After an unknown length of time, the young man felt his head split with pain, and as soon as he opened his eyes, he immediately leaped to his feet with great alertness, finding the black-armored men and Han Li already seemingly awakened beside him. "What in the world! I remember now—the old fisherman never gave us the treasures as promised. Instead, he used the lightning-guiding beads to secretly outwit us!" The young man recalled the events just before he lost consciousness, his face filled with shock and anger. The black-armored man shook his still slightly drowsy head and then immediately settled into a meditative posture, using his divine awareness to carefully examine his internal condition. After a moment, he exhaled deeply, "Good news—only slightly shaken in my vital energy, nothing serious." Han Li remained silent, his gaze flickering constantly, as though pondering the current situation. "Do either of you know what happened afterward?" the young man scanned Han Li and the armored man before asking. "I don't know. As soon as the five-colored lightning touched me, my spirit was immediately shaken—my memories of what happened are hazy." The large man smiled sadly. "Han brother, remember you noticed the old fish villain's trap and didn't fall for it, didn't go to retrieve that lightning orb?" The young man suddenly asked Han. "A mere flying spirit general like me—how could I truly escape unscathed? Though I managed to dodge the five-colored heavenly lightning, the lightning beast later struck me with a surprise attack using its electrical power. I fainted just like the two of you did." Han sighed and said. "Attacked by the lightning beast? That makes sense. This creature was temporarily controlled by the old fish villain through the crystal nucleus embedded within it, so it could indeed be manipulated at will." Hearing this, the gentle young man became more convinced. "It's a bit strange, though. The old villain turned against us—why would he still leave us safe and unharmed here?" The black-armored man began pondering, sensing something odd in the situation. "What's strange about that? Probably, once he saw his plan succeed, he suddenly decided he didn't want to give us what he had At that moment, I found it strange that merely to subdue a spiritual beast, he would offer such rare items in exchange. It seemed he had been planning to delay payment all along. Indeed, his Thunder-Realm Pavilion was well-known even in the Sacred City. The young man with a gentle demeanor suddenly grew furious and began shouting. "If his only concern was merely to hold onto those treasures, then there was no need to take drastic action. Nevertheless, during our unconscious period, hadn't he already fled?" Han Li nodded in agreement. Upon hearing Han Li's words, the Han man seemed to reflect deeply, clearly accepting this explanation. "We must not let this old rogue actually escape. Let's go to his residence now. Even if he has already gone, we might still find some clues." The young man's eyes flashed with cold determination, expressing his unwillingness to yield. The black-armored Han man hesitated slightly before finally agreeing. Yet Han Li, after a brief glance, shook his head: "My cultivation level is relatively low, and my survival this time is truly a matter of luck. I have no intention of pursuing this matter further." "I'll be off now to bid farewell to both of you elders." Upon hearing this, both the tall man and the young man were taken aback and exchanged glances. "Han brother, the old fish villain has treated us so unfairly—how can you bear this? I believe Han brother possesses a remarkable mastery of lightning and thunder magic, surely someone of great standing. Even if this old master is far more accomplished than we, he clearly suffered a significant depletion of his vital energy when he drew upon the essence of the thunder beast. With us working together, he will be no match. If necessary, we could go to several senior elders and appeal the matter. After all, though he may have some strength, would he dare oppose the elders of our clan?" The young man urged, his voice firm with determination. "The elders of the clan—no need to involve them. This matter we can handle ourselves." The black-armored man's expression slightly changed, speaking with conviction. "Well then. I have other matters to attend to in the Sacred City, and my presence here was merely coincidental. With things now taking a turn, I shall not be able to remain deeply involved in this matter." "Master Li, I shall be off now." Han Li calmly shook his head, bowed to the two elders, and with a flap of his wings behind him, suddenly rose into the air, transforming into a streak of emerald light and vanishing into the distance. "Ungrateful. As long as we can locate the old fish rogue, we can handle him together." The young, gentle man, gazing after Han Li's retreating glow, grew increasingly somber, then turned to the tall man. "Heh. A mere flying spirit general—adding or removing him makes no real difference. Yet the old fish rogue dares to break his word. I suspect he still has some hidden plans. Our chances truly don't look very promising." The black-armored man expressed growing concern. "Until we personally investigate, how can we be sure we can't seal the old rogue's move?" The young man shook his head repeatedly. "That's true. Then let's go." The black-armored man grunted. Immediately, the two, ignoring the now-faint traces of Han Li, set off together straight toward the innkeeper's residence. At this point, Han Li calmly returned to the Grand Guest Pavilion, as if the matter had been entirely set aside. For the remainder of the days, Han Li remained seated in meditation at the pavilion, continuously taking herbal pills to consolidate his late stage of Huashen cultivation, while diligently studying the "Heavenly Peacock Transformation" technique from the Jingzhe Decree—striving to master it thoroughly and apply it effectively in battle. Time passed steadily, and within just two months, it had come to an end. One day, Han Li sat cross-legged on his bed, with waves of azure light flowing continuously over his body. Suddenly, his expression changed, and he opened his eyes. At the same moment, a clear voice drifted in from outside. "My name is Bai Bi. I have been sent by the Senior Elder to welcome the senior to attend the appointment." Han Li's eyes briefly narrowed, then returned to their usual expression. With a subtle movement, he materialized like a ghost, stepping from the bed directly down to the floor beneath it. Since mastering the "Phoenix Transformation Technique" from the Jingzhi Sect's cultivation method, he has felt his body growing more ethereal and agile, with his movements surpassing those of before. Pushing open the door of his bedroom, Han Li stepped out and headed straight toward the main hall. Indeed, when he appeared in the hall, there stood a young man dressed in yellow robes, arms folded behind his back. Though not particularly handsome, the young man had a clear and bright demeanor. Upon seeing Han Li emerge, he greeted him warmly, "Are you Master Han? I have been sent by the Grand Elder specifically to invite you to depart." Though only at the initial stage of Huashen cultivation, the young man moved with an elegant grace, and with just a few words, he conveyed a refreshing, spring-like atmosphere. "White Bi? Your bearing is truly distinguished—may I be so bold as to say you are one of the two Sacred Sons?" Han Li glanced at the young man and then smiled lightly. "The younger servant humbly acknowledges the Grand Elders' favor. Indeed, I am one of the two remaining Sacred Sons of the clan. As for Master Han, I have already heard quite a bit about your background from the two "I haven't yet properly thanked Brother Han for your great assistance; otherwise, my closest relatives would truly have been in danger of their lives," Bai Bi smiled, bowing slightly. "Senior sister? You mean..." Han looked visibly surprised. "My uncle Bai Lei, and my aunt Bai Ning," the young man chuckled. "So you are Bai Lei's nephew," Han said, his eyes briefly scanning the golden, shimmering wings on the young man's back, his face now showing a touch of wonder. "You need not find this strange, Master Han. I only recently awakened the K'un-Peng True Saint bloodline within me, which is why my wings have taken on this form," Bai Bi smiled, clearly sensing Han's curiosity. "Ah, so it is. Then you must indeed have a most fortunate destiny," Han said, with a gentle smile. Immediately, he followed the young prince of the Heavenly Peng Clan to leave his dwelling. Several hours later, Han appeared in a grand hall constructed entirely of ancient, elegant white stone. The hall was solemn and grand, with a white stone table resembling an altar placed precisely at the center. On either side stood five stone chairs. At this moment, besides Jin Yue, the red-haired elder, and the beautiful woman, an additional figure had appeared—a tall, slender man dressed in black robes. The man exuded a faint aura of dark energy; his face was obscured, yet behind him, a pair of glossy, jet-black wings shimmered brilliantly. Upon the table rested a crimson box glowing like a flame, adorned with several odd, emerald-green leaves arranged in intricate patterns, emitting a vibrant green light contrasting sharply with the wood's natural hue. Han Li had stood before the four figures since the beginning, while Bai Bi had already moved to one side. The atmosphere in the hall was thick with tension, yet all remained silent, as though waiting for someone. The newly arrived black-robed man carefully studied Han Li, clearly showing keen interest. After a while, suddenly footsteps were heard outside the hall. A silver-robed woman with white wings sprouting from her back entered the hall, carrying a delicate, ethereal grace. Her face was as pure as jade, her eyes like autumn waters, and she was untouched by dust. "Lei Lan, it seems you've arrived late," said Jin Yue, frowning slightly at her. "Your grace, I have just recently attained a deeper understanding of certain techniques, which caused me to delay. I hope the elders will forgive me." The woman bowed slightly to Jin Yue and the others, her voice slightly hoarse. "Since you've truly gained insight into the techniques, that shall suffice," Jin Yue said, her expression softening at the woman's words. The woman nodded in thanks and took a position beside them. "The reason I summoned all of you here—I believe you all already know this. This trial beneath the earth is directly tied to the very survival of our clan. Therefore, no matter what, one of you two must succeed in the trial and assume the position of our clan's Sacred Master." However, we have already received word that the branches of our family—such as Chirong—hold enmity toward us and are unwilling for our family to survive this trial. They will likely secretly intervene against you during the trials. Since you have only recently become Sacred Heirs, and if further interference from other families' Sacred Heirs arises, this trial will surely prove fatal for you. For this reason, I have invited my friend Han to join us as the third Sacred Heir of our Tianpeng family, providing temporary support to strengthen your position." The young lady spoke slowly and calmly to Han and the other two, her pleasant voice echoing gently throughout the hall. Upon hearing this, Bai Bi and the newly arrived woman both turned their gaze toward Han. The young man's expression was warm and approachable, while the silver-cedar woman's eyes were clear and bright. Han smiled gently.