"After being struck by those spectral beings, though I moved swiftly," said a blood-robed attendant. "My condition is far worse. Not only were several Ghost Kings severely wounded when their puppets exploded, but the remaining spectral troops were entirely annihilated by Brother Liu's wind-based techniques." The silver-haired beauty sighed lightly. "Master Lan, why do you say such things? We originally agreed that you needed only to produce eight thousand ghost soldiers. Yet the refined yin qi you've drawn from me far exceeds that number. You should have produced more refined yin-armor ghost warriors. Now, with the situation as it is, it's no longer a matter of being particular about what you hold dear." Brother Liu, with his six eyes flashing with a sharp, somber glint, spoke. Upon hearing this, the silver-haired woman paused, then a touch of embarrassment crept onto her face. "I didn't expect Brother Liu to know of this. Indeed, to be safe, I did produce an additional five hundred elite ghost soldiers—though the number is not large, their individual strength surpasses that of ordinary yin-armor ghost warriors." "Very well. With the remaining puppets and these hundreds of shadow soldiers supporting us, even though there are a few perilous spots remaining in the latter half of the journey, we shall certainly manage to pass them without difficulty. I know that some of you may have other plans in mind, but as long as we secure the Spirit Milk of the River of the Underworld, we can all proceed independently. As for how you wish to act—my involvement will be minimal. However, before we reach our destination, I urge you not to be distracted by other matters or to make up petty schemes of your own. Otherwise, do not expect me to be lenient." After glancing at the faces of the three companions, the six-limbed figure spoke with a tone that carried subtle authority. The white-haired woman showed a slight reaction, while Mu Qing remained impassive. The two in crimson robes exchanged a glance, their eyes flashing with a brief surge of bloodlight—yet none of them made any response, as though the six-limbed figure's words had never been spoken. Unimpressed by their silence, the six-limbed figure raised his hand and said simply, "Set out." Instantly, he dissolved into a swirling mass of black light Below, several dozen high-ranking immortals immediately activated their flight spells and followed. Seeing this, the two clad in crimson robes shook their sleeves, and from the folds, a dense shower of black spots shot out, each bursting into vibrant, varied hues upon landing, transforming into a multitude of intricately shaped automatons. These automatons clearly were carefully preserved by the two crimson-robed figures! Not only were they all intact and fresh, but most of them were exceptionally refined. At that moment, the white-haired woman raised her hand, releasing a black leather pouch about the size of a palm, and then applied a series of hand seals. The pouch spun gracefully in the air before its opening flipped over, and a thick, dark, misty wind surged forth from within. Amidst the swirling sand and stones, ranks of black-armored ghost soldiers emerged. Their armor bore a resemblance to the earlier dark-armor pygmy ghosts, though it appeared slightly more solid and dense, and these soldiers stood a little taller than ordinary pygmy ghosts, appearing particularly formidable from a distance. "Move!" With a single command, the beautiful woman transformed into a swirling black mist, pursued the six-legged figure amid the cluster of ghost soldiers. Yuan Yao and the other graceful woman had no choice but to step away from Han Li, bravely following along. The puppet army likewise rose into the air, gliding at low altitudes, enveloped in various streams of spiritual light. The purple-blooded puppets flew at the very forefront, with the two clad in blood robes steadily standing upon their shoulders. Observing this scene, Mu Qing calmly glanced at Han Li and, without further words, lightly stepped on the golden flower beneath her, launching forth in a streak of light. "Master Han, let's go!" said Jin Ling, smiling faintly at him, clearly determined to stand by him. Han Li, composed and unflinching, nodded, and with a surge of green light, himself became a streak of jade-green light. Jin Yuan chuckled softly and followed closely in golden light... Several days later, deep within the land of Minghe, before a stone cave nestled among the gray-white mountain range. Several ghost beings of varying forms stood quietly in place. Some were enveloped in a layer of misty green vapor, others merely faint white silhouettes, while others were towering skeletons several feet tall. Among them, the white-robed ghost woman who had once fought against Han Li but then abandoned her retreat, was clearly present. Yet none of them bore broken limbs or showed signs of severely weakened vitality. Even the ghost woman who had posed a significant challenge to Han Li—now missing one arm along with a section of her mysterious white robe—had become a one-armed figure. All these ghost beings appeared disheveled and unsteady. Amidst them, however, stood one clad in blood-red armor, with a facial mask covering her face—clearly a member of the Fuyou Clan's blood-armored automaton. Visually, this automaton was no different from ordinary blood-armored ones, yet the surrounding ghost beings gazed upon her with a mixture of reverence, even showing signs of apprehension. This puppet stood before so many high-ranking spirits, motionless, gazing into the deep, profound opening ahead, its eyes flickering with a soft green glow. After an indeterminate length of time, a long sigh echoed from deep within the cavern, followed by an elderly voice emerging gently: "You, as a messenger of the Flea-people, have unexpectedly found me—do you not feel as though you've mistaken your audience?" Upon hearing these words, the spirit at the cave's entrance immediately grew solemn. The blood-armored puppet's eyes flashed with a spark of luminous light, and it responded: "Senior, I too have acted out of necessity. The strength of those who have breached the boundary and entered the sacred realm far exceeds our expectations. There are already four or five beings of our own Tian Fu level. Aside from myself, the puppet forms of the others have all been destroyed, even though I have already dispatched a distress signal. Yet the next time the sacred realm will open, it will not be until another half-year. With such a prolonged interval, I fear these individuals have already fled." Looking at the elder, the blood-armored automaton bowed deeply, showing great respect. "Hmph. Back when I first made an agreement with your family, the Fluttering Clan, I only asked for a temporary extension of my existence—merely to survive a little longer at your sacred site. I never intended to become a permanent ally. The compensation I owed was settled long ago. This time, when you asked me to gather high-ranking ghost beings to assist, I agreed only reluctantly. Now, you expect me to personally step in and help you defeat your enemies—doesn't that seem rather excessive?" The elderly voice scoffed, its resonance shaking the entire cavern, clearly expressing his displeasure. "Master Jiang, I didn't know of any prior agreement between you and our clan. However, with your current abilities, defeating these few opponents is merely a matter of a simple gesture. If, indeed, you find it inconvenient to personally intervene, then lending us your Five-Drake Slicer for a time would be equally acceptable." The automaton's gaze shifted several times, yet spoke with such calm assurance. "The Five-Drake Sledge is one of my foremost treasures. Why should I lend it to you? When I sought entry into the Realm of the Understream, I paid a considerable price to several of your elders." The elder's voice grew cold as if recalling an unpleasant memory. Suddenly, the blood-armored automaton's inner sense stirred. After a brief hesitation, he reached into his armor and withdrew a small, dark bottle. No larger than a thumb, yet exquisitely crafted. "Before my departure, my elders bestowed upon me a small vial of 'Kui Essence.' I hereby offer this to you in exchange for your favor." The automaton carefully held the vial aloft and spoke with confidence. "Kui Essence!" The elder's voice paused, as though surprised. "This essence takes over ten thousand years to form even a single drop—rare indeed, and scarcely found throughout the entire spiritual realm. It is truly a treasure of the highest order." As the automaton sensed the elder's hesitation, his heart grew assured, and he spoke with clear conviction. A sudden rush of black mist shot forth from the cavern, snatching several small vials of the puppet and rolling them back into the cave. The blood-armored puppet showed not the slightest resistance. "Since you've agreed, take the treasure!" The figure in the cavern moved with surprising efficiency. With a low command, a streak of silver shot forth from within and swiftly reached the blood-armored automaton, hovering gently in the air before it. The automaton focused intently, observing closely. There, suspended before it, appeared a seemingly ordinary silver-white chopping blade—shining like a mirror, yet showing no remarkable features. "Master, this... this truly is the Five-Drake Chopping Blade?" The automaton reached out, picked up the blade, and examined it carefully, eyes flickering with surprise. "Hmph! Do you think I'm going to fool you?" came a dry, elderly chuckle. "No, no, I'm not. But this blade...," the automaton's expression grew serious as he began to explain. Yet just then, the blade in his hands trembled suddenly, and with a sharp snap of his fingers, it flew free from his grasp. After a graceful spiral through the air, the silver glow intensified, followed by several clear, resonant dragon roars. Gradually, five massive jiao dragon silhouettes emerged above the chopping blade, each of a different hue, their mouths agape and limbs outstretched, commanding an awe-inspiring presence. "Five Dragon Chopping Blade," the elderly voice declared with dignified pride, "was crafted during my travels across other continents when I slew five great spiritually empowered evil jiao dragons. Using their remains and essences, I forged this supreme treasure. Upon its creation, it immediately ascended to the Chaotic Immortal Rankings, ranking among the foremost among the transcendental spiritual treasures." "Forgive me, esteemed elder! As soon as I eliminated those foreign intruders, I immediately returned the artifact in its original form!" The blood-armored automaton, delighted by this extraordinary phenomenon, quickly resumed his gestures without hesitation. Instantly, the chopping blade transformed into a streak of silver light and vanished into the folds of his sleeve.