"Please follow me!" After having taken a good look at the distant great city, the young Tianpeng clan member waited for Han Li to respond. Han Li nodded, and with a flap of his wings behind him, he followed the young man toward the nearest great pillar. Along the way, the young man actively explained: "Master, please be careful. Do not stray too far from the pillars. Only within fifty zhang of the pillars can you remain unaffected by the city's seal and freely enter and exit the Sacred City. Our city's Tianpeng Seal is indeed renowned even among the seventy-two branches. With this seal in place, we can withstand several times the number of enemies. Since ancient times, our clan has repeatedly relied on this seal to survive near-extinction threats." The young man spoke with clear pride. Although Han Li had not yet examined the city's seal personally, the overwhelming spiritual pressure radiating from the luminous screen naturally confirmed the young man's words. Han Li glanced at the scene with greater attention. To his astonishment, his clear-sighted, blue-lit vision revealed several unusual details within the seal itself. Deep within the hazy, luminous glow in the sky, faint streaks of silvery-green light seemed to drift freely. Though these filaments appeared remarkably delicate, the powerful spiritual forces radiating from the air were largely emanating from these dense networks of light. After gazing at them intently, Han Li and the young man soared past the towering pillar. A short while later, they arrived within the vast city. At first glance, the city featured numerous buildings, yet they differed significantly from those of human settlements. Most of the structures were cylindrical, topped with conical roofs, varying greatly in height—some reaching over a hundred paces, while others stood only a few paces tall. What struck Han Li most was that half of the buildings were actually constructed directly onto the city's side cliffs or steep mountain faces, with numerous honeycomb-like caverns spread throughout. "Lord, your noble inn establishments are scattered throughout the city. Shall we then settle at the one closest to here? It should be vacant." The young man respectfully inquired. "Never mind—let's go with your suggestion," said Han Li with a carefree air. The young man nodded in agreement and took Han Li along, gliding through the lower air. This allowed Han Li to enjoy a wide view of the city's scenery and pass by many winged men and women moving about in the sky. After half a day's journey, they came to a cluster of buildings that appeared substantial and came to a halt, landing on one of the platforms. At the far end of the platform stood a three-story circular building. As soon as they stepped onto the platform, a young lady with white feathered wings emerged from the building and bowed respectfully from a distance. "Ah, it's Brother Hua Yu! Is Lord Han to stay at the inn for the night as well?" "White Cui—this is Lord Han. He is a distinguished guest of Feng Xiao Ling. Please treat him with the utmost hospitality." "Hua Yu recognized the young woman who appeared to be a maid, and said solemnly, 'Lady Feng Xiao Ling's guest! I will faithfully serve you.' Upon hearing the name Feng Xiao Ling, the beautiful young woman was startled and immediately replied with respectful demeanor. Han Li glanced at the girl several times, noting her frail aura—only equivalent to a Qi Stage cultivator—and then slightly nodded before entering the room on his own. The young woman lowered her head and followed closely behind. Hua Yu, however, did not dare to enter the room and remained outside, waiting. A while later, Han Li's calm voice came from within the room: 'Indeed, I am quite satisfied here. This is the place. You may now leave.' The young man felt relieved and immediately spoke his farewell before taking off his wings and flying away. On the third floor balcony of the room, Han Li stood by a half-circular window, his eyes slightly narrowed, watching the young man recede into the distance. A few paces behind him, the young woman named Bai Cui stood motionless. 'How many families reside in the Sacred City?' Han Li suddenly said this without turning around. The young woman was momentarily stunned, yet replied instinctively: "The Sacred City is vast. Though we haven't conducted a precise census, there are surely at least three or four million people." "Three or four million? That seems rather modest?" Han Li murmured to himself, as though he found it hard to believe. "Actually, there's a misunderstanding. Only those who have achieved cultivation and can transform their bodies into spiritual forms are eligible to enter the Sacred City. Those with lower attainments or unable to transform are not granted entry. While our clan is relatively small among the Flying Spirit clans, we still have over ten million members." The young woman quickly explained. "Ah, now I understand!" Han Li seemed to brighten. "Sir, are you visiting the Sacred City for the first time?" The young woman glanced at Han Li, hesitated, and then asked hesitantly. "Is it really that many first-time visitors like me?" Han Li seemed to sense something, and gently inquired. "Sir, you're quite mistaken." The guest inn had always been rather sparsely occupied. Nevertheless, those who did stay were either foreign guests making their first visit, or members of other clans temporarily in the city for business. The young woman explained carefully. "It's not unusual. I'm returning to my clan for the first time; I've been practicing on the outer seas for many years." Han Li spoke calmly, but immediately added, "By the way, is there a shop nearby that sells maps of the holy city? If so, could you please tell me where it is—I'd like to purchase one." "The noble need not go outside to buy a map. Our guest inn maintains specially prepared maps for the honored guests, much more detailed than those available outside. I'll fetch one right away." The young woman said respectfully. "Oh, that's wonderful. Please bring me one." Han Li was pleasantly surprised and promptly ordered. "Yes, sir." The young woman bowed slightly and stepped back two paces, moving with the grace of a swan as she descended the stairs. Han Li remained in place, gazing out the window, beginning to ponder his plan. He had come into the Tianpeng clan specifically in pursuit of rare materials from the Feilin clan. As for artifacts and magical items, however, he had not given them much thought. Though he had only witnessed one battle between the Feilin clans, it seemed that these foreign clans rarely used such items in their conflicts—either because they were not skilled in crafting them, or because the high-ranking members of the Feilin clan simply did not require ordinary tools or aids. The only two unique treasures that appeared—the "Confining Demon Net" and the "Fire Dragon Pearl"—were auxiliary in nature. Nevertheless, these were of little concern to him. His only hope was that the Tianpeng clan might possess some materials truly beneficial to him, so that his efforts to blend into this place would not have gone in vain. As for the disputes between the Tianpeng clan and the other Feilin clans, he naturally paid them no attention. While Han Lizheng was silently pondering, the young woman once again ascended to this floor, holding in her hands a slender bamboo tube of a vibrant green hue, only a few inches long, its luminous glow shifting and flowing steadily. Slightly surprised, he maintained his usual composure and raised his hand, palm outstretched into the air. With a sudden "whoosh," a streak of green light shot forth and was captured by him. Then he waved his hand, sending the girl down first. Bai Cui bowed gracefully and obediently descended to the lower level. Han Li, meanwhile, held the bamboo tube in one hand, growing increasingly interested. When he gently extended his consciousness into it, he saw a remarkably clear and detailed large map inscribed upon the inner surface of the tube. Indeed, this object was quite similar to a jade scroll. Yet the bamboo itself was truly remarkable—after a careful process of refinement, it achieved the very same effect as a jade scroll. Clearly, the Fei Ling clan was no mere average in crafting artifacts, possessing its own unique expertise. However, Han Li's mind soon shifted from the bamboo tube and settled fully upon the map. After a meal, he exhaled deeply, drawing his spiritual awareness back from the bamboo tube, his face showing thoughtful contemplation. The holy city was smaller than he had anticipated—of course, compared to the massive human cities with populations often reaching tens of millions. In reality, its size was still remarkably impressive; it would take nearly half a day to fly from one end of the city to the other. While he was largely indifferent to the other structures, he paid close attention to the Grand Exchange Hall established within the city. According to the map, this hall was to be built within the body of a massive mountain at the city's edge, with the entire mountain cavity dedicated entirely to trade and commerce—very much resembling the markets of the human and feline races. The only other place that piqued his slight curiosity was the "Hall of Spiritual Transmission," where the Tianpeng clan offered its members mid-to-high level cultivation techniques. Of course, the original map also marked several prominent passages indicating sacred or restricted areas. Yet Han Li only glanced at them, showing no interest in probing further. Closing his eyes, he firmly committed the significant landmarks on the map to memory, then recalled them mentally before instantly flashing his wings back. Enveloped in a shimmering green light, he silently stepped through the window and shot straight toward the location of the Grand Exchange Hall. The Tianpeng Clan seemed far from tranquil. He had no intention of lingering here for days or weeks—instead, he wished to swiftly gather the necessary materials, then promptly depart, avoiding being drawn into any serious cross-tribal complications. Not wishing to draw attention to himself, Han Li maintained a moderate speed, flying at approximately the pace of other Tianpeng residents in the city. Since the Grand Exchange Hall was situated on the outskirts, it took Han Li nearly a full hour to cover only half the distance. At that moment, a towering, strangely shaped spire-like structure emerged nearby, just ahead and to one side of him. This structure stands some six to seven hundred zhang high, its surface not the typical cylindrical shape, but octagonal. Each of the eight faceted sides is exceptionally smooth, bearing distinct patterns and symbols engraved upon them. These symbols emit a faint black aura, giving Han Li a sense of familiarity. At the tower's apex, a peculiar crystal several zhang in size is embedded, radiating seven hues of light that completely envelop the tower. The black auras are fully contained within the luminous veil, unable to escape in the slightest. Han Li's expression of astonishment flickers as he runs a finger along his chin. If his memory serves him correctly, this very location corresponds precisely to the one marked on the map as a city sanctuary—only inscribed with the words "Sealing Spirit Tower," with no further explanation. Yet it is undoubtedly no place of good fortune. Within a hundred zhang of the light veil, not a single figure is visible, and no single Tianpeng person dares to fly past it. (Second update!)