And this noble house, the Qiong Mouse Clan, to which the Mouse King belongs, is itself a prominent lineage among the immortal clans. Indeed, the immortal clans differ from the human clans in this regard: while they are undoubtedly among the foremost, they also require powerful backing from behind. Unlike the human Three Emperors, whose authority largely stems from inherited dynastic strength, Han Li had long wished to meet the Mouse King. Yet seeing that the latter showed no willingness to receive visitors, he ultimately abandoned the idea. In the time that remained, Han Li spent time beyond merely establishing connections with several cultivators at the Consolidation Stage, and regularly devoted several days to studying the peculiar disappearance of the sea-born young master's spiritual root. He not only consulted numerous ancient texts but also infused the sea-born young master with some of his own refined essence to thoroughly examine his physical constitution. To his surprise, after all this effort, he actually identified two or three plausible possibilities. Yet to fully determine the true nature of such minor matters—like the essence of these roots—would still require more time and further observation. In the meantime, Han Li treated these two exceptionally well. He allowed the Sea Young Lord and the Spirit-Resonant Master free access to the hall and occasionally offered guidance on their cultivation practices, greatly benefiting both of them. One day, while explaining certain techniques to the Sea Young Lord and the Spirit-Resonant Master, Han Li suddenly paused, lifting a cup of spiritual tea to his lips, then froze, his expression shifting with a subtle surprise. "Master, has something happened?" the Spirit-Resonant Master responded promptly, instinctively asking. "Just wait a moment—you'll soon know," Han Li said, frowning slightly. Upon hearing this, both the Sea Young Lord and the Spirit-Resonant Master felt nothing out of the ordinary, as if everything remained unchanged. They exchanged glances, growing increasingly puzzled. Neither dared to press Han Li for further details, and thus remained quietly patient, waiting. After a full cup of tea's worth of time, a deep, resonant rumble gradually echoed from outside the hall, followed by a subtle tremor that rippled through the entire structure, causing the walls to tremble as well. Hai, the young lord, and Qi Lingzi were startled, staring in astonishment toward the hall's entrance. Yet Han Li remained seated in his chair, his expression now serious. The rumbling grew stronger, and the hall swayed side to side, as though a massive entity were advancing slowly toward the immortal palace. "Master Han, what is this?" Hai could no longer contain his wonder, turning to Han Li with growing apprehension. "You haven't felt anything here, have you? Then allow me to show you something beyond the ordinary," Han Li sighed, then stood up, shaking his sleeve to send a surge of emerald light cascading forward and lifting both of them. Instantly, a shimmering band of jade-green light enveloped them, carrying them swiftly into the air and vanishing in a streak of emerald light. The next moment, Han Li and the two others appeared within the magical array, and were then swiftly transported through a brief flash of light. Fang Yi stepped out of the teleportation array, and as the azure light rolled forward, the azure rainbow formed by Han Li flashed several times, then emerged from the first level of Yingxian Palace and shot straight upward into the sky. After a few flashes, the light faded, and the three of them materialized at the summit of the mountain peak, gazing down and taking in the entire landscape stretching for thousands of li. Without the shielding effects of Yingxian Palace's magical barriers, the distant rumbling sounds grew even more astonishing—like the very heavens and earth were collapsing. The mountain range of Jiuxian Mountain itself trembled and stirred as the massive object approached. "What in the world is that? I just saw a landmass that seems to be alive, moving steadily toward us!" Fang Yi exclaimed, his young Daoist attendant's mouth opening wide in awe. Hai Dashi was equally stunned, blinking rapidly as though he had momentarily gone blind. It was no wonder they were so amazed! Lo and behold, between the distant mountains, a broad expanse of black land, its width unknown, was advancing steadily toward the peak where they stood. The thunderous roars that shook the very mountains came from beneath this black land. This elevated land appeared remarkably arid, its surface cracked into countless fissures, forming a network of deep, interwoven gullies. More astonishing still, at the very heart of this land stood a magnificent, towering black castle, surrounded by dense ranks of black-armored soldiers, motionless, each wielding long spears and massive axes, their expressions cold and resolute. Above the castle, a thousand other armored guards, riding blue giant wolves, circled and soared through the air—exactly the Thunder Guards that Han Li had previously seen. The two groups of soldiers, one still, one in motion, together radiated an indomitable, majestic momentum. Han Li's eyes narrowed, and a steady blue glow flickered within his pupils. Suddenly, his expression changed, and he said softly, "Which of you is there? Come and meet me!" "Frankly, Brother Han possesses truly remarkable insight—my little tricks have indeed not escaped your notice. Indeed, this magnificent spirit beast under the Dominant Emperor's command is quite impressive. I should say it bears a strong resemblance to the famed 'Cang Ling'." A voice, fresh and melodious, suddenly came from behind, clear and pleasant. I suspect you've already noticed, Master Han, that this body is not my true form, but merely a puppet incarnation. "The young wife bowed gracefully to Han Li, speaking with remarkable composure. "Liu Qing! I've heard of you before. The former Tian Miao Ling Emperor had two capable deputies. One was renowned for her mastery of puppetry, the other for her skill in transformation. The one skilled in puppetry was known as the Thousand-Spirit Immortal Maiden, also named Liu Qing. Is that not you?" After a composed bow, Han Li asked thoughtfully. "I didn't expect you to know my name, Master Han. This truly fills me with delight. Though this is a once-in-a-thousand-years gathering, I had intended to attend personally. Yet recently, I've reached a crucial stage in mastering a secret technique and have been unable to leave my chamber even for a step. So, I've had to rely on this puppet incarnation to make the journey. Fortunately, this incarnation still carries some reputation, and the Master guarding this location recognizes me, allowing me to settle here." The woman spoke with grace and composure, exuding an air of refined elegance and distinction. Upon hearing her identity, Han Li was visibly moved. Though she was merely a subordinate of the Tian Miao Ling Dynasty, it was said that she had an exceptional natural talent in puppetry from the beginning. After joining the Tian Miao Ling Dynasty, she made remarkable progress in the art, earning a reputation as the second great master of human puppetry. The first master, of course, was the Tian Miao Ling Emperor himself, who excelled equally in both puppetry and illusion arts. This Qi Lin Immortal, along with another individual, had been deeply impressed by the Emperor's dual abilities and had willingly committed themselves to serving him in a combined body. Although she arrived in the form of a puppet, Han Li perceived that this puppet was no ordinary one—indeed, its power and presence rivaled that of a typical late Ling Xu stage cultivator. Thus, though somewhat surprised that the other seemed to recognize him, he dared not be too casual, and bowed respectfully, saying, "It truly is the Thousand Ling Fairy who has come! I must have been most negligent. However, the 'Cang Ling' you mentioned a moment ago—does that refer to the ancient divine turtle capable of supporting the great city of Wenshu?" "Indeed, the true grandeur of the accompanying spirit turtle is far beyond what this one currently displays." The young woman nodded seriously. "Hearing Lady Liu's description, I now feel compelled to see that magnificent spirit turtle firsthand." Han Li gazed toward the distance, murmuring softly to himself. "It's quite difficult to actually witness this creature. When I accompanied the Spirit Emperor to Xuanwu City, it was purely by chance that I happened to witness the turtle's rare moment—every three thousand years, it emerges to absorb and exhale the essence of the sun and moon—thus allowing me to catch a glimpse of its true form. Otherwise, during ordinary times, this giant turtle remains mostly buried in the soil, with its limbs and head tucked deep within its shell, sleeping soundly." "Ah, now I understand. Thank you, Han Li!" Han Li's face revealed a touch of regret as he bowed slightly to the young woman. The sea prince and the vessel spirit, listening closely to their conversation, were utterly absorbed, their faces filled with admiration and longing. Far off, the vast black continent, which had been steadily moving, finally ceased its motion when it was still数十 miles away from the mountain peak, and the ground tremors abruptly stopped. Yet at that very moment, the continent began to rise slowly from the earth, transforming within a short while into a towering black mountain several thousand zhang high. Suddenly, a gentle tremor surged at the base of the mountain, and then a massive head emerged from the soil, its two piercing green beams sweeping across the numerous cultivators who had gathered to watch. Han Li and the young wife were among them. However, Han Li's gaze sharpened instantly, allowing him to clearly discern the creature's true form. The beast's head was formidable, adorned with over a dozen curved, strange horns rising from its crown, and thick black scales covering its neck concealed its vital areas. Moreover, the creature's mouth was unusually long; when slightly opened, a gust of fresh, briny wind spiraled out, revealing sharp, massive teeth lining its jaw. Han Li gazed at the beast's sharp teeth and sighed. Upon a brief comparison, he realized that ordinary people of his own stature would need to gather at least a hundred to be swallowed whole by this giant creature. Even though the spirit of the artifact had always been bold, its face now paled slightly at the sight of the beast's fierce appearance. Meanwhile, Hai, the young noble, raised his fingers toward the distant horizon, then measured his own body. Seeing this, the spirit of the artifact asked curiously, "Young Lord, what are you doing?" "Nothing much," Hai replied without turning around, "I'm simply measuring whether my own body is larger or whether the monster's teeth are bigger." The spirit of the artifact remained speechless.