At thousands of zhang above the ground, hundreds of "righteous" and "evil" cultivators fought fiercely in two waves. On one side, a surge of malevolent energy rolled forth, with countless ghostly figures manifesting in succession; on the other, several small spatial arrays were erected, and various artifacts and relics emitted thunderous crackles of electric light and lightning. Among these cultivators, the highest attainments reached only two Golden Stage practitioners, the rest being at the Foundation Stage level. "Indeed, the upheaval in the Great Jin Dynasty must be deeply intertwined with the involvement of these monastic factions. Regardless of which side ultimately prevails, the imperial family of the Great Jin will surely have to change its surname." From a cloud high above, Han Li observed the battle below, sighing with deep reflection. The events he had witnessed during his time in the Great Jin still felt as vivid as if they had occurred yesterday. Yet, in truth, after several thousand years had passed, not only had the original individuals from that era vanished, but many of the monasteries and sects he once knew might have disappeared altogether. The combat tactics employed by the "righteous versus evil" cultivators below naturally held little interest for Han Li now. He merely lingered there for a brief moment, then with a single hand pressing a series of gestures, vanished silently from the cloud without a sound. Thus, although these sect cultivators appeared to be guarding with great vigilance, they were actually preoccupied and merely going through the motions. Amid this state, a faint, ethereal figure pierced through the numerous seals and ranks of guards, vanishing into the black mountain. Half an hour later, Han Li materialized at a height of over a hundred paces above the mountain's summit, raising his head and casting a sweeping gaze downward. With his vast spiritual awareness, despite the many lingering seals still present on the mountain, he instantly surveyed every corner, capturing the entire scene in an instant. Upon encountering several places that seemed familiar yet somewhat ambiguous, Han Li's face revealed a touch of complexity. "Since Kunwu Mountain has changed beyond recognition, and its people have vanished, I no longer need to stay here. I shall send you back into the void." After murmuring these words, Han Li suddenly shifted his form, transforming into a streak of azure light and soaring upward. After a brief moment, the massive mountain surged violently, and a colossal hand of a thousand zhang in length suddenly materialized in mid-air, then struck the mountain with great force. A thunderous roar shook the heavens, instantly awakening countless seals in radiant light, rippling out in strong waves of spatial disturbance. The entire mountain vanished, leaving behind only a deep, profound crater at its original location. This sight was clearly observed by all the cultivators patrolling nearby, who stood in stunned silence, as if they had stepped into a dream. Soon afterward, several senior cultivators with Yuan Ying stages, stirred by the incident, hurried to investigate. However, upon thorough examination, they found only faint traces of spatial energy lingering in the vicinity, yet could not locate a single trace of Kunwu Mountain. They departed once again, puzzled and disheartened. Later, the incident became one of the Great Jin's ten most astonishing legends, and tales concerning Kunwu Mountain were repeatedly discussed by countless cultivators. However, as time passed, these stories gradually faded, and after ten thousand years, only sparse references to Kunwu Mountain could be found in ancient texts. By noon, in the Star Palace Hall, no fewer than several dozen Yuan-Enlightened cultivators gathered, all respectfully gazing at a young woman dressed in white court robes seated at the head of the dais. Her face was as smooth and pure as jade, exquisitely graceful, yet her eyes shimmered with a subtle crystalline light; wherever her gaze fell, the senior Yuan-Enlightened elders bowed in deference. As the sole Shen-Enlightened cultivator of the Chaotic Star Sea and the sovereign of the Star Palace, Lady Ling indeed held the stature to command the respect of all present. As soon as he finished speaking, a figure flickered in at the entrance of the hall. A plain young man in a green robe entered, smiling slightly. Yet upon a mere glance from the Yuan Ying cultivators present, no trace of spiritual energy could be detected—his presence seemed that of an ordinary mortal. "You're… impossible," said Ling Gongzhu, who had remained composed until now. Her expression turned startled upon hearing the man's voice, and when he stepped fully into the hall and revealed his face, she stood up abruptly, her voice trembling. "Nothing remarkable—just some matters that have kept me occupied, so I had to come down personally. It's wonderful to see you, Lady Xian, having advanced to the Chizhen stage. Truly a joyous development." The man in the green robe was none other than Han Li, who smiled gently at Ling Yuling. "Everyone else, go ahead. I'd like to have a private conversation with this old friend of mine." Ling Yuling's face changed several times before her voice suddenly grew cold and she issued a firm command. Though the Yuan Ying cultivators in the hall were mostly puzzled about Han Li's origins and had no clear idea of his background, they dared not disobey upon hearing her words and rose to depart one after another. In moments, the grand hall was left with only Han Li and Ling Yuling. "Han Brother, you truly come from the Spiritual Realm," Ling Yuling exclaimed, immediately casting a spell to activate a certain seal within the hall, completely isolating it from the outside world. Only then did she descend from her seat and ask with excitement. "Indeed, I come from the lower realm, though the story behind this is quite lengthy. We can discuss it in detail at our leisure. Having been away from the Human Realm for so many years, I also have several matters I'd like to inquire about from you, Master of the Star Palace." Han Li smiled calmly and spoke without urgency. "Rest assured, though I haven't traveled much in the recent years within the Chaotic Star Sea, I remain well-informed about developments throughout the Human Realm." "Master Han, just ask me anything whenever you'd like." Ling Yuling finally recovered from her shock, her expression now complex. "If that's the case, then it would indeed be the best. I've been traveling down here, seeking out old acquaintances, but I've only met Ling Daojun—no one else from my past has appeared. The things I'd like to know aren't many, mostly tied to people from my former days." Master Han also looked somewhat reflective. Thus, the two spent the entire afternoon together in the hall. When the sealing spell that had enveloped the hall finally gave way with a deep, resonant sound, a brilliant streak of jade-green light surged upward, carrying with it a soft, lingering voice. "Master Ling, I hope we may meet again in the Spirit Realm." With a flash of light, the jade-green streak vanished completely into the void. In the hall, Ling Yuling remained seated, holding a jade scroll in her hands, her face glowing with a palpable sense of excitement. At the same time, Han Li had already been far beyond ten thousand li from Tianxing City, quietly reflecting on the matters that Ling Yuling had shared with him in the shimmering light. The island where he and Nan Gong Wan had once settled in the Chaotian Sea had long since grown into a significant stronghold within the sea's power structure. Its leaders were descendants of his former disciple Tian Qin'er, many of whom had reached the late Dan stage or early Yuanjing stage of cultivation—making them, in essence, his own nephews and nieces. One of them was even present among the Yuanjing cultivators celebrating Ling Yuling's achievements. However, once Han Li learned that these nominal "nephews and nieces" had developed exceptionally well under Ling Yuling's deliberate care and attention, with no apparent issues arising, he had no desire to meet with them again. As for Tian Qin'er herself, she had passed away two thousand years ago during her attempt to transcend into the Huashen stage, failing to successfully endure the celestial calamity and turning to ash. Fortunately, she had made prior arrangements, ensuring that her spirit and consciousness had not been entirely extinguished—thus preserving a chance for reincarnation. As for Shi Jian, another disciple who inherited the position of Master of the Qiji Sect from the far west, he perished during his Yuan婴 stage alongside a powerful adversary. Yet his disciples proved to be of excellent talent, not only ensuring the continuity of the Daxian Shenjun lineage but also growing increasingly prosperous in recent years. As for Huang Feng Valley's Luoyun Sect—the two sects with deep ties to him—after thousands of years, their fortunes have taken a markedly different turn. Once on the brink of decline, Huang Feng Valley has experienced a remarkable revival over these millennia, successively receiving several "talented disciples," most of whom attained Yuan婴 stage, thus enabling the valley to rise rapidly. Today, its reputation far surpasses that of the past and it has become one of the major sects in the southern heavens. Although the Luoyun Sect had built up a substantial foundation under Han Li's efforts, after his ascension to the heavens, several Yuan-Ying elders相继 passed away due to the continuous loss of outstanding talents. By the time over a thousand years had passed and no further Yuan-Ying elders emerged, the sect had gradually declined to become merely a third-tier sect within the Yunmeng Mountain Range, and had long since been pushed out of the ranks of the top three great sects. Even the ancient Jianguan Sect's Baiqiao Academy and other former major sects were gradually supplanted by newer, rising sects. When Han Li heard these updates, despite knowing that Ling Yuling would never misrepresent the situation, he was genuinely stunned and could only shake his head with a wry smile. (Hehe, ordinary people are about to come to an end—everyone should be mentally prepared!) (To be continued.)