First, he transformed himself into the form of a mythical ape through a thousand changes of appearance, entering the castle undetected. Then, he was discovered and pursued by the elder of the Long family, who compelled him to summon the divine power of the Jingze Sect—truly manifesting as a colossal mountain-ape, engaging in a fierce struggle with the elder. With his robust physical strength and the powerful aura of the Jingze Sect's techniques, coupled with his half-dragon form, he easily held his own against the Long family elder, suffering no significant losses. Yet, he was quietly impressed by the formidable power that emerged after the elder's dragon transformation. Nevertheless, Han Li clearly sensed that he himself had only exerted about five or six parts of his strength, and the elder of the Long family had also not fully deployed his greatest powers. Otherwise, the entire Yinxian Palace could have been completely destroyed during their encounter. Regardless of what the elder of the Long family might have intended, Han Li was delighted to have escaped so effortlessly. Now, having reached such a distant location, with the current population of humans and immortals on Jiu Xian Mountain, even if the Long family's network of agents and eyes were as extensive as possible, After regaining his true form atop the mountain, Han Li slightly bowed his head, glanced at the still lifeless, puppet-like spirit of the artifact in his hands, and sighed softly. Then, with a single hand gesture, a beam of bright green light shot forth and swiftly vanished into the body of the young Taoist. The spirit of the artifact shivered, its previously expressionless face suddenly distorting. After a gasp, it opened its mouth and expelled a ball of green light encasing a surge of black energy. "Master, how is it that you're here? Didn't I get taken away by an old woman?" The spirit's eyes flashed with sudden brilliance, then cleared instantly, and upon seeing Han Li, it exclaimed in surprise. Clearly, under the influence of the magical seal, the young Taoist had completely forgotten everything that had happened earlier. "Hmph. If I hadn't come, you'd have truly lost your foundation. I'll tell you all about what transpired on the way back. For now, let's get out of here." Han Li had no intention of wasting time chatting with this named disciple. With a single command, he shook his sleeve, and a vast expanse of azure mist surged forth, wrapping both Han Li and the spirit of the artifact in a streak of emerald light that surged through the air, swiftly heading toward his residence. As the spirit of the artifact listened to Han Li briefly recount the events that had befallen him—specifically, the moment his consciousness had faded—and learned of the towering influence of the Long family, one of the foremost human immortal clans—though he had always been naturally laid-back, he found himself utterly stunned, as if frozen in place. Han Li, observing this, was slightly surprised, silently wondering whether this disciple finally understood what it meant to be truly frightened. Yet, scarcely had this thought formed in his mind when the young Taoist suddenly leapt up in the midst of the flowing light, launching into a furious tirade. His targets were clearly the elderly woman’s family and the Long family, his words so vigorous and scathing that they spilled across the air, his face flushed with rage, as though he were determined to make the Long family his permanent adversary. Han Li was first stunned, then fell silent, chuckling dryly, and finally spoke up, cutting off the spirit of the vessel: "Well, what kind of dignity is this! I won't stop you from demanding an explanation from the Long family—by no means. But you must have the ability to do so. In the eyes of the Long family, a noble household, you are merely an ant—easily crushed with a simple flick of the finger. How can you possibly expect to cause them any trouble? If you truly intend to pursue this matter, wait until you advance to the Consolidated Stage. Also, you shouldn't appear in public much longer. After returning, I'll pass on some cultivation techniques to you, bestow upon you some treasures and pills. Once the commotion has somewhat subsided, you and Hai the Young will leave this place at night, heading straight to Tianyuan City. Join the city's city guard there and train for a few years. Even though the Long family holds great influence, they still harbor some caution toward Tianyuan City. In a few years' time, I'll return to this city to join you." "Ah, Master is sending me away." "Yet the Wàn Bǎo Assembly has only just begun, and yet your disciple has traveled so far to reach this place, having barely even seen anything formal!" Hearing Han Li's words, the young Taoist was momentarily stunned and immediately began pleading. "Hmph! Is your life more important than the Wàn Bǎo Assembly? Though I may not fear the Long family, I certainly won't remain on guard all day. What if, by mere oversight, you are taken again? Then shall I have to go back to the Long family once more?" Han Li gave a light scoff, delivering an uncompromising reprimand. "Then, if Master has spoken, I shall follow." Upon seeing Han Li's stern expression, the spirit of the artifact slightly hunched and murmured, clearly still reluctant. Yet Han Li naturally paid no further attention to his disciple's willingness or otherwise. Upon hearing this, he softened his expression and nodded in agreement, saying nothing further. From then on, Han Li said nothing, instead focusing entirely on accelerating their journey through the means of his flight magic. After more than an hour, they quietly returned to their dwelling. Even the young sea lord, who had been waiting with eager anticipation in the hall, was overjoyed upon seeing Master Han truly bring back the spirit of the artifact. He immediately rushed forward to pay his respects. "Master, when you last reported, you mentioned that you had found the person your master was seeking. Where is that person now?" Master Han, once seated at the main seat, asked a question that surprised both the young sea lord and his companion. "Master, at a place called Mi Tian Lou, we encountered the mark you described, and also presented our credentials to meet the senior immortal from the妖 clan. She has invited you to meet her at the Huan Tian Lou at noon tomorrow." The young sea lord replied respectfully. "Meeting at noon tomorrow—rather urgent indeed. Very well, I understand. For the next few days, you two should remain here and not leave. I will set up a powerful sealing array nearby. Even if a fully evolved immortal manages to breach it, they will be somewhat restrained." Starting tomorrow, you two will come by to my place in the evening. I'll first show you a few things regarding cultivation. Then, once the matter has settled down a bit, you may set off. "That's all," said Han Li calmly, leaving the two behind in the hall and taking his own departure. "Set off? Brother, what does Master mean by that?" Hai Dashi found himself rather confused by this. "It's hard to put into words. I've been severely harmed by the Long family!" The young Taoist's face was furrowed, as if he had lost his most cherished artifact. As for Hai Dashi, he stroked his chin, still utterly puzzled. The next day, Han Li spent the entire morning setting up an exceptionally powerful illusion array at his residence before leaving the palace and heading directly toward the Miti Building, as mentioned by his two disciples. According to Hai Dashi, this Miti Building was precisely located within a small cluster of market districts at the heart of Jiuxian Mountain. These market-army military units are temporary alliances formed by various factions of the human and immortal-faun clans. Though each is not particularly large, even small ones are well-equipped—every detail is in place! Each market boasts a variety of common shops, and some even feature specialty stores that offer items unavailable or scarce elsewhere. The Miti Pavilion is one such example. This pavilion specializes exclusively in selling a material known as "Miti Stone." While not exceptionally rare, the Miti Stone is an essential component for constructing illusion-based magical arrays and thus consumes large quantities. The Miti Stone comes in different grades, with more powerful arrays requiring higher-grade stones. The Miti Pavilion is the only shop capable of supplying large volumes of top-grade Miti Stone, which is why many human cultivators and fully-formed immortal faun practitioners regularly visit it. "This is the Miti Pavilion!" Han Li stood before a group of low, modest houses, gazing at the plaque hung above the central one, looking somewhat puzzled. Yet, despite his expression, he naturally stepped inside. Inside, the room was indeed small but exceptionally neat—besides two tables, a few chairs, and a long shelf, there was no other furniture. On the shelf, aside from several unidentifiable-sized mineral stones, there was nothing else. Yet, at the table in front of the shelf, a young girl with two upright, cascading buns, about eleven or twelve years old, lay propped up, idly twisting her fingers. "Ah, a visitor has arrived! Senior, would you like to purchase a Miti Stone? Which grade would you prefer? How many? We at the Miti Pavilion have every variety available!" Upon seeing Han Li appear, the young girl immediately sprang to her feet, smiling warmly and greeting him with the air of a mature young lady. After scanning her with his spirit sense, Han Li's expression subtly changed, a touch of surprise flickering across his face. The girl exuded a gentle aura of immortality, clearly belonging to an elven lineage, and from the fluctuations of her spiritual pressure, it was evident that she was a cultivator at the Stage of Divine Form. Anyone who had been deceived by her youthful appearance would surely have been in for a surprise. "I'm not here to purchase anything—I'm here to see someone," Han Li said calmly. "Ah, are you Master Han? My elder sister has been waiting for you in the back courtyard for quite some time," the girl replied, first startled, then quickly bowing with a more serious expression. "Oh, are you her younger sister?" Han Li was genuinely surprised and took a closer look at the girl. "My name is Qin Meir, and I am the full sibling of Su Er—born at the same time as her. I shall be honored to lead you to meet Su Er right away." The young girl blinked, politely responding. "Very well, then—lead the way!" Han Li nodded without a word. Immediately, under the girl's guidance, Han Li entered a nearby side chamber and descended into the underground via a stone staircase. A moment later, a look of surprise flashed across Han Li's face. Along the same staircase, the underground appeared to be divided into five or six levels, each with its own distinct atmosphere, and faintly, he could even see several male and female immortal cultivators moving about within. It was no wonder the area was called a "tower"—a significant portion of the buildings had been constructed underground. With Han Li silently murmuring his admiration, the girl led him to a hall on the very lowest level. There, a stunning woman dressed in a white robe was smiling warmly, waiting for him. Upon seeing the familiar face of this woman, Han Li felt a sudden surge of astonishment, his mind going blank as he gasped: "Wan'er! How is it that you're here?"