"Could it possibly be anyone else? In the Guan-Ning Prefecture, it's already a fairly significant family." Feng Yue spoke without hesitation. "Guan-Ning Prefecture? Which province's prefecture city is this?" Han Li's eyes narrowed slightly. "There are indeed several prefecture cities named Guan-Ning across the Dai Jin provinces, but the Feng family of Ningzhong has only one—Guan-Ning Prefecture in Liaozhou." Feng Yue glanced at Han Li with a look of surprise, as though he found his question particularly thoughtful and somewhat puzzled. Han Li, however, remained unconcerned and nodded in agreement, neither asking further about the Feng family nor inquiring about the details of the Feng family's affairs. Instead, he pointed to the jade pendant and asked, "How did you acquire this item? What is its origin?" "This Lingxia Pendant is a family heirloom passed down from my father to me. Why would you ask about it, Master?" Feng Yue was genuinely surprised. "A family heirloom? Does it mean every Feng family member possesses a top-tier artifact as a personal token?" Han Li glanced sideways at the young man, expressing his skepticism. "Of course not. The "It's impossible for a disciple not of direct bloodline to possess this." Feng Yue shook his head. "So, you must hold a rather high position within the Feng family, then." "I am the eldest son of the senior branch of the Feng family. Assuming no unforeseen circumstances, I should eventually inherit leadership of the family in several decades' time." Feng Yue gave a slight twitch at the corner of his mouth, his eyes briefly reflecting a touch of sorrow. Hearing this, Han Li realized that indeed, the situation was as he had anticipated—his counterpart was facing serious difficulties, and it seemed that the Feng family itself had encountered some major issues. Unconcerned with the specifics, Han Li did not inquire further about the matters at hand, but instead turned his attention to the young man and asked the question he had been most eager to know. "What is the relationship between your family and the Great Jin Buddhist Sect? Don't say you know nothing. Since this token has been imbued with such profound Buddhist spiritual light, there must surely be some connection." "Indeed, the Buddhist Sect and our Feng family do share a certain historical connection." One of our ancestors used to be a lay disciple at Guan-Ning Qian Guang Temple, which itself was a branch of the major Buddhist lineage, Jin Luo Monastery. Originally, our family practiced Buddhist cultivation techniques. However, after the Qian Guang Temple moved out of Liangzhou several centuries ago and returned to its main lineage, our family gradually transitioned to studying Confucian cultivation methods." Feng Yue paused slightly, but had no reason to conceal this information and spoke openly and promptly. Upon hearing this, Han Li felt pleasantly surprised. Although he wasn't familiar with Qian Guang Temple specifically, Jin Luo Monastery was indeed well-known—he knew it was one of the four major Buddhist lineages in the Great Jin Dynasty. It seemed that the family had once practiced the most authentic Buddhist cultivation techniques. "Do you know all of these Buddhist cultivation methods?" Han Li asked further. "If I didn't wish to practice Buddhist cultivation, why would I remember these specific techniques? Nevertheless, our family does still preserve the methods for practicing these techniques," Feng Yue replied after a brief pause. At this point, he had realized that the enigmatic figure before him seemed specifically come for the Buddhist sect's cultivation techniques, which left him rather astonished. After all, although the later stages of the Buddhist cultivation methods were immensely powerful, their slow progression and strict requirements were well-known throughout the Daoist immortal realm of the Great Jin. Few practitioners were willing to actively pursue these methods. "Young Han, ask your master about his ancestor—what cultivation stage has he reached, and whether he has already produced a relic known as a 'sharira.' Only those Buddhist practitioners who have achieved such a relic are capable of mastering techniques to eliminate negative energies," the Great Derivation Immortal suddenly suggested. Prior to arriving in the Great Jin, Han Li had already learned about the lore of the sharira from ancient texts. The sharira was a unique phenomenon among Buddhist practitioners—some manifested during the Condensation Stage, while others appeared only during the Yuan Ying Stage. Its emergence seemed to follow no clear pattern, making it an especially mysterious and rare phenomenon to those outside the Buddhist tradition. However, one thing is certain: many profound techniques and supernatural abilities within the Buddhist tradition can only be practiced or manifested after a person has attained a relic (sharira). Therefore, even if monks from other sects possess far greater cultivation levels, they still hold deep respect and caution toward those who have produced such relics. Han Li nodded silently, calmly asking the same question to Feng Yue. "Relics? Indeed, my ancestor once achieved this. Had it not been for his limited overall aptitude that prevented him from breaking through the Yuan Ying stage, he likely would not have grown disheartened and instead founded the Ning Zhong Feng family." Feng Yue replied, slightly frowning. Han Li was greatly inspired. It seemed his fortune truly favored him—perhaps he would not even need to journey deep into the Great Jin realm to find a technique capable of dispelling the harmful qi. With this thought, Han Li smiled gently, his demeanor growing more relaxed. "I now have one more question. Once answered, I shall be satisfied." "What else would you like to know? Please ask freely!" "Master Feng managed a weak smile and said, 'You are only a Foundation Stage cultivator. Why would this person use such a rare and bitter toxin against you? After all, from certain perspectives, the Ten-Extremity Toxin is even more precious than some rare elixirs. If he intended merely to capture you, he would never have chosen this toxin. But if he truly wished to kill you, given his Jade-Condensation Stage cultivation level, it seems unnecessary to go through such elaborate measures.' Han Li slowly voiced the question that had been circling in his mind. 'Ah, that's exactly what I've been wondering. I didn't know that Master Feng's old servant, the so-called villain, was actually a wandering cultivator from the Magian School whom our Feng family once sheltered. Back then, he was pursued by a high-ranking master due to a personal conflict, and to save his life, he willingly became a servant in our family, even changing his name. At that time, my grandfather was still alive, and our family was thriving, so we were able to protect him. This servant had previously been in charge of trade relations between our family and several tribes of the Tuke people. That's precisely why I came But it turned out that this rogue had secretly aligned himself with the Kong family, and it was precisely through his presence at the outpost that he managed to bring me here. As for the bitterness—naturally, he had already been subjected to the unique secret technique of the Feng family. Any direct descendant of the Feng family at the筑基 stage or above could apply spells or restrictions to immobilize his cultivation. If he hadn't used the bitterness to launch a covert assault on me, how could I have been completely defenseless? Upon hearing this from Han Li, Feng Yue's expression darkened noticeably. "Ah, so that's the case. It's said that bitterness is intangible and colorless, and once it adheres, even a novice cultivator immediately collapses into unconsciousness. It seems the Kong family has become your Feng family's major adversary." Han Li tilted his head slightly, seeming to grasp the situation now. "Indeed. The Kong family, together with the Zhang and Jin families, and our own Feng family, are the four leading cultivator clans of Guan Ning Prefecture. For a long time, they've maintained a peaceful, unintrusive relationship. Yet, in recent years, as our Feng family has slightly weakened, the Kong family has "At this point, Feng Yue's face turned grim. As a noble youth from a prominent family, he had now been reduced to wandering among the foreign ethnic tribes, his life nearly ended by injury. Naturally, he harbored deep resentment toward these three families. "I don't care about the internal disputes among your noble houses. But your response has satisfied me. Now, let's discuss the Houyuan Pills. I have only a few left—perhaps around ten or so. This should allow you to delay your departure for another ten to fifteen days. However, each pill is worth several thousand spirit stones. Can you truly afford that?" Han Li said calmly. "Several thousand spirit stones," even though he had some expectations, Feng Yue was still startled by the price. This was equivalent to the cost of a top-tier artifact. "Very well, I'll purchase them," Feng Yue's hesitating expression flashed briefly before he firmly agreed. "Do you have tens of thousands of spirit stones on you?" Han Li raised an eyebrow, glanced at the young man thoughtfully, and said with a half-smile. He simply didn’t believe the other carried so many spiritual stones. "I may not have tens of thousands of spiritual stones, but I’m offering this silver key from Feng Family’s secret vault as collateral." Feng Yue pulled the key from his neck with a decisive motion and handed it over without hesitation—clearly having thought this through well in advance. "Feng Family’s secret vault?" Han Li stared at the key, silent, and didn’t immediately reach out to take it. Yet he knew the other would explain himself at his own pace. "Indeed, this is the only artifact capable of opening our Feng family’s secret vault, which has been preserved for over a thousand years. As the eldest grandson of the Feng family, when the family faced sudden upheaval, my elders naturally entrusted me with this key to ensure my safe escape. Though I’ve never visited the vault myself, I’m certain its contents are worth far more than tens of thousands of spiritual stones." Feng Yue spoke calmly. "Offer this as collateral! How can I be certain this key is genuine? Even if it is, once you hand it over, won’t you want Feng Family to rise once again?" "Han Li spoke with no expression on his face, making it impossible to gauge his thoughts. "What do you mean by rising again? As far as I know, besides me, all the other members of the Feng family who managed to escape were mere servants or external disciples. Today, the only direct descendant remaining is myself. Otherwise, I would have gathered the rest of the family members and never have ventured alone into the grasslands. Either way, the Feng lineage would have perished, and the secret cavern would have ultimately fallen into the hands of the Kong family. Eventually, they would surely trace the path and find it. In that case, it would be far better for me to survive. Should I still fail to find a remedy for this poison within the next ten days, even then, the secret cavern will be yours—better than falling into the Kong family's hands. Moreover, the Buddhist sect's cultivation technique that Brother Han has long sought will also be located within the secret cavern." Feng Yue said, his face clouded with concern. Han Li remained silent, pondering deeply. After a long while, he finally spoke calmly: "Very well. You may exchange this key for a spiritual pill. However, before that—" I need you to cooperate with me so that I may verify the authenticity of the key and the Buddhist sect's cultivation techniques within your consciousness. Otherwise, this secret cavern holds no value, and I certainly don't wish to be played for a fool. "Sealing one's soul? Isn't that a divine ability reserved for Yuan婴 cultivators? How could you possibly possess it!" Upon hearing this, Feng Yue's face paled, and fear gleamed in his eyes. "Indeed, a forced soul-sealing requires at least Yuan婴 stage cultivation. However, if the person being sealed cooperates, the process becomes much simpler. Moreover, my secret technique differs significantly from ordinary soul-sealing methods. While Foundation Stage cultivators may not be able to uncover complex matters, they can easily discern the truth or falsity of specific events simply by examining their consciousness." Han Li pressed his lips slightly before relaxing, revealing a row of bright, gleaming white teeth. Seeing Han Li's composed demeanor, Feng Yue felt a sudden chill. As a noble family disciple, he naturally understood the terrifying nature of soul-sealing. Under normal circumstances, he would never have agreed to such a risky undertaking. But looking down at her dark hands, considering the consequences if she declined, she felt a deep sense of helplessness. "Very well, I'll assist you with your spellcasting. However, you may only investigate the secret cavern and the Buddhist sect. On all other matters, you must refrain. And I will not ease my hold on you." Feng Yue clenched her fists tightly and, taking a deep breath, spoke with firm determination.