"Who knows? Perhaps he had already planned it all—had a precise coordinate for the lost realm in mind—perhaps it was merely an unexpected accident that accidentally carried him there. Still, back then, when this traitor managed to escape our Nine-Element Monastery's pursuit so easily while carrying the treasures, it clearly wasn't a mere coincidence. Otherwise, no matter how brave he was, he would never have dared to defect. "The black-faced Daoist seemed to have something on his mind, speaking with deliberate emphasis. "There's no need to speculate further. Most likely, the person behind this is one of the few who personally intervened to block your master's path." The woman sneered. The black-faced Daoist nodded, clearly agreeing. "Well, matters of that magnitude involving your master are beyond our reach. What I'm truly curious about is—should there be a way to transport someone to the lost realm, which disciple would the monastery send down there? Li Shenzhi, do you have any interest in such a mission?" The purple-robed woman suddenly asked with a light laugh. "You're jesting!" How could the junior disciple's current cultivation be sufficient for such a crucial task? Nevertheless, it's unlikely that the more inexperienced brothers and sisters would be capable of handling it. The traitor, indeed, possesses no ordinary cultivation—he was among the top-ranked peers within the observatory before, and now appears to be struggling even to secure his own safety in the lower realms. Yet, we cannot rule out the possibility that he is deliberately playing a long game. Moreover, if he truly is subdued in the lower realm, that would not be a favorable development. It would indicate the presence of exceptionally powerful beings in that realm. Ordinary disciples, especially those lacking in strategic acumen and cultivation depth, might not be able to command such strong opponents and successfully accomplish the mission. The black-faced Daoist shook his head vigorously. "Ah, so it seems we must select someone among the disciples who frequently travel beyond the observatory. I believe both Master Zhù and Master Wú are among the outstanding candidates—wouldn't that make them strong contenders?" the purple-robed woman said, speaking with a smile that held both warmth and reserve. "May I suggest that Master Xue and Brother Wu are both steady and capable—indeed, excellent choices. Yet, compared to the other candidate, they still fall short a little." The dark-faced Taoist glanced at the others, his tone carrying a distinct nuance. "The other one—you mean?" the purple-robed woman blinked in surprise. "Master Xue hasn't heard yet, has she? Brother Ma has already broken through the barrier and emerged from seclusion." The dark-faced Taoist spoke slowly. "What? Brother Ma has completed his penance? I've received absolutely no word at all." The purple-robed woman's smile vanished completely. "My nephew learned of this only a few days ago, from a fellow disciple he encountered outside. In fact, only a few people are now aware of this development. Given Brother Ma's cultivation and abilities, he is very likely to have been assigned this crucial task by the senior masters." The dark-faced Taoist said gravely. "Hmph. That's not certain. Though Brother Ma is strong, he tends to be overly passionate in his temperament." Back then, merely to refine a single treasure, the sect had sacrificed the lives of hundreds of millions of beings from a small kingdom below the heavens—undoubtedly causing immense trouble for us. Had it not been for your master’s compassion, his recognition of the young talent, and his repeated great services to the sect, we would never have settled the matter with just a century of silent meditation. Indeed, if we were to send such a case to a forgotten realm where no one else could intervene, we might well provoke even greater upheaval. The nun in purple robes spoke coldly. "Your words are well taken. Yet you must not forget that the object held by the traitor is of paramount importance to both our sect and your master. To secure its return, even the senior elders might well dispatch forces to capture that traitor and bring him back from below." The dark-faced Daoist chuckled. "Given their nature, such a course of action is quite plausible. Should Master Ma Liang descend, though his cultivation and magical power would inevitably be constrained, his methods would surely ensure the recovery of the object—without a doubt. Well then, this matter is not one we need to personally intervene in." You are but a humble steward disciple, and I am merely a titular master of the palace. Nevertheless, no matter which envoy we send from the Underworld, it will likely require your senior's personal approval. At that point, things might well change again. But should you obtain accurate news about the traitor's specific realm, don't forget to inform the palace. That's what the lady in purple thoughtfully said. "Yes, I will do my best," the bald Taoist respectfully replied. "Is there anything else? If not, I shall retire now." The lady in purple asked neutrally. "Today's purpose has been to inform you of this matter, and there is nothing further. I shall now retire," the bald Taoist said, rising immediately and bowing. The lady in purple merely nodded, as though completely losing interest in speaking. After bowing, the bald Taoist turned and walked toward the main gate. At the very instant his feet had just stepped out of the gate, the space rippled, and he vanished mid-air. The next moment, the black-faced Daoist felt a sudden brightening before him, reappearing on the grassy ground. The trees and flowers around remained unchanged, yet behind him, the area was completely empty—no trace of the palace or the purple-robed woman remained. The black-faced Daoist glanced back once, then without hesitation lifted his leg and walked back along the path he had come. A short while later, a deep dragon's roar echoed before the grand hall of Jin Han Immortal Palace, and a blue ice dragon soared into the sky, flashing several times before vanishing into the mountain peaks behind. At the same time, within the mysterious hall, the purple-robed woman remained seated, composed. After a while, she spoke with a cold smile: "Lost interface, Ma Liang. Hah, that's quite good indeed." As she spoke, her voice gradually faded into silence. Then, as a shimmer of light rolled over her body, her form blurred and dissolved completely. ...In the spiritual realm, within a sealed sanctuary of Fuling Mountain. The senior cultivator in white robes, Han Li, Mo Jianli, and Xue Ran—along with other Great Stage beings—stood before a massive array. This array spanned nearly an acre, its entire surface adorned with golden and silver spiritual patterns, and at every corner, it was embedded with dense clusters of various top-tier crystal stones—numbering no less than a hundred. Further back, eight combined-stage spiritual beings, led by a bald man, stood respectfully in attendance. Most of the group silently observed the array, their eyes fixed upon it, while only the senior cultivator in white robes raised his head toward the sky, one hand supporting a disc-shaped artifact and the other continuously manipulating his fingers as if calculating something. "The time is nearly ripe. If we depart now, the timing will be perfect," he said, his expression brightening as he paused his gestures. "Very well," Mo Jianli replied, his spirit energized, and he stepped forward briskly toward the array. Han Li smiled slightly and followed suit. But after gazing deeply at the two of them, the white-robed elder spoke in a tone of gentle reminder: "The spatial coordinates have been set by each of you. As long as you break the Shōrō Heart at the appointed time, you may return to the Spiritual Realm on your own. However, I would like to remind you all not to wait until the Shōrō Heart's energy is completely depleted before taking action. Should the Heart's energy be entirely gone, you might be left permanently in the Small Shōrō Realm." "Brother, don't worry. I have a great purpose for the thread of time, and I certainly won't break my word." Upon hearing this, the robed elder did not grow angry but calmly replied. "That's all I need from you," said Xue Ran, who beamed with satisfaction. With a slight shake of his shoulders, he appeared beside Han Li and Mo Jianli. The robed elder then raised his hand, tossing the jade disk into the air. A beam of white light burst forth, flashed briefly, and then vanished into the spell array. Immediately, the massive array began to hum loudly, waves of shimmering gold and silver light cascaded out, and countless runes surged forth from the crystals. A thunderous roar! In an instant, Han Li and the others were gone, their forms vanished within the array. The robed elder kept his gaze fixed on the center of the array without blinking, only exhaling a true breath of relief once the crowd had truly vanished. Yet, after a moment's thought, he turned and issued a command to the eight Saint Spirits of the Ling race: "Listen carefully, all of you—starting now, take turns guarding this array. Should there be any anomaly at all, send an immediate report to me." "Yes, Your Majesty, the King of the Ling!" The eight Ling Spirits at the Consolidation stage responded in unison. And beneath the closed lids, the two holy spirits gradually calmed their breaths, truly entering a state of deep meditation. ...Han Li shook his head, and only then did he feel the weight pressing on his skull ease slightly. This discomfort from the transmission—he had not experienced it in a long time. Of course, this was because this transmission was truly rare—a true cross-boundary one. Even with his formidable strength, he could not have expected it to be entirely seamless. Once Han Li fully regained his awareness, he naturally lifted his gaze to survey the surroundings. What he saw was a dense array of white trees, each as thick as a large bowl, interwoven with various low shrubs and wild grasses on the ground, yet their leaves were somewhat yellowed and withered, giving the scene a somewhat desolate atmosphere. Yet the traces of Mo Jianli and Xue Ran were nowhere to be found. Han Li's expression remained unchanged. This situation—he and Mo Jianli had anticipated it well in advance, and had already made corresponding arrangements. He immediately lifted his head and gazed toward the sky, whereupon his face slightly flushed with concern.