"What does Brother Han mean by that?" The elder in white robes was momentarily startled, expressing his surprise. "If Brother Han does not intend to slight us, why limit himself to merely this single embodiment to pass us off as mere formality?" Han's expression remained unchanged. "An embodiment?" This time, Mo Jianli was taken aback. He quickly scanned the elder with his divine awareness, yet still sensed an aura so profound it was utterly imperceptible—no trace of anomaly evident—his face now shifting between expressions of growing uncertainty and displeasure. The elder in white robes displayed a touch of surprise, gazing at Han for a moment before offering a gentle smile. "Brother Han truly has keen eyes—your ability to discern this very embodiment at a glance is impressive. I must indeed express my admiration. However, if you believe I have slighted you for this, then I must truly feel unjustly treated. As for Mo Brother and Brother Han, you should have heard of my seclusion prior to your arrival. To be honest, this is no mere coincidence." Indeed, my sovereign body is currently in seclusion at some distant location, making it difficult to easily emerge and receive guests. Thus, I have had to dispatch this embodied form to serve as an intermediary. In fact, this is not only true for the two of you—my fellow Daoist friends, Blood-Ren and Black-Scale, whom I also intended to meet through this embodied form." The robed elder acknowledged this with calm composure. As Mo Jianli heard this, his expression shifted, and he opened his mouth to speak, yet suddenly a sharp exhalation rang out from outside the main gate, followed by a booming voice of a stranger: "Master Ling intends to receive us through merely an embodied form—this seems rather lacking in sincerity. Does it mean your sovereign body is undergoing the life-and-death seclusion? Otherwise, with the dignity of our companions, wouldn't your sovereign body be worthy of making an appearance at least once?" As soon as the words were spoken, a ripple passed through the gate's outer area, and two figures of rough, dark complexion, with similar facial features and a subtle layer of keratinous scales covering half their bodies, stepped in suddenly. These two—one radiates a powerful surge of yang energy, forming a shimmering crimson light aura that envelops his entire body—while the other exudes a cold, somber energy, with faint clusters of pale black energy swirling irregularly over his surface, creating countless subtle vortices that continuously draw in the surrounding celestial and elemental qi. From a distance, their presence appears truly strange. "Indeed, Blood-Burn and Black-Scaled, esteemed friends, have arrived. I was unable to come out to welcome you personally, and thus apologize for my oversight. Though I am not currently in a state of life-and-death seclusion, this particular period of retreat is of utmost importance; should I emerge now, all my efforts would be rendered in vain. I kindly ask for your indulgence." The white-robed elder, facing the two new, powerful beings from the distant lands, brightened his eyes slightly, yet maintained a warm, courteous tone in his words. "Hmph. Had it not been for this transaction..." The dark-skinned man narrowed his eyes, about to voice some criticism, when the other man swiftly interrupted him. "Never mind, Black Brother." I came this time not to chat or build friendships—what difference does it make if they're not the same as our true selves? As long as they can produce that item, we'll settle for business. Let's get down to business. By the way, Ling brother, who are these two guests? You never mentioned them before, and yet this transaction has brought in others as well. When the latter black-skinned man spoke the last two sentences, his gaze coldly swept over Han Li and Mo Jianli. Mo Jianli, with his stage of Great Perfection, felt his skin grow cold at the mere contact of that gaze, his face subtly changing color. Clearly, the other party had mastered a divine awareness technique capable of posing a threat even to Great Perfection-level beings—otherwise, such a simple glance would not have produced such a profound effect. As for Han Li, after exchanging glances with the other, his pupils slightly contracted, yet he showed no other signs of disturbance. Upon seeing Han Li's composed demeanor, the two black-skinned men were momentarily startled, exchanging glances, and their initial disdain softened slightly. "Your Majesty's remark seems to misunderstand the matter. To begin with, the first person I sought for a trade was not either of you, but Master Shi Xin. Though Master Shi Xin has now fallen, both Master Mo and Master Han have brought his original tokens here. How could I possibly refuse? Fortunately, I possess more than just one such item—there is enough for all of you to share. As for whether each of you can present exactly what I seek, that remains to be seen!" The elder in white robes spoke calmly. "Master Ling, our two brothers are determined to obtain the Lei Xiao Seal. Upon hearing of your intention to trade it, we immediately came here and nearly emptied the entire treasure vault of this island. Whatever you wish for, please name it. As long as we have it, we will not hesitate to offer generously." Master Xue Ran said solemnly. "Master Mo and Master Han are equally eager." "As long as Master Ling says the word, I would be willing to sacrifice everything to obtain this Sanqing Lei Xiao Seal," Mo Jianli said, clearing his throat and speaking with earnest sincerity. Han Li and Mo Jian could no longer press for further details, and thus settled themselves in silence, waiting patiently. Only after the two blood-bodied cultivators had each sipped from their cups of spiritual tea twice and set the cups down did the white-robed elder speak again: "Though I already know that all four of you have come specifically for the Three-Pure Thunder Sky Seals, before finalizing this transaction, I would like to formally inquire once more: in my possession, besides these several Thunder Sky Seals, there are also some materials and treasures that are exceptionally rare across all circles. Would you kindly take a moment to review the list of these items before deciding what you wish to trade? Otherwise, once the final agreement is reached with me, the terms will no longer be negotiable." "Thank you, but our journey so far has been made specifically to secure the Thunder Sky Seals. As for the other treasures—no matter how precious—they will be of little use to us if they cannot help us survive our next celestial calamity. We have no need for them." Blood Yan replied promptly, his blood glow subtly trembling. The black-scaled figure beside him, bearing a striking resemblance, sneered slightly and seemed clearly unimpressed by the question. "I shall say the same, Friend Han! What about your thoughts, Friend Han?" Mo Jianli took a deep breath and spoke in exactly the same tone. "I find the items Master Ling Wang has brought forth quite intriguing." Unlike the others, Han smiled gently and replied in a vague, open-ended manner. "Then, if Friend Han is interested, let us first take a look at the catalog." The elder did not wish to elaborate further; upon hearing Han's response, he merely shook his sleeve, and a streak of emerald light shot forth. Han extended his hand and gently drew the light in, causing it to settle into a jade tablet of jade-green color in his palm. He then held the tablet steadily and pressed it firmly against his forehead, instantly sending a thread of spiritual awareness into the tablet. The attention of the others immediately turned to him. After a brief moment, Han's expression subtly shifted, before he vanished suddenly. A moment later, he sighed softly, finally removing the jade scroll from his forehead and tossing it back with a flick of his wrist. "Is it possible," the white-robed elder asked, his voice calm and composed, "that none of my items are of interest to you?" A flash of white light before him instantly drew the emerald jade scroll into the air, where it settled without a trace of movement. "All the items listed in your catalog are exceptionally rare treasures—some of the materials, in fact, are so rare that even across other realms, they would be difficult to find. Unfortunately, none of these suit my needs particularly well. The Three Pure Thunder Sky Seal scrolls, on the other hand, are far more appealing to me." After a brief pause, Han Li spoke with genuine sincerity. "It's truly a pity. I have always held the Thunder Sky Seal scrolls in high regard and had hoped to find suitable alternatives. It seems, however, that this hope may now be dashed." The white-robed elder remained unsurprised, his expression steady and composed. "Very well. Since none of us four have changed our minds, Ling, please proceed with the details of your transaction." Given your appearance, the items you wish to exchange for must be quite extraordinary." Black Scale grew increasingly impatient. "Heh, the value of these Three Pure Thunder Sky Symbols—how much they're worth—I needn't explain, the urgent Daoist surely knows well. My intention is to present them for exchange, and the items I seek will naturally be of comparable value. Yet this particular item, I'm certain none of you possess—otherwise, when I first extended the invitation, I would have clearly stated it." The white-robed elder glanced at Black Scale, his expression slightly unusual. "Hmph. Your letter didn't directly specify what you wish to exchange for, instead subtly hinting that we are to undertake some exceptionally perilous task in return for these Thunder Sky Symbols. Yet don't underestimate our status as senior Daoists of the sea realm. The abundance of rare resources deep beneath the ocean far exceeds what even the more remote clans can imagine. Back in ancient times, when our brothers explored the underwater palaces beneath the sea, they discovered no fewer than seven or eight such treasures. Some of these treasures, in actual value, surpass even the Lei Xiao Fu. If I were to present them now, I believe they would surely persuade Ling Brother to reconsider his decision." Blood Ran hummed, speaking with a tone of confidence. "As for me, during my own cultivation journey, I've had several extraordinary opportunities. I'm certain I possess items of equal or greater value than the Lei Xiao Fu. Otherwise, I wouldn't have made this personal journey." Mo Jianli's eyes flashed with a subtle expression of surprise, and he spoke with a touch of self-assurance. Han Li remained calm and silent, smiling gently. "I don't need to examine the treasures each of you has brought. I am confident that their value indeed does not fall short of my own Lei Xiao Fu. Yet, just as you all faced heavenly calamities and had to rely on the Lei Xiao Fu to save yourselves, the tasks I require from each of you are equally tied to Ling Brother's own life and survival. Beyond that, I will not exchange my Lei Xiao Fu for any other treasure." The elderly man in white robes spoke directly and efficiently.