"Not interested! I've never done any business with someone who's secretive," said Han Li, cutting off the old man mid-sentence. A look of surprise flickered on the elder's face, but then it brightened as he recalled something, his wrinkles relaxing into a gentle smile. "You're speaking too soon, friend. I'd recommend you listen first. After all, once you've heard what I have to say, Brother Li can still decide. Otherwise, it will be Brother Li who ends up at a disadvantage." There was a subtle undercurrent of authority in the old man's tone. "That's true—this actually concerns me! Now I find myself genuinely interested. Perhaps I should hear you out after all." Han Li straightened up, arms behind his back, his eyes flashing with thoughtful intent. "That's the wise move, friend. Allow me to present you with something first, before we discuss the matter of trade." The old man chuckled, then tapped his jade bag at his waist. Instantly, a sphere of green light shot out, spiraled through the air, and settled atop the elder's head, revealing a spirit beast the size of a clenched fist. This spirit beast resembles a giant snail, yet its entire body is an unusually vivid green. It slowly shakes its clear, slender antennae, moving with an extremely slow and deliberate grace. "Ah, a worm-beast... Master, what is your intention in presenting this creature? Do you intend for it to spray venom at me?" Upon seeing the beast, Han Li's expression darkened. "Master, how could I possibly use such a low-tier spirit beast to challenge you? I must confess to Lai Brother—this spirit beast has undergone a subtle mutation, and this mutation grants it a certain ability to perceive and discern illusions and deceptive techniques. Just as Lai Brother and several companions from Yin Luo Sect were engaged in confrontation, I had just transferred a strand of my consciousness into this beast. You should now understand my meaning—when you transformed that bamboo cylinder into a long sword, you succeeded in deceiving others, yet this spirit beast's senses remain unfooled." The elder gently grasped the worm-beast from atop his head, lifted it with a light touch, and spoke with pride. "Even so, what then? What further plan do you have?" "Upon hearing that this worm beast is a mutated spiritual creature, even capable of seeing through illusions, Han Li felt a sudden sense of alertness, though his expression remained composed. 'Haha, friend, why hesitate to keep me at arm's length? I have no intention of being obstructive. Indeed, if you are willing to gift me three or four precious items, or a substantial amount of spiritual stones, I will instantly forget everything I just witnessed—absolutely no disturbance to Li Brother's affairs,' the old man said, finally revealing a clear sense of greed and making a generous offer. 'Are you now pressuring me?' Han Li smiled calmly, rather than showing any displeasure. 'Is it that you've decided to act with hostility? Then I suggest you keep that in mind. I too am a solitary cultivator, and I am not afraid of your words of threat. By appearing before you alone, I naturally have full confidence in my ability to protect myself. I've already dispatched a disciple to follow behind Yin Luo Sect and that celestial lady, Tian Lan. Should any incident arise here, my disciple will immediately reveal your illusion of the object behind you. At that point, your predicament will surely become serious." Moreover, this is the heart of Jinjing City, where countless high-ranking cultivators have come to attend the auction. Do you think it possible, here, to kill me and eliminate me? As long as I give a single long roar, you'll be helpless. Then, my disciple will bring the members of Yin Luo Sect here, and with me holding you in place, you'll have no chance to escape—only a dead end. Perhaps even if five or six Yuan-Infant cultivators join forces, they won't be able to defeat you. But what about seven or eight? As I know, the Yuan-Infant elders of Yin Luo Sect in Jinjing are not limited to just these few. With so many people, do you still believe you can make it out alive? It would be wiser, then, to sacrifice some of your resources and ensure your safety. The elder stepped back two paces, a sly smile playing on his face, and raised his hand—there, a wooden shield flew out of his sleeve, transforming into a yellow-hazy light curtain that fully enveloped him, displaying an unusually cautious demeanor. Han Li frowned slightly, glanced at the light curtain, and his expression grew increasingly uncertain as he pondered. "It seems we'll have some trouble if we don't bestow a few favors upon our esteemed guest. I wonder what kind of treasure you would like?" After a pause, Han Li regained his composure and spoke with calm assurance. "Then it's settled. All I've ever sought is wealth—never any intention of clashing with you to the point of mutual ruin. I'm not particular; just offer me a few ancient treasures, and I shall be most satisfied." Hearing this, the elder was deeply pleased and promptly replied. Han Li's subtle eyebrow lift revealed a moment of surprise at the elder's seemingly insatiable appetite. With a slightly gloomy expression, he reached out and gently touched his storage pouch. After a smooth palm rotation, a luminous orb of silver and gold appeared in his hand, within which a spherical object the size of an egg was faintly visible. "A few ancient treasures, you're asking for quite a lot. Aside from this Cloud-Sky Pearl—something I happened to acquire years ago—due to the nature of my cultivation techniques, it's not quite suited to my use. Take it with you, then. Don't be too eager. Be careful not to break it yourself." Han Li said with impatience, simultaneously flicking his wrist so that the round sphere shot straight toward the elderly man. The elder beamed with joy, yet after a quick glance, he did not immediately reach out to grasp the treasure. Instead, he tossed the worm-beast aside and with a sudden sweep of his sleeve, a sheet of dark light shot forth from within, instantly enveloping the golden and silver sphere. After a moment, when he confirmed the sphere showed no unusual signs, he carefully passed through the luminous veil and brought it to his front. "The patterns on this item are quite unique—indeed, not typical of ordinary treasures. I'm just not sure what special effects it might possess," the elder said, connecting his spiritual awareness to the worm-beast beside him. Sensing that the sphere was not an illusion and detecting no aura of a master artifact within, he became increasingly doubtful. Reaching out, he gently drew the sphere into his hands and, upon closer inspection, murmured to himself. "As for the effects of this treasure, I believe it would be best if you, my esteemed friend, tried it yourself. I can assure you it will surely astonish you." Han Li held his arms and spoke softly. "That does make sense. But to send me away with just one ancient treasure—doesn't that seem rather trivial, Daoji?" The elder, meanwhile, excitedly tried to channel his inner qi into the spherical object, still eager to extract further benefits. Han Li watched the scene, a subtle hint of scorn playing at the corner of his lips. "Yes, it does seem rather trivial. How about this—shall I send you on your way now?" He suddenly spoke with an icy calm. Upon hearing this, the elder was startled and had barely time to react when a surge of inner qi erupted from his body and rushed violently into the sphere. With a sharp "pop," the sphere burst open, revealing dozens of small insects—precisely the few three-colored gold-devouring insects Han Li still possessed. As soon as the insects appeared, they spread their wings and charged straight at the elder with fierce determination. At such close range, the elder had no time to dodge. After a fleeting sense of ill omens, the gold-devouring insects plunged directly onto the elder’s face, their dense rows of mouths tearing and biting relentlessly. Had it not been for the elder’s status as a Yuan-Ying cultivator with a thick, protective aura of spiritual light, he would have been unrecognizable within that brief span. With so many fierce, writhing insects relentlessly biting at his face while simultaneously unable to see, the elder, filled with shock and fury, instinctively waved his hands, sending waves of dark light across his palms, desperately grabbing at the strange creatures to dislodge them. At the same time, he drew in a deep breath, preparing to open his mouth and emit a soaring roar to summon other cultivators. Yet, just then, a cold, bone-chilling sneeze reached his ears—though the sound was soft, as soon as it entered his awareness, a sharp, tearing pain surged through his consciousness. As his body convulsed, he involuntarily let out a cry, and the roar that had just begun to form abruptly ceased. The elder was deeply startled, just as he prepared to disregard everything and collapse into the air, when suddenly, the sharp pain in his consciousness vanished, and the beetle-like insects clinging to his face all took flight. His eyes widened in sudden clarity—he could now see again. At the same time, a golden sword several feet long, wrapped in purple flame, appeared before him and descended in a straight, powerful slash. "Ah!" he cried out in alarm, too stunned to summon any of his treasures or activate a flight technique to evade it. He could only pour his entire spiritual energy into the luminous shield before him, hoping to withstand this blow at least. Furious and enraged, he now fully understood that the man he had just met—claiming to be a wandering cultivator from overseas—had harbored murderous intent from the very beginning, with no intention of merely settling for a financial compromise. His anger surged, and he regretted deeply having summoned this encounter. Fortunately, the yellow wooden shield he now held was a rare ancient artifact, possessing exceptional defensive strength. Even if the opponent were a mid-stage Yuan-Ying cultivator, it should be able to withstand this first strike. At the very instant the elder shifted his thought, a soft "pffft" sound echoed as the yellow light screen met the golden sword—like tofu, it was severed cleanly in two. The golden sword then continued its downward momentum, flashing with an intense golden light, and the elder's body instantly split into two halves, collapsing sideways. Meanwhile, a black infant, only a cun tall, stood frozen in fear at a distance, completely encased within a sphere of purple cold ice, motionless. The sword then spun gracefully, delivering a decisive blow that severed the worm beast, now deprived of its host, into a cascade of blood. It then ascended once more, hovering above the purple ice. A thunderclap followed, and several thick golden arcs shot out from the sword, coalescing into a delicate mesh of electric wires that encased the immaterial embryo. The roar of thunder persisted, and the purple ice, along with the embryo within, gradually dissolved into nothingness in the radiant golden light. At this moment, Han Li's expression eased slightly, yet his movements did not slacken at all. He reached out with his other hand, grabbing the storage bag at his waist, which instantly flew into his hands. Simultaneously, two crimson fire balls the size of a human fist shot forth from the sleeves of his other arm, completely vaporizing the old man and the worm beast. Han Li then rose into the air without hesitation. After a brief flash of azure light, he vanished like a ghost in the midst of the sky. Just one hour later, five vivid, differently colored streaks of light suddenly materialized above the ground. After a gentle spiral, the streaks descended and settled upon the earth, revealing five figures—four of whom were Lin Yinping, Ge Tianhao, and three others. The fifth figure, a young man with an unfamiliar face, was a Ju Dan stage cultivator. "This is exactly the right place," the young man said, holding a jade platform in his hands, his expression uneasy. "My master's aura vanished right here." "Indeed, there are still traces of residual spiritual energy here, and among them, I can clearly detect the presence of that Li family member." "There are still some traces of blood here—it seems your master has been silenced." After scanning the area, Gē Tiān'gāo stopped at a spot of deep red on the ground and said, his voice grave.