"Indeed, the elder has already heard of the matter concerning the mother of the stem-borer insects. In that case, I shall have nothing to conceal." The thin, elderly man was momentarily startled, but quickly relaxed and replied. "Regarding the mother of the stem-borers, we have known certain details for many years. This very emergence has, in fact, been destined for the great calamity unfolding now. However, our current understanding of the state of the Sacred Realm remains somewhat unclear, which is why we have come to you, the local magistrate, to seek information. Now, please share all that you know." Han Li asked calmly. "Yes, Elder. The information I possess is not extensive, and it has only truly come to me over the past decade. As far as I know, the current stem-borers appearing in the Sacred Realm are ordinary magical insects that have been infected by the subtle emanations released from the mother stem-borer as it broke free from its seal. Once transformed into stem-borers, these ordinary insects not only significantly enhance their strength but also experience a surge in reproductive capacity, increasing by more than a dozenfold." Otherwise, these locusts would not keep multiplying until they have become the foremost threat to the Sacred Realm. As the elder spoke, he paused slightly, then, under the steady gaze of Han Li, quickly resumed with a sense of urgency: "According to the latest information I've received, the three Primordial Ancestors and the other Sacred Ancestors indeed should be handling the mother locust at the Primordial Seal Site. Initially, things seemed promising—thanks to the assistance of other powerful beings from various realms, the seal on the mother locust was continuously being reinforced, and it appeared highly likely that she would be successfully resealed. However, since twenty years ago, the Primordial Seal Site has suddenly lost contact with the outside world, and no further updates have been transmitted from within. The current situation inside remains completely unknown to everyone." "Lost contact! With the Primordial Ancestors like Yuan Yan and their formidable strength, plus so many fellow beings of the same rank assisting them—how is this even possible? Has no one gone to check on the actual situation?" Han Li furrowed his brows and asked slowly. "When someone finally realized that the original imprint site had lost contact, it was already too late. Around the original imprint site, countless populations of stem-borer insects had appeared without any prior notice. These insects not only completely occupied several nearby towns but also included exceptionally powerful high-tier stem-borers—so strong that their prowess reportedly rivals even the average combined-tier beings. Outsiders simply cannot penetrate the vast insect sea and re-enter the original imprint site." The elder replied in a slow, measured tone. "High-tier stem-borer insects at the combined-tier level! Given the formidable nature of the stem-borer mother, it is not surprising that such advanced insects have emerged. Yet, aren't there still some senior elders who have not yet entered the original imprint site? Shouldn't they be taking action to address this situation?" After a brief pause, Han Li asked again. "Reporting to the senior, I am not aware of the current stance of the other senior elders. Indeed, no news has reached us about any of them visiting or inspecting the original imprint site. As for the reasons behind this, however, I—this humble city magistrate—cannot possibly know." The thin, elderly man replied with a worried expression. "That's somewhat promising. It seems the other Saint Ancestors are aware of something, otherwise they wouldn't have taken action yet. Among the remaining Saint Ancestors, which one is closest to Black Hul City?" Han Li sneered slightly, but immediately asked. "The Saint Ancestor closest to our city is Xie Lian, the Saint of the Ten-Thousand Blossom Mountain Range. This venerable elder only recently made his first appearance three years ago, when he completely eradicated the swarm of insects in the vicinity of his mountain range." This time, the thin elder did not hesitate at all, and replied respectfully. "Xie Lian, the Saint of the Ten-Thousand Blossom Mountain Range? Could you tell me where the Ten-Thousand Blossom Mountain Range is—do you have a map of that region?" Han Li nodded, asking casually. "Yes, I once personally visited the Ten-Thousand Blossom Mountain to meet Xie Lian. I have a copy of the relevant maps preserved." The thin elder smiled politely and promptly reached into his robes, producing a modest stone slab, which he then held out in both hands. Han Li single-handedly summoned the stone slab into his hands, then, with a swift sweep of his divine awareness, smiled and replied, "Your answer satisfies me. Beyond that, there's nothing else. You may now attend to your own affairs." "Then, at your service, I shall retire." The elder relaxed, bowed slightly, and slowly retreated several steps before turning and descending toward the lower city. A group of high-ranking magical beings who had been waiting nearby immediately came forward to greet him, forming a procession that gradually faded into the city. "We should go now—let's visit the Evil Chain Sage-Founder in the Hundred-Flower Mountain Range!" Han Li glanced down at the Black Hulucity city, then spoke calmly. Yin Yue and Xie Dao-person naturally had no objections. Then, Han Li raised his head and summoned a dark, square magical vehicle from the magi race. Once the three of them reached the upper level, they instantly transformed into a streak of black light and sped off. … One month later, the figures of Han Li and the others appeared in the sky above a lush, verdant mountain range that was nearly indistinguishable from the mountain ranges of the Human World. "This is the Ten-Thousand-Flower Mountains! The scenery is truly exquisite—what a splendid location the Heavens-Flower Saint Ancestor has chosen. Though, where exactly does this Saint Ancestor reside?" Yin Yue stood behind Han Li, scanning the surroundings with a warm, cheerful expression. "The map clearly marks the residence of the Heavens-Flower Saint Ancestor—a peak called Chao-tian Peak, located at the very center of this mountain range," Han Li replied with a smile. "Oh, then finding this Saint Ancestor won't be difficult at all. Yet we came so hastily that we haven't yet learned much about him—his character, his great powers, or whether he might be particularly formidable!" Yin Yue's eyes twinkled as she smiled gently. "Heh—he may be formidable, but even then, we must still learn from his own words what exactly happened at the origin of the Seal." Thus, we now understand the most reliable course of action to pursue. Of course, it would be even better if we could directly ascertain the whereabouts of the two esteemed elders, Mo Jianli and Ao Xiao. "Han Li said calmly, with confidence, stroking his chest. Upon hearing her grandfather's name, Yin Yue's face briefly showed concern, yet she nodded silently. "Let's go. The Wanhua Mountain range isn't very vast; we won't take long to reach Chaotian Peak." Han Li said no more, merely flicked his sleeve and swiftly vanished into a streak of emerald light. Yin Yue and Crab Daoist followed closely in tandem. After several hours, the continuous chain of peaks within the mountain range gradually parted, revealing before Han Li and his companions a towering white mountain rising abruptly into the sky. This peak soared to tens of thousands of feet in height. From the midsection upward, it was entirely blanketed in snow and ice, while the lower portion was shrouded in layers of dark mist, where strong winds roared and faint sounds of ghostly wails and wild beasts' howls could be heard. "This is the Zhaotian Peak—truly quite strange." The trio halted their flight ten miles away from the massive mountain, and the silver moon clearly seemed startled by the peak's eerie appearance. "It's merely a simple illusion, effective against ordinary demonic beings, but how could it truly deceive me and my brother Crab?" After glancing at the mountain with a subtle shimmer of blue light in his eyes, Han Li smiled. "An illusion?" The silver moon's eyes widened in astonishment, carefully examining the distant peak several times, yet still failed to detect any anomaly. Seeing this, Han Li chuckled lightly. Suddenly, he pressed a hand seal, and a cluster of black energy coalesced in his brow, revealing a third vertical eye. At that moment, he shouted softly, projecting a beam of crystalline light about the thickness of his thumb, which flashed briefly before vanishing into the distant void. A tremendous roar echoed, and a strong wave of energy surged forth from the faraway peak. A ripple of water-like waves spread out across the void several miles away, and as the scene blurred, the entire landscape suddenly transformed. The once-gigantic mountain peaks vanished entirely, replaced instead by a vast basin stretching over a hundred miles. At the heart of this basin rose a graceful mountain thousands of zhang high. This mountain differed from the previous one—its surface was adorned with a variety of rare flowers and plants, and it was enveloped in a luminous, five-hued aura, making it exceptionally vibrant. Han Li's gaze was immediately drawn to a palace situated at the summit of this mountain. Though the palace covered only a few mu of land, it appeared entirely emerald in color, as if entirely constructed from fresh trees. "This is truly the true Tianfeng Peak!" Silver Moon stared in astonishment, murmuring in disbelief after a moment of quiet wonder. Han Li smiled slightly at these words, just about to open his mouth to reply, when suddenly a cold female voice echoed from the distant, picturesque mountain peak: "Which of your esteemed companions has honored our Taotian Peak with your visit? The Lotus of Evil, unable to personally welcome you, hopes you will forgive her." As soon as the words were spoken, a jade-green aura surged upward from the emerald palace, spiraling before suddenly darting straight toward Han Li. In just a few flashes, when the light faded, a green-dressed woman with a cold demeanor appeared clearly before them, several dozen paces ahead. Han Li glanced at her face, then his expression changed abruptly—he gasped: "Bohua? No, you're not Bohua!" Though the woman's appearance was remarkably similar to Bohua's, upon closer inspection, it became clear that her demeanor was far too cold, entirely different from Bohua's. "You are not from the Sacred Realm, are you? Otherwise, how could you have almost mistaken me for Bohua?" The green-dressed woman, upon hearing Han Li's words, flashed a cold glint in her eyes. Yet after carefully observing Han Li and the crab-shaped Daoist for a moment, her expression softened slightly and spoke. Upon hearing the woman's words, the silver moon immediately frowned. Han Li's expression of surprise instantly returned to calm. After gazing at the green-dressed woman for a moment, he gently asked, "Since we came directly to see you, we had no intention of concealing our true origins. Indeed, it was the Xie Lian Daoist who surprised me the most. Might I ask, what is your relationship with the Bao Hua Daoist?" "The Bao Hua is my full sister. As for the great transcendental beings who are aware of this matter, I believe only you, the extraordinary cultivators from other realms, are among them," the green-dressed woman said, regaining her somber expression. "Ah, now I understand—hence the striking resemblance between you and Bao Hua. Nevertheless, I believe the Xie Lian Daoist must already have some understanding of our purpose." Han Li nodded as expected, yet spoke with a faint, half-smiling tone. "You're also here concerning the matters of the First Seal, aren't you?" The green-dressed woman paused thoughtfully before speaking, her tone slightly different, as if in gentle surprise.