I'll make you the furnace and the cauldron, so you can refine Yin and Yang and prove the Great

The mountain gate of the Hehuan Sect looked particularly desolate in the morning mist.

The mountain-protecting formation was still operating, but the pale golden light shield now had a strange dark red hue, as if it had been contaminated from the inside by something.

Scattered on the stone steps in front of the mountain gate were broken weapons, magical artifacts, and several unburied corpses, the bloodstains long since dried into dark brown patches. Of the five peaks, the main peak was in the most dire state, with most of the roof of the main hall collapsed and glazed tiles from the eaves shattered on the ground.

The cultivators of the Heavenly Demon Sect were walking around the mountain gate in twos and threes.

Some carried the looted supplies, some escorted the disciples of the Hehuan Sect out, and some sat cross-legged in the square counting their spoils. Screams and cries could be heard from all around, but they were quickly drowned out by shouts.

The Grand Elder stood with his hands behind his back on the steps in front of the main hall, a smug smile on his aged face.

He changed into the black robe of the Heavenly Demon Sect, with golden patterns faintly visible in the morning light. A brand-new identity token hung at his waist, and he looked much more energetic than when he was in the Joyful Union Sect.

"Hurry up! Load all the valuables onto the trucks before dawn, don't dawdle!" he shouted to the Heavenly Demon Sect disciples below, his voice full of energy, showing no sign of someone who had been seriously injured just over a month ago.

An elder from the Heavenly Demon Sect approached him and bowed respectfully: "Elder, the count of all your sect's Golden Core cultivators and above has been completed. There are a few with promising potential; the Sect Master said they can be taken back to the Heavenly Demon Sect for intensive training."

The First Elder waved his hand, his tone somewhat ingratiating: "Everything will be done as Elder Chang wishes." He paused, then suddenly lowered his voice, "Elder Chang, those female cultivators… the Sect Master said he'd leave them for me before he left. I wonder when would be a convenient time…?"

That day, the Demon Sect elder revealed a knowing smile: "Grand Elder, rest assured, the Sect Master instructed before he left that those furnaces are all yours to dispose of. You can use them whenever you wish."

The First Elder's smile widened, and his gaze passed over the shoulders of the Heavenly Demon Sect elders, landing on several figures at the edge of the plaza.

Hua Nongying was tightly bound by the Immortal-Binding Rope, kneeling on the stone ground at the edge of the square, her red clothes stained with dust and blood.

A trace of dried blood still clung to the corner of her mouth, her hair disheveled and draped over her shoulders, yet she still held her head high, her captivating eyes fixed on the Grand Elder, as if trying to etch his face into her bones. Yun Shuyue knelt beside her, her face pale, her teeth clenched, her shoulders trembling slightly, but she uttered no sound.

Liu Ruoxue was tied to a stone pillar alone. Her white dress was torn in several places, revealing shallow whip marks underneath. Her icy face finally showed a cold killing intent.

Xu Lingxi was protected behind Jiang Nianwei. The little girl was so frightened that her face turned pale, but her eyes were filled with something beyond tears—a hatred that she had never shown in the Hehuan Sect.

"Wow, that's quite ambitious."

The Grand Elder descended the steps, slowly strolled to Hua Nongying, squatted down, and used his withered fingers to lift her chin. "Hua Nongying, I took a liking to you when you first joined the sect. I was just waiting for you to break through to the Nascent Soul stage. Although you haven't broken through yet, you're good enough to be my furnace."

Before he could finish speaking, Hua Nongying spat in his face.

The elder's smile froze.

The Heavenly Demon Sect disciples around were stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter, and some even whistled.

The elder slowly wiped the spittle from his face, his smile returning, but now much colder: "You have backbone. I admire backbone most of all. I'll take you back to my cave later and see if you can still be so tough."

He stood up and waved to the Heavenly Demon Sect disciples behind him: "Take her and that ice block to my cave. The rest are locked in the dungeon."

Two disciples of the Heavenly Demon Sect stepped forward in response. One grabbed Hua Nongying, while the other walked toward Liu Ruoxue, who was tied to the stone pillar.

Just as Hua Nongying was being pulled up, a communication talisman flew in from outside the mountain gate, carrying a rapid light, and landed in front of Elder Chang of the Heavenly Demon Sect.

Elder Chang took the communication talisman and probed it with his divine sense. His expression changed drastically: "What? The Hehuan Sect Master is attacking our sect?!" His voice trembled as he abruptly turned to the Grand Elder, "Grand Elder, the Sect Master has sent a message saying that the Hehuan Sect Master is attacking the Heavenly Demon Sect's sect! We must return to reinforce them immediately!"

These words immediately caused an uproar in the square.

The disciples of the Heavenly Demon Sect all stopped what they were doing, whispering amongst themselves. The Grand Elder's expression changed; he disregarded Hua Nongying and strode to Elder Chang: "Elder Chang, how many people are at the mountain gate?"

"The sect leader said the other side consists of only one person."

Elder Chang's face was ashen. "But the Hehuan Sect Master is at the peak of the Nascent Soul stage! Even if his injuries haven't healed, he's not someone an ordinary Nascent Soul cultivator can withstand! The two senior uncles who stayed behind aren't strong enough; they're about to collapse!"

The elder gritted his teeth, quickly calculating the gains and losses in his mind.

The sect leader of the Hehuan Sect has returned. If he stays, he will be the first to be attacked if that person returns to fight.

But if we just leave like this, we won't even have time to enjoy the benefits we've just gained.

Elder Chang said in a deep voice, "Elder, you just need to guard the Hehuan Sect. The Hehuan Sect only has the Second Elder left at the Nascent Soul stage, and she is severely injured. I think you should be able to handle it, right?"

"Has Elder Chang forgotten about Li Qingshan?"

The Grand Elder has not forgotten Li Qingshan.

"That old man? He just broke through, what is the Grand Elder afraid of?"

"Indeed, I'll leave the Hehuan Sect to you."

The Grand Elder decided to stay and remain at the Hehuan Sect.

Compared to the Second Elder or Li Hanshan, who might return to fight, he was more afraid of facing the Hehuan Sect Master.

Elder Chang then ordered his disciples, "Pass down the order: all cultivators above the Golden Core stage, assemble immediately and accompany me to reinforce the mountain gate! Those below the Foundation Establishment stage, remain where you are to guard the prisoners and supplies!"

The disciples of the Heavenly Demon Sect immediately sprang into action. Moments later, dozens of streaks of light rose from the Hehuan Sect's mountain gate, flying towards the Heavenly Demon Sect and disappearing into the horizon in the blink of an eye. Only a few Foundation Establishment cultivators and low-level disciples remained on the plaza, looking at each other in bewilderment as they stared in the direction the streaks of light had vanished.

The Grand Elder did not leave.

He turned around, looked at the figures tied to the edge of the square, and a smile reappeared on his lips.

"Someone, take them to my cave dwelling." He pointed to Hua Nongying and Liu Ruoxue, "Be gentle, don't break them."

Two Foundation Establishment disciples stepped forward, grabbed the two women, and headed towards the main peak.

Hua Nongying struggled desperately, but the Binding Immortal Rope tightened its grip, preventing her from even mobilizing her spiritual power. When Liu Ruoxue was freed from the stone pillar, she glanced at the Grand Elder with her icy eyes. Her gaze was as cold as a knife, causing the Grand Elder's heart to tighten inexplicably, but he quickly suppressed it with desire.

The two women were dragged across the plaza and headed toward the cave dwelling that once belonged to the Grand Elder halfway up the main peak.

The stone gate to the cave soon came into view at the end of the horizon.

Hua Nongying gritted her teeth, almost cursing, but the Foundation Establishment disciple sealed her speech acupoint on her shoulder with a palm strike, leaving her only able to make muffled sounds. Liu Ruoxue remained silent, her fingers secretly drawing some kind of rune on the ground, but with her spiritual power sealed, the rune only left shallow scratches on the ground in vain.

Just then, a streak of purplish-gold flame silently grazed the back of the first Foundation Establishment disciple's neck. He didn't even have time to blink before collapsing limply. The second Foundation Establishment disciple whirled around, only to see a pair of eyes slowly glowing in the darkness—eyes devoid of emotion, like two silent stars.

Then, he collapsed as well.

A figure slowly emerged from the shadows, his coarse linen clothes still stained with dust and dried sea salt, his face pale from the journey, but his eyes were steady and powerful, and they lit up slightly when they fell on the two women.

Hua Nongying looked up, saw the face clearly, and froze on the spot.

Her eyes instantly welled up with tears.

Li Hanshan didn't speak, but quickly stepped forward, ripped off the Immortal-Binding Rope binding Hua Nongying, and then released Liu Ruoxue's restraints. The moment Hua Nongying broke free, she threw herself into his arms, wrapped her arms tightly around his waist, buried her face in his chest, her shoulders trembling violently, but she didn't make a sound.

Liu Ruoxue stood beside him, flexing her wrists which were red from being bound, and looked at Li Hanshan's weathered face. Her lips moved, but in the end, she only said softly, "You're back."

Li Hanshan patted Hua Nongying on the back and nodded to Liu Ruoxue. He didn't say anything more, his gaze already passing over the two women and landing on the figure in the shadows behind the square.

The Grand Elder stood at the entrance of the cave, his smile completely frozen.

He stared at Li Hanshan, at this old man who should have died in the Endless Sea, appearing like a ghost within the Hehuan Sect. Disbelief filled his eyes at first, then a surge of intense killing intent and fear welled up within him. He instinctively took a half-step back, gripping the newly acquired Heavenly Demon Sect identity token at his waist, and quietly began to circulate his spiritual energy.

Li Hanshan pushed aside Hua Nongying and took a step forward. His steps were very light, almost making no sound on the stone floor, each step carrying a steady rhythm that was almost unsettling.

"Elder, it's been a long time." His voice was as calm as greeting an old friend. "I've returned alive, I'm sorry to have disappointed you."

Before the words were even finished, the divine sense of a Nascent Soul level cultivator suddenly spread out like a tangible tsunami, enveloping the Grand Elder entirely. The Grand Elder felt as if a mountain had suddenly pressed down on his mind, and his limbs stiffened for a moment. His pupils contracted sharply, and for the first time, genuine fear appeared on his face.

"You—your divine consciousness—" Before he could finish speaking, Li Hanshan's figure had already disappeared from the spot.

A streak of purplish-gold flame flashed across the sky, and the next second, the fist of pure Yang fire slammed heavily into the Grand Elder's dantian. The force of the palm pierced through the protective aura, leaving a charred mark on the surface of his dantian. The Grand Elder let out a muffled groan, his entire body flying backward like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily into the stone door of the cave behind him. Shards of stone flew everywhere, and dust billowed.

Li Hanshan stood where he had just been standing and slowly withdrew his fist.

"This punch was delivered on behalf of the disciples of the Hehuan Sect," he said calmly.