"There's nothing special. Since there's such a gathering, I'll go take a look first." Han Li paused slightly, then spoke calmly. "Very well, then, I'll show the senior the way." After exchanging glances, the shorter young man immediately smiled and said. Then both of them pulled out a disc-shaped artifact from their bodies, tossed it into the air, and stepped onto it. Seeing this, Han Li simply threw a glowing flying sword into the air, stepped lightly, and soon found himself on the disc as well. "Your artifact is a mid-tier flying sword—so impressive! I'd say you must be an internal hall disciple from a major sect, otherwise, a disciple of ordinary standing wouldn't be granted such a fine artifact." The taller young man glanced at Han Li's sword, his face momentarily surprised. The shorter one beside him also looked on with admiration. "Heh! In my sect, there's a rule: during training, we're not allowed to casually reveal our sect's identity. So, I hope neither of you will press me on what I've just said." Han Li smiled lightly and directly stated this. The two were embarrassed by what Han Li had said, yet grew more and more convinced that Han Li was indeed a disciple from a major sect or great lineage. Their demeanor grew increasingly respectful. Yet not every traveler passing through the mountains vanishes, and among those who do disappear, most are lower-ranked cultivators from Liangzhou, while those near the mountain's outer rim remain unharmed. Thus, after a few reminders and warnings, the local cultivators no longer venture deep into the mountains. The incidents of disappearance became rare, and gradually, no one questioned the anomalies deep within the mountain range. "To ensure that the senior masters rest comfortably," the tall young man pointed downward, introducing himself with a touch of politeness. Han Li nodded silently, saying nothing. Yet his awareness gradually extended outward, carefully and subtly scanning the area. Upon noticing a Yuan-Enping cultivator among them, his brow slightly furrowed—unconsciously—without realizing that this person was either one of the attendees or the old oddity, Kong Lao, mentioned by Feng Zhen before he passed away. The strength of the Grand Houses of the Great Jin Dynasty truly deserves no understatement. After all, even among the most accomplished immortal families in the southern heavens, the highest attainments were typically only at the mid-to-late stage of the Jiedan stage. Yuan-Enping cultivators simply could not be cultivated within the southern heavenly families. Yet one thing surprised him: the Yuan-Enping cultivator's aura subtly carried traces of corpse energy. Though very faint and skillfully concealed, Han Li's awareness far surpassed that of the individual, so even with the latter's careful efforts, he could still detect that subtle presence. Could it be that this person was practicing a magmatic or esoteric sect's technique? If he didn't misremember, the Kong family traced their roots back to the renowned Tian Sheng Sect, which still supported them to this day. Regardless of whether this Yuan Ying cultivator was indeed the ancient ancestor of the Kong family, merely associating with such figures would surely be a significant achievement for the Kong family. While thinking thus, Han Li found himself standing at the entrance of the manor, where four blue-robed cultivators immediately stepped out from the main gate to greet them. The man murmured to himself, hesitated, then carefully extended his awareness, scanning the entire mountain peak from top to bottom, paying especially close attention to the cultivators within the manor. After a while, however, he found nothing—no other Yuan婴 cultivators—and his brows furrowed in deep contemplation. "Perhaps it's just some immortal who happened to pass through, stopping in for a brief check-up. With this black jade coffin masking my corpse's aura, they should not suspect anything," he said to himself, then once again settled his body back into the tube, where the lid automatically closed once more, restoring quiet to the chamber. Around the square, numerous stalls of varying sizes were scattered—some placed on tables, others directly on the ground—creating a bustling and lively scene. Han Li smiled with a warm sense of recognition, recalling the scene when he first entered the immortal realm and attended the Ta Nan Small Assembly. Now, thinking back on it, it truly stirred deep sentiments. However, Han Li was somewhat surprised to find a large, temporary pavilion erected right at the center of the square. The pavilion shimmered with a bright white glow, as if housing a magical artifact, and spanned over a hundred paces in width. People were actively entering and exiting at the entrance. Turning his gaze to the left and right sides of the square, he noticed two similarly luminous stone halls, each glowing with a gentle radiance. While cultivators were moving about inside, the number of people present was noticeably sparse compared to the square and the central pavilion. Some cultivators wandered idly at the hall entrances, while others conversed with their companions, discussing matters. Among those present, aside from a few junior disciples from three families, were naturally all cultivators at the Jianji level or above, and even several Dan-stage cultivators were identified—over a dozen—by Han Shenxi's single glance. The scale of this gathering was comparable to that of the top-tier sects in Tiannan, aside from the Yuanying cultivators. Yet this was merely a trading fair hosted by some local gentry families in the Great Jin realm. After glancing around, Han Li strolled into the square. As a newly joined Jianji period cultivator, though his face might be unfamiliar, no one would pay much attention to him. As soon as he entered, he became just another ordinary cultivator. The goods displayed at the stalls were indeed as expected—nothing particularly impressive. While perhaps some items might appeal to Jianji and Jiedan period cultivators, Han Li, who had handled countless rare materials over the years, found them largely uninteresting. The only stalls that drew his attention were those featuring unusual artifacts or materials. However, such items were not numerous. After carefully examining them, Han Li identified the majority of their origins. The remaining ones, though entirely unfamiliar, held little research value. After spending considerable time wandering around, he came away with nothing. He then turned toward the central tent, intending to check out what the sect had to offer. Suddenly, his expression changed, and he turned alertly around. There, standing two zhang away behind him, was an elderly man with pointed ears and a monkey-like face, gazing at Han Li with some surprise. He had the cultivation level of a foundational stage, early phase. "Esteemed friend, it seems you've been following me for quite some time now. Do you know me, perhaps?" Han Li's eyes flashed with cold light as he said coldly. "Please don't misunderstand, Master Jin Yuan. I have no intention of doing anything harmful to you—only curiosity. This is my first meeting with you. Yet, I am truly impressed by your apparent mastery of all sorts of things. I find you quite admirable!" The elder smiled slightly, somewhat embarrassed, but then composed himself and explained calmly. "Ah! I didn't expect you to be such a thoughtful observer. Yet, after following me for so long, isn't it all just about saying these things to me?" Han Li remained unmoved. "Ah, now it seems you truly understand. In truth, besides curiosity, I actually have a request to make." "What is it? Please share it with me!" Han Li stood with his hands on his shoulders, expression neutral. "Master Jin has here an unusual treasure, whose purpose and origin remain unclear. I would like to have you assess it. Of course, if you find it valuable, selling it to you would be perfectly acceptable. I'm certain, with your standing, you can afford this treasure!" The elder glanced at Han Li's jade spirit-animal pouch and storage satchel, then smiled warmly, eyes narrowing into a thin line. "An unusual treasure!" Han Li furrowed his brows, studying the elder carefully. "Very well. Since you've followed me thus far, it seems you have genuine intentions. I'll gladly take a look. Let us meet in a private chamber. In fact, I also have some matters I'd like to discuss with you." Han Li nodded, then suddenly pointed to a nearby pavilion. "A private chamber? That would cost one spirit stone—rather luxurious, wouldn't you think?" The elder paused, slightly hesitant. "Never mind. I'll cover that spirit stone." Mr. Han only hopes that the rare treasures of his friend will be sufficient, so as not to disappoint me too much." Han Li stared at the elder, neither smiling nor serious, and spoke calmly.