Han Li leaned against one side of the carriage, facing the four women. He had already scanned the grass outside the carriage numerous times, but everything appeared ordinary—no unusual signs, merely regular green grass. Han Li found this a bit strange, yet he concealed his surprise, saying nothing. After all, he knew little about the spiritual realm and didn't want to appear overly suspicious. However, lately, the four women had been kinder to him, especially the red-robed young girl he had saved, named Quan'er, who addressed him warmly as "Brother Han" on almost every occasion. Han Li found this a bit uncomfortable, but since Quan'er was so young, he didn't want to come across too cold. As a result, their conversations had grown quite frequent. He had not openly inquired about matters in the spiritual realm, nor had he resisted the questions from Tian Dong Trading Company regarding various incidents. Through conversation, he learned that the "lady" they referred to was actually the head official overseeing operations across more than ten cities for Tian Dong Trading House, and was the daughter-in-law of the master of the company. Most people would respectfully address her as "Lady Fang." The master of Tian Dong Trading House had three sons; this lady was the formally married wife of his second son. The couple had always been exceptionally devoted to each other, but the husband had passed away unexpectedly over twenty years ago, leaving behind one son and one daughter. As a result, all the affairs that should have been jointly managed by the couple were now entirely handled by Lady Fang. The four women in question were the four close attendants whom Lady Fang had adopted from childhood, and who were especially beloved by her, forming a relationship that was somewhat like half-sisters and half-servants. This time, Fang Fu-ren had personally traveled to this remote place, An Yuan City. Part of the reason was that An Yuan City had offered a high price for the goods. The other part stemmed from the fact that her son, a young boy who had been identified as having a spiritual root since childhood and had been apprenticed to a cultivation sect, was now residing in An Yuan City and had sent word that there might be something requiring Fang Fu-ren’s assistance. Concerned about her son, Fang Fu-ren not only personally took the initiative but, shortly after departure, abandoned the caravan and personally led a team to An Yuan City. In her estimation, the caravan, with its large staff and several cultivators on board, should have been entirely secure under normal circumstances. Yet, unexpectedly, in the Qing Luo Desert, two lower-tier insect and serpent demons had emerged—nearly causing a real issue. Upon hearing this, Han Li couldn’t help but probe further into the background of the Tian Dong Trading House’s founder. After all, such a substantial enterprise seemed beyond the reach of an ordinary person. To his surprise, the information he heard made him pause again. This merchant's master was indeed an ordinary person—a frail one, with neither a spiritual root nor any training in physical cultivation. How could such an ordinary person manage such a vast business? Intrigued, Han Li asked vaguely, only to find the red-robed young woman equally confused and lacking clear understanding. Seeing this, Han Li decided not to press further and gently shifted the topic, setting it aside for later. As a result, although Han Li had learned several things over these days, new questions continued to arise, leaving him increasingly restless. The grassland seemed far broader than the Qing Luo Desert, and despite traveling for a full month, the caravan still appeared to have barely moved at all. During this time, the guards and knights within the convoy were not only constantly on edge, acting with great caution, but even the several cultivators who had remained inside the vehicles throughout, periodically took flight from their turtle-carriages, taking turns to patrol and watch vigilantly in the air. These so-called "Goushui Mountain" cultivators also appeared serious and resolute, showing no signs of complacency. Though everyone was thus prepared as if facing a major threat, after fifteen days of travel across the grasslands, the convoy finally exited the region and entered a more ordinary hilly terrain. The tense nerves of the personnel instantly relaxed. Not only did the cultivators return to their vehicles, but the guards also resumed their usual chatter and laughter. Even the young women in Han Li's carriage, at the very moment they stepped off the grasslands, exhaled deeply in relief. One of the young women in a green silk dress gently patted her chest, a smile playing on her lips, and said, "We've finally managed not to disturb the wolves and wild beasts of this grassland." Though I've passed the grasslands many times before, I'm always deeply anxious. "Not only is Xiang'er sister afraid—every single member of the caravan is on edge, fearing that if our luck runs out, and should any pack of wolf-beasts awaken just before the 'Beast Tide,' we'd be in serious trouble. With only this small group, we'd have no chance at all on the open grasslands. While such an event is not common, it does happen every year to some trading houses." Li'er sighed, her voice tinged with relief and concern. "Indeed. I heard that An Yuan City has invested heavily, even going so far as to custom-order such a large quantity of weapons and one hundred rare 'Spirit Items' specifically to prepare for the Beast Tide." Quan'er tilted her head slightly, as though recalling something. "That does raise a question. Though An Yuan City isn't large, it's not a newly founded settlement either—how could it suddenly decide to order so many supplies? After all, such a large number of Spirit Items seems to be something only medium-sized or larger cities would be willing to invest in." The young girl in white looked slightly puzzled. "What's strange about that? Either a particularly powerful group of beasts has recently migrated into the area, or this city is experiencing a once-in-a-thousand-years 'Great Beast Tide,' facing a joint assault from all the surrounding beast groups—making it difficult to defend easily," the young girl in blue shook her head, speaking with little concern. "That makes sense—perhaps it truly is so. Li'er's observation is quite sound," Qian'er smiled gently. Han Li sat cross-legged on the chair, meditating, yet he listened intently to the conversation, his brows subtly lifting when he heard the terms 'Beast Tide.' At once, he recalled that the scar-faced man, Zhang Kui, had once mentioned a 'Scorpion Tide' during their time in Qing Luo Desert—could there be a connection between the two phenomena? However, in the following moments, the four girls did not elaborate further on this matter, instead shifting their conversation to other topics. Han Li, though a little regretful, continued to steadily cultivate the Jingang Sect's inner technique, gradually restoring his meridians. Thanks to his extended period of rest and the indestructible effect of Mù Shēng Zhū, his recovery was far faster than he had originally anticipated. Now his body was largely healed, and with just another half-month of rest, he would be completely recovered. Under these circumstances, with his fourth-level Jingang Sect mastery and his exceptional familiarity with various mid-to-low-tier spells used by cultivators, he would likely hold a strong advantage even against a late-stage Foundation-level cultivator. As for a Condensation-level cultivator, only after facing them directly could a clear assessment be made. Of course, this assumes that the abilities of cultivators from the Spirit Realm and the Human Realm are comparable, with no unexpected surprises. Just outside the grasslands, the caravan had traveled only two days when it reached its destination—a stone city that appeared impressive in scale and grandeur. From a distance, viewing through the car window, the stone city's walls rose to a height of no less than thirty zhang. Additionally, every hundred zhang or so, there stood a smaller city tower ten zhang high, giving the stone city an imposing grandeur. Looking out along the walls to either side, one saw an endless stretch of white-washed walls, extending as far as the eye could see. On such lofty walls, intricate, unfamiliar patterns were inscribed—resembling a kind of hitherto unseen, mysterious script—bestowing an air of enchantment upon the city. Han Li stood speechless at this sight. It was inconceivable that such a magnificent city could be associated with a small one. Even the so-called "great cities" of the human realm paled in comparison. At the same time, Han Li noticed that on the towering walls, there were tall soldiers clad in uniform iron armor patrolling back and forth. Moreover, each of the city towers was equipped with a colossal, remarkably large crossbow, each one fitted with a row of metal arrows. Each one was several zhang long, exceptionally sharp, and shimmered with a faint white glow—seeming like a low-tier artifact. Such remarkable blades would likely prove fatal to a Foundation Period cultivator who took even a single blow. Han Li watched all this with slightly narrowed eyes, pondering as the convoy reached the city gate. "They are from the Tian Dong Trading House." Upon hearing this from the middle-aged man, the nearby soldiers suddenly understood and immediately sent someone down to the city gate to open it. A moment later, the massive gate, seemingly forged from steel, slowly swung open, and dozens of fully armed soldiers rushed out, forming two lines. The middle-aged man in silver armor finally stepped forward and approached Zhang Kui, who was riding the giant wolf, giving him a cautious glance before slowly asking, "Are you the head of the Tian Dong Trading House?" "I am Zhang Kui. I assume you have received the city magistrate's orders. These soldiers behind me are the goods your city has ordered from our trading house," Zhang Kui replied calmly. "I have indeed received the orders. However, it is a special time now—our officials must personally inspect your caravan before we can allow passage." The man in silver armor said without hesitation. "Ah, so you're concerned about possible mythical beasts infiltrating the group. That's quite understandable. Please go ahead and conduct your inspection." "Zhang Kui heard the request and immediately agreed without any hesitation. "Very well, Mr. Li, Master Huang! Please take a look." The middle-aged man in silver armor nodded satisfactorily and then turned around, calling out to the direction of the city gate. (First chapter!