"Indeed, Master Wan has been most generous!" Han Li chuckled, his expression shifting to one of half-smiling, half-quietly skeptical. "Is there anything you feel is still lacking?" asked Wan Tianming calmly. "Everything is more than sufficient. Of course, the matter I've been committed to for years now—going back to when I first pledged it—has always been one I never break. I've never backed out on my promises. However, if Master Wan can safely step back this time, I might just consider your request in the next opportunity." Han Li replied lazily, clearly speaking with a tone of gentle teasing. Hearing this, Han Li immediately agreed without even hesitating. This surprised Wan Tianming, who, after a few glances of darkened expression, promptly raised both hands and chanted incantations, transforming into a streak of purple light that sped off toward the direction away from Tianxing City. Han Li turned back to glance at Ling Yuling and the others, smiled, and nodded in approval before himself transforming into a streak of jade-green light and closely following behind. In a moment, these two late-stage great cultivators departed one after another, vanishing into the horizon. Seeing this, Ling Yuling and the elderly man with the Zhao surname exchanged glances, each reading a hint of concern on the other's face. It seemed that Wan Tianming had known of Han Li's presence all along, and now, by actively inviting him to battle and departing, he might have some hidden strategy. Yet Han Li had shown no hesitation in following. Though both were uneasy, they found themselves unable to voice any objections, for fear of dampening their own morale. "Heh, well, since Wan Daojun has already gone, we might as well make use of the opportunity and move as well." Let Lan personally assess the abilities of these younger disciples—ah, what a sight! For centuries, I've never defeated a Yuan-Infant stage cultivator. The bearded elder among the Blue family's two demons extended a tongue bright red as blood, lightly touched his lips, then suddenly burst out laughing in a strange, resonant tone. Then, with both hands forming gestures, he opened his mouth and expelled a white, misty bone ring. At the same time, thick clouds of blood mist surged from his body, spreading rapidly to cover an area of several dozen zhang around him, forming a vast sea of blood. Within this sea, eerie ghostly wails and strange cries rose, sweeping toward the star-governed cultivator ranks across the opposite side. The petite woman standing beside him also emitted a delicate, enchanting laugh. With a simple flick of her sleeves, soft pink mist poured forth from her sleeves, releasing a fragrant aroma so alluring that it stirred the very spirit of those who inhaled it, leaving them unable to control their inner stirrings. The Long family elder and the elderly woman exchanged glances, then the elder expelled a single golden orb, while the woman released a breath of thirteen jade-green flying blades, converging into a radiant aura that surged forward. Upon seeing this, the Yuan-ying cultivators from the Nixing Alliance, such as Ling Yuling, could not afford to delay—each of them activated their own powers, projecting colorful light auroras to meet the assault. With several Yuan-ying initial cultivators on the Star Palace side and the two formidable Yuan-ying mid-level figures, the Blue氏 dual demons, from the Nixing Alliance, the various spiritual lights and magical essences from both sides collided in a series of thunderous impacts, instantly intertwining and forming a stalemate. Meanwhile, the numerous Jiandan and Juchan-level cultivators on both sides, observing the scene, spontaneously raised a unified cry, summoning their respective artifacts and tools, and taking to the flight paths to advance—thus initiating a full-scale engagement. Yet, these lower-tier cultivators naturally maintained a safe distance from the central arena where the Yuan-ying cultivators were engaged, scattering outwards. At once, across dozens of miles, the sounds of explosions, cries of battle, and the clashing of various magical implements resonated throughout the heavens, making it impossible to tell which side held the upper hand. It seemed clear that a decisive outcome would not come in mere moments. At the same time, the light forms of Han Li and Wan Tianming had traveled nearly a thousand li before finally coming to rest on a stretch of sea. As soon as Han Li stepped out of the shimmering glow, he simply crossed his arms and gazed steadily at his opponent, his expression unchanged. With his current powerful spiritual awareness, he could easily detect any hidden or concealed cultivators in the surrounding area—otherwise, how could he have genuinely been led along by the other side? After scanning the area, he found that not a single cultivator nor any magical seals or arrays existed within a hundred miles. Looking at Wan Tianming across the way, his demeanor was equally composed. Han Li found himself chuckling inwardly. This was indeed interesting—Wan Tianming, the head of the Wan Clan, seemed just as confident as he was, both of them clearly fully committed to securing victory in this battle. "Almost sufficient—this place is fairly quiet. For a Daoist of your esteemed rank, it's rather modest as a resting place." Wan Tianming surveyed the surroundings, then turned to Han Li with a sudden, icy composure, as if he were an iceberg. "My resting place?" Han Li, hearing this, did not grow angry. Instead, he smiled gently. "Indeed, perhaps you've been overly ambitious in your claims." Wan Tianming scoffed. "Not at all. I merely wonder if you've recently been practicing a bit too vigorously—perhaps your inner energy has advanced too swiftly, and your mind has been overwhelmed." Han Li smiled calmly and spoke with a measured tone. "Whether or not you've been grandiose will become clear once your spirit dissipates. But until then, I'd like to introduce you to two other guests." Wan Tianming said, his voice solemn. "Introductions? Do you think I'm still a child of three? Aside from you and me, if there's anyone else present, I'll pluck your head off and present it to you right here." Han Li chuckled and replied coldly. Upon hearing this, Wan Tianming's eyes narrowed slightly, but then he calmly added, "Indeed? Then it seems I made a mistake. These two, at present, truly no longer count as human." Without waiting for Han Li to grasp the meaning, Wan Tianming unfastened a dark black leather satchel from his waist, tossed it into the air, and then raised both hands, chanting incantations simultaneously. Immediately, the opening of the satchel flipped upside down, and a thick, black mist surged forth from within. Two figures—one tall and one slender—emerged from the mist, wavering and indistinct, as if spectral. "Lian Shi?" Han Li, with his vast experience, instantly recognized the mist as a powerful corpse essence, his brow furrowing slightly. Upon hearing this, Wan Tianming sneered and accelerated his incantations. The two figures raised their arms, and the surrounding corpse essence seemed to be drawn by a powerful force, transforming into swirling serpentine mists that surged toward them and vanished into their bodies. In a moment, the black corpse energy was completely absorbed, revealing the true forms of the two pale-gray figures. Han Li glanced at the two炼尸, his expression calm and composed. It was natural—he had never seen these two corpse figures before, so there was no surprise or reaction at all. The taller of the two had a stern, severe face, appearing only in his forties, yet his arms were remarkably long, extending well past his knees, and his hands were unusually large, yet glowing with a translucent, jade-like clarity, as if finely carved from white jade. The shorter one, on the other hand, resembled a woman in her thirties, with a slender face and deep-set, broad brows. Yet, three small swords of varying styles were firmly embedded in her shoulder, piercing the flesh, creating a most unusual and striking appearance. When Wan Tianming saw Han Li treating the two corpse figures with no particular attention or reaction, a flash of sharp intensity passed through his eyes. He took a deep breath, then suddenly changed the posture of his hands. A strange, crisp cracking sound emanated from within his body, as his form surged upward by several inches. At the same time, he opened his mouth and a thick, purple-hazy mist erupted, swiftly engulfing him and transforming him into a cloud several zhang in diameter. While mentally pondering thus, Han Li's eyes flashed a subtle blue glow, and then a low, resonant thunder sound echoed from behind him, as a pair of silvery-white feathered wings materialized. Just as he was about to extend his wings and move toward the other person, a scene that startled him greatly unfolded! Within the cloud mass on the opposite side, which had previously been shifting in color, a sudden crackle ceased abruptly, followed by a surge of astonishing magical energy rising skyward. The mist instantly transformed into a gray-white hue, radiating a profound, icy, and eerie chill. Han Li's eyes narrowed, and his heart skipped a beat. Wasn't Wan Tianming the abbot of the Zhengdao Wanshi Sect? How could he be practicing magical techniques from the demonic path? Moreover, this magical energy felt familiar—somewhat reminiscent of the true demonic energy of ancient demons—but not exactly the same. Ah, yes—he recalled another person in his memory who possessed a similar kind of magical energy. Only the memory seemed distant, and under the current urgency, he couldn't immediately recall the details. Han Li was at a loss for words when suddenly a proud, resonant laughter erupted from within the magical aura. In a single fluid motion, a figure materialized before the aura, appearing strangely out of place. Six towering, vividly defined, almost tangible shadows emerged behind him—each one distinctly imposing, some crowned with horns, others with fanged mouths, all fierce and terrifying, clad in scales, as though demons had materialized. "Six Peaks True Demon Technique!" Such an unusual sight left Han Li so astonished that he didn't need to think twice—he simply uttered the name aloud. "Oh, you recognize my own Demon Technique as well. That's not exactly a sign of ignorance!" The man paused, adopting a lofty posture and gazing at Han Li with cold, slightly contemptuous eyes. Though his attire was clearly that of Wan Tianming, his face and figure had completely changed. Now, gazing upon the man's true form, Han Li was utterly speechless. (First update! A bit late—second update will come later tonight!)