Han Li sat quietly, allowing the mist to envelop him. The dark mist seemed to be some unknown substance, swirling around him for a while before finally dissipating. "Indeed, your approach to crafting artifacts is quite unusual—you've managed to infuse the items with your consciousness without needing me to employ my divine awareness." As the mist vanished, Han Li opened his eyes once more, and the words he spoke were exactly as those of the other serpent people. "Forgive me, elder. This is merely a minor skill. This is our sea chart from the Fire Coral Islands. Please take a look!" The woman smiled modestly and tossed out a pale stone fragment. This time, the stone did not shatter. Instead, it was gently drawn into place by the luminous light Han Li exhaled and settled firmly on his forehead, remaining motionless. Han Li's eyes half-closed, his expression shifting from initially calm to gradually astonished, before settling back into composure. At a distance, the woman noticed Han Li's changed expression, her eyes flashing with a subtle surprise that quickly faded. A moment later, a flash of white light from a stone on Han Li's forehead caused it to spring open and gently reflect toward her. With a single hand motion, the woman caught the stone back in her hand. Han Li, however, remained in place, silently pondering, as though weighing something in his mind. The woman said nothing, merely smiled calmly at her seat. After a while, Han Li raised his head slightly and asked gently, "So it seems this place is actually quite close to the Leiming Continent—only a few years' journey would be needed to reach it." "Six months! That was based on the speed of the elders. For us younger ones, without several decades, we simply wouldn't be able to reach the Leiming Continent at all. Not to mention the various dangers along the way," the woman's eyes flickered, then she chuckled softly. Han Li nodded, thus implicitly agreeing with the woman's words, yet asked, "According to the sea chart, your Huayang clan occupies only a few islands. Are there already inhabitants on the other islands?" "In fact, it's not just a few—there are barely a handful. Among these, only the Huayun Island can accommodate our clan members. The others are merely subsidiary islands where our people go to gather food and collect materials. They are rarely visited or permanently staffed. Most of the other islands are already occupied by more powerful clans. Some are even exclusively held by elder members of the upper clans, comparable to our own ancestors. Indeed, our Huayang clan is not particularly large in this region of the sea." The woman sighed and directly acknowledged this. "Ah, I see!" Han Li nodded, and said no more. Yet after a moment's hesitation, the woman turned to inquire about Han Li: "From what I observe, you seem to have come from a distant place. Could you kindly tell me what brings you here?" Although my cultivation level is still modest, our clan fortunately still has some capable members who can offer some assistance," the woman expressed with great enthusiasm. "Indeed, I am not from this vicinity. I was accidentally transported here due to an unknown restriction that unexpectedly activated elsewhere. During the transmission, a minor mishap occurred, which has left me rather disheveled—thus, I hope you won't mind." Han Li replied calmly. "You're being too kind," the woman said with a smile, "even though you're currently experiencing some physical discomfort, I can clearly sense your profound depth and mastery. Allow me to propose: you will certainly need a location with exceptionally rich spiritual energy for recuperation. Though our Fire Cloud Island is not large, it does possess several excellent spiritual veins. If you don't mind, I can designate a specific area for you to rest and restore your vital energy." "Resting on your island?" Han Li chuckled lightly, maintaining a composed and neutral demeanor. The woman grew somewhat anxious and immediately pressed on, saying, "Please rest assured, the spiritual veins on my island are no less than those of the neighboring larger islands. Moreover, we have several rare medicinal herbs and a decent stock of spiritual stones, all of which are at your disposal." Upon hearing this, Han Li's smile faded. "Han Li will not accept favors without reason. Then, what would you like to say to me? Please be direct. I have never been one to make indirect remarks." His voice grew colder. Only then did the woman realize her earlier words had been somewhat unsteady, her face changing several times before she finally sighed deeply, "Since you have noticed my intentions, I shall no longer conceal anything. You all—step back!" The last words were addressed directly to the snake people standing beside her. At once, all the white-robed snake people bowed respectfully and then withdrew from the hall. Han Li remained motionless, observing the entire scene silently. Only after the women and others who had taken on serpentine forms vanished from the great hall did they turn to Han Li, their expressions grave, and ask: "Senior, in your opinion, how would you rate my cultivation?" "Rather satisfactory," Han Li said, glancing at the woman calmly. "But a month ago, I was still just like the other members of my clan—having not yet refined my legs, and thus not yet belonging to the upper clan." The woman's expression showed a slight peculiarity. "By 'upper clan,' you mean..." Han Li's brow furrowed slightly as he asked. "Of course, I mean those who have refined their bodies to the point of becoming fully of upper clan form—only our cultivators, through dedicated practice, can achieve this and officially transcend the status of ordinary folk to become members of the upper clan." The woman smiled. "Oh, from the way you're speaking, it seems as though your attainment is not quite typical. Perhaps you've taken some rare elixir or employed a secret technique to elevate your cultivation level to this point?" Upon hearing this, Han Li felt a sudden sense of alertness, yet he remained composed, nodding slightly without displaying Yet the woman indeed failed to notice Han Li's astonishment, calmly responding, "Senior, your judgment is most fair! Indeed, I have drawn upon several rare herbs and medicines preserved in our clan's treasury, and employed a particularly forceful secret technique, which enabled me to transcend my current cultivation level. However, as a result, my cultivation will remain fixed at this level forever, and my lifespan will be reduced by more than half compared to that of ordinary peers of the same rank. Yet I have made this sacrifice precisely because the Huayang clan now faces a catastrophe that threatens its very existence—my only choice is to make a desperate effort." Her expression grew increasingly grave. "A catastrophe of such magnitude? Please allow me to share the details." Han Li raised an eyebrow, showing clear interest. "Just six months ago, the neighboring branch of the Wa clan known as the 'Jianchi' clan was entirely wiped out. All the women of the clan were consumed, leaving only scattered white bones. The men, meanwhile, vanished completely. Not long after, another nearby clan, the 'Xiejǐ' clan, suffered the same fate." The Huá family is the only one among the sea-based clans, with just our three clans. Though none of the three is particularly large, through mutual support, we have managed to hold our ground. However, now that two clans have been extinguished, I fear the next one will be our own Fire Yang clan. As for the reasons behind the downfall of these two clans, I have yet to uncover any details—only knowing that the attack must have been carried out by more than one person. Likely, a powerful clan beyond our reach. The high priests of the other two clans, in terms of spiritual prowess, are no less than myself. It was only under such pressure that I have resorted to making every sacrifice, temporarily elevating my own spiritual power to the level of an upper-tier clan's embodied form." The lady spoke in full detail. "Ah, then you're leaving me here with the intention that I will shoulder this calamity for you! You must truly have confidence in me, don't you think? Don't you fear that I myself might be in peril?" After listening attentively, Han Li smiled. "Though I do not know the exact level of your true cultivation, I am certain that your spiritual power surpasses mine by a considerable As for the injuries on the elder's body, our Huo Yang clan still retains a precious Li Yang Shen Dan, whose power is so great that it can revitalize the dead, turning white bones into flesh. If the elder would be willing to lend a hand and assist us, I would be honored to present this Shen Dan to the elder, enabling the elder to fully recover from his injuries within a short period of time!" The woman bit her lip, finally revealing her last reserve. "The Li Yang Shen Dan! A spiritual pill of fire nature, I presume. Yet, the severity of my injuries is far beyond what my friend can imagine. I fear that even this divine pill from your clan may not prove particularly effective for me," said Han Li, frowning slightly and speaking slowly. "The elder need not worry," replied the woman, delighted to hear that Han Li was showing signs of willingness. "This Shen Dan is not only crafted from the inner essence of a dual-headed flame dragon, but since its creation, it has been nurtured in our clan's earth-fire for thousands of years. I am therefore quite confident in its efficacy." Upon hearing Han Li's words, however, the woman still saw a trace of hesitation on his face, as though he My lord now resides within our small clan. After taking the divine pill, we shall observe its effects before making any further decisions. Should this pill prove ineffective in healing your injuries, I shall naturally have no further words of assistance. But should it prove beneficial... "Should this Pill of Scorching Yang truly heal my injuries, I shall certainly pledge my aid to your Fire Yang clan to weather this crisis. However, I wish to make it clear in advance—should the enemies you encounter be exceptionally powerful, beyond what I can personally resolve, then this agreement shall be suspended!" Lord Han seemed already resolved, and without waiting for the lady to finish, calmly interrupted her. "Of course! Though I may be rather slow-witted, I would never ask my lord to risk his life for the sake of our small clan." The lady, however, remained undeterred by Lord Han's subsequent remarks and instead grew exceedingly delighted. Lord Han nodded, formally accepting the matter. From that point on, the rest of the arrangements proceeded smoothly. Han Li asked several more questions about the foreign peoples in the nearby seas, and each woman answered them in turn before preparing to send him to his place of meditation. The woman reached into her bosom and produced a magical artifact resembling a white gauze cloth. With a gentle flick, it transformed into a cloud several dozen feet in diameter. As the cloud shimmered, it instantly lifted Han Li along with the chair beneath him, suspending them several feet above the ground. The woman then shifted her stance, standing mysteriously on the cloud. While murmuring softly, the cloud spiraled and shot forth from the hall door. When the cloud burst out of the hall, all the serpents waiting outside bowed respectfully, paying homage to the woman's departure. Though the cloud did not move at great speed, the island itself was only a few hundred miles across. Thus, within the course of a single meal, the woman guided the cloud and delivered Han Li to the foot of a small, picturesque mountain.