".The Ye family, a renowned immortal cultivation lineage, can already produce a replica of a transcendental spiritual treasure. Given the long-standing roots of other major sects and great clans, it is quite plausible that they too possess such replicas." After some thought, Han Li could only reluctantly acknowledge this. "You needn't be overly discouraged. Even as replicas, the materials used to craft them are no ordinary things—many have likely vanished from this realm entirely. What remains today are materials painstakingly accumulated over decades, only occasionally gathered together to form a complete set. Moreover, you still have the genuine Xutian Ding in your possession. If you truly master this treasure, no one in this realm will be able to stand against you." The Daxian Divine Sovereign spoke with a rather sour tone. "To truly master the Xutian Ding! That's no easy feat. Without the cultivator's stage of Huashen, it's merely a matter of imagination. Nevertheless, once I attain Huashen-level abilities, even without the Xutian Ding, I can still dominate the human realm." Upon hearing this, Han Li smiled faintly, shaking his head in mild resignation. The Da-Yan Shen Jun heard this and chuckled softly, then said nothing further. At that moment, aside from Bai Xia's figure still introducing Pingshan Yin, everyone else in the hall fell silent—everyone had grown quiet, and the atmosphere grew noticeably tense. The Bai Xia representative who had been hosting the exchange session naturally knew that the momentum had been built sufficiently. After a light cough, he finally began to explain the bidding process. "Clearly, without further elaboration, everyone already understands the value of this treasure. The Ye family has prepared a detailed list for the auction. Any material that can offer the most will be awarded this treasure. Of course, if the highest material value is notably insufficient, such a bid will be invalid. Finally, a stone-based auction will be conducted, starting at three million, and then auctioned once more." Upon hearing the three-million figure—a price that seemed exorbitant—presented by the seasoned attendees, though many had witnessed grander events, a wave of excitement rippled through the hall. Yet no one voiced any objection. Though this amount already equals half the spiritual stone reserves of a medium-sized immortal cultivation sect, it still falls short when compared to the true value of the treasure. It's quite possible that during the actual bidding, the price could multiply several times over. Upon hearing this figure, Han Li felt a sudden chill and an odd thought struck him: if he were to auction off his Magmatic Core Drills, how many spiritual stones might he fetch? Surely, the amount would not be insignificant. However, the two items were not easily comparable. The famed Magistrate's Treasure, the Dragon-Slaying Blade, he had researched and knew a few details about—it was said to have been forged only once during the ancient times. According to legend, a magus who wielded this blade once defeated a cultivator at the Shen stage, suggesting its power was on par with that of the "Heaven-Opening Spiritual Treasure." Indeed, the blade was a genuine artifact with immense potential. Yet, a mere few Magmatic Core Drills would certainly not be sufficient to forge such a blade. He only regarded the Magi Essence Crystal as a medicinal elixir to enhance his cultivation, absorbing its refined magical qi, and thus its value had significantly diminished. While Han Li was still pondering these various matters, the elder with the black hat had already produced a jade scroll and began reciting the listed materials item by item as recorded therein. Though his voice was quiet, every cultivator in the hall heard him clearly. All the cultivators listened intently, yet Han Li, though somewhat slow and distracted, showed no interest in joining the competition for this treasure. This was not due to lack of enthusiasm for the treasure itself, but rather a clear self-awareness. As an outsider, no matter how wealthy his personal assets, he could not truly rival the established sects of the Great Jin region. Treasures of such significance—those capable of decisively influencing the outcomes of major sects' strategic games—had long since ceased to be within the reach of individuals or small factions. Otherwise, given the Ye family's status as the foremost noble lineage, they would never have willingly put the Pingshan Seal up for auction. It's likely that Ye Family was under heavy pressure from other major powers and had to make this sacrifice to avoid further disaster. After casually listening to several of the materials presented, Han Li became even more convinced of this assessment. The elder had not mentioned rare substances like the Five-Element Jade or the Bing Jing—items nearly impossible to find—which instead were all materials that, though valuable, were essential and routinely maintained by each of the major sects. It seemed that Ye Family hoped to force the major sects to pay a significant price. With this thought in mind, Han Li paused briefly, then suddenly stood up and walked toward the hall entrance. This action stood out particularly at this moment. Many cultivators who had been particularly attentive to Han Li's decision to offer two Magi-Drill crystals now turned to look at him, expressing surprise. Han Li paid no attention to their reactions, calmly walking to the entrance, where he was about to step into the faintly glowing barrier. At that moment, a voice suddenly transmitted through the air: "Master Han, why are you leaving now?" "The familiar voice was that of the elder named Fu. Han Li paused slightly, his lips moving as he transmitted his words: "I have now become the target of many criticisms. If I do not leave promptly, I fear I shall surely draw considerable trouble. I have not forgotten Fu brother's matter. Should this not be urgent, I shall, after completing a precious artifact in a few years, take the time to discuss it with you in greater detail." "We'll be leaving now," Han Li whispered these words, then without lingering further in the hall, turned and stepped directly into the seal before him. As white light flashed, Han Li's figure vanished completely. After a cup of tea's worth of time, Han Li emerged as a streak of jade-green light from the entrance of the underground exchange, spiraled once above the valley, and then shot eastward without a single pause. Just as Han Li had departed, several cultivators quietly rose from their seats and hurried out of the hall. Others, still weighing their options, found it difficult to decide whether to stay or leave the ongoing auction of the Pingshan Seal. After careful consideration of the pros and cons, most of them remained. Though Han Li's five-element jade treasures were rare, they were already being pursued by others, so it no longer made sense to join the crowd and cause conflict with fellow cultivators. After traveling over a thousand li, as Han Li's light passed near a mountain range, a deep, dragon-like sound of a sword resonated suddenly within his body. Han Li's face paled, and his evasive light instantly ceased. He took a deep breath, his gaze sharp as a blade sweeping across the surroundings, then shook his sleeve—dozens of golden flying swords surged forth, forming a dense, swirling formation above his head, radiating an impressive aura. "Your presence has been revealed. Why hide? Come out now," Han Li said, his blue-lit eyes flashing steadily, fixed firmly on the empty space to one side, his tone cold and deliberate. "Heh! No wonder you outsmarted the one who lost his main soul—your instincts truly are sharp." Suddenly, a young man resembling Han Li in appearance appeared there—wearing the same green robe, ordinary in face, yet his pupils shimmered with distinct black and purple hues. Though Han Li had anticipated this development, his heart still sank. "It's really you! How did you track me down?" Han Li asked, his voice serious. "I see you recognize me now. Your flying swords are truly spirited—seemingly able to sense danger and alert you on their own." As for how quickly I managed to find you—I hadn’t expected that at all. It seems my luck, after all, still holds up well. The young man gazed at Han Li for a moment, then said calmly. "My two flying swords are right upon you? If I didn’t already know who you are, then I’d truly be quite foolish." Han Li replied with a composed expression. "Indeed, your flying swords are with me," the ancient demon’s fragment said, without committing to any further words. He simply lifted his head slightly, and there, in his palm, two small golden swords shimmered and trembled, desperately trying to shoot toward Han Li, yet tightly ensnared by layers of black threads that would not allow them to move an inch from his hand. Han Li’s expression darkened immediately. "Your flying swords are crafted from the sacred golden thunder bamboo—so too are the others, I suspect. It’s astonishing that you possess so many such bamboo. It makes sense, then, that when the main soul of the demon valley was unable to subdue you and ultimately perished, it wasn’t entirely without reason." The main soul perished because of you—perhaps that spared me from being devoured again. Yet, with its extinction, I can never regain my peak magical prowess as I once held in the realm of the demons. What should I thank you for, or what should I destroy you for?" The demon's fragment smiled faintly, speaking with a tone that was both amused and reserved. "You've appeared here in secret—was it merely to chat with me?" Han Li remained silent for a moment, then suddenly broke into a cold laugh. "Whether you come to chat depends entirely on your attitude. As long as you reveal to me the method by which you acquired so many golden thunder bamboo, I might just let you go unharmed. Otherwise, I shall personally extract your immortal essence and perform a soul-searching." The demon's fragment bowed slightly, glancing at the two golden swords in hand, and spoke calmly. Han Li listened intently, his expression unchanged, though a slight twitch appeared at the corner of his mouth. He then exhaled softly. "To wish to kill you is one thing; whether or not I succeed in doing so is quite another." I have no intention of chatting with you at length, nor do I feel inclined to reveal any secrets. I simply wish to see just how your prowess and your main soul have recovered—after all, last time in the southern heavens, you were severely wounded. I find it hard to believe that you’ve fully recovered so swiftly. Han Li narrowed his eyes, speaking with a cold, steady tone. As for the secret concerning the small vial, he would not entertain the suggestion made by the other. "I had hoped you'd say a few more words as you were about to pass away. Since you're unwilling to cooperate, there's no need for that now," Ancient Mage Feng said, his expression growing stern, his black-purple glow intensifying in his eyes. Han Li was taken aback, and with a swift thought, the multitude of flying swords hovering above his head instantly coalesced into a golden veil shielding his body. At the same time, he turned his hand, and the spirit bag containing the gold-devouring insects came into his hands.