It was utterly silent around, with no figure appearing in the darkness. The chanting cultivator grew furious immediately, snorted coldly, and pressed his palms together to begin casting a spell that would compel the other to emerge. But at that very moment, a faint, intermittent hum began to rise from all around, growing steadily stronger, as though rapidly approaching. The several cultivators stiffened, eyes widening in surprise. Soon, scattered glimmers of golden light emerged in the dark, each glow encasing a golden insect. More and more such glimmers appeared, dense and continuous, eventually surrounding and encircling all of them at the center. The masked cultivator was now agitated. Even the two leading figures were visibly stunned. Particularly the one who had previously attacked a similar spiritual insect—deeply familiar with its tenacity—was now overwhelmed by the sheer volume of such insects appearing so suddenly, finding it far from an easy task to manage them all. Thus, the face hidden beneath the cloak grew instantly stern, and his awareness continuously swept across the surroundings, seeking to locate the cultivator who had summoned these spiritual insects. Yet no matter how diligently he searched, the other's elusive movements remained undetected—no trace of anomaly appeared at all. This deepened his concern! It clearly indicated that either the other possessed some rare artifact or secret technique to conceal their presence, or their cultivation and spiritual prowess far surpassed theirs. In either case, it seemed anything but favorable. "Since you have summoned these insects to encumber us, you must surely provide us with a reason. Until now, you've refused to reveal yourself—may I ask, are you truly one who hides behind the scenes?" The other masked cultivator, who had summoned a jade mallet, roared sharply, and at the same time, his precious object before him trembled, its green glow flickering incessantly. "Heh, it's easy to see me. I'll be there shortly. My good friend Miao He, I've specially come this time to meet you—how could I fail to see you?" Suddenly, a cold laugh echoed from the darkness, followed instantly by a soft male voice rising simultaneously from all directions—seeming to come from an incredibly distant place. "Han? Who are you, and when did I offend you?" As soon as the man's voice reached him, the masked cultivator stiffened, lifted his hand, and tore off his cloak, revealing a youthful face dressed in traditional Daoist robes, his expression filled with astonishment. It was Master Miao He, now possessing the body of the previous host! The cultivator who had summoned the white silk also removed his cloak—revealing the yellow-robed elder who had accompanied Master Miao during the day. Yet his expression was now gloomy, constantly glancing toward the distant darkness. As for the several cultivators behind them, they were naturally the disciples of these two Yuan-Ence cultivators. But why had they left the Biling Island at such a quiet hour, retreating so discreetly? Upon hearing Miao He's inquiry, a sudden burst of laughter erupted from unknown men coming from all directions, then abruptly ceased—without a single attempt to respond. This left the group at a loss, staring at one another in bewilderment! "Master Miao, is this man your adversary?" the elder in yellow robes frowned and asked the Daoist. After all, the tone of the man's words suggested he had come specifically to seek vengeance against Miao He himself, which made the elder hesitate. "I'm not certain. As for the Han family—there's no particular memory of any such adversary," Miao He replied calmly, his fan trembling slightly, yet his expression unchanged. Deep within, however, he was filled with growing suspicion—he simply couldn't recall having such a powerful opponent. "Regardless of his origins, since he has taken the initiative to come here, it's clear that he is not to be taken lightly. Master, please remain vigilant." The elder in yellow robes, evidently cautious of the still-undisclosed mysterious cultivator, hesitated before offering this gentle reminder. "This disciple naturally knows, yet this person appears to be a Yuan-Encounter cultivator as well. How could I have completely forgotten such a powerful adversary? Han—by the way..." Master Miao-Helo murmured a few words, then fell into deep thought. During this brief pause, a sudden burst of sound tore through the night sky, and then a brilliant streak of jade-green light shot down from the horizon, swiftly darting through the air and finally settling among the insect swarm. As the light faded, a young man in a green robe stepped forward. Upon surveying the group of Miao-Helo and his companions, the young man chuckled coldly: "Indeed, I'm not disappointed to have waited so long for you. You truly intend to head to Bi-Ling Island. You've willingly offered your spiritual stones—how generous! Or shall I personally retrieve them?" The young man seemed utterly unconcerned, treating the two Yuan-Encounter cultivators—Master Miao-Helo and the elderly figure in yellow robes—as if they were nothing. Yet, upon a mere glance from the two figures across the way, Miao-Helo and his companion immediately grew pale, their eyes revealing clear signs of apprehension. They simply could not discern the depth of the other’s cultivation, but the ominous spiritual pressure emanating from the other clearly indicated that their cultivation far surpassed theirs—by a wide margin, undoubtedly a senior cultivator at the mid-stage of the Yuan Ying stage. Moreover, the fact that the other had immediately revealed their secret mission only deepened their astonishment. "Esteemed friend, I am Huang Kun from Li Long Island. You mentioned high-grade spiritual stones—what does that mean? Could it be that you’ve heard rumors from others and mistakenly believe we have misunderstood you?" The elderly man in yellow robes proved to be both seasoned and shrewd. Observing that the other seemed beyond their reach, he instantly brightened, offering a warm and courteous demeanor. "Misunderstood? Hah! I heard your inner communications firsthand—how could that be false? It’s your fault for not finding Miao He, and even more so for having just happened to cross paths with me. Miao He, do you still recognize Han?" The young man first offered a dry, skeptical remark, then shifted his gaze to Miao He, his expression now cold and composed. He naturally employed the method of concentrating his divine awareness to reach a thousand, leveraging the power of the gold-devouring insects to locate the group led by Miao He, and then followed the trail to Han Li. Upon hearing the latter's direct and unyielding words, the yellow-robed elder found his smile momentarily faltering. "You... you are Han Li? You've already condensed your true essence into a prenatal stage?" As Han Li responded, Miao He, after a brief moment of recognition, suddenly recalled a memory from years ago, and finally identified Han Li with a look of sheer disbelief—like having seen a ghost in broad daylight. "Brother Miao, you recognize this person. What is his true background?" The yellow-robed elder, struck by both astonishment and anger, asked with a serious tone, as he observed Miao He's growing conviction. Since the opponent had left no room for negotiation and a battle was now inevitable, and since Han Li could not be easily disengaged, it would be most advantageous to first ascertain his origins. Though Han Li was a mid-stage cultivator, with the combined strength of the two early-stage cultivators, they need not feel overly intimidated. At that moment, Han Li floated in the air, arms folded, gazing at them with a cold smile. "Yellow friend, this man is precisely the one who originally obtained the Xitian Cauldron. I hadn't expected that after all these years, he had already condensed his spirit into a Yuan婴." Master Miao Hè spoke, his face shifting between expressions of concern and uncertainty. "Wait—wasn't this the one pursued by the alliance's extermination order? I've always felt that he looked familiar. But wasn't he just a junior cultivator who had achieved the Jie Dan stage? How could he have advanced so far, reaching the mid-Yuan婴 stage in just these years?" The elderly man in yellow robes gasped, startled. "I'm not entirely sure either. However, since the Xitian Cauldron is said to be the very first treasure of the Star Sea, perhaps it contains some extraordinary elixirs or medicinal herbs that have enabled him to make such a remarkable leap in cultivation. The cauldron has never been opened before—so it's by no means impossible." Master Miao Hè flashed a glint of eager anticipation in his eyes as he offered this speculation. "If indeed that's the This cultivator's cultivation already stands as terrifying; with the Xutian Ding in his hands, even if we combine our efforts, we may well be unable to stand against him." The yellow-robed elder kept a vigilant gaze upon Han Li, yet suddenly spoke to Miao He through a telepathic transmission. "I certainly know this. But even if we cannot withstand him, can he really hold us in place and prevent our escape?" Miao He's lips twitched slightly, yet a confident smile spread across her face. As for the several Jin Dan disciples, when the moment of crisis truly arrives, they will naturally no longer hesitate. "That's true," the yellow-robed elder said, pausing momentarily before breaking into a quiet chuckle. "Hmph. You've finished your discussion, haven't you? Once we're done, I'll send you both on your way. If you wish to escape, it'll be pure fantasy!" Han Li's expression shifted, and he responded with a cold smile. "Wait a moment—we completely forgot he can hear our telepathic conversations!" The yellow-robed elder's face fell. Miao He, upon hearing this, also looked momentarily stunned. But at that moment, suddenly a thunderous roar erupted behind Han Li's back, and the Wind-Thunder Wings materialized. With a subtle shift in posture, he vanished into thin air in the midst of a thunderclap. "Be cautious—the opponent's artifact is unusual; it can perform Lightning Transcendence!" The elder in yellow robes, who had once witnessed Han Li activate his Wind-Thunder Wings, promptly issued this warning. At the same time, his jade hammer of emerald hue flashed with luminous light, expanding into a streak of jade-green light that enveloped him. With a swift motion of his other hand, a crimson shield appeared before him, gently shimmering into a radiant red barrier that shielded his entire body. Upon seeing the two defenders, a faint smile played on his face. He didn't summon any precious artifacts, merely lifting his arms, a layer of purple flame bloomed from his body. Then, with a sudden shift in stance, Han Li transformed into a massive fire sphere and surged directly toward the yellow-robed elder. The elder, startled by Han Li's fierce assault, couldn't hesitate—just as he opened his mouth to issue a low cry, he swiftly redirected the white silk threads before him, all converging toward the fire sphere, as if aiming to pierce Han Li through with countless wounds. On the other side, Miao He Zhen also glowed with a fierce expression. With a single finger motion, his jade mallet radiated brilliant light, and the resulting azure rainbow thundered loudly before crashing straight toward Han Li. Yet Han Li paid neither of their attacks any mind, his body moving neither to avoid nor deflect. He simply plunged into the dense network of light threads, his face within the purple flame displaying a clear, mocking expression. (First chapter!