"Since the elders have spoken so clearly, how could I possibly refuse?" "Ha ha, Friend Han, there's no need to be so downcast. Although the Guanghan Realm does come with certain dangers, it's truly a great fortune for ordinary people. Most individuals never have such an opportunity—many would surely envy it." Qi Jizi smiled. "Envy? My cultivation is still far from a bottleneck, so I don't expect much gain from entering. In fact, with a nearly fifty percent chance of falling, it seems like I'm gambling my very life. If possible, I would rather not enter at all." Han shook his head, clearly disheartened. Upon hearing Han's words, Qi Jizi and the old man exchanged a glance, as though silently agreeing on something. "Once the Guanghan Mandate is activated, only the person who triggers it can issue commands to transport others to the Guanghan Realm. This directly concerns the future prosperity and survival of our thirteen clans. Therefore, Friend Han, there is truly no room for refusal." Originally, we should deeply appreciate you for bringing this decree here. However, the seal has already been activated, and you have now gained entry qualifications to the Guanghan Realm. This can be considered a mutual offset. Yet, should you personally wish not to enter the Guanghan Realm, and now find yourself compelled to enter at great risk and with significant sacrifice, then it truly is a considerable burden. Then, please, state your requests freely—whatever you wish, we will do our best to accommodate them," said Qianji Zi calmly to Han Li. Upon hearing this, Han Li's heart leaped suddenly. After swiftly considering several possibilities, he spoke with renewed determination: "I believe you already have a good sense of my request. After completing the affairs in the Guanghan Realm, I would like to borrow the intercontinental teleportation array for a brief use." "Borrowing the teleportation array? If it's merely a single use, that should be feasible. However, the premium celestial spiritual stones consumed during the journey—those are at a sky-high price—and you will have to bear those costs yourself. Our several clans cannot cover them for you." Moreover, this teleportation array is not something our clan can decide on its own—it must also be negotiated with several other clans. Perhaps they have certain conditions as well, which will also require your agreement. Does the guest have any questions?" Thousand-Mechanics spoke calmly, without showing the slightest surprise. "As long as we can use the teleportation array, the costs incurred during the transmission naturally should be borne by my younger self. As for any other conditions, so long as they are not utterly beyond my capacity to fulfill, I am more than willing to agree." Han Li expressed his great satisfaction. "Heh, Han, you don’t need to agree so quickly. The amount of top-tier spiritual stones required to cross continents is so vast that even a Saint-clan member might be forced to sell off all their assets. While you may have some personal wealth, gathering enough to cover the teleportation costs might still prove quite difficult. And given your current cultivation level, even if you remain with our Wangu Clan forever, you will certainly be of great value. So why would you need to go to any other continent?" Why not take this favorable opportunity to negotiate for other terms and secure more precious elixirs and remedies—thus achieving a win-win situation?" Master Ma suggested, his eyes flashing with insight. Han Li was momentarily startled, but after a thoughtful pause, he shook his head repeatedly. "Thank you so much for your kind offer, but my intention is already settled!" Seeing Han Li firmly reject his proposal, the middle-aged man remained calm, merely nodded gently and said no more. "By the way, both elders, I haven't yet learned when the opening day of the Guanghan Realm will be. Once I know, I'll be able to make proper preparations." Han Li rubbed his nose and asked. "The exact date of the opening, we aren't entirely certain either. But based on past experience, it should fall within a few years, at the very most a century." Qi Jixi replied with a smile. "A century!" Han Li was momentarily speechless upon hearing this. "To us cultivators, a century is hardly a long time at all. Surely, Master Han, you don't find this surprising, do you?" "The middle-aged man arched his brow, asking in surprise. "Nothing special, actually. I simply found it rather unexpected," Han Li chuckled. "You originally stayed at the inn, correct? But it has now been sealed off. And in the near future, you won't be able to leave Yun City either. Therefore, why don't you consider moving to Ba Yun Mountain? I'll arrange a free dwelling for you, so that Master Han can focus on his cultivation and patiently await the opening of Guanghan Realm." Thijin said this. Han Li was somewhat surprised by this, but after a quick thought, he nodded and agreed. In the following time, Thijin and Ma Elder casually inquired about Han Li's background, but Han Li only vaguely answered them. Thijin and Ma Elder seemed unconcerned, seeing that Han Li appeared unwilling to reveal much, and thus did not press further. Eventually, the third elder of the Wangu Clan, a tall man with a beard, finally arrived at the Tongling Hall. Yet this tall man merely glanced at Han Li for a moment, said a single word—"good"—then, to Qian Jizi and Ma Elder, remarked that "one more batch of elixirs remains to be refined," and promptly took off in a swift flight. Seeing this, Qian Jizi and Ma Elder could only offer a helpless smile. It seemed they had grown accustomed to such behavior from the man. After receiving the Wàn Lǐ Seal from Ma Elder, Han Li finally stood up and bid farewell. As he was leaving, Qian Jizi stated that by the third day, arrangements for the transmission array with the other clans would be finalized, and his cave residence would also be ready—then Han Li could move directly to Ba Yun Mountain. Han Li listened attentively and expressed his heartfelt gratitude, then stepped out of the hall, boarded the beast-chariot at the entrance, and took off from the Wàn Gǔ Clan's fortress. At that moment, Qian Jizi and the middle-aged man sat silently in the hall, each lost in thought. "What do you think?" Qian Jizi asked, "Could this man actually be a spy sent by the Jiao Chi Clan?" "Qianji slowly asked, "It's impossible that he's a spy! Using a piece of Guanghan Seal to blend in as one of our Wangu Clan's treasures seems rather generous. Moreover, he once saved Jia Master and personally defeated several peers from the Jiaochi Clan on the spot. If his sole purpose were merely to confuse our ears, that would be a complete loss. And even if he were to serve as a guest official within our clan, he'd hardly gain access to our true secrets. What would be the point of such an investment?" The middle-aged man shook his head without hesitation. "Indeed, I think the same. Then we won't need to employ the Soul-Searching Technique to investigate his background. Otherwise, if he harbors resentment for this, it could become quite troublesome." Qianji nodded, expressing agreement. "Besides, his combat prowess is so formidable—almost on par with the peak of a Lingxu Late Stage practitioner. He truly qualifies as a valuable guest official for our clan. We should focus on attracting and integrating him." The middle-aged man said this with conviction. "But this person intends to use the teleportation array to leave the Leiming Continent." Qi Jixi furrowed her brows. "Hee hee, the spiritual stones required for the teleportation array aren't something that can be easily gathered. Once he actually collects enough, it will likely be many years from now—during that time, we merely need to invest a bit more effort, and leaving him behind wouldn't be difficult at all. Of course, if he truly insists on departing, we wouldn't need to be unkind; we could simply let him go. A transcendental cultivator at the peak of the Lingxu stage—adding or removing one such cultivator makes no significant difference to our clan's reputation. It wouldn't be worth compromising our standing for him." Qi Jixi's expression remained steady, and thus reached a final conclusion. "Since Master Qi has made up her mind, I have no objections either." The middle-aged man pondered for a moment and agreed with the decision. "By the way, let me now share the latest information regarding the Jiaochi Clan! This time, their actions appear to be far more extensive than in previous instances." As for the existence of the holy clans alone—there are...”Qian Jixi shifted the topic, turning to discuss the matter of the Jiaochi clan's invasion with the middle-aged man. On the other hand, Han Li, riding in the beast-carriage, had not traveled far from Yunshan. He simply alighted at a quieter street and checked into a modest inn. The inn appeared unremarkable, resembling a human-built structure. As soon as Han Li set up a protective magical array within the room, he immediately settled onto the bed and began to carefully reflect on his conversations with Qian Jixi and the others, searching for any potential inconsistencies or shortcomings. After a moment of thoughtful uncertainty, he finally exhaled deeply, his expression settling into calm. From the other party's demeanor, it seemed there were no unfavorable points against him. The only concern remained the Guanghan Realm, which appeared somewhat perilous. However, since the various clans within it lacked any cultivators at the Consolidated or above level, there was no real cause for alarm. As long as he doesn't have excessive ambitions, doesn't wander aimlessly seeking rare herbs or treasures, and simply finds a secluded spot to settle down and remain undisturbed, he should be safe from any immediate peril. This is precisely why, upon instantly grasping the key points during his stay at the Hall of Spirit Communication, he readily agreed to the requests made by Qianji and his companions. However, the opening of the Guanghan Realm might take much longer than he had anticipated. Should it indeed open only after a century, with such a prolonged period, he could leverage the power of elixirs to first cultivate to the peak of the early stage of the Lingxu Realm, and then, with the extraordinary spiritual energy of the Guanghan Realm, advance further into the mid-stage. This is precisely why he can rely on the mysterious filtrate to continuously produce the exceptionally rare Tenglong Elixirs—otherwise, for ordinary cultivators, reaching even the peak of the early stage would require several hundred years of relentless cultivation, something utterly beyond reach. Once entering the Lingxu Realm, the amount of spiritual energy required to further advance would be far greater than that needed at the Huashen stage. Besides, the path of dual cultivation that Han Li chose was far more arduous than other techniques. Han Li silently pondered this, but suddenly his expression changed as he flipped his hand, producing a white, hazy object in his hand, its surface likewise adorned with red incantations. It was another jade box containing the "Jianghan Mandate." Han Li was well aware that as soon as he presented this item, he could surely secure greater benefits from Qianji Zi and the others—at least, another sentient automaton would definitely be guaranteed. Yet, during his time in the Hall of Sentient Spirit, he had never mentioned this matter at all. His intention was simply to preserve his own caution. Whether or not this additional Jianghan Mandate proved useful before or after entering the Jianghan Realm, he would rather forgo any immediate advantages and instead secure this crucial backup.