"Since the master has already made up his mind, I'd like to ask—one thing that has been on my mind all along: how will the master handle the original spirit tree when he journeys to the realm of the River of the Dead?" The Coiled Monkey hesitated, raising the matter that had long occupied his thoughts. "On this point, I have already given it careful thought. I intend to carry the original spirit tree with me throughout the journey." Wood Qing replied calmly. "Master, how can this be possible! The realm of the River of the Dead is so perilous. Should the master become trapped there or encounter any unforeseen mishap, the presence of the original spirit tree outside would allow it to gradually regenerate and possibly restore its form over several years. But if both master and spirit tree are trapped together, wouldn't that completely forfeit this opportunity? Moreover, the original spirit tree cannot survive for long within a storage space, and the River of the Dead is utterly devoid of vegetation—there's no possibility of planting it directly there." The Golden Monkey expressed her deep concern. "Rest assured. I am confident enough to bring the original spirit tree into the realm of the River of the Dead, precisely because I now have over seven or eight out For this reason, I have specially crafted a storage pearl that can keep the spiritual tree alive for several years. Otherwise, how could I be at ease leaving my true form alone in the outside world? Though you possess great abilities and are only one step away from joining us, should a well-intentioned adversary carry out a hidden scheme, your protection of my true form would not last long. Wood Qing shook her head and walked to the massive black tree, gently brushing her palm against its trunk. "Since the master has made up his mind, the Golden Ape shall accompany the master to the land of the Underworld, offering his support." The Golden Ape sensed the firm determination in Wood Qing's words and, after a brief thought, said so. "Heh, I had already planned to do this, even if the Golden Ape did not mention it. After all, though I have gathered several capable subordinates over the years, only you truly give me peace of mind. Once I enter the land of the Underworld with you, I won't ask you to do anything else—only to keep an eye on that young man named Han. Of course, when he is in danger, you must also ensure his safety." Wood Qing smiled warmly. "Han Xiao? The one the master brought back over the past two years?" The Golden Monkey's eyes flashed with a glint of determination, confirming with a question. "Indeed, not only is this person of great help in breaking the Yinhe Seal, but he is absolutely essential to my swift restoration of my original vital energy." Wood Qing nodded seriously. "I will certainly keep a close eye on him." The Golden Monkey pledged firmly, pressing his chest. "Until we officially enter the Yinhe Realm, you needn't worry too much about his safety. Even if we don't intervene, others who rely on him to break the Yinhe Seal will ensure he remains unharmed—no finger will be broken. However, once we enter the Yinhe Realm itself, Master Jin will need to pay closer attention." Wood Qing paused and added. "The master may rest assured. I fully understand." The Golden Monkey responded solemnly. "Then I'm confident. For now, this place is under your care. I'll summon you again on the day of departure." Wood Qing exhaled deeply, his face now displaying a composed and assured expression. ...Within the vast barrier beneath the Blood Flame Palace, two figures in crimson robes stood side by side. Before them stood the colossal purple-blooded automaton, massive as a mountain range. At this moment, the four eyes of the automaton were fully open, glowing with an unusual blood-like radiance, fixed upon the two figures in crimson robes. Though motionless, the eyes of the two figures in robes shimmered with a hazy, confused light. After a long while, a deep sigh emanated from the automaton's mouth. "Thus, it seems that Mu Qing and the Ghost Nanny have reached some agreement—intending to use the young man to jointly divide the treasures of the Magic Grave. Hmph. Fortunately, I had anticipated this development all along, and had urged the young man to assist us in crafting this divinely protective war armor in advance. As long as he carries his spiritual attendants, it remains to be seen who will ultimately control him." Moreover, though those six cunning ghost-maids were sharp, they could never have imagined that the Master had long since abandoned the original dual demonic bodies, uniting the primary spirit with this puppet, leaving only the secondary spirit dwelling within the body. Now, no longer afraid of the divine thunder of the辟邪 (Pìxié) gods, as soon as they entered the realm of the Underworld River and obtained the object that would elevate the puppet to a higher stage, the Master would surely advance along the path of the Great Way—this was no longer a dream. Heh, the treasures buried in the magic tomb would certainly not remain solely in the hands of these two. These figures stood one by one, each several dozen feet tall, their bodies clad in strange black armor, their faces blurred and indistinct. The white-haired woman observed the figures below for a moment before shifting her gaze to the object she held. In her hands was a round orb of an unusually vivid green. The orb shimmered with a soft, ethereal green hue, its essence radiating an exceptionally pure wood qi. Yet her expression remained uncertain, as though she struggled to make a decision. "...On the other side, a silvery rainbow was drifting slowly through the vast, dark and desolate expanse. The young man clad in green robes drifting within the light was none other than Han Li, who had only recently departed from Mu Qing. Though bearing the imprints left by the four immortal kings, Han Li could never fully conceal his presence no matter where he chose to retire—these four would always be aware of his movements. Still, he sought a remote and secluded spot to settle down. As for the idea of making a sudden escape, it remained only a thought—he could not escape the control of these four kings until the imprints on his body were fully resolved. The kings had not granted him much time, yet over several years, he would be able to fully absorb the half-pint of five-colored peacock spirit blood he had recently acquired, thereby mastering the true spiritual transformation technique. Naturally, the integration of true spiritual blood was no ordinary matter—it required either a unique bloodline or special secret techniques to facilitate it. Yet the Twelve Decrees of Jingze had solved this extraordinary challenge with merely a single set of incantations." It is evident that the elder of the Tianpeng Clan, who founded this divine technique, possessed truly exceptional talent! Although Han Li knew that even with this divine ability, he would still not stand a chance against a full-body stage being, at least he now had several means of survival in the Yinhe realm. Of course, if during this time he could diligently meditate and discover a permanent, subtle method to completely eliminate the imprints, he would immediately make good his escape without hesitation. After hearing only a few brief words from Mu Qing about the Yinhe realm, it was clear just how perilous it must be—after all, a place where even a full-body stage immortal beast could fall. Han Li pondered these thoughts silently, and after flying for over a month, finally came to a halt before a cluster of smaller mountain ranges. This mountain range lay far beyond the reach of Mu Qing and his companions, several million miles away, with dense spiritual energy and no presence of particularly high-level beasts. After circling the mountain range for some time, Han Li nodded contentedly and settled his flight at the peak of a lofty mountain at the heart of the range. After several hours, Han Li effortlessly hollowed out the mountain's core, creating a simple dwelling within. As soon as he entered the dwelling, he immediately set up seals and released a faint, pale mist that enveloped the entire massive mountain. Han Li then entered the inner chamber of the dwelling, closing the main door firmly, as if he had no intention of staying secluded for long. Time passed slowly, and the mountain where Han Li resided experienced distinct seasons—spring turning to summer, autumn to winter—causing the peaks to shift between lush green and snow-covered splendor. Mu Qing and the others seemed to have completely forgotten about Han Li, each continuing with their own busy affairs. On a certain day two years later, Han Li sat cross-legged on a mat within the chamber, gently handling a small stick that appeared ordinary. One end of the stick was slightly blunt, while the other was perfectly flat, as if sliced by a knife. The stick was uniformly flat and bore mysterious emerald patterns across its surface—exactly the Heavenly Xu fruit that Han Li had painstakingly nurtured, yet which had always hesitated to reveal its true value. Over the years, he had consistently dripped mysterious elixirs from small bottles onto it. Yet, after so many years, the object's form remained unchanged. Only within it, the milky luminous spots had grown several times larger than when it first appeared, glowing brightly and standing out prominently. Several times thereafter, Han Li had attempted to activate the object using magic or even his refined blood, but achieved nothing. This latest effort, however, proved equally unsuccessful. Taking a deep breath, he once again stored the "stick" back into his storage bracelet and then lowered his head, pondering thoughtfully. Over the past two years, he had finally succeeded in integrating the true spirit blood of the five-colored peacock into his body through the Jingzhe Technique, and fully cultivating the transformation. To his surprise, he now felt a significant leap in his cultivation level—an unexpected gain. If he hadn't yet mastered the cultivation techniques for true dragon and phoenix transformations, he would have wished to incorporate both types of spirit blood into his body and see just how much his cultivation could grow. However, over the past few years, he has also begun taking the True Bufo Spirit Liquid. Yet unfortunately, though its effects are astonishing, the duration is too short to allow any significant increase in his cultivation level. As for the four imperial beast imprints within his body, he still has no effective remedy. Thus, it now seems inevitable that he will enter the Yinhe Realm. Upon thinking this, Han Li's brow darkened slightly. But after a brief moment, his expression changed as he raised his head, his gaze sweeping toward the closed door of the sealed chamber, where a strange look crossed his face. Suddenly, he extended his hand and reached out into the air toward the door. "Pffft!" The seal on the door trembled and shifted, and a dark, bulky object broke through the barrier, landing directly into his palm. Han Li focused intently on the object in his hand, his face instantly pale. He gasped and suddenly stood up. It was a wooden chest about a foot long, its surface blackened and rough, with numerous dents and imperfections—utterly unattractive!