"Yet, Master Elder, the Chirong clan is so powerful. If this situation continues, though our Tianpeng clan may not vanish entirely, it will surely become profoundly weakened. I beg you most earnestly to show mercy and uphold justice for the Tianpeng clan." Upon hearing this, Jin Yue's face turned pale, and she quickly knelt again, pleading with renewed urgency. The invisible immense force pressing upon Jin Yue suddenly dissolved, like a fresh snowfall in early spring, under the disturbance of another wave of energy. Jin Yue was startled, lifting her head in astonishment to gaze at Han Li. "Ah, since Han brother has interceded, this is surely a matter of little consequence. Jin Yue, don't hesitate—thank Han Daoist most sincerely for his advocacy." Facing Han Li's intervention, Yue Long showed no displeasure at all, instead smiling warmly and readily agreeing. "It's you!" At that moment, Jin Yue finally recognized Han Li from the familiar voice, her expression brightening with delight upon seeing Yue Long treat Han Li with such respect and courtesy. "What do you mean 'you'? This is Han Daoist of the Human race—his cultivation prowess even surpasses mine!" Yue Long's face darkened, his voice low and commanding, though not angry. "Han Daoist—Han Elder, forgive me. I merely found myself momentarily at a loss when seeing you again, so I became a little unsteady." "Jin Yue only managed to suppress the thunderous shock surging through her heart, and hurriedly bowed deeply to Han Li, offering him a formal obeisance. Though it had been many years since they last met, such a span of time meant little for a being at the Consolidated Stage. In Jin Yue's eyes, Han Li—long thought to have perished in the Deep Abyss as the 'Sage Heir'—should naturally be at the Transcendent Stage. Yet here he stood, not only alive, but now standing on par with Yue Long, the venerable elder of the Fei Ling Clan. The sheer disparity between them, coupled with the suddenness of this development, left even Jin Yue, accustomed to her sharp instincts, momentarily stunned. "Enough. Go now," said Yue Long, not granting her much more time. With a simple gesture, he then delivered a firm command. "Yes, the young servant shall retire immediately," Jin Yue replied, though her mind remained full of questions and astonishment she could not yet resolve. She dared not hesitate or defy his words. Yet, as she straightened up, she still couldn't help glancing at Han Li once more, to make certain that he truly was the one she had imagined—rather than a sudden blur of her vision. Han Li smiled gently, as if he had already guessed her thoughts, and then subtly moved his lips without making a sound. At that moment, Jin Yue instantly heard the inner voice: "Regardless of how things stood between me and the Sky-Peak Clan in the past, once I speak up now to lend my support, all grievances between me and the noble families are settled. From now on, I no longer need to seek you out." Jin Yue was startled and was about to say something when Han Li, with one hand from his sleeve, pressed a seal with a single finger into the air, pointing toward her. "Boom!" Suddenly, several dozen silver arcs appeared beneath her feet, shimmering and then coalescing into a small thunder array. Waves of electric light surged and wrapped around her. For a moment, the surroundings blurred, and then she vanished completely—without a trace—right from the hall. Han Li unexpectedly employed the technique of a thunder array, directly transporting the young woman out of the towering spire. "Such a masterful teleportation—clearly, your powers surpass even my expectations. Indeed, this gives me even greater confidence." Seeing this, Yue Long's eyes brightened. At a distant ordinary structure, as the ripple of energy surged, Jin Yue materialized suddenly, surrounded by countless silver arcs. She surveyed the surrounding landscape, her face filled with astonishment, then glanced toward the distant spire, her expression shifting between surprise and uncertainty. The next morning, while the sky still held a hazy gray hue, two streaks of jade and obsidian light burst forth from the spire, spiraled once, and then shot off in a straight line toward a specific direction with a sharp crack of sound. Half a day later, the two streaks of light arrived at a small mountain range and settled down in a low-lying area between two small hills. "Is this the site you discovered?" the light trails faded. Han Li stepped forward and glanced at the surroundings, frowning slightly as he asked. Beyond countless soil pits of varying sizes, the ground here was starkly bare—within several miles, not a single blade of grass could be found, and any raised areas had been cleanly severed as though cut by something powerful, standing noticeably lower than the surrounding terrain. The only striking feature was a towering bronze pillar standing at the very center of this depression. Reaching a hundred zhang in height, the pillar bore successive patterns engraved upon its surface, yet it was heavily rusted and partially worn, suggesting an ancient origin. "Han brother, don't be deceived by its modest appearance. This area wasn't always like this. It only became so desolate after being struck twice by the celestial calamities. However, finding a suitable land capable of absorbing the power of heaven and earth is quite rare—thus, we've had to make do with what we have." After a sudden appearance at another nearby spot, Yue Long strode steadily toward the bronze pillar, explaining as he went. "So it is, though I wonder if your invocation of the celestial and terrestrial forces relies solely on this artifact." Han Li nodded, gazing at the bronze pillar. "Heh, of course not. This pillar is known as the Golden Wind Pillar—it's one of the auxiliary devices I specifically crafted to draw in the metallic energy. It sustained some damage during my previous attempt and thus remained here, not retrieved. To now awaken fresh celestial and terrestrial forces, we naturally need to employ new instruments." With a chuckle, Yue Long raised his hand, and hundreds of glowing blue orbs shot out into the sky, then settled around the surrounding area, transforming into over a hundred towering bronze pillars spread across the ground—each gleaming brilliantly, as fresh and new as if just forged. Then, Yue Long murmured a series of incantations, suddenly pressing his palms together in a series of gestures. A tremendous roar echoed across the ground, causing all the bronze pillars to sway wildly and instantly form a massive array, encircling Yue Long and Han Li at its very center. "There are exactly one hundred and eight golden wind pillars—perfect for forming a Golden罡 Wind Magic Array. With this array in place, half of the power drawn from the heavens below will be significantly weakened. If you follow the instructions I gave you last night, you'll be able to control that celestial energy much more easily." After the array stabilized, Yue Long paused in his incantations to explain these points. "Very well, then. Go ahead and cast your spells. I'll intervene at the right moment," Han Li replied calmly, then his figure blurred slightly before materializing at the summit of one of the nearby bronze pillars, standing motionless with his hands behind his back. Yue Long saw this and was naturally overjoyed. Without a word, he shook his sleeves repeatedly, and a continuous surge of array flags and discs erupted, rushing forth like streams of luminous light toward the edges of the depression. In a short while, he further arranged seven or eight different, intricately designed seals and restrictions around the bronze array. Then, Yue Long opened his mouth again and expelled five distinct treasures at once: a slender white jade bottle, a purple-gold gourd, a green compass, a pale silver cauldron, and a crimson feather fan. As soon as these five items emerged, they immediately began swirling and dancing around the elder. "Hurry!" Yue Long pointed remotely at the green compass. With a sharp "thud," the compass instantly expanded under the wind, growing to the size of a person's height. As shimmering hues spiraled across its surface, it transformed into a vast, dark expanse of starry sky, with countless silver points of light twinkling within, faintly corresponding to countless stars. At that moment, Yue Long simultaneously flipped his hands, and from each palm, three pale silver spheres and a black-silk mesh net floated up, which he then hurled toward Han Li without hesitation. "These are two treasures I promised my friend yesterday to resist the power of heaven and earth. As long as you use them skillfully, their potential will be boundless," said Yue Long, his expression serious. "Thank you for the explanation. I will make sure to use them carefully," Han Li replied, grasping both treasures firmly and glancing at them briefly. Yue Long nodded and then settled into a meditative posture, gazing silently at the compass before him. Time passed slowly, and after two full hours, the celestial scene formed by the jade compass suddenly grew hazy and rippled. Several stars that had previously seemed unremarkable suddenly brightened, and a strange ripple of energy began to transmit through the compass. "My friend, take care—the celestial patterns have begun to shift. I shall now begin to awaken the power of heaven and earth," said Yue Long. Yue Long's eyes suddenly lit up with intense excitement, his face blazing with fervor as he roared. Suddenly, he struck the ground with one hand. A deep, resonant boom echoed, and immediately, an invisible ripple surged outward from beneath his feet, causing the earth beneath to rumble violently. The various seals already in place around him began to hum simultaneously—some shimmering into layers of luminous screens, others surging with thick plumes of mist that drifted endlessly through the air. As for the hundred and eight massive bronze pillars in the depression, they flashed several times before a series of golden characters atop them suddenly brightened, radiating an intense, dazzling golden glow. Only then did Yue Long take a deep breath and rise to his feet. With a swift motion of his arm, he gestured toward the purple-gold gourd in the air. The gourd trembled and, without a sound, reversed itself and descended. As the light at its mouth curled inward, a golden, unidentified powder burst forth from its opening. And these powders appeared astonishingly fine; as soon as they were released, they纷纷 fell straight downward toward the ground, seeming incredibly heavy.