"But Shi Zhi also has his master's orders to fulfill—he cannot yield on the Xuling Pill. Then, how about this: besides the Xuling Pill, I shall offer all the other items to the Lady. The Lady need not contest with me any further. Moreover, after this matter is settled, my master will surely provide a separate compensation to Cai Senior." Upon hearing this, Shi Kun chuckled, though his voice took on a slightly colder tone. "What does Master Shi mean? Isn't this merely a repetition of what my sister has just said? My master's instructions are clear—the Xuling Pill is absolutely essential. Should Master Shi be willing to yield, then my sister will step in and present our Jing Clan's ancestral treasure, the Jing Yue Liquid, in exchange. What significance this elixir holds for the Shi Jian Clan, I believe Master Shi is well aware of. Indeed, it is a liquid of noble saint-tier status, one that is rarely found even in the surrounding regions." The Lady's eyes grew cold, yet her tone remained warm and composed. Upon hearing the name "Jingyue Liquid," Shi Kun's face slightly darkened, and he was somewhat surprised—almost unconsciously, he felt a spark of interest. Yet as soon as he recalled the calm instructions given to him by Duan Tianren at the time of departure, a sudden jolt went through his mind, and he immediately dismissed this thought as if it had vanished into the clouds. He then shook his head vigorously and firmly declined: "No, it's impossible. Though I greatly desire the Jingyue Liquid, without the Xuling Dan, how could I face my master upon my return? This matter is absolutely out of the question." "Then, Master Shi has no intention of making even the slightest compromise?" Liu Shui'er's tone grew somewhat sharp. This time, Shi Kun said nothing, merely gazing at Liu Shui'er with a cold, composed expression—his meaning was unmistakable. Liu Shui'er then fell silent, her gaze gradually growing colder. The atmosphere between them instantly became heavy and tense. Han Li, observing this scene, could not help but furrow his brows. "Why must the two of you be so rigid?" Though I myself am not fully aware of the remarkable effects of the Xuling Pill that have prompted both of you elders to specifically insist on securing it, isn't it rather premature for you to be so tense and eager now, without even having seen the pill yet?" He suddenly said, in a calm tone. "Premature? Then Brother Han means..." Shi Kun's face showed a subtle shift of expression as he spoke. Liu Shui'er, upon hearing this, also flashed a slight expression of surprise. "Given that both of you are so certain the Xuling Pill is present in the hall, it must be based on other clues. Yet the actual situation remains uncertain. Why not enter first and verify the presence of the pill yourselves before making your final decision?" Han Li said, with a light and composed tone. Upon hearing Han Li's words, both Shi Kun and Liu Shui'er fell into thoughtful silence. To be honest, given their extensive experience, it was natural that they had already considered this possibility at some point. However, at the very moment the palace gate was breached, both of them were simultaneously worried that the other would seize the elixir first, so they momentarily overlooked this matter. Now that Han Li had mentioned it, their mental clarity had returned, and they naturally began to assess the advantages and disadvantages of now turning against each other. They concluded that it would indeed be more prudent to first discover the elixirs within the hall and then proceed to secure their own share. "Han brother is absolutely right," said Liu Shui'er, speaking slowly. "Stone friend, let us first go inside and verify whether the Xuling Elixirs are indeed present in the hall, and then discuss the matter of ownership." Noticing that Han Li's presence could significantly influence the final outcome of the elixir's allocation, Stone Kun managed to smile warmly and readily agreed. "Since both of you have no objections, why don't we all three enter together and no longer concern ourselves with order of precedence?" Han Li smiled slightly and took a few light, graceful steps, reaching the side of the two. Shi Kun and the other naturally had no objections, merely nodding in agreement. Thus, the three of them followed one after another, nearly side by side, entering the hall together. They then stood shoulder to shoulder, surveying the vast hall in all directions. Indeed, this was the main hall! The hall was nearly a thousand zhang in width, easily accommodating several thousand people. The first thing that caught their eyes were the rows of purple-golden pillars lining the hall—each pillar as thick as a person, numbering well over a hundred. Along the walls, ancient weapons hung in graceful clusters—long spears and massive axes, each gleaming with a silver luster and radiating a vibrant aura of spiritual energy. A quick glance revealed nearly a thousand such weapons. At regular intervals along the lower part of the walls, colorful armor stood piled neatly in stacks. The armor was empty inside, its outer surface engraved with exquisitely detailed patterns—clearly no ordinary gastric armor. At the far end opposite the hall's entrance, a massive screen stood, several to seven zhang tall. The screen shimmered with a soft, jade-like glow, as if painted with images, though from a distance, the details were not immediately clear. In front of the screen, there was a low table resembling a tea table, upon which rested an ancient golden cauldron. Beyond that, the great hall was otherwise completely empty, with nothing else to decorate it—no need for the three of them to search for any treasures. Upon seeing the hall's simple state, Li Shui'er, Shi Kun, and the others were all taken aback. Han Li gazed at the distant screen and cauldron for a moment, then after a brief thought, simply walked toward them without further hesitation. Li Shui'er and Shi Kun exchanged glances, but quickly looked away, silently following behind. After all, aside from this direction, the hall offered little else worth exploring. Thus, under an unusual atmosphere, the three of them walked to within ten or twenty paces of the screen and the golden great tripod. Halting suddenly, Han Li stood still and carefully examined the two objects before him. The two companions behind him also instinctively stopped, gazing at the two objects with varied expressions. Han Li, with both hands behind his back, appeared calm on the surface, yet blue glimmers flashed continuously within his pupils—his spiritual sight clearly penetrating the green light covering the screen. In an instant, he had a clear understanding of everything depicted on the screen. A moment of surprise passed over his face. There, clearly engraved on the screen, was a magnificent, strangely shaped gate, shimmering with golden and silver glyphs. Though the gate itself was ancient and massive, with a solid black surface, the interplay of the two glyphs gave it an atmosphere of profound mystery. The golden and silver glyphs were similar in appearance, and indeed, they were precisely the true celestial scripts of the True Immortal Realm—the silver kōtō script and the golden zhuàn script. Han Li's corner of the brow subtly moved, and a strand of spiritual awareness instantly extended, probing toward the massive gate depicted on the screen. As soon as it made contact with the image of the gate, a tremendous force suddenly erupted from within the screen. Before Han Li's awareness could react, it was instantly pulled into the screen, severed from his physical form. Han Li's expression changed, and his sense of caution toward this screen grew significantly. Shi Kun murmured quietly, then stepped back half a step, quickly regaining his balance. Clearly, he had also suffered an unexpected setback, perhaps even more pronounced than Han Li's. Liu Shui'er, partially shielded by her cloak, could not clearly see her expression, but from the subtle tremor in her posture, it was evident that she too had sensed the screen's unusual nature. Though she had lost a strand of spiritual awareness, it made no noticeable difference given her strong and well-developed spiritual senses. Han Li temporarily set aside his observation of the screen and lowered his head, focusing his gaze on the golden ancient cauldron. The cauldron was uniformly radiant with golden light, yet the patterns engraved upon its surface appeared as a misty, cloud-like design. These patterns were exceptionally intricate, mostly spiraling, and spread across the entire surface of the cauldron. Upon closer inspection, they caused him to feel dizzy and disoriented. Han Li stiffened slightly, maintaining composure, and extended his spiritual awareness, circling the cauldron several times—yet found it utterly impossible to penetrate into the cauldron at all. The cauldron seemed to be composed of some unknown substance, completely blocking his spiritual perception. However, he noticed that on either side of the cauldron, two distinct square recesses had appeared, clearly designed to hold and embed two specific items. After a brief pause, Han Li suddenly sensed something significant. He glanced at the other two figures and felt a sudden realization. At that moment, both Liu Shui'er and Shi Kun were fixated on the golden cauldron, their eyes locked upon it, not blinking once. No, it should be that we're looking at the recessed grooves on either side of the tripod. Stone Kun's face lit up with delight. "Now that's interesting. Do either of you recognize this golden tripod?" Han Li narrowed his eyes and asked slowly. "Han brother is mistaken. I've only just arrived here. How could I possibly recognize this object?" Stone Kun's expression of joy slightly softened, yet he shook his head vigorously. "Ah, then that's quite puzzling. If neither of you recognizes it, why are both of you so attentive to this tripod?" Han Li smiled gently and inquired. "Well, Han brother, perhaps you should ask Lady Liu. She knows far more about it than I do." Seeing Han Li press for answers, the tall man quickly brought in Liu Shui'er as well. Upon hearing Stone Kun's words, the cloaked woman naturally felt annoyed, yet when she saw Han Li genuinely turn to look at her, she could only offer a faint, wry smile. "Han brother, there's no need to be concerned." This tripod must be the vessel used to hold the Xuling Dan and several other items desired by my master and Master Duan. We came to know of this matter because each of us carries a certain object with us. Stone Brother, why don't we both present this item to Brother Han so he may take a look?" Li Shui'er simply stated. "Heh, listening to the Lady's explanation, I now find myself genuinely curious," Brother Han chuckled lightly. "Well...," Stone Kun hesitated, his expression showing some discomfort, and his heart grew increasingly uneasy as he realized Li Shui'er had turned against him. "Is it perhaps not convenient for Stone Brother?" Brother Han asked casually, his tone exceptionally gentle. Seeing Brother Han's composed demeanor, the Han felt a sudden sense of alertness and immediately smiled, brushing off his hesitation: "Even if Brother Han hadn't mentioned it, I would have brought this item out myself. After all, to retrieve the treasures inside the tripod, these two objects are absolutely necessary." "As soon as he finished speaking, the tall man flipped his hand single-handedly, and instantly a glimmer of golden light flashed, revealing an object floating in his palm. Han Li, naturally, fixed his gaze intently and examined the object thoroughly."