second only to the three foremost cultivators of Tiannan—this truly defies imagination," Chen Qiaotian sighed. "I heard that Master Lü from your valley once attempted to persuade him to return to Huangfeng Valley, but he seems unwilling to come back. Is this true?" The other male cultivator, dressed in blue robes, asked curiously. "I'm not entirely sure. It might very well be so," Chen Qiaotian hesitated before offering a vague reply. It seemed that even in the presence of these two sworn siblings, he was unwilling to speak further on the matter. Fortunately, neither of the two young cultivators showed any intention of pressing for more details. The blue-robed male cultivator then shifted his tone and said: "This time, we've been fortunate indeed. First, our elder brother recently completed the refinement of the Golden Scroll and Silver Quill talisman, which successfully repelled most of the toxic powder from the toxic moths. Second, with this senior master, Han, creating such a disturbance, we have managed to weather this crisis without any serious harm. I believe once our elder brother fully integrates the Golden Scroll, we shall no longer need to fear the Yun brothers." "Exactly. I've known for some time that the Chen family possesses the Golden Scroll and Silver Quill ancestral artifacts, but I never expected there to actually be a method for crafting such talismans. My brother used to rely solely on a flying sword." The female cultivator also expressed her interest. "The Golden Scroll and Silver Quill talismans used by our Chen family disciples are actually mere replicas of this set. Although my brother initially envisioned crafting this complete set, he has always been unable to gather all the necessary materials We could only temporarily settle for crafting a flying sword to make do with. Fortunately, after years of accumulation, we've finally managed to complete this set of divine artifacts. I hope they prove useful in the Valley of the Fallen Demon. Chen Qiaotian smiled slightly and added a few explanatory remarks. But then, his expression grew serious, and he continued: "Well, no matter what. We should remain cautious going forward. As the senior master just mentioned, every cultivator who dares to venture into the Valley of the Fallen Demon is no ordinary person. We must stay vigilant. It would be best if we could find other disciples from the six sects and travel together." "Brother Chen is absolutely right." "Then it shall be as Brother Chen suggests." The two young cultivators nodded in agreement. Thus, the three of them did not linger any longer. They immediately transformed into streaks of brilliant light and departed. ...After experiencing a deep emotional resonance, Han Li finally managed to temporarily suppress his lingering sorrow for Chen Qiaojian, burying it deep within his heart. Then, he rallied his spirit and pressed on with his journey. After several hours, he gradually caught sight of the Mountain Range of Ten Thousand Spirits. Since the view was still outside the range of the mountains, the mist on the mountain slopes was extremely thin, and the lush trees and towering peaks were clearly visible. The mountains were not particularly majestic or vast, yet the word "broad" perfectly captured their essence. Within his line of sight, a dark line stretched out on both sides, extending as far as the eye could see. Han Li slowed his flight speed and glanced around. The area was quiet, with no signs of other cultivators. Yet Han Li remained calm. As he flew a bit closer, he slowly closed his eyes. At once, his divine awareness—comparable to that of a Yuan婴 late-stage cultivator—spread out over a hundred-mile radius and began a swift search. After a moment, a slight movement appeared at the corner of his eyebrows, and then he suddenly opened his eyes. With a composed expression, he activated his flight spell, sending a streak of emerald light slicing through the air, aimed directly at a specific target. In just a cup of tea's time, Qinghong arrived at the summit of a small mountain, where two cultivators—one elder and one younger—sat facing each other in meditation, engaged in conversation. A brilliant flash of Qinghong briefly illuminated their heads, and as the light faded, Han Li's figure materialized directly in midair. The two were naturally startled and leapt up immediately. The elder managed to remain composed, while the younger-looking cultivator looked visibly alarmed. Han Li quickly surveyed both of them and found their cultivation levels quite low. The elder was at the mid-stage of Foundation Period, while the younger one was only at the early to mid-stage of Qi Cultivation. It was truly puzzling how such low-level cultivators had come to this Wanling Mountain Range. At the same time, the elder used his spiritual awareness to examine Han Li, but with his own level, he could not discern Han Li's cultivation stage. Overcome with astonishment, he hurried to approach and offer a formal bow. However, Han Li's calm voice had already reached them from above. "Do not be alarmed!" The nearest market from here—what direction is it in? Just point it out to me." Han Li's voice carried no emotion, firm and unyielding. "There's a newly established market four hundred li to the west. You may wish to visit it." Hearing this, the elder felt reassured, his face becoming respectful as he quickly replied. "Four hundred li west? I understand." As soon as the words were spoken, a shimmer of green light flashed, and Han Li vanished from his original spot. The elder was startled and turned to look, only to find a streak of emerald light already stretching a hundred zhang away. It flashed several times before condensing into a single point and then fading into sight. Both the elder and the young man stood in stunned silence. Indeed, four hundred li to the west, there was a modest market, hastily constructed using fossilized techniques. The number of cultivators within was scarce. Han Li showed no concern. After purchasing the necessary materials at the market's supply stall, he promptly stepped out and headed directly toward the mountain range. After penetrating deep into the mountain range for over ten li, he observed the mist and humidity in the mountains rapidly intensifying. Han Li then casually settled upon a modest, unremarkable small hill and landed. Establishing a temporary dwelling had long been a familiar task for Han Li. Within a single minute, after unleashing a dozen flying swords, a simple, modest cave dwelling materialized within the mountain's core. After inspecting the dwelling, Han Li nodded in satisfaction. He immediately set up two simple magical arrays outside the dwelling before entering the cave. First, he released Yin Yue, allowing her to train independently within the dwelling. Then, he released Tian Jue Magician's Corpse, placing it in a darker, more secluded chamber where it would continue to be buried deep in the earth. Only then did Han Li enter the inner chamber of the dwelling with a large quantity of materials. Sitting cross-legged in the chamber, Han Li simply waved his hand and retrieved the jade scroll bestowed upon him by Da Yan Shen Jun, beginning to study the two methods for crafting the condensed essence puppets contained within. These two types of puppets differ significantly from the foundation-level giant apes crafted by Han Li. Their strengths and weaknesses are clearly distinct, suggesting they were designed to allow the user to make a deliberate choice. One type takes the form of a giant turtle, with thick skin and solid flesh. Even under typical attacks from a Yuan婴-stage cultivator, it can withstand three to five strikes. It can also expel spherical bursts of lightning and fire from its mouth, matching the full power of a Jiadian中期 cultivator. The only drawback is its bulkiness—its movements and flight are slow and cumbersome. Once a cultivator closes in for close-range attacks, it becomes an easy target with little ability to resist. The other type is a humanoid tiger spirit puppet. Unlike the turtle-type, it lacks ranged attack capabilities and has only average defensive strength. However, it excels in agility and speed—light as a swallow, swift as the wind. With its pair of tiger claws, it can project shimmering claw beams up to half a foot long, easily piercing the ordinary shields of a Jiadian cultivator. This is a purely close-combat-oriented puppet. After clearly understanding the characteristics of these two types of puppets, Han Li decided immediately to craft several of each. Only then could he adequately handle the complex situation within the Fallen Demon Valley. With his plan firmly settled, Han Li immersed his consciousness into the jade scroll, focusing entirely on the method of crafting. For three full days and three nights, Han Li remained motionless, his expression serene, seated silently in the chamber. However, on the fourth day, his expression shifted slightly—he moistened his dry lips, then withdrew his awareness from the scroll. After a brief pause, he suddenly flipped his palm, and as a bright white light flashed, the jade scroll vanished. Next, he removed the storage satchel from his waist, tossed it into the air, and instantly a cascade of white light erupted from it. Then, countless crafting materials surged forth—rare woods, common iron ores, various crystals, and jade boxes of all sizes and shapes—arranging themselves in a dense, orderly heap before Han Li within moments. Han Li reached out and waved his hand toward the storage bag, reattaching it to his waist. Then, shifting his gaze, he focused on the materials before him, scanning them over. After a moment, his eyes settled on a piece of ironwood unusually dark in color. He inhaled deeply and gently pointed at it. The ironwood rose silently, floating steadily toward Han Li.