"I've killed the spirit-entity, but the true origin of this thing it's currently inhabiting—." Han Li spoke calmly, not directly answering the man named Gui's question, but instead posing a query of his own. Upon hearing Han Li's question, both the man named Gui and Xian Xian exchanged a slight expression of surprise, glancing at each other. "Master Han, do you have any doubts? Please feel free to share them." Xian Xian paused before speaking slowly. "Not really. It's just that, as this thing was dying, it claimed to be an incarnation of a celestial demon king from beyond the heavens. What do you two think of that?" Han Li gave the matter a light, matter-of-fact tone. "A celestial demon king from beyond the heavens!" "That's impossible!" Both Xian Xian and the man named Gui exclaimed almost simultaneously, their expressions now filled with astonishment and alarm. "Ah, I've never heard of this celestial demon king before, though it seems both of you are quite familiar with him. Might you kindly clarify this for me?" Han Li raised an eyebrow, his gaze fixed directly upon the two. Gu's male companion emitted a cold snort, his face shifting between gloom and irritation, as though he showed no interest in speaking further. After a moment's hesitation, the crystal-kin woman gently opened her mouth to explain: "Brother Han, surely you're familiar with the celestial demons from beyond the heavens—the top-tier beings among them. They typically manifest in countless forms. When true spiritual entities face such high-ranking demon kings during their trials of destiny, even a slight lapse can result in them being corrupted by demonic influence, ultimately becoming mere puppets." "Even true spiritual beings cannot escape this!" Han's gaze darkened upon hearing this. "Indeed, it's not just true spiritual beings—reports suggest that even celestial immortals from the True Immortal Realm may be corrupted and controlled by these extraterrestrial demon kings. Of course, these accounts are only hearsay; no one has personally witnessed such an event. Yet you claim that this Xueling has been controlled and possessed by an extraterrestrial demon king—does that truly hold?" The delicate woman first smiled faintly, then couldn't help but reiterate her doubt. "Then, Miss Xian, do you believe I am merely fabricating this tale?" "Upon hearing the true origin of the celestial demon king from beyond the heavens, Han Li was naturally startled and internally reconsidered countless things, yet remained composed on his face, replying calmly. 'How could my younger sister think so? It's simply because this matter is of great significance that I have to...' 'I believe he has quite a few points that are indeed true,' said the Gu-named man, interrupting before Xianxian could speak further, his expression having been gloomy for a moment. 'What do you mean by that?' Not only was Han Li surprised, but Xianxian also narrowed her eyes, asking softly. 'Hmph. Stop pretending to be ignorant. I doubt you haven't noticed the oddities of this Xuling entity. You should be well aware that celestial beings like Xuling cannot be controlled or possessed by ordinary entities—neither can we, in our true forms. Moreover, this Xuling entity has already claimed the lives of several of our kind—this surely isn't mere exaggeration.' The Gu-named man replied coldly." "Even so, how does it know about the True Spirit Cavern and the True Luminous Origin, and simply wait here, like a hare by its stump?" Xin Xin shook her head, countering. "That part is indeed hard to guess. Perhaps when this celestial demon king, in his accidental incarnation, first entered this realm, he inadvertently devoured one of the beings who had escaped just like us back then, thus learning of this very place. Or perhaps it was pure coincidence—he first encountered the beings controlling the Spirit Caverns, and only later, after consuming others and discovering us, did he learn of our existence." The man with the surname Gui spoke solemnly. "Then it does seem plausible. But whether it truly is so—we simply need to investigate. If I'm not mistaken, all living beings whose bodies were taken over by the celestial demon army eventually transform completely into dust. Even though this Spirit Cavern being may be unusually distinct in nature, it cannot escape this fate." Xin Xin spoke while gazing downward. Hearing this, Han Li also leaned forward, curious, and looked down. After taking a glance, they were startled. The previously gray, stone-like remains of the strange face had transformed into a pile of black ash, lying quietly on the ground below. Han Li struggled for a while before finally discerning the original features of the face from the black dust, his mouth twitching slightly with effort. The others naturally noticed this as well. The female member of the crystal race said nothing, merely sighed softly, while the man with the surname Gui raised his hand and reached out toward the empty space below. Instantly, a cluster of black ash turned into a stream of black smoke, which he then caught in his hand and examined carefully. "Indeed, this is the dust of magical corruption," the man with the surname Gui said, his eyes flashing with intensity. After a long moment, he gently tossed the black ash aside and spoke calmly. "It seems Han's account is accurate—the spiritual essence of this place has indeed been controlled by the embodiment of the celestial demon king. That explains why it has been so difficult to deal with. We too, without realizing it, fell into its trap and nearly perished at its hands." "To be honest, I truly owe you a great debt of gratitude, Brother Han." With a delicate smile, her eyes shimmering with warmth, she turned to Han Li and expressed her thanks. "It's nothing really—I was fortunate enough to defeat this demon. This demon is truly mysterious and difficult to handle." Han Li recalled the scene where the black-robed figure had transformed within the demon's strange face, and a slight twitch crossed his lips. He felt quite cautious. "That's entirely natural. The reason lies in the fact that the Spirit of the Meridians still lacks a solid physical form, so it can only partially manifest its powers. Otherwise, the celestial demon's abilities would rival even the true immortals of the spiritual realm. Even when it transforms and controls beings, such entities would be utterly terrifying—far beyond what we can currently manage. However, since you have defeated its manifested form, I suspect it won't rest easily. Should you eventually succeed in overcoming the ascension trial, this demon will likely intervene personally." The man with the surname Gui flashed a cold gaze, yet spoke with such calm assurance. "The Ascension Trial!" Hehe, such a distant matter—I simply never thought about it at all," Han Li chuckled, as if completely unconcerned. "Well, since both I and Xian have already clarified your doubts, shouldn't we now touch upon the matter of the True Dragon's origin?" The man with the surname Gui sneered slightly and then brought up their ultimate purpose once again. "Regardless of what the True Dragon's origin might look like, I haven't found the slightest trace of it within Xuling's body," Han Li replied promptly and confidently this time. However, upon hearing this, the man with the surname Gui immediately grew gloomier, and Xian, with her graceful expression, also furrowed her brows, showing thoughtful concern. Interestingly, neither of them displayed any surprise or suspicion. Han Li narrowed his eyes, now feeling a bit puzzled. "What do you think, Gui?" the crystal-people woman suddenly smiled and asked directly to the man with the surname Gui. "Indeed, Brother Han has no trace of the genuine Phoenix essence. This thing has always been inherently unified with us from the beginning—it cannot be concealed from our senses, either by treasures or by seals. Therefore, he has not lied. However, during our earlier conflict with Xueling, we each sensed the presence of the essence within Xueling's body." The lone star man spoke each word deliberately. "Then it seems my judgment aligns with Brother Gui's." The delicate woman's face suddenly paled. "Correct. Since Brother Han has not acquired the genuine Phoenix essence, upon Xueling's demise, this essence will either dissipate naturally and return to the earth, or re-enter the original Phoenix spirit's abode. Only then, when the next Xueling is born, will it be renewed." Brother Gui's expression was grim and intense. "If the first scenario unfolds, then we shall have no further chance. But if the second occurs, we merely need to wait a few centuries." The crystal-people woman spoke with a strained tone. "Oh, such a possibility exists." Have the two friends any means to determine which of the two scenarios has occurred?" Hearing this, Han Li's mind stirred. He clasped his arms, stroked his chin thoughtfully, and asked. "Of course not. The first scenario leaves absolutely no trace; the second one simply has no access at all." The crystal-kin woman murmured. Han Li, upon hearing this, felt equally disheartened. After all, that primordial power could very well aid his advancement to the Consolidated Stage. Now, if what she said were true, even if the true essence of Zhen Lin indeed still remained, he would have to wait several hundred more years before seeing any hope of obtaining it. Though the two figures seemed sincere, Han Li naturally would not fully believe them. At once, his eyes flashed with blue light as he extended his divine awareness, and with his light-speed flight, he circled and danced around the area, beginning to investigate everything present. After carefully examining every entity within several miles, however, he found not a single clue. Frustrated, he once again sped back, landing his flight light once more beside the other two. Seeing Han Li's determined expression, Xianxian and the Gu-family man were even more convinced of Han Li's earlier words. All three fell into a moment of quiet silence, each pondering their own thoughts with different expressions. For Xianxian, this journey had undoubtedly been a complete failure—her disappointment was beyond measure. The Gu-family man remained relatively composed, yet his gaze flickered uncertainly as he continued to reflect. "Ha ha, it seems our journey has been in vain. Fortunately, as a host of the Silver Dragon's body, I can naturally endure a few centuries of waiting." The Gu-family man suddenly broke into a low chuckle, as though he had finally come to a realization. "You are of the Silver Dragon's body—despite waiting for such a long time, you can still strive for the Saint Realm and beyond. But if I wait for centuries, even should I obtain the true Unicorn's essence, I may not have sufficient time to fully refine it or integrate it into my cultivation." Xianxian responded with a complex expression. "If you are aware of this, why not simply abandon the endeavor altogether, or merge with me and become one?" "Upon hearing this, the man of the Gui surname emitted a flash of unusual light in his eyes and said, 'With our spiritual consciousness fused, it is naturally possible. However, if you relinquish your awareness and allow mine to take the lead, I shall immediately agree.' Raising her delicate brows, her expression suddenly darkened. 'Hmph! If you don't drink the wine offered, then you'll have to drink the wine as a penalty!' Upon hearing this, the man of the Gui surname's face grew stern, and as he clenched his hands, a faint scent of blood radiated from his body. 'Now, Gui brother, do you truly believe you can simultaneously withstand the combined efforts of Han brother and myself?' The delicate lines of her face tightened, yet a hint of fierce determination appeared on her refined features. 'Han brother, shall you intervene in this matter? If you are willing to simply walk away now, I will certainly offer you my heartfelt gratitude!' With a flash of cold light in his eyes, the man of the Gui surname glanced at Han before suddenly speaking.