"Of course, while we may not dare to claim first among the two clans, we do possess some rare treasures—some even procured directly from other ethnic groups in the wild realms. I am certain these will leave the elders most satisfied." The black-clad woman smiled softly as she spoke, nestled in Han Li's arms. At that moment, her black veil had been removed, revealing a beautifully graceful and alluring face. With each smile and word, she radiated such charm that it stirred the hearts of all who heard her, drawing them in effortlessly. Clearly, this woman had mastered a special charm cultivation technique; otherwise, she could not have achieved such remarkable magnetism. Yet Han Li paid no attention to her captivating presence, merely giving a quiet nod and asking, "It is indeed a considerable investment that your domain annually dedicates to cultivating such a group of women. Yet I find it somewhat puzzling—women of your beauty and grace would surely be recognized by many if they were to move freely in the outside world. Is it perhaps..." "The elder has guessed correctly." Since she became aware of herself, the younger sister has lived entirely within the Black Domain, never venturing outside. If the elder does not mind, perhaps it would be kind to take her as a concubine. Then, she would finally be able to see the true sky beyond the realm. Upon hearing this, the woman numbered eleven immediately adopted a pitiful expression. If an ordinary cultivator were to see such a touching, humble demeanor, they would surely be deeply moved. Yet, with the strength of韩立's spirit and the firmness of his will, he merely gave a slight movement of his lips, saying "I do not enjoy having people accompany me," and thus gracefully dismissed her request. As for the woman numbered nineteen, she proved to be exceptionally perceptive—seeing that韩立 had no intention of accepting her proposal, she immediately ceased speaking on the matter and instead quietly leaned more closely against him. Han Li showed little reaction, merely unconsciously tightening the arm wrapped around the young woman’s waist, and thus enjoyed the charm of her graceful embrace. He then asked a few more questions about the details of the Black Domain Grand Assembly. The woman in his arms answered each with diligence and thoroughness, leaving him thoroughly satisfied. Gradually, over time, more figures began to appear on the previously empty pavilions surrounding the hall. Clearly, more participants were now arriving to join the gathering. Suddenly, a thunderous sound erupted from below, shaking the very void. Han Li, who had been lounging lazily in his chair, stirred instantly, his blue glow in the eyes flickering and shifting, instantly piercing through the dark void to gaze toward the source of the sound. There, at a prominent location near the entrance of the hall, stood a giant approximately ten zhang tall, enveloped in a layer of intense, blazing flames, his arms outstretched and his form agitated. By the side, a black-scarf maid rushed forward, visibly alarmed, explaining something urgently. Yet the form of the giant emerging from the flames appeared furious—upon a thunderous roar, a massive hand surged forth from the firelight, aiming to crush the maid into a pulp. At that moment, however, a ripple surged through the surrounding space, and a streak of golden light, like a brilliant rainbow, flashed into view, cutting straight toward the giant’s face with unyielding precision. The sword’s glow was cold and resolute! The fiery giant roared in rage, momentarily abandoning his grasp on the maid, and instead swung his palm to meet the golden blade. With a sharp, metallic clash, the sword struck the giant’s form—crisscrossed by the flame’s sword energy—the giant staggered back, retreating several steps with a series of firm, echoing thuds. At the same time, a ripple of water-like motion spread across the space above his head, and a hazy, indistinct human figure emerged, momentarily shaken. Han Li focused his gaze, and saw that the figure wore a gray robe made of an unknown material, giving off a faint, ethereal quality. Yet on his face, a grim, monstrous mask with a green complexion and jagged teeth stood out, his eyes blazing with intensity, fixed upon the flame giant below. "Esteemed immortal of the demonic race, I find it strange that you are so incensed—why have you taken action against a junior disciple? Number 37, what has you done to offend our guest? Come now, and offer your sincerest apologies to this elder!" Unexpectedly, the gray figure who had just delivered a resolute strike now turned sharply and scolded the black-sash attendant. "My apologies, my esteemed superior. I must have made a mistake in my service. I hope you will not hold it against me," said the attendant, number 37, who had just been revived from the brink of death. Her face was pale, but upon hearing the instructions from the gray figure, she hurriedly bowed gracefully before the flame giant. "Hmph. This time, I'll let it pass. But should you ever again commit an offense that offends our customs, don't expect me to merely swallow you "The giant stirred in the flames, seemingly awakened by the gray-shrouded warrior's single slash. The rage in his eyes gradually faded, though he continued to emit a low, cold hum. Suddenly, the flames swirling over his body contracted, and his form shrank several times, transforming into a red-robed figure of ordinary stature, with faintly glowing crimson horns emerging from his head—yet his face was completely obscured by the radiant red glow. At this moment, the gray-shrouded warrior gently murmured to the thirty-seventh attendant, inquiring about a few matters. After a brief exchange, he nodded and said with a touch of apology, 'I didn't realize you were of this noble lineage. Indeed, her actions earlier were quite impolite, though I must admit she lacks the depth of knowledge to be familiar with your people. I shall not hold it against her. I will immediately assign a more suitable attendant to serve you exclusively.' 'Hmph. Whatever you say." I only hope the Exchange Assembly starts right away—I don't have the time to waste on all these formalities in your Black Domain! The red-robed immortal practitioner sneered, making no attempt to be escorted, but instead transformed into a massive fire ball and soared directly toward an empty stone pavilion high in the sky, landing upon it with a settle. Below, the gray figure sighed, shaking his head with a touch of苦笑, then waved a hand at the third-seven lady still kneeling in obeisance. With a subtle shift of form, he vanished—just as he had first appeared, leaving no trace. The black-silk attendant rose and followed suit, stepping out of the scene. Though Han Li was curious about the red-robed immortal's outburst, seeing that the matter had now been resolved in a more manageable way, he gently drew his gaze back and closed his eyes, beginning to gather his strength and prepare himself. At that moment, the woman in his arms rose gracefully, quietly stepping to his back and gently tapping his shoulders with a pair of jade-like fists, serving in the manner of ordinary maids in the mortal world. Though韩立's physical strength was formidable and he naturally did not require such attendants to ease any fatigue, the delicate scent of virginity drifting through his nose and the soft, rhythmic taps on his shoulders still made it an exceptionally pleasant experience. He remained motionless in his chair, as if truly drifting into a half-sleep. Thus, as time passed, the figures within the stone pavilions gradually grew denser and more numerous. After no less than three or four hours had passed, nearly all the stone pavilions were fully occupied. Although the total number of attendees doesn't quite reach four or five hundred, one need only consider that there may be as many as several dozen elders at the Consolidated Stage, and that most others are likely to be powerful cultivators at the Transcendent Realm level, and it becomes clear that this exchange gathering is truly worth anticipating. Nevertheless, despite the significant increase in attendance, the human and spirit-creature cultivators gathered in the stone pavilion all appear cold and detached—some seated silently, others simply pouring and sipping their drinks on their own, with no one showing any desire to engage or converse with those nearby. The entire hall is enveloped in an unusually still and eerie atmosphere. Half an hour later, suddenly, a brilliant golden light erupts from the lofty white platform in the midst of the hall, and at a corner of the golden spell array, a massive black gong emerges, along with a green-hued figure. The gong stands as tall as a person, its surface worn and dark, with rust streaks along the edges, yet at its center, a unique black, one-eyed monster dragon pattern is engraved, subtly pulsing with an eerie red glow. The green figure appearing alongside the black drum was a tall man wielding a small purple hammer, resembling a Huangjin Force-Bringer. Though his entire body was a pale green, seemingly not of ordinary human origin, he emitted no aura of immortality or spirit essence, leaving observers momentarily uncertain about his true lineage. Notably, his skin shimmered with a golden hue, subtly radiating a metallic luster, indicating he had mastered a unique body-forging cultivation technique, and his physical strength was undoubtedly exceptional. The numerous cultivators gathered around the stone pavilions naturally turned their attention to the man standing on the drum platform, observing his movements closely. Yet this green-skinned giant remained unimpressed by the multitude of astonished glances. He simply inhaled deeply, and as green light pulsed across his body, his form instantly expanded to over three zhang in height, transforming into a towering giant. The muscles in his arms thickened dramatically, swelling several times in circumference. The giant moved his arm, simultaneously gripping the purple copper mace in both hands, and with solemn determination struck it gently against the massive black drum. A resonant "thud" echoed, and at once a ripple of violet light surged outward from the center of the drum, then vanished in a flash. Han Li was momentarily stunned, still reacting when, after the strike, the giant's body suddenly collapsed inward, as if deflated, transforming into a thin, gaunt old man with white hair and beard—his appearance that of a frail, elderly figure, strangely aged and wan. The single blow had seemingly drained the giant of his entire vitality and a vast portion of his life force. The cultivators gathered in the stone pavilion naturally exchanged startled glances. Black Domain's actions could not have been random! Han Li's eyes narrowed, yet the sound of the drum he had just heard was nothing extraordinary—plain and ordinary, as if nothing out of the ordinary had occurred. But at that very moment, he suddenly felt his inner spiritual energy surge to a boil, and his vital blood circulation accelerated several times over, instantly becoming abnormally hot throughout his body. "This is..." startled, Han Li leapt up from his chair. With the strong true energy within him moving, he immediately suppressed all the unusual phenomena inside, yet almost simultaneously noticed a difference in his spiritual power—compared to before, it had subtly increased since the gong's resonance.