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

After leaving the side hall, Li Hanshan didn't stop. He walked along the pillars, around the side of the main hall, through a patch of ruins under repair, and headed towards Jade Peak. His divine sense had already quietly spread out; his Nascent Soul level perception spread like invisible ripples, covering most of the main peak.

Before the cave dwelling on the southern slope of the main peak, he "saw" Su Yuan and Liu Ying. The two were standing at the cave entrance, talking to a core disciple of the Hehuan Sect. The disciple was bowing and scraping, his attitude almost obsequious. Li Hanshan's divine sense moved a little closer and caught their conversation.

"How many female disciples are there on Jade Peak?" Su Yuan's voice was casual, as if he were talking about something unimportant.

The core disciple quickly replied, "Reporting to Senior Su, there are over two hundred female disciples on Jade Peak, mostly outer disciples responsible for cultivating spiritual herbs and managing the alchemy rooms. There are also about thirty inner disciples, all of whom have excellent aptitude."

Su Yuan nodded, his gaze sweeping over several figures working in the medicinal fields in the distance, a faint smile playing on his lips: "More than two hundred people, that's not a small number. What about Frostflower Peak? I heard that the female disciples there primarily cultivate techniques of the cold attribute?"

"Yes, there are over fifty people on Frostflower Peak. Senior Sister Liu Ruoxue used to be on that peak," the core disciple added cautiously. "But we haven't seen Senior Sister Liu these past few days..."

Su Yuan waved his hand: "It's alright. The female disciples on the other peaks are probably all the same, right?"

"The main peak has the most, with over three hundred people, mostly inner disciples. Wenzang Peak and Chihuo Peak also have quite a few female disciples, totaling about one hundred."

Su Yuan listened, a satisfied expression appearing on his face. He didn't ask any further questions, simply waving his hand at the core disciple: "Alright, you can go back to your work."

The core disciple quickly took his leave and hurried away. Su Yuan and Liu Ying stood at the entrance of the cave, silent for a moment, then exchanged glances, both conveying a tacit understanding.

"Although the spiritual energy in the Northern Wilderness is thin, it has the advantage of a large population." Liu Ying's voice lowered slightly, carrying a casual tone as if she were appraising goods. "Before coming here, I looked through the branch sect's files, and there are more than twenty female disciples at the Golden Core stage or above. There are countless Foundation Establishment stage disciples. If we can properly train a group of them, it will be enough for us for a long time."

Su Yuan nodded: "No rush. We've just taken over; there needs to be a transition period. Once the sect leader leaves, we'll be in charge of the Northern Wilderness. We'll take our time, picking the most talented first, dealing with them one by one. There's plenty of time." He smiled, a confident and unhurried smile. "Anyway, even if the monk runs away, the temple won't. The entire Joyful Union Sect is here; who can fly away to the sky?"

Li Hanshan's consciousness retreated silently.

He didn't listen any further; what the two said was enough to confirm that the sect leader's intuition was correct. Su Yuan had his eye on all the female disciples of the Joyful Union Sect.

Once the sect leader and he both go to Zhongzhou, the entire Hehuan Sect will fall into the hands of those two. At that time, any female disciple with any talent will be unable to escape the fate of being exploited.

Fortunately, he had made arrangements in advance.

Li Hanshan didn't go directly to Hua Nongying, but instead went to Biyu Peak first. Jiang Nianwei was organizing medicinal herbs in the alchemy room. When she saw him come in, she put down the medicine box in her hand, her gaze questioning.

Li Hanshan cut to the chase: "Elder Jiang, is the secret passage in the back mountain still accessible?"

Jiang Nianwei paused, a hint of understanding flashing in her clear, cold eyes: "Did the Sect Master tell you?"

"Yes." Li Hanshan nodded.

Jiang Nianwei didn't ask further, only saying, "The secret passage is intact. The exit is in a secluded valley outside the mountains, without any surveillance arrays or patrolling disciples. Only the sect leader and I know about that path."

"Hmm." Li Hanshan nodded, then truthfully told Su Yuan and Liu Ying their plans, "They want to use all the talented female disciples of the Hehuan Sect as cultivation vessels. You've probably been targeted by them too."

Jiang Nianwei's face darkened. She put down the medicine box in her hand, remained silent for a moment, and a resolute glint flashed in her clear, cold eyes: "The secret passage is intact, and the exit is in a secluded valley outside the mountains, without any array monitoring it. But that path can't accommodate too many people at once; if we split it into groups, we can only take a dozen or so at most."

"They probably won't even look at those with poor aptitude. Just take some with good aptitude. Now is the perfect time to leave before they know anything about the Hehuan Sect's disciples," Li Hanshan said.

Jiang Nianwei nodded: "At this point, this is the only way."

Li Hanshan was silent for a moment, then nodded: "Okay. How many people do you want to take?"

Jiang Nianwei closed her eyes, seemingly calculating. After a moment, she opened them: "I have twelve disciples on Jade Peak, all with excellent aptitude, whom I personally trained. If they stay here, Su Yuan will be the first to take them away. Lingxi is among them. There are also several female disciples helping in the alchemy room; although their aptitude isn't particularly outstanding, if they fall into the hands of those two, they too will suffer the fate of being exploited. In total, there are over twenty."

Li Hanshan nodded: "There are over twenty people; the secret passage is enough for them. You gather them together, and I'll go get Hua Nongying and the others, then we'll all meet up."

Jiang Nianwei didn't delay. She immediately put down the medicinal herbs in her hand, got up, and walked out of the alchemy room. Xu Lingxi followed behind her master, her little face full of tension, but her steps were unwavering.

Li Hanshan also turned and left Jade Peak, went to the east side of the main peak to find Hua Nongying and Yun Shuyue, then went to Frost Peak to summon Liu Ruoxue, and finally went to Wencang Peak to find Hanyan. Hanyan was sitting cross-legged in a quiet room meditating. She opened her eyes when she heard the knock on the door and saw Li Hanshan. Her cold and beautiful eyes were filled with a hint of confusion.

"Come with me." Li Hanshan only said three words. Han Yan was silent for a moment, but did not ask why. She stood up and followed him.

Half an hour later, in a secluded stone chamber at the foot of Jade Peak, more than twenty people were crammed into a not-so-spacious space.

Hua Nongying leaned against the stone wall, a pipe between her fingers but no lit, her gaze sweeping over the unfamiliar faces. Yun Shuyue and Liu Ruoxue stood beside her, one quiet and the other cold, neither speaking. Han Yan stood near the door, arms crossed, sizing up the twenty-odd female disciples Jiang Nianwei had brought. Most of the female disciples were young, the youngest looking no more than sixteen or seventeen, all dressed in the light green dresses characteristic of Jade Peak, huddled together, their faces showing tension and confusion, but none of them cried or made a fuss.

Jiang Nianwei stood at the front of them, her light green dress shimmering softly in the candlelight.

She turned around, her gaze sweeping over the female disciples behind her. Her voice was calm, yet carried an unprecedented solemnity: "You are all disciples who have followed me from Jade Peak for many years. I usually teach you alchemy, herb cultivation, and training. Today, I will take you away from the Joyful Union Sect."

Xu Lingxi stood beside her, clutching her master's sleeve, and nodded vigorously.

Li Hanshan stepped forward, his gaze sweeping over the crowd, and cut to the chase: "Two members of the main sect of the Hehuan Sect have arrived, intending to use their outstanding female disciples as cultivation partners. Jade Peak is their primary target; staying here will only lead to your deaths. I will take you to a safe place—an island deep within the Endless Sea, guarded by giant turtles, where sea beasts cannot enter and no one can catch you."

An older female disciple mustered her courage and asked, "Elder Li, is it possible to cultivate on that island?"

"Yes." Li Hanshan looked at her. "Although the spiritual energy on the island isn't as concentrated as that of the Hehuan Sect, there's demon beast blood to temper your body, and spiritual herbs to refine pills. You won't waste your cultivation there; you'll only live better than here. Besides, Su Yuan and Liu Ying aren't there."

The female disciple took a deep breath and didn't ask any more questions. Although the other female disciples were still nervous, the confusion in their eyes gradually faded.

Li Hanshan took out a palm-sized, dark blue conch shell from his sleeve and handed it to Hua Nongying: "When you get to the sea, blow it, and the giant turtle will come to pick you up." He then took out a jade slip: "This is the location and map of Seagod Island; I've left a divine imprint on it." He then took out a communication talisman: "Use this to tell me when you arrive."

Hua Nongying took the three items and put them away. She looked up at him, her captivating eyes filled with a complex emotion: "Hanlang, will you come back?"

"Yes." He didn't hesitate. "Once I've established myself in Central Continent, I'll come to pick you up."

Hua Nongying stared at him for a few moments, then suddenly smiled, a smile that carried a hint of nonchalance and a touch of relief: "That's fine then. I'll wait for you."

Jiang Nianwei stepped forward, glanced at Li Hanshan, and said softly, "I'll have the remaining female disciples hide in the secret chamber beneath the alchemy room. Once things have calmed down, I'll find a way to send them out to sea in batches. How many people can Seagod Island accommodate?"

"The entire island spans dozens of miles, enough to house tens of thousands of people," Li Hanshan said. "Send as many as you can."

Jiang Nianwei nodded without saying anything more. She turned and walked towards the entrance of the secret passage, raising her hand to cast a spell. The stone wall silently slid open, revealing a narrow passage that could only accommodate one person at a time. Tiny luminous pearls were embedded in the stone walls on both sides of the passage, emitting a cold, eerie light in the darkness, stretching all the way into the depths where the end was nowhere in sight.

"Let's go." She stepped into the passageway first.

Xu Lingxi followed behind her. When the little girl reached Li Hanshan's side, she stopped and looked up at him, saying, "Grandpa Li, you must take good care of yourself." Then, without waiting for his reply, she quickly followed her master.

Hua Nongying followed second, finally bringing the pipe back to her lips, the wisps of smoke drawing a thin line at the entrance of the passage. Yun Shuyue and Liu Ruoxue walked side by side behind her, while Han Yan followed behind Liu Ruoxue, her steps brisk, without looking back.

The female disciples of Jade Peak filed in, each bowing slightly as they passed Li Hanshan. Some had red eyes, some bit their lips, but no one fell behind, no one hesitated. More than twenty figures disappeared into the darkness at the entrance of the secret passage, their footsteps fading into the narrow corridor and swallowed by the cold light of the luminous pearl.

Li Hanshan stood at the entrance of the stone chamber, watching the last glimpse of the pale green dress disappear around the corner of the passage. Jiang Nianwei walked at the back of the group, stopping before entering the passage and glancing back at him. In the twilight, a complex emotion flashed in his clear, cold eyes, as if a thousand words were stuck in his throat, but in the end, they only turned into a very soft sigh.

Then she turned and disappeared into the passage. The stone wall closed silently behind her, erasing even the last trace.