"Master Gu, I presume you must have a dedicated arena for sparring, as I'll need to borrow one for a while." Han Li turned around and said to the elderly gray-robed man. "Of course we do. The Douyuan Pavilion has a private space created through a spatial rift. Within it, even duels between Consolidated Stage cultivators won't affect the outside world. With the two of you wishing to spar, there's absolutely no issue at all." Master Gu was momentarily surprised, then quickly replied. Jin Yue Chan Shi quickly grasped the full implications and, after offering a few more encouragements, could only sigh and quietly let it go when he saw no effect. As for Yin Guang Xianzi and the elderly Gu surname elder, one had always been inclined toward Han Li, while the other intended to remain neutral, avoiding offense to either party—thus, no dissent emerged. So the group followed the Gu surname elder toward the outer gate. However, as they reached the outer gate, Han Li suddenly turned and glanced at Xiao Hong and the others, saying calmly, "If I don't see any of you at my residence at this time tomorrow, heh—he'll have to figure out the consequences for yourselves!" After saying this, he turned and walked straight out without looking back. Xiao Hong and the others felt a jolt of anxiety, yet none dared to speak. As for Jin Yue Chan Shi and the others, they seemed completely unaware, paying no attention to the group's departure. Although Master Qinglong merely glanced at them with a composed expression without uttering a word, he ultimately walked out of the hall silently. "Miss Xiao, what should we do now? Master Qinglong seems to have no intention of stepping forward on our behalf. How can we possibly proceed?" Immediately after seeing the figures of Han Li and the others disappear from the entrance, a mysterious immortal from an unknown feline race, covered in thick black hair, burst into tears and asked anxiously. "Indeed, this differs from what the friend had previously promised. At that time, when Miss Xiao personally intervened on Master Qinglong's behalf and urged us, she assured us that Master Han had already perished and would be completely unharmed upon returning to the city, with all matters fully under Master Qinglong's authority and no involvement of ours. Now, we must receive a clear explanation from him." Another human immortal expressed his urgency. Though the others remained silent, they all turned their gaze toward Miss Xiao, as though she had naturally been the leader among them from the beginning. "Hmph! Do you think I can remain untouched? When the Senior Dragon first made these very promises to me, I merely rephrased them. How could I have known that, as a fellow Fully-Integrated cultivator, he harbored such deep apprehension for this person—so much so that he lacked even the courage to protect us all? Fortunately, among us, several of us carry notable status and lineage; though this person may be exceptionally skilled, he surely won't be able to wipe us out with a single palm strike. Still, we'll undoubtedly face our share of hardships tomorrow." Xiao Hong's expression slightly improved as she listened to the others' questions, her demeanor growing stern and dismissive. "Then, I believe we shall indeed have to visit the Senior Han's abode tomorrow!" one person replied, his face shifting between concern and hesitation. "Hmph! I urge you all not to entertain the idea of fleeing. Should you do so, that person will surely have ample grounds to deal with us severely. At that point, even our senior elders may no longer be able to protect us." After a brief huff, Xiao Hong added, gently but firmly reminding them. "Master Xiao is absolutely right. Since he has entrusted us so completely to leave, I suspect that we must have already been subtly marked with divine consciousness seals—any attempt to escape would surely lead to our downfall. Moreover, the Tianyuan City has long been completely encircled by the demonic army. Even if we wished to leave, where could we possibly go? We should simply go and humbly offer our apologies tomorrow. I need to inform an elder about this matter, so I shall now step aside." A more seasoned cultivator sighed deeply, bowed respectfully, and then left with growing anxiety. The others, after exchanging glances of mutual concern, soon realized there was no alternative but to follow suit, each departing with a similar sense of worry. In a short while, the hall was left with only Xiao Hong standing alone. After standing motionless for a long time, her expression shifted from clenched determination to growing fear, before finally, with a decisive跺 of her foot, she too resignedly departed. As for whether they would return with generous gifts or send someone else to plead their case—well, each person would have their own plans. …… At that moment, under the guidance of the gray-robed elder, Han Li and his companions had already arrived at a larger hall on the highest floor of the pavilion. Gazing at the small magical array arranged at the center of the hall, Han Li's eyes briefly flashed. Without hesitation, the elder with the surname Gu stepped forward to the array, pressed his palms together, and sequentially cast several intricate and extraordinary spell gestures. The glowing light formed by these gestures swiftly vanished, merging into the array. Instantly, a resonant hum filled the air, and the entire array came to life. Only then did the elder turn to smile warmly at the group. "With this transmission array, we can directly reach the arena where the competition takes place. All of you go ahead—this array is capable of transporting us all into the inner space at once." "Then, I shall not hesitate," Han Li replied with a gentle smile, and in a sudden, almost mysterious movement, he materialized at the very center of the array. With his current abilities, even small spatial rifts could never hold him—thus, he felt no hesitation at all. Master Qinglong, unwilling to appear weak, though his face remained gloomy and he said nothing, raised his great sleeve and, as a shimmering aura rolled over his body, transformed into a streak of jade light and vanished into the sealing array. Seeing Han Li and the other two act thus, Master Jin Yue nodded and followed suit, while the Ice Phoenix, her brow slightly furrowed, also stepped forward. The gray-robed elder and the silver-clad immortal were the last to enter the array. As soon as the elder stepped inside, he immediately activated his spell. The array instantly emitted a radiant hue of five colors and swiftly spun, rapidly enclosing all the figures within. Han Li felt the scenery around him blur, and then found himself suddenly transported to a completely unfamiliar place. With a quick glance around, he took in every detail of the surroundings. The space before them is not small—stretching over several thousand mu in size. The surroundings are much like those of ordinary spaces, with a hazy, gray barrier similar to typical spatial rifts. Yet at the center stands a towering platform, over a hundred zhang in diameter. The platform's surface glows with a soft, shimmering light, clearly enhanced by a special sealing spell. Standing around it are several stone pillars, each reaching heights of ten to several zhang. These pillars are engraved with exquisitely detailed patterns and embedded with precious spiritual stones, making them exceptionally refined. Although the gray-robed elder spoke with humility, a touch of pride could not be concealed in his eyes. The array of seals and restrictions here indeed required considerable effort. After gazing at him intently, Han Li, without further words, raised one hand to chant a spell, and as a shimmer of light emanated from his body, he transformed into a brilliant azure streak and soared directly to the dais. Upon settling in midair, the light gently faded, revealing Han Li once more, who calmly and coldly addressed the Qinglong Master: "Master Qinglong, having arrived here, why do you hesitate to ascend the platform and await your turn?" The Qinglong Master's expression darkened, and he emitted a cold exhalation through his nose. With a sudden forward step of his single foot, a surge of green qi instantly lifted and supported his form, carrying him gently to the platform, where he halted in midair, facing Han Li directly. Were it not for his icy demeanor, he would have exuded a most serene and ethereal aura befitting a celestial immortal. At the same time, the elderly man with a Gu surname, seeing the scene, could not afford to be slow. With a single hand motion, a silver jade plate materialized and was then thrown upward toward the high platform. Instantly, the plate swayed and transformed into a floating sphere of silver light, hovering above the central control area. Only then did the elder gently point with his finger, reciting a series of incantations. A thunderous roar erupted, and the luminous stones embedded in the surrounding stone pillars suddenly flashed with brilliant light. At the same time, a flash of light appeared at the top of each pillar, and a beam of light surged forth, converging precisely onto the silver light sphere. In the next instant, the silver sphere violently expanded, and as points of silver light danced and shimmered, it solidified into a thick, protective layer of radiant light, completely enveloping the entire stone platform. The luminous surface not only shone with a brilliant silver glow but also surged with countless white glyphs, radiating outwards and casting the entire platform in a soft, ethereal white haze, exuding an air of profound mystery. "The seal is complete." "Even if the two Daoist friends create a great commotion inside, it will have little impact on us," the gray-robed elder exhaled, then folded his hand seal and smiled warmly at Jin Yue the Zen Master. "Thank you, Master Gu. I hope the two Daoist friends will only engage in a brief sparring session and then immediately cease—otherwise, the harmony might be truly compromised." Jin Yue bowed gratefully, yet expressed some concern. "Master, please rest assured. Should the match involve just three strikes, Qinglong Daoist friend will certainly be able to withstand it. However, this time, both friends will surely draw upon their full strength. To witness this firsthand will be truly enlightening—especially for Han Daoist friend, whose reputation is already so impressive. I've heard that several Magistrate Sovereigns of the demonic realm have fallen at his hands. I've long been eager to see his divine prowess in person." Master Gu spoke with a cheerful tone. "I hope so," replied Jin Yue, murmuring a Buddhist chant and sighing. As for Ice Phoenix, she found herself growing a little concerned upon gazing at Han from the display screen. "May I have your attention, friend? I shall have to intervene!" Han Li gazed at the Qinglong Immortal across from him, a flicker of sternness passing over his face before he suddenly spoke with cold resolve. At the very same moment, he clenched his fists, and a thunderclap resonated! Golden electric light surged forth from both arms, forming countless thick arcs that surged wildly before coalescing into two magnificent golden electric serpents that rose skyward, their bodies coiled and heads raised, displaying an astonishing and formidable presence.