"Master Han, please don't press your advantage. You've already passed the trial. These eight Yellow Springs Ghost Kings still hold some value to me, so I hope you won't be too severe." Seeing this, the monk's eyes flashed with surprise, but immediately, with a swift movement of his sleeve, an eerie ripple surged forth before the golden vortex, instantly cutting through the immense suction force. Once freed, the eight malevolent spirits roared and swiftly dissolved into scattered black vapors. "Master need not worry," Han Li chuckled softly. "How could I truly attack these spirits? It's merely out of curiosity—I simply wanted to gauge their true strength." As he spoke, the image of his celestial form and the golden vortex faded away. Yet, in his hands, a dark, ink-black orb appeared, which he examined with growing interest. This was the Yellow Springs阴 wind he had previously gathered using the vortex's golden light. Now, however, it had been compressed by his mysterious power into a compact sphere, taking on its current form. "Han brother's extraordinary abilities far exceed my expectations. It seems the rumors are truly well-founded; my current test has indeed been somewhat redundant, even somewhat superfluous." The monk exhaled, yet his facial expression remained unusually composed. "Bai brother, having completed your assessment, might you now take the time to address the matter at hand?" Han Li did not heed the monk's earlier remarks, directly asking, "Certainly, Brother—your qualifications are well earned. As for my own status, I believe Brother Han should be quite familiar with it." The monk replied. "If the young lady outside has not been mistaken, then Brother should indeed be the representative of the He Lan Trading Alliance on the Xuetian Continent, holding a status comparable to that of Ming Zun Brother." Han Li said calmly. "Indeed, I hold such a position. Yet, how much does Brother know about our He Lan Trading Alliance itself?" the monk asked in return. "The details I know are actually quite limited. I only know that your alliance is exceptionally powerful and ranks among the few superpowers capable of spanning three continents." "Li Han's brow furrowed slightly before he replied. "Our alliance is actually a rather loose organization. Besides having branches established on each of the three continents to facilitate resource and information exchange, there are generally no mandatory regulations or obligations. When disputes arise, they are typically resolved by the council of senior elders from the major cultivation sects within the alliance. I myself was temporarily appointed to oversee affairs on this continent after being recommended by the elders of the Blood Sky Sect. Any senior cultivator willing to join our alliance usually serves as a guest elder, without disrupting their daily cultivation or their standing within their own race, and enjoys numerous conveniences that are hard to imagine. The only obligation, roughly speaking, is to lend a hand when our alliance faces a crisis." The monk spoke calmly. "What do you mean by saying this, friend?" Li Han stared at the monk, asking gently. "I would like to formally invite you to join our commercial alliance. Would you be interested?" "The monk finally broke into a smile and said, 'Just now, the tests and the invitation to come here—were they all for this matter?' Han Li spoke with an unusually calm demeanor. 'Of course not. Only if you join our alliance will I be able to speak with you more freely, with fewer reservations.' The monk replied with sincerity. 'Though I do have a genuine interest in the He Lan Commercial Alliance, I would still like to hear your main matter first before making any decisions on other matters.' Han Li said calmly. 'Very well. Since you insist, I shall not hesitate. How much do you know about the Underworld's Yin Office?' After nodding, the monk suddenly asked. 'The Underworld? Though I've heard of it often, I've never personally witnessed it. As for the Yin Office, it seems to be merely a tale. Whether it truly exists remains entirely uncertain. At the very least, I cannot confirm it myself.' "How is it, Brother, that the matter you wish to discuss is connected to these two?" Han Li was somewhat surprised. "Of course it is. Around a hundred and twenty years ago, while exploring a spatial rift on the Blood Sky Continent, our division accidentally discovered the entrance to a newly formed small world." "A newly formed small world! Is this truly so?" Han Li was startled. "Indeed, without a doubt. However, although we call it a newly formed world, it has likely existed for many years—just that no high-level beings have emerged within it, and it has remained undetected by the outside world. The world itself is not particularly large, yet it is exceptionally rich in resources. Yet, when our division was overjoyed and prepared to commit substantial human and material resources to fully develop it, another realm independently discovered its existence and also began to penetrate and claim it." The monk paused, his gaze briefly flickering with the memory of the event. "Then, the other realms—could they be..." Han Li pondered, thinking deeply. "Indeed, when Fang Yi engaged the newly emerged foes, our allies were struck dumb in astonishment. These beings appeared exactly as the spectral entities that our friend had previously observed—some strong, some weak. The weaker ones were barely able to withstand a single attack, comparable to the Qi Stage practitioners of our realm. Yet the stronger ones were capable of standing par with the established, post-merger, Great Stage cultivators of our spiritual realm. The Yellow Springs Yin Qi was only collected after I fought against the opposing strongholds. The Eight Ghosts themselves were formed by drawing upon the vital energies of these spectral beings, though only in form—far from matching the true power of a genuine Ghost King. The actual Yellow Springs Ghost Kings are indeed formidable entities who stand shoulder to shoulder with us. According to these spectral beings' own claims, their originating realm is known as the 'Underworld,' and their governing faction is the 'Ten Kings of the Yin Court.' Our merchant alliance has engaged in several major conflicts with these spectral entities over the struggle for dominance in this realm, resulting in a series of evenly matched battles, with both sides suffering significant losses." In order to avoid a mutual defeat, the alliance has ultimately concluded a pact with these spectral beings, agreeing that the outcome of the strongest contenders' battle will determine the share of resources in this realm. The reason I have come to you, Master, is to invite Brother Han to serve as one of our representatives in one of the upcoming contests. Of course, if Brother Han is willing to join our alliance in the process, it would be even more formally justified. Regardless of the outcome of this battle, as long as you participate, our alliance will certainly offer you our heartfelt gratitude." After a moment's hesitation, the monk finally shared all his thoughts. "Ah, I see. I wonder whether this 'Realm of the Underworld' is indeed the one mentioned in the tales. Could you tell me what the Ten Kings of the Underworld are like, and whether they will also take part in this contest of the strongest?" Han, upon hearing this, was visibly moved. "Our alliance has naturally conducted thorough inquiries on this matter." Although there isn't much evidence, I believe this realm is not the truly mysterious Underworld as commonly rumored—it should merely be a kind of yellow spring realm suited for powerful spirits to thrive. The so-called Ten Kings of the Underworld are likely just ten beings slightly more powerful than ordinary spirit kings. Otherwise, even though our alliance holds considerable strength, we could never have held our ground against them for such a prolonged period. As for this great clash among the powerful, the Ten Kings will probably send several of their number to participate." After a moment's thought, the monk replied. "Not the true Underworld—rather disappointing. I had hoped finally to uncover the true secrets of the cycle of rebirth." Han Li stroked his chin, his eyes flashing with a touch of regret. "Though it may not be the true Underworld, the spiritual techniques these beings cultivate are indeed quite different from our own practices, subtly embodying laws and principles entirely distinct from those of ordinary living beings. Should your friend engage in combat with them, perhaps by chance, they might truly gain insights into some of the mysteries of the cycle of rebirth. The monk smiled. Hearing this, Han Li remained silent, pondering. After a while, he raised his head again and asked carefully: "When and where is the scheduled engagement between your alliance and these spirits? How many matches in total? Besides myself, which other disciples from your alliance have committed to participating?" If your esteemed friend truly triumphs in this contest, in addition to the agreed-upon compensation, I shall personally arrange for your entry into the Sky-Ascension Pavilion of our alliance, where you may freely select one of the secret arts originally transmitted from the Immortal Realm. "Secret arts from the Immortal Realm? Did I hear that correctly?" Han Li was momentarily stunned. "The arts I refer to are indeed from the Immortal Realm. While it may not be widely known that our alliance possesses several such arts, it is far from a secret. In fact, the founders of our alliance were direct descendants of Immortal Realm beings who had settled in the Ling Realm. Our alliance's predecessor was originally a highly confidential monitoring body established by the Immortal Realm in the Ling Realm, staffed exclusively by direct descendants of Immortals. Therefore, it is quite natural that our members should possess knowledge of a few such Immortal Realm arts." But after the great transformation of the world, when all the realms suddenly lost contact with the Immortal Realm, these elders were forced to gradually absorb other powerful figures into the organization. After decades of development, the current commercial alliance was thus established. Therefore, besides being one of the few superpowers spanning three continents, the alliance has, beyond its surface-level trade activities, actively worked to maintain stability within this realm and fend off interference from external forces. For instance, during the incident involving the Mother of the Blight Insects, the alliance dispatched several senior cultivators to the Demon Realm. Unfortunately, before they could fully exert their influence, they were trapped within the sealing spells of the Primordial Demon Realm by the insect mother. Thanks to the assistance of other cultivators, they were eventually able to break free. Thus, it is no surprise that Mr. Han holds a deep sense of gratitude toward many of our senior elders." The monk smiled and explained. Upon hearing this, Han glanced thoughtfully, then resumed his contemplative expression.