"Miss Liu, have we secured the precious herb?" Two more streaks of light shot out from the bamboo grove and arrived beside the white-robed woman within a moment, revealing two other beautiful women. "We've obtained it, but it's not the one we were looking for—only a single purple flame flower!" The white-robed woman replied with a wry smile. "No need to worry, Miss Mu. We've only just explored a small area outside the valley; the phantom spirit herb might be growing elsewhere!" The last woman, dressed in a serene green imperial gown, smiled gently. These three stunning women—Liu Yu, Mu Peilin, and the Song-family woman from Bai Feng Peak—had been visiting the outskirts of the Fallen Demon Valley for nearly half a month. While they had discovered several other herbs that grew in secluded spots, the phantom spirit herb they had been seeking remained completely elusive. Liu Yu and Mu Peilin grew increasingly anxious, while the Song-family woman remained calm and composed. "That's true enough, but there are certainly risks elsewhere. Those areas might still harbor lingering spatial rifts—should one fall into one, it could mean a serious threat to one's life." Liu Yu's brows furrowed, growing increasingly concerned. "Those spatial rifts have mostly vanished long ago. As long as we stay alert, it's unlikely we'll stumble upon them by chance. Moreover, this batch of pills is particularly crucial for cultivators at the Condensation Stage, and the journey of cultivation has always been fraught with dangers. If we're hesitant to take on even this level of risk, then why not simply remain within the sect, practicing meditation and refining our cultivation in peace?" Song, the woman, smiled lightly. "Your point, Song Sister, is well taken. I've now reached the mid-stage bottleneck, and without these pills, I doubt I'll be able to make the breakthrough." Mu Peilin pondered for a while, then sighed softly. "Since both Song Sister and Mu Sister agree, I have no choice but to join in and see this through." Liu Yu's eyes sparkled, and she smiled gracefully. The three sisters, now in full agreement, instantly transformed into three streaks of light and sped off directly toward the rest of the outer valley, vanishing in a flash. At the same time, within the restricted grounds of Luoyun Sect, the stone gate of the stone chamber slowly opened once more. Han Lin stepped out, a touch of joy on his face, only to find Lu Luo smiling warmly, along with Fan Ren and Tian Qin'er, already waiting there, which made him slightly startled. "Brother Han, how is your sister now?" "Still fine. I've once again used the exorcism method I obtained from the Great Jin Dynasty to fully lift the sealing spell on her soul. Now, there should be no further complications. However, Wan'er is currently at a crucial stage in mastering the 'Chai Nü Tian Yue Technique,' and will be unable to leave the ice wall for some time—she'll likely need to wait several more years. It's a pity that my cultivation style differs from hers; otherwise, I could have offered her immediate assistance." Han Lin sighed lightly, his smile fading slightly to reveal a touch of regret. "Brother, there's no need to worry." Though his younger siblings cannot immediately free themselves, they are already beginning to awaken on their own, merely needing a few more years. Then, I will certainly attend to your wedding feast!" Lu Luo relaxed and began to tease Han Li. Upon hearing this, Han Li turned a rare shade of red, but soon composed himself, smiling calmly. "By the way, your brother has now attained the status of a great cultivator. Staying at the Zimu Peak might no longer be suitable. How about we move back to the main temple, and I rebuild a dwelling for you on the main peak?" Lu Luo hesitated and proposed. "That need not be done. My Zimu Peak, though modest in size, is quite secluded. Even if Wan'er emerges, it will be more than sufficient for us to live comfortably as a couple." After thinking it over, Han Li shook his head. "Well, then, if you feel that way, I'll accept it." By the way, my junior's Yuan-Infant-level puppet is still staying with me. I... "Lü Luo's face showed a touch of regret, and after a moment's hesitation, he added about the puppet that Han Li had left behind. "I've now reached the late Yuan-Infant stage. This puppet no longer serves me much. I'll give it to the sect, and have my senior continue to control it." Han Li's eyes sparkled briefly, and he smiled calmly. "Then I'm truly grateful to my junior!" Lü Luo was overjoyed to hear this. To him, however, the puppet was of great value. "That said, Wan'er is currently at a crucial stage in breaking through her mid-stage bottleneck. I don't want any unforeseen disruptions to affect her final cultivation." Han Li furrowed his brows, yet suddenly said this. "My junior means..." Lü Luo found himself somewhat puzzled. "The Zi-Mu Peak is quite distant from the sacred grounds. Though I don't close myself off for long periods of continuous cultivation these years, I still have several treasures that need to be re-tempered, and perhaps I'll have to make a few trips outside." I'd like to make a slight adjustment to this restriction, enhancing its power further to completely seal off this area. Does Master agree? "Han Li said solemnly, speaking slowly." Ha ha, I thought something had happened. This matter, then, is entirely up to my younger brother. In fact, since my return, I've already planned to fully entrust the sacred grounds to Han Li's direct management." Lu Luo replied with a smile. "Then I'm truly grateful. By the way, my disciple may need Master's occasional assistance in the future." Han Li smiled slightly, but then suddenly pointed at Tian Qin'er beside him, as though remembering something. He briefly mentioned Tian Qin'er's innate dragon-song body and the possibility that she might be a reincarnation of one of his close friends. "Hm, so the concept of reincarnation truly exists after all. Don't worry—should my younger brother be unable to intervene, I will personally stabilize Tian's body against the counter-effects of her yang energy." Lu Luo instantly grasped Han Li's intent and promptly agreed without hesitation. "Hehe, this truly will require a great deal of your help, Lu Xiao. But please don't worry— I'll do my best to gather several Yin-nature spiritual pills. If their effects are strong enough, they should be sufficient to delay the onset of her Dragon Roar Body condition, and I won't need you to intervene as frequently." Han Li said with confidence. Lu Luo merely waved his hand, appearing unconcerned. Tian Qin'er, upon hearing Han Li's words, felt deeply touched. She had always worried about what she would do should her master go on a long journey or enter prolonged meditation. She hadn't expected Han Li to have already thought so thoroughly ahead of time. After that, Lu Luo and Han Li discussed several upcoming events, including visits from the Ancient Sword Sect and the Hundred Skills Academy in a few days, before bidding each other farewell and departing. As soon as Lu Luo stepped out of the sanctuary, Han Li immediately pulled out seven or eight sets of array flags and array discs from his sleeve and began to reconfigure and adjust the sealing spells surrounding the entire stone chamber. To be honest, during his journey to the Great Jin, Han Li eliminated a considerable number of Yuan-Stage cultivators, amassing numerous powerful array tools from their storage bags—far surpassing what he had previously possessed. Only then did he begin to regard the original seals of the sacred site as less formidable, and decided to revise and reconfigure them. Now, even though he was no longer by Nangong Wan’s side, he felt much more at ease. He absolutely did not want to relive the incident where he had been secretly harmed while away from his beloved partner. With ready-made array tools at hand, setting up the magical arrays became remarkably swift! Within just one meal’s time, Han Li completed all the array installations. After giving a warm smile to Tian Qin’er, he waved his hand and stepped back into the stone chamber, where he remained for a short while before stepping out again with a smile. "Come, I’ll take you to my residence, and while doing so, I’ll also establish a private dwelling for you. In addition, all the array treatises that my teacher has collected will be entrusted entirely to your care," Han Li said, sounding particularly cheerful. Immediately, Han Li's body shimmered with a jade glow, transforming into a streak of azure light that departed the sacred realm, heading straight for his former residence, the Zǐ Mǔ Peak. In just a brief moment, the azure streak broke through the great array of the sect's protective barrier and reached the sky above Zǐ Mǔ Peak on the eastern side of Luoyun Sect. After a gentle spiral, it settled upon the summit of one of the subsidiary peaks. With a swift motion of his sleeve, Han Li launched十余 golden flying swords that shot forth like arrows, vanishing into the air as streaks of golden light several zhang long, each lasting only a moment. Han Li then settled cross-legged, hands pressed in seals, silent and motionless. Yet, no thunderous roar echoed from the mountain's midsection. Tian Qin'er stood behind Han Li, occasionally glancing left and right, her eyes reflecting curiosity. With Han Li's current level of cultivation, establishing a modest dwelling was no great effort. Half an hour later, he suddenly opened his eyes: "Excellent. The dwelling is complete. As for the interior layout, it will be up to your own preference." First, go to the abode and take a look. If anything doesn't satisfy you, feel free to make adjustments yourself. Should anything be missing, simply present my senior's seal to the sect and collect it directly. Over the coming days, I'll need to refine several treasures within the abode. In the meantime, you may get familiar with our sect. "Yes, Master!" Tian Qin'er responded with a bright expression of excitement. Han Li suddenly flipped his hand, producing several glowing items—seals, small banners, round orbs, as well as flying swords and bronze mirrors—six or seven distinct and notable artifacts. "These artifacts are of good quality. With your current cultivation level, you should be able to handle them adequately for defense purposes. Hehe, how could my disciples lack the ability to protect themselves? By the way, this seal is specifically used to activate the restrictions of the Sibyl Peak. First refine this item, and then you may leave." Han Li said calmly. "Thank you so much, Master! I will remember this." The parents of Tian Qin'er were also Jin-Dan stage cultivators, and naturally, they immediately recognized that these artifacts were far from ordinary—they seemed to be either upper-tier or top-tier, certainly sufficient even for Jin-Dan stage practitioners. Tian Qin'er was overjoyed and bowed deeply in gratitude before reaching out to take them. Han Li, however, smiled lightly, then instantly transformed into a streak of light and shot straight toward the mother peak. After a few flashes, he suddenly vanished into the mountain peak, leaving no trace. Meanwhile, Tian Qin'er excitedly handled the artifacts in her hands for a while before happily floating upward toward her own dwelling. Han Li had already returned to his cave, which he had not visited in nearly a century. Gazing at everything in the cave unchanged as ever, he felt deeply moved. Then, he carefully took out the spiritual herbs, medicinal roots, insects, and beasts from his storage bag, promptly transplanting the herbs to the medicinal garden and placing the insects and beasts into their respective rooms and enclosures. Then, without hesitation, he entered the inner chamber and began refining the second set of Qingzhú Fēngyún Swords, intending to fully incorporate the newly obtained Gēng Jing into them. However, this was only the first step—Han Li also planned to blend the ten-thousand-year-old Xuanyù he had obtained from the Xijiguang Palace into the swords, endowing the flying swords with the ability to emit cold and icy power, thus further enhancing their might. With such improvements, even Han Li himself grew increasingly eager to refine his own immortal treasures once again. (Second chapter!)