A tremendous roar echoed, and flashes of black light surged. Initially no more than dozens of zhang in size, the warship swiftly expanded into a mountain-sized form. Three black masts rose like towering pillars, each reaching a height of ten thousand zhang, adorned with dark sails that shimmered with faint, lifelike inscriptions of fierce, clawed, monstrous creatures—radiating an astonishing aura of power. Even more striking, as the vessel swelled to such immense proportions, at the centers of its various magical arrays, points of luminous energy pulsed, causing a number of distinct objects to rise to the surface. These ranged from spherical to cylindrical forms, each etched with intricate, complex runes. Clearly, they were simple-to-activate artifacts designed primarily for sheer power. Yet, with so many such items, it would likely require hundreds of cultivators working in unison to fully energize and unleash their combined might. However, the most striking features of these objects are the three translucent, multicolored crystal pillars standing upright at the top of the ship's hull. These pillars are not only as thick as large water cisterns but also reach a height of hundreds of zhang—far surpassing all other items in scale and grandeur. While Han Li was intently observing and studying the massive war vessel, the elder of the Long family had already inspected and stored his precious elixir and storage bracelets, then glanced steadily at the great vessel and said with quiet composure: "The raw materials alone required to construct such a celestial vessel are worth over ten million灵stones. Not to mention the labor, time, and dedication invested in its creation. If this vessel were truly sold externally, its price would have to at least double—otherwise, I would not even consider it. As for Han, I fully understand that this transaction has slightly favored you. Yet the elixir and materials you have received are now highly sought-after and cannot be purchased for mere灵stones outside this realm." Well, regardless of everything, this transaction has finally been completed. Thus, Han will not linger any longer in this place. Should your friend decide to enter the magical realm later, all that is needed is to send a message in advance to Tianyuan City—myself will certainly make sure to attend promptly!" Han Li smiled lightly, then with a single hand gesture, swiftly reduced the massive object floating in the air to a mere few inches, and neatly stored it back into his sleeve. "As long as the human race can withstand the first few assaults from the magical beings and keep the magical calamity under control, the journey to the magical realm will certainly not be abandoned. I will certainly notify Master Han in advance. After all, with your current cultivation level, you are undoubtedly a significant asset for this expedition." The elderly patriarch of Long family, whose expression had been previously stoic, now revealed a gentle smile. Han Li nodded in agreement, but then his gaze flickered momentarily, as if he saw something unusual in the otherwise empty space nearby. With a slight bow, a surge of emerald light erupted, and he swiftly vanished into the sky as a streak of emerald light. The elder of the Long family saw this development and his face slightly changed, yet he remained in place until the green rainbow completely vanished at the far horizon, then sighed gently. At that very moment, however, a sudden ripple of spatial disturbance erupted where the space had just been scanned by Han Li before he departed—out of the distortion, a figure materialized, a man dressed in black robes. It was another Supreme Elder of the Long family. Now, with a gloomy expression, he gazed toward the horizon where Han Li had disappeared, and spoke in a low tone: "Brother Long, it seems he has already sensed my presence. My newly cultivated technique of concealment—something even you have found difficult to detect—has clearly gone unnoticed by him. This person must either have mastered a special great power or possess a unique artifact specifically designed to penetrate concealment." "Indeed, it's also possible that his awareness surpasses mine. Given his astonishing pace of cultivation and the presence of a few innate talents that defy the natural order, this is quite plausible." But no matter what, with this person joining us, the human strength entering the realm of demons will be further strengthened, and will no longer fall far behind the saint-tier beings of the spiritual lineage." Long family elder nodded, responding calmly. "Yet, Brother Long, we know very little about this young Han—perhaps he will prove to be an unstable factor in our journey to the demon realm." The black-robed man frowned slightly. "Hmph. Knowing little is not a problem. What about the others we've invited? How much do they truly know? As long as they can help us achieve our goal, that will suffice. Though this magical calamity may be a great trial for our clan, it is surely a golden opportunity for us, the combined beings. This journey must succeed—no room for failure. Otherwise, we shall remain forever stuck at the combined stage, unable to advance another inch." Long family elder clenched his hands in his sleeve, his expression flashing with determination. "Indeed, what Lord Long has said holds some merit. Still, before we can be certain, we must first prove our ability to withstand the Magi族's assaults." The black-robed man nodded in agreement and turned his gaze toward the great city, saying, "I have gathered the power of thirteen noble families to establish this stronghold. They support one another—both defensively and offensively—forming a mutually reinforcing network. In terms of the number of high-level cultivators and defensive capabilities, I am confident that we surpass even the three imperial cities. Even if this current Magi calamity proves more severe than previously reported, we should be able to endure it unscathed." Lord Long of the Long family spoke with unwavering confidence. "I fully believe this as well. That is precisely why I have chosen to collaborate with you. With this young man now departed, let us return to attend to our affairs. The Magi spots are growing larger every day. By the time three or four months have passed, the true Magi race will surely breach the boundary. We must remain vigilant and prepared." The black-robed man said, his expression solemn. "Hmm, then let us go. Indeed, I have a crucial elixir currently in the process of refining." The elder of the Long family nodded, then with a sweeping motion of his robe, a surge of golden light erupted, enveloping his form and transforming him into a radiant golden beam that shot swiftly toward the great city. Instead, he directly returned to the high tower where the sea prince and his disciples resided, and handed over the Heaven-Supporting Great Vessel to several disciples, instructing them to take hundreds of followers and quickly become familiar with this precious artifact. After all, the Heaven-Supporting Great Vessel required a certain number of people to fully unleash its true power. This was also, quite simply, a last-resort measure that Han Li had prepared for his disciples to ensure their survival. Otherwise, with their Yuan-Infusion stage attainments, it was far from certain whether they could survive the magical calamity unscathed. Once the vessel was entrusted to the disciples, Han Li immediately returned to the top floor of the high tower and resumed his meditation and cultivation. However, this time, he asked his disciples to closely monitor the condition of the magical spots and to report their status on a daily basis. Day by day, the atmosphere in Tianyuan City grew steadily more tense. At several magic spots near the city of Tianyuan, the current expanses now stretch for tens of thousands of li, and have grown dark and luminous—so dark, in fact, that even nearby areas reveal swirling currents of black magical energy. However, compared to other regions inhabited by humans, the magic spots near Tianyuan are not particularly vast. It is said that the largest one lies near the newly appointed Spirit Emperor, extending for over a hundred thousand li, an area more than ten times greater than any of the Tianyuan magic spots. Upon hearing this news, Han Li could only sigh softly and then set the matter aside. That day, at a vast, dark magic spot located countless li away from Tianyuan, two golden vessels, each several tens of zhang long and glowing brilliantly, were skillfully concealed within a dense forest some dozen li away. On each of these war vessels, there were two Golden-armor Heavenly Guards and several Black-armor soldiers. These individuals had been stationed at this location for an indeterminate length of time, their expressions serious as they quietly discussed matters among themselves. "Chen brother, I've been restless these past few days, with my eyelids twitching constantly—could the magical calamity be breaking out just now?" A tall, golden-armored man with powerful, sinewy arms asked, his voice somewhat uncertain. "Jin friend, it's not just you. Since I've been stationed here to monitor the magic spot's movements, I've been on edge the entire time. Fortunately, our role is merely observational—we only need to activate the transmission array as soon as the magic spot breaks, and then we can instantly return to the city. So, while it's a bit tense, we won't face any real danger." A shorter, elderly man smiled faintly and replied with a sigh. "Yes, I know we won't face any life-threatening risks, but still, I feel this unease. It seems my inner composure isn't quite up to par. Still, being drawn to this very location by chance—what a stroke of bad luck for us both!" The tall man opened his mouth, a touch of resignation in his tone. "Heh, life in the city is certainly peaceful and secure. But as long as we complete our mission, the rewards for this journey are quite substantial. The elder shook his head. "Indeed. The medicines the Council has brought out this time are truly rare and of immense benefit to us... Wait, what is that?" Upon hearing this, the large man could not help but chuckle, but at the very next moment, his eyes swept toward the distant sky, and he suddenly leapt to his feet from the golden boat, his face instantly pale with alarm. "What? Has the magical spot changed?! "The elder, now alarmed, quickly turned around and followed the same direction. The other several black-armored guards glanced toward the sky as well, their faces instantly turning pale. They saw that beneath the magical spot, a vast expanse of empty space suddenly underwent intense twisting and trembling, as if the entire sky were about to flip over. Yet at that very moment, a thunderous roar erupted, and within the swirling magical energy of the spot, countless giant magpie bats—each exceeding a zhang in length—emerged suddenly. One by one, their fur gleamed bright red as blood, each bearing a black, single horn on its head; when they opened their mouths and exhaled, waves of sonic energy surged downward, twisting and rushing through the void below.