The two guests were a middle-aged couple. One was at the initial stage of Transcendent Realm, the other at the mid-stage. Upon closer inspection, the store manager turned out to be a formidable presence at the late stage of Transcendent Realm. How could someone of such cultivation level be running a shop here? Han Li was deeply astonished. As soon as they noticed someone entering, the couple immediately turned to look. They recognized Han Li's Mid-Stage of Transformation Realm and found his face strangely unfamiliar, which left them equally surprised. Yet the thin, somewhat clingy store manager merely glanced at Han Li and continued chatting lazily with the couple in front of him. "Without finding the Spirit-Siphoning Stones, your couple won't have a chance with the Purple Immortal Wood! As for the higher-grade spiritual stones, do you think I'm lacking in those?" The thin, persistent manager spoke with surprising confidence. "Fish brother, exchanging the Spirit-Siphoning Stones for the Purple Immortal Wood seems rather demanding. This rare material can only be found deep within the Earth's depths." "As for our couple, who are already xian-qi cultivators, even the several elders of the clan would not dare venture this deep." The graceful woman, her expression full of reluctance, said. "Then I shall leave this matter to you. Do you think my Purple Immortal Wood was blown here by the wind? Without spirit stones, there's no way this will work." The thin, weathered shopkeeper rolled his eyes, speaking with no hesitation or courtesy. Upon hearing this, the couple naturally looked deeply troubled. Despite their persistent appeals, the elder remained cold and unyielding. In the end, they had to depart, full of unspoken thoughts and resignation. They never once spoke to Han Li throughout the entire visit. "Young man, what brings you to my shop?" As soon as the couple had passed through the main gate, the shopkeeper settled himself into his chair behind the counter, clearly impatient. "I've heard that your shop sells Qing Luo Fruits—do you really carry them?" Han Li asked calmly. "Qing Luo Fruits." "One of this shop's most precious possessions—something a mere Flying Spirit could never exchange for. Don't waste my time; leave at once!" The middle-aged man paused, startled by Han Li's words. After carefully studying Han Li's face, he emitted a cold snort and immediately ordered him to depart. "If the elder doesn't specify any conditions, how can he know that he cannot trade this item with me?" Han Li smiled calmly, his feet remaining perfectly still. "Hmph! Wine is not drunk, so now comes the punishment!" The thin man grew furious, and with one of the two silver wings extending behind him, he swept it across Han Li with a sudden, forceful motion. A deep rumble followed, and an invisible, immense pressure surged directly toward Han Li, causing the surrounding air to vibrate with a hum. Han Li's eyes flickered slightly, but instead of retreating or dodging, he simply raised his hand and, with a gentle stroke using his fingertip as a blade, lightly slashed through the force. A flash of golden light illuminated the scene, and the powerful pressure was effortlessly split into two, passing smoothly by Han Li's sides, producing a deep, resonant roar. "Huh!" "It's no wonder you have such confidence—seems you truly possess some ability," the thin, wiry shopkeeper murmured, his eyes flashing with surprise. "Now, may I ask if I am qualified to conduct a transaction with you, Master?" Han Li asked calmly, as if unchanged. "Yes, you're certainly qualified. But if you wish to secure the Qing Luo Fruit, you're still rather naive—there's little chance of success." The shopkeeper replied evenly. "If you don't even tell me how to exchange for it, how can you possibly know that I won't be able to pay what you require?" Han Li replied, with a smile that held both amusement and reserve. "Since you're so confident, and as I have no other customers at the moment, I'll gladly explain. The rarity of the Qing Luo Fruit doesn't need further elaboration. To obtain it, I offer you three options. As long as you achieve any one of them, the fruit shall be yours." After a brief pause, the shopkeeper's expression softened slightly. "Three options—seems the Qing Luo Fruit truly isn't easy to obtain. Otherwise, why would the elder have offered so many?" Hearing the other's words, Han Li only managed a wry smile. "You know that, then. First, if you can present the legendary Yinming Lotus or the Dark Blood Crystal as rumored, I'll immediately offer you a Qing Luo Fruit without hesitation." The thin, elderly man sneered, then continued calmly. "These two spiritual treasures are nothing but tales—whether such things truly exist in the world is still very much in question. As for me, I simply cannot possibly possess either." Han Li shook his head repeatedly. "Hmph, mere tales." Upon hearing this, the elder's face took on a touch of scorn. "Since you've already dismissed the first option as impossible, then I'll offer you a second—one that you're certain to find. If you have five or six hundred top-tier spiritual stones, I'll be willing to sell you one Qing Luo Fruit." "Five or six hundred top-tier spiritual stones? That's quite a generous ask from you, isn't it? I'd wager that even the elders of your clan wouldn't be able to gather that many." "This one, I simply cannot manage," Han Li's expression changed several times, growing increasingly displeased. If the other had only asked for a hundred or so premium spiritual stones, Han Li would have gritted his teeth and exchanged his stored medicinal herbs for them—perhaps he could have managed to gather enough. But for five or six hundred stones, he immediately gave up without even thinking. "Hmph. The items are mine. Since I consider Qing Luo fruit worth so many spiritual stones, I've naturally set these terms," the storekeeper said with complete indifference. Han Li could only remain silent in response. "You've rejected the first two conditions. As for the last one, I doubt you'll be able to meet it either. Shall I continue?" the thin, elderly man said coldly. "Please, let me hear it again!" Han Li replied, his tone dark. Upon hearing this, the storekeeper's face revealed a look of surprise, and after a pause, he said: "The final condition isn't something everyone is eligible to choose. Before I present it, I'd like to ask you a question—do you have a deep understanding of lightning and electrical energy?" "Thunder and lightning?" Han Li's eyes narrowed, surprised. "Indeed. If one neither possesses a natural affinity for thunder and lightning nor merely has a superficial understanding, then I would have no need to even mention the third option." "As for thunder and lightning, I believe I can manipulate them to some extent," Han Li admitted, though he found it somewhat strange. Still, after a moment's thought, he simply replied honestly. "Indeed, words alone are not enough. Show me then, so that I may see whether you truly merit further discussion." The thin, elderly man, however, was not ready to accept Han Li's words at face value. Instead, his eyes sparkled with keen interest. "No problem!" Han Li readily agreed, his wings merely trembling slightly behind him. A deep rumbling thunder echoed, and countless silver arcs instantly appeared on his wings. As these arcs intertwined and converged, they gradually condensed into dozens of silver lightning orbs, which floated around Han Li in a matter of moments—each roughly the size of a fist, pulsing and expanding and contracting with a crisp, crackling sound. Yet the formidable power contained within these thunder orbs caused the thin middle-aged man's pupils to constrict, and a touch of surprise to brighten his expression. "Indeed, you haven't overstated it—your mastery of thunder magic is truly impressive. Now, listen to my final condition. It's quite simple: you need to offer me something in exchange for the Qing Luo fruit, but only if you agree to help me subdue a thunder-elemental spirit beast." "Subdue a spirit beast!" Han Li's eyes flashed, clearly taken aback. "How do you think it's that simple? I'll be honest with you—the beast is rather special. Though I've successfully captured it, I've yet to fully subdue it for my own use. I've consulted many others, but none have managed to truly master it. In fact, several even suffered injuries or were harmed by the beast's counterattacks. However, if you're confident in your own command of thunder magic, you still have a chance. But let me be clear—once the situation unfolds, whether you're injured or not, I won't care a whit." The lean middle-aged man replied with evident intention. "A lightning-type spirit beast? Could my esteemed senior kindly specify which one?" After hearing this, Han Li furrowed his brows. "At present, I cannot reveal the exact species. If you truly intend to assist me, I will personally take you to meet it—then you will immediately recognize it." The man's eyes flashed with a touch of cunning. Upon receiving such a vague response, Han Li rubbed his chin, inwardly cursing, yet his mind raced with active contemplation. After all, this was a cultivator at the late True Void stage who still could not subdue a spirit beast he had captured—there must be something unusual going on. Yet, since the man had specifically mentioned that only someone proficient in lightning and electricity could assist, it seemed he did not lack sincerity. Han Li pondered for a while before finally asking again, "My senior, by 'subduing' the spirit beast, do you mean what specific level of mastery would be sufficient?" "Nature will assist me in calming the elder and enabling him to willingly submit to my host-taking ritual," the middle-aged man said without hesitation. "Should it be this level, then I am willing to assist you and give it a try," Han Li replied, no longer hesitating. "Excellent! I will need to prepare further for the host-taking ritual. Come back to me in four days' time," the storekeeper smiled. "I will be here precisely at that time. I shall now step out," Han Li said briefly, bowed slightly, and then departed from the shop. Watching the direction where Han Li had disappeared, the thin, elderly man raised his hand and stroked his beard, his eyes gleaming with excitement. After stepping out of the shop, Han Li did not immediately head for departure but returned once more to the stone pillar displaying the trading information, hoping to uncover further surprises. It wasn't until late in the day, when the trading hall was about to close, that Han Li's figure joyfully burst forth from the grand gate. This time, his earnings were truly substantial. In addition to locating the traces of Qing Luo Fruit, he discovered several rare materials in the Tian Peng Clan's trading hall—materials utterly uncommon among the human clans. Among them were both crafting materials and precious medicinal herbs and flowers. One of the herbs, in particular, was precisely the complementary ingredient needed to combine with the Jin Mei Crystal Insect in crafting the main component of the Fan Sheng True Magic. Naturally, Han Li was delighted. As long as he could find two more medicinal herbs, he would have all the materials required to solidify his true form. Reflecting on this, Han Li transformed into a swirling mass of emerald light and flew directly toward his residence. Tomorrow marked the three-day period agreed upon with the senior elder of the Tian Peng Clan. Yet the Han Li within the fading light smiled gently, as though he had completely forgotten the matter.