"Senior, you may not be aware, but these days the Tian Sang Divine Trees have all grown from the same root." This matter wasn't particularly confidential, and the elder didn't hesitate to explain. "Ah, now I understand. I've long heard that the Tian Sang Divine Trees rank just below the Three Great Divine Woods in terms of spiritual potency—such is their origin. Truly, it's been a revelation for me, Han." Han nodded in amazement. Shortly after, as Han and the cultivator moved toward what appeared to be a cluster of trees, the surrounding qi suddenly trembled, and the scene shifted dramatically. Before them rose a small mountain hundreds of zhang high, with numerous pavilions and terraces of varying sizes built around it, some of the cultivators moving in and out continuously. "You all go ahead and attend to your own matters. The two seniors, I will personally escort you there." At this, the elder raised his hand and gave a brief command. The other cultivators promptly accepted and promptly departed. Han Li and the dummy followed the elder straight to the summit of the mountain, where a large wooden pavilion had been constructed. The pavilion was quite spacious. Outside the pavilion's entrance, four cultivators clad in green armor stood motionless, each holding an identical long pike. The elder led Han Li and his companion directly to the pavilion's entrance, where the four cultivators remained expressionless and still, like puppets. Han Li smiled slightly, somewhat surprised. Though these four cultivators appeared to be only at the Foundation Stage, their refined essence of wooden spiritual energy far surpassed that of peers of the same level. Moreover, Han Li immediately noticed that both their armor and long pikes were top-tier wooden-element spiritual artifacts—something quite unusual. Noticing Han Li's surprise, the elder smiled and stepped forward to explain: "These are all wood spirit guards personally trained by my master. They have specialized in a unique cultivation technique, empowered by the heavenly桑god tree. Though their levels of cultivation are not particularly high, they excel at coordinated attacks. If you have the chance, I'd be grateful if you could offer them some guidance." "Indeed, quite different from ordinary cultivators," Han Li nodded in agreement. Seeing that Han Li remained neutral, the elder naturally chose not to elaborate further. The wooden pavilion was simple in structure—beyond a main hall, there was only one side pavilion. Thus, as Han Li and his companions entered or exited the main hall, they immediately noticed a tall figure standing directly opposite them in the hall, dressed in a green robe with snow-white hair. Upon seeing this figure, the elder instantly grew pale, bowed deeply, and then silently stepped aside to stand at attention. "Are you Master Guzhu?" Han Li stared at the figure's back, his eyes never blinking. "Very good. I am Gǔzhú. Both of you look rather unfamiliar. Might you be from the inland regions? May I ask your names?" After a long laugh, the green-robed man turned to face them. Han Li narrowed his eyes and observed that the white-haired man had a rosy complexion, clear brows, and a youthful appearance—almost that of a young man in his late teens or early twenties—though a faint green aura hovered gently over his face. Seeing this, Han Li was naturally surprised. This elder, Gǔzhú, seemed to possess the same youthful vitality as himself, which was far beyond his expectations. He had expected to meet a venerable old man with deep wrinkles. Though Gǔzhú smiled warmly, upon closely examining Han Li's features, a subtle expression of surprise flickered in his eyes. "Indeed, we are not overseas cultivators," said Han Li politely. "My name is Han, and this is my senior brother, Li. We have come to visit at our own initiative, and we hope you will not mind." "Oh, how could we possibly mind? You two are no ordinary guests. To have you come to our island is a true honor, and we welcome you most heartily "This Daoist friend has achieved an even more profound level of cultivation—so deep, in fact, that I am unable to determine his specific stage. Truly, this has opened my eyes!" said the Bu Zhú Elder, after briefly observing both Han Li and the humanoid automaton. Clearly, he had taken Han Li's automaton to be a Yuan-En stage cultivator practicing some mysterious cultivation technique, and was deeply astonished. Han Li lowered his head and glanced at the spiritual tea on the table, sensing the abundant wood spirit within it. His expression changed slightly, and he asked, "Your good eye—this indeed is brewed from the spiritual leaves of the Heavenly Sang Tree, known for its benefits of clarifying vision and calming the mind. I believe there is no other establishment beyond this island that offers such tea." The old bamboo figure spoke with a touch of pride. "Then, I shall indeed taste it. As I gaze at the cup, " Han Li carefully scanned the spiritual tea with his spiritual awareness, confirming there was nothing amiss, and then took a respectful sip without hesitation. "Li Daojun, do you not find this tea to your liking?" the humanoid automaton asked, remaining seated on the chair and making no movement toward the cup on the table. The old bamboo figure was surprised. "Since I began practicing the practice of consuming nothing but my own essence, I have never tasted any food or drink outside my dwelling." The automaton replied coldly, with no hint of courtesy in his tone. "Ah, then—I must have been rather impolite." A slight displeasure flickered in the old bamboo elder's eyes, but he masked it well, quickly vanishing it. It was no ordinary matter for a cultivator to speak so frankly before the host; such a person must surely have some confidence. Perhaps the one before him was indeed a late stage Yuan婴 cultivator. As this thought passed through his mind, his apprehension toward the humanoid automaton grew even stronger. "As for our purpose, Master Ku, I believe you have some understanding. How do you find the proposed arrangement with Han?" Han only sipped at his tea a few times before setting the cup down and asked calmly. "Not to be modest, this arrangement has left me quite troubled. The black phoenix is currently at a crucial stage of advancement. No matter how many immortal phoenix eggs the two of you offer, I would not exchange her feathers for them. Otherwise, the next time she breaks through her current stage, it may well be another year or two down the line." The old bamboo elder frowned, his expression showing his difficulty. "Then, Master Ku, it seems you are unwilling to proceed with this matter." "Han pressed his lips slightly, but showed no sign of surprise. "Hehe, if I were to actually say no, I'm certain both of you wouldn't leave empty-handed. How about this? Among us cultivators, ability matters most. I'd like to demonstrate a few spells and techniques to you both. If either of you defeats me in the duel, then I'll gladly accept this arrangement. Should neither of you manage that..." "Should either of you fail, I and Li will immediately pack up and leave, never mentioning this again," Han said without hesitation. "Very well, settled. I haven't engaged in a formal duel with anyone in nearly a century. Which of you would like to take the first turn?" The elder with the bamboo staff glanced back and forth between Han and Li, speaking with a smile that held a hint of amusement. "If you don't mind, shall I demonstrate against Li?" Han's expression remained unchanged, while the puppet beside him, under Han's subtle control, softly spoke up. "Very well, I am also very curious about Lord Li's cultivation technique. Let us then engage in a sparring match above the mountain peak. Friend, please!" Upon seeing a person whose cultivation level he could not discern, the elder with the bitter bamboo posture grew serious, rising from his chair. Han Li and the humanoid automaton followed suit. The older man standing by, who had previously remained motionless, now could not help but display a visibly excited expression. It was no common sight to witness a cultivation duel between a Yuan婴 stage practitioner. A short while later, Han Li had already ascended to a height of over a hundred zhang above the mountain peak, his expression calm and his form floating steadily. At a distance of several dozen zhang ahead of him, the humanoid automaton and the elder with the bitter bamboo stood still, facing each other. Several other cultivators at the nearby areas, who had come in response to the commotion, now stared in wide-eyed wonder at the scene unfolding above. With a low command, the old bamboo elder pressed his palms together, and suddenly, brilliant cold light erupted from every part of his body. A hundred and more green streaks shot forth, instantly swelling in the wind, and within moments, over a hundred pale green flying swords materialized with impressive momentum. After a flash of swordlight, the swords automatically arranged themselves into an unusual formation, hovering steadily above the elder's head, radiating a cold, deadly aura. Han Li, who had been calm, now found his composed expression momentarily frozen. "A sword formation—this old bamboo elder, having cultivated so many flying swords, clearly also masters the art of sword formations," Han Li had suspected this earlier, but seeing it firsthand left him quietly astonished. "Hm, Han, this one certainly seems quite capable. With this, the puppet's abilities should be able to shine a bit more. Let's start by testing its defensive capabilities first." The voice of the Great Derivation Sovereign came through, full of excitement. It was clear he had genuine confidence in the puppet's powers. "Agreed!" "Understood." Having used so many rare materials on this puppet, Han Li was equally enthusiastic. With a mere thought of his divine awareness, the humanoid puppet began to move. From a distance, it appeared that the puppet opened its mouth, and a palm-sized shield burst forth, instantly transforming into a large silver shield that materialized in front of it. Then, the puppet pressed two hand seals, and suddenly vibrant, multicolored runes appeared on its face. As these symbols shimmered, a five-toned protective aura rose and enveloped the entire body, shielding it completely. "Hm! Could it be that you are from the Toxin Saint Sect of Nanjiang? This technique seems very much like the famed Lingwen Art of the Toxin Saint Sect?" the old bamboo elder, upon observing the unusual appearance on the puppet's face, was momentarily struck by surprise. "No," Han Li responded, though his mind stirred at the remark, yet his expression remained utterly composed as he controlled the puppet. "Ah, then I must have mistaken you. But your abilities truly resemble the Lingwen Art very closely. The old bamboo elder's eyes flashed with a touch of surprise, his voice softened as he replied—clearly unconvinced by the humanoid automaton's words. Yet he didn't press further. As soon as the automaton assumed a defensive stance and made no move to advance, as though it had no intention of attacking, a subtle irritation stirred within him, a sense of being underestimated. At once, his expression darkened, and low, resonant incantations flowed from his lips. The flying swords above his head responded in unison, emitting a series of humming sounds. Then, all the swords trembled simultaneously, launching hundreds of sword-energy streams—each stretching over ten paces—toward the opposite side. These streams interlaced mid-air, forming a dense, shimmering network of sword-shadows that radiated a crisp, piercing brilliance, vivid and dazzling.