After the Synod had reached resolutions concerning the passing of Qinglong and the matter of Han Li, the city of Tianyuan remained calm and uneventful for some time. As the silver-haired elder had predicted, with no word passed on, ordinary citizens were completely unaware that a top-tier, mid-stage Consolidated cultivator had passed away. Of course, the news was not concealed from Lin Luan, the young lady. Upon learning of it, she was initially struck with shock and discomfiture, but thereafter showed no further unusual behavior—she simply ceased mentioning Qinglong Master, as if she had never known him at all. However, the efforts to secure Han Li's allegiance had not gone smoothly. During this period, Han Li had not appeared publicly at all, and his official explanation was that he was in seclusion, deep in cultivation of a great divine power. This left Jin Yue Master feeling utterly at a loss, and he could only patiently wait and see. He indeed didn't believe it—by the time the demonic army launched its decisive assault on the city, Han Li would still be deep in seclusion, not stepping out. However, aside from a few senior figures like Jin Yue the Zen Master and Yin Guang the Immortal Lady who remained steadfast, the other elders of the council quickly became preoccupied with the demons' increasingly frequent raids and attacks, leaving little time to attend to Han Li's affairs. Even the silver-haired elder, after inquiring several times, eventually immersed himself entirely in the intricate and time-consuming tasks of countering the relentless wave of assaults. At this point, although the demonic army had not yet fully mobilized its main forces for a siege, the frequency and intensity of the raids had intensified significantly. Indeed, there began to appear regular instances of cultivators at the Lingxu stage of cultivation falling or being eliminated during these attacks. As a result, the elders of Tianyuan City grew increasingly vigilant, and each time the demons launched an assault, they would invariably dispatch two or three elders to take command and ensure stability. Meanwhile, throughout the city, operations began to ramp up and function seamlessly. All artisan workshops are operating at full capacity, now producing various magical artifacts and spiritual tools without sparing materials. Those adept in seal-making have been gathered together and are working day and night to create large quantities of lower-rank spiritual seals. In this scale of warfare, however, the mid-to-high rank seals are actually less effective than the lower-rank ones. After all, the materials and time required to craft a single mid-tier seal may have already yielded dozens or even hundreds of lower-tier seals, not to mention the vastly different success rates—the two simply cannot be compared. As for high-tier seals, only a few master seal-makers are capable of producing them. Beyond the extensive production of artifacts and seals, many newly arrived lower-tier cultivators and ordinary warriors have also been mobilized and organized into several large, variably sized units to serve as the city’s reserve forces. In addition to these measures, Tianyuan City conducted thorough inspections from top to bottom of all its magical arrays and seals, ensuring that every defensive measure against the demonic forces was flawless. In short, the entire city was fully prepared as if a great battle was imminent. Time flew by swiftly, and within a span of about six months, the scene had changed dramatically. One day, in the city's grand council hall, an elderly man with silver hair was conversing with Jin Yue, the Zen master, about a pressing matter concerning the demonic forces. Suddenly, the hall doors were violently pushed open from the outside, and a silver-armored guard rushed in hurriedly. This was precisely one of the Tianyuan City guards who had been stationed outside. "Who authorized you to enter without permission?" the silver-haired elder said, his expression stern and commanding. "Report, sir. The ambient qi outside seems unusual—several senior practitioners appear to be preparing for their stage of enlightenment and celestial transformation!" The guard quickly bowed, yet his voice trembled with urgency. "An advancement—could it be that one of our friends is reaching the mid-stage of Consolidation? If so, that would indeed be a favorable development. But you needn’t be so anxious, surely." The silver-haired elder paused, his expression calming slightly. "However, the celestial phenomena far off appear remarkably intense—more so than what one would expect from a mid-stage Consolidation practitioner. In fact, they seem even more formidable than the accounts of late-stage Consolidation cultivators undergoing their trials." The guard swallowed hard, speaking with a touch of apprehension. "Indeed! Master, shall we go outside and take a closer look?" The silver-haired elder was startled, his mind swiftly processing the situation before turning to speak to Master Jin Yue. "Very well, I am equally eager to know which of our friends is undergoing this trial at this very moment." Master Jin Yue readily agreed. Thus, the two followed the guard toward the outer courtyard. As soon as they stepped outside the hall's protective barrier, the silver-haired elder's face subtly changed. With his mid-stage divine awareness, he naturally easily sensed the anomaly in the external qi. What had previously been remarkably stable now seemed unusually vibrant, as if some formidable force were subtly influencing it. The elder's steps unconsciously quickened. In a moment, he and Jin Yue the Zen master arrived at a vast terrace stretching several dozen zhang in width. There, a group of about fifteen guards had gathered, staring in open amazement toward the same direction. The silver-haired elder frowned slightly and emitted a cold huff. The guards were startled to see the elder and Jin Yue arrive, and hurriedly bowed with some hesitation. As the elder's eyes flashed with sharp light, ready to reprimand his subordinates, Jin Yue suddenly uttered a soft "Hm." Turning to look, the elder found that Jin Yue was now gazing toward the very spot where the guards had been staring, his face filled with astonishment. The elder felt a sudden sense of urgency, and without further delay, hurried to follow that direction. Lo and behold, at a distance not far to the horizon, the sky glows a deep crimson, with clusters of fiery clouds coalescing and swirling, as though immense fireballs were rolling and tumbling in the heavens. Below these fiery clouds, countless streaks of vibrant, multicolored light are rapidly converging and interweaving, gradually forming shimmering, seven-hued bridges. The fiery clouds and the dancing fireballs harmonize in perfect resonance, radiating an astonishing brilliance that nearly conceals half of the Tianyuan City—its grandeur and momentum truly awe-inspiring. Yet none of this compares to the immense spiritual pressure subtly emanating from the celestial phenomena, which sends a profound sense of dread through the hearts of all present. Though the pressure, due to its great distance, is only perceptible in fragments, it already evokes a near-suffocating intensity, steadily growing stronger and more powerful, as though preparing for something even more terrifying. "Indeed, this celestial display does not resemble what one would expect from a mid-stage cultivator undergoing a celestial transformation. Jin, let us go and take a closer look. If it is truly a senior cultivator facing the late-stage trial, then this will be a great blessing for our "We must certainly go to protect them, to ensure they are not disturbed," the silver-haired elder exclaimed with great excitement, rushing directly to the monk without hesitation. "Of course. Even if Master Gu has not mentioned it, I would have gone myself to witness the scene. For late-stage cultivators undergoing their celestial trials, this is a great opportunity for us. To be able to observe closely and gain firsthand insights will be immensely beneficial to our own cultivation in the future," the Golden Yue Zen Master replied solemnly and without reservation. Upon hearing this, the silver-haired elder nodded and, with a swift movement of his sleeve, a beam of white light surged forth, wrapping around his form and lifting him into the air, where he swiftly soared toward the distance. Meanwhile, the Golden Yue Zen Master chanted a Buddhist mantra, and a cascade of golden Sanskrit characters radiating from his body coalesced into a golden glow, following closely behind. Only then did the guards exhale quietly, rising up and gathering in small groups, beginning to discuss the distant celestial phenomena among themselves. ... Not only the silver-haired elder and the Golden Yue Zen Master, but nearly all the senior cultivators throughout the Tianyuan City had been startled and stirred. Countless streams of light shot forth from all directions toward the epicenter of the celestial phenomenon. Though the mid- and lower-tier cultivators were also deeply intrigued by the origin of this spectacle, they soon realized that they could not possibly participate in it, and thus merely watched in eager anticipation. Naturally, conversations among them abounded. Their theories varied widely—some attributed the event to the emergence of a rare or even an even more extraordinary spiritual artifact, others to a great celestial beast breathing clouds and spewing mist. Of course, the most prevalent explanation was that a high-level cultivator was undergoing a celestial trial. Some more experienced and discerning observers even subtly conjectured that only a cultivator who had reached the Consolidated Stage could generate such a dramatic impact. Yet none of them could have imagined that, when they finally arrived at the scene, the very cultivators they regarded as unattainable and beyond reach—those who had long been considered the pinnacle of their discipline—were equally astonished and stunned. The silver-haired elder and Jin Yue Zen Master were not among the first to arrive near the celestial phenomenon. Twenty-some other cultivators, at the Lingxu Consolidated stage or higher, who were closer to the phenomenon, had already settled in suspension at a distance of over a hundred li, observing it intently. The silver-haired maiden was among them. Could it be that he has closed himself off this time specifically to break through this late-stage bottleneck? The silver-haired elder exhaled softly, speaking with some hesitation. "It seems likely. The celestial phenomena indeed appear to be caused by such a breakthrough, though they are far more dramatic than any I've witnessed before. This has now raised some questions in my mind." The Golden Yue Zen Master gazed at the increasingly awe-inspiring sky beyond, also expressing uncertainty. "That's not at all surprising. The celestial signs accompanying a late-stage breakthrough naturally vary from person to person. Yet such a grand display is not necessarily a good omen. Generally, the more extraordinary the phenomena, the greater the strength of the person undergoing the trial—though the difficulty of the journey is also far beyond ordinary expectations. Given the magnitude of these celestial events, I suspect Brother Han may not be able to successfully weather this trial." After a brief pause, the silver-haired elder added, reflecting thoughtfully.