With seven or eight successive waves of golden light pouring into the great cauldron, the once-noisily resonating silver giant suddenly emitted a piercing, sharp, high-pitched cry. Yue Long, witnessing this, grew pale. "Friend Han, hold back the celestial and terrestrial golden forces behind—wait until I have fully absorbed the ones in front before releasing them," he said. As soon as the words left his lips, Yue roared, spitting out several clots of refined blood in succession. The cauldron's inner flames, now drawing in so much vital blood, surged even further, nearly engulfing the entire structure, and its hue transformed into a brilliant, radiant golden red. The intense heat caused the surrounding space to blur and warp, while the materials within the cauldron boiled into a churning sea of liquid, with golden sparks continuously flashing. Han Li furrowed his brow, then raised his hand and pointed it toward the void. A cascade of five-colored glimmers surged through the stone array, causing the dense stones to spin at an astonishing speed. The golden lights that had penetrated into the array momentarily hesitated before gradually dimming and finally passing through. At that moment, Han Li raised his other hand, and a surge of black light shot forth, forming a black cloud several mu in size after a slight shimmer—perfectly enclosing the golden spiral that had been launched. Within the black cloud, delicate streaks of luminous energy flickered continuously, clearly the black silk net previously entrusted to Han Li by Yue Long. This net, crafted from some unknown substance, appeared only a thin layer, yet once the golden light entered it, the light could not escape, instead bouncing and dancing within like a living entity. From afar, Han Li held a single hand in a series of gestures, his gaze calm and steady, unmoving—clearly exerting remote control over the net with his inner power. Below, Yue Long, seeing the golden light now safely contained within the black cloud, felt a surge of joy and immediately intensified his efforts to refine the materials in the cauldron. As the massive cauldron glowed and shimmered, hundreds of crystal slabs were slowly melting and fusing, each turning a pale golden hue, roughly the size of a palm. "Excellent," said Han Li, "now, please release the celestial and terrestrial golden energies." It wasn't until after a while—when there were no less than a hundred golden beams shining through the black clouds—that Yue Long shouted again toward Han Li's side. Han Li nodded slightly, then pointed a finger toward the empty space in the distant black clouds. A soft "puff" sound echoed. A long, continuous rift appeared in the center of the black clouds, and one after another, golden beams cascaded down through it, each being absorbed by the great cauldron. Each time Yue Long shouted, Han Li would summon the black clouds to intercept and capture nearly all the golden beams, holding them aloft. When needed, he would then release the clouds, allowing a portion of the celestial and terrestrial energies to fall once more. Under Han Li's deliberate control, Yue Long could thus focus entirely on refining the materials within the cauldron and precisely regulate the amount of celestial and terrestrial energies required. Yet as time passed, the number of golden beams within the black clouds steadily accumulated—by the time a cup of tea had passed, there were no less than seven or eight hundred. Even for a master like Han Li, whose magical prowess is profound, the effort of channeling his power to intercept such a vast influx of celestial and terrestrial golden energy had caused him to first display a touch of serious composure. Han Li hummed softly, then suddenly shook his sleeve toward the distant horizon. A silver glow, the size of a teacup, shot forth from the sleeve and, as soon as it emerged, swayed in the wind, expanding into a size comparable to a house. After briefly blurring, it instantly vanished into the black clouds as if transported there. It was precisely one of the three silver orbs entrusted to Han Li by Yue Long. An eerie phenomenon unfolded! Following a deep rumble within the black clouds, a circular silver glow burst outward, rapidly expanding to fully envelop the entire mass of black clouds. When the silver glow subsided and vanished, the golden light within the clouds had vanished as if consumed—completely gone, as though it had been extinguished. Only the black clouds remained, suspended alone above the great cauldron. These three silver orbs were indeed rare treasures specifically designed to counteract the celestial and terrestrial golden energies. With this development, Han Li’s pressure was entirely lifted Yue Long observed everything clearly. When Han Li activated the silver beads, he didn't show any regret—instead, a flash of joy briefly crossed his face. It was already far beyond his expectations that Han Li had held off using the silver beads until now. Han Li's profound magical power also deeply impressed him. It seemed clear now that he had truly chosen the right person; this time, the refinement of the Jixuan Crystal should surely prove successful. At that moment, Han Li's gaze lightly swept over the crystal slabs in the cauldron, while his mind quietly pondered how many truly golden Jixuan Crystals could ultimately form. At the heart of the valley, a colossal platform rises abruptly, its entire surface shimmering with a vibrant emerald hue, as if constructed directly from massive green timber, divided into seven levels. On each level, a dozen or more intricately styled artifacts are arranged along the edges. At the highest level of the platform, banners flutter vigorously, densely planted with over a hundred banners of varying sizes, subtly forming an intricate and profound magical array. These banners display diverse colors—some radiating brilliant hues of dawn light, others pulsing with dark, ethereal energy—each exuding an astonishing aura, clearly each a remarkable treasure. At the center of these banners lies a silver cushion, about a foot in diameter. Within a radius of several hundred paces around the platform, numerous statues of varying materials stand tall—some human in form, others resembling animals—each exquisitely lifelike and half-kneeling toward the platform, totaling well over a thousand. As for the entire valley, it is now carpeted with colorful jade bricks, casting a gentle, ethereal glow over the ground. "Sister, my father has prepared for this celestial calamity with such thoroughness and diligence. Surely, he should have a strong chance of succeeding. Yet why does he still appear so preoccupied these days?" the graceful young woman said, gazing toward the elevated platform where her sister was deeply concentrated. "Master possesses a mind as vast and profound as the ocean—how could we possibly fathom his thoughts? Nevertheless, I believe his concerns are primarily centered on the calamity itself. After all, should he fail in this trial, all the years of cultivation he has devoted would be rendered in vain." The petite woman replied, her eyes gleaming. "Indeed. Each successive celestial calamity grows more severe, like an ever-present shadow that never truly fades—only when one truly ascends to immortality does it finally lift. My father has already weathered such trials numerous times. This latest one, however, seems truly beyond our imagination in its intensity. We can only hope that the divine favor will guide him through this ordeal successfully. "Regardless of what happens, I will do my very best to assist." The graceful woman paused and then firmly declared. "Yao, you have devoted so many years to your cultivation, achieving such profound spiritual powers, and finally reaching the Dao Consolidation stage—all for the very purpose of repaying your master's great kindness today. Alas, I am not born with the Tian Yin constitution, and thus can offer only a small measure of support to my master during the celestial crisis." The petite woman sighed. These two white-robed women were the Yuan and Yao, both disciples of Qingyuan Zi. Yuan had even formally adopted Qingyuan Zi as her paternal uncle, and her cultivation level had already reached the early Consolidation stage. As for Yanli, though she also radiated an impressive spiritual aura, she was clearly still in the late Transcendent stage. Today, however, marked the day Qingyuan Zi had carefully prepared for his celestial crisis. To ensure a smooth passage through this great heavenly calamity, Qingyuan Zi had diligently employed various secret techniques to delay the arrival of the crisis and had invested immense effort, ultimately guiding Yuan Yao to reach the cultivation level of today. In order for Yuan Yao to manifest a rare and extraordinary divine power capable of helping her surmount this celestial calamity, she had always known the matter. Yet, given that Qingyuan Zi had not only used a secret technique to transform her back into a mortal body—once a half-human, half-god being—but had also achieved the Condensed Body stage so swiftly, Yuan Yao naturally felt profoundly grateful and had already resolved to do whatever it took to support her adoptive father wholeheartedly. This very valley was the site Qingyuan Zi had chosen for her to endure the celestial trial. Not only had he prepared numerous means to aid her within the valley, but he had also stationed hundreds of powerful seals and wards stretching over ten thousand li around the valley, ensuring that no one could strike her from the outside. At present, Qingyuan Zi is engaged in a temporary abode near the valley, where he is incense-burning, bathing, and praying, striving to be in his best condition to face this great trial. After a brief conversation with Yanyi, Yuan Yao fell silent and began to wait, growing increasingly anxious. After a full half-day had passed, when the gray, misty clouds in the sky began to roll gently and a faint, eerie aura started to emerge subtly within the valley, a sudden flash of emerald light appeared on the horizon. A beam of emerald light shot forth, flickering several times before suddenly materializing above Yuan Yao and Yan Li. At that very moment, a ripple surged at the highest level of the great platform, and Qingyuan and Yuan Yao appeared silently before them. "Yao, stay here for now. When I tell you to act, then act. Remember—not to move prematurely, nor to hesitate and miss your moment." Qingyuan gently instructed Yuan Yao. "Father, I understand. I will know exactly how to proceed." Yuan Yao took a deep breath and spoke with solemn determination. "Ha ha, I have no doubt about you. Still, this celestial storm is no ordinary affair—better to remain vigilant, just in case something goes wrong and draws me into it." Qingyuan smiled, adding a few more words of caution. Yuan Yao nodded in agreement. ...High above a scattered pile of rocks far from the valley, a fierce wind roared through the sky. Two massive black claws, each several dozen feet long, emerged from the wind and suddenly plunged sharply into the void on either side.