"The third stage of refining the spirit! To achieve this level is far from easy. When I was cultivating the second stage, I had already exhausted every possible method. In the short term, it's unlikely I could make further progress!" Han Li replied, somewhat puzzled. "I witnessed your battle against the Mother of the Midge, whose true form, through my array of spells. Your physical strength is no less than that of the true immortals. Simply on that basis, combined with my guidance, achieving the third stage of refining the spirit is not as difficult as you might have imagined. Though I myself never cultivated this technique before, as a巡察 envoy, I have naturally encountered several practitioners of this restricted art. Gaining insights from their experiences was a straightforward matter." The man spoke with confidence. "Senior, this truly leaves me at a loss. Since cultivating this technique comes with endless complications, I now find myself needing to carefully reconsider whether to advance further into the next stage." Otherwise, even if I were to ascend to the immortal realm, wouldn't I still end up being universally criticized and driven out?" Han Li hesitated, then smiled bitterly. "I understand your doubts regarding my words—you still haven't fully trusted me. That's quite all right. With your current cultivation level, even if you cease further refining your spiritual essence technique, you will eventually discover the irregularities within your spiritual awareness sea—within a few hundred years, perhaps even over a thousand. By then, you will naturally come back to me. As for now, considering your plans after ascending to the immortal realm, don't you find that you're thinking too early? Why not first focus on how to escape the danger of falling and whether you can truly rely on this technique to ascend to the immortal realm—those are more practical concerns." The man spoke calmly, without pressing Han Li. "Thank you, elder, for your understanding. This matter is deeply connected to my future cultivation journey, so I must be cautious. I need some time to carefully consider this matter and will provide you with a prompt reply. However, I still have one more question for you." Han Li's face clouded and cleared several times before he finally exhaled softly and said, "Oh, what else would you like to know?" The man did not seem surprised by Han Li's response, simply asking calmly, "What would you like to know?" "Actually, I'd like to know what the Immortal Realm looks like," Han Li said, his gaze flickering slightly. "Ah, the Immortal Realm, yes. Right now, it's still a bit premature for you. If you truly wish to know, I'll share some specific details only when you're about to face your Dao Ascension Trial. But for now, all I can tell you is the word 'broad.' Once you arrive in the Immortal Realm, you'll realize just how vast each of the Immortal Realms is. Even a single immortal, no matter how dedicated, would never be able to explore even the most modest one. So, even if your friend has mastered the Art of Refining the Spirit, unless they visit the major cities of their respective Immortal Realm, they'll hardly encounter us—these inspectors. Generally speaking, they'll be quite safe." The man replied quietly. "With your words, I now feel even more inclined to visit the Immortal Realm." Hearing this, Han Li smiled slightly. "The resources for cultivation and the various treasures of the heavenly and earthly origins in the Immortal Realm naturally far surpass those of the lower realms. Otherwise, why would I have tirelessly sought a way to return? Well, since you don't intend to immediately accept my trade proposal, I won't keep you any longer. I have here a gift that will prove quite useful to you at this very moment—take it as your compensation for the defeat of the Mother of the Midge. Hehe, I have never been one to owe anyone a favor in my life." As soon as he finished speaking, a shimmering white light burst forth, and a luminous bowl flew out. Han Li swiftly scanned the scene with his divine awareness, his expression subtly shifting. With a single hand gesture, he reached out and caught the light in his palm—revealing a translucent jade slab no thicker than a sheet of paper. On its surface, intricate patterns of silver and gold characters were etched, familiar indeed. These were precisely the true scripts of the Immortal Realm—the Silver Kōtō and Golden Zhuàn scripts. "This is the divine seal I brought down from the Immortal Realm back then, containing a drop of Ziyun Essence—extremely rare even in the Immortal Realm. It should be sufficient to compensate for the foundational energy you lost when you first ignited the Root Flame." The man spoke with no trace of emotion. Han Li, sensing the distinct divine qi emanating from the jade tablet—unlike ordinary spiritual energy—felt greatly relieved. He promptly closed his fingers around the object and quickly bowed several times in gratitude. "You may now leave. Should you ever decide to continue practicing the 'Refining the Spirit' technique, come back to see me then." As soon as the man finished speaking, Han Li's gray-white light array flashed, and he was instantly transported away. "Already mastered this secret technique and yet still wish to abandon it? How extraordinary is that! Given his current condition, I only need to rest for a while. When I awaken, I should be able to see him again." The man's voice, once silent, finally murmured softly after a brief pause. Then, the entire altar shook violently, and the eight bronze pillars nearby roared loudly before suddenly transforming into a colossal magical array beneath the entire stone forest. A flash of light, and both the stone forest and the bronze pillars of the altar seemed to vanish as if they had become mere shadows, leaving the ground once again completely empty. ...One year later, atop a towering peak not too far from the edge of the Primordial Demon Land, a young man dressed in black robes sat meditating on a massive stone, his eyes gently closed. After an unknown length of time, the young man suddenly frowned, opened his eyes wide, and a subtle purple glow began to shimmer faintly within his pupils. "How he came here...," he murmured, his expression slightly shifting, as if subtly uneasy. A moment later, a sharp sound pierced the sky, and a brilliant streak of jade-green light surged forth, boldly cutting through the air. After a few blurred moments, it suddenly arrived, strangely, directly above the towering peak. "Fei Yun Valley—that's where the Six Extremes have been temporarily recovering from injuries! So it seems the Baohua has truly decided to strike, aiming to reclaim the Primordial Sovereign title. Probably, someone on the Nianpan side has also been engaged to hold them back. Among the senior cultivators from outside, aside from you, only the Copper Crow Elder is likely to be able to hold Nianpan effectively. I'm still wondering what benefits Baohua has offered you, to make you willingly serve under her." Yuan Yan's expression was slightly reserved, yet surprisingly, rather than showing anger, he remained calm and composed, pausing thoughtfully before asking with quiet composure. "As for who is handling matters on the Nianpan side—I haven't asked yet, but it's almost certainly the Copper Crow Elder. As for the benefits, I naturally have received some as well; otherwise, how could I have willingly faced off against a Primordial Sovereign?" Han Li replied calmly and unhurriedly. "Hmph. From what I've heard, although several cultivators jointly participated in defeating the mother of that monstrous insect, it was you who contributed the most effort." It seems, after attaining the advanced stage of the Great Vehicle, you have finally become someone who can stand alongside us on equal footing. Yet, do you truly believe that if I were to depart, you could prevent me from going?" Yuan Yan's eyes flashed with purple light, yet his voice grew steadily colder and sharper. "The slaying of that Great Moth Mother was the result of a joint effort by many. Though I contributed somewhat, I cannot claim full credit for it myself. As for your belief that, after my intervention, you can still be confident in departing unharmed—by all means, test it." Facing this, Han Li merely offered a calm, composed response. Upon hearing Han Li's words, Yuan Yan's expression grew somewhat displeased, yet a subtle hesitation and uncertainty lingered in his gaze. After a full cup of tea's worth of thoughtful contemplation, Yuan Yan finally sighed softly and said, "Regardless of how one looks at it, my successful escape from the seal this time was largely due to the timely reinforcements provided by Bao Hua. Considering this favor, I shall allow her to act without interference this time." Should it succeed, I shall acknowledge its re-establishment as a Primordial. Should it fail, I shall never grant it a second chance—after all, the three Primordials of the Sacred Realm have always stood together. "Your decision is most fortunate. Should Yuan Dao-ji not mind, perhaps we might take this opportunity to exchange a few insights on our cultivation journeys?" Upon hearing this, Han Li naturally felt at ease and smiled warmly. "I am also quite interested in how, following your advancement, your power has surged so dramatically. It would be a pleasure to share some thoughts with you!" Yuan Yan only paused briefly before readily agreeing. Han Li, not at all hesitant, raised his hand and pointed slightly downward. Instantly, another massive stone on the mountain surface rose into the air, shifted position, and landed not far from Yuan Yan's opposite side. Seeing this, Han Li's body shimmered with a radiant glow, and he descended gracefully from the height. ...Far beyond, atop an island of a vast lake, the Elder of Copper Crow floated motionless in the air. ...Facing him, a handsome young man clad in a translucent, shimmering armor observed the elder with a cold demeanor, a subtle displeasure etched upon his face. ...Within a valley lush with emerald bamboo, a boundless sea of white mist suddenly emerged, completely enveloping the entire valley. At the heart of the mist, continuous thunderous roars and explosive crashes reverberated, as the white fog surged and swirled, and faintly, countless ethereal images of pink petals drifted and spun in constant, undulating motion.