"Each step back? Lu, what do you mean by that?" The young man in white robes was momentarily stunned, his expression filled with mild surprise. "I see that you two are still at odds. Perhaps each of you could make a small adjustment. Du, you may take Han's disciples back to the Sacred Island, but Han might just as well join you on the journey. Should any issues arise upon arrival, he can promptly raise them. I believe, given Han's reputation, the elders of the Sacred Island won't be able to completely overlook the matter." After a moment's thoughtful pause, the silver-haired elder spoke with careful diplomacy. "Very well. If Han feels uneasy, he certainly can accompany us to the Sacred Island." Du Yu's eyes flashed twice, then he readily agreed without hesitation. "No need for such formality. Since Lu has proposed it, I cannot simply ignore the courtesy. Here's my offer: if any one of the three messengers can withstand my attack and emerge unharmed, I will send my disciples to escort them." If we can't take it, heh...” Han Li narrowed his eyes slightly and then sneered. “What? You're claiming to be able to take the next strike? Han, you really dare to say that!” Even though Du Yu was naturally composed, his face turned instantly stern upon hearing this. The ugly woman and the bearded man both grew furious. “Then perhaps you'd like me to swear on my heart-madness?” Han Li asked calmly, without changing his expression. “No need. Given your standing, Han, I'm certain you'll have to acknowledge it afterward.” Du Yu snorted, his anger somewhat eased, and immediately began to ponder the real intent behind Han Li’s words. He wasn’t convinced that Han had merely been trying to find an excuse to retreat, nor did he believe that his own party could possibly withstand even a single strike from Han Li. The other senior cultivators from Tianyuan City, listening nearby, exchanged puzzled glances. Though they all knew Han Li was no ordinary adept, nearly a first-rank compound stage master beneath the Great Perfection level, they found it hard to believe that Du Yu and the others could not even withstand a single blow from him. After exchanging a glance, Elder Gu and Master Jin lightly cleared their throats, ready to speak further. But at that moment, the silver-lit maiden seated nearby suddenly transmitted a soft voice. Upon hearing this, Elder Gu's expression subtly changed, and his gaze instantly shifted to Yin Yue, standing beside Han Li—his words, which had just formed, were now swallowed back. Du Yu then fixed a solemn, penetrating gaze on Han Li for a while, took a deep breath, and finally said, "Since Master Han insists on engaging in combat to resolve this matter, we have no choice but to accept. I shall step forward and take one blow from you, Master. I've long been eager to see just how you manage to defeat me in a single strike." Du Yu, after realizing that the senior elders of Tianyuan City were truly determined to remain absolutely neutral and would no longer intervene in the matters between him and Han Li, finally made his decision after careful consideration. Although he had some doubts about Han Li's confidence and self-assurance, he was far more confident in his own strength. With his fully perfected Confucian Sacred Power and the several precious artifacts he carried, he believed he could even withstand the first or second attacks of a stage-matched cultivator—how could he possibly fail against a peer? The elderly man and the plain-looking woman beside him clearly held great confidence in Du Yu's abilities. Upon hearing that Du Yu would represent them and take the initiative, they showed no hesitation, merely fixing Han Li with increasingly disapproving glances. As envoys of the Sacred Island, they had always treated others with the utmost respect, no matter how powerful or eccentric the individuals they encountered might be. Even when faced with occasionally aloof or temperamental stage-merged cultivators, they had only maintained a surface-level coolness. Never had they been treated so openly and unceremoniously as Han Li had been. Han Li, upon hearing Du Yu agree to his terms, gave a slight twitch at the corner of his mouth before bursting into laughter. "Well, Du friend, you're indeed a straightforward and generous one. Then I shall await you in the next arena hall." As soon as he finished speaking, Han Li stood up abruptly, took a single decisive step, and with a ripple of space unfolding ahead, he vanished into the void, leaving only the sound of his laughter echoing through the hall. But at that moment, Xie Daojun rose without a word, shook his sleeves toward the nearby Yin Yue and Zhu Guo'er, and two streaks of silver light shot out, instantly enveloping both of them. A thunderous crack echoed simultaneously from all three, and as silver arcs danced around them, they vanished mysteriously. It was clear that Xie Daojun and the others had also followed Han Li to the grand arena hall. Du Yu, seeing this, felt another surge of alarm, and suddenly turned to the silver-haired elder, asking, "Master Gu, who was that guest just now? His abilities seem truly exceptional." Previously, everyone's attention had been drawn to Han Li, and since Xie Daojun himself was a puppet-bodied figure who had deliberately subdued his aura to appear unremarkable, he had not attracted much notice from the group. "The guest's face is quite unfamiliar," the elder remarked, equally astonished. "I have never seen him before." He glanced at the others, then shook his head. "Regardless of who he is, he'll be known soon enough. And no matter how powerful he may be, it will only be Master Han who steps forward at this moment. Brother Gu, let's go as well." After a series of shifts in expression, Du Yu settled back into his usual composure. Although the silver-haired elder was deeply impressed by Crab Master's sudden intervention, he had already harbored the mindset of preferring less to more, so upon hearing Du Yu's words, he immediately nodded with a smile. Thus, the group promptly cast their spells and, in succession, instantaneously traversed through the void, vanishing into the distance. After a cup of tea's worth of time, a vast hall spanning hundreds of zhang suddenly came alive, with a massive luminous dome—enveloping nearly half the hall—being activated. In the lofty space within the dome, Han and Du Yu stood face to face, gazing at each other across the distance. Du Yu now appeared somewhat serious, while Han remained calm, his hands behind his back, floating silently in the air, gazing steadily at his counterpart. "Master Du," Han said, "I would just like to confirm one final thing." "Will your lord simply withstand my one strike without injury, and then will your friend no longer obstruct our taking away the young disciples from your gate?" Du Yu suddenly spoke in a low, serious tone. "Indeed. As long as your lord endures my single attack unharmed, even if I bring all of my disciples to the Sacred Island, I shall have no objection. But should he fail to withstand even my single blow, then your three shall return whence you came." Han Li smiled calmly and replied without ceremony. "Then, it is your turn to act," Du Yu said, his face darkening, each word spoken with deliberate weight. Upon hearing this, Han Li smiled gently, uttered a single word, "Good," yet remained motionless. Suddenly, a flash of golden light erupted behind him, and a golden, triple-headed, six-armed form materialized. "Long!" Han Li murmured. A gust of wind burst forth, roaring like a hurricane, rising straight from the form. At the same time, the golden figure pressed seals with all six hands, and a series of thunderclaps rang out, causing countless golden arcs of electricity to surge around his body, rapidly expanding in volume as the wind blew. In an instant, it transformed into a colossal being towering seven or eight dozen zhang high. The three heads of the Dharma Form simultaneously opened their eyes. As one arm moved, a giant hand—large enough to span a room—slowly reached out toward the empty space across. Though the movement seemed remarkably slow, as soon as the hand extended, a terrifying aura surged downward, pressing as if it were crushing the entire void. Du Yu, who had been standing motionless across, instantly grew pale upon sensing this overwhelming presence. Without a word, he pressed his palm against the back of his head, opened his mouth, and expelled a beam of white light encasing an object—revealing a jade scroll no larger than several inches. Then, with a simple flick of his sleeve, a surge of milky mist rose, coalescing into a pristine jade inkstone, its surface shimmering with a soft silver glow, as though filled with a translucent, unknown silver liquid. As soon as these two objects emerged, they spiraled and danced above the young man's head—one radiating a vibrant hue of five colors, the other subtly pulsing with countless golden and silver characters surging forth from its surface. Two items—one an extraordinary celestial spiritual treasure, the other an even rarer treasure forged from a fragment of the Primordial Heavens—caught Han Li's attention at a distance. Though he was momentarily surprised, he quickly emitted a cold exhalation and nodded firmly as the golden giant palm slowly descended. Upon a slight tremor, delicate silver spiritual patterns emerged from his skin and momentarily shimmered into several distinct silver array patterns of varying sizes on the palm's surface. At that instant, the massive palm emitted a deep, resonant hum. As his five fingers gently expanded, the surface glimmered and instantly transformed into a rich purple-gold hue. In an instant, a formidable spiritual pressure—nearly three to four times stronger than before—burst forth from the palm, surging downward with overwhelming force. Du Yu, who was about to directly activate two treasures atop his head, felt the subtle spiritual pressure and his body trembled slightly—unconsciously stepping back several paces. His face changed instantly, and a flicker of fear flashed into his eyes. Even with his fully matured late Consolidation Stage strength, under this overwhelming spiritual pressure, he felt as though he might be crushed and burst simply by a mere hand movement. "No, this is not something a late Consolidation Stage cultivator could achieve—it's clearly the realm of the Post-Consolidation Stage. Only a Post-Consolidation cultivator could possess such formidable power." In an instant, the young white-robed cultivator realized this with growing apprehension, nearly shouting out loud, yet under the immense pressure in the air, his mouth only moved slightly, unable to emit a single sound.