It is said that the Earth's depths contain seven layers of realms. Yet even so, the first layer's expanse is far from small. It takes the Han Li and his companions several days to reach the planned entrance to the second layer. The day before, everything had gone smoothly. They had been flying through a dense forested region, encountering only a few stubborn, fierce birds that refused to yield, with no other mishaps. However, early the second day, the three of them suddenly noticed a sudden dimming above their heads, and the surrounding area turned hazy and gray. Han Li looked up in surprise. To his astonishment, the previously faintly glowing mist that had always hovered above was now entirely gone. In its place, at an altitude of ten thousand feet, stood a vast, dark stone wall, adorned with stone spires resembling stalactites, hanging downward. In some places, even lush moss and climbing vines had grown. They had finally emerged beyond the reach of the Earth's gate and officially entered the underground realm of the first layer. Fortunately, many trees on the ground—perhaps due to having remained deep in darkness for a long time—seem to emit a faint, ethereal glow of their own, while certain unknown minerals scattered across the ground also emit a subtle, varying light. As a result, the underground world is far from truly black, allowing one to see clearly many details at a distance. Yet the atmosphere feels markedly different from before, noticeably colder and more幽dark. Occasional waves of black mist and cold winds further intensify the eerie, bone-chilling sensation. However, the most significant issue is that not long after entering this dim region, Han Li finds his spiritual awareness suppressed, limited to only a few dozen zhang beyond his body. This is even more remarkable given that he has mastered the Dàyǎn Jué, which gives him a spiritual awareness far superior to that of ordinary Huáshén cultivators. It is likely that Bai Bi and Lei Lan can only extend their spiritual awareness a few zhang beyond their bodies, which would already be considered quite good. Thinking thus, Han Li swept his divine awareness backward and indeed sensed the two Saint Princes behind him, both of whom now looked somewhat displeased. Yet the trio were not at all surprised by this development. The peculiar phenomenon of their divine awareness being suppressed had been warned to them by several senior elders of the Tian Peng Clan as soon as they left the Saint City. This was true not only for the outsiders like themselves, but even for the native dark creatures of the Earth Deep. While the latter had long resided in the Earth Deep and thus considered such occurrences commonplace, the newly arrived Feilin Clan members found it deeply uncomfortable, their cultivation techniques and spiritual powers significantly diminished as a result. Han Li, however, was entirely unconcerned. He had encountered this phenomenon of suppressed consciousness on numerous occasions before and thus had considerable experience in handling such situations. After flying forward for several hours like this, Han Li suddenly furrowed his brow and then raised his hand, swiftly pointing his finger at the several moonstone orbs spinning before him. A series of crisp cracks echoed, and one by one, the moonstone crystals shattered and vanished. Han Li drew back his luminous aura, halting his flight as well. The surroundings grew hazy, as if even the black wind blowing past had grown colder. Bai Bi and the other two, though instinctively slowed their flight, found themselves puzzled. Lei Lan, in particular, looked slightly bewildered, about to speak when suddenly a soft hum began to rise around them, growing steadily louder. Green light spots emerged from all directions, swiftly converging toward the three of them. "The Shadow Spider Bee," Lei Lan exclaimed, startled at first, then immediately named it. Bai Bi's expression shifted, growing slightly concerned. "Indeed, this appears to be a low-rank fairy bee—one of the most troublesome among the low-rank creatures of the Earth Deep. This bee particularly targets any moving luminous object," Han Li said, calmly scanning the surroundings. In fact, it didn't take Han Li much explanation for Lei Lan and Bai Bi to clearly discern the true nature of those green light spots. Within the green orbs, they saw small creatures—each about the size of a thumb—whose upper bodies resembled spiders and whose lower bodies were equipped with sharp spines. The bodies were a vivid green, adorned with concentric yellow patterns, appearing both fierce and menacing. From the dense, countless clusters visible at a distance, there were clearly well over ten thousand such creatures—numbers that were astonishing indeed. Even for early-stage spiritual generals like Lei Lan and Bai Bi, the sight brought a sense of gravity. This wasn't because they truly feared these relatively minor fairy bees, but because even if all of them were eliminated, their own spiritual levels would inevitably suffer a noticeable drain. And since they were still at the first level, having only advanced just two days, they naturally didn't want to face such a confrontation. The bees' determined and aggressive demeanor, however, clearly indicated they would not be easily defeated. Faced with this, Lei Lan and Bai Bi could only prepare themselves to engage. As one of the two flared her delicate silver arcs, which began to jump and shimmer, while the other clasped her hands in gestures, causing faint golden filaments to rise and glow subtly around her body—seeming to emanate some mysterious power. Han Li glanced at them briefly, then without further words, opened his mouth and expelled a sphere of silver flame. After a brief flicker, the sphere transformed into a silver phoenix the size of a clenched fist. With just a simple spread of its wings, the phoenix burst into a loud "pop," scattering hundreds of silver sparks in all directions. The shadow spider bees, renowned for their tenacity among the subterranean creatures, could hardly have been so easily extinguished. Composed entirely of a dark, impure essence, these bees are resistant to ordinary attacks. Even if their bodies are momentarily shattered or severed, they can swiftly regenerate thanks to their dark aura, restoring themselves to full strength within a short time. Only a decisive, complete annihilation of their essence would permanently eliminate them. Such persistent difficulty indeed explains their distinguished reputation. However, this unique ability is only effective within the deep underground realm, where the dark atmosphere abounds; once they reach the surface, this power diminishes entirely. In fact, not only the shadow spider bees, but many other subterranean creatures also thrive only in the depths. As soon as they emerge above ground, their abilities are significantly weakened—this very vulnerability is the primary reason the Feilin clan can successfully seal off the entrance to the underground realm. Otherwise, without such a weakness, the subterranean creatures would not be easily contained by the Feilin clan's combined strength. The Shengling Heavenly Fire appeared light and airy, as if lacking any real power; yet whenever each silver bloom touched a Yin Zhū Bee, it instantly turned the entire creature to ash, completely absorbing the faint dark essence within. Under such circumstances, the insects naturally had no chance of recovery. Originally endowed with a certain spirit, the Shengling Heavenly Fire required no conscious guidance from Han Li—merely flowing and rushing forth to extinguish its enemies on its own. Thus, Han Li merely stood in the air, arms behind his back, for a brief moment, and by the time he finished, over ten thousand Yin Zhū Bees had been completely eradicated by the Shengling Heavenly Fire. Then, with a seemingly casual gesture, he raised one hand, and all the silver blooms gathered at the center, merging into a blazing, fist-shaped phoenix that flashed and vanished instantly into Han Li’s body. "Let's go!" Han Li said simply, and instantly transformed into a streak of emerald light, shooting forward. Lei Lan and Bai Bi, though momentarily stunned, quietly followed suit, advancing steadily. Regardless of how confident these two were or how they privately thought of Han Li, after Han Li demonstrated a slight display of skill, they now seemed to have little resistance to his instructions. Thus, in this somewhat damp forest region, the three of them flew for one full day and night, finally emerging beyond its edge. Suddenly, the landscape ahead changed dramatically—revealing an unusual silver-gray desert. From a distance, the sand grains of the entire desert shimmered with a cold, steady glow, appearing utterly desolate. "I must have mistaken something," Han Li said, hovering mid-air and constantly flipping and brushing over his spell disk, his face showing a touch of surprise. "According to the map, this should have been a major underground river. How has it turned out this way?" Both Bai Bi and Lei Lan, after comparing the maps with each other, also looked equally puzzled and uncertain. "Has it been these years that the underground rivers have dried up, with all the water seeping into the second layer?" Lei Lan said, his gaze flashing. "The traces don't seem to support that. If the water has indeed vanished, then how has the desert remained as it is?" Han Li shook his head, disagreeing. "Then, Master Han, what do you think has actually happened here?" Bai Bi stroked his chin, smiling gently. "I'm not sure. It doesn't matter much to know the details. We're merely making our way, not here to study the changes in the depths of the earth. Let's just hurry on. Once we enter the desert, simply be a bit cautious." After a moment of silence, Han Li spoke calmly. "That's true," Bai Bi said, blinking in mild surprise. Immediately, the three of them transformed into three glowing orbs and entered the silver desert ahead. Though they had spoken with ease, as soon as they stepped into the desert, they all unconsciously increased their speed, each eager to reach the more ordinary terrain as quickly as possible. This time, the three of them flew out several ten thousand miles, yet what they saw remained entirely silver-gray sand grains, with not a single plant or tree in sight. "What is that?" Suddenly, Han Li's expression changed, and a blue glow flashed in his eyes before he turned toward a spot not far to one side. "Han brother, what's happening?" Bai Bi was startled and asked immediately. "There seems to be a oasis over there, and a hint of bloodiness." Han Li replied in a steady tone. "Bloodiness? I've sensed that too. Indeed, it's in that direction!" Lei Lan slightly wrinkled her nose, speaking with a touch of uncertainty. "Could it be some wild beasts from the underground realms?" Bai Bi hesitated. "It doesn't quite fit. The natural qi of the land and sky there appears clearly disturbed—likely due to some magical intervention. Let's go check it out and then decide." Lei Lan shook her head repeatedly, suggesting. (Second update!) --- Volume Nine: The Hundred Clans of the Spiritual Realm It's better to take a look. "Perhaps something interesting will be discovered," Han Li said, not merely giving a faint agreement. Seeing that Han Li had not objected to the suggestion, Bai Bi, though somewhat reluctant, remained silent and did not express any opposition. Thus, the three of them changed direction and flew straight toward the source of the blood-charged atmosphere. After flying for more than ten li, they indeed spotted an unusual sight—a green oasis of about a li in diameter appearing there. They reached its upper airspace in a matter of moments. "How could these beasts have appeared in Sha'eri instead of in the dense forest we saw earlier?" Lei Lan, surveying the scene from above, expressed surprise. "They've only just died; otherwise, their blood should have coagulated." Bai Bi carefully examined the scene and reached her own conclusion. Yet Han Li, after observing closely, suddenly moved, transforming into a streak of jade light and circling the entire oasis. After a moment, he returned to his original position, his eyes narrowed and fixed on the blood pool. "What is it, Han brother? Have you found something?" Lei Lan asked curiously. "Yes, I've indeed noticed something," Han Li replied as if to himself, then suddenly waved his sleeve toward the ground. A beam of golden light shot out, instantly branching into seven or eight sword-like beams that plunged into the ground near the pool. Both Lei Lan and Bai Bi were taken aback, still unsure of what was happening, when suddenly cries of pain erupted from the points where the sword beams had pierced the ground, followed by a steady gush of blackish blood rising up. The ground nearby erupted violently, and several creatures resembling monkeys burst out from beneath the earth. Each stood a few feet tall, with four ears on their heads, holding crude stone spears that were rough in texture but emitted a faint glow at their tips. "Huh! Ghost Monkey Beasts! Not good—this oasis is formed by the Great Spirit Flower!" As soon as White Bi recognized these monkey-like creatures, she suddenly exclaimed. "Great Spirit Flower!" Han Li's eyes flashed with recognition, while Lei Lan murmured in surprise. At that moment, the ground beneath the three of them roared loudly, then shook violently. Meanwhile, blood in the oasis' pond surged outward, rising in a wave and forming a red silhouette that shot upward. In a flash, it reached Han Li and plunged sharply toward his face. Lei Lan and White Bi were startled—this red figure moved with astonishing speed. Even if they had wanted to intervene, they seemed to fall short. Yet Han Li merely gave a cold exhalation, slightly blurring his arm. "Thud!" A palm of pure white, as flawless as jade, suddenly appeared before him, and in a lightning-fast motion, he grasped it with a reverse hand movement, firmly capturing the red glow. The two Saint Heirs now clearly saw that it was a blood-red substance, roughly the thickness of an arm, resembling a long tongue, with a fist-sized mass at its front end, densely covered in black spines several inches long, constantly quivering. Yet the palm of Han Li seemed not composed of flesh and muscle; his five crystalline fingers directly pressed onto the mass, as if untouched by the black spines, leaving no mark whatsoever on the flesh. At this moment, five white bone skulls suddenly emerged on the surface of Han Li's fingers. As he opened his mouth, a surge of five-colored light flame erupted, cascading down along the tongue. In mere moments, the entire tongue transformed into a long, slender strand of five-colored ice. Without hesitation, Han Li struck the front end of the ice column with a reverse hand. A ripple of emerald light flashed, followed by a crisp sound like that of a porcelain vase shattering. The ice strand instantly fractured into fragments, dissolving into a shimmering radiance and vanishing completely. A mighty roar issued from beneath the ground, as though the creature were in excruciating pain. The blood-colored glow in the pond spun rapidly, and within moments, every single drop of blood water had vanished. Then, with a thunderous "boom," the entire oasis shattered into fragments, revealing a colossal being emerging from the wreckage. Towering at the top and slender at the base, it resembled a vast, life-sized妖flower. The petals of this flower were a pale silver, like the desert itself, yet the center of the bloom was a vivid, blood-red, clearly formed from the blood-filled pond. The long tongue that had just launched its attack toward Han Li was merely one of the thick, stately stamens of the flower. Moreover, on the immense, broad petals of the flower, dozens of so-called "grudge apes" stood, their mouths agape and bared in fierce expressions, their stone spears raised and sweeping through the air. Moments later, dozens of stone cones, each about a foot long, materialized and shot directly toward Han Li and his companions. "This is indeed the Great Spirit Flower—quite impressive. I believe it's a mid-tier妖creature." After all, isn't it rare for mid-tier or higher-level spirits to appear at this level? Seeing this scene, Han Li didn't react with surprise—he instead smiled. This time, he didn't even need to intervene. Flan and Bai Bi raised their hands in unison, and with a blend of silver arcs and golden threads, they shattered the incoming stone spear instantly. "Han brother! It's true that such occurrences are infrequent, but that doesn't mean they won't happen at all. Moreover, our trial timing has been rather unfortunate—we're precisely at the early stage of the Earth's Deep Abyss spirit surge. It's not unusual for some mid-tier spirits to appear a bit earlier than expected," said Lei Lan, her brow furrowed as she explained. Though the spirits this time were mid-tier, they were far less troublesome than the shadow spider bees encountered earlier, so after a moment of surprise, her expression remained calm. "Indeed! I've heard that the nectar of this flower is an excellent ingredient for alchemical preparations. Since we've encountered it, let's collect some." Han Li gave a simple, noncommittal smile, then suddenly snapped his fingers downward. "Puff, puff!" Ten golden swords shot out from between his fingers, instantly transforming into ten streaks of golden light and rushing downward. A strange roar erupted at the heart of the great flower, followed by a dense wave of crimson figures shooting out, aiming to knock the swords down. If ordinary flying spirit beings had faced such a fierce assault, they would indeed have been greatly troubled. Yet Han Li merely frowned, then pointed with a single hand toward the swords. Instantly, the ten swords radiated brilliant golden light, and as soon as they met the crimson figures, they completely engulfed them, scattering them into fragments. Then, the golden light shimmered again, suddenly expanding into dozens of identical sword beams that poured down like a vast, sweeping tide. Seeing this, the resenting ape-beasts instantly realized their fate was sealed, and with sharp cries, they纷纷 hurled their stone spears into the air, which themselves transformed into dozens of bright white streaks, rushing toward the sword beams. These stone spears, though roughly forged by the beasts, could hardly withstand the sharp blade energy of the Qingzhu Bee Cloud Sword, instantly shattering into fine dust under the piercing cold light. Then, as several golden arcs swept through the ranks of the resentful apes, the beasts fell in twos and threes, split in half and collapsing to the ground. At the same time, the other sword beams circled the entire floral bloom with relentless strikes, swiftly reducing it to scattered fragments that tumbled to the earth, leaving a broad expanse of green sap spreading out. Even the companions of the giant spirit flower—the resentful apes—were all eliminated in a single encounter by the sword energy driven by Han Li. Lei Lan and Bai Bi had no chance to intervene, and exchanged a mutual, helpless smile. "Well, gather some nectar and let's go," Han Li said calmly, with a single hand motion, drawing all the sword beams back into his sleeves. Then, with a slight shift of his body, he landed beside the ground, and with a simple hand gesture, produced a small green bottle in his palm. Aligned her gaze with the fragmented centers of the flowers, she flicked her wrist. At once, a surge of azure light erupted, sweeping over the flower centers and drawing out clusters of liquid, rose-hued nectar, before spiraling back to pour into a small vial. Han Li shook the vial gently, and a fragrant aroma of nectar filled the air. With a subtle smile, a shimmer of green light passed through, and the vial vanished entirely. Lei Lan and Bai Bi descended and similarly retrieved their containers, each taking their share of the remaining nectar. "Let's go," Han Li said calmly, then spread his wings and ascended once more into the air. Bai Bi remained silent, transforming into a golden glow and following closely behind. As Lei Lan smiled and prepared to rise, her eyes swept over the remains of the giant flower stems on the ground, and suddenly, instinctively, she flicked her fingers. A flash of silver arc burst forth, like thunder, striking a yellow branch that had remained connected to the flower spirit's remains. Instantly, the branch turned to ash. Only then did Lei Lan clap her hands and spread her wings, launching herself forward to pursue Han Li and the other two. In a moment, the figures of Han Li and his companions vanished without a trace from the horizon, leaving the scene utterly silent. After a full hour, the ground nearby suddenly trembled, then gave way with a deep, resonant roar, splitting open as several thick, black, pillar-like root trunks surged upward from beneath. From the depths, a deep black, monstrous flower emerged, several times larger than the original giant blossom. This flower seemed like a mountain, and as it gently pressed against the ground, it settled firmly. At that moment, a soft exclamation of surprise arose from the flower itself. "Who dares disturb this sacred blossom placed here for worship? Could it be the six-footed ones? A woman's voice, full of indignation, burst forth. Rising upward at the sound, there stood a silver wooden chair upright at the heart of the black giant bloom, upon which a slender figure sat, face somewhat blurred. In her hands, she held a green leather whip. "Master hasn't lost his temper. The blood offering here has only been interrupted for a short while—those people must have left not long ago. I'll go investigate right away," said the furry, short figure that suddenly materialized before the chair, half-kneeling with the utmost reverence. "I shall continue overseeing the ritual. This matter is yours to handle. Whoever dares to disrupt my plans—none shall escape," the woman said coldly, drawing her whip through the air with a sudden, sharp motion.