Han Li’s gaze did not rest on the bat. Though still far away, under the flickering blue glow of his pupils, he had already clearly made out the figures. His mind stirred with surprise. The group consisted of eight people—four men and four women. The men wore fine silk robes with jade sashes, their attire elegant and refined. The women dressed in white robes, barefoot, with golden sashes tied around their waists—clearly not the garb of ordinary travelers. Han Li found himself puzzled. Yet what reassured him was that, aside from the two leaders who had reached the Jiedan stage of cultivation, the rest were merely Jianji-level cultivators. It seemed they had not come specifically to meet him. As Han Li’s thoughts raced, the massive bat—about five or six zhang in length—had already soared above the convoy, flapping its enormous wings several times before suddenly halting. A gale of wind surged directly toward the convoy, instantly overturning several vehicles that were directly in its path. Pouches, boxes, and other items were thrown out of the vehicles, shattering and scattering. Numerous stones and herbs spilled across the ground. Among the ordinary people knocked to the ground by the fierce wind At this point, even the previously slightly perturbed immortal cultivators, now grew deeply startled, exchanging wide-eyed glances. "Of you all, who is the leader? Step forward and speak," said a man in his forties aboard the giant bat, scanning the group of vehicles with a cold, abrupt tone in the Tūwù language. This man was one of the Jiedan-stage cultivators, while the other was a young woman in her twenties dressed in white robes, though she possessed a certain grace, her face as cold and composed as ever. Upon hearing this, Ying Lu felt a jolt in her heart and immediately stepped out of the crowd, bowing slightly to speak. "I'm not referring to ordinary humans—I mean you immortal cultivators," the man said, his expression darkening with impatience. With a sudden sweep of his single wing, a fresh gale surged forth, knocking Ying Lu off balance and forcing her to stagger backward, nearly collapsing to the ground. The other Tūwù cultivators, witnessing this, grew even more alarmed—clearly, the visitors' intentions were not favorable. Thus, at once, all their eyes turned toward Han Li. After all, in the immortal cultivation realm, the most accomplished naturally becomes the leader—a matter that seems quite reasonable. Yet Han Li found himself feeling rather dissatisfied upon seeing this situation. He also noticed something else: even now, Feng Yue and another seemingly out-of-place cultivator had still not stepped out of the carriage. While it was understandable that Feng Yue hadn't come out—given that his fate was drawing near, he might as well be giving up—he was surprised that the other one, the cultivator he had once found curious, who too held only the Foundation Stage rank, was also hesitating to make an appearance. This was indeed a serious issue. "Could it be that these people have come specifically for this individual?" Han Li thought to himself. "I wonder, esteemed elders and esteemed companions, what brings you all here? Are you seeking someone or something, or has there been another matter? We will do our utmost to assist." With no choice, Han Li stepped forward and spoke calmly and composedly. Hearing such composed and dignified words, the middle-aged man's eyes flashed with cold light. After circling the cloak on Feng Li's head, he suddenly said with a blank expression, "When you speak to me, first remove your cloak so I can see your true face." Feng Li felt a wave of frustration at this request. However, he had never revealed his true form before during his confrontations with the sudden Dao-level cultivator, and thus found it nothing remarkable. Without further hesitation, he removed the cloak, revealing his ordinary face. At that moment, the man finally turned to Han Li and said calmly, "Bring all your companions here. We're looking for one person—we suspect he's among you. Once we find him, we'll leave without disturbing you." As he spoke, a low murmur passed between them, and then he waved his hand. The six筑基period male and female passengers on the giant bat immediately shot off, hovering above the vehicle where Feng Yue and another inconspicuous, out-of-place figure were located—clearly having already identified their target. Yet the two carriages remained utterly silent and motionless. Seeing this, everyone else held their breath, unable to speak. The Han surname man and the tribal leader who had hired the other person both turned pale instantly. Han Li furrowed his brow but said nothing. Noticing the stillness within the carriages, the man on the giant bat gave a cold laugh, then flipped his palm, causing several fiery fist-shaped balls to appear. With a gentle flick of his wrist, all the fire balls shot straight toward one of the carriages. At that moment, a weary laugh finally echoed from the carriage. "General Gu! I've now reached the Tianlan Grasslands, fleeing so far. Then why must you eliminate me utterly? Is there no way to spare me from certain death?" Before the words had fully settled, the entire carriage burst into fragments, and a shimmering wave of cold air surged forward, colliding with the fiery balls—causing them to vanish instantly. At the same time, the six Foundation-stage cultivators flickered in place, positioning themselves on either side of the robust young man, sealing off his rear exits. "Let me go fetch Master Xuanbing—does that mean I'm to be sacrificed as a blood offering? Don't think I haven't noticed the true intent behind assigning me this mission. Didn't they simply see that I possess the Ice Spirit root, perfectly suited for the northern Xuan Sky demon to use in refining this pearl? If I don't escape now, I'll truly be buried without a trace!" Hearing this, the young man burst into furious laughter. "Hmph! Even if that's the case, what's the matter? Don't forget—your current cultivation level and attainment are all the result of the palace's constant infusion of rare elixirs and medicinal herbs. Otherwise, decades ago, you'd have been just a beggar, long since turned to dust. How could you have become a cultivator at all? Not to mention the palace has married you, given you children, and ensured a lasting lineage. To repay the palace with your life, is that so unreasonable?" The other female cultivator of Condensation stage replied coldly. "Nonsense! It should be With my unique spirit root, even if the palace doesn't take me in, I'll eventually become a disciple of some great sect. As for marrying and having children—these little favors, they'd have me pay with my life! The palace truly has a clever plan. The young man sneered, then, without hesitation, lifted the snow-white crystal orb in his hands. A misty, cold vapor rose from the orb, expanding into a dense, twenty-meter-wide sphere of chilled vapor that enveloped him completely. "I've always harbored rebellious intentions—no wonder you've abandoned your family and children. I'll simply take you back to the palace and hand you over to their judgment. You think this single snow crystal orb will be enough to stand against us? Truly, a foolish hope." The woman spoke calmly, then waved her hand. The six Foundation-level cultivators simultaneously raised their hands, each producing a crimson banner, which then launched into the air, merging into a single, unified blaze of red flame. A vast cloud of fire, spanning an acre in size, rose above the cold mist and gradually descended upon it. Since the young man appeared, these people have been conversing in the language of the Great Jin. The other strange beings now find themselves utterly confused, unable to grasp what they are saying. Han Li, who has long mastered the Great Jin tongue, listens in wide-eyed amazement. "What about the palace? The commander? It sounds as though it's quite different from ordinary immortal sects—more like the various powers scattered across the Chaotic Star Sea. Could it be that the immortal world of the Great Jin is just as chaotic and complex as the Chaotic Star Sea? Though the strange beings don't understand the Great Jin language, they sense that things are going badly. The common folk have already quietly retreated, taking shelter. The immortal beings among the strange beings, however, are afraid of causing misunderstandings and hesitate to leave, instead casting protective shields around themselves to avoid being accidentally harmed. The hot clouds collide with the cold mist below, their hot and cold energies intertwining and swirling, forming waves of cool vapor that spread out in all directions. It looks truly impressive. Though the snow crystal was marvelous, the vigorous young man, but a foundation-stage cultivator, lacked even the ability to refine it, let alone command it at will. In the brief clash, the cold mist immediately found itself at a severe disadvantage. Clearly sensing the growing peril, the vigorous young man desperately tried to steer the mist and break through the fire clouds, yet he was consistently held in place by the combined efforts of the six cultivators. Soon, the mist began to shrink steadily. Despite pouring immense spiritual energy into the crystal, the young man could not withstand the gradual erosion from the fire clouds. After just one meal's time, the mist had dwindled down to only several dozen feet in size. "Commander Gu, intervene now. He still has some value—must be captured alive," the jade-essence woman suddenly turned to the man and said. "Rest assured. This matter shall be handled by me," the man replied calmly, nodding, and then launched himself into the mist as a streak of white light. The six foundation-stage cultivators, witnessing this, simultaneously cast their spells, drawing back the surrounding fire clouds. A swirl of cold mist settled, then a loud crash and a deep gasp echoed. Gradually, the mist receded, revealing what unfolded within. The man stood proudly in place, one hand cradling the young man who lay unconscious, the other gripping the snow-crystal orb. With his cultivation level at the Jie Dan stage, he had managed to secure victory in a single decisive move, despite the young man's significantly weakened state. The female cultivator, witnessing this, nodded with satisfaction. "Keep an eye on him. This time, we've certainly come for something." With a wave of his hand, the man tossed the young man to one of his subordinates and added, before turning his gaze toward the onlookers—Han Li and the others—his expression thoughtful. "Let's not make a fuss. This is the Tianlan Grassland, not our Nine Immortal Palace. We've made arrangements with the Tianlan Temple, but we'd better avoid any unnecessary complications. The Tutu Clan is quite protective of their interests!" The woman frowned slightly as she spoke. "Understood. Then let's go." Hmm, this one... As the man nodded and was about to rise into the air and return to the giant bat, his gaze shifted unintentionally, and suddenly landed on an object scattered on the ground, causing him to emit a surprised light exclamation. Han Li followed his gaze and saw a translucent, oval-shaped stone resting there. This stone was quite unusual—its outer surface was crystal-clear, yet within it, a flame-like golden glow flowed continuously, emitting a unique radiance. Most of the stone's surface had been dusty and dirty, making it previously unremarkable. However, after the recent spray of hot water and steam, it now revealed part of its original beauty. "A Golden Flame Stone! Indeed, a Golden Flame Stone! Han, your fortune truly is exceptional," Han Li thought, feeling a sense of familiarity, as though he had seen this before. His mind immediately echoed a sense of wonder from the Great Sage of the Great Derivation. At that moment, he recalled that this very material was precisely the most crucial one required for crafting the replica of the Seven-Flame Fan! He had vanished from the southern lands long ago, and even the Great Derivation Sovereign was not certain whether he could be found within the great Jin dynasty. At this moment, the man seemed to recognize the stone's origin, his eyes bright with joy. With a swift movement, he stepped beside the golden flame stone, bent down, and eagerly reached to pick it up.