After parking the wooden boat along the shore near the city gate, Guan Yang personally escorted Han Li to the city entrance. Clearly familiar with the magic-people guards at the gate, he required only a few words of conversation before smoothly admitting Han Li into the city without any formal inspection. Standing beside the street inside the city, Han Li surveyed the neatly arranged buildings nearby, nodded in approval, and then raised his hand to hand Guan Yang several mid-tier magic stones. "Thank you so much for your generous gift!" Upon receiving the stones and checking them over, Guan Yang immediately beamed with delight and expressed his gratitude repeatedly. Typically, he would only offer one or two mid-tier magic stones when escorting a high-level magic-people member to and from Blanpu City; Han Li's payment was three to four times that amount, which naturally made Guan Yang extremely pleased. Han Li waved his hand, indicating that Guan Yang could now leave. However, after a brief hesitation and glancing around to ensure no one was paying attention, Guan Yang quietly and swiftly added, "If you truly wish for this journey to succeed, I recommend you visit Guangyuan Tea Hall—perhaps then your wish will come true." "Having said that, Guan Yang didn't wait for Han Li to show any surprise or ask further questions—he hurriedly bowed and turned out of the city gate. "Guangyuan Pavilion!" Han Li murmured softly, the surprise gradually fading from his face, replaced by a gentle smile. If the other had mentioned it so clearly, he truly intended to visit it. Flight was naturally restricted within the city of Lanpu. Han Li simply summoned a vehicle and said his destination was the largest "shop" in the city. The middle-aged driver immediately replied, "Understood," and urged his magical beast forward. Seated cross-legged in the vehicle, Han Li quietly pondered his next steps, his eyes casually scanning the scene through one of the side windows. Lanpu City was clearly much more bustling than a typical magical kingdom city, with people flowing in and out along the streets, bustling and lively. However, Han Li noticed that although most of these magical beings were low-ranking, with only Qi and Foundation stage cultivation, a significant number were already at the Shen and Xuan stages—some even reached the level of Magus. Indeed, along this journey, he had already spotted two beings at the level of Magus. The beast carriage had barely passed several streets, still not yet reached the far edge of Lanpu Lake. Han Li remained somewhat puzzled, yet suddenly recalled something, and with a sudden realization, quickly raised the "Refinement of the Divine Soul" technique, closing his eyes to regulate his breath. Meanwhile, at the same moment, a graceful figure entering a nearby shop accompanied by several high-ranking magical beings was revealed to be a magical woman wearing a black veil, with a thin layer of black energy swirling continuously around her, forming a light, flowing robe. This gave her face an even more ethereal and veiled appearance, making it nearly impossible for outsiders to see clearly. Although Han Li had previously used his powerful spiritual awareness to directly penetrate and examine her true form, he had hesitated, fearing that the noticeable fluctuations in his spiritual presence might disturb the high-ranking magical sovereigns residing in the city. At that moment, as the female demon noble entered the seemingly spacious shop accompanied by several high-ranking demon attendants, an elderly shopkeeper, together with several staff members, immediately came forward, bowed deeply, and escorted the noble to a more private room behind the shop before respectfully stating: "Welcome, Messenger Lord. I have already prepared all the items you requested, and they are ready for you to take at any time." "Very good. I only mentioned this matter yesterday, and now, under your care, everything is fully arranged. It seems you are being given a role that is somewhat beneath your capabilities." The woman in the black veil sat on the chair, glanced at the shopkeeper, and said softly—her voice exceptionally pleasant, like that of a yellow oriole. "Most honored, I merely follow your instructions faithfully!" replied the shopkeeper, his face full of humility. "Shi-huo, go and fetch all the items." The woman in black paid no further attention to the elder, instead giving a single command to a magus of great stature beside her, who bore a single horn on his head. "Yes, Miss Qi!" The magus replied promptly and then followed a servant toward the door. For the rest of the time, the woman in black remained silently seated in her chair, showing no further interest in speaking. The elder and the other several high-ranking magi could only remain patient by her side, equally hesitant to speak. After roughly a cup of tea's worth of time, the magus returned with the servant and reported to the woman that all the items had been retrieved. The woman in black nodded without a trace of expression, yet suddenly asked, "Master Liao, how many years have you been in charge of this shop?" "Since the year two hundred years ago, when I was transferred here, I have been in charge of this shop," Master Liao replied, his heart leaping with urgency and speaking quickly, though unconsciously he felt himself grow even shorter in stature before the woman in black. "Two hundred years—truly, that's a long time. I'd imagine, after all these years, your wealth has grown considerably." The woman in black sighed softly, uttering a remark that sent the elder man's heart racing. "My lord, perhaps there's a misunderstanding. Since I've been in charge of this shop, I've always been diligent and cautious, never straying beyond my duties. Even if you're a supervisor sent from above, you can't simply accuse me without cause." Li, the shop manager, said hurriedly. "There must be something amiss—after all, it's your word that counts. Mu Xi, please present the items so that he may be convinced!" The woman in black gave a cold smile, then suddenly addressed one of the attendants standing behind the elder man. "Yes, Madam Seventh. All the records of our purchases and sales over the past十余 years—including quantities, prices, and trading partners—are meticulously maintained above. Please, Madam, review them." The young man appeared no more than sixteen or seventeen years old, neat and refined. Upon hearing the black-silk woman's words, he immediately stood up with respectful courtesy and drew from his sleeve a black ledger book, raising his head to speak clearly and confidently: Liao, the掌柜, turned pale instantly. The black-silk woman extended one hand, and with a soft "puff," the ledger book was instantly seized into her grasp. She then bowed slightly and began to examine it. "Indeed, quite different from the other ledger you presented to me a few days ago. In just over a decade, you've embezzled so much—remarkable, especially when considering the time periods in between. Liao, what more can you say?" The woman lifted her head, closed the ledger, and asked calmly, without a hint of emotion. "Mu Xi, you dare to frame me and slander me! Madam, this young man has a personal grudge against me—there's no truth in what he's saying. This ledger must be forged." "As to whether it's genuine or not, I shall know soon." I will personally search your soul to the very depths. Should it be true, you shall die without a single regret. Should it be false, I shall kill him and avenge your cause." The woman in black silk smiled gently, yet her words sent Liao Zhanggu's spirit soaring into the heavens. "No!" The elder cried out with a desperate voice, suddenly shaking his sleeve, and a surge of black energy erupted forth. At the same time, he flipped his other hand concealed within the sleeve, revealing a yellow talisman that swiftly trembled. Liao Zhanggu's form blurred and then vanished entirely, sinking directly into the ground. "With mere Condensed Qi at my command, you dare to display such petty techniques?" The woman in black remained seated motionless, yet the magian named Shi Hu, standing beside her, let out a fierce roar and suddenly reached out with a massive hand. Immediately, a gale swept through the entire room, sweeping away the black mist. As Liao Zhanggu's body had only just penetrated halfway into the ground, he suddenly felt his form stiffen, caught by an invisible, immense force, and could no longer move an inch. "Madam, please forgive me! I vow to return everything I've taken, item by item..." The storekeeper cried out desperately. The young magical race boy named Mu Xi naturally rejoiced, quickly kneeling to express his gratitude. Meanwhile, the magisterial Han man nodded once, then opened his mouth and unleashed a surge of black magical flame that instantly turned the elder's body into ash. With a fierce grin, he followed suit and departed. But as soon as Han Li stepped through the threshold of the attic, he suddenly felt a subtle ripple in the space, and then the room before him brightened, revealing a vast hall spanning several acres. "Hm, impressive—clearly a spatial artifact has been used to create a small, paradise-like space. Even if this isn't the largest shop, it must surely be among the top ones," Han Li murmured in admiration, then cast his gaze over the entire hall.