The Yuan-Infant's face was remarkably similar to Han Li. As soon as it manifested, a thunderclap roared, and a spherical object wrapped in countless golden threads shot out from Han Li's body, spiraling before coming to rest in midair. With a slender, pale finger, the Yuan-Infant gently touched the sphere. Instantly, flashes of electricity surged across its surface, accompanied by sharp crackling sounds, and the golden threads shattered into fragments, revealing a milky-white wooden box sealed within. A gentle smile played at the Yuan-Infant's lips as it murmured softly. A ripple of energy spread around it, and suddenly, several dozen five-colored orb beads appeared silently in the vicinity. In a flash of light, they transformed into strange, eye-like forms, their five-toned light halos brightening dramatically. High in the heavens, a brilliant sun radiated a scorching white light, as if blazing with intense heat. Han Li did not blink once, merely gazing at the sun with an expressionless face, saying nothing. After what seemed like a full meal's worth of time, a sudden, hearty laugh echoed from the sky, coming from a stranger: "Hmph, truly no ordinary person. To detect my presence merely through a divine consciousness form—no wonder Car Old Man has placed all his hopes in you and is willing to collaborate with you." As soon as the words were spoken, a shadow flickered within the sun, and a surge of deep black light shot forth. In a single flash, it materialized ten or twenty paces away from Han Li. A tall man clad in black armor, with a full beard, stood there, smiling warmly. As soon as he appeared, he began to scrutinize Han Li from head to toe, clearly showing great interest. "May I ask your name? Where is Car Elder?" Han Li witnessed the scene and was momentarily struck, yet remained composed, asking, "Master Car, currently has urgent matters to attend to. If he comes from below, it may take him some additional time. Why don't Master Han and I speak first?" The Han man blinked, stroked his beard, and said. "Speak with you? I don't recall having met you before, nor has Master Car ever mentioned that there are others within the镇魔锁." After gazing at the Han man for a while, Han Li slowly replied. "Master Car naturally wouldn't mention my presence. However, I can assure you that whatever he can offer you, I can also provide—on more favorable terms." The Han man spoke with great confidence. "Ah, then, by all means, please share with me what you have in mind." Han Li's expression shifted slightly, remaining neutral. "Simple—he has negotiated with you using the method of extracting and refining the Chaotic Qi, hasn't he?" The Lord happens to be familiar with this technique as well. I don't require my friend to provide more than half of the primordial qi extracted; merely one-third will suffice, and then we can proceed with this arrangement," the Han said without hesitation. "It sounds promising, but Master Han has already cast a heart-magic incantation upon the elder from the carriage, and thus, I fear I cannot easily break my vow," Han Li's expression shifted several times, yet he ultimately shook his head. "Hehe, haven't you yet received from the elder the method of utilizing the primordial qi? Then how could you be said to have broken your promise?" The Han seemed to have anticipated this, nodded slightly, and then yawned. "That may be true, but I have never personally interacted with the elder before. To simply rely on a few words and expect me to break my pledge seems rather childish," Han Li thought deeply, yet spoke calmly. "Since I have come here, I will certainly earn your trust. Besides, merely the method of extracting primordial qi from the镇魔lock—this I shall immediately reveal to you." "And after this, I can surely offer you even greater benefits!" The large man's eyes twinkled with cunning as he spoke. "Greater benefits?" Han Li's mind stirred, and a hint of hesitation appeared on his face. Yet at that very moment, resonant thunder rolled through the surrounding space, and suddenly, the lush green grassland beneath them blurred and transformed into a vast desert swirling with golden phoenixes. Above, dark clouds gathered, and countless silver serpents surged and danced into view. "This is impossible! How could that old man have escaped so swiftly?" The large man's expression changed, and he gasped in surprise. Han Li, too, was momentarily stunned. But instantly, a voice filled with fury erupted from the clouds. "Wind Demon, dare you secretly attack me? Do you truly think I will let this pass?" It was the voice of Xiqi Gong, whose words reverberated through the sky, causing it to tremble with power. And suddenly, the sky clouds roiled wildly, coalescing into a massive black hand stretching a hundred zhang in length, pressing down with great force upon the Han warrior. Before it could fully grasp him, a tremendous pressure surged from above, enveloping the area. Han Li felt the air around him tighten instantly, his spirit awareness momentarily paralyzed. In the midst of this power, the sandy ground over a square mile crumpled and sank several zhang deep, leaving behind a terrifying crater. Though positioned at the center of the depression, the Han warrior's face slightly paled as his shoulders trembled, and a sudden surge of dark light burst forth from his armor. At the moment of contact, this mysterious energy redirected the immense force, dispersing much of its power, and only causing the warrior to sway slightly before he resumed his composure unharmed. "A marvel of the 'Tianji' art! You've truly mastered it! That explains your boldness in performing such feats. Very well. Then let me put this power to the test and see just how deep it runs." "Chu Qi Gong seemed momentarily stunned, but then roared even more fiercely. As soon as he finished speaking, the black clouds in the sky rolled once again, gradually coalescing into a massive magical form with three heads and six arms, charging down from above with great momentum. "Stop! Do you not wish to possess the Chaotic Qi any longer?" The large man frowned, raised his hand, and shouted sharply toward the heavens. "Once I've dealt with you, the Chaotic Qi will naturally be mine." The celestial magical figure with three heads and six arms flashed a fierce gaze, and as its six arms moved, swirling masses of black energy emerged, spinning rapidly before instantly solidifying into six massive, darkly luminous orbs, poised to be launched at any moment. "Hmph. Do you truly believe that, with your current method, you can so easily extract the Chaotic Qi from the Sealing Lock?" The large man expressed a faint sense of surprise, speaking calmly. "What do you mean by that?" How could it be that the method of extracting the Chaotic Qi from the True Magic Lock had already been jointly developed by us several years ago? Are you merely exaggerating, deliberately using this to delay time! The air-mage paused mid-motion, yet continued speaking with a voice nearly roaring. "What need have I for delay? Do you truly believe that I, who have mastered the art of the Sudden Pivot, would still fear you? I only wish to avoid a mutual destruction here. As for whether what I just said is true—wouldn't you have stopped if you weren't at least a little concerned?" The large man chuckled heartily, speaking with complete indifference. Upon hearing this, the massive magical form remained suspended motionless in place. Yet only moments later, a soft 'pffft' sound echoed, and the form suddenly shattered and dispersed, countless swirling masses of black energy cascading down as an elderly man with a stern expression drifted gracefully to the ground. It was the old mage, Che Qi Gong! Han Li observed all this calmly, standing beside him with arms folded, his mind swiftly turning over the situation. "Hmph. You've hidden your accomplishments quite well—only now do they begin to reveal themselves. I won't question whether this divine ability is as extraordinary as the tales claim, but from the tone just now, it seems you've independently developed a method for extracting the chaotic qi. How can I know whether this is genuine? Back then, our group of several of us had to collaborate to finally figure out the original method. Now, you expect me to believe that a single person like you has achieved this on his own? Surely, I won't find it easy to accept that so readily!" Chai Qi Gong's face remained as still and solemn as water, devoid of any emotion. "I myself only managed to identify the critical flaws in the original method through sheer coincidence. As for whether it's true or not, let me point out a few key points—then you'll clearly see the truth. Should you still doubt what I've said, then by all means, we can settle this right here, with a full display of strength. At worst, the rogue blood-soaked lad will bear the brunt of the outcome." The large man replied with a dry chuckle. "Very well, then. I'll listen to you out loud. If what you've said turns out to be false, hmph..." Upon hearing the words "blood and flame," the elder's facial expression instantly grew fierce, and he promptly issued a cold, decisive huff. "This is indeed the wise course of action. Should Wind Shen truly offer an alternative method for extracting the chaotic qi, I shall claim one-third of the yield for myself. That, I believe, is not an unreasonable request." The large man clapped his hands and stated his condition with unwavering confidence. "Until you have personally verified the truth of your claims, however, we shall discuss nothing further." The elder remained unmoved, merely speaking coldly. Wind Shen showed no signs of concern, and with a simple movement of his lips, he directly transmitted his message to the elder. Meanwhile, Han Li slightly raised his brow, yet said nothing. ...One day later, above a misty, gray mountain range, a dark glow was streaking through the sky, moving with a terrifying speed, appearing and disappearing intermittently. Under the black light, an elderly figure with an unattractive appearance was continuously urging his flight spell—none other than Black Rain, the master who had parted ways with Han Li some time ago. Observing his intense focus and urgency, it seemed he truly intended to return swiftly to the Sacred Island. Not far ahead, two towering peaks, each reaching nearly ten thousand feet in height, emerged side by side, blocking the path. Black Rain's eyes flashed briefly, then he gave a sharp command to his flight spell, launching himself with great force through the gap between the two mountains, aiming to pass straight through. After several swift movements, the black light plunged into the space between the two peaks and, after a single flicker, pierced straight through. At that very moment, an unexpected upheaval occurred! The two mountains suddenly erupted with thunderous roars, without any prior warning. After a vigorous shaking, they both collapsed and pressed down heavily upon Black Rain's position. Before the mountain bodies actually struck the black flight spell, a downpour of stones and debris began to cascade down from the sky.