"I'm not sure whether I should call you 'Senior Xiang' or 'Li Senior.' After carefully observing you, "What exactly did Senior Han say? I'm a bit unclear. Perhaps I resemble someone you've met before?" The elder's eyes flickered several times, and the initial surprise vanished entirely; instead, he smiled apologetically. "By now, why should Senior Xiang still be so reserved? Don't forget, cultivators are known for their exceptional memory. Back in the Blood-Colored Sanctuary trial, only a few of us from Huang Feng Valley managed to make it out—indeed, only a few of us. Even after so many years, how could I possibly have mistaken anyone?" Han Li raised one eyebrow and narrowed his eyes. This elder was actually the one who, before the Blood-Colored Trial, had once tried to form a team with Han Li, naming himself Xiang Zhi-li. At that time, despite having only the tenth stage of Qi cultivation, he had surprisingly made it through the trial, leaving many present cultivators astonished. It was only later that Han Li's remarkable performance caught everyone's attention, causing them to gradually overlook this individual. Though Han Li had not had much interaction with the senior monk at the time, he had immediately grown wary upon seeing that the man had survived the sealed realm—something that subtly suggested there was a hidden secret within him. After Han Li achieved his foundational stage and entered the discipleship of Li Hua Yuan, and after years of not seeing the elder again, he gradually began to forget him. When the six sects of the demonic path invaded the Yue state, he had completely lost track of the man's fate. Yet he never imagined, after so many years, that he would once again encounter this person within a small sect of the Great Jin dynasty. How could he not be astonished? After all, when the elder first appeared in Huang Feng Valley, he already seemed quite aged. Over such a long period, even if the man were a cultivator at the Qi stage, let alone the Foundation stage, he should have long since reached the end of his life span and turned into mere loam. Now, it seems that the elder's appearance and demeanor are almost identical to those of two centuries ago, which has greatly startled Han Li. At the very least, the elder must have been the one playing the part of a humble, unassuming figure during the Blood-Colored Trial—though Han Li is still unsure of the elder's true intentions in joining the group. Han Li gazed steadily at the elder without blinking, his thoughts racing rapidly. "The world is vast and full of wonders. It truly seems that there is someone in the world who bears a striking resemblance to the young disciple. However, I believe the elder has mistaken his identity—my surname is Li, not Xiang. If that were truly the case, and if the elder were to establish any meaningful connection with someone of such stature, I would surely have acknowledged it." The elder remained firm, refusing to budge in the slightest. Han Li's expression darkened, and a hint of surprise flickered in his eyes. "If that is so, then perhaps I have indeed mistaken the elder's identity. Well then—could the elder please point out some scroll texts on seal-making for me?" After a moment of silence, Han Li suddenly softened and changed his tone. "Hehe, Master, please follow me. Since our sect is called Tian Fu Sect, we naturally have a considerable collection of texts on seal-making. However, the more advanced ones are all stored on the second floor and above. I'll show them to you right away." The elder maintained his warm smile and, just like a regular junior disciple, bowed with great respect and led Han Li straight to the second floor. These jade scrolls have already been sufficient to occupy one or two days. The three layers of archives can be handled by me personally. My friend need not stay here as a guest—please go below and attend to your own matters. Han Li stroked his chin and spoke politely. "Then I shall not disturb the elder's meditation. Should the elder have any instructions, I will simply respond to them. I will remain below throughout." The elder smiled warmly and, after placing all the jade scrolls on a nearby shelf, withdrew with a respectful demeanor from the second floor. As he disappeared into the distance, the gentle smile on Han Li's face gradually faded, replaced by a sense of seriousness. "How is it going? Has the elder from Daxian been able to discern this person's cultivation level? I used my spiritual awareness to thoroughly scan his body just now. While I could see that his apparent Qi stage was merely an illusion, I am unable to determine his true level of magical power. Beneath that false cultivation, his entire body seems hollow—this is truly unusual." "I'm no different either. Though my consciousness is far stronger than yours, the circumstances I've encountered are exactly the same as yours." The solemn voice of the Dàyǎn Immortal came through. "How could this happen? Can it be that this person's consciousness is actually stronger than even the senior cultivators?" Han Li was genuinely astonished. "How could such a thing not happen? Even if there are cultivators in this realm whose consciousness surpasses mine, they would never be strong enough to simply block my probing with their mere spiritual awareness. Should such a phenomenon occur, it's no surprise that this person either practices a unique secret technique or possesses a precious artifact that allows their body to transform into such a state. There's also another possibility—" The Dàyǎn Immortal paused, hesitating as she spoke. "What possibility is that?" Han Li asked, prompting further inquiry. "Another possibility is that this person has already advanced to the Chāshén stage, where their entire spiritual energy can fully radiate outward through their internal meridians, and even their Yuan'ing can temporarily become intangible. In that case, you would naturally be unable to detect anything at all." "The Da-Yan Divine Sovereign spoke calmly. "A cultivator at the Huashen stage—have you perhaps been jesting?" Even though Han Li remained exceptionally composed, he was startled upon hearing the words. "Though I have never myself advanced to the Huashen stage, I have studied various aspects related to this realm. This ability is fundamental for cultivators at the Huashen stage." The Da-Yan Divine Sovereign said with calm assurance. "I'm not saying that cultivators at the Huashen stage lack such powers. Rather, how can they remain confined within this realm when, upon reaching the Huashen stage, they are said to be capable of ascending to the Ling Realm?" After taking a deep breath, Han Li finally regained his composure. "Although I have traveled far and wide throughout my years, I have never encountered a single cultivator at the Huashen stage. Yet I can be certain that there are indeed several such cultivators still residing in this realm—not just a few. The mere capability to ascend to the Ling Realm is quite different from actually achieving that ascension." I'm not entirely clear on the specifics, but it seems that after reaching the advanced stage of the Divine Spirit Realm, these individuals can no longer appear frequently in front of others like ordinary cultivators—otherwise, they would surely suffer some extraordinary misfortune." The Da Yan Divine Sovereign said, somewhat puzzled. "Indeed! Senior, you've never mentioned this to me before." Han Li was momentarily stunned. "Hmph. You haven't even reached the Metamorphic Immortal stage yet—what good would such details be to you? The exact reason will naturally become clear to you once you yourself advance to the Divine Spirit Realm. Otherwise, why have all Divine Spirit cultivators vanished from the immortal world throughout history, as if by mutual agreement?" The Da Yan Divine Sovereign said with a touch of irritation. "That's true. So, while it's still unlikely, this person downstairs actually has a certain chance of being a Divine Spirit cultivator." Han Li smiled faintly, with a touch of weariness. "Indeed, there's a strong possibility. Even if not at the Divine Spirit level, this person exudes a sense of dread. I'd recommend you avoid making any direct contact with him." "The elder has also sensed this person's danger— I thought it was merely my own illusion. That's why I suddenly changed my mind earlier, when we were on the first floor. This person appears sporadically, either heading to Tiannan or showing up in Dajin, always as a junior disciple. Clearly, he has his own purpose. For now, let's simply treat this as unknown to us." Han Li said after a moment's thought. "That's the only course we can take. Still, if possible, we should leave Tianfu Gate as soon as possible. Should this person indeed be a Huashen-period cultivator with intentions to eliminate or silence key figures, your life might be in serious danger." The Da Yan Divine Sovereign advised. "I fully understand the implications. However, if we rush too soon, we might inadvertently provoke the other party and end up making matters worse. For now, let's proceed with our original plan and stay at Tianfu Gate for a few more days. Since he has chosen to remain hidden and anonymous here, even if he truly is a Huashen-period cultivator, he must be under certain constraints, as the elder mentioned. Otherwise, why would he be so cautious and secretive?" "With a Dao Spirit cultivation level, where in the world could one not go with dignity and grace?" Han Li calmly shook his head. "You're right. I've simply overlooked that." The Great Derivation Sovereign chuckled, offering a rare commendation. "However, over these past days, the vital essence you've lost from using Blood-Shadow Flight has been largely restored. I've begun preparing my puppets." The Sovereign changed the subject, speaking with genuine urgency. "Ah, yes. Even without your mention, I've been planning to start crafting my puppets right after I've finished eliminating those several malevolent jiao dragons. After all, the scales of the Crimson Fire Jiao dragon must be secured first. As for the Black Phoenix Feathers, I don't need to rush—perhaps I'll begin that task once the puppets are fully crafted." Han Li spoke with clear foresight, without hesitation. "Haha! That's perfect. To see this puppet completed before my own limit arrives—now that's truly satisfying," said the Great Derivation Sovereign, smiling contentedly. Han Li smiled slightly at this and said nothing further, yet shook his sleeve. Several array flags shot out from the sleeve, spiraled once, then spread out in all directions. After a flash of light, all the flags vanished, and a pale blue seal materialized spontaneously, enveloping the entire floor. Though he believed the other party could not suddenly attack him, he decided to take precautions and first set up a protective seal. Only after completing all this did Han Li feel at ease, taking a few steps forward and casually picking up a jade scroll left by Xiang Zhi Li on the wooden stand. He then immersed his consciousness into the scroll, beginning to examine it.