He seemed to have a faint impression of this banner, as though he had once possessed a similar artifact earlier in his career, though it might have been given away later. Still, this wasn't significant—such a lower-tier treasure, once its crafting method is known, would naturally make sense to Han Li upon reflection. This, however, piqued Han Li's interest in the Dan-stage female. Though these individuals appeared to have vanished out of nowhere, their relatively basic concealment technique was nearly invisible under Han Li's divine awareness. At once, a flash of blue light passed through his pupils, piercing straight through the gray aura on the woman's face. "Hm! This woman is..." Han Li's expression immediately grew strange and unusual. At that moment, a flash of greenish-yellow light swept across the outer courtyard of the Star Pavilion, as if a seal had been lifted, followed by the sound of footsteps emerging from behind the pavilion gate. Slowly, a white-robed cultivator stepped out. The man was in his forties, tall and slender, with a somewhat stern and sharp demeanor—clearly a cultivator at the initial stage of the Dan stage. This clearly appeared to be the star-guild cultivator in charge of this hall. As soon as he stepped out at the hall's entrance, he glanced around but found no trace of anyone, immediately frowning and showing a touch of impatience. A flash of yellow light, and the Dan-stage man stepped into view, his grayish aura dissipating to reveal a refined middle-aged face. "Zhang brother, no unexpected incidents, have there been? Can we, as a couple, be transported tonight?" The man bowed politely. "Field friend Tian, as long as the number of spiritual stones you carry is sufficient, transporting your small group is nothing at all. Our several attendants stationed at the transportation array have all done this at some point during their shifts—how could I possibly ruin my own reputation?" Upon seeing the man appear, the star-guild cultivator's expression softened, though his tone remained courteous. "This is natural. I do not doubt my elder brother at all, but my daughter is seriously ill and must journey to the outer seas to seek the inner essence of the White Heron Fish Immortal for her life—there is no time to be lost." The composed man smiled gently as he spoke. Then, turning back, he waved his hand toward the rear. "Pffft!" A cluster of yellow mist dispersed, and the others stepped into view. The several Foundation Stage cultivators also revealed themselves, though the Jade Condensation Stage female cultivator and another slender Qi Stage woman remained partially veiled in gray mist. "This must be the esteemed lady, then! I have long heard of the Moon Immortal's reputation," the stern man said, not even glancing at the Foundation Stage cultivators, his gaze merely sweeping over the Jade Condensation Stage woman several times—his face unexpectedly brightening with a rare smile. "For this occasion, I am truly grateful to Zhang Daojun. I am deeply indebted to you." The woman's voice was soft and warm, yet her tone remained dignified and neither humble nor overly assertive. "I had hoped the Moon Immortal would reveal her true form. I am somewhat disappointed. Please, follow me, After emitting a soft chuckle, the solemn man expressed a slight sense of regret, then turned and walked toward the inner hall. The refined man and the Jade Condensation female cultivator exchanged glances, and without hesitation, they took the Qi-stage woman between them and followed. The four disciples, clearly of Foundation-stage cultivation, hurried after them. Of course, none of these cultivators noticed that, at the very instant the jade-green and yellow glow flashed again outside the palace, reactivating the seal, a faint shadow—so subtle that it could not be perceived by anyone of their level—followed them silently into the hall, moving as if woven from a gentle mist. Passing through the crooked corridors, the group entered a grand hall adorned with numerous teleportation arrays. There, an elderly figure, with a complexion as delicate as a newborn infant, was already waiting. Upon seeing them arrive, the elder's eyes flashed with cold light, then faded away. "It's them, then," he murmured. "Exactly seven—perfect for a single round of teleportation!" "The elder asked calmly." "Indeed, they are the fellow travelers heading this route. Tian, where do you intend to go?" The shadowed man replied, then turned to ask. "We're heading for Silver Shark Island! It's said that high-level ore veins have been discovered there, so most of the cultivators traveling to the outer islands have gone there. Perhaps we can directly receive the inner essence of the White Crane Aquatic Dragon from there." The man hesitated slightly before stating this, then glanced at the row of teleportation arrays, settling his eyes on one clearly marked one. "Yellow Brother, please deactivate the seal on that teleportation array. Tian, you should pay all your spiritual stones at once." The named cultivator spoke evenly to the composed man. "Of course!" Witnessing the elder cast several hand seals, the white light screen surrounding the teleportation array suddenly vanished. The composed man felt a surge of relief and immediately removed a storage sack from his waist, tossing it directly to the other. The Yin Li man took the satchel, scanned it with his divine awareness twice, and smiled with satisfaction. "The count is exact. Take these—these are the transmission scrolls!" He was also efficient, closing the storage satchel and immediately producing seven scrolls, which he handed over. The man with the field name naturally accepted them, distributing one scroll to each of the others, and under the Yin Li man's guidance, they all proceeded briskly toward the designated transmission array. The array had already begun to glow faintly white, clearly indicating everything was running smoothly. "Your courage is truly remarkable—you dared to secretly send them out to the outer sea without informing me. Wouldn't the Enforcement Hall have given you thunder-whip punishments?" As soon as the seven had just passed, a clear, melodic female voice suddenly spoke up. Though the voice was soft, it resonated with the power of a thunderclap in the ears of every present cultivator. The Yin Li man and the elder instantly paled utterly, while the refined man and the Ju Dan female cultivator were startled, then suddenly flashed with radiant light, swiftly lifting the slender woman and transforming their linked robes into a vibrant streak of red and blue light, shooting straight toward the teleportation array. A cold exhalation rang out! At a corner of the hall, a splendid shower of radiant light suddenly shot forth, then, seemingly mysteriously, materialized before the magical array, where it gently brushed aside the red-and-blue streak, sending it skidding off. The red-and-blue streak, after rebounding several times, dispersed as its light faded, revealing the field of the elegant scholar and the Ju Dan female cultivator, both staggering to their feet. Their faces were ashen, and as soon as they opened their mouths, each expelled a stream of pure blood. Yet the Qi-level woman, carefully protected within them, remained unharmed. At that moment, the ashen hues on both women's faces gradually faded, revealing their true appearances. The female cultivator who had reached the Ji Dan stage appeared to be in her late twenties or early thirties, with a face as smooth and delicate as warm jade, her skin pale and lustrous—undeniably a rare beauty. Beside her, the Qi Cultivator, only in her late teens or early twenties, had a yellowish complexion and was emaciated, yet upon closer inspection, one could see that her nose and eyes bore a striking resemblance to the Ji Dan cultivator, with clear, bright eyes that reflected calm composure, showing little sign of shock despite the circumstances. To their astonishment, she was a young woman in a white robe, her face half-concealed by a white linen scarf. Her eyes sparkled like stars, her eyebrows delicate and finely arched, clearly another stunningly beautiful figure. Yet, upon approaching the teleportation array, she paid no attention to the onlookers, her gaze instead fixed on the entrance hall. Then, with a gentle tone, she said, "Friend Han! You have arrived here. Why remain shy before the younger disciples? Would you kindly step forward and speak with me?" "As soon as he finished speaking, a surge of emerald light flashed, and a young scholar in a green robe suddenly materialized, standing opposite the woman, his hands behind his back, his expression both amused and slightly reserved. It was Han Li! "Late Yuan婴 stage!" The masked woman's gaze swept over him, and her face instantly transformed. Her once-luminous eyes widened with disbelief, and she gasped aloud. This woman was precisely the one who had spoken with Han Li earlier in the sacred mountain's cavern. Upon hearing the term "Late Yuan婴 stage," the others in the hall were left utterly stunned. Though half of them were already Jin Dan stage cultivators, they rarely encountered Yuan婴 cultivators in daily life, and a Yuan婴 stage cultivator of the late stage was something they had never even imagined. Now, first the one of the Star Palace's two Saints suddenly appeared, and then another unfamiliar cultivator of the same rank emerged—how could they not feel as though they were dreaming, as if they had stepped into a vision? Yet among these cultivators from the Chinese realm, only the Qi-Condensed "Moon Immortal Maiden" reacted with a look of profound astonishment upon seeing Han Li's face. When she learned that Han Li was a late-stage Yuan-Ying cultivator, she was completely stunned. Under normal circumstances, such a reaction would have been noticed by others immediately. But now, the entire hall was captivated by the sudden appearance of two Yuan-Ying cultivators—one after the other—everyone was so amazed that not a single breath could be drawn, leaving no one to notice this woman's unusual demeanor. Only the youngest cultivator, still at the Qi-Stage, due to her relatively low level, found the Qi-Condensation and Yuan-Ying stages to be distant and unattainable, thus promptly detecting the Moon Immortal Maiden's surprise. Her gaze lingered curiously on Han Li's face several times. "Indeed, you are named Han?" The masked woman, one of the Twin Celestial Masters, had lost her composed expression and now asked seriously and slowly. "Since you've been waiting here specifically for me, wouldn't you worry that you might have mistaken me for someone else?" Han Li didn't answer directly; instead, he smiled warmly at the masked woman. (Second update!) ------------ It's the last day! Only one chapter left—seeking votes!