Later, Master Ao Xiao, Mo Jianli, began to discuss specific details regarding their preparations for the war against the demonic race, frequently seeking Master Han's opinions, as though he were no outsider at all. Naturally, Han knew that at this strategic level involving multiple clans, he could not compare with the two living beings who had each reached the stage of Great Transcendence for countless tens of thousands of years. Thus, he did not volunteer to speak much, but only offered well-considered responses when asked. As for the Crab Monk and Lady Yin Yue, though both were present in the hall, the former remained expressionless and utterly indifferent, while the latter maintained a calm demeanor, speaking little. As for Zhu Guo'er, she simply stood by quietly, without any opportunity to speak. Thus, time passed one moment after another. Han Li stayed at Mo Jianli's abode for nearly half a day. After finally settling all matters, Ao Xiao, the elder, stood up, accompanied by Yin Yue, and departed first. Mo Jianli then conversed with Han Li for a while on his own before sending a message outside to summon a middle-aged cultivator, instructing him to arrange a temporary residence for Han Li. The middle-aged man carried out the instructions with the utmost diligence, arranging a pavilion built on the branches of a towering tree only about fifteen miles from Mo Jianli's abode. While the ambient qi here was not as dense as that within Mo Jianli's own dwelling, it was significantly better than most areas of Mucan City, which pleased Han Li greatly. He made no further requests and immediately invited Cai Dao-ren and Zhu Guo'er to move in. Over the following half-month, Han Li remained indoors in the attic chamber, immersing himself entirely in the divine awareness technique he had received from Old Master Ao Xiao, hoping to master it swiftly so that he could truly assist Yin Yue. Meanwhile, Zhu Guo'er, making her first visit to a spiritual realm city, could not help but feel curious and thus made daily excursions throughout the various levels of Mucian City. She had somehow charmed the crab immortal, persuading him to accompany her on the same early-morning and evening outings, which naturally dispelled Han Li's original intention to discourage her. Through Zhu Guo'er's daily reports of what she observed, Han Li clearly sensed that the armies of various ethnic groups residing in Mucian City were growing increasingly restless, as though a storm was imminent. It seemed that the senior leaders of the allied forces had finally reached a consensus—there would indeed be a major battle against the demonic clan to resolve their current predicament. And naturally, Han Li could no longer continue to remain so leisurely. A few days later, indeed, as he had anticipated, Mo Jianli suddenly arrived at the pavilion where he resided. Upon sensing the arrival of this human cultivator of the Great Perfection stage, Han Li immediately welcomed him warmly, inviting Mo Jianli into a grand hall on the first floor. After a few courteous exchanges and seating them both comfortably, he simply waited in silence for Mo Jianli to explain his purpose. "Since this battle is equally important to our human race, as a member of the clan, I naturally ought to contribute my share. Please, Master, whatever you wish, I will do my utmost," Han Li replied with a smile. "If it weren't for my own modest resources, I'd truly find it difficult to afford several of his interventions." Han Li replied, clearing his throat. "I've heard of Crab Daojun's strict standards. Yet regardless of the cost, bringing him from the Realm of Evil to the Realm of Spirit is absolutely a sound investment. After all, even without Crab Daojun personally stepping in, the reputation of a nearly Immortal cultivator at the Great Perfection stage alone would be enough to intimidate many lesser rivals." Mo Jianli said with unconcern. "I hope so." Han Li could only offer a wry smile. "Since Crab Daojun has not yet regained his peak strength, it would naturally be unreasonable to assign you to the most forward positions. Then, how about this: the Wood Clan has set up the 'Thirty-Six Heavenly Absolute Array,' which relies on three central array nodes—the very foundation of its operation. Should any of these nodes be breached, the entire array's power would significantly diminish. If all three are lost, the array would collapse entirely, becoming one of the most critical defensive points for the allied forces." Nevertheless, these three focal points are all well protected by dense array defenses, making them relatively secure from a certain standpoint. Therefore, I have already discussed this with Brother Ao, and we have decided to assign one of them to you. How do you think, Friend Han? Master Mo said this with a serious expression, in a tone of consultation. "No problem at all! If I am responsible for guarding the focal point, I will absolutely ensure that it remains unharmed." Friend Han only briefly considered the matter before promptly agreeing. "While the fate of the focal points undoubtedly influences the final outcome of this great battle, your personal safety is even more crucial to our human race. Should a particularly powerful enemy emerge that we cannot withstand during the defense, you are free to prioritize your own safety and withdraw first. Otherwise, if you should meet with any mishap, even if we achieve victory in the battle, it would still prove to be a loss for our human race." Master Mo shook his head, delivering a serious and weighty reminder. "Thank you, Master, for your great trust. I will certainly take appropriate measures." Han Li was momentarily stunned, but quickly straightened and replied. "Very well. In this great battle, your primary task will first be to ensure your own safety, and then, to do your utmost to defend the core of the array. With your combined strength, Han and Crab Brother, I am confident that unless the Magistrate of the Magian Dynasty himself personally arrives, there will be no issue at all. I have heard from Ao Xiao Brother that when you two first teamed up, you managed to hold your own against Yuan Sha, the great demon lord, without being pushed back." Mo Jianli nodded first, then suddenly smiled and added. "Ao Xiao Brother's praise is somewhat exaggerated. At that time, we merely managed to hold our ground barely. It was ultimately thanks to Ao Xiao Brother's strength that Yuan Sha was able to retreat." Han Li naturally remained humble. "Regardless, this shows that, together, you and Crab Brother have now reached a level where you can easily surpass any being below the stage of Great Perfection. However, for this defense of the array core, besides you, the Wood Clan and the Yecha Clan will each send a being at the Consolidated Stage to join." After all, although we both feel that you're well-equipped with Crab Daoist accompanying you, the two clans still have a clear sense of your abilities and remain somewhat uneasy." Mo Jianli suddenly changed his tone and added. "Are they high-ranking members of the Yaka and Wood clans? That makes perfect sense! However, when the three of us are present together, who exactly will take the lead?" Han Li narrowed his eyes, asking without any surprise. "Heh, among us Daoist practitioners, it's always the one with the greater power whose words carry the most weight. Though I don't yet know who exactly will be sent from the Wood and Yaka clans, I'm certain their representatives won't be able to match your strength. Nevertheless, that high-ranking Wood clan member is likely very familiar with the Wood Realm's grand array. If any issues arise concerning the entire array's restrictions, you should definitely seek out his input." Mo Jianli spoke with evident intention. "I understand. But when should the young disciple begin taking action?" After a slight nod, Han Li exhaled gently and asked, "With the thirty-six reserve sacred trees from the Wood Clan, the entire absolute array has become considerably simpler to set up, though it still requires some time. Most importantly, we must successfully lure the entire army of the Magic Clan into this array. Therefore, I and Mo Jianli, along with the others, will accompany the main army and make every effort to draw out the Magic Clan forces. Meanwhile, you, Master Han, will join the second wave of teams setting up the array and proceed to the designated location to establish the great Wood Realm array. As soon as the array is fully formed, you will immediately lead your people to the array's core and begin establishing protective defenses." Mo Jianli spoke calmly. …Half a month later, the entire Mucan City suddenly erupted in intense tremors and thunderous roars. Brilliant streaks of light surged upward from every level of the city. Amidst these radiant beams, war chariots and massive vessels rose skyward one after another. On these towering flying vehicles, dense ranks of guards from various clans stood firmly—encompassing humans, immortals, and the Mucan people, as well as the Yaka and Ling clans among others. Though their armor varied by race, each guard stood straight and upright, radiating an impressive aura of sharp, penetrating power that spread out in waves. The city continued to rumble with constant activity, and the war chariots and vessels rose in a continuous stream, eventually filling half the sky with a dark, dense expanse—countless in number, reaching into the tens of thousands. At that moment, the roar throughout Mucan City suddenly ceased, and the city shuddered slightly before hundreds of massive, island-like structures—each with a distinct form—gently rose from various parts of the city, creating a dazzling and bewildering sight.