"Not good. It seems the ground is truly collapsing. Looks like that person's words are true!" Baohua's face grew troubled. Han Li furrowed his brow, quickly glancing at the spot where the head of the head-midge had been slain. Suddenly, he extended his hand and made a single, empty gesture. "Whoosh!" The seemingly empty space rippled, and a dark, black crystal orb, the size of a thumb, materialized out of nowhere. After a brief flash, it vanished into the palm of Han Li. "Huh? What is this?" Baohua was momentarily stunned. As she was about to say something more, the entire chasm suddenly underwent a complete upheaval, countless pale cracks appearing spontaneously and rapidly expanding in all directions, growing thicker and more pronounced at a visible pace. Baohua's expression turned pale. She raised her hand, bringing forth a crimson array disc, but as soon as the disc emitted a hum, an odd ripple swept over her hand. The disc, which had been spinning, suddenly dimmed and came to a complete halt. "It's no good." That person indeed had employed some means—now we cannot easily leave this place," Baohua said, her jade complexion darkening. "It's quite normal. Since he dares to make such a claim, he must have full confidence in being able to hold us here," Han Li replied calmly. Baohua huffed, and as she prepared to speak further, a hazy, misty glow suddenly surged around them, rolling out into a blurred light array that instantly enveloped both of them. Han Li and Baohua both felt a sharp sense of alertness, yet neither attempted to resist or dodge. Upon the light array's brief flash, their forms vanished completely, leaving no trace in the depths. At the same time, the entire chasm erupted in a thunderous roar, collapsing utterly. On the other side, when Han Li regained consciousness from the lingering sensation of teleportation, he found himself suddenly standing before a crimson altar several dozen feet tall. Beside him, Baohua stood close at hand, only just regaining her composure, her expression grave as she carefully surveyed the surroundings. On the altar stood a large, dark bronze bowl, surrounded by eight towering bronze pillars, each bearing a faintly glowing crimson ancient lamp. " This seems to be a rather mysterious ancient spell, remarkably similar to the ancient seal—almost as if it shares the same origin." After gazing at it for a while, Bao Hua murmured softly. " I didn't expect that the lower realm would have someone familiar with the Eight-Soul-Entrapping Array. Indeed, this array is closely related to the seal that bound the ancient mother of the locusts. To say it's a miniature version of that seal, scaled down by ten thousand times, would not be an exaggeration." The familiar male voice drifted gently from within. Han Li and Bao Hua both focused intently on the dark bowl on the altar. The voice clearly emanated from the bowl itself. " Your kind words are most generous. I merely served as guardian of the seal for a period of time, which is why I could immediately recognize the similarities. As for the deeper principles of array and spellcraft, however, I believe Han Daojun truly surpasses me." "Bao Hua managed a weak smile and replied. "Oh, your family has not forgotten the instructions I left back then. Indeed, over the years you've made consistent efforts to repair this seal—your efforts have certainly been commendable." The man said calmly. "Master, you're truly one of the two True Immortals who originally sealed Meng Mu!" Though Bao Hua had long suspected this, hearing the man confirm it himself made her momentarily speechless. "Heh, I never expected that my journey down to the mortal realm would take so long, and that I'd end up in such a state. Thanks to your assistance in eliminating the mother of the Mingsheng, you've truly contributed greatly. As a token of appreciation, I have something to offer—this should make up for your willingness to risk your life this time." With a light chuckle, the man suddenly lifted the lid of his bowl, from which a small object floated out. Bao Hua was delighted upon hearing this, reached out, and swiftly caught it in her hand, then took a moment to examine it carefully. It turned out to be a simple, pale yellow wooden hairpin. The surface was rough, even with several visible cracks! Yet, at the very instant her fingers made contact with the wooden hairpin, a cool energy surged from the point and swiftly entered her body, flowing through every meridian, instantly generating a warm, soothing sensation—every part of her felt perfectly comfortable. "This is the Golden-Yang Wood—thank you so much, elder!" After gazing at it for a moment, the young woman's eyes widened in astonishment. Suddenly, she bowed deeply to the bowl on the altar, her voice trembling slightly. "Though this Golden-Yang Wood isn't particularly rare in the immortal realm, it's perfectly suited to your current condition. With its nourishment, the hidden ailments within you should be completely healed. That's all the benefits I've taken—now, I'll escort you out." The man's voice from the black bowl remained calm, yet the last sentence unexpectedly made the young woman pause. But before she could react! The surface of the black bowl flashed with a luminous glow, and at the spot where the precious flower stood, a small array of light momentarily appeared, instantly transporting him away—his destination now unknown. Suddenly, the altar before him was left with only Han Li standing alone. Han Li slightly narrowed his eyes, yet his expression remained unchanged, silently gazing at the place where the black bowl now rested. "Your courage is indeed commendable," the man said with a light chuckle, asking Han Li, "wouldn't you be concerned that I might leave you here alone, to your detriment?" "If you truly intended to harm me, why would you have helped us defeat that insect mother? And why would you go to such lengths to move me to this very spot?" Han Li smiled gently and replied with calm assurance. "That's somewhat accurate, though not entirely precise. There is, however, one matter that you have correctly identified." Master indeed holds no ill will toward you. My appearance here to see you two was merely incidental—the primary reason is to meet you personally and to discuss a matter of some importance. I would like to ask you: have you practiced the secret technique known as the "Refinement of the Spirit"? After uttering these words, the man emitted a slight scoff, a phrase that sent a chill through Han Li's heart. "Master's awareness of this matter—did it stem from the words spoken by the young lady before the demise of the Míng Mother?" Han Li paused thoughtfully before responding. "You need not be overly suspicious! As soon as Fang Yi entered the palace, I detected your practice of the Refinement of the Spirit through the magical array here. Do you know what position I once held in the Immortal Realm? I was a subordinate inspector under the Overseer of the Imperial Patrol. As long as you have mastered the Refinement of the Spirit and come into contact with an inspector, the distinct fluctuations in your spiritual awareness will inevitably be noticed by someone trained in such specialized surveillance techniques," the man in the bowl said, speaking with calm ease. "Why have your inspectors from the Immortal Realm been so attentive to those who practice this art?" Hearing this, Han Li's face finally turned slightly serious. "You've not only mastered this Art of Spirit Refinement but have also reached the second stage without any harm. I truly don't know whether this is a great fortune for you—or a major disaster. Do you know that the Art of Spirit Refinement is one of the core forbidden arts officially recognized across all Immortal Realms? Though there may not be formal regulations, once any powerful faction's leaders learn of a cultivator practicing this art, they will certainly eliminate them—without compromise, and often with no chance of survival." The man inside the bowl spoke with a cold tone. "How could this be? Is there something wrong with the Art of Spirit Refinement?" Han Li's expression grew increasingly troubled, and after a moment, he took a deep breath and asked. "How could it be merely 'unfortunate'? Do you know how many Immortal Realms there are, large and small, across the Immortal Realm?" As for those obscure immortal realms located in remote corners of the Immortal Realm, barely known at all, there's no need to mention them. But among the countless immortal realms that have gained some recognition and are widely known—there are literally thousands. When the Art of Spirit Cultivation was first established some millions of years ago, its remarkable ability to enhance spiritual awareness drew countless practitioners. Yet, merely a few hundred thousand years later, only a handful of immortal beings still dare to practice this art, and even these are mostly ordinary, quietly hidden figures! The man sighed, speaking with a distinct tone of surprise. Han Li listened intently, his expression shifting repeatedly, but said nothing further. He was well aware that once the man had begun to speak on this matter, he would surely explain it thoroughly. Indeed, after a brief pause, the man continued: "This phenomenon has come about because—" Because those who practiced this art of refining the spirit eventually suffered from mental instability, ultimately perishing from uncontrollable heart demons that drove them mad. This madness completely stripped them of rationality, making them bloodthirsty and irreversible—nearly destroying half of the immortal realm. Thus, this technique became strictly forbidden among the immortals. Of course, many self-assured immortal beings, possessing exceptional aptitude, still persisted in secretly practicing it, drawn by its powerful early-stage benefits, hoping to avoid the fate of failure. Yet whenever our inspectors encountered them, they were promptly captured. Originally, its founder was a renowned figure among our immortals in the immortal realm. It would have been no easy task for others to perfect it. Indeed, according to this method of cultivating divine consciousness, several capable masters have since developed additional secret techniques that enhance divine awareness. While these techniques are safer than the original, their enhancement effects are vastly superior. As for whether anyone has truly mastered this secret art—may I clearly affirm to you: yes, and there are several such individuals. However, none of them achieved this without later gaining unique opportunities and extraordinary encounters; otherwise, their fates would not have differed much. The man spoke with a serious tone. "Therefore, in the immortal realm, if one by chance practices this technique, they either have to retreat to a remote, secluded place and remain hidden, or else abandon their divine awareness entirely," Han Li murmured, frowning.