"What would Brother Han like to ask?" The face on the Lingxi peacock glanced at the humanoid automaton and at Lin Yinping now held in Guiling's hands, hesitated slightly, then said, "From the tone of my friend, it seems the mature form of the gold-devouring insect evolved not solely through its own efforts. That is rather unusual. As far as I know, this rare insect was renowned in ancient times for its fearsome reputation—so feared that even in those days, many were intimidated by its ability to consume almost everything and its near-immortality. For a long time, it was considered a threat. It's likely that your Tianlan Sacred Temple's gold-devouring insect also originated from ancient eggs preserved over time, allowing you to harness this spirit insect." Han Li shook himself a few times and settled back beside Guiling, gazing steadily at the ethereal face, speaking calmly. Meanwhile, the humanoid automaton shimmered with a flash of silver light, its form blurring and then vanishing entirely from its original position. "By ordinary means, it would take tens of thousands of years for the gold-devouring insect to gradually evolve into its mature form." But how long have our cultivators lived, on average? Even with generations passing down the lineage, few families or sects have managed to endure for such a span. Especially now, as the gold-eating insects are nearing their final evolutionary stage, the prolonged duration of evolution has made it increasingly difficult to maintain the courage to nurture them. And since you are the one guiding these insects, you must be well aware of the vast difference between mature and immature specimens. To say that the gap is as great as heaven and earth would not be an exaggeration." Xu, the young man, spoke in a steady tone. "You're quite right, your words hold true. My gold-eating insects have reached this stage now, and in the past few years, they've shown almost no growth at all. It's indeed likely that your Tianlan Grassland possesses some special method to cultivate mature specimens. I'm curious—how much can your approach shorten the time it takes for the insects to mature?" Han Li exhaled softly and asked calmly. "It can reduce the time to one-third of the original duration." Moreover, if the esteemed friend is willing to sacrifice some rare materials and focuses solely on cultivating a few of them, the time required can be further shortened." Xu Xing, the young man, replied without hesitation. "One-third—this truly warrants my efforts. However, how do you intend to reveal your secret to me, and how can you ensure that once I possess it, you will still be able to effectively counteract me?" Han Li suddenly chuckled. "You're being overly generous. I've heard of Han Brother's golden-feeding insect colonies from others as well. Though they have reached the final stage of evolution, they clearly haven't yet begun the transition into their mature forms. Even if we share our cultivation secret with you, without several thousand years of dedicated nurturing, success remains unlikely. And what about several thousand years from now—how could that be within our grasp?" The young man, Xu Xing, did not conceal his intentions and stated plainly. "You're indeed candid. After all, whether these golden-feeding insects will still remain in the hands of Han Brother's descendants after several thousand years is far from certain." Even your esteemed hall, which knows of this matter, might have already found a suitable solution." Han Li's lips curled into a smile that was half-amused, half-quietly skeptical. "If you think so, then that's perfectly reasonable. Is it possible that you no longer wish to acquire this secret technique? Should other conditions be required, I could certainly accommodate them as well." "I do want it. Why wouldn't I? Even if I never succeed in cultivating a fully matured specimen during my lifetime, there will still be much to learn and draw upon. Han Li has always been deeply interested in cultivating spiritual insects." Han Li added, pressing his lips together and then clasping his arms. "Very well, friend, please wait a moment. I'll reproduce this secret onto a jade scroll. Given that you've nurtured this insect for years, I'm certain you'll be able to instantly discern its authenticity." The young man, whose form had taken on the appearance of a Xu-family noble, expressed a moment of surprise, yet showed no intention of backing down. Immediately, a flash of white light caused his form to dissolve and merge into the body of the spiritual peacock. Han Li smiled gently, but at that moment, he subtly shifted After those three spirit creatures entered, the interior remained utterly silent, as if still empty and unoccupied. Observing this strange phenomenon, Han Li furrowed his brows and suddenly sent a series of questions to Gui Ling. The ugly woman first paused in surprise, but soon responded with a voice of her own. Han Li nodded, then his expression grew increasingly grave. "Alright, Brother Han, take your turn," the spirit bird on the other side suddenly opened its mouth, launching a beam of white light. Han Li's eyes brightened; he swept his sleeve, and a wave of emerald light shot out, instantly capturing the light and bringing it into his hands. As the white glow faded, a white jade scroll, about the size of a palm, appeared. Han Li didn't hesitate—he immediately lifted the scroll with one hand and gently pressed it against his forehead, allowing his consciousness to sink into it. His face gradually calmed, first showing a look of surprise, then a growing sense of clarity. It seemed as though he could instantly comprehend the spell contained within the scroll. After a full cup of tea's worth of time, Han Li finally drew his consciousness away from the jade scroll, exhaled gently, and looked across at Xu, suddenly saying, "Xu, friend, I wonder if this method of cultivating the gold-devouring insects was established by any particularly accomplished elder within your Tuwu clan. I must admit, I'm truly impressed—how could anyone conceive of using the method of infusion, channeling both the essence of the heavens and the earth, to forcibly infuse the five elemental spirits into the bodies of these spiritual insects, thus ripening them? Such an idea is far beyond the reach of ordinary people. Even if someone could come up with it, they would surely need to invest immense effort, repeatedly experimenting until countless attempts failed!" Hán Lì nodded, not at all surprised. Had it not been for his mysterious vial and the miraculous effects of the Níshang grass, he would have found it difficult to repeatedly stimulate and evolve so many Jīnjiān insects. "Well," he said, "I've rescued you both. You've also passed on the cultivation technique to me. Our initial agreement is now complete. As for what comes next, Xu Brother—do you intend to undergo your own spiritual dissolution, allowing me to return your spirit to reincarnate, or shall I personally intervene and completely reduce you—your host spirit bird and your true essence—down to ashes?" Hán Lì suddenly grew serious, his gaze fixed on the Lingxi Peacock across from him, a stern expression forming on his face. As soon as he finished speaking, a thunderous roar erupted behind him, and the silvery-white wings flashed. With both hands clenched into fists, a deep rumbling sound surged forth, and a golden thunder robe instantly emerged, its golden arcs blazing with intense brilliance, creating an overwhelming spectacle. And almost at the same time, a faint silver glow shimmered behind the Lingxi Peacock, and a humanoid automaton materialized silently, holding a small bow that pulsed with red light, its emerald glow intensifying and precisely aimed at the spirit bird. The Lingxi Peacock trembled with fear, spreading its wings wide and instantly enveloping itself in a radiant, five-colored spiritual light. Then, opening its mouth, it expelled a sphere of golden light—revealing a Xu-family young cultivator’s Yuan婴 (infant stage) energy, which swiftly landed upon the peacock’s head. The figure then turned to Han Li and emitted a series of wry, sorrowful smiles. "Brother, please hold your ground. You and our Tianlan haven't reached the point of irreconcilable conflict. We could very well reach a peaceful settlement through words and gestures. Even if you truly fear the pursuit of the other three Immortal Masters, wouldn't you also consider your own sect and descendants?" "Are you really determined to see me extinguish all of your senior Immortal Masters before I pass away?" Upon hearing this, Han Li's expression shifted, yet immediately responded with a cold, resolute tone. "Why Previously, we pursued your companion because, in our immortal realm, strength has always been paramount. Your companion, though only a mid-stage Yuan Ying cultivator, managed to defeat and injure so many high-ranking immortal masters on our grasslands—naturally, we had to secure your companion. Later, when your companion took away the sacred beast's avatar, this further violated the great customs of our temple. Thus, we were compelled to follow you all the way to the Great Jin Dynasty. Things have changed now, however. Your companion can now command two late-stage cultivators, and your abilities rival those of senior immortals—your status has now reached parity with ours. We no longer wish to risk a mutual defeat, so harmony is the most sensible course. Moreover, the Kunwu Mountain is exceptionally perilous; it would be far safer for both of us to unite and stand together. Xu Xing, the young man, noticed that Master Han Li did not immediately interrupt him, which gave him a sense of reassurance. He then hurriedly delivered all the well-considered points he had prepared. "That's all?" Master Han Li listened quietly and asked, with no change in expression. "How is it possible, then, that you find my words unsatisfactory?" Seeing韩立's expression, the young man with the surname Xu felt a sudden pang in his heart and carefully asked. "We can certainly stop fighting—indeed, that's not impossible. But what method shall you employ to convince me that you are truly sincere in your reconciliation? Simply a few words or mere verbal pledges?"韩立 sneered, a touch of scorn on his face. "Of course not! Our holy nun is here. With her secret arts, she can summon the true spirit of the Tianlan Sacred Beast, which will then imprint the Sacred Beast Seal upon you. She will invite you to serve as a Guest Senior Elder of our Tianlan Temple. Once you return the celestial avatar of the beast to us, we will be able to present this arrangement to others, and the Temple will surely have no reason to act against you." The young man hurried to explain. "I did hear of the Sacred Beast Seal when I passed through the grasslands." It was said that those who planted this seal were the most central figures of the Temple, and that they must never harbor hostility or intent to kill one another—otherwise, after the event, the seal would activate, bringing upon them a strange curse that caused constant, piercing pain to their spiritual awareness, making life unbearable. Hearing this, Han Li was somewhat surprised and pondered before speaking. "Master Han, if you are aware of this matter, that will suffice. We and Master Han do not truly share life-or-death enmities or deep-seated grudges. Our primary issue stems from the capture of the Saint Beasts' incarnations. As for the fallen immortal masters, compared to Master Han's current strength, they are merely minor losses." Seeing Han Li showing interest, the young Xu cultivator continued to urge him earnestly. Han Li, however, remained deeply concerned, his expression shifting between concern and uncertainty. At this point, the young Xu cultivator wisely fell silent, simply waiting for Han Li's decision. Yet, a subtle sense of unease lingered in his demeanor. He was quite aware that if Han Li truly intended to eliminate them, even with the combined efforts of these few individuals, a mere Yuan婴 would have absolutely no chance of survival—life and death would hinge entirely on Han Li's single decision. Though he himself was a Yuan婴 late-stage cultivator, he now felt restless and uncertain, as though walking on thin ice. (Second update yesterday! The chapter scheduled for today finally makes up the ground—I've been so slow, even myself have been quite frustrated!)