"It's time. Array the formations, raise the cauldron!" Upon seeing this scene, the elder named Feng spoke. As his words fell, dozens of cultivators at the Dan-jing stage shot forth from behind Han Li and the others. Two of them wavered slightly before reaching the sides of the crimson great cauldron. The rest soared into the sky above the cauldron, then each drew out a glowing blue array disc from their waists and raised it high. A deep, resonant "pffft" sound echoed, and a luminous, misty blue aura instantly formed over the platform—so vast that it completely enveloped half of it. The two middle-aged cultivators who had reached the cauldron immediately, upon seeing the aura take shape, began to chant incantations with both hands, then raised their arms, sending several spells directly onto the cauldron. The cauldron's lid, which had been gently trembling, emitted a low, resonant hum after a burst of vibrant, five-colored light, then slowly lifted—seeming as though it weighed thousands of pounds. The young cultivator of the Yu family, who had been kneeling before the cauldron, suddenly stood up, his eyes fixed int Suddenly, a brilliant white light shot forth from the cauldron, transforming into a piercing beam that soared straight upward. The young man, without hesitation, likewise became a vibrant yellow arc, swiftly pursuing it. Shortly thereafter, the white light reached the outer barrier and collided with it, yet the blue light shield only slightly trembled before returning to its calm state. At that moment, the yellow arc arrived in close pursuit, its glow dimming to reveal the young man's form. He reached out and grasped the white light with his hand. But the white light proved agile, veering downward and darting away. The young man's expression darkened, and he instantly transformed into a fresh streak of radiant light, following closely. Thus, within the vast light shield, two luminous orbs—one white, one yellow—raced back and forth, pursuing each other like meteors chasing the moon. The hundreds of foundation-level disciples below stared in wide-eyed astonishment at this spectacle. The immortal elders, meanwhile, stood composed, occasionally murmuring to themselves. Han Li merely narrowed his eyes, lazily observing the entire scene. Clearly, this hundred-skilled disciple has not yet fully integrated any of his talismans as his life-bound artifacts, relying solely on a top-tier flying implement to pursue the treasure—naturally falling behind in speed. However, that wouldn't matter much. Though the Qiankun Tower currently appears to be moving swiftly, its stored spiritual energy is rapidly depleting and will significantly slow down within the next half-minute. By then, the young disciple would easily be able to seize the treasure. This seems likely to be part of the plan orchestrated by the old flame-wielding master and others. Otherwise, if the disciple had already captured the treasure the moment it appeared, the ritual of establishing a bond would seem rather casual and unimpressive. With this thought, Han Li slightly narrowed his eyes. Although the bright white light ahead was strikingly luminous, upon slightly activating his Qingming spiritual eyes, he clearly discerned the object enclosed within. It appeared to be a small, flawless tower, about three inches in size, exquisitely crafted. Beyond that, he could not detect any particularly special qualities in the artifact. "Friend Han, what do you think of this disciple from the Hundred Skills Academy? Do you think she has a chance of advancing to the Yuan Ying stage?" A pleasant female voice echoed from behind Han Li. Hán Lì listened carefully and murmured a few thoughts to himself, yet on the surface he said: "Ming friend, your praise is most generous. Had it not been for the assistance of other friends present, how could I have stood a chance against that ancient demon? Moreover, it wasn't me who ultimately defeated the ancient demon—only that particular one was less fortunate than I, perishing within the devouring space rift." Han Li's eyes flickered. As the woman's skirt swayed, a fragrance—somewhere between orchid and jasmine—filled his senses, invigorating his spirit and making him feel unusually close to her. He found himself eager to answer her questions. "Flattery? Not quite. There's no sign of it. Rather, it seems the peculiar scent emanating from her is the oddity." Before he had attained a Yuan婴 (immortal embryo), he had encountered numerous female cultivators skilled in the art of flattery. Indeed, within a matter of moments, he had noticed his own unusual awareness and subtle gestures on her part. Yet her inner qi remained as calm and steady as ever—seeming entirely attributable to that strange floral aroma. "Master Mingxin has a good grasp of the matter. Those two occasions were merely fortunate for me. Not particularly significant. As for Master Mingxin's own story, I've heard it mentioned by my two senior brothers. They say your cultivation of the Hundred Blossoms Yangchun Technique possesses an extraordinary power, enabling you to triumph over opponents without direct confrontation. Han Li chuckled lightly, speaking with deep intention to the woman. "What? Program Director Cheng also knows the power of the Hundred Blossoms and Spring Vitality Technique?" Ming Xin's expression changed slightly, her smile faltering. As she knew, although the Hundred Blossoms and Spring Vitality Technique was well known among the general public, due to her unique constitution, only a few could actually master it—thus, the true depth of its power remained largely unknown. Han Li smiled faintly, about to speak when suddenly his expression shifted, and he abruptly raised his head to gaze toward the sky behind him. The female cultivator, noticing his gesture, paused and followed his gaze—yet the sky beyond was utterly empty, with nothing visible. Frowning slightly, she glanced at Han Li, her expression now tinged with curiosity. Yet Han Li paid her no attention, instead fixing his gaze steadily toward the distance, his expression now serious. Suddenly, he turned and addressed the elderly cultivator nearby warmly: "Lihuo, I believe there's a distinguished guest arriving. We should go out and welcome them." "Esteemed guest! Who do you mean?" Upon hearing this, everyone else turned to look in surprise, and the Flame Elder hurriedly scanned the surroundings, his expression filled with astonishment and asked in query. Han Li sighed, yet had not yet spoken when Jin Elder suddenly changed his expression, as if sensing something, and turned toward the direction where Han Li had been facing. Immediately, he exclaimed, "Indeed, someone has arrived. The spiritual energy surge is remarkable—this... this seems like a cultivator at the late Yuan婴 stage?" As soon as Jin Elder finished speaking, a long, resonant roar erupted from the distance in the sky, followed by a clear, warm voice coming from beyond. "From Taizhen Sect, the Yang Sect, we come to pay our visit. Is the Flame Elder present?" "Indeed, it's Master Zhiyang. How could someone of his stature have come here?" The Flame Elder was both astonished and puzzled. Jin Elder and the elder named Cheng exchanged glances, equally surprised and unsure as to why one of the three senior cultivators, Master Zhiyang, had arrived at this gathering—since no one from the three sects had invited him! Han Li ran a hand over his chin, pondering. The Celestial Dao Alliance had never been particularly harmonious with the orthodox sects, yet Zhiyang, this time, seemed free of ill will—his powerful aura remained uncontained as he arrived, allowing Han Li to easily sense his presence even from such a distance. "Let's go," said the fiery elder, the host of the gathering, now composed. "I'll personally welcome Zhiyang-monk outside." No one else expressed any objections. They had no concerns about Zhiyang's intentions. After all, even a late-stage Yuan Ying cultivator could hardly stand a chance against all of them together. For now, they set aside the ritual of recognizing their respective masters and all surged forth from the opening in the light dome, flying directly toward the distant defensive array. However, on the way, Han Li noticed that the female cultivator from the Ancient Sword Sect flying beside him seemed increasingly interested in him, frequently glancing at him with quiet curiosity. Han Li coldly snorted, and if this woman persisted in causing trouble, he would not hesitate to give her a lesson. Upon reaching the array, the three elder brothers of the Fiery Old Master cast several spells, which instantly cleared a passage through the seal. Yet, a streak of brilliant light shot in from outside, and upon the light fading, a middle-aged Taoist with the grace of a sage appeared before them. Han Li immediately recognized him—wasn't this the Master of Supreme Yang! As soon as the Master of Supreme Yang appeared, the older masters who had intended to pay their respects were surprised to find that, upon a single glance, he immediately spotted Han Li standing by the side, his face brightening with delight. "Ah, good! Master Han is indeed here," the Master of Supreme Yang smiled warmly. "I just arrived from your temple and learned that you had come to visit the Hundred-Tricks Pavilion. That's why I hurried over." "Wait a moment," Han Li said, pressing his lips together, his expression filled with surprise. "Are you looking for me, Master?" "Excellent! I originally had an important matter to attend to while passing through Xiqiu, but I didn't expect to receive news on the way that Brother Han had returned safely. So, I've immediately come to see you." The Taoist smiled warmly. "It seems that when Brother Han was gathering information at various markets, he was recognized. Yet, Master, your eagerness to find me—does it not go beyond just catching up on old times?" Han quickly grasped the reason behind the Taoist's awareness of his whereabouts, yet remained slightly puzzled. "This story is quite lengthy. The rest of you, I have some matters to discuss in detail with Brother Han. Would that be acceptable to you?" The elder of Zhiyang first sighed, then spoke politely to the other three sects' disciples. "Since Master Zhiyang has urgent matters with Brother Han, of course that's perfectly fine. We'll simply wait here." The old fire-being chuckled and readily agreed.