For the rest of the time, Han Li nodded continuously. After a cup of tea's worth of time had passed, the old Taoist glanced at the still slightly overcast sky and smiled again, saying, "It's now past the early hour. Let us go together to the entrance. Each time the Black Domain opens, there are numerous entry points, and the place we're heading to is likely to have only four or five people waiting there at most. However, before we proceed, we must first conceal our true identities. We don't need any particularly elaborate techniques—the Black Domain has a restriction on spiritual awareness that limits the ability to detect others. A simple method of concealment will suffice to prevent others from noticing us. The only thing we should ensure is that we are recognized by the other attendees before entering. Should we indeed be recognized, that's perfectly fine—once inside the Black Domain, we can simply change our method of concealment at will, and they will likely no longer recognize us at the exchange gathering." "Indeed, Master Wan Guo is no ordinary participant in the Black Domain gatherings—his successive suggestions flowed effortlessly and naturally. "Thank you, Brother Wan Gu, for your guidance. I now know exactly what to do," replied Han Li with a smile, as, at the very moment of speaking, a layer of gray, hazy light rolled out from his body, completely enveloping his form. This was the Yuanmagnetic Divine Light he had forced out of his body. With this divine light shielding him, the minds of other Consolidated Stage cultivators found it difficult to perceive his true appearance. Seeing Han Li's demeanor, Brother Wan Gu chuckled lightly as well. With a single hand gesture, a mass of black energy surged forth from his body, similarly concealing his form. Thus, the two began their flight once more, shooting swiftly toward the outer reaches of the Nine Immortal Mountains. At the same time, numerous Consolidated Stage elders and some mysterious cultivators within the Nine Immortal Mountains also left their homes and quietly departed toward the outer slopes of the mountain range—yet their destinations were entirely different from one another. Several hours later, when the sky had fully brightened, Han Li and Brother Wan Gu descended from their flight outside the Nine Immortal Mountains, settling in a seemingly remote and desolate small valley nearby. There, two figures had already been waiting quietly. One shone with a brilliant golden glow, so radiant that it was impossible to look at directly. The other, however, appeared as faint as a mist, no matter how intently one gazed—nothing could be made out. These two stood one to the south and one to the north, far apart, each merely glancing at the arrival of Han Li and his companion when they came. Clearly, they were not like Han Li and the old hermit—traveling the same route. Han Li merely took a moment to observe them, without attempting to use his spiritual senses to probe further. As the old hermit had clearly explained upon their arrival—both before and after entering the Black Domain—every member of the human and spirit clans attending the gathering held a deep aversion to having their spiritual senses used to detect others. A mere glance might be seen as an affront, while more serious cases would immediately turn hostile and intervene. Han Li found this practice entirely acceptable, and thus, upon being unable to clearly perceive the two figures with his physical sight, he promptly withdrew his attention. Though he was confident, Ming Qing Ling's eyes could likely penetrate the veils of these two, should they be practicing some special secret technique, they might still sense something. He didn't wish to encounter any trouble before even entering the Black Domain. Thus, Han Li and Wan Gu Shen found a higher ground, distancing themselves from the other two and simply remained still. All four present concealed their true appearances, showing no interest in speaking to one another. As a result, the atmosphere at the scene became rather eerie—besides the soft rustling of the wind, there was no other sound. Han Li slightly narrowed his eyes, silently calculating the passage of time. About half an hour later, a sound of rushing air came from the horizon. Then, a strange, greenish glow appeared suddenly at a distance in the high ground and swiftly shot toward them. After a few flashes, the green stone-like light plummeted straight from above, only to suddenly halt at the last moment as it struck the ground—hovering several feet above the surface before gently settling with no sound at all. Han Li glanced at it indifferently and noticed a faint human figure standing within the glow. This figure was precisely positioned at the center of the group of five. After surveying the other four, the figure smiled slightly within the green light, then settled calmly into a meditative posture, remaining motionless. Han Li was first startled, then smiled gently, finding the man quite intriguing. Meanwhile, the old monk stared gloomily at the figure in the green light, as though remembering something, his brow furrowed slightly. As the Wan Gu Zheng said, clearly, the five of them were the only ones attending the Black Domain Assembly at this location. After another half hour, Han Li suddenly felt an unusual ripple in his sleeve. He immediately glanced at it and reached inside, pulling out a triangular token the size of his palm. The token was dark in color, yet a faint white glow shimmered on its surface, dimming and brightening intermittently, as if resonating with something else. Han Li was pleased, and looked up at the others. He saw that whether it was the Wan Gu Zheng Ren nearby or the other three, each of them had also produced an identical token, each displaying a steady, gentle white light. At that moment, a deep, resonant boom suddenly echoed from above the valley. Then, a strong spatial ripple surged out from the same spot. All five people below were startled and turned toward the source of the ripple. What they now saw was that, where the sky had previously been clear and cloudless, a dense expanse of dark, oppressive clouds had suddenly appeared above the valley. Amidst this gathering black cloud, silver arcs emerged silently, then interlaced and shimmered, coalescing into a single cluster. With a tremendous thunderclap, a magnificent silver great gate suddenly materialized in the flickering light! The gate stood over ten zhang high, its surface adorned with ancient and profound patterns, while swirling silver runes danced around its perimeter. What a stunning sight! Fortunately, the five figures within the valley were no ordinary beings—each had witnessed countless more astonishing scenes than this, and thus remained motionless, their composure undisturbed. Suddenly, the great gate emitted a resonant hum, and as the surrounding runes trembled, they instantly froze in place. The gate then slowly parted, revealing a narrow crevice. A streak of black light shot forth from the opening, and in an instant, a mysterious cultivator, fully enveloped in a long black robe, materialized and floated before the great gate. A strange black aura wrapped around the man, who stared coldly and silently down at the others below. Han Li narrowed his eyes, feeling a subtle sense of alertness. The man's aura was exceptionally odd—sometimes overwhelming in strength, at other times so faint it seemed almost imperceptible, as if his cultivation level were profoundly unstable. What kind of technique was this? Han Li's face briefly showed a look of surprise, his mind quickly processing the observation. "Are you the Messenger of the Black Domain's Pulling Force?" The man in golden light, who seemed familiar with the Black Domain Assembly, spoke with a resonant, bell-like voice, as though he had participated in this gathering many times before. "Have you brought your Pulling Credentials? If so, I shall open the Pulling Gate and welcome you into the Black Domain. Without credentials, those wishing to enter—their fate shall be 'death'!" The cloaked figure seemed entirely unheeding to the golden-robed one's questions, instead his eyes flashed with an unusual green glow before he spoke, his words filled with sharp intensity and anger. His voice was high-pitched and piercing, making it difficult to determine whether he was male or female. The golden-robed one emitted a cold snort, slightly displeased by the cloaked figure's arrogance, yet ultimately remained silent. As for Han Li and the others, they naturally said nothing. Upon seeing that the five figures below had no objections, the cloaked figure promptly raised his hand, producing a silver-hued drumstick-like artifact that he then struck directly at the great gate. A crisp "thud" echoed, and the already slightly ajar silver gate, under the deep resonant roar, swung fully open. Han Li naturally focused his attention on the interior. What he saw was a dark, featureless expanse within the great gate—pitch black, devoid of any light—truly living up to the name of the Black Domain. Just as Han Li was silently pleased, he suddenly felt his tethering token grow warm and glowing, then, in the next instant, it burst out with a loud "pop," dispersing into a swirling mass of dark light that instantly enveloped his form. At the same time, Han Li sensed the air around him tighten, and a force lifted him upward, propelling him toward the open silver great gate. He was momentarily startled, but upon turning his gaze and seeing the other four also lifted by the same dark light, he soon calmed and settled. In a moment, all five of them were gradually absorbed into the silver great gate, under the cold, watchful gaze of the black-robed figure. When no anomaly was observed, the figure raised his artifact and struck the gate's sides once more in the air, then entered the gate himself. A deep rumbling sound resumed, and the silver great gate slowly closed, followed by a thunderclap that caused it to burst into countless electric arcs once again. The nearby black clouds, after the electric arcs vanished, instantly rolled and then disappeared without a trace. The once oppressive sky once again regained its original clarity. ...Han Li continuously glanced around in the dark glow, his face filled with curiosity. After entering the great silver gate, he and the other four remained enveloped in the dark light, floating silently in a line within the void. Now, having settled into this mysterious space beyond the great gate, Han Li clearly perceived the so-called "world of darkness." All around, vast seas of black mist composed of streams of black vapor stretched out—some of the vapors flowed gently, appearing ordinary; others surged violently, whirling and dancing wildly, tearing through everything in their path and forming swirling black gales that looked extremely hazardous. What struck Han Li most was that, within the slightly more distant black mist, he sensed a strange aura of mythical beasts—numerous, yet distinctly different from ordinary beasts. These creatures concealed themselves within the distant fog, gazing at them with vigilant alertness, yet simultaneously hesitating and retreating for some unknown reason. Despite the distance, Han could clearly perceive the fierce, aggressive energy emanating from these beasts, and he could not overlook their presence.