Thus, under the guidance of Han Li's divine awareness, the floating electric filaments continuously followed the structure of the Lei Mu. However, this manipulation proved exceedingly difficult—even with Han Li's powerful divine awareness and the subtle operations observed through his Qing Ming spiritual eyes—it repeatedly failed, with the filaments bursting and collapsing one after another. After seven or eight attempts, finally, a bright golden "cushion cloth" emerged, hovering motionless in the air. This cushion cloth, palm-sized, bore a striking and remarkably vivid lightning pattern in its center, pulsing with an enigmatic glow. Upon seeing this object form, Han Li's expression changed with surprise. With a simple hand gesture, the cloth immediately responded, drifting gracefully and settling at his grasp. The cloth was exceptionally soft and smooth, even finer than genuine silk, so delicate that even without the aid of his Qing Ming spiritual eyes, no imperfection could be detected. Han Li stroked the golden cushion cloth, studied it further, then, with a sudden glance, tossed it upward, simultaneously casting a spell. The brocade scarf shimmered into a beam of golden light, spinning smoothly overhead, and a deep rumbling thunder echoed forth. Gradually, the scarf fragmented into pieces, revealing a translucent, pale golden aura of shimmering lightning patterns—semi-transparent and ethereal—while a powerful spiritual pressure surged upward from the lightning form. This was precisely the mysterious force previously sensed. Han Li narrowed his eyes, gazing intently at the golden lightning pattern now forming a head-sized disc in the air, his heart filled with exhilaration. Though he had not yet fully activated the celestial technique to unleash the full potential of the airborne lightning, the spiritual power contained within was already over ten times stronger than that of the original divine protective thunder bolts that composed the brocade. Should this force be used offensively, even the enchanted stone chamber with its protective seals would surely be unable to withstand it. As he thought this, Han Li raised his hand toward the airborne lightning pattern. A thunderclap resonated, and the golden light flashed, reforming the scarf, which he then gently seized once more. Subsequently, Han Li expelled another golden arc, channeling the divine protective thunder bolts, beginning to refine a second lightning formation. After another similar failure, a second luminescent object appeared before him. This time, instead of a silk cloth, it was a bright golden orb, its surface bearing a faint, subtle lightning pattern that gently shimmered. Han Li grasped one of the orbs in his hand and, with his divine awareness, carefully sensed the differences between the two. After a moment, he suddenly exhaled a burst of silver flame. With both hands forming gestures, he directed the flame with a focused point of concentration. Instantly, a clear chime resonated within the flame, followed by a sharp "pop"—the flame burst into fragments, scattering countless silver sparks. Han Li murmured softly, then enveloped the sparks with his divine awareness, causing them to coalesce and transform into slender filaments of fire. The same scene unfolded again, but as these filaments only partially interwove, they suddenly exploded with a thunderous roar, reverting back into a single, radiant silver flame. Seeing this scene, Han Li adopted a thoughtful expression, and at the same time, with a mere thought, the silver fire ball instantly transformed into a fiery phoenix, spreading its wings and shooting back, vanishing completely as it plunged into his body. Subsequently, Han Li then used his own spiritual power to coalesce a strand of green spiritual silk, attempting it as well, but the result was similar to the Devouring Heaven Fire—disintegrating and dissipating halfway through the incantation. Han Li did not attempt further, but instead sat quietly, deeply pondering. Clearly, both mysterious forces originated from the same source, yet they differed significantly in subtle aspects. The electric energy within the silk handkerchief was stable and pure, while that within the golden beads was restless and volatile, appearing highly unstable, as though it were only a matter of time before it erupted. Holding the two items inscribed with lightning patterns, Han Li carefully reflected, and then a faint smile appeared on his face. If his conjecture was correct, this kind of lightning pattern should be a naturally formed, extraordinary script—each design possessing its own unique function, much like the true scripts of immortals such as the Silver Kōbun. However, the divine effects of these lightning patterns and how to skillfully employ them could not be fully understood within a short span of time. Han Li carefully placed the two items inscribed with lightning patterns into a jade box, sealed it with several protective incantations, and then together with the jade scroll, stored them in his storage bracelet. For the remainder of the time, Han Li gathered his mind, closed his eyes, and truly entered a state of deep meditation and rest. The laughter was utterly unfamiliar, sounding harsh and like a broken bell. Han Li moved silently out of the corridor, taking in the entire hall at a glance. He observed four figures standing in pairs, facing each other in a tense standoff. One man and one woman stood together—the woman being the Xu-family female cultivator, now pale as a sheet—while the other was the tall man with bright eyes, Zhu Chong, whose face was equally strained. The two across from them were both dressed in black robes. One was an elderly man with a slender face and triangular eyes, wearing a Qingming armor; the other was a short, middle-aged man with sparse, yellowish hair, his face marked with numerous patches of skin. It was the elder with the triangular eyes who was currently laughing loudly. "Master Han!" As soon as Han Li appeared in the hall, Zhu Chong spotted him at once, paused in surprise, then hurried forward with relief to pay his respects. Upon seeing Han Li, the Xu-family female cultivator also brightened, her expression filled with delight. Han Li halted his steps, his mind spinning rapidly, yet his facial expression remained unchanged. "Then you must be the new guest, Mr. Han, correct?" The elder's burst of laughter suddenly ceased, and he glanced at Han Li with a touch of surprise. At the same time, with a mere sweep of his spiritual awareness, Han Li noticed that the elder was actually a Cultivation Stage Mid-Period cultivator—somewhat one level above him in rank—and his eyebrows lifted slightly in mild astonishment. "Who are the two of you, and what business brings you to argue here?" Han Li asked coldly. Upon seeing Han Li's demeanor, the elder with the triangular eyes felt deeply offended. Though his cultivation level was clearly superior, Han Li treated him with such condescension—how utterly ungracious! Yet, as he quickly recalled Han Li's status as a post-ascension cultivator, the elder managed to suppress his rising anger, though only with a forced, polite smile. "Old Man Huang Bao, leader of the twenty-seventh team, has come to your hall merely to speak a few words with Xu Lady. I believe you would do well to refrain from interfering." "Neither do I have much to say—this matter seems to concern your disciple alone. It strikes me as a bit of overstepping for the senior to intervene so suddenly, doesn't it?" The lady named Xu bit her lower lip, speaking each word deliberately. "The elder chuckled, saying, "What about the bet?" Hearing this, Xu Xianzi's face grew paler still. Her gaze shifted, settling firmly on Han Li. Though she said nothing, the earnest plea in her eyes was unmistakable. The bearded man by her side also looked utterly helpless. "What exactly is the bet?" Han Li rubbed his nose, asking calmly. Honestly, if it weren't for the fact that Xu was a descendant of the Bingpo Immortal, he wouldn't have even thought to raise this matter. For someone of his standing, simply asking this question effectively signaled his intention to get involved. The triangular-eyed elder's expression slightly tightened. "It's quite simple. I once proposed to Xu Xianzi. However, she insisted that her crystal sword was extraordinarily cold, and personally promised that as long as her soul artifact could withstand a direct strike from the sword without being frozen, she would agree to the marriage. I have fulfilled that condition. Yet now, she intends to back out and has come here to avoid the matter." The dwarf's eyes twinkled as he chuckled, saying, "Is this truly the case?" Han Li asked the woman with the surname Xu again. "It is indeed true," she replied, her face flushed with anger, "but the essence artifact has been tampered with. Otherwise, how could a cultivator at the initial stage withstand my single strike?" She cast a look of resentment toward the elder. Though the elder remained silent, a subtle sense of pride gleamed in his triangular eyes. "Regardless of the reason, the Ice Crystal Sword now fails to freeze my Green Wave Blade—this is absolutely true. I believe the Lady agrees with this point," the dwarf said with a smile. The woman with the surname Xu remained silent, her expression cold. "Ah, I see. Yet I myself do not believe that your Ice Crystal Sword would be unable to freeze my artifact. Please demonstrate once again before me. If it truly is so, then I shall not bother with this matter. Should it not be, I kindly request that both of you depart from here." This is the base of the Fifty-Sixth Squad, not the Twenty-Seventh Squad," Han Li's eyes flashed with cold light, and his tone grew stern. "Senior, I—" Indeed, this treasure has been tampered with.