"It turns out that you've known Lady Linglong for some time. Hm, the recent events at Yin Luo Sect—those were also your doing. Truly surprising, as I had assumed it was some Yuan Shen cultivator. With your such extraordinary abilities, you most certainly deserve to be on equal footing with us." After finishing his transmission, Hu Qinglei's gaze toward Han Li softened. "I have long admired your reputation, Brother Hu. I've come here somewhat unexpectedly—please don't mind that." Han Li smiled gently, speaking with equal courtesy. "With your such rare talents, I am most eager to establish a friendship with you. By the way, the other cultivators who came to congratulate us—do either of you two old fellows recall them?" Hu Qinglei smiled slightly, then turned to address the two at his side. The Yuan Shen cultivator standing behind the Wood-Crowned Elder was momentarily stunned upon hearing that Han Li's involvement was directly tied to the very events they had just been discussing regarding Yin Luo Sect. Later, when seeing the Wood-Crown Elder clearly intent on becoming a peer of Han Li, he could no longer help but display a look of surprise. Now, upon hearing Hu Qinglei's words, these people finally had the opportunity to pay their respects to Xiang Zhi and Feng the Elder. The two elders merely waved them off, treating it as a courtesy. However, one of them, after paying homage to the two elders, suddenly bowed deeply to Han Li, his face filled with admiration, saying, "Congratulations, Brother Han! After so many years apart, your Daoist friend has finally reached the late stage." This man wore a green robe and had white hair, his face youthful—indeed, he was the old bamboo elder who, at the beginning, had fought against Han Li's humanoid puppet in order to obtain the Feathers of the Black Phoenix. Even now, he still held the peak attainment of the Yuan婴 (Mid-Stage) level, seemingly unable to break through the threshold into the late stage. It appeared that his journey in cultivation would come to an end here. "I hadn't expected to see Old Bamboo again here," Han Li remarked. "My own advancement was merely a fortunate coincidence." Although Han Li had a rather ordinary impression of the Bamboo Elder, the latter's Black Phoenix Feathers had proven quite beneficial to Han Li's crafting of the Three-Flame Fan. Thus, with a smile, Han Li responded. As the Bamboo Elder cleared his throat, ready to speak further, Hu Qinglei interrupted with some impatience: "Enough. This isn't the right place for conversation. Why don't we all follow me into the hall and have a chat there?" Upon hearing the Wood-Crowned Elder's words, the Bamboo Elder naturally swallowed his words, merely offering Han Li a polite smile and remaining silent. Thus, the group began to descend toward the lower level, heading directly toward the grand hall where Hu Qinglei and his companions had emerged. Once inside the hall, they reseated themselves, taking up positions of host and guest. With a single command from Hu Qinglei, a group of attendants promptly replaced the banquet tables. Han Li, Xiang Zhi-li, and the others sat close to Hu Qinglei, clearly setting them apart from the others in terms of status. As the treatment given to Xiang Zhi-li and Feng, the elder monster of the same stage as Hu Qing Lei, was entirely expected, others naturally did not find it surprising. Yet even though Han Li, who had achieved the Yuan Ying stage simultaneously, received exactly the same treatment, this caused murmurs among the other cultivators, who began to constantly observe him and quietly speculate about his true standing. Each of the seated cultivators was no ordinary figure in the immortal realm; though they harbored subtle criticisms, they all maintained a composed demeanor, as if nothing out of the ordinary had occurred. However, the cultivator sitting adjacent to Kun Zhu Elder, showed genuine curiosity and quietly inquired about Han Li's background. Though the inquiry was made by only one person and spoken softly, the seated cultivators, with their refined cultivation levels, clearly heard every word. Yet since Kun Zhu Elder had only met Han Li once before, he could not provide much more detail. Consequently, most of the Yuan Ying cultivators expressed disappointment with Kun Zhu Elder's response. Han Li, on the other hand, remained seated with an unwavering expression, as if completely unaware of any inquiries being made about him. Below, the elder with the wooden crown and Xiang Zhi-li exchanged constant words, while the other Yuan-Enlightened cultivators chatted among themselves. Since none of the three Hua-Shen cultivators had taken the initiative to introduce Han Li's background, the others naturally hesitated to inquire about the matter and merely feigned ignorance. After a meal had passed, the blue-robed scholar gazed at Han Li intently and then suddenly stood up, bowing slightly to him and saying, "Han friend, as I heard from Hu's senior just now, recent events at Yin Luo Sect seem to be closely related to you. Is this truly the case?" Han Li, hearing this question, did not feel at all surprised. He simply nodded calmly. "Indeed, the affairs of Yin Luo Sect are somewhat connected to me. By the way, does your friend have any connection with Yin Luo Sect?" "I am merely a detached cultivator with no ties to Yin Luo Sect. However, I have had several meetings with Fang, a friend of Yin Luo Sect. This is just a casual inquiry on my part." Could it also be connected to you, Friend? The blue-robed scholar's eyes flickered several times, his expression growing increasingly serious. The other Yuan-Infusion cultivators in the hall immediately held their breath, eager to hear how the enigmatic Master Han would respond. The elderly man with the wooden crown seated above paused his conversation with Xiang Zhi Li, gazing at them with a smile that was half-earnest, half-ambiguous. "Since this friend is genuinely curious about this matter, I have nothing to conceal," Han said calmly, his eyes narrowing slightly as he studied the scholar before replying. "The Master of Yin Luo Sect was indeed killed by me." Upon hearing this, the Yuan-Infusion cultivators on both sides stirred, each displaying a different reaction. "Ah, now I understand. Thank you, Brother Han, for clearing up my doubts." The blue-robed scholar was equally struck, though he only nodded briefly and then sat down without further comment, letting the matter drop. This surprised Han somewhat, yet he smiled and said nothing further. Huo Qinglei watched the scene, chuckled softly, intending to say something, but just then a palace-dressed attendant stepped in from the hall door, moved gracefully to his side, and whispered a few words. "Wind-Old Master hummed a few times, his face showing a touch of resignation, yet still waved his hand and instantly produced a small wooden box, placing it on the table before him. Xiang Zhi-li also smiled and pulled out a jade chest, but said nothing. 'Haha, the treasures you've presented—I've never claimed them for myself. It's truly a delight when treasures are given to the ladies. Why should you two be so stingy? With your own wealth, these gifts are merely a fraction of your resources. After all, nothing compares to winning a lady's smile.' Hu Qinglei didn't seem at all displeased; instead, he laughed heartily, his expression now full of satisfaction. The other cultivators beneath them also began to produce their own gifts—ranging from rare and precious materials to dazzling ancient artifacts. When Han Li arrived, he had already carefully selected his gifts, pulling out two vials of elixirs from his storage pouch. These were indeed valuable offerings for cultivators advancing toward the Yuan-Emperor stage, far from being humble." As Han Li was observing the gifts presented by the others, footsteps echoed from outside the hall, and then a group of attendants dressed in five-toned imperial robes entered slowly, flanking three exceptionally beautiful female cultivators. At that moment, the gaze of all the cultivators in the hall instantly converged on the three women, and a wave of admiration rose simultaneously from both sides. Indeed, each of the three women was breathtaking in appearance and radiated an astonishing charm. One was slightly petite, with delicate features and fair skin, still carrying a touch of youthful freshness; another had a graceful figure, her eyes sparkling with a captivating grace. The third, tall and slender, with lustrous black hair and a refined countenance, appeared notably composed and cold in demeanor. At first glance, the three women seemed equally outstanding in both beauty and cultivation, their qualities so evenly matched that it was difficult to distinguish one from the other. Yet this tall, graceful nun possessed an exceptionally beautiful face, exuding an indescribable elegance in every movement—her demeanor, however, remained cool and composed, with a clear, serene gaze. The blend of charm and cold elegance created a unique allure, drawing anyone's attention and holding it firmly, as though they could not look away. The two women moved to opposite sides, lightly smiling as they raised their wine cups. The cultivators receiving the toast naturally could not afford to be slow, quickly rising and repeatedly expressing their gratitude. The stunning woman named "Zi Ling," however, did not immediately proceed. Instead, she furrowed her brows, her gaze gently sweeping over Xiang Zhi-li and Feng Lao-qi and the others above. When her eyes reached the seated Han Li nearby, her body trembled slightly, and her otherwise expressionless eyes suddenly glowed with an unusual radiance, fixed firmly on him, refusing to shift. Her porcelain-faced expression instantly transformed—first with disbelief, then with overwhelming joy, and finally with a touch of uncertainty. This unusual reaction from the beautiful woman clearly indicated that she and Han Li were acquainted, and that their relationship was particularly close. The elderly man with the wooden crown grew noticeably gloomier. The hall had grown utterly silent, and most of the onlookers now stared at the woman and Han Li with expressions of profound curiosity! (Second update!)