"What does the master mean by that?" "Have you any impressions from spending a day in those bamboo pavilions?" Han Li didn't answer directly, but asked calmly. "I don't know exactly, but it feels strange—something that's hard to put into words," Tian Qin'er murmured. "That was where an old friend of mine once lived. She too possessed the Dragon's Roar body, and was born with innate talent in array magic, yet she passed away at a young age," Han Li said slowly. "Oh, did the master not intervene to save her?" Tian Qin'er asked, surprised. "At that time, I hadn't even passed the stage of Jin Dan, so how could I have saved her? Moreover, she had already lost her will to live due to another matter. The array treatise I showed you that day was actually a collection of array texts she left behind." And back then, I first met this Xing Dao友 through another Daoist named Qi Yunxiao. At that time, I had only just established my foundational stage and attended a private auction held beneath a marketplace...” Han Li didn’t mind the length, and patiently recounted the entire story—how he had first encountered Qi Yunxiao, later met Xing Ruoyin, and the reasons for their respective deaths—without omitting a single detail. He paused when he reached the point of meeting Xing Ruoyin’s descendant servant, who he had seen after his own departure. Yet the young woman had already been stunned, gasping for breath for a while before finally exhaling deeply, her eyes filled with a mixture of wonder and complexity. “Ah, so it is! Master, do you truly believe I am the reincarnation of this person?” “I had only been three-quarters certain at first, but after observing your reactions during your stay in the bamboo pavilion, I now feel confident with at least a five-out-of-five chance. That’s more than sufficient. It seems the concept of reincarnation may indeed be real.” Han Li chuckled lightly. "As to my intention in taking you as my disciple..." Tian Qin'er felt a little uneasy upon hearing this. "Rest assured, I am truly taking you under my wing. I once had some acquaintance with Xin Dao-you, and I deeply admired his talent in array techniques. I am taking you on two counts: first, as a matter of sentiment—perhaps you are indeed a reincarnation of Xin Dao-you—and second, to cultivate your mastery of array arts, so that you may become a true master of the art. I believe this will prove invaluable to me in the future. Of course, if you should change your mind and decide not to join my sect, I will gladly send you back to the Luan Xing Hai." Han Li gazed steadily at the young woman, speaking slowly and calmly. "I'm not certain whether I truly am a reincarnation of my master's old friend. Even if I am, I have no memory of my past life. Now, that my master, a great cultivator, is willing to take a Qi-Stage cultivator like me as a disciple, how could I possibly let this opportunity pass?" Tian Qin'er quickly shook her head, her face showing evident concern, as if truly afraid that Han Li might no longer accept her as his disciple. After all, they had not yet formally exchanged the拜师 ritual, and she had only been recognized as a registered disciple thus far. Several months later, Han Li and the young woman entered the Xixu Kingdom uneventfully. A few days afterward, a brilliant streak of jade-green light appeared near the Yunmeng Mountain Range. At a distance of over a hundred li from the mountains, a thunderous, celestial roar suddenly burst forth from the streak. The roar soared straight into the heavens, echoing both like a dragon's cry and reminiscent of a phoenix's song. The floating clouds in the sky trembled violently, scattering and swirling chaotically. Remarkably, the jade-green streak moved with astonishing speed—within just a few flashes, it had already traveled dozens of li. The powerful spiritual force carried within the roar naturally stirred the entire Yunmeng Mountain Range, alerting all three major sects. From senior elders at the Yuan Ying stage down to ordinary disciples at the Ling Qi and Juzhi levels, everyone felt a profound sense of awe upon hearing the roar. The Yuan Ying elders, in particular, could not remain seated, and all personally left their sects to investigate who this extraordinary guest was and what it meant that he was manifesting such bold presence. Thus, as Han Li had just plunged into the mountain range for less than ten miles, five streaks of fleeing light shot toward him—clearly from the Yuan-Ying cultivators of the three great sects. Han Li's mind stirred; with the imminent meeting with Nan Gong Wan, his restless emotions finally settled. As the streaks of light faded and the roar subsided, the figures materialized, stepping forward and gazing intently at the five streaks. A moment later, a rare smile appeared on his face. When the five streaks reached about thirty to forty paces before him, they dispersed, revealing five cultivators. Han Li recognized most of them. "Han brother—it's you!" A middle-aged man in a blue robe identified Han Li clearly from a distance, then stopped and exclaimed with both surprise and delight. He was Lü Luo of Luoyun Sect—the senior monk who had once invited Han Li to join. "Lü senior, you're well!" Han Li beamed, bowing respectfully to Lü Luo. "Ah, it's Brother Han returning to the mountain. I always wondered who could possess such astonishing abilities. Hm, Brother Han, you've already reached the late stage now." The first to speak was a young cultivator dressed in red robes, with rosy lips and pale teeth—none other than the Fire Dragon Child from the Ancient Sword Sect. Yet now, his face was suddenly filled with astonishment. "Brother Lan, haven't you also advanced to the mid-stage?" Han Li glanced at the child and smiled in reply. "Brother Han, you're truly jesting. How could my advancement to the mid-stage be comparable to the remarkable achievement of becoming a great cultivator that you've just shared?" The Fire Dragon Child swallowed hard, then managed a dry, hesitant response. The others were now startled, and with a moment of inner awareness, they each scanned Han Li with their spiritual senses—each of them found themselves equally stunned. Lü Luo, in particular, his voice trembling slightly, asked once again: "Is this truly so? Your younger brother has now reached the late stage as a great cultivator?" "During my journey, I've gained much experience and insight, which has enabled me to finally break through to the late stage Lü Luo naturally beamed with joy, unable to find the right words, his gentle face lit up with warm smiles. "Congratulations, Han brother! I never expected that after just a century apart, Han brother has made such remarkable progress on the path of cultivation. It seems our Yunmeng Mountain lineage will now truly command respect throughout the southern lands." The statement came from the Feng elder whom Han Li had once met at the Baiqiao Academy—impressed at first, he quickly warmed up and spoke with great enthusiasm. Han Li nodded politely, saying nothing further. Though both the early and late-stage Yuan婴 cultivators were Yuan婴 cultivators and held equal status among peers, the clear distinction between them was evident to everyone. Naturally, the others bowed slightly in Han Li's presence. The other two figures, however, were men unfamiliar to him—new elders recently promoted from the Gujian Gate and the Baiqiao Academy—both of whom felt more reserved and, after exchanging greetings, wisely chose to remain silent. "Brother Lan, Friend Feng, you two go ahead first. I've been away from the sect for so many years now—I think I'll need to return to the sect for a few days to settle in before I make my way to the Ancient Sword Sect and the Hundred Skills Academy to meet a few of my friends." Han Li glanced at them and said this. Upon hearing this, the Fire Dragon Child and the elder named Feng immediately insisted that it was unnecessary for them to go back. Instead, they pledged to personally visit Han Li at the Luoyun Sect with the other senior monks, and after securing Han Li's agreement, they arranged to meet him three days later before departing. In the blink of an eye, only Lu Luo remained at the spot. "Senior Lu, two other sects have recently produced new Yuan-Stage cultivators. Has our own sect produced a new Yuan-Stage senior monk yet? It will take Senior Lu the trouble of personally welcoming me," Han Li asked, frowning slightly as he watched the four figures vanish into the light. "Apologies. For the past century, our sect has relied on my reputation to attract many promising disciples, though most still have relatively low attainments. Recently, however, we haven't had many who show real potential to break through the Yuan婴 stage. That said, once those more gifted disciples mature, things will surely improve significantly. Hmm, this young lady—?" Lu Luo initially appeared somewhat embarrassed, but upon glancing at Tian Qin'er standing behind Han Li, he expressed a moment of curiosity. "This is one of my disciples I've taken on during my travels—she hasn't yet formally undergone the拜师 ceremony," Han Li said with a smile. "Respectfully, Master Uncle!" Tian Qin'er proved quite respectful and promptly stepped forward to bow. Though she still holds only Qi Stage cultivation, having been personally admitted as a disciple by Han Li, she now stands apart from the ordinary disciples who are ranked primarily by their cultivation levels. "Ah, come now, rise up! I hadn't expected my younger brother to finally formally enroll disciples. As for me, I don't have much to offer—only a protective artifact from my past days. Here, take it!" Lü Luo laughed heartily, then reached into his waist satchel with one hand, instantly producing a glowing crimson crystal sphere that he handed directly to Tian Qin'er. The young woman was momentarily stunned, but soon brightened up and bowed gratefully before happily accepting the artifact. Han Li merely smiled in response and then, with Tian Qin'er, set off immediately toward the Lu Yun Sect, flying through the sky. On the way, Lü Luo briefly outlined the Sect's developments over the past hundred years, with particular emphasis on the passing of the silver-haired elder, Cheng Brother, and the fact that Nan Gong Wan had still not yet escaped from the ice wall. Although Han Li had already anticipated the passing of the silver-haired elder, hearing it confirmed by Lü Luo himself stirred a sense of gentle sadness within him. After all, he had once shared a close friendship with Cheng Brother. But when he learned that Nan Gong Wan was still trapped within the ice wall, his expression grew serious, and a subtle sense of concern appeared on his face. But Lü Luo smiled and explained: "Brother need not worry. Although his wife has not yet broken the seal, she has already regained consciousness and is in no serious condition. The only issue is that she is currently refining a certain internal technique within the wall. Now that she has broken free, she may lose all her progress."