"Master need not worry. The Qinglong Immortal's prenatal essence was completely swallowed by me; there is now no one left like him. However, just before he passed away, he unexpectedly ceased suppressing the toxin and employed a desperate divine technique, which in turn injured me somewhat, forcing me to meditate outside for two days before I managed to blend in with a group of spies from Tianyuan City and quietly return to the city. No one will be able to detect my presence." The Leopard-Monster opened his mouth wide and smiled. "Indeed, you've done well this time. Now I have no worries and can fully focus on breaking through my late-stage bottleneck." Hearing this, Han Li smiled gently. "Haha! With Master's exceptional cultivation talent and all these well-prepared contingency plans, I'm certain this breakthrough will go smoothly. I'd like to extend my congratulations on your significant advancement in cultivation." The Leopard-Monster blinked his eyes and chuckled lightly. "I hope so. Since you've now taken on a humanoid form, you no longer need to stay within the spirit-beast ring. From now on, you may cultivate in the adjacent private chamber beside mine." Feel free to mention anything to the Spirit Beings—Li and the others. I’ll make sure all your needs are met,” Han Li said solemnly. “Thank you, Master. I’ve long since wanted to leave the Spirit Beast Ring. Then I’ll go and train right away at the adjacent pavilion. When Master begins to enter meditation, I’ll come to protect you!” The Leopard Leopard Beast was overjoyed and immediately prepared to depart. Han Li naturally had no reason to object. After a few final instructions, he allowed the beast to go. Once the figure of the Leopard Beast had vanished, Han Li took a deep breath, raised one hand and gently grasped the space before him, causing a scroll of communication to appear. He then extended his hand and placed it gently, before closing his eyes once more and settling into meditation. A short while later, a woman’s voice suddenly echoed from outside the chamber: “Han brother, you’ve summoned me now—does that mean you’re about to begin breaking through your late-stage bottleneck?” The voice was exceptionally pleasant, yet carried a subtle coolness—quite clearly the voice of the Ice Phoenix. "Friend Feng has not missed it—indeed, I have this intention," Han Li replied calmly, his eyes widening. "Though I know there are countless magical beings nearby, he still dared to force himself to be transported away. I hardly see how anyone else could blame him—this man has surely sealed his own fate." The Silver Light Immortal coldly remarked. "Heh, the Green Dragon might not necessarily have fallen into the hands of the magical beings. Perhaps someone else was responsible. Didn't the guards of the Transmission Hall mention that another person accompanied the Green Dragon Master and used the transmission array to depart? Maybe the Green Dragon Master actually perished at the hands of that person." Suddenly, the other man, dressed in a black leather robe, chuckled and added. "Are you suggesting that Master Han is to blame?" The Silver Light Immortal frowned slightly upon hearing this. "Master, please don't speak so hastily. I have never said such a thing before. All I'm saying is that the Green Dragon might not have fallen to the magical beings' hands." The man's face grew slightly pale, firmly denying the claim. Clearly, he deeply respected Master Han and was unwilling to offend him easily. The Silver Light Immortal smiled gently, but ultimately said nothing. "Well then, since the Dragon Sovereign has left Tianyuan City against our will, it seems he no longer acknowledges himself as one of our senior council members. In that case, there's no need for us to pursue this matter further. What matters most right now is the encirclement of our city by the demonic army!" The silver-haired elder furrowed his brows and spoke slowly. "But the Dragon Sovereign is a fully merged cultivator of the human race, and a mid-stage cultivator—such a sudden and unexplained demise, how shall we explain it to the cultivators within the city? Moreover, might this affect Lady Lin Lu's stance toward our city?" The Gu cultivator from Dōu Yuán Pavilion pondered and added. "What need is there to explain? If we don't mention it, how would anyone else know of the Dragon Sovereign's passing? Even if we decide to investigate thoroughly, we'll have to wait until the demonic calamity is over to do so. Under the current circumstances—where both our clans face the threat of extinction—everything else must take a back seat. As for Lin, he is bright and perceptive—我相信 he must already know what's truly going on...” The silver-haired elder's voice grew cold and crisp. The others, who had remained silent, exchanged glances and eventually nodded in agreement. “Very well. Since there are no further objections, let us now turn to the matter of Han, our esteemed guest. Master Jin Yue, I hear you sent someone two days ago to invite Han to gather for a meeting, but he has since begun his meditation retreat—has this occurred?” The silver-haired elder turned to Master Jin Yue with a serious expression. “Yes, that is correct. I had hoped to make one final effort, to persuade Han to abandon his plan of having Qinglong leave the city. However, Han himself and his disciples have informed me that he has now entered retreat and will no longer receive visitors.” Master Jin Yue spoke slowly. “Then it seems Han anticipated that you would come as a mediator, and thus deliberately chose to avoid us.” The white-haired elder stroked his beard thoughtfully. "Perhaps that's the case. I spoke with Han a few days ago, and he just recently saw those small fellows who had been bought over by the Azure Dragon. He reported that when they came out, each of them was pale as a sheet, as though Han had struck them hard with a large sum of spiritual stones and materials. I wonder if they truly managed to gather such a substantial amount." Master Jin Yue said, his face somewhat unusual. "Once that point is reached, even I shall find myself quite at a loss," the silver-haired elder smiled faintly. "Master, I've heard that the Azure Dragon was defeated by Mr. Han. Isn't that a bit exaggerated?" the black-robed cultivator asked, unable to hold back his curiosity. "It's absolutely true! Mr. Han's prowess is indeed something I have never witnessed in my lifetime. Even most late-stage Consolidated Stage cultivators would likely not stand a chance against him. I myself witnessed the encounter between him and the Azure Dragon, and so did Lady Silver Light and Mr. Gu. If you doubt it, feel free to ask them directly," the Jin Yue Zen Master replied, his expression now serious. Upon hearing this, the black-robed cultivator turned to look at Lady Silver Light and the elder Mr. Gu. Lady Silver Light remained cold and unimpressed, while Mr. Gu nodded solemnly. The black-robed cultivator felt a growing sense of astonishment. In fact, it wasn't just him—other cultivators who had not had much direct interaction with Mr. Han also looked visibly stunned. "Even greater than the later-stage cultivators' divine powers—does the master's statement go a bit too far? Though the Azure Dragon Master has a solid reputation, he barely manages to withstand three attacks from a peer-level cultivator, suggesting much of his renown may be nominal. Defeating him doesn't necessarily mean his powers are exceptionally extraordinary." The black-robed cultivator managed a strong smile, still offering a reason that felt more like stone than solid ground. "If you see it that way, then you're mistaken. The Azure Dragon Master possesses a half-divine body and can even transform directly into a half-dragon form, combined with an intricate Confucian cultivation technique—his strength is truly no ordinary matter. However, he chose the wrong opponent. Brother Han, too, is a dual-path cultivator, and his manifested giant beast form surpasses even the Azure Dragon Master's half-dragon form. After just three attacks, he shattered the latter's profound cultivation techniques and inflicted serious injuries. Upon reflection, I believe if it were me facing such a formidable adversary, I would likely have to retreat in desperation, with no other viable option." "Jin Yue Chan-teacher softly chanted a Buddha mantra, then spoke with profound gravity. "So it seems the long-mentioned incident of Han Dao-you being pursued and nearly killed by the Holy Ancestor of the Demon Clan in his true form is indeed true. With such power, it's no surprise at all that Han could escape the Holy Ancestor's form alive." The silver-haired elder spoke in a steady tone. "As for whether Han actually escaped the Holy Ancestor's form, I'm not certain. However, I have personally witnessed several high-ranking Demon Clan immortals falling to his hands." The silver-haired immortal also said with careful deliberation. "The Holy Ancestor of the Demon Clan! Upon hearing this name—almost a taboo among the human and fairy clans—the faces of most of the present-day cultivators from both clans grew pale. "It appears Han Dao-you truly possesses extraordinary abilities. With his assistance, our chances of defeating the Demon Clan will surely improve significantly. Jin Yue Master, could you try once more to persuade Han Dao-you to join the Council? As long as he agrees to join, all terms will be negotiable." "After a moment's pause, the elderly monk spoke with remarkable decisiveness." Very well, if the opportunity arises, I shall give it a try. However, in my judgment, the chances of success are quite slim." Master Jin Yue nodded in agreement, yet expressed his lack of confidence. "I fully understand that. Otherwise, when we first invited him, he would have joined our city directly. But trying out is never a bad thing. Then, let us conclude this discussion. Now, let me share the latest intelligence gathered by our scouts regarding the Magian army. If their reports are accurate, the Magian forces are likely to launch a full-scale assault on our city—either within a few months or within a year." The silver-haired elder's eyes flashed with brilliance, and his tone and demeanor shifted dramatically. The others were immediately struck by this, and all listened intently.