The golden light formed by Qingzhu Fengyun Jian flickered slightly, then spread out like a series of wheels, cleaving the surrounding demonic qi into scattered, retreating waves. Seeing that the demonic energy wasn't as troublesome as he had anticipated, Han Li sighed in relief, though his expression remained gloomily serious, his eyes constantly scanning the surroundings. Yet, beyond the dark hues, there was nothing else that caught his attention. Just as he completed this action, a violent tremor surged from above his head, accompanied by a roaring wind. The ethereal aura surged like a tidal wave, then suddenly coalesced into a massive vortex. This vortex was entirely black, with a diameter of over ten zhang, and as soon as it appeared, it began spinning rapidly, emitting an eerie, high-pitched whine. Thick streaks of black mist shot out from its center and plunged downward with great force and momentum. Han Li was startled, sensing something was amiss. Without hesitation, he quickly pressed a series of sword gestures with his single hand. Instantly, the golden light surrounding him began to emit a long, clear resonance. The previously expansive golden sword beams suddenly contracted, and amidst continuous light flow, transformed into a golden lotus that slowly rotated. At that moment, the black mist descended and completely enveloped the entire golden lotus. As soon as the two came into contact, a strange, sharp sound erupted—like countless blades and spears being struck together—so piercing and dissonant that it made the listeners feel uneasy and mentally strained. Han Li suddenly felt a shock in his spirit, and the numerous flying swords that had transformed into a golden lotus were simultaneously drawn by a powerful force, as if trying to break free from his control and rise upward. Han Li's face grew pale, and his inner qi surged and flowed rapidly. While a typical Yuan-En Ci中期 cultivator might indeed lose control of his essential artifacts under such strong suction, Han Li, having refined the Qingyuan Sword Technique, possessed a significantly deeper cultivation level than his peers. Moreover, these Qingzhu Fengyun swords had been repeatedly reinforced with rare materials, making them far superior to ordinary artifacts. Under Han Li's urgent hand gestures and the force of his qi, the golden lotus finally managed to tremble violently and barely held firm against the suction, still rotating around him, shielding himself from the black glow spewing out of the vortex. At that moment, Han Li did not hesitate—he raised his feather fan and, with a serious expression, swept it toward the vortex in the air. "Pffft!" A column of three-colored flame surged violently from the fan and directly struck the downward-flowing black glow. A violent, dense, explosive roar immediately erupted at the point of intersection, and as the three-colored flames met the black mist, they burst like oil droplets hitting cold water. Clearly, the three-colored flames were vastly superior to the black mist. With only a brief pause in the flowing runes, they effortlessly crushed the mist, advancing with a steady, almost decaying momentum into a vortex several dozen feet high, only to vanish mysteriously moments later. "Replicating the Lingbao? It's you, isn't it? Do you happen to be named Han?" The elderly voice came through with an unusual tone, as though surprised. "How do you know me?" Han Li's expression shifted slightly, with a faint intuition forming in his mind, yet he maintained a composed demeanor and asked calmly. "Heh! Your feather fan spiritual artifact that emits flames of three colors—quite distinctive. During my time at Kunwu Mountain, I heard you had disrupted the plans of the Deputy Valley Master of the main hall. What brings you now to Xiao Ji Palace?" The elderly voice offered a quiet smile, remaining neutral. "Deputy Valley Master? Are you referring to Dao Xiao You of the Ten-Thousand-Beasts Valley?" Han Li's expression grew serious, his demeanor shifting noticeably. Though he knew little about the Ten-Thousand-Beasts Valley, he was certain to have heard of this Valley Master. While many could not clearly describe his true cultivation level, Han estimated that he likely reached the late Yuanjing stage—perhaps even comparable to a Hua Shen cultivator—making him one of the rare elder immortals in the human world. Otherwise, the Valley of Myriads of Spirits would have already been wiped out countless times by the Ten Major Sects of the Celestial and Demonic Orders, simply standing there grandly within the realm of Dajin. "Indeed, it's me! I heard Master Xiong mention that you have some connection with Linglong, the former acquaintance of the Sovereign, and that you both returned together to the Ninth Level of the Tower of Subduing Demons. Now that the genuine demonic aura at the Ninth Level has been successfully sealed once again, and you are safely here, it seems Linglong has safely returned to the Spirit Realm." As the voice reached the words "Spirit Realm," it subtly changed—somewhat excited, yet also filled with a touch of hesitation and fear. "Linglong has indeed returned to the Spirit Realm via the Inverse Star Disk. Do you know her?" Han Li's face expressed a mixture of concern and uncertainty, and he asked slowly. Yet, within his sleeve, one hand glowed with luminous light, silently producing a green wooden ruler, while the other hand suddenly materialized a small, flame-encased cauldron, now only a few inches in size. "In the Spirit Realm, Yet, since the Linglong Fairy sent you out, she must have left something behind for you, hasn't she? Also, the Eight-Spirit Ruler, the spiritual treasure that originally sealed the ancient demon—hasn't it also come to rest upon you? Don't say that this ruler has already been taken to the Spirit Realm by the Linglong Fairy. Without being refined by the Tongbao Decision, the Eight-Spirit Ruler cannot be transported across realms through the power of interdimensional force at all." The elderly voice suddenly shifted, growing icy and sharp. Han Li's eyelids flickered, but remained silent. Yet the fingers in his sleeve, gripping the green wooden ruler, tightened slightly. "Is it that my question is difficult to answer, or is it that Master Han simply unwilling to respond?" The voice grew even more stern, and at the same time, a powerful surge of spiritual energy erupted suddenly from among the surrounding aura, pressing down forcefully upon Han Li from all sides. Though this aura was truly the formidable cultivation level befitting a ten-tier demonic beast, Han Li's divine awareness was no weaker than that of a late Yuan婴 stage cultivator. Thus, after a slight shift in his form, he remained undisturbed, standing still as if nothing had happened. "Ah! You—!" The elderly voice uttered a surprised exclamation. Upon sensing this powerful spiritual pressure, Han Li narrowed his eyes and a streak of crystalline light burst forth from his gaze. "Heard it said that Dao Yin had been meditating in seclusion deep within the Valley of a Hundred Demons for no fewer than several decades, rarely stepping out of the valley even under ordinary circumstances. Now, he has come here merely as a physical manifestation of himself—otherwise, how could it be that Dao Yin's renown is reflected only in the current level of spiritual energy?" Han Li exhaled gently, his face displaying a touch of bewilderment. "Even so, what then?" The elderly voice remained utterly impassive. "Han Li has no interest in the matters between you and Xiao Ji Palace, nor does he intend to intervene. His only purpose is to utilize the transmission array here to depart." "If you don't wish for me to ally with the Xiao Ji Palace, then it would be best to let me go!" Han Li's voice grew cold, and he became more direct. As long as the other was not a cultivator at the Huashen stage or above, he would not hesitate. "Hah! Such a threat—this is the first time in many years I've heard it. According to Master Xiong, you possess the Divine-Defying Thunder, and your abilities are indeed impressive. However, that thunder only works against magical energy. Now, you're trapped within my Ten-Thousand-Beasts Banner. Do you really think you can challenge me? If you don't want to be completely annihilated, then you must surrender the items left by Lady Linglong and the Ba Ling Staff. Should I be in a good mood, I might even spare your life." The old xiao妖 burst into laughter, then delivered a chillingly serious threat. Han Li sighed inwardly, realizing that this old xiao妖 truly did not take him seriously and believed he would not leave easily. Yet, the name of the Wàn Yāo Fān was well known to him—many cultivators had remarked that it was one of the finest imitations ever created, nearly matching the true power of a celestial treasure. That explained the elder demon's confidence and his unwillingness to yield easily. Since words failed to move him, Han Li said no more, simply raising his hand. A beam of red light shot forth, spiraling before hovering steadily several zhang above his head. With a hand gesture and a chant, Han Li summoned the unnamed Fire Cauldron. As he spoke, the cauldron's flames gradually descended and then surged upward, expanding rapidly until it reached several zhang in size. Then, under the pressure of his incantation, the cauldron's lid shot off. A resonant hum echoed within the cauldron, followed by a surge of fire phoenixes—each the size of a fist—racing out and spreading swiftly around Han Li. Within moments, they formed a dense, crimson canopy, numbering over a thousand. It seemed Han Li did not take the Wàn Yāo Fān's power lightly, having fully unleashed the might of his Fire Cauldron in one go Not only that, without anyone noticing, the Taiyin Fire Cranes originally standing still on Han Li’s shoulders had vanished at some point, now seamlessly blending into the group of fire cranes. They too shone with radiant red light, making it impossible for anyone else to distinguish their unusual presence. At this moment, as Han Li ceased his incantations and issued a low command, all the fire cranes erupted with streams of crimson flame and shot out in all directions. In an instant, waves of fire several zhang high surged around Han Li, continuously colliding with the surrounding aura of the spirits. The entire space became intensely hot, transforming completely into a vast sea of crimson flame. Upon contact with the fiery sea, the dark spirit auras immediately interwove and flashed, producing a continuous series of thunderous bursts—like deep, resonant explosions—that gradually pushed the surrounding auras back. "A mere minor trick," scoffed the old spirit car, "hoping to escape or shatter my Universal Banner of the Ten Thousand Spirits! You're dreaming!" With that, he let out a long, sharp roar, resonant and clear, echoing directly to the far reaches of the heavens. (First chapter update!