The Douyuan Pavilion is a dedicated gathering place where senior cultivators meet and discuss matters. Its host is a senior cultivator at the Consolidated Stage, and no one dares to cause a fuss or engage in a major dispute there—everyone naturally gives the pavilion due respect. Thus, the pavilion enjoys a solid reputation among the cultivators of Tianyuan City. When ordinary cultivators host small trade fairs or discuss more confidential matters, they typically rent a floor or two of the pavilion temporarily, so that all participants can feel at ease. After flying for some time, the landscape suddenly changed ahead—dense woods spread out, covering over a hundred mu. At the heart of the forest stood four pavilions: one large and three smaller ones. The largest pavilion soared to a height of one thousand zhang, standing no less than any of the stone towers in Tianyuan City. The three smaller pavilions each reached three to four hundred zhang in height, appearing remarkably imposing from a distance. Upon seeing these structures, Han Li's expression remained unchanged, yet his speed of flight instantly increased significantly. At that moment, several Yuan-Stage cultivators dressed in yellow robes were chatting idly at the entrance of the first floor of the highest pavilion. However, suddenly they all felt a flash before their eyes, as though something had darted swiftly between them and entered the pavilion. To their astonishment, not a single one of them managed to catch a clear glimpse of what had passed. This sudden occurrence left the guards utterly startled! Some quickly raised their hands to steady their cultivation techniques and turned to gaze toward the pavilion. Others lifted their arms, and with a shimmer of spiritual light, symbols for alerting appeared between their fingers. At that very instant, a cold exhalation came from within the pavilion, followed by a surge of powerful spiritual pressure radiating outward. The guards felt the air around them grow dense and immediately found themselves pressed with the weight of ten thousand catties, completely immobile. A collective gasp escaped them. It was only then that they clearly saw a figure in a green robe standing in the center of the main hall on the first floor of the pavilion. Although facing away from them, the strength of the spiritual pressure radiating from the figure was so overwhelming that it seemed almost divine and utterly unyielding to them, making several guards sweat profusely. "I'm looking for a friend. You just stay put here, do nothing. Once I find him, I'll be off," the figure said calmly, without turning around, his tone carrying an unmistakable sense of command. "Hmph! You'd better keep quiet—otherwise you'll invite a fatal consequence!" A senior elder with a head of blue hair, after a moment of fluctuating expressions, suddenly interrupted the young companion's words in a low tone. "Friend, what do you mean by that? Do you recognize this person?" The young guard stood momentarily stunned, but a more composed middle-aged man standing beside him stepped forward with a serious expression. "Indeed, you all have only recently joined our hall—so it's no surprise that you don't recognize this senior. However, I once saw this senior from a distance during my earlier days. This senior is a cultivator at the Mid-Stage of Consolidation, even surpassing the Hall Master in rank. If we offend him now, aren't we setting ourselves up for certain doom?" After taking a deep breath, the elder spoke with steady conviction. "Wait—someone at the Mid-Stage of Consolidation?" The other guards exchanged startled glances, while the young guard who had spoken earlier turned pale, his face now ashen. If the combined-stage cultivators were to take action against them, it would surely not be much more difficult than crushing an ant with a pinch. Should the other party hold a grudge... the young guard couldn't help but grow increasingly uneasy! "Mr. Han, a mid-stage elder! Could this elder be...?" After a moment of astonishment, the seasoned man suddenly gasped, as though remembering something. "Heh, you've recalled it now. Indeed, it's the same elder who, in recent years, has been rumored to have perished. With this elder now safely present here, all the earlier reports must simply be mere rumors," the elder said, stroking his beard and nodding. "Yet this elder seems to radiate such intense hostility—clearly, it's not merely a matter of seeking someone. Should anything unfortunate happen, wouldn't our hall's protocols be compromised?" the young guard murmured, hesitating. Upon hearing this, everyone else's expressions shifted again, and a sense of apprehension flickered in their eyes. "What Senior Han is doing here is beyond our control. Even if we were to dismantle the Dōyuán Pavilion entirely, the Master would never blame us for it. Our pavilion's rules apply only to ordinary cultivators; they certainly don't extend to someone of Senior Han's stature." The blue-haired elder smiled lightly, then returned to his original position, remaining silent thereafter. As soon as she arrived, she found no exchange meeting underway, and the attendees seemed somewhat off-putting—prompting her to immediately become alert and ready to leave. Yet, to her surprise, she was instead sealed in place by a series of restrictions cast by the others, effectively blocking the entire floor. The attendees then began taking turns urging her, as though they had all been successfully won over by the Azure Dragon. This female had been ordered by the Black Phoenix Immortal King to retreat and meditate for a while some years ago. Now she has unexpectedly appeared in Tianyuan City, looking as though her cultivation has significantly improved. The others present are also members of both human and immortal races, each having some acquaintance with the Ice Phoenix. They are all patiently urging and advising her. The presence of immortal beings here naturally stems from the fact that, since the demonic forces began launching attacks on the city, the boundaries between the two races have been dissolved, allowing free movement between their respective domains. Even so, ordinary members of either race rarely make spontaneous visits to the other's territory—only high-level beings routinely cross over. Among these immortal guests, most are Liangxu cultivators, fully qualified to appear in such a setting. Yet the arguments they present are remarkably unoriginal, repeatedly emphasizing that the Qinglong, in human form, is a fully integrated cultivator, and that a dual cultivation partnership with him would naturally benefit both parties—a situation that many female cultivators in the city would surely welcome. Yet no matter how Xiuhong moved with heartfelt appeals, or how the others reasoned with pragmatic arguments, Bingfeng remained seated in silence, as though she had not heard a word, her face radiating such coldness that it seemed only a matter of time before frost would form and settle upon it. "Bingfeng sister, we've all spoken to you clearly about the matter. Now, please give us a firm answer—will you agree to the mutual cultivation arrangement proposed by Qinglong Senior?" Seeing this, Xiuhong naturally furrowed her brows, then, after a brief pause, gestured for the others to hold their words, her voice suddenly growing more somber. Among the group, it was clearly he who held the dominant position. "No matter how eloquent you may be, I shall not agree. In fact, I find it rather strange. As a member of the feline clan, doesn't Xiuhong understand that the fundamental distinction between humans and immortals—human and spirit—is precisely one of our clan's core traditions? If you, under the pretense of aiding Qinglong Senior, are now pressuring me in this manner, won't you face disciplinary action from the Black Feng Immortal King upon your return "Finally, Ice Phoenix spoke, her tone shifting, yet her words sharp and piercing, like blades aimed directly at Xiao Hong, the immortal maiden. Upon hearing this, Xiao Hong's face slightly tightened, but quickly smoothed out into a composed, gentle smile. "Didn't Ice Phoenix sister know? Our clan's ancestral spirit blood has always flowed through Qinglong's body—he was born half-immortal, originally. Yet, Elder Qinglong chose to remain among the human realm, which is why he now holds the position of Grand Elder at the Nine-Star Sect. So, I have no concern at all about this matter. Even if Qinglong weren't half-immortal, given the current necessity for both human and immortal clans to unite and face the common threat, the Clan Master and the other Fully-Integrated Elders would surely pretend to be unaware. Still, I must admit, your response has deeply disappointed me. This matter will now have to be set aside." With a gentle touch of her hair, Xiao Hong spoke with a now distinctly cold and detached tone. "It's beyond my reach. Hand it over to someone else!" Upon hearing these words, the Ice Phoenix grew pale, as though she had already grasped the meaning behind the speaker’s words. Indeed, Xiao Hong immediately turned around and respectfully said to the door on the side of the hall: "Master Qinglong, we have done our best. However, it seems that the Ice Phoenix will still require your personal guidance." "Since this young Ice Phoenix is so resolute in her determination, I have no choice but to step in personally. Yet, this course of action was one I had originally been reluctant to take." A man’s voice drifted gently from the side door, which then opened on its own from within. From inside, a man dressed in a fine silk robe stepped out calmly and steadily.