"Transformed spirit demon! It's no wonder the spiritual realm beings who have entered this region—wait, actually, these people don't even know the true purpose of Zhixian!" A voice of genuine astonishment issued from the giant toad, clearly filled with surprise. "Regardless—this thing must absolutely not fall into their hands. Yet we cannot delay the ceremony welcoming the Sage Ancestor. Here's what I propose: you return immediately and gather a group of wild beasts. With their intimate knowledge of the entire mountain range, they will surely succeed in retrieving Zhixian. But remember: act quietly, so that neither Many-Eyed nor Blood-Arm's subordinates detect this matter. Furthermore, should you encounter any other spiritual realm beings, eliminate them all. Though we have made agreements with the highest-ranking entities of the spiritual realm, as long as we don't make large-scale departures from the mountain, occasional disappearances of twenty or thirty individuals will be entirely acceptable. After all, with their status, will any of them rise again to notice such a small loss?" The man with broad wings paused, then issued a cold, decisive command. "Since the noble has spoken thus, I shall immediately return." Those human beings possess scrolls capable of tracing the origins of the Zhixian. Although some are only effective within a hundred li, if all such scrolls were secured, the chances of locating the Zhixian would significantly increase. The other person's scroll had already been destroyed by the elder. The one I consumed remains intact. I shall deliver it to the elder now." After nodding solemnly with her massive head, the giant toad opened her mouth and expelled a scroll shimmering with a faint glow. "With this development, the spiritual realm beings will surely have to be eradicated as well. Once these scrolls are corrupted by the demonic influence, the Zhixian will be entirely within my grasp. You must act immediately." Upon hearing this, the man with the great wings was delighted and reached out, instantly drawing the scroll into his hands. "Understood!" The giant toad bowed respectfully and, without a sound, sank into the misty sea below, vanishing completely. The man with the great wings then folded the scroll and, with a vigorous shake of his massive wings, transformed into a streak of dark light and sped off toward the horizon. Two days later, above a strange expanse of towering, ancient trees stretching for dozens of zhangs, two groups of non-Human races were pursuing each other in succession. Yet regardless of the flying relics or his own spiritual power, the man of the Gui surname clearly outshone the three ahead of him, swiftly closing the considerable gap between himself and the leading spiritual vessel within moments. "Comrade, why press us so relentlessly? We have no grudges or grievances with you. We are willing to withdraw from the mountain range and surrender our tracking disc—only asking that you allow us to go free!" One of the figures on the spiritual vessel, growing increasingly agitated, shouted loudly to the one behind him. "Let you go? Of course. If you offer me your essence and your spiritual consciousness, I shall spare you." The man of the Gui surname spoke without expression, his voice modest yet clearly heard despite the considerable distance. "You are truly a rogue cultivator—someone anyone can eliminate!" The speaker exclaimed, breaking into a furious tirade. Yet the three grew even more alarmed. Immediately, the two standing figures began spewing out their vital essence to awaken their latent potential, and even the one originally seated, who had been attending to his injuries, now abandoned his healing efforts, pressing both palms firmly against his lower body and beginning to channel spiritual energy into the vessel as well. Thus, the spiritual vessel's speed surged dramatically, now nearly matching that of the flying cars behind it, and even slightly outpacing them. Yet before the three leading figures could express their delight, the man with the surname Gui sneered, his battle armor suddenly radiating a brilliant silver glow. With a single hand gesture, he then forcefully stepped down upon the flying car beneath him. The three were astonished, yet not ordinary figures—some chanting incantations, others raising their hands, and within an instant, eight or nine treasures were launched simultaneously, crashing down upon the dragon’s body. But the dragon’s eyes flashed with bloodlight, and with a single breath, a blood-red orb emitted a clear, resonant sound and shot forth. The orb spun swiftly, then suddenly released a broad expanse of dark and crimson bloodlight. As this light swept across all the treasures approaching it, each one cried out in dismay and plummeted straight down from the sky. The light then swept downward in a continuous motion. Though the spiritual vessel carried a faint yellow protective aura, it instantly melted and dissolved like a candle upon contact with the bloodlight. The light then flashed once, enveloping the three figures on the vessel. A series of cries of agony followed. This bloodlight seemed to possess an unparalleled power—within moments, the three blue-robed figures, along with their protective spiritual radiance, were completely consumed, their bodies reduced to three solid, fist-sized blood masses. The silver dragon opened its mouth wide, and a wave of radiant light surged forth, swiftly drawing the blood masses into its belly. At that moment, a shimmer of luminous light flashed across the silver dragon's body, transforming it into a human form—precisely the man named Gui. With a cold, steady hand, he lifted it slightly, gently wiping a streak of blood from his lips, then turned his head and glanced toward the deeper part of the mountain range. As the gesture took effect, a vibrant blood-colored arc shot forth. "How strange it is! These misty vapors carry a deadly aura—likely a powerful beast is concealed within, perhaps even one that created this very mist." Han Li gazed into the depths of the haze, speaking softly. "But with you here, Han brother, even if there were any high-tier beasts, I'm certain we'd handle them without difficulty." Xin Xin glanced at Han Li and smiled lightly. "That's not quite accurate. Should there be only one or two beasts inside, I'd easily manage them. But if a group of high-tier beasts were residing within, I'd be able to do little more than protect myself." Han Li shook his head, his expression calm and composed. "A group of beasts? How could that be? High-tier beasts rarely live in groups." Xin Xin's smile froze slightly, and she managed a forced chuckle. "That's not necessarily true. This vast expanse of mist, though thin, could hardly be the work of just one or two beasts. Either this creature is exceptionally powerful, or there truly is a group of high-tier beasts dwelling within." Yue Zong said, his eyes gleaming. Upon hearing what the Yue Zong had to say, the Jing clan woman looked somewhat displeased, and only after a pause did she add: "So, the two of you intend to proceed as you see fit—do you plan to simply return?" "Of course not. What I mean is that we must proceed with great caution inside. Should any real danger arise, we'll be well-prepared. Naturally, if we encounter something beyond our strength, and if it truly threatens our lives, we may have no choice but to retreat as we came." Han Li smiled and said this. The delicate expression of the Jing clan woman eased slightly, but the Yue Zong's face grew slightly more serious, and he couldn't help but ask: "Has Master Han also decided to enter?" "Indeed. This journey is equally important to me, and I certainly won't withdraw easily. Is it that you feel hesitant?" Han Li glanced at the Yue Zong with a calm tone. "I once received your assistance, Master. If you insist on entering, then I shall surely accompany you to the very end, even at the cost of my life," the Yue Zong said, his face shifting between gloom and determination before finally firming with resolve. Han Li smiled slightly and said nothing further. Qian Qian listened attentively and beamed with a pleasant voice: "Since both of you have made your decisions, let us go in. Should we encounter any powerful beast, you needn't worry about me. Though my cultivation is still modest, I believe I have some means to ensure my own safety and can take care of myself adequately." "With the words of Miss Qian, I feel even more confident," Han Li chuckled heartily and immediately activated his flight light, transforming into a streak of azure light and entering the mist ahead. With his current abilities, even should he encounter a celestial-rank beast, he would have sufficient means to protect himself—thus, he had no real concerns about this thin veil of mist. After exchanging a glance, the crystal-kin woman and Yue Sect followed naturally. The azure streak glided steadily at a low altitude, while Han Li continuously scanned the surroundings within his flight light, his eyes glowing with a subtle blue light, appearing mysteriously serene. At this moment, he had infused considerable spiritual energy into his pupils, fully activating his Spirit-Eye Technique. A small shield circled his body, rotating slowly, its surface shimmering with crystalline radiance and faintly glowing runes. It was precisely the crystal shield crafted from the rare Strange Moth material! In such a perilous location, he would not spare any effort. Behind him, Yue Zong stepped forward, his feet resting on a pair of spiritual wheels, yet now holding a peculiar golden box in his hands. The lid of the box was fully open, revealing a white, plump creature covered in silver spots. Resembling a silkworm in form, this creature bore an eerie, ghostly facial pattern on its head—delicate and lifelike, shifting and pulsing as if truly alive.