After casually dispatching several groups who had sought their own demise, Han Li, accompanied by the Blood Soul, finally materialized above a vast basin two hours later. The basin was surrounded by continuous ranges of mountains of varying sizes, while in the center lay patches of low shrubs. Within a pond nearly completely concealed by the shrubs, a luminous beam of five colors, about a li in diameter, surged upward, its radiant hues splendid, reaching all the way to the heavens as if forming a colossal, celestial pillar. Yet, by the basin's edge, three groups had already arrived ahead of Han Li, standing coldly and observing the others. As Han Li's qi faded and he and the Blood Soul stood side by side in a new direction, the gaze of all three groups instantly turned toward them. The profound aura emanating from them caused a sudden change in the Blood Soul's composed expression, prompting her to instinctively step back two paces. But at that moment, Han Li's body slightly trembled, blocking the blood essence behind him at an angle that seemed utterly impossible, while simultaneously releasing a subtle aura. A soft "pffft" sound. The blood essence felt the powerful pressure rushing toward it, instantly dispersed by Han Li's aura, and with a slight relief, glanced covertly at the others. Han Li first took a moment to gaze at the astonishing five-colored light beam rising from the water pond before turning his gaze to the others. The group with the fewest members consisted of a middle-aged couple. The man, with broad, dark brows and a deeply tanned complexion, appeared very straightforward and earnest, while the woman radiated an extraordinary allure, her presence exuding irresistible charm. Though seemingly opposite in nature, the two stood side by side, creating a strangely harmonious yet eerie sense of balance. However, among the two, the woman radiated a clear trace of Great Stage spiritual pressure, while the man's aura was deeply enigmatic—there seemed to be an invisible ripple subtly enveloping his body surface, making it impossible for Han Li to discern his cultivation level merely by a glance. Clearly, the man possessed a special artifact designed to counteract spiritual perception. Han Li was slightly surprised, but upon shifting his gaze, he noticed five young men standing in another direction—each of them appeared nearly identical in appearance and attire, their demeanor and expressions remarkably uniform, as though molded from the same pattern. Their eyes were cold and lifeless, devoid of any warmth, and all of them had reached the peak of the Consolidated Stage. Upon sensing their spiritual auras, Han Li expressed a moment of thoughtful contemplation, yet after a brief glance, he turned his attention to the final group. Finally, this group proved to be the largest, numbering well over a hundred. Most of them were at the Lingxu stage, with a few at the Heting level, all subtly arranged into a profound magical array, encircling a dignified, robed man of imposing presence. The man's eyes flickered with a faint glow of blood, and his aura was thick and powerful—truly a senior cultivator at the Dacheng stage. Han Li merely glanced at the middle-aged man before turning his attention to the figure beside him, as though deeply intrigued by the magical array formed by the others. Naturally, the three groups recognized Han Li's status as a Dacheng cultivator and exchanged varied expressions, observing him for a few moments. Yet, not a single one of them paid any special attention to the blood-soul aura behind him. Clearly, in their eyes, this woman, though at the Lingxu level, still lacked the stature to command their notice. It was Han Li himself—the unfamiliar Dacheng cultivator—whose aura, subtly and strangely present, stirred a sense of alertness among all three groups. However, now four groups of people each occupied a spot around the basin, yet remained quietly suspended in the air, showing no intention to speak. Suddenly, a flash of light appeared at the horizon, and simultaneously, streaks of light emerged in different directions, rushing toward the basin with the sound of rushing through the air. When the rushing sound abruptly ceased, the two groups riding the light streaks arrived near the basin and revealed their true forms. Han Li observed the faces of one group closely and his expression slightly shifted, but quickly returned to his original composure. This later group consisted of two men and one woman standing side by side. One man had a white mask covering his face completely, while the other man and woman were a young Taoist and an elderly woman with white hair. These were precisely Xiao Ming, Qingping the Taoist, and Wan Hua the Lady, all arriving at the same time as senior cultivators. As for the other group, they were three slender, unattractive elders. These three either appeared composed or were visibly excited, yet their aura was exceptionally strong—each of them was a senior cultivator at the Great Transcendence stage. With six such cultivators arriving simultaneously, the other three groups, aside from Han Li, all exchanged glances of surprise. After swiftly surveying the others, Xiao Ming immediately spotted Han Li, his pupils slightly constricting before he smiled lightly. "I see that Master Han has also arrived. Had I known this earlier, I would have come along with the others. Master Han mentioned previously that he had other matters to attend to—was that perhaps the Tian Ding Palace?" "Indeed. I hadn't expected that Master Xiao and I would be pursuing the same objective. Otherwise, I wouldn't have expressed those words at the time." Han Li replied calmly, showing no particular surprise. "I have full confidence in your sincerity, given your standing. Still, it's somewhat disappointing. We've always gotten along well from the first meeting, and I had hoped to thoroughly exchange our experiences and responsibilities with you." The masked man sighed, as if truly regretful. "Heh, the renowned狂魔 elder of Xuegu Gate—when did he become so sentimental? Haven't seen him in years, with such prolonged periods of seclusion, hasn't his temperament changed dramatically?" The woman among the couple suddenly smiled gently. "Ah, so you're the venerable Elder Wugou and the celestial maiden Hua Xi, married couple. I've heard that Elder Wugou once faced off against a malevolent dragon, returning from the battle with injuries. I wonder if he has since recovered his strength." Upon hearing this, Xiao Ming turned to glance at the graceful woman and the man beside her, and smiled, asking in return. "Thank you, Xiao Daojun, for your concern. Not only has my husband fully recovered his strength, but over the years he has also encountered several fortunate opportunities—his current power is actually stronger than ever before." Before the man beside her could respond, Hua Xi promptly replied. The Elder Wugou, however, merely offered a simple, sincere smile and seemed to have no intention of speaking further. Xiao Ming observed this, his brows furrowing slightly as he glanced at the renowned senior cultivators from Xue Tian Continent with a somewhat unusual expression. But after a mental shift, he turned his attention to the well-dressed Han, ignoring them. "Under the Master's command, I didn't expect your founding patriarch—this one—to personally risk his life and bring so many disciples along. Wouldn't that mean the very elite of your sect would be lost, leaving your sect merely a fleeting bloom?" Xiao Ming's tone suggested a clear sense of rivalry, and his voice grew colder. "Hmph. Why should I be unable to come if you can? Is it perhaps that Tian Ding Master hails from Xue Gu Men? Moreover, I established my sect primarily through the art of array and layout. To secure the treasures from Tian Ding Palace this time, I naturally need to bring disciples skilled in array work. As for whether our sect will become a fleeting bloom—no need for Brother Xiao to concern himself with that." The well-dressed Han snorted, speaking with unyielding confidence as he was supported by his disciples. Xiao Ming listened carefully to the Han's reply, his gaze flashing with intensity, yet he said nothing further. He turned his attention instead to the young men, all dressed in plain garments and bearing identical appearances. "Blood-Union Five, honored to meet you, Xiao Daojun," the five young men stepped forward without waiting for Xiao Ming to speak, bowing formally with composed expressions—each movement and gesture perfectly synchronized, as though they were one person. "I have long heard of your esteemed reputation, Daojun. It is truly admirable that you have willingly sacrificed your original stage of Great Ascension, dividing your Yuan-Ying into five equal parts, cultivating five distinct bodies, and planning to advance together to the Great Ascension stage. Your determination surpasses my own, and I must admit I am deeply humbled." Facing five young men whose attainments only reached the Consolidation stage, Xiao Ming's eyes for the first time revealed a touch of reserve and respect, as he responded with gracious courtesy. "Our actions are merely a desperate measure to survive—nothing more than a last resort. As for the renowned 'Fierce Demon,' we have long heard of your name and have always held it in high regard." The five young men replied calmly and evenly Xiao Ming smiled slightly, just about to speak when suddenly his face paled, his gaze fixed firmly on the towering, multicolored light column. At that instant, the already remarkably large light column began to emit a deep, resonant hum, its diameter expanding rapidly and visibly outward in every direction. The speed was so swift that within a single flash, the column transformed into a brilliant, shimmering multicolored light curtain, completely enveloping the entire basin. Without any further prompting, Xiao Ming and the others had already swiftly retreated outside the basin, their expressions serious and attentive to what unfolded before them. Within the light curtain, a series of thunderous rumblings echoed, and the sky above the region stretching for thousands of li began to surge and tremble, eventually splitting open to reveal a delicate, milky-white crevice that rapidly widened over time. Within this crevice, faint, exquisite silhouettes of refined pavilions and halls began to emerge. The roar suddenly ceased, and the multicolored light curtain flashed once, then rolled like countless streaks of luminous mist toward the entrance crack, completely sealing it off in a soft, glowing haze. Then, without further ceremony, the noble-dressed man stepped inside. A gleam of greed flashed across his face as he spoke with equal courtesy.