Several Yuan-Ying-level elders from the major cultivation sects unexpectedly received a new invitation from Luoyun Sect, this time to attend the formal double-attunement ceremony where Luoyun Sect’s Grand Elder—renowned as the first great cultivator of the southern region—and the other, lesser-known Yuan-Ying female cultivator, Nan Gong Wan, officially become life-partners. Upon receiving the invitation, most of the Yuan-Ying elders, aside from a few who were already aware of the inner details, were deeply astonished. However, given the current unparalleled reputation of Han Li, no one dared to decline the invitation. Even the three others who were unable to attend in person due to closed-door meditation sessions specially sent their disciples with rare and exceptional gifts. It is said that during the days leading up to the ceremony, the sky above the entire Luoyun Mountain Range was enveloped for half its span by a magnificent, vibrant five-colored light aura. Suddenly, numerous radiant pavilions and palaces of shimmering hues appeared in mid-air throughout the range. Under the influence of magical seals, all the spiritual flowers and trees across the mountain simultaneously bloomed, releasing a lush green glow, transforming the Yunmeng Mountain into a true paradise. The three main sects of Yunmeng Mountain, along with several smaller sects eager to please Han Li, put forth their utmost efforts, making the ceremony's grandeur even surpass that of the previous grand event when Han Li attained the rank of senior cultivator. Attendees included not only senior cultivators invited by Luoyun Sect, but also many practitioners from medium and smaller sects, as well as several renowned independent cultivators who came without formal invitations. Over the course of the ceremony days, the number of external practitioners on Yunmeng Mountain reached as many as five or six thousand, most of whom were high-level cultivators—marking the largest such celebration in the southern region in over a thousand years. Yet, this outcome is not surprising at all. When Han Li first advanced to the rank of senior cultivator, although many guests had come to congratulate him, most remained skeptical, and there were still three other senior cultivators of comparable rank in the southern region. However, following the grand ceremony, Han Li's status as the foremost cultivator in the southern region was firmly established. Hearing that Han Li could hold his own against two opponents of the same stage, and even prevail against two peers, every sect, no matter how ancient or powerful its influence, now felt a deep sense of apprehension. This clearly demonstrated that, with Han Li's current capabilities, he could single-handedly subdue any cultivation sect if he chose to disregard the existence of his own sect. No sect in the southern sky could simultaneously boast two or more senior cultivators capable of standing against Han Li, the foremost cultivator of the region. As a result, regardless of past ties with Luoyun Sect, all sects began sending representatives to establish new connections. Among the senior cultivators among the independent practitioners, even more expressed a strong desire to meet Han Li, hoping he might offer guidance on cultivation or simply provide an opportunity to meet other cultivators during the ceremony. Thus, the gathering of external cultivators attending the event, combined with the members from the three sects themselves, truly made this an event of unparalleled scale—the Grand Assembly of Ten Thousand Cultivators. Han Li and the beautiful Nan Gong Wan appeared at the ceremony for only a brief period, offering polite smiles and a few words of gratitude to the gathering cultivators before drinking a cup of shared wine and then drifting away gracefully. The rest of the proceedings were entirely entrusted to Lu Luo, the other senior cultivator of Luoyun Sect. Indeed, Lu Luo, with his broad experience and keen insight, managed to make the remaining events of the ceremony vibrant and lively, despite the absence of the two main figures. The dual-cultivation ceremony continued for three or four days before concluding. As the gathering cultivators began to depart in groups, a few unexpectedly remained behind. ...Han Li and Nan Gong Wan, dressed in white, stood side by side at the summit of the mother peak of the Zimu Peak, gazing at the rolling clouds in the distance. The two stood in quiet silence, their stillness speaking volumes. Not knowing how long it had been, Nangong Wanhao brushed a strand of green hair from her forehead and suddenly turned to Han Li, offering a bright, charming smile. "This time, I've indeed turned misfortune into fortune. Thanks to the Chajia Tianyue Decision, I finally broke through to the mid Yuan-ying stage while sealed within the prison. Still, I must thank my husband for his timely assistance—especially for having administered the Di Liu Jiang, such a rare and precious elixir. That alone has saved me at least a dozen years of grueling cultivation. Otherwise, I'm not sure whether I could even escape now. Yet, how astonishing it is that my husband has already advanced so swiftly to the late stage. With his current prowess, I would have thought that few, if any, in the human realm could stand against him—except perhaps those few retired, aloof, high-level Shenshen-period elders." I had thought that with the power of the fire toad's inner essence, the spell would be nearly completely dispelled. Yet it turned out there were still several other seals hidden within me, dormant until now. Thanks to having previously fully unsealed them using the genuine method—otherwise, I truly would have faced endless complications. "The jade waves in Nangong Wan's eyes shimmered, her grace as delicate and charming as that of a young lady. "I'm also relieved. It was well worth my special journey to the Great Jin realm. Afterward, you take the infant-nourishing pill I've given you. With this gesture, advancing to the late stage of the Yuan婴 stage might very well be possible." Han Li glanced at the beautiful woman beside him and smiled. "Indeed, the infant-nourishing pill must be that effective! It even proves beneficial for breaking through to the late Yuan婴 stage!" Nangong Wan blinked her beautiful eyes, still somewhat doubtful. "Heh, for this pill, several Yuan婴中期 practitioners from the Great Jin realm have already perished in succession. How can you doubt its efficacy?" Han Li smiled, silent. "Since my lord has said that, I'll first consolidate my mid-stage cultivation, and then take this pill to test its effects." Nangong Wan's eyes sparkled with brightness, slightly tilting her head and smiling gently—her blend of a mature wife's grace and a young lady's purity flowed seamlessly. Han Li gazed at his wife's delicate, skin-like face, recalling their intimate moments over the past few days, his heart stirred subtly. As he prepared to say more, his expression suddenly changed, and he turned toward the distant sky. Nangong Wan was startled and followed his gaze. "Pei Ling, the ceremony has already concluded. Yet you've come so hurriedly from the estate—does it seem that Master Lu cannot handle anything, and thus must rely on me to come and assist you and your husband?" Nan Gong Wan asked with a graceful, composed tone. Hm, don't let me tease you, Wan'er. Pei Ling, have you asked the names of the visitors yet?" Han Li cleared his throat, asking with a touch of curiosity. "Yes, the first group is led by a Yan-family woman from the Gui Ling Sect, accompanied by two of their senior monks. The second group consists of Han Yunzhi, a female cultivator from the Yu Ling Sect, and Dong Xuaner from the He Huan Sect." Mu Pei Ling replied without hesitation. "Are they?" Han Li was momentarily surprised, murmuring softly. At the side, Nan Gong Wan raised her delicate brows slightly, then smiled gently. "It seems these people are indeed old acquaintances of your husband. Why not go and meet them? Otherwise, it might seem rather impolite." Nan Gong Wan said with a smile. "These ladies were among those I met when my cultivation journey was still in its early stages. It would be good to meet them. Pei Ling, go back and inform your senior at once that I'll be going right away. Arrange them in the two guest pavilions, and I'll see each of them individually." Han Li paused slightly, then nodded. "Yes, then Pei Ling will retire." Mu Pei Ling bowed slightly and gracefully transformed into a beam of white light, vanishing into the air. Han Li, remaining in place, glanced upward, his brows furrowed slightly. "Is there something you're not satisfied with regarding Pei Ling, sister?" Nang Gong Wan observed Han Li's expression carefully and smiled gently. "Not at all. I just find it hard to understand—why, after you stepped out, did you decide to regard her as your sister-in-adopt? Originally, I had hoped to have her join as a novice disciple under your guidance." Han Li straightened up, arms behind his back, shaking his head in mild confusion. "What's wrong with making Pei Ling my sister-in-adopt? First, I simply wish to accompany my husband on our journey toward enlightenment and have no intention of taking on disciples. Second, her background bears a striking resemblance to mine from my youth, and our conversations have been quite pleasant. Moreover, rather than leave her in a state of uncertainty and indecision, it seems better to establish our bond as sisters right away." "Then, no matter whether she eventually becomes my concubine or I quietly regard her as my disciple and transmit her the techniques and the great path of cultivation, others will not raise any objections." Nangong Wan said gently. "I'll follow your preference on this matter. I won't say a word more. I'll go meet those two groups of guests first." Han Li replied indifferently. "Then, Master will go early and return early. I'll return to my own pavilion to await your arrival." Nangong Wan smiled lightly. Upon hearing this, Han Li only sighed with a touch of weariness: "Wan'er, your cultivation method, the Chai Nü Tian Yue Ju, is truly unusual—it requires the power of the Yin Moon to practice. Thus, a special array must be set up to gather the Yin Moon's energy. Yet, this Yin Moon energy is detrimental to other cultivators' practices. Anyone within the influence of this array who sits in meditation may find their cultivation stagnating, possibly even losing their progress. As a result, we cannot share the same pavilion for cultivation, and we must instead establish a separate pavilion on another sub-peak." "I was so eager back then to embrace the power of this method that I never truly considered how much trouble it would entail," Nan Gong Wan said with a look of apology. "Though I do feel a bit regretful, it's good that we only need to part when we're engaged in cultivation. Our two pavilions are close by, so outside of cultivation periods, we can easily share the same pavilion. It's not truly a major inconvenience. Well, it's getting late now, so I'll be off first," Han Li gently reassured her before stating his parting words, and, with Nan Gong Wan watching, transformed into a streak of jade-green light and departed from the mother peak.