As soon as he finished speaking, he didn't wait for the empty fishfolk to add a word—he simply opened his mouth and expelled the mountain-sea pearl. The moment the pearl took flight, it began spinning swiftly in the wind, and a vibrant streak of radiant light cascaded down from its surface. Wherever the light touched, the empty fishfolk in the lower rows vanished instantly, one after another. Within no more than a few breaths, the entire plaza had become completely empty, with not a single figure remaining. Han Li himself also disappeared suddenly, his form flickering and blurring as if caught in an odd ripple. In a vast, mysterious space, after a single flash, Han Li reappeared silently. Most of the space was composed of an intensely azure expanse of water, with four islands—three small and one large—arranged in the center. Han Li appeared directly above the large island, and upon glancing downward, he easily located the empty fishfolk who had been transported into this space. These fishfolk stood in amazement on a meadow, gazing all around in wonder, taking in the surroundings with fresh eyes. "This is the immortal realm within the Shān-Hǎi Zhū. You first build some houses and reside there temporarily. Once I return to my clan and find a suitable place for you, I will then release you." Han Li issued the command with an unyielding tone. "Yes, I shall certainly follow the master's instructions," the empty-fish chieftain replied, bowing respectfully to the sky and speaking without hesitation. The other members of the empty-fish people also quickly knelt and affirmed. "Heh, no need to be so formal. Go ahead and take care of yourselves." Han Li smiled slightly, shook his sleeve, and took a step forward, then smoothly stepped out of the space, leaving behind only a gentle ripple. The elder, now calm, finally suppressed a surge of excitement, stood up, and summoned the clan members to begin searching for suitable places to settle on the several islands. At the same time, in the outer world, Han Li reappeared in his true form and descended slowly. He chose a spot at random, settled himself cross-legged, and closed his eyes. He had already clearly sensed an invisible repelling force beginning to swirl around his body, creating an uncomfortable sensation. Time passed slowly. After an unknown duration, unusual fluctuations emerged above his head, accompanied by the rising of dense clusters of black clouds, each emitting a soft hum. At the spot where Han Li sat, the air twisted and blurred, making it momentarily difficult to see clearly. Suddenly, Han Li opened his eyes wide, moved his sleeve, and in a flash, a new object appeared in his hands—only to burst instantly. "Thunderclap!" A massive silver arc descended from the sky, and Han Li vanished in the midst of the electric flashes. At the summit of a particularly desolate stone mountain in the Spirit Realm, a deep rumbling echoed, and a white, hazy spatial rift burst open, from which a radiant orb of five hues shot out. The orb spun smoothly, instantly transforming into a colossal luminous array several dozen feet in size. At that very moment, thunder roared within the light array, and a surge of spatial disturbance emerged. Amidst countless streaks of electricity, a figure stumbled slightly before stepping fully into view. It was Han Li, having just returned from the Small Shouxiao Realm. A slight tremor in his shoulders allowed him to steady himself. Simultaneously, the spatial fissure above and the light array below vanished with a single, deep resonance. Everything on the mountain restored itself perfectly, as if nothing had happened—except for Han Li's presence. Han Li raised his head and surveyed the surroundings, frowning slightly. Then, with a sudden motion, he pressed his finger against his brow. A sharp "pffft!" sounded as a vast surge of divine awareness burst forth, spreading outward in a powerful, sweeping wave. "Good. Not too far from the original coordinates. It seems this journey has been a resounding success," Han Li exhaled deeply, and murmured to himself as he gently withdrew his finger. Yet he did not intend to leave immediately. Instead, after a brief thought, he found a clean stone on the mountain and settled upon it, remaining motionless. Within one of his sleeves, a divine artifact flickered intermittently between light and dark. Three full hours passed before a sound of breaking space echoed across the sky, and a streak of white light surged forth, flashing several times before arriving above the mountain peak. After a gentle spiral, the light faded, and Mo Jianli stepped into view. "Brother Han, you've safely returned. That's truly wonderful! I knew you wouldn't stray too far from this area." Mo Jianli exclaimed joyfully to the ground below. "Ha, that's quite natural. If the coordinates had been set too far afield, it might have been unnecessary effort altogether. Since Brother Mo has already come, let's go find the Spirit King. Should the Lightning-Thunder Seal be insufficient and taken by the two blood-burning disciples before we reach them, that would be unfortunate." Han smiled lightly, rising gracefully and responding calmly. "Your words are most accurate—indeed, we must remain vigilant. Let us hurry to Fuling Mountain." Mo Jianli's expression grew serious, his demeanor noticeably more solemn. Han Li nodded, then pressed a hand seal, and with a surge of light emanating from his body, transformed into a streak of azure light, spiraling once before shooting off in a determined direction. Mo Jianli, in turn, gave his shoulders a slight shake and swiftly took to the same light, following close behind. The two moved one after the other, vanishing from sight at the horizon in the wake of their rushing sounds. Not long after, they arrived near the sacred mountain where the Spirit King resided, and without hesitation, sped straight toward the summit. Suddenly, in the space ahead, a deep rumble echoed, and a series of wave-like restrictions rippled outward, followed by a cascade of colorful light that instantly blocked their path. Han Li furrowed his brow, then moved his fingers in his sleeve, preparing to forcefully break through these barriers. Yet, as he did, a man's voice suddenly emerged from within the shimmering light: "Greetings, both of you!" "Lord Ling has already instructed us to receive the two of you, and I have specially come to escort you here." As soon as the words were spoken, a beam of light parted, and a bald man stepped out, bowing respectfully to Han Li and Mo Jian. This was Ling Yin, the Saint Spirit of the Ling race. "It's you! Then, please go ahead." Han Li narrowed his eyes and promptly issued the command without hesitation. "Please, Master!" Ling Yin bowed slightly and then turned to walk ahead. Wherever he went, the various seals and barriers gradually faded and parted. Han Li and Mo Jian followed without delay. In just a cup of tea's time, they were led to the original hall. As soon as they stepped through the hall doors, they spotted two familiar figures seated on two chairs on one side of the hall. Blood-Ren and Black-Scale were conversing quietly. Upon seeing Han Li and Mo Jian enter, they paused mid-sentence, their gaze instantly sweeping over them. Mo Jian Li's pupils narrowed slightly, but then immediately yawned and laughed: "I thought we had arrived quite promptly. Unbeknownst to us, we still arrived much later than Blood Brother Hei Brother. How long have you two been here? Might it be that you've already settled matters with Ling Brother?" Mo Jianli chuckled and called out to Han Li, then settled down on the other side of the hall. Though Han Li remained silent throughout, his expression remained one of half-smiling, half-quiet. With his sharp mind, he immediately sensed the mutual caution and reserve displayed by the two. It seemed that the battle he had fought in the Small Shou Luo Realm several days ago had left a deep impression on them. "By the way, did either of you manage to locate that fierce beast in the Car Qi Zi's lair?" Han Li tilted his head slightly, asking the two across from him. "We did see it," replied Xue Ran, frowning slightly, "but the Car Qi Zi proved remarkably cunning—after only a single encounter, it abandoned the lair and vanished far away. It's a pity, though, that we couldn't stay in the Small Shou Luo Realm much longer. Even with its strength, we would have easily captured it had we had more time." "That truly is a loss," Han Li said, smiling warmly. Whether or not he truly believed their words remained unclear. The blood-red gaze flickered, as Li was about to ask Han Li a few questions, when suddenly a delighted, elderly voice echoed from outside the hall. "Ha ha! Finally, the esteemed friends have returned safely. I've been waiting for quite some time!" With a step, the elderly man in white robes materialized instantly outside, and strode briskly toward them. "Lord Ling, you've finally made it! The Shoulu Spider Crystal Core you requested—we've already secured it as agreed," said Hei Lin, beaming with joy and immediately rising to his feet. "Indeed? Then allow me to inspect it first," Lord Ling's face brightened momentarily, and he hurriedly replied. "Of course," Hei Lin chuckled heartily, flicking his wrist and tossing out a green circular ring without hesitation. Lord Ling extended his hand, catching the ring effortlessly, lifted the lid, and scanned it with his divine awareness. "Very good, very good... Indeed, this is a mature Kshara spider's crystal core. It contains a considerable amount of temporal energy—should be sufficient to extract a thread of time force." Not long after, the robed elder smiled with satisfaction. "Then, what my esteemed guest seeks..." At this moment, the black-scaled figure grew slightly nervous and asked. "Haha, don't worry, Black Friend. Take this." The elder chuckled, closed his hand around the circular object, and then flicked his sleeve toward the black-scaled one. A jade box sealed with several talismans shot out into the air. The black-scaled figure was delighted, opening his mouth to send a jet of black light that swiftly wrapped the box, then spiraled back to his position. Beside him, Xue Ran kept his eyes fixed tightly on Mo Jianli and Han Li, appearing somewhat tense.