In the thousands of li behind the warfront, there were several evolved yao clans and some high-tier magi clans, who remained passive, observing the great battle below with detached calm, merely restraining one another. A thunderous roar echoed, causing the entire sea surface to tremble. A bluish glow surged violently from the creature's maw, then shimmered and transformed into a powerful blue gale that raced across the sea, sweeping the black mist that had spread everywhere. Though countless monsters were embedded within the black mist, they offered no resistance at all—helpless, they were swiftly drawn along by the gale's sweeping force. Even as vast amounts of seawater were sucked into the creature's mouth, the nearby sea level dropped noticeably. After swallowing so many beasts, the massive head closed its eyes and slowly sank back into the ocean. In an instant, the sea surface returned to calm, as if the grand surge of magical energy had never occurred. From a towering spire on a distant island, a tall figure watched all this with a cold, steady gaze! ……Tianyuan City! Han Li sat cross-legged on the highest level of the tower, hands forming seals. Before him floated a golden gourd and a resplendent, golden map of ten thousand swords. His eyes were slightly closed, as if his entire being had settled into a deep meditative state. Suddenly, he opened his eyes and changed his hand seal, pointing a finger at the golden gourd. The gourd trembled, and a flash of luminous light rippled across its surface, revealing vibrant, five-colored runes. Then, a resonant hum echoed through the air. The gourd's mouth opened, and a cascade of霞 light surged forth, spilling out five flying swords of different hues—golden, yellow, cyan, crimson, and blue—each only an inch in length. Though small, they were translucent and shimmering, radiating a dreamlike glow, exuding an air of mystery. Han Li then formed a sword seal, and the five swords emitted a clear chime, launching upward and each manifesting their own unique powers. A deep "puff" sound followed, and the crimson sword burst into flames, transforming into a serpentine form of one zhang in length, swirling and dancing in the air. And as the blue flying sword spiraled and moved, it emitted strands of blue vapor, instantly forming wisps of mist and cloud in the surrounding void—making its physical form nearly indistinct. Yet the most astonishing spectacle was the yellow flying sword, originally the least conspicuous of the five. Upon a subtle tremor, it expanded to over ten zhang in length, and as luminous energy flowed across its surface, layers of solid yellow substance emerged, transforming it into a massive, earth-yellow stone-like sword. When it moved, the surrounding space resonated with a deep hum, revealing an impressively powerful aura. As for the golden and green flying swords, they merely shone brightly, showing little else in terms of transformation. The five swords danced and chased each other in the air, displaying remarkable agility and spirit. Yet Han Li's gaze upon them remained cold, and after gently guiding their movements for a short while, he withdrew his hand from the sword seal he had been holding. The five flying swords instantly resonated, reverting to their original forms and then rushing in with a roar, being sealed once more into the golden gourd. At this moment, Han Li turned his gaze to the scroll of a thousand swords beside him, his expression growing noticeably serious. Yet in the next instant, he suddenly raised his hand, casting a series of spells that swiftly vanished into the scroll. The previously still sword scroll immediately began emitting sharp cries, and its surface glowed with a descending golden light. The countless small swords engraved upon it gradually twisted and trembled—first a few, then several dozen, and finally hundreds, even thousands. Within a single blink, all the small swords on the scroll seemed to come to life. Han Li then issued a low command, exhaled a ball of misty, verdant qi, and with a swift motion, sent it deep into the scroll, where it disappeared entirely. Immediately, a resounding sound of golden swords and martial prowess erupted within the Thousand-Sword Map, with countless golden sword silhouettes surging forth like a tidal wave. In moments, a strange, piercing cold sword aura enveloped the entire hall, pressing deeply upon the breath of every being present. But at that very moment, the Ten-Thousand-Jian Map suddenly trembled and emitted a low hum. As its luminous glow contracted, it instantly dimmed to an almost invisible state. The golden sword shadows that had been swirling throughout the hall, upon a single mournful cry, gradually blurred and eventually vanished in a flash. At the same time, the third black eye that had appeared on Han Li's brow also flickered and disappeared. His face slightly tightened, and he furrowed his brows, gazing intently at the Ten-Thousand-Jian Map. The golden gourd he had obtained from the sacred sanctuary of Guanghan Realm was likely a divine artifact crafted by a celestial being, so he had never dared to overlook it and had carefully studied and pondered it over time. Fortunately, now that he had mastered the Golden Seal Script and the Silver Tadpole Script, although the method of crafting this artifact differed greatly from those of the human and spiritual realms, and the flying swords within the gourd still appeared incomplete, he had managed to grasp several key aspects of its inner workings. Thus, after having fully grasped the essence of the matter and employing several rare materials with the five elements, he finally managed to complete the crafting of this set of treasures. However, the originally simple golden flying sword within the gourd unexpectedly transformed into a complete set of five-element flying swords. While the power of this set, though certainly less than what the original master had envisioned, was now sufficient for practical use and surpassed that of ordinary spiritual treasures. Nevertheless, despite its commendable qualities, this set of gourd swords held little practical value for Han Li's current resources. He intended to bestow it upon one of his disciples once he had confirmed that the treasure was entirely sound and reliable. As for the unusual phenomenon displayed by the Map of Ten Thousand Swords earlier, it was an inspiration drawn from a secret technique of an alien race. By applying a special method to refine and channel the extraordinary sword energy contained within the map, Han Li could now activate and deploy it as effectively as any ordinary divine artifact. The sword qi preserved in this image is truly from the Immortal Realm. Should it be fully activated, its power would be unimaginable. Even if a fully consolidated cultivator stirred the ten thousand sword qi depicted within the image, they would surely be unable to survive the disturbance. Unfortunately, however, this method of cultivation is extremely time-consuming, and he had already spent all his available time enhancing his own spiritual power. As a result, the image has only been partially activated. Moreover, since the sword qi within the image is sourceless, once it is completely consumed, the entire image will be utterly destroyed. He has also not yet fully comprehended the "Mind-Sword Technique" inherent in the image, and thus, even if the image is fully activated, he would never deploy it unless absolutely necessary—otherwise, the loss of the Mind-Sword Technique would be a great setback for Han Li. Now, after Han Li fails once more in his attempt to manipulate the Ten-Thousand-Sword Image, as he considers whether to try again, his expression suddenly changes, and with a sudden movement, he reaches back with one hand. A burst of flame shot forth from the main gate, flashing briefly before settling into the palm of the young man. With a quick clasp of his fingers, the flame exploded, yet at the same time, a hurried voice from within the flames carried the words of Hai Dashi: "Master, the Elder Council sent someone to summon you to the Observation Terrace. It seems the demonic forces have gathered, and several high-ranking demons have appeared." "High-ranking demons... That will be interesting," said Han Li, startled, his expression thoughtful, before quickly drawing a sharp breath and muttering to himself. With a simple flick of his sleeve, he retrieved the Golden Pot and the Ten-Thousand-Sword Map, and as a golden glow emanated from his body, he surged forward in the form of a golden rainbow. The golden rainbow, making no pause, darted swiftly through the sky, flashing several times before reaching the outskirts of Tianyuan City. With Han Li's current speed, he covered a thousand li in an instant—within half an hour, the towering city walls came into view. At this moment, the sky beyond the city walls is thick with magical energy, with not a single ray of sunlight visible—seemingly obscured by an invisible force that has veiled the once-bright sun. From beneath the swirling magic, a steady, heart-stirring rhythm of golden drums and gongs resonates faintly. On the side of Tianyuan City, the calls of horns rise and fall continuously, as waves of strongmen and cultivators in various armor and robes surge forth from the towering spires—some running, others flying. They carry weapons or sacred artifacts, rushing directly to the pre-designated defensive positions, each one bearing an expression of profound seriousness. Along the massive city walls, elevated platforms resembling altars emerge slowly from one series of magical arrays, each platform resonating with thunderous sounds. On these platforms, towering circular discs and massive conical structures stand upright, with seven or eight robes-wearing cultivators gathered around them, hands clasped in quiet vigil. Moreover, the vast luminous screen that has always hovered above Tianyuan City now glows with an array of radiant hues, and suddenly, a small city-like palace of pure white jade appears, floating in the sky. Numerous silver runes shimmered immovably nearby, and as the figures within them shifted, countless armored soldiers appeared standing upon them. At the summit of the tallest tower-like structure of the palace, a circular ancient mirror of ten zhang in diameter was embedded. Now radiating brilliantly, the mirror transformed into a blazing golden sun, casting its light over half of the entire Tianyuan City. Whether mortal strength-wielders or cultivators, at the very moment the golden light touched them, their spirits instantly surged, and an inexplicable courage rose within them, greatly strengthening their confidence in overcoming their adversaries.