Bai Bi showed no hesitation at all in carrying out Han Li's instructions. The other two, Lei Lan and a woman from the Ye LV clan, were also stunned at first. Yet Han Li remained calm, simply gestured to the three of them, and then moved silently forward without speaking. The three instantly transformed into three luminous orbs and followed him. "Qin, I recall that the Ye LV clan sent more than one representative, correct? Where are the others?" Lei Lan asked curiously along the way. "Our clan dispatched three Saint-heirs. However, after entering the second layer, we encountered several rival branches in succession, and the other two have already fallen. I originally intended to sneak into the third layer through a nearby entrance, hoping to chance upon a single Yin-Yan fruit. But on the way, I encountered the Huang Feng people and was pursued all the way here." The young woman with a delicate green horn on her forehead replied with a look of weariness. "Oh, the Huang Feng clan has so many people just to pursue one of our friends?" Lei Lan's eyes flashed with a thoughtful expression. "Perhaps it is because I am carrying several precious items from my family." Qin Xiao hesitated before speaking cautiously. "Ah, I see." Seeing that the other had withdrawn, Lei Lan raised her elegant brows and found herself unable to press further. "Given that the Huang Feng clan has mobilized its full forces to pursue you relentlessly—could it be that you hold one of the Three Supreme Treasures of the noble houses?" Bai Bi interjected at that moment. "My younger sister indeed brought the family's Huan Yuan Pot with her." Qin Xiao's expression changed slightly, and after a while, she sighed with a touch of resignation. "The Huan Yuan Pot enables one to command the Huan Yuan energy and thus control the weapon used against the enemy." Both Bai Bi and Lei Lan were visibly impressed. "Yes, that is exactly it. Without this pot, how could a mid-level spiritual general like myself have managed to evade the Huang Feng forces for so many days? The drawback is that each time I activate the pot, I need a rare number of Huan Yuan crystal stones—so rare that even if I brought all the crystals from the family, I now have none left." "The woman sighed and said... Upon hearing this, Lei Lan and Bai Bi both turned to glance at Han Li ahead. Yet Han Li had never once looked back, as though he had not heard a word. Seeing Han Li show such complete indifference, Lei Lan and Bai Bi exchanged a glance and then promptly dropped the matter, instead engaging Qin Xiao in polite and courteous conversation about the third layer of the Deep Earth. Qin Xiao, seeing this, breathed a great sigh of relief. Though the Night Green and Sky-Peacock clans did have some agreements, those were merely verbal arrangements with no binding force. Should the three of them also develop a desire to seize the treasures, with Han Li's demonstrated prowess, she would have absolutely no chance to resist. On the other hand, given Han Li's formidable strength, if she could rely on him as a pillar of support, her safety would be assured." With this in mind, Qin Xiao never mentioned her intention to leave, chatting warmly and enthusiastically with Lei Lan, and through attentive observation and deliberate efforts to build rapport, they grew particularly close. Soon, the two came to be regarded as sisters. Bai Bi observed this and slightly furrowed her brow. Two days later, the group defeated several waves of mid- and low-tier yao-zu en route, finally breaking free from the mountain range—only to find a strange expanse of ice and snow ahead. The group's flight speed naturally slowed, and everyone carefully examined the scene before them. An endless stretch of translucent, deep-black ice lay beneath a steady breeze, with countless black snowflakes drifting down, their sharp, piercing cries rising and falling as if countless grim spirits were wandering and lingering deep within the ice. From a distance, the far reaches of the ice appeared utterly dark, devoid of any light, as though the gates of a vast underworld had been opened. "This must be the famed Ice Woe region of the second layer," Bai Bi remarked. It seems that numerous low- to mid-tier ice-wrath spirits are stationed here, and even some have occasionally witnessed the Ice-Wrath King himself," Han Li began, as if speaking to himself. "Brother Han is correct—the area indeed is a realm of ice-wrath spirits. However, most of these spirits are still at the low to mid-tier levels and have not yet awakened their spiritual consciousness. As for the Ice-Wrath King, that remains a mere rumor; few have actually seen him." Qin Xiao promptly interjected, in a polite and attentive tone. "Though the terrain appears perilous, with our current abilities, we should have no major difficulties passing through." Bai Bi smiled warmly. "In principle, there should be no real danger here. But given that the earth's deep-sea spirit flood is approaching, it would be wise to remain cautious. Then, let's proceed!" Han Li nodded, offering a few final instructions, then flicked his wings behind him, instantly accelerating his flight speed. After a few swift movements, he plunged into the nearby black ice and snow. The three members of Lei Lan exchanged glances and followed suit, stepping into the icy expanse. At first, from a distance, various hues of luminous light shimmered, and faint traces of the figures' flight trails could still be seen. But when a powerful gust of black wind, laden with thick sheets of black snow, swept past, the entire group vanished into the darkness. The others were simply the other holy sons of the same clan. Their location, however, was a circular basin spanning several thousand li, with dense black and green forests surrounding it on all sides. In the central region, stretching over a hundred kilometers, the land was bare, covered with grayish, egg-shaped blocks the size of human heads. At the very heart of this scattered terrain lay a dark, deep cavern, over a hundred li in diameter, extending straight into the earth's depths. The Chirong clan and others had stationed themselves near the entrance of this cavern. Clearly, the black rhinoceros spirit had fled from the nearby forests but was subsequently slain by Zhu Yinzi. "Hmph. You all keep praising the good things. We've been stationed here at the entrance for three or four days, and aside from wiping out another smaller clan, we haven't seen a single representative from the Tianpeng clan arrive. It seems they either took a different route or are still lingering at the second level. We suspect some of the larger clans have already reached the third level. While the Tianpeng clan must certainly be eliminated, we cannot afford to let go of the Yinyan fruit. Alright, Hui Tian and Hong Sha, you two come with me to the third level; the rest of you remain here to guard. I'll personally go fetch your Yin-Yan Fruits." After a moment of thoughtful contemplation, Zhi Yinzi spoke thus. "Master Zhi, the Han-family member from the Tian Peng clan seems quite accomplished. If only a few senior brothers remain, won't there be any unforeseen incidents?" Hui Tian, with his eyes darting around the crowd, expressed his concern. "Hehe, don't worry about that. You're not much behind me in cultivation. I'll also leave behind the Clan's precious artifact, the Luo-Hun Bell. When activated, this bell operates silently and invisibly—so effective that even a Ling Shuai-level being would find it hard to evade and would only be able to be captured. With Yu's subtle attacks, there will be absolutely no issues." It seemed Zhi Yinzi had already anticipated this matter, and spoke without hesitation. Then, with a simple gesture, she emitted a green glow, within which a small bell, about an inch high, ancient in appearance, was neatly enclosed. With a single gesture, the small bell vanished as if flickered, yet the next instant, it emitted a low hum and suddenly appeared atop the broad-shouldered, red-fused clan man's head, descending gently. "Thank you, senior, for the precious gift. I will surely fulfill my promise!" The man with the surname You raised his hand to support the bell, speaking with a composed demeanor—his voice, strangely sharp and metallic, as though the sound were produced by metal rubbing against metal. Though the man with the surname You spoke little, Zhi Yinzi clearly placed great trust in his capabilities. After a nod, she gestured and instantly transformed into three streaks of red light, vanishing into the cave. "Listen carefully! From now on, everyone must remain concealed—do not show yourselves near the entrance. I will establish a Three-Heaven Concealment Array within the entrance itself, hiding there. Once the target arrives, I will strike them unexpectedly with the Soul-Draining Bell. You may appear at your convenience." The sturdy man was no less formal—immediately after Zhi Yinzi had moved away, he issued clear instructions. The man of the You surname seemed to command considerable respect among the Sacred Sons of the Chirong clan; the others offered no objections, immediately beginning their incantations or summoning their treasures. In a matter of moments, the rest vanished into the void. As the man of the You surname moved, he too disappeared into the dark, cavernous chamber. For a while, the vast cavern fell into an unusually quiet stillness. To their surprise, members of the Flying Spirit Clan were trapped in the sky above, surrounded by thousands of golden moths. The first group consisted of about a dozen people—both men and women—each bearing a striking black tattoo on their faces. The second group, however, numbered only four, all towering men, each carrying a massive weapon on their backs. The moths circling them were bright golden, about the size of a fist. They neither approached the Flying Spirit Clan members nor fluttered close, but simply扇ed their wings, sending cascades of colorful moth dust that poured down in thick waves, completely enclosing the Clan members. Though the moth dust appeared ordinary, the two groups trapped within dared not let even a single speck touch their bodies. They continuously cast secret techniques, transforming several precious artifacts into shimmering halos of light, which protected them from the encroaching dust. —Double the monthly bonus at the end of the month! Please support with your next month's subscription!