The pair of Golden Wind Foxes flashed forward and vanished into the stone gate. Han Li was momentarily stunned, still at a loss for reaction, when the gate suddenly shimmered and gave a deep, resonant roar before opening. A luminous passage emerged, its walls thickly coated with a layer of frost, resembling the entrance to an ice cavern. The two Golden Wind Foxes stood at the entrance, turning their bright, alert eyes back to Han Li, their spirits fully attuned. At that very moment, the other fox, previously hidden, stepped into view. "Master Han, please enter. I'm sorry, but I'm unable to rise and welcome you personally," a soft laugh echoed in Han Li's ear. Han Li raised an eyebrow, then without a word, took a firm step forward and entered the passage. As soon as he entered, the two foxes turned and darted along the passage. Han Li followed closely, though it seemed slow—his pace was actually urgent. After turning several corners, he felt the cold within the passage grow increasingly piercing, and suddenly, the passage began to slope downward. He was struck with inspiration, his body moving without hesitation downward. After a full cup of tea's worth of time, when Han finally noticed the temperature around him had dropped to the point where exhalation would turn to ice, he reached the end of the corridor and, with a swift flash, stepped into a large hall veiled in a soft, misty white. The entire hall was constructed from a semi-transparent jade, its surface radiating a delicate glow of cold light—indeed, it was built entirely from ice that had lasted for ten thousand years. As Han Li stepped into the hall, he could not help but shiver and draw a deep breath of cold. But soon, a vibrant purple flame began to swirl gently over his body, and he regained his composure instantly. "Indeed, it is true," came a voice of genuine surprise from the center of the hall. Han Li was startled, his eyes scanning the scene, only to gasp in astonishment. "The Dried Azure Ice Flame!" "There stood colossal crystal pillars, each one as thick as a person could embrace, at the four corners of the hall, while in the center rose a vast blue cauldron, several tens of feet in diameter. From its core, delicate strands of pale blue flame rose, radiating a peculiar coldness and spiritual pressure—exactly the kind of Dry Blue Ice Flame that Han Li had known intimately. How could he not be astonished? "Friend Han also recognizes the Dry Blue Ice Flame," remarked the elder, even more surprised. A soft "Ah!" sounded from behind the cauldron, and then a figure emerged, swaying slightly. A dwarf of three feet in height stepped forward, his face etched with deep wrinkles, his long white beard flowing gracefully, dressed in a blue robe, his expression slightly astonished as he gazed at Han Li. "Are you Master Han Li?" asked Han Li, his demeanor instantly returning to its usual composure, and with a slight bow. "Yes, I am indeed Master Han Li. However, the title 'Master Han Li' is merely a respectful designation used by the successive Grand Elders of Xiaoji Palace. In truth, I am originally known as a master of divination and geomancy, and The dwarf flashed a glance at Han Li and said, then, with composed grace, raised his hand and cast a spell upon one of the crystal pillars at the corner. Instantly, a flash of white light illuminated several spots on the floor, and several pale, cushion-like mats materialized in mid-air. "Since I rarely have guests, I usually don't prepare tables or chairs. I hope you'll forgive me," the dwarf said with a pleasant smile. "Master, you're being most courteous. As cultivators, we don't usually need such formalities," Han Li replied with a gentle smile, taking a few steady steps and settling himself upon one of the mats, still glancing at the large cauldron. He noticed then that the shape of this great cauldron bore a striking resemblance to the Xitian Cauldron—about seven or eight parts alike—and that it possessed quite remarkable capabilities. The powerful, dry-blue ice flames generated within it were fully contained, with no outward leakage of their strength. Otherwise, the hall would have been completely frozen solid long ago, making it impossible to enter. Yet this observation only deepened his sense of puzzlement even further. "Though we haven't yet discussed much in detail, I feel certain that you are the very person I've been seeking for many years." Master Han Li sat down on a mat opposite to Han Li, his expression sincere. "Master says so, and I'm quite puzzled! Could you please elaborate on the reason for your invitation to me?" Han Li, though trying to suppress his growing curiosity, spoke calmly. "Han brother, there's no need to be overly concerned. I invited you here because I heard you could consume two ice spirit fruits without any difficulty—this immediately sparked my interest. Now, seeing that you cultivate a particularly cold flame, I no longer need to test anything further; you are truly the person I've been searching for all this time." Master Han Li smiled warmly. "Then you are indeed the one you've been seeking. What does this mean?" Han Li pursed his lips and furrowed his brows, asking. "Could you first kindly ask me what the name of the purple flame on your body is?" Although I am familiar with several varieties of purple spiritual flames, I have never heard of any ice-based ones. I hope my esteemed friend could kindly share some insights on that matter. The small amount of cold flame on my body is something I've developed through haphazard cultivation. It doesn't have any formal designation, though, for convenience, I have named it the "Purple Lotus Extreme Flame." While it may not yet rival the Dry Blue Ice Flame in strength, it certainly possesses solid power. How could I reveal the true potency of this flame without first understanding your background? Yet upon hearing this, Master Han Li seemed highly satisfied, smiling gently and saying: "This is indeed accurate. Though the Purple Lotus Extreme Flame appears unified, there is still a noticeable mixture of cold and spiritual energy—clearly not refined through a dedicated ice-cold cultivation technique. Otherwise, its power could have been further enhanced." "Further enhanced? I myself specifically refined this flame from the beginning. What more refinement could there possibly be?" Han Li was taken aback, slightly astonished. "Ha ha, it seems that Brother Han has only a modest understanding of the extreme cold flame. Such cold flames are relatively rare in the world. However, aside from initially refining them for personal use, each type can be further enhanced and purified through special secret techniques, thereby amplifying their power. Of course, the extent of this enhancement ultimately depends on both the depth of your refinement and the inherent strength of the flame itself. But even without considering other factors, if the Qianlan Ice Flame is refined to its utmost perfection, its power can be boosted by several times over." The dwarf stroked his beard, glanced at the massive cauldron, and spoke with pride. "Several times over in power? Then, are you referring to this purified flame?" Han Li inhaled sharply, but then suddenly remembered something, raised a single finger, and a deep purple flame emerged, flickering continuously. "This is indeed a refined cold flame, though it appears to have been only partially purified. I believe you achieved it by forcibly compressing it with your magical energy." Such a hasty approach not only drains a great deal of inner energy but likely yields only this single strand of refined flame." Master Han Li did not find this surprising, merely responding calmly. "Thank you for the advice. Could you please tell me what it is you wish to discuss with me?" Han Li paused, then looked up at the dwarf. "Before I answer that question, I have one more query for you. The Dry Blue Ice Flame is known to only a few people. You immediately recognized it—have you seen it elsewhere as well?" Upon saying this, Master Han Li's eyes sparkled with keen interest, fixed steadily on Han Li without blinking. Hearing this, Han Li felt a surge of emotion within, yet remained composed on his face. "I merely encountered a description of this ice flame in an ancient text. Because it was so unique, I've kept it in mind ever since." Since he now understood the intricate connections between the Xiao Ji Palace and the Xu Tian Pavilion, and since he himself carried the Xu Tian Cauldron, he dared not easily reveal this information, especially given Han Li's straightforward response. Han Li suddenly paused, then smiled lightly: "Indeed, I have been overthinking this. The dry-blue ice flame is truly unique to my Small Palace; it's unlikely to be found elsewhere. With that in mind, I shall be straightforward. The truth is quite simple—your guess should already have been formed. I need Brother Han's cold flame to assist me, to lend a helping hand." As he spoke, Han Li's expression grew serious, and Han Li listened intently, knowing that the other would surely continue without further prompting. However, after a brief pause, Han Li's gaze brightened with a touch of curiosity and asked: "Brother Han, do you think my cultivation level differs from that of ordinary late Yuan-Ying stage cultivators in any noticeable way?" "Difference? There's no doubt you are a late Yuan-Ying cultivator now. Yet, compared to the great cultivators I've encountered before, your spiritual awareness and cultivation strength are notably stronger. In this regard, you seem somewhat distinct from the typical late Yuan-Ying cultivators." "Since you've said that, Han Li didn't hesitate and carefully scanned the other with his divine awareness. It seemed as though he had noticed something, and thus spoke with some hesitation. "My current cultivation level has reached the peak of the Yuan婴 (Posterior) stage, only half a step away from the Hua Shen stage. Yet, in this stage, I have actually been lingering for three hundred years. Throughout this time, I've consumed various spiritual elixirs and employed numerous secret techniques to break through my cultivation bottlenecks, finally managing to have one foot firmly on the threshold of the Hua Shen stage. My current appearance is precisely due to an unfortunate mishap from taking one of these elixirs." Han Li spoke calmly and composedly. "Ah, so it is. Then you have already begun to comprehend some of the Hua Shen stage techniques." Han Li was stunned and suddenly enlightened. "Hehe! Since my appearance has become this way, I've even grown more reluctant to see people. I've been diligently refining my cultivation and studying methods to break through into the Hua Shen stage. Yet, this thin layer of barrier remains utterly unbroken." Yet these years of persistent effort have not gone in vain. I have finally discovered a method of turning crisis into opportunity—specifically, one that offers at least a three-in-ten chance of helping me break through my current bottleneck and enter the Huashen stage. Master Han Li spoke with excitement in his eyes. (First chapter! I'm not feeling well today and can't stay up late. The second chapter will be posted before nightfall, please look forward to it!)