Zi Ling, witnessing the colossal ice mountain appearing to waver and nearly collapse, grew pale. At this moment, Han Li stood calmly within the luminous shield formed into a dome, his expression serene and utterly composed, showing no sign of anxiety. Seeing this, Zi Ling's heart settled, knowing that Han Li likely possessed other protective measures that accounted for his calm demeanor. To her surprise, however, Han Li did not summon any further talismans or divine techniques throughout the subsequent period. Despite the constant shaking and impact from the massive stones and gusts of wind, the blue ice mountain remained remarkably resilient, ultimately showing not a single crack. It was only after a full cup of tea's worth of time that the powerful gusts finally surged wildly and receded far behind Han Li and himself. The thunderous roar gradually faded away, just as the distant white streak vanished. "What on earth is this? How could such a thing exist in the Fallen Demon Valley?" Zilin exhaled gently, transforming the colorful aura before her back into a silk handkerchief and folding it into her hands, then turned to ask韩立 with a look of curiosity. "I'm not entirely sure. However, the ambient qi in the distance seems all out of whack—very disordered. And this surge of qi is astonishing; it's far beyond what ordinary people could generate. Could it be that a spatial rift has failed somewhere? Still, this surge is so powerful, I suspect the inner valley's protective seals won't be able to withstand it. For Yuan婴 cultivators, it might be manageable—most should be able to protect themselves. But if it reaches the outer valley, the Jie Dan cultivators will surely face serious trouble." Han Li's eyes flickered as he murmured these words. Zi Ling blinked her beautiful eyes and softly asked, "The past? Why go there? Whether it was caused by human hands or simply spontaneously erupted, that place isn't exactly a pleasant one. I do have some curiosity, but I don't wish to get involved. Let's simply return along the original path. Most of our journey into the valley has already been completed. Now, with this sudden upheaval, the Gui Ling Sect is likely to have little interest in seeking us out. This is indeed a perfect opportunity to make our escape." Han Li hesitated slightly before finally deciding and spoke slowly. Then, he extended a finger and pointed it at the massive shield before him. Instantly, the luminous aura surrounding his body rapidly dispersed and vanished, and the shield shrank swiftly, eventually shrinking to a few inches and being neatly folded into his sleeve. As for the ice mountain before him, Han Li gently pressed his palm against the ice wall. At once, a brilliant blue glow radiated out, and the ice mountain shrank and melted completely. A small cluster of blue flame, identical to the one seen earlier, then merged seamlessly into his palm. Zi Ling watched this scene and her eyes widened with surprise. Han Li raised his hand and glanced at it, a satisfied expression appearing on his face. This technique of reabsorbing the icy flame into his body—he had just refined it through his insights gained within the realm of illusion. Though it was his first attempt, it felt as if he had practiced it many times before, executed with seamless ease and natural fluency. It was truly surprising even to Han Li himself! This proved that the experiences he had gained within the illusion were no mere illusion, but rather a deeper, more profound understanding of the cosmic principles. With this firsthand experience at the level of cultivation, his advancement to the mid-stage of Yuan婴 (Metamorphic Infant) cultivation now seemed highly promising. Han Li smiled slightly, turning to speak with Zi Ling when suddenly, from the horizon behind them, a flash of light appeared, followed by two streaks of swift light racing in succession. One yellow, one white, trembling and darting as if fleeing, they sped toward them. "Huh!" Han Li's awareness briefly swept over them, and he emitted a light of surprise. "How is it, Han brother, you know these two?" Zilin also used her divine awareness to probe, only detecting that the two beings riding the fleeing lights were Yuan婴-period cultivators, while the others remained completely obscure. She couldn't help asking. "Of course I know them. In fact, we have a bit of a history together!" Han Li furrowed his brows slightly, then stared fixedly at the distant figures with an odd expression, speaking calmly. Han Li felt deeply puzzled. Yet these two were no ordinary beings! Ling Fu, the elder master, had reached the mid Yuan Yin stage, and his sister, Nan Gong Wan, wielded both powerful techniques and refined artifacts. Yet when they teamed up to descend into the well, they appeared quite embarrassed, fleeing in a hasty manner—something utterly unbelievable. Could it be that the ones pursuing them from behind were Mu Lan's disciples, specifically the master of the Zhong family? As this thought struck him, Han Li felt a sudden sense of urgency. His relationship with Mu Lan's disciple had grown increasingly strained—he had repeatedly undermined Mu Lan's initiatives, and several high-ranking Mu Lan disciples had even fallen under his hands. Should he encounter the master of the Zhong family, he would surely not hesitate to confront him directly. With this realization, Han Li could no longer delay. He swiftly shifted his form, reaching Nan Ling's side just as the two distant figures had not yet noticed him. Before she could utter a word of surprise, Han Li began channeling gestures with both hands, his body radiating shimmering light. Suddenly, a cascade of jade-like mist floated upward and gently settled over their heads, drifting down with a light, serene touch. Han Li and Zi Ling's figures faded in the emerald light, vanishing completely, blending into the background. At that moment, the two streaks of light from afar finally approached Han Li's mountain peak. Han Li could clearly see the iron-gray, pale complexion of Lü Fu's elder patriarch. Suddenly, Han Li's eyes flashed, fixing on a spot some hundred paces behind the two figures, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Where do you intend to go? Have you no companions left? Hmph—your cultivation is commendable, your spiritual essence particularly robust. You are precisely the ideal nourishment for my essence. I shall not allow you to escape. This time, no unforeseen events will occur. You had better remain calm and surrender without resistance. His laughter was unrestrained, devoid of any hint of restraint. The few sentences he spoke resonated powerfully, causing the sky nearby to vibrate with a hum, and the sound was clearly audible to cultivators within a radius of several dozen li. Then, at the point behind the two streams of light, a sudden flash of dark hue emerged, revealing a strange streak of black brilliance. Once this black glow appeared, it became wavering and elusive, appearing and disappearing intermittently. Yet each time it manifested, it seemed to shorten the distance between itself and the leading stream of light. Within a short while, the black glow had drawn within fifty to sixty paces of the two elders—Ling Fu and the old master—ahead. Although Han Li didn't know that the other's body had already been invaded by magical spirits, and thus was no longer the original Nanlong Marquis, the fact that the other radiated an overwhelming aura of magic and had single-handedly pursued and attacked the old master Ling Fu and the Grand Master of Yan Yue Sect clearly indicated something was amiss—so he did not act hastily. Nearwhere the two stood, a flash of black light surged forth unexpectedly, spewing out dark magical energy that instantly spread over a distance of more than fifteen zhang. Amidst the black mist, Nan Long Hou's figure emerged, shimmering and wavering. "You knew well that you were no match for me," Nan Long Hou sneered, his voice sharp with scorn, as he casually raised and waved his hand. A tremendous crash echoed—like an invisible giant's hand striking the luminous shield formed by the white-robed woman's mirror. Instantly, both body and realm were thrown backward, rebounding seven or eight zhang before she managed to steady herself, swaying unsteadily. Lun Fu, whose face had already been stern, now looked utterly dismayed. "What in the world are you? You've not only taken possession of Nan Long's body, but now dare to consume the spiritual essences and immortal embryos of our cultivators! Do you truly believe you can stand against any of the cultivators who have entered this valley?" The cultivators entering the Valley of the Fallen Demons this time include no fewer than several dozen with Yuan Yin stage or above—no matter how skilled you are, you'll surely meet your end. "Suddenly, the elder Ling Fu roared loudly. "Several dozen! Hah! That's splendid. I originally thought the Valley only housed a few human cultivators like yourselves. Now, with so many Yuan Yin stages being consumed by my essence, I no longer feel urgent about recovering my physical form. As long as I absorb all of them, I believe my spiritual energy will recover at least seven or eight parts!" The "Nanlong Marquis" not only didn't show fear but instead sneered darkly. Then, a tremendous roar echoed—black mist instantly shattered into fragments. Immediately, a dark figure emerged from the mist, streaked with trailing shadows, and surged straight toward Elder Ling Fu. ------------ Updated time pushed back a bit!