A fresh, green scent of plants washed over him. Inside the wooden chest lay a shimmering green mass, and at the center of the light, a round, jade-green orb the size of a thumb. Upon scanning it with his divine awareness, Han Li found the orb neither stone nor wood, and could not immediately determine its material composition. As soon as the orb emerged, a thick aura of wood-based spiritual energy immediately filled the surrounding area. After taking a deep breath, Han Li himself felt a surge of renewed vitality. "Indeed, it is a gathering spirit orb—no doubt about it! Though such orbs were once known in ancient times, whether naturally formed or later crafted by human hands, they have long since vanished from the current immortal realm. It's surprising that your sect still possesses one. Nevertheless, Yan Xianzi—does your Ghost-Ling Sect truly intend to bestow such a rare treasure upon us? After all, a cultivator who practices a wood-based cultivation method can save nearly half their usual cultivation time simply by carrying this orb." Han Li extended two fingers,夹ing the bead between them, and after gazing at it for a moment, raised his head to look at the young woman across from him, his expression calm once more. "This bead is indeed a rare treasure from the human realm. However, when compared to our sect's legacy, we still need to clearly determine which is more important. Moreover, Brother Han, you must know that our Gui Ling Sect's cultivation techniques are exceptionally rare in the wood element—this item would not prove particularly useful if retained within our sect. It would be better to use it to secure one of our sect's vital opportunities instead." Yan Ruyan said, her tone now resolute. "As for the other members of the Wang family, I don't care. But as for Wang Chan—I absolutely don't wish to see him again. Otherwise, I'd have no interest in rescuing my own enemies. Do you understand my meaning?" Han Li glanced at the Han gentleman with a light, composed tone. Yan Ru Yan's face was slightly pale, yet she said nothing. "Very well, I accept these gifts. In a few days, I will personally send letters to several sects under the Yuling Sect." Han Li nodded calmly, and the yellow-robed man was overjoyed. Next, seeing that their purpose for this visit had been fulfilled and unwilling to stay any longer at Luoyun Sect, the three members of the Gui Ling Sect rose promptly to bid farewell. Han Li did not linger to see them off, merely watching them depart. Yan Ru Yan was the last to leave the hall. As she approached the door, however, she paused, turning with a complex expression to gaze at Han Li. Her lips parted slightly, but no words came out. After a soft sigh, she turned and walked out of the hall without looking back. Seeing this, Han Li's expression subtly shifted. He glanced at the three treasures on the table and found himself silent as well. ...After the three members of the Gui Ling Sect had departed Luoyun Sect, they immediately transformed into three streaks of light and set off toward their homes. But barely had they stepped out of the Yunmeng Mountain range when the elderly gentleman with the clock surname suddenly sighed and turned to the yellow-robed magnate, asking, "Yan, shall we really have to fight Wang's nephew?" "Master Zhong, it's not that I intend to wipe out the entire Wang family. The condition was specifically requested by the other party—there's absolutely no room for compromise. They didn't ask us to eliminate the entire Wang lineage, and Master Zhong's descendants aren't limited to just Wang Chan. So, for them, this is already a relatively lenient demand. After all, the Wang family once deeply offended them, and it's said that even when Wang Chan's cultivation path was still forming, he nearly cost the other party their life. Given this history, it's no wonder they're reluctant to let go now. In my opinion, we might as well take this opportunity to thoroughly clean up Wang's disciples within our sect. Otherwise, should this person appear willing to compromise publicly while still harboring resentment toward us, we might end up with a loss." The yellow-robed magnate seized the opportunity to express himself thus. "This... " the elder hesitated, his face showing uncertainty. "Yan'er, this time I fear I'll have to ask a great deal of you. Such an outcome—by then, when the marriage alliance with the Wang family was first established—you should have already anticipated it to some extent! Fortunately, you've now reached the Yuan Ying stage, while Wang Chan has failed to make the same advancement, making it inherently difficult for him to match your status. Moreover, the Wang family suddenly launched an attack on our Yan family back then. Aside from me, who had been secretly cultivating abroad, nearly all senior cultivators—including you—were subjected to seals by the Wang family. Since Wang Chan has not expressed any sentiments of marital affection, what reason do I have to continue to care about him?" The large man turned his head, offering an apologetic remark to Yan Ruyan, who had remained silent throughout. "Uncle, I fully understand your words. Yet I have shared a life with him as a spouse. How could I simply agree without expressing my feelings? After returning, I will immediately enter a closed meditation for a hundred years, withdrawing completely from all matters within the sect. No matter how you handle the Wang family or Wang Chan, I "Yan Ru Yan said calmly, then a flash of light revealed his speed had increased by one-third, instantly leaving the Han and the elder behind. The Han observed this and frowned, showing a look of resignation. "I shall say little more. As long as what is done truly benefits our sect, the Wang family's matter shall be handled according to Yan Shidu's judgment." After careful consideration, the elder finally agreed with the Han's proposal. "Master Zhong, please rest assured—I will act with discretion and never overstep my bounds." The Han expressed great relief upon hearing this. Yet the elder only shook his head slightly, remaining silent, as though his mood remained unsettled. Yan Ru Yan, seeing this, remained unperturbed, knowing that his senior had known the Wang Chan father and son for much longer than he had known him himself—such a demeanor was entirely natural. "Still, to bestow such a precious treasure as the Jūlíng Zhū upon someone else, I find it truly regrettable," the Han said, his excitement giving way to a tone of quiet惋惜. "Regrettable?" "Really do you think this spirit-jade belongs to our sect?" The elder named Zhong chuckled, saying something that left the Han man stunned. "What does this mean? Didn't Brother take this jade from our sect's treasury?" The Han man grew increasingly puzzled. "Heh, I'm not sure whether this jade originally belonged to our sect or not, but this item was personally delivered to me by the Old Magistrate of Harmony—there's no doubt about that," said the elder, smiling. "The Old Magistrate of Harmony?" The Han man was now completely speechless. "Indeed. Not long ago, this old magistrate suddenly visited me, presented this jade, claiming it was a loan from our sect to the Harmony Sect, and hinted that only the senior abbot of Luoyun Sect, Brother Han, could resolve our sect's current crisis—offering this jade as a token of goodwill to secure my support. Isn't that astonishing, Brother Yan?" The elder spoke with evident intention. "Even if this jade truly belongs to our sect, how could the Old Magistrate of Harmony have been so kind as to return it?" Could it be that the Spirit-Collecting Pearl has some issue?" The man in the yellow robe reacted swiftly, his expression suddenly turning grave. "The pearl is in perfect condition. I've inspected it thoroughly on several occasions—both in terms of its effects and appearance, it matches exactly what's been described for the Wood Spirit Pearl, without a single flaw. The pearl itself is flawless. Otherwise, why would I have acted so boldly on the basis of his suggestion?" The elder shook his head seriously. "But the old demon would never undertake such a pointless action. Brother Zhong should have consulted with us first, before making such a move. Should anything go wrong, it might well bring about disaster for our entire sect." The man in the yellow robe no longer appeared composed as before, his anxiety mounting. "Hmph. Without following the old demon's instructions, what other treasure could possibly persuade this foremost cultivator of the southern lands to act? As for not having consulted with Brother Zhong beforehand—what good would that do? If there's no other course of action, why have we come all the way to Luoyun Sect at all?" The Zhong surname elder sneered. The yellow-robed man listened intently, his brows still furrowed, yet found himself at a loss for words. "Well, the jade has already been dispatched. Even if we wish to retract our offer, it's now too late. As long as the jade itself is sound, any issues that arise won't involve us." After a moment of hesitation, this Yan family cultivator could only console himself with this reasoning. "Your words are indeed accurate, Brother Yan. The Gathering Spirit Jade has been renowned since ancient times as a rare treasure. After so many years, even if something truly arises, we can easily deflect the blame. Moreover, at the time, even this foremost cultivator of the Tiannan region himself affirmed the jade's authenticity and integrity—thus, it bears no relation to our sect at all." The Zhong surname elder flashed a sharp, gleaming gaze and chuckled coldly. "Very well. With matters now settled, we must accept this. However, for caution's sake, once our sect emerges unscathed and secures a stable foundation, we shall immediately seal the mountain and close our gates for a full century." The yellow-robed man silently pondered for a moment before sighing and saying, "Indeed, your point is well taken. Then I shall follow your advice." The elder named Zhong nodded vigorously, expressing strong agreement. The two senior monks of Gui Ling Sect had no further words to add and immediately accelerated their flight, their two streaks of light racing swiftly after the swiftly vanishing Yan Ruyan. ... At the same time, deep within Tianyang Spring, the sacred grounds of Héhuān Sect, veiled in a thick gray mist, a figure was faintly seated upon a massive stone, murmuring softly: "The timing is right—the treasure is almost in the hands of the young man named Han. Hmph. The Wood Spirit Pearl! Though with this rare artifact, you've certainly accelerated your cultivation, it will still be a challenge when you reach the stage of breaking through the stage of Divine Spirit. Hehe…" As he spoke, the figure could not help but emit a cold, disapproving chuckle! (Second update!)