"If my younger brother hasn't mistaken, the two major events that once caused a great stir—Frater Han must have personally been involved in, and even played a significant role in both." Yanzhu said calmly. "Kunwu Mountain and Xiao Ji Palace? Is this person indeed the one that Yin Luo Sect and Xiao Ji Palace have been pursuing for so long?" The silver-robed monk suddenly gasped, his eyes gleaming with surprise as he reexamined Han. "After all these years, someone still remembers the events of my youth. Then, would the esteemed brothers wish to capture me and hand me over to these two sects?" Han remained composed, as if he had long anticipated Yanzhu's accusation. "Ha ha, Brother Han, please don't jest. Though Yin Luo Sect and Xiao Ji Palace are powerful, what connection do they have with our Tianji Pavilion? How could we possibly make such a move that would entail effort without reward? Nevertheless, I have long heard of Brother Han's reputation. I've heard that both the Drying Elder of Yin Luo Sect and the Han Li Master of Xiao Ji Palace fell at your hands—may I confirm whether this is true?" Upon hearing Han Li calmly admit to it, the stout elder's smile faltered slightly, and his expression grew somewhat strained. "There were other circumstances back then. As for the matters involving Qian Lao Mo and Han Li the Elder—should I now claim that they didn't happen, I doubt even the several esteemed friends here would believe me." Han Li gave a faint smile of cold amusement and replied. "I've heard that you were still at the mid-Stage of Yuan Ying back then. Should the outside reports be true, your ability to eliminate two senior cultivators at that level is already remarkable. Now, having advanced to the later stage, your divine powers must surely be even more astonishing. Then, I shall truly be grateful to have the chance to spar with you." The silver-robed monk's expression changed several times, finally speaking with serious gravity. "Master Yuanzhi, there's no need for such formality! Since Master Han is genuinely eager to learn the method of crafting the Ji Zi space, I am certainly willing to discuss and negotiate further." Upon hearing the monk's words, Canku was startled and quickly stepped in to urge him to reconsider. It seemed that upon learning that Han Li was precisely the enigmatic cultivator who had once stirred great interest across the Great Jin for an extended period, the Master of the Tianji Pavilion immediately changed his mind and no longer wished to have the visiting Senior Elder engage in combat with Han Li. "Master Canku, there's no need for you to urge me further. Even without the matter of the Ji Zi Space, I intend to personally exchange techniques and insights with Brother Han. After all, I've remained in the Yuan Ying late stage for a long time, and I've long hoped to engage in such exchanges with peers of similar stage to gain fresh insights. Should Brother Han truly be as renowned as the rumors suggest, I shall certainly not miss this opportunity," said the silver-robed monk, gazing steadily at Han Li. To be honest, I too have longed to witness some of the extraordinary arts from the southern lands. The young monk smiled and said so. Upon hearing this, the plump elder fell silent. "You know my background!" At the mention of the southern region, Han Li's expression darkened, his demeanor growing more serious. "There's no need for surprise, Han brother. While your origins may seem profoundly mysterious to ordinary cultivators, they are quite traceable to us ten major sects of the righteous and demonic orders. Surely you believe that Yin Luo Sect and Xiao Ji Palace would not be able to uncover your roots? They merely hesitate due to your extraordinary powers and thus feign ignorance. After all, when those two sects suffered the loss of one senior cultivator, several of their Yuan-Infant elders also perished. Now, they are too preoccupied with dealing with other forces eyeing them to have the time or energy to trouble you. Otherwise, you wouldn't have enjoyed such peace and stability in the south these past years," Flame Bamboo, seemingly anticipating Han Li's thoughts, spoke calmly and deliberately. "Indeed, I'm not entirely sure about the other sects, but Yin Luo Sect likely knows my background. However, since this isn't specifically about the芥子 space, I have no interest in engaging in casual battles with peers unless Cán Kǔ brother promises that, should I happen to defeat Master Yuan Zhi, the Tianji Pavilion will be willing to trade the secret method for crafting the芥子 space." Han Li's expression softened. The silver-robed monk paused, glancing at the plump elder. The Tianji Pavilion's master now grew increasingly uncertain in expression, but after a while, he suddenly understood what needed to be done, smiled warmly and replied, "Given that Master Han has such confidence, how could I possibly hesitate further? As long as Master Han truly outperforms Master Yuan Zhi in their duel, there's no issue at all in having the secret technique for crafting the芥子 space transferred to you." He agreed outright. "With Cán Kǔ brother's assurance, that will be more than sufficient. Then I shall have the pleasure of observing Master Yuan Zhi's abilities firsthand." To be honest, I've always been quite curious about the Buddhist secret arts. I hope Master won't let Han Li down." Han Li chuckled and immediately stood up, speaking without hesitation. As soon as he said this, the Jin Dan cultivators standing on either side stirred visibly, some even unable to conceal their excitement. The Yan Zhu monk remained silent with a serene smile, appearing deeply profound. The silken-robed monk raised an eyebrow, sneered lightly, and his refined expression now carried a touch of sternness. "With the two of you possessing such extraordinary abilities, it's natural that your combat in the Hall of Celestial Insights would be somewhat constrained. Why not move outside for a sparring session instead? For you two, a mere restriction on the sky would surely pose no challenge." After glancing around, the monk suggested. "Of course, I have no objection!" the silken-robed monk nodded slowly. "Then it shall be as Master Cán suggests." Han Li responded with a composed air. Thus, the group immediately stepped out of the hall and once again arrived at the hall's entrance. While the others remained standing on the ground motionless, Han Li and the silver-robed monk one transformed into a streak of shimmering green light, soaring upward like a green rainbow, while the other raised white lotus blossoms beneath his feet, gently lifting him and ascending slowly into the air. After a short while, the two stood side by side in the sky above the Tianji Hall, facing each other at a distance of several dozen zhang. The silver-robed monk gazed at Han Li for a moment, then suddenly uttered a Buddhist chant, and a faint golden glow suddenly appeared on his face. Seeing this, Han Li, who had previously appeared relaxed, straightened up, furrowed his brows, and asked suddenly: "Long have I heard that Master Yuanzhi is a guardian of the Buddhist order, renowned for his mastery of the 'Mingwang Decision'—is that the practice you have been cultivating?" "Oh, I didn't expect my colleague to be so well-versed in our Buddhist techniques. Indeed, I have been practicing the Mingwang Decision myself. I would be most grateful for your guidance and insights, Master Han He folded his hands, and as a Sanskrit chant emerged from his mouth, delicate silver characters floated directly from his silver robe. At the same time, not only his face but his entire body began to turn a pale golden hue, as if a golden-robed arhat had descended from the heavens. All at once, the swordlight trembled and burst forth with golden brilliance, instantly transforming into seven distinct streams, each identical, and then multiplying into hundreds of such swordbeams. With a mere flutter, the golden sword aura nearly filled half the sky, spreading out like brilliant waves of gold, creating an overwhelming spectacle. The onlookers, Cán Kǔ and the other Dan-stage cultivators, were visibly startled by this sight. No further feats were needed from the senior cultivator Han—merely the sheer volume of these swordbeams converging and surging forward would likely overwhelm even an ordinary Yuan婴 cultivator. Yet the silver-robed monk on the opposite side remained unmoved, raising both hands and causing red and green luminous glimmers to surge from them, simultaneously materializing a crimson Buddhist staff several feet long and a string of jade-green beads dripping with luster. At that moment, Han, with a swift gesture of his hands, caused the hundreds of swordbeams to hum and coalesce into a vast expanse of golden radiance, which surged forth with astonishing speed. "Excellent!" he exclaimed. The silver-robed monk roared loudly, then suddenly raised his hand. The crimson sutra staff instantly transformed into a crimson dragon, charging straight toward the opponent, while the jade-green Buddhist beads in the other hand were also launched forth, emitting flashes of green light that coalesced into a shimmering green shield, encasing the monk within. Immediately, the monk lowered his gaze and continuously shifted his hand seals, as though preparing to unleash some profoundly intricate divine power. The crimson dragon, meanwhile, shook its head and swayed its tail, plunging headlong into the golden aura formed by the Qingzhu Fengyun Sword. The nature of the staff's original material remained unknown—though the dragon was struck simultaneously by hundreds of sword beams, it remained unbroken, its crimson and golden light interwoven, resisting the combined force of the swords without being shattered. Instead, the crimson dragon displayed vigorous resistance, opening its maw and thrashing about, fiercely biting and plunging into the golden aura, maintaining equal footing. "A thousand-year flame coral!" Han Li murmured, his eyes flashing with astonishment. Although the flying sword infused with Jingjing was exceptionally sharp, there were still several other materials in the human realm capable of withstanding it. This ten-thousand-year-old fire coral was one such material. However, its rarity might even surpass that of Jingjing. The Zen monk's staff, crafted entirely from this material, appears to have a notably high proportion of it—otherwise, it would have been unable to endure so many consecutive sword strikes and remain unharmed. Han Li was astonished, yet his Qingzhu Fengyun sword did not rely solely on sharpness. With a subtle mental command, a portion of the sword's light continued to wrap around the red dragon, while the majority spiraled and curved past it, transforming into streaks of golden light that surged directly toward the monk. (Second update!)