But at that moment, the elderly voice suddenly ceased abruptly in both their ears, with not a single sound following. "I should have realized this earlier—once he knew something was amiss here, how could he have failed to make a single visit?" Yuan Yan's圣祖 murmured, his expression shifting between gloom and uncertainty. "Is it true that Nirvana has already sustained severe injuries and is now in deep sleep? In that case, only his three incarnations—gold, silver, and copper—should have arrived. I wonder which one of them has come, and for how long now." The Buddha of Flower Saint quickly regained composure and added thoughtfully. "Regardless of which incarnation it is, the outcome will be the same. He must have just arrived, otherwise he wouldn't have managed to evade our notice. Still, what I'm concerned about is whether the mortal young man, once blocked, will suspect us of having orchestrated the situation and thus trigger the divine consciousness embedded in the medicinal herbs." Yuan Yan hesitated before asking. "As long as we don't pursue him, he should not make such a hasty move. But if he truly faced a risk of falling, that would be a different matter. After all, once his life was in jeopardy, it would be no surprise if he did something wildly desperate. "That young man isn't exactly a composed one. If he were merely one of Nirvana's incarnations, we wouldn't be able to push him to such an extreme. Moreover, even if he were to fall short, he would still have no trouble escaping." Yuan Yan exhaled deeply, feeling a bit more at ease. "That's hard to say. You might have forgotten that Nirvana was the one among our three original founders who harbored the deepest resentment toward the Spiritual Realm. Back then, when his Dao was still forming, his partner perished at the hands of a senior multiplicative immortal during a sacred ritual in the Spiritual Realm." Bao Hua shook her head. "I certainly remember that. Yet he has been in a state of deep slumber these days. Unless all three of his incarnations come together, how would we truly manage to make an impact on that human youth?" This time, Yuan Yan no longer displayed any sense of dismissal. "It seems you still don't know about that matter, even now—Nirvana has kept it hidden for quite some time!" Bao Hua glanced at the young man in black robes, a strange expression flashing across her face. "Which matter are you referring to?" Yuan Yan's expression darkened, and he asked in a沉沉 tone. "Back then, I and Nirvana jointly defeated a high-level foreign cultivator who had crossed over from another realm. From him, we obtained a considerable number of treasures. Among them were two diluted drops of Heavenly Cultivation Dew—though their potency was significantly stronger than the one previously held by the Spirit King. Their efficacy was roughly one-third that of the genuine celestial dew. We divided these drops equally between us. My share was consumed many years ago. As for the one in Nirvana's possession, he has preserved it carefully since my departure from the Sacred Realm, and it's likely still in his hands today." Bao Hua said calmly. "A forged dew with only one-third the potency of the genuine one!" Yuan Yan was astonished, still hesitating to believe. "Indeed, with such a concentration of forged Perfumed Dew, you should know exactly what method Nirvana will employ to secure the Han youth," said Bao Hua calmly. "You claim Nirvana will awaken that thing—this is quite plausible. Though he may have never witnessed a human youth's prowess, the fact that he managed to enter the Washing Spirit Pool unharmed before us speaks volumes, and surely makes him unwilling to underestimate us." Yuan Yan's eyes flickered several times, and his expression grew increasingly serious. "We both know that the primary reason our Sacred Realm has not destroyed Kuling Island, beyond the reasons we previously cited for the Han youth, is our deep concern for that very entity. To awaken this powerful pseudo-Immortal, only a few legendary artifacts are said to be capable. Among them, the Heavenly Perfumed Dew stands out as one of the most effective. Even a single drop with only one-third of its potency is more than sufficient to allow it to act twice." Bao Hua spoke softly. "Twice?" "That object isn't restrained by the fundamental qi of heaven and earth in this region. If the human-descended youth fails to activate his Xuan Tian treasure for protection, a single strike would be more than sufficient to eliminate him." The young man in black robes grew increasingly anxious. "Now, are you particularly concerned?" The beautiful woman with blossoming eyes glanced at him, smiling gently. "Hmph. You don't worry about the medicinal herbs at all. What if, just before he dies, he triggers his fragmented consciousness and explodes the herbs?" Yuan Yan snorted, speaking with irritation. "Should that object truly awaken, do you think the Han youth will still have time to detonate the herbs and release his fragmented consciousness? Even if he does manage a little time, he'll likely spend it solely focused on surviving. As long as we don't appear nearby, he'll have no opportunity to attend to the herbs we hold. If he activates his Xuan Tian treasure to secure his life, he'll naturally no longer provoke us. In that case, all we need to do is simply remain here and wait." The woman spoke with unwavering confidence. "Hmm. That does make sense!" The young man in black robes thought for a moment, then nodded, his expression calming... Han Li was swiftly flying through the sea of thunder. Seventy shimmering green swords spiraled around him, golden arcs danced constantly over his body, and two small mountains hovered high above his head, intercepting and absorbing much of the thunderous arcs. Though he was the only one venturing into the sea of thunder, his progress now seemed nearly double what it had been when he first entered—within just a few flashes, he had already traveled far beyond the initial reach. This was naturally due to the fact that, when he and the elders of Long family had entered, he had concealed much of his true power and had not yet summoned his full divine abilities. Moreover, after undergoing the purification and rejuvenation in the Spirit-Revitalizing Pool, his sheer physical strength alone allowed him to withstand the full force of ten thousand thunderbolts for a while. After some time had passed, Han Li, riding the light of his flight, suddenly felt a shift in his demeanor, a faint smile appearing on his face. Ahead, beyond a short distance, the edge of the sea of thunder was now clearly visible. Han Li took a deep breath, drawing on the inner qi within him, and prepared to surge forth from the Sea of Lightning in a single, swift flight. At that moment, however, the continuous thunderous roar from above suddenly ceased, and the lightning arcs that had been descending abruptly stabilized—then, astonishingly, began to spiral upward into the sky. In an instant, all the falling lightning vanished, leaving the upper sky filled with a brilliant, silver-white glow so intense that the electric flashes blinded the eyes, making it impossible to open them. A dreadful aura radiated forth from the center. What struck Han Li as particularly profound was that upon one of the golden crab’s massive claws stood a middle-aged man dressed in a long golden robe. The man’s skin was also a pale gold, his eyes shimmering with emerald green, yet his eye sockets were deeply sunken, giving him an unusually somber and grave demeanor. Upon scanning the man with his spiritual awareness, Han Li found he could not detect the man’s true cultivation level—his caution immediately sharpened. Either the man’s cultivation surpassed his own, or he was practicing a unique technique or was shielded by a rare artifact. In either case, it was most unfavorable news. Moreover, the sudden and inexplicable disappearance of the surrounding thunder sea, followed by the golden crab’s emergence, only deepened Han Li’s murmurs of uncertainty. Though he had already faced the two primordial elders, the Blossom and Yuan Yan, he did not feel particularly intimidated, merely silently observing the man in the golden robe. “Are you from the Spirit Realm?” the man in the golden robe asked coldly. "But who exactly are you?" Han Li mentally considered his words, yet spoke with calm composure. "All the beings from the Spirit Realm should die—yourself included!" Upon hearing Han Li's words, the golden-robed man's eyes flashed with sudden fury, and he said coldly. "What do you mean by that?" Han Li furrowed his brows, asking in return. Yet the golden-robed man seemed disinclined to continue the conversation, suddenly flipping his hand once, and a small golden vial appeared in his grasp. He then grasped the vial's mouth and inverted it sharply. Instantly, a drop of green liquid fell from the vial and vanished in an instant, merging into the giant claw of the golden crab. "Heavenly Nourishment Dew!" Han Li's eyes widened in astonishment, and he exclaimed involuntarily. "Hmph. You too know this?" The golden-robed man was slightly surprised, saying coldly. Han Li, however, remained expressionless, his face showing a mixture of uncertainty and tension. At that moment, the golden giant crab, which had previously remained motionless, suddenly had its electric arcs fade, while countless shimmering golden characters surged forth across its body, rapidly spreading throughout its vast form. Its front pair of enormous eyes slowly rotated and gradually opened, now glowing a deep crimson gold. "Rebirth—once again, you have awakened me. This time, your offering is quite commendable. According to the rules, I am entitled to render assistance to the one who has honored me." The golden crab gently moved its massive mouth, and resonant hums echoed throughout the void. "The golden crab replied calmly, its massive eyes instantly fixed on Han Li, giving him an unnerving sense of icy cold." "Ha ha! With your prowess, two strikes should be enough to eliminate a typical late-stage cultivator. Go ahead," the golden-robed elder laughed heartily and immediately agreed without hesitation. "Very well," Han Li said, his voice low. As he spoke, he raised one massive claw, and suddenly, it transformed into a golden pair of scissors stretching over a hundred zhang in length. With a swift motion, the scissors surged forward and cut straight toward Han Li, closing sharply in the middle. Han Li felt a flash of golden light brighten the space on either side of him. The golden scissors, with their sharp edges, appeared without a single sign of warning, and then slammed down firmly in the center of his body.