The person who entered was a tall, twenty-something woman with deep purple hair, a short white horn rising from her forehead, graceful and dignified, gazing at Han Li with a gentle smile. Indeed, Han Li was utterly astonished by the true nature of this elder of the Bai family! The purple-haired woman smiled gently and softly explained two or three points. This made Han Li suddenly understand. Indeed, in some families, it is customary to preserve certain titles and offices across generations, thereby strengthening the family's cohesion and continuity. Though this practice may seem somewhat casual, Han Li observed that it appears to be quite effective. At that moment, the purple-haired woman had already seated herself across from Han Li. With a simple gesture, the several attendants who had stood motionless around them promptly withdrew gracefully and gently closed the main door behind them. "As my less capable nephew mentioned, Brother Han is a dedicated cultivator who seldom ventures out. That explains why I first heard of Brother Han's name. Yet, your magical prowess seems exceptionally refined—have you not already reached the Magistrate Sovereign level for some time now? Otherwise, how could I fail to perceive your exact cultivation level at all?" After her divine awareness briefly swept over Han Li, the beauty asked with her eyes sparkling in succession. "Han Li specializes in the path of slaughter and has always preferred to practice his techniques in remote, wild areas teeming with beasts and monsters, thus having fewer opportunities to interact with others. As for when I ascended to the rank of Magus, however, you were mistaken. I have only reached that level for a few hundred years. Your inability to perceive my cultivation level is merely due to the unique nature of the magic cultivation method I have been practicing." Han Li chuckled, speaking with a mixture of sincerity and feigned confidence. At the same time, he extended his divine awareness to probe the covered resident, only to find that his awareness, like a stone dropped into deep water, vanished without a trace—leaving him slightly startled. It seemed this woman either possessed a precious treasure safeguarding her or had mastered a rare technique capable of concealing her aura. Given that Han Li's cultivation level was already quite profound, surpassing that of most peers by nearly a full tier, it was highly unlikely that she could surpass him in magical power. He absolutely did not believe that the woman before him could cultivate a magic technique as refined and profound as his own. "Indeed, the Way of Killing! Though I have not personally encountered many practitioners of such a magic technique, I know that those who cultivate it invariably possess far greater battlefield prowess than the average peer. Then, I must truly be humbled!" The purple-haired woman was startled upon hearing Han Li's words, her lingering doubts swiftly dissolving, though a subtle joy barely flickered on her face. "While the Way of Killing is certainly powerful, it is no easy path to master. If I had not personally questioned myself—having relied solely on my own secluded cultivation and the occasional slaying of beasts—and found that even with such efforts, I could not break through this current bottleneck, I would hardly have been able to advance at all." Han Li spoke calmly. "I myself do not cultivate the Way of Killing, yet I have been stuck at this same bottleneck for a millennium. To progress beyond the realm of the Magistrate and achieve further refinement is no simple matter—most often, it requires a rare and fortunate opportunity." "It seemed that Han Li's words had touched the deep pain in the purple-haired woman's heart, prompting her to take a deep breath and express her strong agreement. "I have long heard that the Huanxiao Desert is one of the most renowned sacred grounds in the Holy Realm, so I came here on my way. I hope to rest in the city for a while before entering the desert to refine myself. If I can find any opportunities within it, that would be even better." Han Li nodded, then suddenly changed the subject. "Our Bai family may not be one of the largest clans, but we do have a certain influence in this region and have a good understanding of the Huanxiao Desert. Should you have any needs, please feel free to let me know. I will arrange for my family members and disciples to provide you with all the necessary conveniences." Upon hearing this, the purple-haired woman's eyes flashed with interest. "Since you've said that, I actually have a matter that requires the assistance of the Bai family." Han Li lightly tapped his palm against his knee and smiled slightly. "Oh, please go on, then." "As long as the Bai family is capable, they will certainly not refuse," the purple-haired woman said, her expression serious and decisive. "I've heard that no matter how powerful one's abilities, once entering the Huanyao Desert, they are unable to activate any teleportation techniques—walking across the entire desert would take anywhere from fifty to sixty years. Although I would like to gain experience within the desert, I do not wish to truly waste so much time traveling. Therefore, I have decided to request the Bai family to provide me with a eight-legged magical lizard for transportation. Would the Bai family be able to supply me with one?" Han Li fixed his gaze on the purple-haired woman, clearly stating his true intention. "A eight-legged magical lizard! You've indeed made this request. I must confess, I had already heard about this matter from Yun'er earlier." Upon hearing Han Li's words, the purple-haired woman sighed deeply. "Is it really proving quite difficult for the Fu Tian friend?" Han Li's expression remained unchanged, yet his eyes narrowed slightly as he asked. "It's far more than just difficult!" "If it weren't for my brother, Master of the Divine Magic, I would have immediately dismissed anyone who mentioned this matter face-to-face." The purple-haired woman shook her head. "I've actually heard before that these eight-legged magical lizards are of great importance to your city's leading families, and none of them would sell them externally. Could you kindly clarify the reasons behind this deep regard?" Han Li stroked his chin, maintaining his composed expression. "This isn't a secret at all—certainly, I can explain it." The purple-haired woman only paused briefly before readily agreeing. "The intrinsic value of the eight-legged magical lizards is self-evident. Beyond their magical cores and bones, even their flesh and blood can be used to produce a rare Qi-essence pill. Yet, even with this alone, it doesn't fully account for the deep appreciation our families hold for them. Master Han, I believe you know that the foundation of Phan Ye City's establishment here lies in the unique minerals and medicinal herbs found in the surrounding region." The sale of these goods annually brings substantial profits to our city, sufficient to cover the daily expenses of several prominent families. However, our guest may not be aware that, over the course of tens of thousands of years since the city's establishment, the original mineral and medicinal resources in the surrounding areas have long since been depleted. The specialties now offered by our city are newly discovered mineral veins and medicinal fields deep within the Xuan Xiao Desert. While the yields from these new sources are considerable, transporting them safely back to the city requires the eight-legged magical lizard—otherwise, the various perils inherent in the desert would make a foot-based journey nearly impossible. Indeed, the Xuan Xiao Desert is renowned throughout the holy realm as a sacred sanctuary, rarely accessible to ordinary travelers. Our families highly value this creature precisely for its ability to navigate freely within the desert. Each individual lizard is thus crucial, as its absence could significantly impact our annual revenues. "In this situation, how could our several families easily part with such an eight-legged magical lizard?" The purple-haired woman spoke calmly, with no concealment at all. Hán Lì, upon hearing her detailed explanation, furrowed his brows and found himself deeply troubled. If the matter were merely about ordinary circumstances, it would be manageable—but should it involve the very survival and prosperity of a clan, then securing this eight-legged magical lizard through ordinary means would indeed prove exceedingly difficult. While pondering this, his gaze instinctively swept over the woman across from him. He noticed that though she appeared composed, there was a subtle strangeness in her eyes—immediately prompting a spark of insight and a gentle smile forming on his lips. "Friend Fu Tian, your willingness to not outright reject my request earlier clearly indicates there is still room for negotiation. Then, how exactly can you part with one of these eight-legged magical lizards? I shall be frank—this is surely not merely a matter of raising the price." Hán Lì asked calmly. "Brother Hán, you've indeed perceived this. I knew this point could not be concealed from you!" The purple-haired woman was momentarily stunned, then smiled lightly as she gently pursed her lips. Han Li, however, remained silent and composed, gazing steadily at the woman across from him. Seeing his expression, the purple-haired woman's smile softened slightly. After a moment's thought, she spoke with a sense of gravity and calm: "Three years ago, no matter what conditions were offered, our White Armor would never have given up a single eight-legged magic lizard. But now, matters have changed—indeed, it's no longer beyond negotiation. For we currently face certain difficulties at the White Family, challenges that only someone as capable as Brother Han could help us overcome." "Difficulties? Our White Family has no shortage of magus-level elders—there's surely more than just the one immortal lady. What kind of difficulties could possibly be beyond the reach of your family?" Han Li's face slightly tightened, yet his tone remained perfectly composed. "If these were merely ordinary matters, I wouldn't have mentioned them so early in our meeting. Allow me to be frank." In fact, it's a particularly vital ore vein within our Bai family's territory in the Huanyao Desert that has now encountered serious issues. Several years ago, a beast of Magistrate-level prowess claimed this resource site. This creature is exceptionally powerful, and merely relying on our Bai family's strength would not be enough to drive it away—thus, we had to humbly seek assistance from some of our friends. However, if Brother Han also lends his support, our chances of success will surely improve significantly. Should we succeed, I would be honored to personally appoint a eight-limbed magical lizard as a token of appreciation to our esteemed guest." The purple-haired woman spoke with a look of sincere, heartfelt humor on her face.