"One-on-one, I can gain the upper hand within ten breaths, and by thirty breaths—" Shi Kun replied, frowning slightly. "Oh, what if there are three or four, or even ten or more of such creatures appearing before me at once?" Li Shui'er asked, with a smile that held a hint of amusement. "If each of them possesses such strength, then with more than three, I no longer have a sure victory. With five or more, I'm certain to lose. And if there are ten or more, I'll simply take off immediately without hesitation." Shi Kun drew a brief, slightly reluctant smile before speaking. "That's exactly it. As far as I know, there are tens of thousands of dark beasts in the Dark Beasts' Forest, and their abilities vary greatly. According to the records, the one we just saw should actually be slightly below the level of a mature adult dark beast of ordinary rank—otherwise, it wouldn't have had to fight that strange python for so long. Moreover, beyond the ordinary dark beasts, there are two even more advanced types." One type are tri-eyed dark beasts—besides being significantly stronger than ordinary dark beasts, they emit a strange light from their third eye. Once struck by this light, their bodies instantly turn to rotting wood, making them particularly troublesome. The other type are royal-level dark beasts. These beasts no longer have black fur; instead, their fur is pure gold. As for their strength, however, it's difficult to gauge. It's said that among the earlier pioneers who ventured into the dark beast forest, only one had ever witnessed a single royal dark beast leading hundreds of mature dark beasts galloping through the forest. "Li Shui'er said, her voice tightening. "I've also read similar records. Regarding the tri-eyed dark beasts, I'd estimate they can handle only one at a time—should we face two, that would be a challenge. As for the golden dark beasts, since they can command entire herds, their abilities undoubtedly surpass those of the tri-eyed ones. Even if we combine our forces, we'd likely still fall short. Yet, since they are beings of royal status, there probably won't be many such beasts throughout the entire dark beast forest. We didn't expect to run into such misfortune, so there's truly no need to worry excessively about this matter," Han Li spoke slowly. "Yes, that makes sense. Originally, we had no intention of disturbing these strange beasts; we simply planned to quietly traverse the forest over the course of the next month. Unfortunately, if we could fly from the sky, we could pass through the entire forest in just a few days. From ground level, however, it would take ten times longer." Liu Shui'er sighed lightly. "That amount of time is still manageable for us. Moreover, we have no other choice. To travel from the sky, we'd have to face simultaneous attacks from dozens, if not hundreds, of dark beasts." Han Li chuckled slightly. "Of course, I'm well aware of this. According to the experiences of our ancestors who passed through the dark beast forest, the dark beasts perform only about half their strength during the day, which is why the forest remains especially vigilant during daylight hours. Many high-ranking three-eyed dark beasts deliberately emerge during the day to patrol the area." By night, however, the dark beasts grow stronger, and their vigilance relaxes somewhat. Higher-ranked dark beasts also return to their caverns to train and rest." Liu Shui'er nodded slightly. "So it seems we should travel at night and rest during the day. I originally thought it would be the other way around!" Shi Kun found this quite surprising. "I fully agree with Lady Liu's assessment. While the higher-ranked dark beasts are active during the day, our ability to remain concealed is naturally weakened by a third. It's unlikely we'll succeed in hiding from the three-eyed dark beasts. After all, as multi-eyed creatures, their additional eyes likely possess some innate ability to detect illusion-based concealment techniques—this is particularly disadvantageous to us. Regardless of how much the dark beasts are weakened during the day, if we find ourselves surrounded by a hundred or more at once, the situation would be no different from traveling at night. Therefore, it would be better to travel at night." Han Li, after some thought, put it this way. "Ah, with the insights of both of you, it truly makes perfect sense. Well, then, let's act in the evening. "Shi Kun seemed convinced, with no further objections. "Since both of you have no objections, we'll set off shortly. The earlier we leave this forest of shadowed beasts, the sooner we'll be able to breathe easier. By the way, do either of you have any particularly effective means of concealment?" Liu Shui'er nodded with satisfaction first, then suddenly asked, "What do you mean by that? Does it mean you have some even more refined method of concealment that could assist us both?" How perceptive Han Li was! He instantly grasped the intent behind her words. "Han brother is truly brilliant. Before I came out, I specially borrowed three Thousand-Change Masks from my master. With these, one can directly transform into whatever form one desires—unless someone deliberately scans with their divine awareness. As long as one remains still, they won't be detected at all. I also know both of you must have other, even more refined methods of concealment." But if we're speaking of fishmongers mixing up their goods, then this treasure could not be more suitable. With it, even if other shadow beasts discover us, we can skillfully conceal our past." The cloak-wearing woman smiled softly and, with a single hand motion, suddenly revealed three thin, silvery-tinged sheets in her palm. "A thousand-changing faces! This has long been renowned. It's said to be a unique creation of your master. Should Li friend be willing to borrow it, that would be most gracious. As for me, I shall take it without hesitation." Upon seeing the three sheets, Shi Kun immediately beamed with delight and promptly reached out, capturing one of them in midair, then carefully examined it closely. Han Li had only recently settled in Yun City, and had never heard of this treasure before. Yet, that didn't matter—seeing Shi Kun's evident enthusiasm, he knew instantly that the Thousand-Changing Faces was no ordinary item. Thus, he also bowed slightly in thanks, and with a gesture of his hand, brought one of the sheets over, studying it with curiosity. To the sight, this so-called "thousand-changing faces" was remarkably thin, like silk, yet when touched, it felt unusually cool and warm—something even Han Li, with his extensive experience, could not immediately discern as to what material it was crafted from. What stood out even more, however, were a series of silver glyphs etched upon its surface, varying in size, each about the size of a soybean, exquisitely intricate. Upon closely examining these silver glyphs, Han Li's expression subtly changed—though the deviation was only slight, the cloak-wearing woman had noticed it at once. A natural expression of surprise flickered across her face beneath the cloak, and she immediately opened her mouth to inquire, "Han brother, have you seen this before?" "Since it is a unique treasure of Cai Senior, how could I possibly have had the opportunity to encounter it?" Han Li felt a sudden sense of alertness, yet composed himself and maintained his usual demeanor. "Then, just now, Han brother—," the woman did not let the matter rest, pressing on with a further question. "Heh, the materials of this treasure are rather unusual. As far as I know, I've seen and studied many such things—yet I can't seem to identify any trace of their origin. I must admit, I feel a bit embarrassed." Han Li smiled gently and replied casually. "Ah, now I understand. Though I don't know the exact method of crafting it, I've heard from my master that this 'Thousand-Faced Transformation' is made by fusing the skins of seven rare spiritual beasts found only across the entire continent. That must be the reason Master Han finds it so difficult to recognize." Liu Shui'er seemed genuinely convinced by Han Li's excuse and explained warmly. "Master Han, I'm truly grateful for your insight." Han Li maintained his air of genuine confusion, gently tracing the silver glyphs on the thin skin in his hand. Yet within his mind, a flurry of thoughts raced through him. The silver glyphs on the Thousand-Faced Transformation were precisely the same as the silver tadpole script from the Golden Hall Jade Book. Their unexpected appearance here naturally stirred great surprise in Han Li's heart. Since this treasure is a unique specialty of Cai Liu Ying, could it be that she also possesses a separate page from the Golden Hall He murmured to himself for a while, and at that moment, Liu Shui'er had already spoken again: "This treasure is indeed marvelous, but it does not immediately transform upon being carried. If you wish to transform it into a living creature, you'll need some blood, flesh, or fur from the object itself. And if you can obtain a complete hide from an animal, the transformation will be flawless and seamless." "As for fur—this is quite straightforward. I just need to find a few solitary dark beasts and slay them. Hehe, that very one I just saw—doesn't that make perfect sense? With such a short time, I'm certain it hasn't run far." Upon hearing this, Shi Kun's face darkened slightly. Then, a glow emanated from his feet, and he sank silently and steadily into the ground. Liu Shui'er's eyes flickered several times, but in the end, she said nothing to stop him. Thus, Shi Kun employed his earth-dwelling technique and vanished completely from the space within moments. "Then, shall we simply let Brother Shi proceed alone without any hindrance?" Li Shui'er glanced at Han Li before speaking softly. "Since Master Li hasn't voiced any objections, she must believe the matter is not serious. I also think there should be no issue. I've already carefully inspected the surrounding area, and there's not a single other shadow-beast within a hundred li. Moreover, Shi Daojun's intention was sincere—he will surely capture it effortlessly." Han Li narrowed his eyes and said this calmly. Then, there would be no issues at all. I'll pass on the technique to you two; Master can try it out first." After a quick glance at the leather, Liu Shui'er smiled lightly and replied. She then returned the leather to them, her lips moving slightly as she slowly transmitted a series of intricate incantations to Han Li and Shi Kun. The two naturally listened intently, carefully memorizing every word, without letting their minds stray. A moment later, when Liu Shui'er's transmission came to an end, Shi Kun's eyes suddenly brightened. He then tossed the leather into the air with one hand, and with a swift motion of his other hand, the thousand-changing face transformed into a shimmering silver glow, which seamlessly merged into the leather. Instantly, a series of silver symbols appeared. The entire dark beast's hide then settled gently onto the large man's body.