A figure suddenly shook his sleeve. A sharp "thud" echoed, and the luminous array vanished into countless golden and silver characters, revealing the figure's true form. To his surprise, a young man in a long black robe, with both hands behind his back. His skin was unusually pale, and against the contrasting black and white of his attire, he appeared thin and frail, almost ill. After glancing at the dark void, he seemed to realize his surroundings, furrowed his brows slightly, and immediately pointed his finger toward the sky. A series of sharp "shush" sounds followed as several silver characters shot upward, blurred slightly, and then disappeared into the void. At that moment, a deep rumbling surged around him, as if the earth and stones had come to life, rushing violently to either side and forming an astonishingly long, towering canyon that stretched all the way to the surface. The young man raised his head and caught a glimpse of faint streaks of white light filtering down. Only then did he smile contentedly. He made no visible movement, yet with a single roll of the霞light scroll, the young man was lifted and soared steadily toward the summit. A moment later, a flash of silver light, and he burst through the earth, appearing at an altitude of a thousand zhang above the ground, then paused, his form settling firmly. He glanced around and immediately took in the surroundings. To his surprise, the scene was a desolate expanse of black mud and stone—beyond a few short, low wild grasses barely rising a few inches above the ground, there were no traces of mountains or trees. The entire area was utterly silent, with not even a single insect sound, as though it were a place of stillness and death. Yet the young man showed no astonishment. After a brief pause, he simply pressed a hand seal. Instantly, a celestial chant resonated in the sky, and points of luminous energy began to gather, eventually coalescing into a fierce beast, over a hundred zhang long. This formidable beast has a lion's head and a deer's body, its upper half blazing with surging streams of blood flame, while its lower half gleams with silver radiance, and around its feet, vibrant, shifting hues of霞 light swirl incessantly—making it impossible to discern the true nature of its original spirit creature. Yet at that moment, the young man suddenly paled, emitting a deep, resonant sound from his mouth. Instantly, the massive form of the beast began to dissipate, unable to cohere any further, and dissolved into a faint, indistinct silhouette. "Hmph! My spiritual power has been suppressed to such an extent! This journey down to the mortal realm truly isn't going well. It's no wonder the temple sent me on this mission." He grunted, murmuring softly. "Besides, this is a good development. It means those elders can no longer intervene in my every move. Hehe—my precious artifact still needs a bit more refinement before it's fully matured. Perfect! I'll simply re-sacrifice a few more blood offerings. Though the mortal realm's inhabitants generally have less refined vital energy, with enough numbers, this deficiency will be compensated. As for that trait "Until this matter is settled, those elders may express their displeasure with my actions, but they can only endure it, holding their noses." The young man narrowed his eyes, then suddenly let out a cold, chilling laugh. He then flipped his hand, revealing a gleaming cylindrical vessel filled with bamboo skewers that shimmered with a vibrant, jade-green hue. These skewers were adorned with countless intricate silver patterns and surrounded by ever-shifting, colorful radiance—clearly no ordinary treasure. Raising the cylinder high above, the young man began chanting softly. "Boom!" The cylinder burst into a radiant sphere of golden light, which then spun smoothly, forming a vast, ethereal image of the Bagua. "Now," he paused, then issued a low command, extending one finger toward the heavens. A sharp crack of air followed, and a surge of jade-green light shot forth from the Bagua image, racing toward a specific direction. "Excellent," he said. "That direction pulses with the strongest life energy. We shall begin our efforts there." The young man's face darkened momentarily, then his sleeve fluttered, transforming into a streak of golden light that surged forward. The spectral image of the lion-headed, deer-bodied monster also erupted into a surge of blood-orange flame, flying out after the golden streak, never straying more than a step from its path. "...This is the true form of the Mountain and Sea Pearl!" Han Li gazed at the now completely transformed orb in his hands, a touch of astonishment evident. The once pale blue crystal had shrunk considerably, now only about the size of a broad bean. Yet the surface of the column had become remarkably smooth, its hue shifting into a vibrant blend of five colors, with a delicate strand of milky vapor gently swirling around it—truly extraordinary. "Indeed, Master. All traces within the pearl have been completely erased. The protective veil left by our ancestors throughout generations has likewise vanished. Now, Master may proceed with full confidence to refine and absorb this treasure." The elder of the Kongyu clan spoke respectfully, though a faint pallor lingered on his face. Clearly, he had also expended a significant portion of his internal essence to achieve this appearance. "Very well. Go and have your people pack up their belongings. Once I've fully absorbed this pearl, I'll immediately take you all away from this small Shraman realm." After glancing back at the pearl in his hand, Han Li promptly said to the elder without hesitation. "Thank you so much for your great kindness, Senior. I'll immediately dispatch my people. By the way, Senior, you'll certainly need a quiet place to absorb this pearl—how about my usual meditation chamber?" The elder, upon hearing this, responded with great enthusiasm. "Agreed. Then you lead the way." Han Li showed no reluctance, simply nodding. Not long afterward, under the elder's personal guidance, Han Li arrived at the base of a triangular building, where a tightly closed jade stone gate stood before him. "Senior, please enter," the elder pushed the gate open and immediately stepped aside to one side. Han Li stepped inside. As he surveyed the room, a slight expression of surprise flickered across his face. To the elder's usual meditation chamber, besides some common furnishings, there stood a row of black wooden shelves, each bearing bamboo scrolls, jade boxes, and various jars and vessels, and a red incense furnace several feet high. "Have you any knowledge of alchemical techniques?" Han Li pondered a moment before asking the elder. "Reported to the elder, I myself am not well-versed in alchemy. This furnace belongs to my granddaughter. She shows genuine talent in alchemy. However, due to the limited variety of medicinal herbs available in this realm, she can only produce a few types of elixirs." The elder bowed respectfully, quickly explaining, yet his tone carried a subtle pride in his granddaughter's accomplishments. "Ah, if she truly possesses talent in alchemy, then upon returning, I shall certainly take her under my wing." Han Li smiled lightly. "Should she receive such guidance from the elder, it would indeed be her greatest fortune." The elder was naturally overjoyed. "Then, go ahead and step out." All other matters could wait until after he left this realm. I shall focus on refining the Shanshui Pearl." Han Li waved his hand, remaining unconcerned. The elder naturally did not hesitate, bowed respectfully, and then withdrew from the chamber. With a swift motion, Han Li flung his sleeve toward the door. Instantly, a flash of霞light illuminated the stone door, which then creaked shut on its own, while countless runes flashed across its surface and were instantly inscribed, forming a complete seal. Only then did Han Li sit down on a mat placed in the center of the chamber, flipping his hand to retrieve a yellow jade scroll. This scroll detailed a specific ritual for refining treasures, personally presented by the elder not long ago. He pressed the scroll against his forehead, and a stream of divine awareness swept through it. Han Li's expression subtly changed. Indeed, this method of refining treasures differed from what he had previously learned—clearly, it had been specially devised by the ancestors of the Kongyu clan for the Shanshui Pearl. Yet, with his level of cultivation, merely silently reviewing this secret technique several times, he soon grasped it thoroughly. Immediately, he retrieved the jade scroll, then with a swift movement of his sleeve, produced the Mountain-Sea Pearl. An invisible force surged forth, suspending the round pearl in midair. Han Li fixed his gaze on the object with sharp, flashing eyes, took a deep breath, and suddenly opened his mouth, sending several clusters of refined qi toward the pearl. As he pressed his palms together in a series of gestures, a golden glow flashed behind him, revealing a Buddha-like form with three heads and six arms. At the same time, a dark light appeared across his brow, and his third eye slowly opened. A loud rushing sound erupted. Crystalline filaments formed from his consciousness shot forth in dense streams from his eyes. The entire chamber trembled with waves of vibrations, and a low hum could be faintly heard emanating from the pearl itself. It wasn't until two full days and two nights later—when even the empty-fish chief stationed outside had begun to show signs of growing impatience—that the stone door finally opened once more, slowly and gradually. Han Li stepped out with a sense of weariness. "Master, have you already—?" The elder immediately rushed forward with great joy, his voice tinged with a touch of nervous anticipation. "Rest assured, I've successfully refined the Mountain-Sea Pearl. Summon the clan members now. But hurry—my senses have already detected the resistance of this realm. I don't think I can remain here much longer." Han Li spoke calmly. "Excellent! I'll immediately proceed with the arrangements," the elder exclaimed, overjoyed, and with a respectful bow, swiftly took off on his flight of light. Only then did Han Li offer a gentle smile and slowly rise, drifting upward. After one incense-burner's time, hundreds of members of the Kongyu clan had gathered at the original plaza, all standing straight and motionless, completely silent and animated with excitement. The elder stood at the forefront of all the others, but as soon as Han Liangfa emerged from the building, he suddenly became solemn, bowing respectfully first and speaking with deep reverence: "Thank you, Master, for your great kindness! Our clan of five hundred and twelve members hereby swear by our blood—starting today, we shall serve you faithfully, generation after generation, never to waver. Should we break this vow, our clan shall be condemned by heaven, our ancestral vitality severed, and the Empty Fish Clan shall vanish from the world." Seemingly influenced by the power of the vow, a blood-colored rune, roughly the size of an acre, briefly emerged in the sky, only to vanish with a strange flicker. "Rise up. The fact that you've sacrificed the entire clan's blood to bind this vow proves their sincerity. After I take you under my protection, I shall show no discrimination and treat you as full members of my family." Han Li materialized suddenly above the gathered group, then gently sighed as he glanced downward.