After leaving Tiannan, he directly entered the Tianlan Grasslands. Under his careful concealment of both cultivation level and identity, his journey proceeded very smoothly, and he even assumed the role of a free-standing immortal cultivator, deeply engaging with several isolated Tuwu tribes, exchanging cultivation insights with some of their immortal practitioners—remaining undisturbed throughout. However, when he had traversed half the grasslands and reached the southern region of the grasslands, unforeseen misfortunes arose. At a remote wilderness site, far from any Tuwu settlement, while he routinely released all his Golden-Feeding Insects to nurture the strongest cohort, he unexpectedly encountered a mid-Stage Yuan'ing elder of the Tuwu people pursuing an unidentified mythical bird. Remarkably, the insect driving this pursuit was precisely a mature-bodied Golden-Feeding Insect. Since the Nishang grass had proven exceptionally convenient for ripening when carried on his coral, and he had consistently employed this method without incident, Han Li, in his momentary lapse of caution, had failed to deploy any advanced concealment spell arrays. As a result, after the encounter between Han Li and the insect swarm, the outcome was inevitably disastrous. The unexpectedly high-level master immediately gasped upon seeing the dense throng of over ten thousand gold-devouring insects hovering above Han Li's head—so stunned that he nearly fainted. Without hesitating, he immediately insisted that Han Li follow him to meet some holy maiden, disregarding entirely the presence of the mythical birds. Han Li, of course, could not possibly agree and immediately resolved to strike. He unleashed a series of powerful divine techniques at once, even summoning his second true embryo, completely annihilating the elder's physical form. Yet, a source of frustration arose. The elder's primary cultivation technique was remarkably unusual—capable of dividing his true embryo into seven distinct parts, each mastering the art of wood-elemental transmutation. By a mere oversight, one of these parts managed to escape. Realizing now that he had definitely disrupted the harmony, Han Li immediately set off at night, flying swiftly toward the southern regions without delay. Yet, he had no idea how the other cultivators typically maintained contact. Just days after he had fled, numerous senior cultivators at the Yuan Ying stage began blocking and pursuing him. In the end, even one of his four senior cultivators joined the pursuit. After fighting several battles and defeating several high-level cultivators, Han Li was still struck severely by a powerful cultivator, despite maintaining his focus. Thanks to the continuous use of his thousand-year-old elixir to perform the Blood-Shadow Evade technique, he had managed to survive—otherwise, he would have perished on the spot. Though he had escaped with his life and temporarily甩ed off the pursuers through a few clever maneuvers, Han Li soon realized that the real troubles had only just begun. Likely due to the significant depletion of his vital energy from the recent series of battles, the long-suppressed yang qi, which should have manifested after a prolonged period, now erupted prematurely. Fortunately, thanks to his strong spiritual awareness and timely response, he had managed to employ a secret technique to suppress it effectively. As a result, the situation had grown even more dire. At last, he had no choice but to seek advice from the Great Yanshan Immortal on how to save himself. The Great Yanshan Immortal, truly a creature of ten thousand years, immediately handed him the Five Ghosts Sealing the Spirit technique. It could temporarily seal the malevolent qi, but the consequences were severe—should he use it, nearly all of his cultivation would be completely sealed within him until he found a way to dispel the qi. Otherwise, once he summoned his inner power, both the malevolent qi and the Five Ghosts would surge back in force, leaving him in a dire predicament, caught between life and death. Han Li fully understood the gravity of this method and had hesitated to employ it even after acquiring it. However, when he fled here to escape pursuit, the malevolent qi surged once again, even more fiercely than before, and could no longer be contained by his own cultivation. In a moment of desperation, Han Li hastily descended into the thicket, barely having time to set up his protective spell, and resorted to using the Five Ghosts Sealing the Spirit technique as a last resort. And by this point, when the group from the Canglu Department arrived, Han Li had actually reached the final stage of his cultivation. As the young man named Tu Meng parted the bushes, Han Li's face was already gradually transforming into that of one of the Five Ghosts, nearing the conclusion of his technique. The fierce and terrifying ghostly countenance naturally sent the young man into a state of shock—likely still believing that the ghostly face was Han Li's true form. Reflecting on this, Han Li couldn't help but chuckle softly. "Although I've managed to temporarily contain my inner turmoil, the sheer number of my cultivation levels now sealed off means the situation is still far from ideal. Fortunately, being part of this delegation heading to the Tianlan Sacred Temple for tribute should keep me safe for now." Han Li murmured to himself. "Heh! Even though your cultivation is sealed and you can't freely command your flying sword or ancient treasures, you still have the Golden-Biting Insects and your second true embryo at your disposal. These two assets remain unaffected and should be sufficient to handle ordinary cultivators." Before you leave Luoyun Sect, if you hadn't left your newly forged Yuan-Infant-level automaton to your Lu师兄, and hadn't allocated most of the Ji-Dan-stage ones to that concubine, your current situation would have been better. Automata are especially well-suited for your present circumstances of self-protection," the Daxian Divine Sovereign coldly remarked. "This time, as I depart Tiannan, I have no idea when I'll be able to return. Naturally, I'll need to make some contingency arrangements within the sect and for Wan'er. Even if Cheng师兄 passes away soon, with the aid of this Yuan-Infant-level automaton, Lu师兄 should be able to handle several matters independently. Moreover, with Mu Peilin's several giant turtle automata assisting him, things will be even more secure. Otherwise, I wouldn't feel at ease in the Dai Jin realm." Han Li calmly replied. "If you believe that, then there's no need to complain about the risks," the Daxian Divine Sovereign said, somewhat unconvinced. Han Li fell silent, but after a while, his expression shifted and he asked again: "Once the Five Ghosts Sealing the Spirit technique has been activated, can it not be temporarily undone? The second Yuan-Infant and the Gold-Eating Worm handle opponents at the Ju-Stage without any issue. But when facing Yuan-Infant-level opponents, things become dangerous. And now, even finding a way to eliminate the harmful qi—how long that might take remains uncertain." "Can it be temporarily undone for others? Certainly not. But given your abundance of heavenly and earthly treasures, it's not impossible for you. Of course, the cost will not be light." The Great Derivation Sovereign seemed momentarily struck, then spoke slowly. "What kind of cost? As long as it doesn't affect your future cultivation, I can accept it. It's far better than losing your life at a crucial moment." Han Li replied without hesitation. "Then it's quite straightforward. Each time you need to unseal the seal, you'll have to use two drops of your thousand-year-lived elixir. I'll also pass on another secret technique to you—one that will temporarily deflect the Five Ghosts and neutralize the harmful qi on your body." Thus, based on the actual circumstances, you should have roughly one hour of magical energy restoration. Once that time elapses, the Five Ghosts will consume the spiritual essence from the elixir and then reseal your magical energy. Each time the seal is lifted, one degree of malevolent qi will penetrate your mind and spirit. Eventually, when this process repeats sufficiently, the intensity of the malevolent qi's reversal will become so severe that even the Five Ghosts will no longer be able to control it." The Great Yanshan Sovereign did not withhold any details, clearly explaining the full implications. "Although the thousand-year-old elixir is rare, it is not significant when compared to the necessity of preserving your life. The worsening of the malevolent qi's reversal is certainly not favorable. Won't it become more troublesome to expel the malevolent qi in the future?" Han Li pondered briefly, then asked with a沉 voice. "It will indeed become more troublesome to expel the malevolent qi in the future. Given your condition, I estimate you will be able to lift the seal no more than five or six times before the Five Ghosts lose control. Consider carefully the advantages and disadvantages involved." "What is there to consider? When "Allow me to pass this method on to you first," said Han Li, who was quite clear on the matter and spoke decisively. "I shall explain it only once—please make sure to remember it!" The Da Yan Divine Sovereign said nothing further, and immediately transmitted the method through inner voice. Han Li kept his eyes closed, concentrating intently to absorb and retain every detail. "Well, it seems this technique isn't difficult. I believe I should be able to fully comprehend it within just a few days," Han Li said calmly as he opened his eyes. "Of course. It's merely an ordinary method for lifting seals—how could it be any more complex? After all, Han, are you truly planning to join this group and journey to the Tianlan Sacred Temple? You must know that such a grand gathering will surely attract many unexpected cultivators." The Da Yan Divine Sovereign asked with genuine curiosity. "You've probably heard the saying—'the most dangerous places are also the safest.' If I wish to remain hidden, I could simply choose any remote location in the wild and remain there, confident that I won't be discovered for some time." But now, burdened by lingering malevolent energy, I must hurry to reach the Great Jin Empire at once. And those pursuing me—likely they are searching for any lone figure like myself throughout the lands. To wander alone and exposed would be unwise. It would be better to blend in near the enemy's temple. There, numerous cultivators reside, and it would be impractical for them to check every single one. After months of life on the grasslands, I am confident that I can pass as a junior cultivator without revealing any flaws. As for the rest, I shall handle them as circumstances arise. After all, the direction of the temple lies precisely along my route to the Great Jin Empire." Han Li explained casually. "It seems you've already made up your mind. Then, I shall not bother further." The Da Yan Divine Sovereign chuckled softly, then his voice cut off abruptly. Upon hearing this, Han Li sighed, but then remembered something else. "How is Silver Moon doing? She sustained serious injuries during the recent battle." "Thank you, Master. As a vessel spirit, I have not experienced any major issues." However, the fox spirit's body has sustained significant damage, and it may be unable to assist the master effectively for some time." A faint voice from Yin Yue came through. "That's all right. For the foreseeable future, I'll take extra care. I won't need your assistance. Rest well now." Han Li sighed with relief, speaking gently. "Yes, master!" Yin Yue seemed genuinely weak, managing only a brief reply before falling silent once again. Han Li frowned, his face lined with quiet frustration. After sitting quietly on the carriage for a while, he suddenly brushed his hand over the storage pouch, producing a jade box about half a foot in size, several white-glowing seals affixed to its surface, as if sealing something within. He gently traced the seals with a few fingers, his expression shifting between concern and uncertainty.