The province is characterized by towering mountains and dense forests, teeming with poisonous vapors and venomous serpents, renowned for its abundant toxic insects and spiritual beasts. Unlike other provinces, this vast region is entirely dominated by just two prominent powers: the Yueyang Palace, a celebrated lineage on the orthodox path, and the Mo Wood Sect, one of the ten great magical sects. External forces are completely unable to intervene in the affairs of the province, while the indigenous spiritual sects within the province remain insignificant, unable to pose any real threat to these two towering powers. Consequently, they must each align themselves under the protection of one of these two major sects. As a result, the entire Long Province is firmly under the control of these two powers, establishing a balanced duopoly of strength in the east and west. Located within the Tianyue Mountain range in Xichuan Prefecture, this mountain range spans over ten thousand miles and is composed entirely of endless wilderness. The Yueyang Palace sits atop Nantian Peak, at the very heart of the range. With tens of thousands of its disciples scattered across numerous peaks throughout the surrounding mountains, the palace has established a fortress-like presence in the central region of the Tianyue Mountains. Not only are there no cultivators who dare to challenge the Yueyang Palace, even the most daring ones find themselves utterly unable to penetrate the formidable thirteen-layer sealing arrays established on Nantian Peak, which form an impenetrable barrier. "Han, you truly intend to take on the Yueliang Palace. I don't see this as a wise move at all. Even among the Ten Great Sects of the Zhengdao, Yueliang Palace ranks among the top five—far from something to be taken lightly." The Daxian Divine Sovereign transmitted her words through her divine awareness. "I certainly know what I'm doing. However, we've gathered nearly all the materials for the San-Yan Fan—both openly and secretly. What remains are the long feathers of the Haoyang Bird and the scales of the Chi-Huo Dragon. As for the Chi-Huo Dragon, we've received word from the market that several powerful, malevolent dragons have recently emerged from the eastern coastal regions of the Great Jin, ascending to devour cultivators. Among them, one appears to be a red dragon—though perhaps not the exact Chi-Huo Dragon, it's still a fire-type dragon, so we can certainly make a visit and see what unfolds. As for the Haoyang Bird, we've investigated every market in the southern region, and only Yueliang Palace currently breeds this rare spiritual bird. Where else could we go, if not to them? Even if Yueliang Palace is difficult "I'm not saying you can't avoid the Yueyang Palace—why not simply go and demand what you want face-to-face? With your current stage of Yuan-En Ci (mid-stage), wouldn't a few rare treasures convince them to give you a favorable reception?" The Daxian Sovereign chuckled. "Senior, please don't jest. Exchanges should only take place when both parties are of comparable strength. I am merely a Yuan-En Ci cultivator, while the Yueyang Palace has a Yuan-En Late cultivator stationed there—how could they possibly regard my current level as significant? Moreover, the Yueyang Palace clearly treats the two Haoyang birds as their ancestral spiritual birds. They certainly wouldn't allow us to pluck their feathers, risking a significant decline in the birds' cultivation. As for the offerings I have brought, they are too modest to impress them. If the items were too rare, the Palace might even grow eager to seize them and eliminate us. Being an outsider and a scattered cultivator, I have no leverage within their domain—how could they possibly show any consideration?" I have no interest in placing my safety entirely in the hands of someone else's whim. If I had the cultivation level of a late Yuan婴 stage, I might truly try what the elder suggested. Han Li sneered and said so. "You're right. However, you've been lingering around the edge of the mountain range for over ten days now. Are you really going to just wait passively for the Huangyang bird to appear on its own? Moreover, I notice your movements—they seem purposeful, as though you're searching for something. What exactly are you up to?" After a moment of silence, the Da Yan Immortal found himself compelled to admit that Han Li's words held merit, though he remained curious about the latter's recent actions. "Nothing special—just looking for the most suitable spot to set up a trap," Han Li said, smiling slightly as his eyes flashed. "A trap? I knew from the start that since you dared to challenge the Yueyang Palace, you must have some clever strategy. Let me hear it from you." The Da Yan Immortal chuckled lightly. "Heh, once I find the perfect location, the elder will surely know all the details." Yet, Yueyang Palace has one large and one small Houyang bird. Which one would be more suitable to target?" Han Li glanced toward the central direction of the mountain range and murmured. "How could you possibly doubt that? The larger Houyang bird is said to possess the prowess of an immortal beast at the eighth rank. Do you think we could defeat it within a short time?" The Daxian Sovereign expressed little confidence. "That's true. If it weren't for the fact that these ancient spiritual birds are exceptionally intelligent and rarely achieve human-like consciousness in the human realm, how could they willingly serve under Yueyang Palace's command? I'm not certain I could handle such a spiritually powerful bird. As for the smaller one, it's said to be slightly weaker, only at the seventh rank. I believe we should have no difficulty dealing with it." Han Li paused, then nodded in agreement. "Still, if we use the long feathers of the eighth-rank Houyang bird to craft the Three-Flame Fan, the power would undoubtedly be greater." The Daxian Sovereign expressed some regret. "Well, nothing in the world is perfect. We certainly have opportunities to deal with the eighth-rank Houyang bird—just that the A little delay might disturb the numerous cultivators of Yueyang Palace. I certainly don't want to relive the scene of being chased and severely injured on the Tianlan Grassland! It would be far safer to handle that smaller Huayang bird first. "Han Li shook his head. "Agreed. Your plan makes sense. Still, regardless of size, these two Huayang birds spend most of their time within Yueyang Palace. They only venture out occasionally, usually within a hundred li of the palace, and rarely stray far from the mountain's central region. Success will ultimately depend on your tactics." The Da Yan Immortal smiled softly, speaking with quiet anticipation. "Rest assured. Using the Dream-Channeling Technique earlier, I've already extracted the regular patterns of the birds' outings from one of Yueyang Palace's disciples. To avoid difficulties in managing both the celestial birds together, the palace has deliberately scheduled their outings at different times each month—this is precisely our opportunity." Han Li chuckled, speaking with confident assurance. "Since you already understand the priorities, there's no need for me to offer further guidance. Just don't delay the capital's auction event. The several materials my puppet still lacks should be available there." The Great Sovereign of Daxian recalled something and added with a reminder. "As one of the three major auction events in the Great Jin Dynasty, the capital's auction takes place only once every ten years—naturally, I won't miss it. Once I've settled matters here, we'll head to the capital and then proceed to the eastern regions of the Great Jin to locate those several malevolent dragons." Han Li had already carefully planned everything in advance, speaking calmly and confidently. "That will do. Still, to be honest, your actions over the past period have truly impressed me. I originally thought that gathering so many materials would take you at least three to four years. Instead, you've managed to handle both fronts simultaneously, even employing decisive tactics such as direct competition and covert maneuvers. In just one year, you've nearly secured all the materials you needed. Remarkable! Such decisiveness and resolve—something I never expected from you." "The Grand Divine Sovereign couldn't help but marvel, her voice laced with a warm smile, clearly very satisfied with Han Li's approach. "I've also been aiming to gather materials steadily and cautiously, but time is not on our side. Though your immortal spirit is nourished by the Sample Soul Tree, it has clearly grown much weaker than before. If I wish to personally witness your spirit-level automaton, I'll have to act swiftly." Han Li's expression stirred slightly, and after a brief pause, he spoke calmly. "You truly have a thoughtful heart. I know your divine awareness will eventually uncover everything. At most, I can hold out for another three or four years—after that, my spirit will truly begin to dissipate. Yet, given the pace at which you're gathering materials, I believe it's quite possible that you'll succeed in crafting the automaton before my reincarnation." The Grand Divine Sovereign chuckled softly, then sighed with resignation. "Since our first meeting, you've helped me on numerous occasions. Han Li, I am far from cold or ungrateful—each and every one of these favors is deeply cherished in my heart." "My elder's aspirations—I will do my utmost to assist you in achieving them," said Han Li, taking a deep, solemn breath. "Indeed, the only reason I'm helping you is for my own security. If I fall into the hands of others, I suspect my fate won't be much better." The Daxian Divine Sovereign spoke with a touch of genuine sentiment. Han Li smiled, then his figure shimmered and flickered, transforming into an intangible presence once more as the wind carried him—once again vanishing into the air. Two days later, Han Li appeared in another modest valley. This valley was enveloped by vast stretches of peach trees, creating a soft, rosy hue throughout, with blossoms scattered everywhere—making it a picturesque and serene locale. Floating above the valley, Han Li observed the surroundings carefully, then extended his awareness to survey the area within a hundred li. Finally, a satisfied expression settled upon his face. "Excellent. This location is quite remote, with no other Yueliang Palace cultivators nearby. The valley is also ideally suited for setting up a magical array. This is the place." Han Li murmured to himself several times, then materialized as a streak of jade-green light, settling at the center of the peach grove. Without a word, he immediately began bustling about throughout the valley. In a single breath, he arranged no less than seven or eight sets of magical arrays—mostly defensive ones that blocked qi and severed the flow of spiritual energy. True arrays capable of trapping enemies were only a few in number. On top of these, he separately erected a set of illusionary arrays that concealed half of the grove's true appearance. Dai Yan, the Divine Sovereign of the Great Derivation, naturally felt curious and managed to suppress his questions, observing quietly. After completing all this, Han Li did not immediately move. Instead, he settled cross-legged at the very center of the peach grove and entered a meditative state.