"Your destiny tablet!" When he first received the blood-red wooden tablet, he hadn't taken the time to examine it closely—yet it clearly stood out from ordinary treasures. Now, hearing the old woman's words, he found himself somewhat doubtful. Without speaking, he tapped his waist satchel, and instantly a streak of blood shot out, spiraling before settling into his hands. It was precisely the tablet! With a flash of blue light in his eyes, he now truly studied its form. About the size of a palm, the surface shimmered with a blood-like glow. On the front, a small, misty gray-white mass floated, gently pulsing within the radiance—seeming almost alive. His awareness swiftly swept upward, and within moments, a pleased expression appeared on his face. He then formed a seal with one hand and cast a beam of green light forward. Immediately, the blood glow intensified, and the misty gray-white mass dispersed, revealing a pattern of a black-and-white spirit tortoise. "A Xuanyan Tortoise! That's your true form!" "How remarkable the defense is! It's no wonder it has endured so long even within the northern polar luminescence!" Han Li stared at the wooden plaque for a long time, then gently drew back the blue glow in his pupils, lifting his head and speaking calmly. "You have already confirmed that I am not deceiving you. This life-essential plaque was personally crafted by the three elders of Kunwu back then. Now, no one in the human realm can produce such a top-tier life plaque. As long as this plaque remains in the hands of the token's master, our very lives are entirely at his or her mercy." The woman remained motionless in the northern polar luminescence, speaking with great care, fearing that Han Li might misunderstand her. "That's true, yet the effectiveness of this life-essential plaque also depends on who holds it. If a cultivator below the Yuan-Ying stage attempts to absorb and fully integrate it, so as to make you bow and obey, their cultivation level may prove insufficient, and they might even be reversed by the restrictions embedded within the plaque itself." Han Li replied calmly. "Then, are you not confident in me, merely because you now hold this plaque?" The woman's previously unattractive face grew I can hold you at any moment, but your cultivation far surpasses mine. If you're willing to risk your life, you're certainly capable of breaking free and turning the tide. I have no interest in staying on edge like this—what use would I have for you? Han Li's face suddenly darkened, and the luminous ring above him emitted a resonant hum, instantly encircling the ugly woman. At the same time, the silver filaments around her began to stir and tremble. "Should you still feel uneasy, I'm willing to split my half spirit and attach it to my life plate. Should there be any ill intent, you'll immediately sense it." Startled, the woman stammered and spoke hurriedly. "Ah! Splitting the spirit! That's a good idea. Since you've mentioned it, go ahead and split your spirit now." Han Li remained calm, his gaze flickering as he spoke. Upon hearing this, the woman hesitated. But when she saw Han Li's eyes grow once again sharp and intense, she grew cold, and without further delay, raised her hand and struck gently against the back of her head. A soft "puff" sound, and a flash of black and white luminescence appeared on the top of his head, revealing a crude, ugly woman's immortal essence floating there. As soon as she opened her mouth, a green glow the size of a fist burst forth. Upon seeing the woman's face contort with pain, the green glow trembled violently and split into two slightly smaller orbs. One orb spiraled around and promptly slipped back into her nostrils, while the other hesitated before slowly drifting toward Han Li. Seeing this, Han Li didn't hesitate—he simply waved his soul tablet, causing the green glow that had approached it to shimmer. A burst of blood light erupted, and as he drew the glow into the tablet, the green light was pulled and woven into the wooden surface. The tablet glowed with a vibrant blood light, and a clear, resonant hum began to rise faintly. Han Li lowered his head and examined the object closely. He noticed that the black-and-white tortoise on the tablet had become much clearer, and now raised its head and flicked its tail, as though truly alive. Only then did Han Li truly feel at ease. He opened his mouth and, without further hesitation, swallowed the object whole. The ugly woman across the way felt a cold shock, realizing that unless she could advance to the Huashen stage, she would never escape the other's control again. After swallowing the wooden plaque, Han Li felt a great relief and immediately raised his finger, pointing it at the ring floating in the air. At once, the original northern yuan light that had surrounded the woman dispersed in all directions. Han Li's figure flickered, and he was suddenly standing right before her, studying the disheveled appearance of the demon with one arm missing. He frowned slightly. He casually flicked his finger at the protective shield in front of him. A shimmer of dark light flashed, and the luminous shield formed by the shadow ring enveloped the woman, sealing out the remaining silver filaments around her. "Rest assured, I don't intend to bind you forever. As soon as you either dissolve into stillness or ascend to the spiritual realm, I'll return your freedom. I never meant for you to serve as a hereditary spiritual beast of your family or sect." After gathering the second yang ring, Han Li said this lightly. "Is that truly so, friend?" "Heard that, the plain woman's expression brightened immediately and asked aloud. 'Believe me or not—well, you'll find out soon enough. But compared to you celestial and divine beasts, our human lifespan is truly insignificant. As long as you remain fully devoted to me during this time, I will never fail you. Moreover, my divine beasts are not just one—you'll soon see that serving me might not be such a bad thing!' Han Li didn't find it odd that the spirit beast insisted on maintaining its status without changing to 'your humble servant.' Instead, he gave a slight smile and said, 'If I don't believe you, what can I do? But as long as you truly keep your word, I'll serve you for a few years—nothing to complain about.' The plain woman chuckled softly. 'Well, I'm what I am. With more experience, you'll come to know. First, take the potion from the small vial I'm holding—restore your spiritual power and heal your injuries first.' Han Li's expression grew serious as he raised his hand and tossed the small vial into the air. 'Restore my spiritual power?' "Hmm, is it really...?" The plain-looking woman hesitated, took the small vial with both hands, and opened the lid. A pure, vibrant qi surged forth, causing her to gasp in surprise. "This contains a drop of immortal night essence—enough to restore your depleted spiritual energy. I'll need your help again shortly," said Han Li, with his hands behind his back, speaking calmly. "Thank you so much, my friend!" Naturally delighted by such a gift, the woman immediately bowed and swallowed the drop of essence. After a brief circulation within her body, the essence transformed into an exceptionally pure stream of qi, swiftly filling every part of her being. Overjoyed, she raised one hand, forming a seal, and a shimmering light of black and white radiated from her body. Then, she turned her head to gaze intently at her severed arm, murmuring softly to herself. To Han Li's astonishment, the black and white light from the wound intertwined and converged, causing countless flesh buds to grow rapidly. Within moments, a new, fully formed arm began to take shape. "A body that cannot be destroyed!" Han Li was deeply impressed. This spirit beast rarely possesses such feats—Francesca had only witnessed it once, on the fire tortoise beast of the Falling Demon Valley. Clearly, this new ability of the woman's surpasses even that of the fire tortoise by a considerable margin, as her entire arm fully extended within mere breaths. Han Li was deeply astonished. It seemed he had only narrowly managed to subdue this spirit beast. Had it not been for the fact that, in this realm of northern primordial light, the beast had already expended much of its inner energy defending against the light, merely mastering such a grand ability would have been no easy task. In fact, Han Li was unaware that the woman had already suffered significant depletion of her inner power due to the restrictions of the golden magnetic spirit tree before this encounter. Otherwise, she might have endured the northern primordial light for a longer duration. After all, this spirit beast was a ten-tiered creature, with a depth of cultivation far exceeding Han Li's expectations. "Indeed, no waste at all—worthy of a thousand years of spiritual essence. If I had to restore my own energy and heal myself, I’d likely need two or three days of meditation and rest!" As the woman ceased her incantations "Han Li doesn't yet know how to address you, but since he's been mingling with that silver-winged night monkey, I'm sure you've heard him mention a few things about me." Han Li spoke slowly from beside him. "My name is Gui Ling. I've indeed heard a few things about your abilities, though only regarding your magical prowess." The plain woman replied hesitantly. "As for my own situation, I'll find the time to tell Gui Li all about myself. Your cultivation and skills are truly exceptional. Though I control the life plate, I won't treat you merely as a low-ranking beast to be driven around. In ordinary circumstances, we shall be equals." Han Li suddenly smiled lightly. "Thank you, Master. Could you kindly clarify what you meant by needing my assistance?" The creature recalled what Han Li had previously mentioned, her expression now serious. She was genuinely concerned that Han Li might ask her to intervene—perhaps even to confront the silver-winged night monkey and that lion-like beast. Though they were not close friends, she did have some acquaintance with the second immortal. "Shortly after the Dry Old Demon enters the Northern Primordial Light, pass through here, you will assist me in eliminating him." The cold gleam in Han Li's eyes flashed, yet his voice remained calm and composed. "By the Dry Old Demon, you mean the Yuan-Stage Late Immortal who employs magical techniques?" The ugly woman slightly relaxed, asking cautiously. "Yes, that very one. Originally, I hadn't planned to engage him here. After all, this man is exceptionally skilled in his magical arts, and his evasive techniques are truly extraordinary. Even if he can manipulate the Northern Primordial Light, my chances of leaving him standing are slim. But now, with Gui's friendliness at our side, everything has changed." Han Li said with a cold smile. "Then, with your words, I shall fully support you." The demon, feeling constrained, readily agreed. "It shall then be up to Gui's friend. However, when you act, temporarily leave your Yuan-Stage body behind—I still need to ask a few questions." "Understood!" But allow me to speak frankly—though Daoist Brother has the advantage of location and with my assistance, we can easily deal a heavy blow to this Dry Old Demon. Still, truly eliminating him? That remains quite unlikely. I have personally witnessed him employing his magical techniques to withstand the polar primordial light piercing through his body. Should he focus solely on escaping, even together we would find it difficult to stop him." The plain woman, Han Li, turned her head toward the direction from which Han Li had come, hesitated slightly, then spoke her reminder. "Indeed, with just us two, we are still rather thin in strength. But what if we added one more cultivator at the late Yuan-Ying stage?" Han Li's face suddenly took on a strangely composed expression. "One more cultivator at the late Yuan-Ying stage?" The plain woman was momentarily startled, instinctively glanced around, but found no one concealed nearby. She then turned her gaze back to Han Li, her face filled with astonishment.