"It can be useful, but it really depends on the master's intentions!" The Xuling brightened, breaking from his earlier cold demeanor and smiling warmly. "Intentions?" Han Li's eyes flashed, and he seemed slightly puzzled. "Indeed. If your goal is merely to cultivate mature-bodied spirit insects, then the Minghe Spirit Milk will offer no further benefit to them. However, if you wish to take your cultivation further, then this Minghe Spirit Milk becomes absolutely essential." The elder spoke with evident intention. "Further cultivation?" Han Li appeared to recall something, his face now expressing surprise. "Exactly. I'll elaborate on the specifics later. I never expected to find mature-bodied Jinyin insects in your hands—thus, the matter of the Minghe Spirit Milk becomes secondary. I would like to discuss a separate transaction with you. However, this matter is quite confidential and requires private negotiations. Jin Yan, Qingyuan Zi—would either of you mind?" The elder with the ethereal aura first spoke kindly to Han Li, listening to a few words, before finally said calmly to Qingyuan and the other two. Though his expression seemed composed, his words carried an unmistakable sense of insistence that they could not refuse. "As long as you're not forcing the matter, I shall have no objection," Qingyuan said, his heart suddenly stirred upon seeing the glint of frost in the elder's eyes. "I shall have no objection either, Elder Xuling. Please, go ahead," Jin Yan smiled and added. "That's satisfactory. Then I shall be the one to make the request!" Clearly pleased with their responses, the elder nodded and then suddenly opened his mouth, and instantly a flash of black light erupted—revealing a miniature pavilion, about half a foot tall, shot out like a burst of energy. The pavilion was entirely black, adorned with intricate inscriptions and symbols, densely arranged, and enveloped in a soft, faint layer of black mist. It looked utterly mysterious. "Han Younger Brother, please take your Golden-Feeding Insect and come to my Black Wind Pavilion for a chat." The elder palm-pressed a seal, and instantly transformed the pavilion into a towering height of several zhang. Then, turning his head, he said one sentence. Without waiting for Han Li's response, he waved his sleeves, drawing his golden insect into the pavilion, and then rapidly shrunk in size, becoming a small figure only a few inches tall, vanishing instantly into the pavilion. "Both of you, I must apologize as well," Han Li said with a deep sense of unease, yet knowing it was impossible to avoid the visit. He offered a gentle, apologetic smile to Qingyuan Zi and the other elder. "Rest assured, Han junior," Qingyuan Zi said, his brows slightly furrowed. "Since Xu Ling made a prior promise, we won't impose any further demands. However, if the conditions aren't too burdensome, I'd recommend you accept them." "Thank you, Master Jiang, I understand now," Han Li replied solemnly, gathering the dozen golden insects before him and transforming them into a single strand of green silk, which he then shot into the pavilion. At the very moment Han Li entered, the entire pavilion instantly surged with dark energy, splitting the connection to the outside world. "Jiang brother, aren't you at all concerned? Though this old master sometimes acts wildly, he truly possesses great powers. Should he indeed make any moves against Han Xiao-young inside, we might not be able to intervene in time." Jin Yan suddenly moved his lips, transmitting a message to Qingyuan Zi. "Jin Yan has already taken precautions. Though the old master is quite domineering, he has never broken his word in all our interactions. This should be reliable. Moreover, I owe Han Xiao-young a considerable personal debt. While I would like to offer him some special care, I do not wish to truly offend him. I will only extend such care within the limits of what I can manage. Otherwise, I fear I may not find a place to stand in this Yinhe realm." Qingyuan Zi replied calmly. "That makes sense. The old master's powers are likely sufficient to protect himself even against true spiritual beings. We are far behind when compared to him. Yet, though the gold-devouring insect is rare throughout the world, I'd have thought it would provoke such a strong reaction in the presence of the one who possesses it. After all, doesn't he himself also have a similar spiritual insect? Perhaps Brother Jiang has already deduced something from it." Jin Yanhou nodded, then suddenly asked, "As for me, Jiang, I haven't the ability to even guess at the old man's thoughts. Most likely, the gold-devouring insect of the young friend must serve some purpose for him." Qing Yuanzi's eyes flashed briefly, yet he trailed off with a yawn, speaking vaguely. "Indeed?" Jin Yanhou's mouth twitched slightly, and he smiled faintly, half-amused. Qing Yuanzi merely smiled gently and said nothing further. Meanwhile, in the grand hall of the black pavilion, where the young man and the elder had grown smaller in stature, they were conversing. "Young friend, please sit. My Black Wind Pavilion is no ordinary place—considered half a spatial treasure. It allows both size adjustment and complete isolation from time, so that no third-party consciousness can penetrate this space." "The elder settled himself with a dignified seat among the others, smiling at Han Li. "Thank you, senior. Then I shall not be so modest," Han Li bowed with deep respect and took a seat at the chair beneath. "Before we proceed with our negotiations, I need to confirm one matter. Han, how many mature-bodied Phage-of-Gold insects do you currently hold? Could you provide me with an exact figure?" The elder asked, his voice tinged with excitement. "An exact figure..." Upon hearing this, Han Li's face slightly darkened, and he hesitated noticeably. "Ah, I may have been rather abrupt earlier. The true significance of the Phage-of-Gold insects largely depends on their numbers—sharing an exact count is indeed something one doesn't always wish to reveal. Then, perhaps, all you need to know is whether your number of spiritual insects exceeds five thousand?" The elder paused, then suddenly understood, and promptly adjusted his question. But as soon as the question was posed, the subtle glow in Xuling's gaze immediately turned slightly tense. Clearly, Han Li's answer was closely tied to his own situation. Upon hearing this, Han Li swiftly pondered in his mind, then honestly replied. Though he would have preferred to simply say a firm "no," he couldn't help but worry—what if the current foreign guest remained unsatisfied? Would he not suddenly turn cold and take decisive action to restrain him personally, in order to verify his claims? After all, even falsehoods can prove fragile when faced with genuine strength. "Over five thousand, excellent! That's wonderful. With that, I can now proceed with this significant transaction with you," Xuling exclaimed, speaking several times with the word "good." "The transaction you mentioned—does it have any connection to the number of mature Golden-Feeding Insects I currently possess?" Han Li hesitated and asked. "Of course! I wish to secure five thousand mature Golden-Feeding Insects from you." As for the cost, as long as I have anything to offer, I will never hesitate to make a counterproposal—so I say with a bright gaze, words that startle Han Li. "Five thousand mature Gold-Eating Insects?" Though he had a faint sense of expectation, hearing it spoken aloud still caused a visible surprise on his face. "This deal, Master, is truly quite demanding of me. Even though these five thousand mature Gold-Eating Insects are not all the spiritual insects I've cultivated, they certainly account for ten out of every hundred. I had hoped to save them as a decisive weapon when I eventually advance to the Great Perfection stage." "Indeed, the value of so many mature Gold-Eating Insects is rare in the world. As long as they have value, they can always be exchanged. Besides, among the spiritual insects I haven't yet offered, there are already two or three whose reputations surpass even yours." Besides that fragmentary treasure from Xuan Tian, its value might even surpass five thousand Golden-Feeding Insects. The elder's smile faded, and his face suddenly grew cold. "You're mistaken, sir. The spiritual insects still not yet retrieved are all my own life-linked insects. As for that Xuan Tian fragment, though I am deeply moved by it, I would never dare claim it. Otherwise, should I take such a precious treasure, I might never be able to enjoy it in the future. Then, sir, could you kindly share with me your reasons for needing so many Golden-Feeding Insects? After hearing that, I shall then make my decision. I also find it somewhat puzzling—these Golden-Feeding Insects have already been recognized and nurtured by me for many years. Even if you wish to take them, it would hardly be to use them as tools in battle. Moreover, you've specifically requested exactly five thousand of them. That makes me even more curious." Han Li pondered, speaking slowly as though deeply reluctant. "Hmph! You're quite bold, daring to inquire into my intentions!" The ethereal elder emitted a cold sneeze, his eyebrows instantly arched upward, a layer of frost forming on his face. "Forgive me, elder sir! Indeed, raising these golden-devouring insects to maturity has consumed countless efforts on my part—normally, I treat them as if they were my own lifeblood. Unless I understand the general purpose you intend for them, I simply won't be willing to part with them easily." This time, Han Li spoke with exceptional determination. "Heh, you're quite right in that. Very well, I'll tell you the general purpose for which I wish to acquire these golden-devouring insects. But once you hear it, you must accept this transaction without hesitation. Otherwise..." The ethereal elder's eyes twinkled slightly before he smiled again. "Agreed," Han Li said after a moment of fluctuating expression, finally settling with a deep breath. "Hah! Young Han, that's a wise decision! Listen closely—my intention in acquiring these golden-devouring insects is to cultivate the legendary Golden-Devouring King, said to be the supreme among them." To generate a King of the Insect Beings, a large number of mature golden insect bodies is required. As for why five thousand specifically, it is because I already possess another five thousand mature golden insect bodies. Together, these numbers will more than suffice for me to nurture a King of Insect Beings. Any additional ones would be of no use to me. Finally, the elder offered a reason that deeply moved Han Li. "King of the Insect Beings! Then, regarding the elder's earlier collection of Yinhe Spiritual Milk—was that also for the purpose of cultivating a King of the Insect Beings?" Han Li's face changed instantly, and he could not help but ask again. "Indeed, a substantial amount of Yinhe Spiritual Milk is also one of the methods for nurturing a King of the Insect Beings. However, if there are sufficient mature golden insect bodies available, this condition becomes less significant." The ethereal elder replied without hesitation.