And with the emergence of the insect king, Han Li naturally felt somewhat frustrated. Unable to immediately devise an effective plan, he could only continuously refine and stimulate these fifteen spiritual insects through various methods. While this wouldn't immediately enable them to devour one another, it would gradually enhance their strength, thereby significantly increasing the chances of eventually cultivating an insect king in the future. Moreover, even if an insect king wasn't produced now, these fifteen purple-striped insects could be easily commanded with his divine awareness, proving far more practical than the tens of thousands of golden-devouring insects. This would give him an additional powerful asset when facing enemies. Over the past two centuries, Han Li had nearly depleted most of the Yinhe spiritual milk, resulting in subtle, inexplicable transformations within his physical constitution. The most noticeable change was that his ability to convert celestial and terrestrial vital energies during cultivation had increased by at least thirty percent compared to before. Do not underestimate this seemingly modest conversion rate—it at least signifies that he can save nearly one-third of his previous cultivation time. Moreover, Qingyuan Zi had once firmly promised that a body purified with this Minghe Spiritual Milk would be of immense benefit in overcoming the Consolidation stage bottleneck. Otherwise, how could the Four Great Demigods of the Earth's Depths have risked so greatly, venturing deep into the Minghe realm, only to secure even a modest amount of the milk? With this remarkable improvement, combined with the continuous intake of various elixirs that have steadily enhanced his spiritual power over the past period, his spiritual strength has surged at an unprecedented pace. He now stands close to the peak of the mid-to-late Consolidation stage. With another decade or so, he will be able to begin attempting to break through the later-stage bottleneck. As he thought this over, Han Li gently exhaled, a quiet sigh drifting across his face. He placed his hands on his thighs and prepared to close his eyes once again, settling into meditation. But at that moment, a flash of white light suddenly appeared at the entrance of the sealed chamber, followed by a ripple spreading out in a semi-transparent wave. Upon seeing this, Han Li was momentarily stunned. After a few thoughts, he suddenly swept his sleeve across the entrance. "Pffft!" The light on the door instantly split in two, and the door opened. A ball of fire flashed in and surged through the opening, then, in a single flicker, appeared mysteriously in Han Li's hands. As Han Li quickly scanned the fireball, his spiritual awareness instantly penetrated it. Moments later, his face suddenly turned pale. "Crack!" With a sudden snap of his fingers, he firmly crushed the fireball between his palms. Under the red glow, Han Li's expression grew increasingly grave. "The magical spots have already manifested so early! It seems I must venture out now—otherwise, I cannot proceed." He murmured these words softly, barely audible, as his body's luminous aura suddenly brightened. Additionally, the other two "Han Li" figures remained expressionless, and with a mere movement of their forms, they materialized as ethereal shadows upon the bodies of the original. A resounding double impact, and the three merged into one! Han Li's aura surged powerfully, then abruptly contracted, and he straightened up, his robe trembling slightly. With a single hand gesture, the large, jade-green cauldron before him spun smoothly and shrunk down to the size of a fist, then, with a flash of emerald light, was neatly folded into the length of his robe. Then, Han Li lifted his leg, and suddenly, as if defying gravity, crossed a distance of over fifteen zhang, appearing at the entrance of the great gate. With a simple shoulder motion, he vanished completely into the gate, leaving no trace behind. The other two ancient beasts were one large and one small, both massive crimson pythons. The larger one measured over three hundred paces in length, while the smaller one was still around seventy to eighty paces, both exhaling thick plumes of red mist that carried an astonishingly potent toxicity. All three ancient beasts were fixed intently upon the young figure across from them, who appeared remarkably insignificant, clearly displaying deep apprehension. The ancient three-headed beast also seemed to possess a certain degree of intelligence. Upon hearing this, the two-headed giant clenched his teeth and, with a massive fist, suddenly slammed it against his chest, then lifted his head to emit a deep, angry roar. The other two crimson pythons flashed cold glimmers in their eyes, quickened the rapid expulsion of their deep purple serpentine cores, and emitted a series of sharp hissing sounds. Observing this, the young man in white robes smiled faintly, raised one hand, and performed a series of gestures. His body then rolled swiftly across the ground, making a solid "thud," and a strange, cold, white vapor immediately spread out, expanding within moments to cover several mu of land. At the same time, delicate, translucent snowflakes suddenly appeared in the surrounding space—each as large as a boiled egg—shimmering brilliantly under the sunlight. Suddenly, a sharp, eerie cry burst forth within the vapor, and the cold air surged violently, followed by a white, ice-like centipede, its body as pure and clear as carved ice, bursting forth. This centipede bore six wings on its back, with bright, glistening red eyes. When it first burst forth, it was no more than seven or eight zhang long, but in a single flash, it expanded into a colossal form of over a hundred zhang, its mighty roar echoing through the air. Without hesitation, it opened its vast maw and unleashed a surge of pale, misty cold flame, which immediately surged out like a sea of white frost, sweeping toward the three great beasts. The three beasts were startled—clearly aware of the terrifying power of this cold—each instantly deploying their own defenses. The two-headed giant grasped his black staff and swiftly swung it several times before him, creating a powerful gale that erupted in sharp bursts, directly confronting the advancing cold. Meanwhile, the two-headed red serpent opened its mouth wide, spewing out thick plumes of crimson mist that instantly transformed into roaring flames, shielding itself completely. Yet, upon the wave of pale, misty frost sweeping over them, both the gale and the flames were utterly unexpected—vanishing instantly upon contact. The three great beasts had no time to react even once, and were instantly frozen into towering ice sculptures. The colossal centipede, with its vast body merely swirling above the three great beasts, immediately shook its six wings, sending six beams of white light shooting out. The beams, pairing off, circled the three ice statues like lightning, weaving several swift loops before a thunderous roar erupted. The three ice statues collapsed instantly, crumbling into heaps of ice fragments. A flash of light revealed the spirits of the three great beasts momentarily emerging, only to panic and rush desperately to flee. Yet, the centipede opened its mouth again, shook its head and tail, and deeply inhaled, instantly enveloping the space beneath with an invisible force. The ice fragments encasing the remains of the beasts and the three spectral forms were all drawn upward, swallowed whole by the massive centipede. A brief flash of white light, and the six-winged centipede vanished—reappearing in its place was the young man in the white robe. He coldly glanced downward, ensuring there was nothing missed, then shifted his gaze to the towering mountain beside him, his face suddenly glowing with warmth. With a sudden movement, the young man surged forward like a streak of white light, darting through several swift strides before vanishing into the midsection of the massive peak. A short while later, within a natural cavern several dozen feet below the mountain, the young man in white robes stared at a rough, deep-purple stone wall, his face alight with excitement. "Ha ha! I've discovered such a rare mineral vein in the Purple Yin ore system—clearly, my true spiritual body is maturing earlier than I anticipated!" As soon as he finished speaking, he rolled onto the ground without hesitation, once again revealing his original form—a centipede. Though this time only a few dozen feet in size, a burst of radiant light from his mouth instantly enveloped the entire stone wall. Then, as a shimmer of light flashed, the deep purple stone walls gradually weathered and vanished, revealing a vast, dark opening. As the six-winged centipede moved, it instantly transformed into a beam of white light and disappeared into the opening. Once again, resonant thunderous sounds echoed from within the cave... This young man had the complexion of white jade, with an exceptionally handsome face. Golden lotus patterns were inscribed on both his front and back, each vivid and detailed. The lotuses were several feet in size, nearly covering his entire body, yet upon first glance, they created a striking sense of dizziness—most peculiar! The young man's eyes were closed, his face calm, and he remained suspended motionless in the air. After a full meal's worth of time, a gentle shimmer of golden light rippled across his body, causing the inscribed lotuses to come alive—twisting and pulsing with vibrant motion. Gradually, he opened his eyes. His eyes were clear and distinct, with an unusually luminous clarity in their pupils, as though harboring a mysterious power. With a soft "puff," "puff," two flames burst forth within his gaze—one golden, one silvery—and swayed in size and intensity, fluctuating as his head turned. Suddenly, the young man's gaze settled on a particular object in the corner of the room, and his expression became strangely peculiar. It was a crystal sphere resting on a low jade table. About the size of a clenched fist, its surface shimmered with a gentle luminous glow, casting a clear image. In the image, a silver lotus pod floated vividly, as if it were a real one. (I've been writing at the hotel all morning, hiding away while others went out to enjoy themselves—what a lovely sight!)