Yu Liu felt a surge of excitement! If Han Li truly made another significant leap in cultivation, her status would undoubtedly rise even higher. To be honest, after having tasted the flavor of power, even if this young lady returned to focus solely on cultivation, she would likely find it difficult to succeed. Nowadays, when she goes out, even fellow cultivators of the same stage, or even ancient immortals at the Yuan Ying level, treat her with the utmost courtesy—such a sense of honor truly leaves her feeling privileged. Moreover, she herself is well aware of her own potential. After several consecutive failed attempts to achieve Yuan Ying stage, she had long since abandoned the dream of solidifying her Yuan Ying. Instead, she has devoted herself fully to assisting Lü Luo in managing every aspect of Luoyun Sect. Even if she fails to attain the ultimate path, she does not intend to fade quietly into obscurity. Thus, much of the rapid development of Luoyun Sect today is truly the result of her tireless efforts. This has greatly pleased Lü Luo, who now entrusts her with greater responsibilities in daily affairs. But when the delegation from Luoyun Sect reached the outer edge of Zimu Peak, they were blocked by a layer of seal. Seeing the celestial clouds above begin to swirl and gradually settle like a massive funnel toward the lower mother peak, they immediately sent an urgent transmission through the seal. A short while later, the mist that had been blocking their path surged and parted, opening a clear passage. The group promptly took off without hesitation, entering swiftly. As soon as they emerged from the mist, they found Mu Peilin waiting at the exit. She was holding a yellow magical banner, calmly awaiting their arrival. "Greetings to the two senior monks," she said with graciousness, folding the banner and gently pointing toward one of the subsidiary peaks in the distance. "Nangong Sister has been waiting here for some time. Please follow me." Upon hearing this, Lu Lu and the others naturally had no objections, and immediately led the group toward that subsidiary peak. Standing at the summit of the subsidiary peak, Nan Gong Wan was dressed in a pristine white robe, untouched by dust, resembling a celestial maiden from the Moon Palace. Yet her brows were slightly furrowed, and upon seeing Lu Luo and the others, she merely nodded gently before gazing intently at the vast, ever-changing spiritual cloud far off, her eyes sparkling with animation. "Besides the surge of momentum in reaching the Immortal Spirit stage, how could there be such a grand display in overcoming a mere ordinary bottleneck? Yet this celestial sign has persisted for some time now, and it seems rather unsmooth." Nangong Wan replied gently, her eyes clearly showing concern. "Unsmooth? Didn't Frater Han already trigger such a remarkable celestial phenomenon?" Lü Luo was taken aback. "If the ethereal clouds floating in the sky could be summoned and settled upon the mountain peak, merging fully with my husband, then this breakthrough would be considered a great success. However, the clouds are only barely settling—this indicates a still-developing mastery over the fundamental energies of heaven and earth. Thus, this breakthrough is likely to proceed rather unsmoothly." Nangong Wan, evidently well-versed in the process of achieving the Immortal Spirit stage, calmly articulated her analysis. The others listened to Nan Gong Wan's words and looked up at the luminous cloud in the sky. They noticed that the glowing cloud had indeed descended several times toward the mother peak below, only to be bounced back each time by an invisible force, struggling visibly to make contact. Lu Luo felt his heart sink and had no time to ask further questions—his eyes remained fixed on the cloud in the distance. Although the Song-family woman did not speak, her gaze flickered constantly, clearly her inner composure was far from calm. The other cultivators' emotions were naturally not all the same, yet in the presence of the two Yuan-Ence elders, none dared to speak casually—everyone remained quiet and composed. At that moment, the luminous cloud in the distance, which had been rising and falling intermittently, suddenly trembled violently, emitting an eerie hum. Then, the massive cloud surged and rolled erratically, finally bursting with a thunderous roar. After a flash of vibrant, multicolored light, it vanished completely. The luminous energy orbs that had been steadily approaching this area gradually faded and dissolved into nothingness, each one blurring away in response to a clear, delicate sigh emanating from the mother peak. In an instant, everything around the subsidiary and mother peaks returned to its original state. Nan Gong Wan observed this scene and could not help but express a touch of regret. Yet at that moment, the Song-family woman suddenly spoke first: "It's evident that Brother Han has already nearly stepped through the threshold of the Divine Spirit stage—he has merely fallen short in the final stretch. Still, that doesn't matter. With Brother Han's current lifespan yielding such remarkable cultivation, he will surely reach the Divine Spirit stage with sufficient attempts, no matter how long it takes." "Indeed, with Brother Han's cultivation level, achieving such a spectacular celestial phenomenon during his very first breakthrough, reaching the Divine Spirit stage should be entirely within reach," agreed Lu Luo, who also felt a sense of disappointment, yet nodded in agreement after shifting his gaze. "That may be true, but my husband has always been exceptionally steady and cautious. If he has decided to attempt the Divine Spirit stage, he must have made thorough preparations." It must be that one's cultivation has reached a point where no further progress is possible before taking this final step. In that case, without any additional fortune, even if one tries again and again, it would likely all prove futile." Nangong Wan silently pondered for a moment, then smiled wistfully. As for Lü Luo and the Song-family woman, they certainly understood this principle well—what they had said earlier had merely been words of comfort. Upon hearing Nangong Wan's words, however, they found themselves at a loss to add anything more. "Li Sheng, Song Mei, let's go together," Nan Gong Wan said, slightly startled at Han Li's words, but quickly regaining her composure and offering a gentle smile to Lu Luo and the others. Lu Luo and the Song-named woman exchanged glances and naturally agreed, immediately joining Liu Yuling and taking off in several streams of light, rushing toward the mother peak. Tian Qin'er and Shi Jian, though already at the Dan stage, had been largely confined to their secluded study on the Zimu Peak due to Han Li's strict orders, thus enjoying warm and engaging conversations with others. Nan Gong Wan and the others stayed in Han Li's abode for several hours, yet no one emerged. The cultivators on the Zi Peak naturally grew curious, speculating that the several senior monks of the sect must be discussing some momentous matter. Three months later, a streak of jade light shot out from Luoyun Mountain, swiftly vanishing into the sky. A few days later, the Luoyun Sect officially announced that Master Han had departed the sect once again for a journey. However, the purpose of his journey and the duration of his travels remained vague, and no one could clearly explain it. While this news did surprise some, no one was particularly astonished. Because as early as half a month ago, the news of the senior monk Han's failed attempt to reach the stage of Divine Spirit had already quietly spread throughout the region, and nearly every major and minor sect in the southern sky was aware of it. For those sects that had long harbored reservations about Han Li, this development brought a quiet sense of relief. Although Han Li had already established himself as the foremost cultivator in the southern region, should he succeed in advancing to the Divine Spirit stage, his lifespan could extend to over two thousand years—such an immense duration would indeed be overly burdensome for even moderately ambitious sects, which naturally did not wish to remain under such a towering presence for so long. With Han Li's failure to reach the Divine Spirit stage, his recent journey outside the region now seemed entirely natural and well-justified. After all, if one's cultivation efforts alone were insufficient, it would naturally be necessary to seek out new opportunities beyond the immediate surroundings. Of course, the likelihood of such a journey succeeding was naturally quite slim. Otherwise, the three foremost cultivators of the southern region would have long since advanced to the Divine Spirit stage, and yet none had achieved it in over a century. The senior figures of these sects were not overly concerned about this. After all, aside from Han Li, there were now only two Yuan-Ying stage cultivators left in Tiannan. Originally, the Grand Elder of the Nine-Country Alliance, Wei Wuyi, had passed away over a century ago. However, the news of his passing had been carefully concealed by the Hua Yi Sect, where he had served, until only recently when it finally came to light. This has been the most astonishing event in Tiannan's recent history, causing significant upheaval within the Nine-Country Alliance and prompting a reorganization of several sects' power structures. Upon hearing this news, Han Li was deeply moved. Though Wei Wuyi had been just one step away from achieving the Chuan-Shen stage, that final step proved elusive, and thus he was ultimately cut off from the great Dao. Truly a lamentable loss! Yet, precisely because of this, Han Li's determination to pursue immortality grew even stronger. For Han Li, without the art of immortality, everything he currently possesses would be nothing more than fleeting dreams, no matter how mighty his powers might be. He would absolutely not be content with his life unfolding this way. (First update! I originally intended to post two chapters together, but it seems time is running out—so I'll send this one first.)