"Indeed, it is a great honor to learn that you, Master, were the one who advanced several years ago. I must say, I was quite taken aback! It's a pity that you initially declined the invitation from the Celestial City." The Heavenly Yuan Emperor gazed at Han Li with a thoughtful expression, then smiled and spoke. "Your words are most insightful. I've heard that Master Han has only taken a few hundred years to progress from a Shen stage cultivator to the level you now stand at. Such a remarkable pace—while perhaps not unprecedented, it certainly leaves us all in awe." The plump Buddhist monk also gave Han Li a warm smile, clearly showing his keen interest. "Master, your kind words are truly generous. My own aptitude is rather ordinary. Without the several fortunate opportunities I've had in the wild, I wouldn't have advanced so swiftly." Han Li responded with remarkable courtesy. "Master Tian Chan, if you would allow me, perhaps we should first offer Master Han a cup of spiritual wine before discussing further. Aside from this, I have no other particular hobbies—my true passion lies in this very wine. Had it not been for the fact that the title of Celestial Emperor has been passed down through generations, Hm, this sovereign of wines truly suits my heart better than I expected. The robed scholar chuckled, then raised his hand and, with a simple gesture, summoned a jade cup, its surface lush and vibrant green, and a crimson wine decanter resembling coral, which materialized in his hands. With a swift flick of his wrist, the Heavenly Yuan Sacred Emperor poured a thick, lustrous elixir into the cup—translucent, with a golden hue like amber—and presented it personally to Han Li. Han Li, never wanting to show any hesitation, bowed slightly and thanked him, then took the cup. In an instant, he wove his divine awareness around the cup and sensed no flaw at all. Indeed, the wine exuded a captivating fragrance and carried an astonishing amount of spiritual essence, surpassing even the finest elixirs of those with refined spiritual cultivation. With a gentle motion of his arm, Han Li slowly sipped and finished the entire contents. "Indeed, an excellent wine. Among the wines I have tasted, it should surely rank in the top three." After finishing his drink, a yellow spiritual glow briefly flashed across Han Li's face, and he said with evident admiration. "Third place? So it seems that Master Han is aware of a spiritual wine even better than this 'Tiger-Soul Spirit Wine'!" Hearing this, the Heavenly Yuan Emperor was first startled, then beamed with delight and asked further. As Han Li smiled, ready to respond, the elder named Huang Dan lightly chuckled and said, "Emperor, let us sit down and enjoy our wine together, talking at length. Having Master Han standing and speaking while we sit would be rather impolite." "Indeed. I have been so excited upon meeting Master Han that I've been a bit too eager. Our human race has not produced a Consolidated Stage cultivator in nearly a thousand years." The Heavenly Yuan Emperor patted his head and quickly invited Han Li to join them, then returned to his original seat. Since their first encounter, the Heavenly Yuan Emperor has truly left a favorable impression on Han Li. Though bearing the title of Emperor, he comes across as exceptionally generous and open-minded, with no trace of the rigid, Confucian formality one might expect. However, such beings of refined cultivation could not possibly judge someone's merits merely based on a fleeting impression. Han Li immediately offered a modest remark and then sat across from the Tianyuan Sacred Emperor. "Master Han, now would you be so kind as to share with the Emperor which of the immortal wines you believe surpasses His Majesty's Hu Po Wine? Have you personally tasted them?" The Tianyuan Sacred Emperor seemed genuinely a connoisseur of wine, immediately pressing the question as soon as Han Li had seated himself. "The Emperor's Hu Po Wine is already a rare and precious immortal wine in the spiritual realm. However, during my travels in the remote wilderness, I had the privilege of tasting a wine known as 'Jiu Xiang Immortal Wine' among a foreign ethnic group. In terms of aroma and its inherent magical effects, it does not fall short of the Hu Po Wine at all." Han Li thought carefully and replied. "An ethnic group's wine? Jiu Xiang Immortal Wine! Master, have you brought any bottles of this wine back with you?" The Tianyuan Sacred Emperor asked with genuine anticipation. The Tianchan monk and Huang Dan also turned their interest toward Han Li. "The Nine-Aroma Elixir is a rare brew specially crafted by a fully evolved cultivator from another race. At that time, I had not yet reached my current stage of cultivation, so I certainly didn't have the qualification to request it. To be able to drink even a single cup was already considered a great fortune." Han Li smiled wistfully. "Indeed. My Tiger-Soul Elixir is usually something I hold close to my heart, rarely offering it to guests." The Heavenly Yuan Emperor expressed his disappointment plainly and sighed deeply. "Ah, no need to be overly saddened, Your Majesty. Though I currently don't have the Nine-Aroma Elixir, I may soon obtain another kind of elixir—then I will certainly have the pleasure of presenting it to you." Han Li suddenly flashed a mysterious smile. "Oh? What kind of elixir is that? Could it possibly surpass even your Tiger-Soul Elixir and the Nine-Aroma Elixir?" Before the Emperor could respond, the thin, elderly man couldn't help but ask. Clearly, he too was a great admirer of fine beverages. It's no wonder, for monastics who spend their lives in meditation and cultivation rarely value ordinary external possessions—men in cultivation typically drink only elixir tea, and often supplement it with some spirit wines. "During my travels in the wild regions, I was fortunate enough to obtain several red lotus spirit wine batches, using red lotus elixir fruits. Though I haven't yet gathered all the supporting ingredients, with a bit of time and effort, I believe it should be manageable," said Han Li, smiling at the group. "Red Lotus Spirit Wine! The very wine said to be unique to the True Immortal Realm!" Upon hearing Han Li's words, the Heavenly Yuan Emperor first stared in astonishment, then his face filled with genuine surprise. The elder and the monk, who had also heard of this celestial spirit wine, gazed at Han Li with eyes wide open. After all, this was a wine of the Immortal Realm—how could it possibly be produced within the Spirit Realm? "Could it be that you're jesting, Friend Han? The red lotus fruits are said to be exclusive to the Immortal Realm—how could one possibly obtain them?" Moreover, it is said that red lotus fruits take tens of thousands of years to mature and be suitable for distilling immortal wine—something even difficult to cultivate in the True Immortal Realm. Has Fraternal Master Han not mistaken, then? The Heavenly Cicada monk was genuinely astonished and directly asked. "These fruits are directly capable of producing red lotus immortal wine. I discovered them by chance during my travels through the wild and remote regions. As for why they appeared there, only heaven knows. Indeed, they are red lotus fruits—this I am quite confident about." Master Han spoke with great assurance. "Excellent! Excellent! If Fraternal Master Han truly succeeds in producing red lotus immortal wine, even if others do not, I shall personally take away at least two or three jars. By the way, we still lack certain ingredients for the wine—so I won’t merely taste your immortal wine without offering something in return. We three will jointly gather all the necessary materials." The Heavenly Yuan Emperor, excited, exclaimed with two consecutive "excellent" before eagerly adding this. "Indeed, the Emperor is generous, offering to share with others." "Though it was your intention to sample this immortal wine from the heavenly realm, you've still made us both assist in gathering the ingredients," the monk said, his brow furrowed with concern. "Hah! You monks aren't exactly honest. I simply don't believe that once this red lotus wine from the heavenly realm is truly brewed, you'll fail to take a sip. Such a fine wine, if truly tasted, would indeed be a great fortune." The Tianyuan Emperor smiled warmly in reply. "That's true. Though the monk usually doesn't drink much, this wine from the heavenly realm is quite another matter—he must certainly taste it at least once." After a brief thought, the monk replied with remarkable sincerity. The thin, elderly man remained silent, smiling gently by the side. "If the three of you would be willing to lend a hand, then with my secret techniques, I believe it's quite possible to brew this wine right during the Universal Treasures Convention," said Han Li, who was immediately struck by the suggestion. "That would be even better. I'm certain this wine will surely create a stir at the convention." Hehe, as far as I know, the Lord of Dominance has just as great an appreciation for fine wine as I do. Several of the Seven Immortal Kings also have a strong thirst for wine. Brother, please hand over your list of required materials. For this grand gathering, I've brought quite a few items from the Sacred Emperor's Treasury. The Heavenly Yuan Emperor was remarkably direct—he simply reached out and asked Han Li for the jade scroll. Han Li didn't hesitate. With a single hand motion, he produced a blank jade scroll. Using his hands' luminous energies, he gently pressed and combined them, inscribing several items into the scroll, then immediately tossed it across to the other side. The Heavenly Yuan Emperor caught the scroll with one hand, scanned it with his divine awareness, nodded in approval, and then folded it neatly, turning to Han Li and saying, "I'll have everything ready within a couple of days. Shall you come to collect it yourself, or shall I send someone to deliver it?" "No need for delivery. I haven't yet decided where to settle. How about this?" Three days later, I'll pay another visit to your pavilion," Han Li said after a moment's thought. "Very well. I've heard that both the Fire Dragon King and the Black Phoenix Queen have already arrived at Jiuxian Mountain. Then I'll introduce you to Brother Han as well," the Tianyuan Sacred Emperor agreed warmly. "The Black Phoenix King!" Han Li's expression slightly brightened upon hearing the name. "Indeed, Brother Han has met the Black Phoenix Queen before?" the Tianyuan Sacred Emperor seemed somewhat surprised. "I have not personally met the Black Phoenix King. I've only had some dealings with members of the Black Phoenix clan in the past," Han Li shook his head and said lightly. "The seven great phoenix kings of the demonic race are at least at the Consolidated Mid-stage of cultivation, with powerful physical bodies, and each possessing unique innate abilities. If Brother Han doesn't wish to cultivate a close relationship, he should still avoid making any serious offenses—otherwise, he may indeed face serious difficulties." Whether or not the Tianyuan Sacred Emperor truly believed Han Li's earlier words remained uncertain, but he offered the advice with genuine sincerity. "Thank you, Your Majesty." How could I have arbitrarily provoked the Seven Great Immortal Kings without any reason? I still intend to enjoy my leisure for several more years!" Han Li smiled and said. "That would be perfect. By the way, although you must have had great fortune in the wild wilderness to advance so swiftly, I'm certain you've also developed unique insights in your cultivation techniques and philosophies—especially after successfully overcoming the peak of the Consolidation Stage, which must have profoundly deepened your inner cultivation!" The Heavenly Yuan Emperor suddenly shifted the topic and began discussing Han Li's cultivation journey. "I have only just entered the Consolidation Stage, and my current insights are still rather superficial. I'm precisely eager to learn from you three esteemed friends," Han Li naturally accepted this opportunity, responding with a serious expression.