Han Li stayed in the Archive Hall of Tianfu Sect for three days and three nights, carefully going through all the texts related to the creation of seals on the second and third floors. Without hesitation, he copied each of these works, intending to study them thoroughly at a later time when he had more leisure. From several of the texts, he also learned about the other two secret seal arts of Tianfu Sect, which left him deeply surprised. As long as the celestial and terrestrial qi never fades, the six-layer protective shield can continuously regenerate and restore itself, making it one of the few spells that allows practitioners without reaching the Shén-level cultivation to harness the power of the natural elements—an achievement truly astonishing. The Hualing Seal among the Three Secret Seals is relatively manageable; once a cultivator advances to the Jiedan stage, they are capable of producing it through refining the seal with their Dan-fire, thus making it an essential skill for all Jiedan cultivators throughout the history of Tianfu Sect. However, the strength of the Hualing Seal depends not only on the cultivator's level and duration of practice but also on the quality of materials used and the inherent rank of the seal itself. In contrast, the Liudin Tianjia Seal is fundamentally different—once it is successfully crafted, anyone can wield it. The effectiveness of this seal is entirely determined by the abundance and quality of the celestial and terrestrial qi. The more concentrated the qi, the more powerful the seal becomes. Nevertheless, according to records kept by a senior elder of the Tianfu Sect from a certain generation, the Liudin Tianjia Scroll had mysteriously vanished shortly after the passing of the Tianfu True This deeply surprised the powerful cultivators of the Tian Fu Sect at the time. For several generations of the Sect's senior leadership, recovering this secret technique became a top priority, yet no leads were ever found—nothing came of it. After the Tian Fu Sect's gradual decline, it naturally lost the capacity to pursue the matter further, and the incident gradually fell out of sight. As for the Jiang Ling Seal, due to material limitations, only a few cultivators from its inception were able to master it. Thus, although the Tian Fu Sect always claimed to possess the Three Great Seals, in reality, only the Hua Ling Seal proved truly effective. After reviewing the relevant texts, Han Li naturally became deeply interested in the other two seals. Each seemed to possess considerable power. Especially the Hua Ling Seal, which could even serve as a means of averting a calamity—this was often the very best way to save one's life. Three days later, after finishing the last jade scroll, Han Li stood up from his cushion, stretched, and scanned his awareness over the lower floor, sensing Xiang Zhi Li waiting there. Han Li furrowed his brow. The senior disciple who had worried him for days had been remarkably quiet these past few days, doing nothing but meditating and practicing in silence, never stepping outside the pavilion. Outside the pavilion, it had become somewhat amusing to him: since the very first day he began reviewing the scrolls, several Tian Fu Sect cultivators at the Foundation Stage had taken turns waiting outside, as if afraid he might simply vanish without a word. As soon as Han Li stepped out, the middle-aged cultivator hurriedly bowed and greeted him, respectfully inviting Han Li to visit the hall once again. After having reviewed the precious texts collected by the other party, Han Li naturally felt it necessary to extend this courtesy. Nodding in agreement, Han Li accepted the invitation. The middle-aged cultivator then sent out a transmission scroll, taking Han Li directly toward the hall. While waiting for Han Li in the hall, besides the several senior officials of Tian Fu Sect whom they had previously met, two unfamiliar cultivators of Jie Dan stage had arrived—male and female, both in their forties. After the elderly Wu and others had formally greeted Han Li, the Tian Fu Sect elder immediately introduced them: "These two are Chang Daojun from Jin Xia Mountain and Xie Daojun from Mingyang Valley. Upon hearing that you were visiting our sect, they specially came to pay their respects to you and have been waiting for you all day." "Ah! It's very thoughtful of both of you. I've been studying some secret techniques related to seal-making lately, so I've kept you both waiting." Han Li spoke calmly, showing no signs of enthusiasm or displeasure. "How could we be less thoughtful?" "It is truly a blessing to have the honored presence of the senior master before us today," the two men and women said, their eyes wide with astonishment after briefly glancing at Han Li's appearance, and immediately bowing in response. To be honest, when they first heard from the heads of their respective sects that a Yuan-Stage cultivator had arrived from Tian Fu Sect, they had been rather skeptical. After all, they were well aware of Tian Fu Sect's situation. Though the three sects were small and had always supported one another, advancing together, Tian Fu Sect was the weakest among them. How could a Yuan-Stage cultivator come to such a modest sect? Nevertheless, establishing a connection with such a cultivator would undoubtedly bring significant advantages. Unable to remain in their own sects any longer, they had made the journey overnight to Bái Zhú Mountain to personally verify the news. Now, having witnessed Han Li's truly profound cultivation level firsthand, they had no doubt whatsoever. After Han Li sat down, he only gave a slight gesture, and only then did the three Jin-Stage cultivators dare to sit as well. The rest of the Juzhi-Stage cultivators remained respectfully bowed and standing by. "Has the elder made any progress in the Scripture Hall? Though I am not particularly skilled in seal-making, I do have some relevant texts on the subject. If Master Han is interested, he might wish to take a look." Although the woman named Xie had an ordinary appearance, her voice was pleasant. "No need to go to such lengths. I have urgent matters to attend to and must be leaving shortly for Linjiang Prefecture." Han Li glanced at her and offered a calm smile. "Linjiang Prefecture? Does the elder intend to go there specifically to deal with those several vicious sea-jacks?" Another man, named Chang, exclaimed in surprise. "How do you know about that?" Han Li's expression brightened slightly, and he asked. "Recently, many cultivators heading to Linjiang Prefecture have been going there specifically to confront these sea-jacks. It seems your information may not be the most up-to-date." the Chang cultivator said hesitantly. "I received the news six months ago from a market town, and thus made this long journey. I've heard these sea-jacks are rated around level seven—wouldn't they be eliminated so quickly by other cultivators?" Han Li's face darkened, and he spoke "Not at all. In fact, it was a recent ambush battle where, although one of the evil jiao dragons was slain, several jiao dragon cultivators were also consumed. Even one Yuan-En Ci cultivator sustained serious injuries." The elderly man named Wen quickly explained. "A Yuan-En Ci cultivator was injured? What happened?" Han Li was somewhat surprised. "A particularly powerful blue jiao dragon, ranked eighth in form, unexpectedly emerged among the group of evil jiao dragons. The cultivators who had anticipated an ambush were caught off guard and suffered heavy losses. Later reports say that several senior monks from the South Sea Sect teamed up to drive them back, but they were unable to eliminate the dragons completely. Instead, the evil jiao dragons retreated to key coastal island routes along the seashore, where they continuously attacked isolated cultivators and ordinary merchant vessels. Whenever a group of Yuan-En Ci cultivators arrived together, the dragons would immediately dive into the deep sea and use water-based evasive techniques to escape. The situation has been growing increasingly severe, and now it's proving quite difficult to manage. It's said that the South Sea Sect has already invited numerous senior cultivators to gather at Qiongying Island, preparing to hold a After all, it's truly rare to encounter a jiao-class eight-tier creature. This time, it was the elder named Wen who took the lead in speaking. "An eight-tier jiao dragon?" Han Li murmured to himself, maintaining his composed expression, while a mental image of the eight-tier toxic jiao he had previously defeated flashed through his mind. Though classified as an eight-tier spirit beast, as a celestial and terrestrial creature, the true power of an eight-tier jiao dragon might even surpass that of a mid-stage yuan-ying cultivator by a slight margin. And since it thrived in the oceanic environment, it was no wonder so many high-level cultivators found it difficult to overcome. He wasn't there simply for the blue jiao; after a brief thought, he naturally asked, "I recall there being a red-fire jiao among the evil jiaos—seemingly a legendary creature known as the Chi-Huo Jiao. Has this particular creature also gone to the island?" "The Chi-Huo Jiao... Yes, there is indeed a red jiao that has traveled to the coastal area. But whether it is truly the Chi-Huo Jiao, I'm not entirely certain," the man named Chang replied, clearly The monks in the hall saw Mr. Han's expression growing calmer, and their minds eased accordingly. At that moment, the elderly man named Wen exchanged glances with the other two and suddenly asked cautiously, "Mr. Han, your cultivation is so remarkable. Might I inquire where you previously studied? Are you a senior from one of the great sects?" "Senior, please don't misunderstand. How could I possibly have such lofty expectations? All I'd like to ask is whether you'd be willing to serve as our three sects' shared Guest Senior Elder!" Upon hearing Han Li's tone, which had grown slightly impatient, the elderly man with the warm surname was startled and immediately spoke out everything he had on his mind. "Guest Senior Elder?" Han Li was first taken aback, then his eyes narrowed slightly. He naturally knew something about the position of Guest Senior Elder. This was a tradition established by many of the smaller and mid-sized sects in the Great Jin Dynasty—specifically designed to appoint special roles for high-level independent cultivators. Although it sounded similar to a regular Senior Elder, the reality was quite different. To these smaller sects, a Guest Senior Elder was essentially a titular position. Such elders were not bound by the sect's rules or subject to the commands of any individual within the sect. Their only real function was to step in and lend a hand when the smaller sects faced difficulties, providing a legitimate and formal basis for their intervention. Yet this assistance carries no compulsion—it entirely depends on the mood of these guest senior elders. Of course, in return, the treatment they receive within these sects is no less formal or prestigious than that of official senior elders, and in some cases, even exceeds it. This situation naturally arises because there are so many small and medium-sized sects in the Great Jin realm, while the number of Yuan-Ying cultivators is comparatively scarce. Even some medium-sized sects may go periods without any Yuan-Ying cultivators appearing within them. In such circumstances, it becomes essential to actively attract and rely on independent Yuan-Ying cultivators as pillars of support to ensure the stability of the sects. While ordinary high-level independent cultivators generally refuse to formally join any sect and accept constraints, they often find themselves moved by the benefits offered by certain sects. It is precisely this phenomenon that gives rise to the role of guest senior elders—a feature entirely absent in the southern heavens. ------------ Update Notification: First published on Baoli E-books I've been writing this book since early last year, dedicating over a year and a half of continuous effort. / Fastest Search Network / Baoli E-books / First / Publication During this time, aside from some essential household matters, I've remained fully immersed in writing, never leaving home for a single outing or properly spending quality time with my family. / Fastest Search Network / I recall last春节期间, even then, I managed only a hurried passage through the holidays while still writing. / Now, both my physical and mental condition are extremely poor, especially mentally drained. / Fastest Search Network / Though I have a rich array of plot developments and a well-structured outline, as soon as I sit down at my computer, my mind feels sluggish and unable to focus—my concentration simply fails to materialize. It appears I've truly been overworked and must now take a well-deserved rest. After all, this book is still far from its conclusion. I had originally planned to start resting a few more days from now, but today I simply can't go on. So, let's begin right away! Over the next half-month, I'll focus on adjusting my state, hiking mountains, meeting friends, and relieving some pressure. The period isn't very long—just about half a month. During this time, to avoid disappointing my fellow readers, I'll make every effort to maintain one update per day. This means when I return from my rest, I'll have only missed around ten to twelve chapters. Heh, that's all for now. I hope that after this rest, I'll be refreshed and energetic enough to enhance the everyday characters' storyline, making the book even more appealing to everyone. Lastly, I wish all of you, my fellow readers, good health and smooth work! (To be continued—please visit **txt80.comm** to learn more about the upcoming developments. 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