"What we're drawing upon from Mr. Han isn't his personal cultivation level, but rather the divine thunder power he possesses. Even if his cultivation is a few stages lower, as long as he can manifest the power of the Divine Thunder of Exorcising Evil, that would be sufficient." Mu Qing smiled lightly in the dark glow. "Mastering the Divine Thunder of Exorcising Evil isn't that simple. Naturally, the higher one's cultivation, the greater the control. I'm rather doubtful whether a Spirit General could truly unleash its full power. If I'm not mistaken, to truly activate the full potential of the Divine Thunder of Exorcising Evil, one would need at least the level of a初级 Spirit Marshal." This time, it was one of the two figures dressed in crimson robes who spoke, his voice strangely resonant, like that of stone. "On this point, Brother Di, please rest assured! Although Mr. Han is only a high-level Spirit General, in terms of the purity and depth of his spiritual energy, he is only slightly below the average of a first-tier Spirit Marshal. I am confident he will be able to accomplish this. As for your own methods, Brother Di, do you have any other means that can reliably break through "If this person truly proves able to help us break the seal, it will indeed be a great blessing. I have no intention of obstructing him—only that I am deeply concerned. Do not distort my meaning, Lady Mu." The second robe-clad figure spoke, and his voice was exactly the same as the first, as if they were one and the same person. Everyone else present exchanged glances, and Lady Mu calmly added, "Since Brother Di, who has requested the assistance of Master Han, shows no objection, this is certainly the best outcome. I wonder only what Brother Liu and Sister Lan think." "As long as it serves our greater interests, I fully support it," replied the enigmatic figure wearing a black cloak, his tone calm and composed. Yet the white-haired lady remained furrowed in thought, deliberating. "Is there anything else, Sister Lan, that you find objectionable?" asked Lady Mu, her gaze shifting slightly. "Nothing in particular. This person's spiritual essence is exceptionally strong. I had originally planned to refine his soul into a silver-armored ghost king. Now, I shall have to start over and seek new materials." This person was originally discovered by me and the land-blood elder. Isn't it a bit odd that Mu Qing sister has decided to keep him here without any hesitation?" the white-haired lady said calmly. "Ah, so Blue Sister intends to personally instruct Fr. Han. But as I understand it, Sister's cultivation technique should actually be weakened by divine thunder, right? How can anyone truly master the art of divine thunder if she herself is not strong against it? If this causes a delay in matters of great importance, wouldn't she regret it for the rest of her life?" Mu Qing said with a gentle smile. "Indeed, from the way Mu sister speaks, it seems as though she herself understands the divine thunder technique. After all, neither has ever practiced this ability before—so what's so special about me guiding him personally?" the white-haired lady replied with a cold smile. "My body is formed from the essence of the Wood Spirit. In ancient times, the divine thunder known as the Wood-Element Thunder was ranked among the Five Divine Thunders. If it's taught by my own hands, wouldn't that make it superior to any other instruction?" Mu Qing's expression grew more serious. "That may not necessarily be true." As for the length of time it has taken me to attain enlightenment, I am second only to my six-legged colleague. Such a long period of cultivation should more than compensate for my younger sister's modest talent." The elegant woman spoke without hesitation. Upon hearing this, Mu Qing's face slightly changed, just as she was about to say something more, when the mysterious man named Six-Foot suddenly interjected: "Let us first refrain from arguing. Perhaps we should have a moment to verify the authenticity of Han's Divine-Defending Thunder before discussing any further matters." Clearly, Six-Foot held a high standing among the group, and after exchanging a glance of mutual respect and deference with the elegant woman, she fell silent, while Mu Qing turned to Han Li, speaking calmly: "I'm sure you've been listening attentively to our conversation. Could Han kindly display his Divine-Defending Thunder once again, so that we may confirm its authenticity? This matter is of considerable importance, and I'm certain you won't hesitate to comply." Han Li smiled faintly, saying nothing further, and then pressed his palms together in a series of gestures. At once, a thunderous roar erupted, and a brilliant golden glow surged from Han Li's body. Fine threads of electricity emerged from within him, swiftly coalescing into several thick golden arcs that spiraled around him, creating an astonishing display. The beautiful woman in the wooden pavilion, along with Lu Zhu and the others, fixed their gaze intently on the golden arcs, even the one, Mu Qing, who had already witnessed this spectacle once. Lu Zhu swept his sleeve outward, sending a surge of dark, misty wind straight toward Han Li. Han Li raised an eyebrow and gently pointed his hand. A golden arc flashed forward to meet the wind. Instantly, a loud "crash" echoed as the golden arc exploded upon contact with the dark wind. Where the golden light passed, the dark wind transformed as if melting in early spring, dissipating completely and vanishing. "Excellent—indeed, it is a divine, protective thunder!" Lu Zhu nodded, his voice tinged with satisfaction. "With a divine protective thunder of this caliber, how many such arcs can you typically summon?" one of the blood-robed figures suddenly asked. "Perhaps around twenty." "But after each release, it takes a long time before it returns to its original state." Han Li replied, his eyes briefly flashing. He had reduced the number of Divine-Exorcising Thunder Spikes he could command by two-thirds, without disclosing the full truth. "Twenty spikes—this should be sufficient," the other blood-robed figure exclaimed with a delighted laugh. "Indeed, though the Yin-He River seal is formidable, it will absolutely be unable to withstand such a sustained barrage of divine thunder. As for the people involved, there are no issues. Now, we should discuss Han Dao's future. Since I and the Earth-Blood Daoist are not particularly familiar with the art of thunder manipulation, we shall step aside. The key point is that both the Wood Immortal and Blue Daoist now wish for Han Dao to join them and learn the art of commanding thunder. This presents a challenge. I suggest the following: given that the major event is still several years away, let Han Dao first study under the Wood Immortal for the first two years. Then, after that, he will join Blue Daoist for the next two years. Finally, over the last two years, he will be allowed to refine and internalize the technique on his own." "Shouldn't both of you have any objections?" Six-Foot spoke, showing absolutely no emotion. Hearing Six-Foot say this, both the beautiful woman and Mu Qing were momentarily stunned. "Ah, Six-Foot's proposal is excellent. I believe there's no need for further debate—let's proceed as suggested," one of the blood-robed figures clapped his hands and laughed heartily. "Since both Six-Foot and the Earth-Red Blood agree this method is ideal, I have no objections either," the white-haired beauty paused thoughtfully before slowly nodding her agreement. Yet Mu Qing remained seated in the golden flower, silent and unimpressed, not immediately responding. "Is it that you find this method unsatisfactory, Mu Lady?" Six-Foot's gaze grew colder as he asked in a steady tone. "Of course not. Then it shall be as you three have suggested," Mu Qing felt a sudden sense of urgency, and after a moment, managed a smile. "Good. After all, these are merely minor matters. What matters is our overarching plan." Master Han, we give you six years. If, within that time, you succeed in mastering the art of channeling divine lightning as we have taught you and fully unleash the true power of the protective divine lightning, we will personally escort you to a mysterious place where great benefits await you. However, should you fail to achieve this mastery within six years, then—ahem—well, let's just say... A blood-robed attendant smiled, then turned to Master Han with a mixture of both subtle pressure and enticing promises, speaking several more words before pausing. Though the final words were not fully uttered, the meaning was unmistakable. Han Li's face paled, and his body instinctively tried to dodge. Yet the space around him tightened suddenly, and then several invisible forces pressed down upon his shoulders. His form froze—he could not move at all. Han Li's eyes flicked slightly, and with a lightning-fast thought, he unexpectedly failed to summon his inner divine energy to break free. His face turned slightly pale as gray threads of light flashed and vanished into his body. At the same time, Liu Zhu, Mu Qing, and Di Xue each released a cluster of black mist, a sphere of green light, and a swirl of blood vapor, respectively, all of which also disappeared into Han Li's body. Only when the immense pressure lifted did Han Li regain his freedom. With a swift mental scan of his inner being, he sighed with both concern and relief. The things now embedded within him were merely four kinds of marks—nothing serious. Yet, as a consequence, should he ever wish to escape again, it would prove exceedingly difficult. "Friend Han, once these matters here are settled, you'll stay at Mu Xian Valley for two years. After that, Friend Lan will send someone to retrieve you. That's all for now. Let's move on to other matters. I hear your Xuan Gui is nearly complete—only a few things remain..." Six-Zu spoke only a few sentences before shifting the topic to other matters. The others listened intently, occasionally interjecting with their own comments, showing no interest in giving Han any chance to speak. Indeed, in the presence of these four cultivators at the Consolidated Stage, Han had little room to speak. After all, in both the human and spiritual realms, power speaks—so a mere Cultivator at the Huashen level was but a minor presence to these earth-deep, elemental beings. Though Han felt frustrated, he remained silent, quietly pondering the points just mentioned. The earlier statements of these Earth-Deep Demon Kings were not very elaborate, yet he had managed to grasp the general gist! Indeed, they clearly intended to harness his Bixie Divine Thunder power—to break through some "Underworld Seal." But what exactly did these individuals mean by their "method of summoning thunder"? Was there a unique technique or secret诀 for commanding the Bixie Divine Thunder? Did they possess other, as-yet-undisclosed divine abilities? Han Li found himself utterly puzzled. Suddenly, he sensed someone paying closer attention to him. When he glanced briefly, he met the steady gaze of a young woman who had been quietly looking at him. It was Yuan Yao. Upon seeing Han Li's gaze, Yuan Yao remained composed, showing no change in expression at all. Yet Han Li's expression stirred, and only after a while did he calmly withdraw his gaze.