Hearing this, not only did Qing Yan Hou and Qing Yuan Zi exchange a look of helpless chuckles, but Han Li also felt a sudden flutter in his eyes. "I've come to speak with you about something important this time. Perhaps I should sit down below for a while. Jin Yan Hou, your Biling Wine is quite excellent—please serve me seven or eight bowls." The elder's eyes twinkled slightly as he said this with a straightforward, open demeanor. "Seven or eight bowls? Xuling Brother is being generous. The Biling Wine takes three hundred years to produce just one bowl, and the ingredients are hard to find. I only have three or four bowls in my possession altogether. How could I possibly serve seven or eight bowls to my friend?" Upon hearing this, Jin Yan Hou's face tightened, and he found himself both amused and slightly embarrassed. "Ah, even three or four bowls would be fine. That should be enough for me to enjoy several cups." The elder laughed heartily. Then, without waiting for further words from Jin Yan Hou or Qing Ling Zi, he simply pressed a hand seal, and the massive beetle beneath him instantly vaporized into a stream of black smoke, vanishing completely. The black smoke, swirling once, slipped like a灵snake into the elder's broad sleeve and vanished. Then, the elder moved his body, transforming into a streak of deep black light, and flew downward toward the palace. Jin Yan stood there, full of helplessness, raising one hand toward the empty space above. Instantly, the three golden-armored guards hovering in the sky ceased their rotation, and the white silk strands wrapped around them snapped one by one. Though still slightly dizzy, the guards managed to steady themselves and hurriedly bowed to Jin Yan, their faces flushed with embarrassment. "Thank you, Master, for your rescue! We are truly incapable and have caused you embarrassment," they said. "It's no wonder. This visitor is so powerful—he even makes me retreat three steps. Simply repair the seal, and you'll be fine." Jin Yan shook his head, then his golden flame rippled and surged, transforming him into a streak of light that shot downward. "Young Han, come as well. This old creature is truly difficult to manage. Be especially careful from now on." "Qingyuan Zi sighed and, with a flash of golden light beneath his feet, vanished into the void. Han Li stroked his chin, thought for a moment, and then moved with the same fluid motion, drifting downward. A short while later, Han Li and the others reappeared in the original hall, once again settling into their seats. Only now, opposite Qingyuan Zi's seat, stood an elder named Xuling. Jin Yan did not linger, raising both hands gently and patting them once, after which four graceful attendants in golden light gowns immediately appeared, each bearing rare immortal fruits and placing them before the various seated figures. "Where's the Biling Wine? Jin Yan, aren't you just going to bring me some trinkets to pass the time?" the elder swept his gaze over the fruits, then rolled his eyes. "Xuling brother, please don't be so impatient. The Biling Wine must be stored in ancient ice for centuries to develop its full depth and richness. I've already dispatched someone to retrieve it from the ice cavern," Jin Yan calmly explained, suppressing his inner irritation. "That's much better." The elder nodded, grasping a round, fresh crimson spiritual fruit in front of him with one hand and swallowing it down in several quick bites—remarkably, he didn't even spit out the seed. Han Li was momentarily speechless at this sight. At that moment, the elder's gaze unexpectedly shifted to Han Li, who briefly scanned him before suddenly exclaiming softly, "Hm." "Young fellow, you look only about two thousand years old—such a young age and yet you've achieved this level of cultivation. Your potential is truly impressive. Are you one of the descendants of Qingyuan Zi's lineage?" the elder inquired with genuine interest. "Esteemed elder, I bow to you. Indeed, I am a descendant of Jiang Senior," Han Li replied, his heart not only unshaken by the elder's praise but subtly uneasy, quickly rising to offer a respectful bow. After all, this elder had even found Qingyuan Zi, a being of the highest stage, quite challenging—Han Li naturally held him in the highest regard. Moreover, the fact that the other party could simply judge his true age by mere eye contact was astonishing. Only hoping that the remark made earlier was merely a casual inquiry. However, Han Li's expectation clearly fell short. Upon hearing Han Li's words, the elder's eyes sparkled with admiration, and he then exclaimed in wonder, "Indeed, indeed. With your such exceptional talent, it is extremely rare throughout the spiritual realm. I recall that the human race seems rather unimpressive—just a modest branch, isn't it? Yet not only do you have a senior cultivator at this stage, but also a promising young disciple like Han Li, whose strength is truly impressive. Could it be that the human race has deliberately concealed their true capabilities?" "Brother Xuling is being overly generous! Indeed, the human race is merely a modest branch. Though I hail from the human lineage, I have had other fortunate circumstances that enabled me to reach this current level. For this reason, I might not be considered a pure-blooded human. As for Han Xiao-young's remarkable progress, that is by no means surprising. Any clan may produce a few truly exceptional talents. It's merely fortunate that Master Xuling has encountered such individuals, and how could they possibly compare to the nobility. The Qingyuan Master's expression brightened, and he quickly offered a forced smile. "Indeed? Though our Fuyou clan is sizable, I have never seen anyone reach the late Consolidation stage at your age. How about you, young friend—would you be interested in joining our Fuyou clan? As a guest senior elder, you would have all the materials and medicinal herbs you need for cultivation, fully covered by the clan." The elder gave Qingyuan a sharp glance, then spoke to Han Li with a mixture of amusement and mild skepticism. Upon hearing this, Qingyuan's face turned pale, his lips moving slightly as if he had something to say, yet ultimately no words came forth. Han Li was greatly surprised, yet upon a quick thought, he firmly and without hesitation declined: "Thank you, elder, for your kind offer. However, our clan is currently facing a great calamity. Though my magical abilities are still rudimentary, I must immediately return to our clan to weather this crisis and cannot possibly join your clan." "A great calamity? What kind of great calamity is this! Hmph—do you intend to deliberately find an excuse to avoid me?" Upon hearing this, the elder's previously cheerful expression darkened instantly, and he immediately turned stern, speaking sharply. At the same time, a surge of invisible pressure radiated out from the elder, pressing forcefully upon Han Li. "I have absolutely no intention of doing so!" Though Han Li knew the elder to be eccentric, he had never expected him to act so directly and assertively—immediately feeling his frustration mount, he quickly explained, and a protective glow immediately shimmered on his body. "Boom!" He felt a tremendous force pressing down on his shoulders, causing his body to sink slightly. His protective golden glow flashed wildly, as if about to shatter at once. At the same time, a dense series of explosive sounds echoed within him, making every bone in his body tremble violently. This was a clear testament to Han Li's extraordinary physical strength—otherwise, a normal being under such overwhelming pressure from the elder would either be instantly killed or suffer severe internal injuries and bleed out immediately. Qingyuan Zi furrowed his brow, then swept his sleeve forward, and a surge of golden light rushed toward Han Li. After a resonant thud, two powerful forces collided at Han Li's chest and vanished together—both utterly absorbed. Han Li felt the immense pressure on his shoulders dissipate, and his body instantly lightened. A wave of relief washed over him, and he was deeply impressed by the formidable strength of the elder, the Old Virtuous Spirit Master. It was no wonder that Qingyuan Zi and Jinyan Hou held such deep reverence for him—his powers truly surpassed theirs. It was unclear whether the other truly had a passion for combat, or was merely feigning madness. Seeing the elder's demeanor, Qingyuan suddenly recalled something, his eyes darting with sudden urgency before he managed a smile and waved his hand with a composed air: "Brother Xuling, you're being too kind. How could I possibly match you in skill? After all, the young friend, Han, is my clan member. I hope you'll show him a little leniency." "Of course there are important matters! Otherwise, if I were truly content with my meals, I would never have taken the trouble to cross over to your realm so diligently. Let me cut to the chase—hand over all the Yinhe Milk you currently hold. This time, I have brought the 'Wu Yuan Dan' and the eggs of the Wan Kun Insects. With these, I shall exchange for every drop of spiritual milk you possess!" The elder spoke without hesitation. "What? You wish to take the Yinhe Milk!" "Why would Brother Xuling need the spiritual milk?" Jin Yanhou and Qing Yuan heard this and both gasped in surprise. Han Ziran was also taken aback. "I merely wish to obtain some spiritual milk—how could you two react so dramatically? Do you truly believe my 'Wu Yuan Dan' and the Wan Kun Insect eggs are not worth the exchange?" The elder's expression darkened, and his tone grew somewhat sharp. "By no means! It's just that the spiritual milk I hold has just been entirely exchanged for by Brother Jiang!" Jin Yanhou smiled, his expression utterly strange.