This time, arriving at such a remote location and achieving such results already seems quite fortunate. When, half a day later, Han Li had finally searched the last building and returned once more to the stone pavilion of Zhu Ling Hall, he found himself hesitating before the hazy, white light curtain. The time was still early—he could certainly take the opportunity to explore the other several sites. Yet doing so would entail some risks. Who knew if other cultivators had also completed their searches and moved on to other areas? The elders from the Fu family would naturally be unbothered. Even the old Qian Demon and the people from the Poison Saint Sect would not pose much of a threat. But should he encounter the first wave of cultivators who had entered the mountain, that would be a serious problem—perhaps even a matter of immediate action. However, if Han Li were simply to remain here, waiting until the fissure passage restored itself several days later, he would feel rather dissatisfied. Reflecting on this, Han Li found himself suddenly silent, then broke into a quiet smile. Even if he remained here, wouldn't someone inevitably come to the Casting Spirit Hall once they had searched all the other places? Moreover, according to his calculations, after this long, the several key locations in Kunwu Mountain that the Qian Old Demon and others had visited likely already encountered the first wave of cultivators—perhaps even engaging in combat. In that case, it would be better to seize the moment when others were preoccupied, search additional sites, and even make a stealthy move. After all, the Casting Spirit Hall itself has yielded such treasures as the Taiyin True Fire; other places should surely have their own findings as well. With his current abilities, even if he couldn't defeat several Yuan-Stage Late cultivators simultaneously, he would still have a solid chance of escaping. After weighing these considerations carefully, Han Li no longer hesitated and drew forth the Three-Flame Fan. As the three-colored flames flashed, he effortlessly broke through the light barrier before him and proceeded downward along the mountain. At the same time, in a hall deep within Kunwu Mountain, where a gentle blue glow pulsed softly, the large-headed creature, the ancient demon, and a Ye family cultivator at the initial Yuan Ying stage were surrounded by seven or eight red-haired, naked evil spirits. Each of these spirits had a pale, grim visage, exuding a cold,阴miasmic aura; with a single command from them, waves of dark, claw-like energy streaks surged toward the three, slashing and striking with relentless force. The large-headed creature and the others, encased in a dense, hazy aura of negative energy, had deployed a series of colorful protective shields. No matter how fiercely the negative energy surged or how sharp the claw-strikes, they remained unshaken. Yet, on the other side, the yellow flying sword wielded by the large-headed creature, and the black small sword and white jade ruler activated by another elder from the Ye family, though radiating brilliant light and energy, were equally unable to penetrate the defenses of these evil spirits. Regardless of whether the flying sword severed the evil spirits into two halves or struck their heads into a fine powder, as soon as any other evil spirits simultaneously exhaled a surge of cold, dark qi directly at the fallen one, the slain spirit instantly revived, regaining its former vigor and charging back with renewed vigor—each one appearing as if it were invincible. At this moment, the elder from the Ye family rubbed his hands together, then swept them upward, launching a series of crimson fire orbs that plunged into the body of one of the evil spirits, completely annihilating it. Yet, under the gathering of surrounding dark qi, the spirit immediately reappeared whole and surged forward with renewed fury. "Uncle Seventh, Elder Han, this situation cannot continue. These evil spirits have been nourished by the accumulated dark qi of this locale for countless thousands of years—clearly, they have now attained the refined state of 'congealed shadow essence forming a tangible form.' Ordinary spells and artifacts simply cannot defeat them. Only the most intensely yang-based techniques and artifacts will prove effective," said the elder from the Ye family, expressing his growing anxiety. "Hmph. If it were that simple, I would have taken action long ago." These demons have not only refined themselves into beings of condensed shadows—they are actually fragments of the same ghost king! As long as we fail to eliminate all of them simultaneously, they immediately revive within the ambient阴 qi. I have refrained from employing my thunderous tactics, merely seeking to locate the true form of this ghost king." The large-headed stranger snorted, responding with impatience. "Fragments?" the elder was startled. "Indeed. Otherwise, even if these demons have mastered the art of condensed shadow forms and have been repeatedly slain by us, they should have suffered significant depletion of energy. Yet observe their demeanor—they show not the slightest sign of exhaustion. It appears the ghost king intends to exhaust us gradually before launching his final assault." The ancient mage spoke calmly, then pointed at the small black sword, piercing through one of the demons with a single stroke. "So it is. Alas, the Fifteenth Brother was struck by the shadow-spewing serpent's hidden shadow sand during his time at the upper level, and only managed to escape with his Yuan-Infant stage. Otherwise, with his mastery of the most radiant, yang-based techniques, he would have been ideally suited to combat these malevolent spirits. The elder gazed around at the hazy, dim surroundings, his expression growing concerned. "This is truly beyond our control. Who could have imagined that there exists a serpent capable of entering and moving within shadows, and suddenly emerging from the very shadow of his own nephew, Ming Li, to launch a surprise attack—so sudden that even I, the elder, was unable to respond in time? Moreover, the venom of this serpent is so potent that within moments, Ming Li's physical form has completely perished." The tall, broad-shouldered stranger sighed. "My nephew has not the slightest complaint against the Seventh Uncle. Indeed, the Tower of Pacifying the Demons is truly extraordinary. Not only is it constructed upside down—with its entrance at the top and the spire pointing downward—but each successive level grows increasingly difficult to conquer. We have spent so much time, and yet we have only just reached the Seventh Level." Yet Han Elder had stated that the tower should have nine levels—how could it be believable that any more demons would appear on the next two floors? Should we really continue on? The elder hesitated. "Hmph! You're already afraid after only encountering a few dangers. The stronger the beings imprisoned below, the greater the likelihood that a Heavenly Elixir of Immortality will manifest on the next two floors. After all, only demons so formidable that even ancient cultivators would hesitate could warrant such a divine artifact for their containment. Do you really intend for our Ye family's decades of efforts to come to nothing?" The stranger's voice grew cold, and he delivered his criticism with sharp directness. "Uncle Seven is absolutely right—I've simply been a bit timid," replied the elder of the Ye family, managing to simultaneously command his法宝 to fend off the demons charging in, while nodding in agreement. "I've located that Ghost King," suddenly interjected the ancient demon. "What? Where is his true form?" The elder perked up, eager to inquire. As the ancient mage was about to speak, his face suddenly changed, and he emitted a soft "Ah!" Then, at that very moment, a deep, resonant "thud" echoed from afar. A flash of light appeared at the entrance hall, and suddenly a massive, shimmering green glow burst forth from within, rushing in. As the light settled, four figures of varying statures emerged from the glow. To our surprise, the Toxin Saint Sect has moved with remarkable speed, having already entered the mountain so swiftly. We wonder—why would these esteemed friends have come to this镇魔塔instead of seeking treasures elsewhere? The stranger's expression briefly clouded, then settled back into composure as he spoke. "Heh! That's exactly what we've been wondering ourselves—about Master Ye. After not seeing him for several centuries, we were amazed to learn that following his apparent death, he has quietly advanced to the late Yuan婴stage. If the righteous and demonic factions knew of this, they'd surely be restless." Flower Tianqi watched coldly as the stranger skillfully maneuvered his flying swords, effortlessly reducing a fierce ghost to dust, speaking calmly, though his mind was racing with thoughts. "Senior Flower, do you think these people also know of the rare treasures hidden within the tower, and have come specifically to claim them?" A voice from a senior monk of the Toxin Saint Sect reached Flower Tianqi's ears, slightly concerned. In the founding master's final testament of the Toxin Saint Sect, he had briefly mentioned that the tower housed extraordinary treasures. Yet the exact nature of the matter remained vague and unclear. Nevertheless, the Four Elders of the Poison Saint Sect could not treat it as ordinary. Their first move was to head straight for the Tower of Calming the Demons. Although they had already observed other cultivators arriving ahead of them during their passage through the earlier floors, they had assumed that such a formidable and ominous site would not attract much attention from the initial wave of visitors. With their combined strength, they believed they could easily handle those who had arrived earlier. Yet they had never anticipated finding a cultivator in the late Yuan-Ying stage waiting specifically for them on this floor. Had it not been for the fact that the Ye family's seventh uncle and his companions appeared as though trapped by a host of ghosts, Huata Qi would certainly have decided to turn around and leave immediately. A cultivator at the late Yuan-Ying stage, together with two cultivators at the early Yuan-Ying stage, truly posed a challenge beyond the capacity of the four elders. "We don't know exactly. Perhaps we're no different from each other—only receiving fragmented clues," Huata Qi replied, his face grim, his lips moving slightly. Yet his gaze remained fixed on the three strange figures, never wavering "It seems Flower Friend has no intention of leaving just yet." As the large, odd-looking man spoke, a fierce glint flashed in his eyes. Suddenly, he opened his mouth, and a streak of silver flashed briefly before vanishing. At that very instant, a burst of silver light erupted somewhere in the corner of the hall, accompanied by a low roar. Then, a hazy, gray spectral figure materialized there, spitting out a gray orb the size of a thumb, which was simultaneously deflecting a silver spear. As the figure was driven back step by step, it emitted a series of strange, guttural cries. Upon seeing this spectral figure, the four elders of the Poison Saint Sect had barely time to react. Meanwhile, the ancient demon remained silent, merely moving his sleeve, and a dark, ink-black mirror suddenly appeared in his hands, which he swiftly waved back and forth toward the surrounding spectral figures. A dark, misty glow surged forth from the mirror, engulfing all the evil spirits against their will. One by one, they cried out in agony as their ghostly bodies were torn and shattered within the radiant black waves, which cut through like a forest of sharp blades and swords. Though the evil spirits could not recover their strength due to the silver fork entangling the Ghost King's true form, when the ghost king roared fiercely, their dispersed negative energies instantly coalesced into thick, swirling masses of dark qi, tightly enclosing the ancient magi and others. The black glow emitted by the mirror, though formidable, could not immediately penetrate this dense embrace. Hua Tianqi's face grew pale with alarm.