"Calling it a restriction, yet it can hardly be considered one. The magic cultivation method I've been practicing is precisely one she personally invented—thus, naturally, she has left me with a counteracting reserve. Unless my cultivation level surpasses that of this primordial ancestor, merely one thought from her will fully command my spiritual power, leaving me utterly unable to resist. Moreover, regarding the matter of my backup avatar, she had explicitly mentioned it beforehand, and it was my own choice. So, I truly cannot hold much resentment. And before this, she had already shown me great kindness. Had it not been for her timely assistance, how could I have ever achieved transcendence? I would have remained trapped on the human plane, eventually turning into mere yellow soil beneath the earth." Zi Ling sighed, speaking thus. "What exactly happened to you during your time on the human plane that enabled this Sixth Pole Saint Ancestor to assist you in your ascension?" Han Li swiftly pondered in his mind, his voice grave as he asked. "In truth, there's not much to recount. Due to my limited aptitude, although I managed to form a Yuan Ying, I was always unable to make the leap into the stage of Huashen." With such a level of cultivation, even if one dared to venture into a spatial node, survival would be nearly impossible. With no other choice, I had to look outward and begin exploring the entire human realm's hidden sanctuaries, seeking useful medicinal herbs and elixirs to aid my breakthrough. According to my plan, even if I found only modest protective treasures, I would have been willing to risk entering a spatial node before my lifespan ran out. Yet, to my surprise, after spending several centuries in search of suitable herbs and treasures, I found not a single one—instead, I discovered an ancient altar left behind by a former primordial demon, and by chance, inadvertently activated it. "Zi Ling paused, offering a helpless smile. "Could it be that through this altar, you established a connection with the Six-Pole Sage Ancestor?" Han Li seemed to suddenly grasp the situation. "Although the process was quite complex and not as straightforward as one might expect, the final outcome was quite similar. Indeed, a strand of the Six-Pole Sage Ancestor's divine consciousness successfully descended to me through the altar. The rest need not be detailed further. Under the persuasion of the sixth peak's divine awareness, I ultimately underwent a magical qi infusion drawn from the residual true demonic qi preserved within the deep cavern, thus transforming my cultivation path to the demonic arts and rapidly advancing to the Huashen stage—so swiftly and effortlessly that even I had never expected it. According to the sixth peak, I possess a rare Chaji Su Yin body, which naturally makes the practice of demonic cultivation more efficient and inherently suited for a demonic path. This is precisely why she actively assisted me in my ascension to the demonic realm. Were it a common mortal cultivator, even if she could be contacted, she would hardly have taken the initiative to intervene in such matters. Only upon my arrival in the demonic realm and meeting the sixth peak in person did I truly realize that her assistance was merely an effort to secure an additional candidate body for her own avatar. Zi Ling said this slowly and calmly. "Now that I understand her true intentions, there is no need for me to accept her as my disciple. As for the favor of aiding my ascension, I will find a way to repay it at a later time." Han Li asked this with a noticeably serious and somber expression. It's not that simple at all. Indeed, Six-Ji originally gave me a clear choice back then. Either she would immediately withdraw the True Magical Qi she bestowed upon me and revoke her unique magical technique, thereby forcing me to fall back to the level of a junior cultivator. Or, I could become her seventh disciple, serving as a reserve body for her avatar. She made it very clear that, due to the limitations of her technique, only six avatars—including her own body—could exist in total. As long as the existing avatars remained unharmed, there would be no need to draw upon us disciples to supplement. Given Six-Ji's foundational status, even her avatars were rarely at risk. Therefore, it was very likely that we could remain her disciples for the foreseeable future. Her senior disciple has already reached the late stage of Consolidation, and has even lived in peace for tens of thousands of years without any incident. Moreover, Six-Ji promised that should she indeed succeed in passing through the celestial trial and ascending to the heavens, she would no longer require any avatars—thus granting us true freedom. Moreover, prior to this, all the resources we disciples have been cultivating have been abundantly and freely available to us, unlike other demonic clans, which have had to tirelessly search and seek them out. As I know, the dangers within the demonic realm are far beyond those of the human world, let alone your spiritual realm—each year, countless high-ranking demonic beings perish in perilous locations or during conflicts. Under such circumstances, what choice would Brother Han make instead? Zi Ling spoke in a single breath, her expression darkening as she concluded with a reflective question. "As for me…" Han listened intently, his expression slightly stirred, and murmured softly as he gazed upward. "Brother Han's steadfastness has always been something I deeply admire. Perhaps, had it been Brother Han, his choice would indeed have been different. But for me, it would mean a significant decline in my cultivation, and from now on, enduring constant risks to survive in this demonic realm—living a life of constant struggle, uncertain even when or how I might fall suddenly." On one hand, there's the possibility of living peacefully for tens of thousands of years—possibly even longer—without needing any cultivation resources or worrying about anything at all. The allure of such a prospect is simply beyond the reach of a young woman like me, just recently promoted to the magical realm. Thus, it's only natural that I became the seventh disciple of the Liu Ji Sect, and now even have a certain reputation within the magical realm, along with a growing team of followers. Zi Ling sighed softly. "It's no wonder you made this choice; had I been in your position at that time, I would have had no choice but to agree. Yet, being constrained in this way isn't a sustainable situation—haven't you ever thought of finding a way to break free from this dependency?" Han Li inhaled deeply, fully imagining the helpless manner in which Zi Ling had initially agreed. "If there were a way to escape the control of the Liu Ji Sect, wouldn't the other six disciples above me—each having advanced to the Consolidated Body stage—still remain so obedient and patient in serving the sect for such an extended period?" The Six Extremes himself is the primordial ancestor of the magical race, with numerous incarnations and countless subordinates at his command. Even if I could momentarily break free from his grasp, how long could I truly remain hidden? Unless I could retreat to another realm. But once I leave this magical realm, where the magical energy is so abundant, my magical techniques would likely fade completely—my cultivation would not only stagnate but possibly even regress significantly. Zi Ling looked deeply troubled, clearly having considered this issue countless times. "Indeed, this is quite troublesome. Yet, if we're willing to take some risks, there are certainly solutions." Upon hearing this, Han Li's expression slightly changed, his eyes flashing as he began to ponder. "What? Does Han have a plan? Well, even if you're now quite powerful, you still wouldn't be able to match the Six Extremes. This matter carries too much risk—better not involve you in it." Zi Ling was first startled, then recalled something, and immediately shook her head in concern. "With my current strength, it truly seems unlikely that I could stand against a primordial being of Junji's caliber. Yet my cultivation isn't stagnant. As long as I gain a bit more time, I believe I have a solid chance of advancing to the Great Immortality Stage. Once I reach that level, even if I cannot defeat Junji, I will surely be within striking distance. At that point, I shall have the standing to negotiate with this demon." Han Li's gaze flickered, then he sneered. "You're confident in your ability to reach the Great Immortality Stage!" Zilin, though she had already greatly admired Han Li's prowess, could hardly contain her astonishment upon hearing this—her voice trembled slightly. "How can I be so sure? I'm certain of this, for I truly have a genuine chance." Han Li smiled gently, his confidence evident. Zilin stared at Han Li's resolute expression, a subtle sense of unease stirring within her. After a while, she softly replied, "Given what you've said, I naturally believe you. Then, let's wait until you attain the Great Immortality Stage before we discuss this matter further." Once you truly attain the powers of the Mahayana stage, I'm certain it will not be difficult to tear through space and return to the Demon Realm... "Well, your cultivation level is still not very high at this point. Even if the Six-Polar True One's avatar should have perished, it may still take some time before it reaches you. So, just bear with it for a while longer." Han Li paused, realizing that this matter could not be resolved by mere impulse, and thus forcibly suppressed his concerns, slowly nodding. "Alright, you've been talking about my experiences all along. Why not share your own journey? Your progression to the late Consolidation stage in such a short time must have been far more remarkable than mine in the Spirit Realm." To dispel Han Li's lingering thoughts about himself, Zi Ling's gaze shifted gracefully, and suddenly changing the subject, she asked. "Ah, I ascended to the Spirit Realm somewhat earlier, and indeed, I've experienced many things there. I'll gladly share them with you." Han Li was momentarily surprised, but quickly smiled and replied. In the following moments, Han Li slowly recounted his experiences after arriving in the Spiritual Realm through the spatial nodes. Naturally, he omitted several particularly confidential details. His journey in the Spiritual Realm was nothing short of spectacular. Listening to her, Zi Ling's expression changed continuously, her eyes lighting up with delight, often brushing her lips with one hand and gasping in admiration—her delicate, charming demeanor was truly captivating. After Han Li finished his tale, Zi Ling also shared a few incidents from her experiences in the Demon Realm, along with a brief account of how she first met Lan Ying. At this point, Han Li learned that Zi Ling had, by sheer chance, once unintentionally saved Lan Ying's life—an event that had ultimately led to their becoming close companions. As he spoke, Han Li suddenly remembered something and asked Zi Ling what exactly the young girl in the Ma Yi household had predicted back then, which now prompted her to come to him personally today. Upon hearing Han Li's question, Zi Ling's face flushed deeply, and she would absolutely refuse to reveal the details of her divination. Seeing her beloved thus shy and modest, Han Li felt he had already grasped the matter quite clearly. He smiled gently and, instead of pressing further, asked a follow-up question: could Lan Ying find a way to resolve the issue of her being perceived as a Six-Pole Embodiment? Upon hearing this, Zi Ling shook her head vigorously. The matter involved the primordial progenitor of the Magian realm—though Guangyuan Pavilion was renowned even among the celestial powers, it was utterly helpless here. Indeed, divination techniques would likely prove of little use. The previous abbot of Guangyuan Pavilion had been Lan Ying's grandmother, who had passed away unexpectedly, allowing the young woman in the silk robe to succeed her. However, along with the abbot, many senior protectors of Guangyuan Pavilion had also perished in that incident. Thus, even though Lan Ying now held the position of abbot, the current Guangyuan Pavilion remained externally strong but internally frail, in reality extremely weak. Thanks solely to Guangyuan Zhai's past reputation, and to the continued support of Zhu Aunt and another surviving senior protector, the sect is barely able to maintain its facade. Otherwise, given Guangyuan Zhai's former strength, even the Six Extremes would have been cautious—had they truly stepped in before, there might have been a chance to free Zilin. But now, it's truly beyond their capacity. After hearing this explanation, Han Li nodded silently in his mind and accepted it without hesitation. Thus, Han Li and Zilin continued their conversation for nearly half a day! They even discussed some everyday matters related to their cultivation lives, both of them thoroughly engaged, completely unaware of the passage of time. After some time had passed, the five-colored light screen that had previously enveloped the entire room suddenly began to tremble. As Han Li glanced at it, a warm, magnetic female voice suddenly came through the screen: "Have the two of you reached a satisfactory agreement?" It's now late evening; if we continue talking, our hall will have to close its doors. Brother, isn't there still something you'd like me to clarify? Do you still need that, at this point?" The voice speaking was naturally that of the young girl in the hemp robe.