In a dim hall within the Jinyuan Immortal Palace.

A red glow permeated the hall, and upon closer inspection, the ground and surrounding walls were engraved with dark blood-colored patterns, forming a massive array.

As these array patterns flickered, wisps of cold air emanated from the formation, permeating the hall and chilling one to the bone.

A black stone pillar stood in the center of the array, adorned with seven branches, each topped with a simple oil lamp burning with a faint green flame.

The seven points of green light flickered within the hall, offering no sense of illumination, only an eerie atmosphere.

Suddenly, the seven green flames swelled several times in size, transforming into fist-sized orbs that detached from the lamps and hovered in mid-air.

Green array patterns emerged in the surrounding void, connecting the seven flames and quickly forming a seven-star array.

A flash of black light emanated from the center of the array, and a remnant soul emerged, coalescing into a vague face – Tao Ji.

"Fortunately, I set up this Seven Star Lamp as a backup, or I would have truly been done for this time," Tao Ji muttered, his eyes then flashing with a murderous resentment.

"Han Li, you killed my beloved son and destroyed my cultivation. This is an irreconcilable hatred! It's either you die, or I perish! Although I cannot kill you, I will spare no effort to use others to destroy you! That thing… I no longer want it!"

Tao Ji's remnant soul wore a ferocious expression as he opened his mouth and inhaled towards the seven-star array below.

The seven green flames within the array shot towards him, entering his mouth and causing the remnant soul to rapidly solidify.

At the same time, a "crack" sounded as a foot-long hole split open at the base of the black stone pillar. A figure talisman flew out from within, merging with the remnant soul.

A bright black light flashed, and a black figure materialized out of thin air, its entire body seemingly formed from solidified black liquid – Tao Ji.

He stretched his limbs and nodded in satisfaction before flying outwards.

Half an hour later, Tao Ji arrived before a golden palace.

"Elder Tao!"

Two attendants stood guard on either side of the palace gate. Upon seeing Tao Ji's current appearance, a hint of surprise flashed in their eyes as they respectfully saluted.

"I have an urgent matter to see the Palace Lord. Quickly inform him!" Tao Ji appeared to be in a state of great urgency.

"Yes, Elder Tao, please wait a moment!" The two attendants replied upon seeing Tao Ji's expression and were about to enter to report.

"No need. Let Elder Tao in," a stern voice echoed from within.

Tao Ji pushed open the palace door and strode inside, passing through the grand hall and a corridor several hundred feet long before arriving at a vast garden.

The garden was filled with various flowers and trees, vibrant and competing for attention, their fragrant aromas permeating the air, creating the illusion of being in a sea of flowers.

In the center of the garden stood a white gazebo, where a white-robed figure stood with hands clasped behind their back, seemingly admiring a light red flowering tree outside the gazebo.

"Greetings, Palace Lord!" Tao Ji hastened forward and respectfully saluted.

"What is it? To use the Heavenly Shadow Talisman for remote projection just to see me," the white-robed figure turned around, revealing a middle-aged man.

The man's appearance was not particularly remarkable, with slightly graying temples giving him an air of vicissitude. However, his eyes were extremely deep, as if they had seen all aspects of the world, giving one a sense of profoundness.

"Reporting to the Palace Lord, I am not here through remote projection, but rather my physical body was destroyed by someone. Fortunately, I had previously set up a Seven Star Lamp restriction, preserving a wisp of remnant soul. I was forced to use the Heavenly Shadow Talisman for projection in order to seek an audience with you," Tao Ji said mournfully, his face filled with sorrow.

"What! Your physical body was destroyed! Who did this?" The white-robed man frowned upon hearing this and asked in a deep voice.

"It was a wanted individual on the Heavenly Court's Immortal Extermination List, named Han Li, who goes by the alias Li Feiyu," Tao Ji said through gritted teeth.

"Han Li… Li Feiyu, I remember this person. He is wanted for cultivating the Refining Spirit Technique and participating in the assassination of important Heavenly Court officials. Your son Tao Yu was also injured by this person, with a bounty of five thousand Immortal Essence Stones. He has appeared in the Jinyuan Immortal Domain? You have a blood feud with him for killing your son, so it's only natural to go and capture him. However, according to the information collected by the Heavenly Court, this person is only a True Immortal. Even if his cultivation has improved in recent years, at most he would have advanced to the Golden Immortal realm. How could you have been defeated by him?" The white-robed man recited Han Li's information as if enumerating treasures, as if he held everything in his mind, giving one a sense of omniscience.

"According to the information, that is indeed the case, but this person's current cultivation is extremely high, having reached the Grand Unity realm. Moreover, his physical strength is extremely formidable, reaching at least the Grand Unity Profound Immortal level. The Two Elements Yin Yang Array that I and Fellow Daoist Jin Chuan, along with nearly a hundred Golden Immortal cultivators, set up was easily broken free by him. Apart from me, everyone else died at his hands," Tao Ji said in a deep voice.

"What? Dual cultivation of the Dharma and body, both reaching Grand Unity? This is impossible!" The white-robed man finally showed emotion upon hearing this.

"I dare not deceive you in the slightest. This matter is absolutely true. This is the battle process I recorded with the Heavenly Soul Pearl. Please take a look, Palace Lord," Tao Ji opened his mouth and spat out a thumb-sized, crystal-clear pearl, which landed before the white-robed man.

The white-robed man made a hand seal and touched the crystal pearl.

The crystal pearl immediately emitted a bright light, recording the battle process with Han Li in detail, making Han Li's cultivation realm clear at a glance.

"This person's cultivation has indeed reached the Grand Unity realm, but it has only been two or three thousand years since this person was placed on the Immortal Extermination List," the white-robed man muttered in disbelief.

"In that case, the only explanation is that this person hid his cultivation back then and was not a True Immortal cultivator. No wonder my son, who had already become a Golden Immortal at the time, still fell at his hands," Tao Ji said resentfully.

"No, before the Heavenly Court places someone on the Immortal Extermination List, they will definitely thoroughly investigate all aspects of the target's information, and the cultivation realm is of utmost importance. There will never be a mistake!" The white-robed man slowly shook his head.

"If the investigation back then was correct, does that mean this person only used a mere two or three thousand years to advance from the True Immortal realm to the Grand Unity realm, and also cultivated his physical body to the same level? This is impossible! Even if this person has exceptional talent and is supported by a powerful force, his cultivation could never have improved so quickly, unless he has some heaven-defying treasure that can shorten cultivation time… Eh!" Tao Ji shook his head and said, his gaze suddenly freezing, as if he had thought of something.

"Elder Tao, what did you think of?" The white-robed man was pondering this matter when Tao Ji's surprised exclamation interrupted him, causing him to frown in displeasure.

"Palace Lord, please be discerning. I did recall something, but it concerns my son Yu," Tao Ji said.

"Tao Yu? What exactly is it?" The white-robed man asked.

"My son formed a grudge with this Li Feiyu in the Northern Cold Immortal Domain. He once sent back some information about this person. I remember there being some information about a time-attributed treasure. Previously, I was grieving over my son's death and didn't investigate it in detail. Could it be related to this person's rapid improvement in cultivation?" Tao Ji said.

"What kind of information?" The white-robed man's spirit was greatly lifted upon hearing this.

"It was quite some time ago, so I don't remember too clearly, but I still have all the information saved. I will have someone send it over, and we can find out with a quick check," Tao Ji quickly said, then took out a communication array disc and whispered a few words.

A moment later, a golden-robed young man flew over from outside and bowed before the two.

"Greetings, Palace Lord, Uncle Tao."

"No need for formalities. Did you bring what I asked for?" Tao Ji said.

"The information about my cousin Tao Yu is all here," the golden-robed young man took out a stack of jade slip materials and placed them on the stone table in the pavilion.

The white-robed man ignored the golden-robed young man, picked up a jade slip, and began to investigate.

"Alright, you may leave," Tao Ji waved his hand, telling the golden-robed young man to leave. He also picked up another jade slip and began to investigate.

With their abilities, they quickly read through most of the jade slips.

"Ah!" The white-robed man looked at a white jade slip in his hand, his face showing a hint of excitement, his eyes flashing violently, as if he was extremely excited.

"Palace Lord, did you find something?" Tao Ji asked.

The white-robed man glanced at Tao Ji and handed the jade slip over.

Tao Ji took the jade slip and immersed his divine sense into it. Inside was a message that Tao Yu had sent back, vaguely mentioning that he was investigating someone who possessed a crystalline treasure containing time laws.

"Yes, this is it. A time law crystal. Palace Lord, do you think this item is related to that Li Feiyu's rapid improvement in cultivation?" Tao Ji quickly asked.

"That Li Feiyu's cultivation is no longer important. Immediately contact the temple and report that we have discovered clues to the Creation Crystal Grain!" The white-robed man said excitedly and quickly walked towards the depths of the garden.

"What, this crystal grain is the Creation Crystal Grain?" Tao Ji exclaimed in surprise upon hearing this, stepping forward and following him.

"Although I'm not completely certain, I'm at least seventy to eighty percent sure. According to the temple's records, the Creation Crystal Grain has the effect of accelerating the cultivation of laws. If used properly, it can also be used to hasten the growth of spiritual herbs. It is the first-class treasure that can quickly improve cultivation. That Li Feiyu's cultivation is improving so quickly, and he has a time law crystal on his person. How can there be so many coincidences in the world? That crystal grain is most likely the Creation Crystal Grain!" The white-robed man said quickly.

"So that's how it is. This matter is indeed very possible! Alas, it's all my fault for being too careless in the past and not thinking deeply about this matter, missing many opportunities to capture this person. Fortunately, you, Palace Lord, are quick-witted and noticed the origin of that crystal grain," Tao Ji nodded, then said regretfully.

The white-robed man stopped in his tracks upon hearing this, turned to look at Tao Ji, his gaze profound.

"Palace Lord?" Tao Ji also stopped upon seeing this, a look of confusion on his face.

"Elder Tao, were you truly unaware of the matter of that crystal grain before? Or were you deliberately concealing this matter, attempting to seize that treasure for yourself? It's just that the other party was too strong, and you couldn't succeed, so you revealed this matter?" The white light in the white-robed man's eyes shone brightly, turning into two white blades that stared intently at Tao Ji.

A vast aura erupted from his body, pressing down on Tao Ji.

"Palace Lord, please be discerning! That treasure concerns the rise and fall of my Nine Yuan Temple. Even if you gave me ten thousand guts, I would never dare to have such thoughts! I really just realized this!" Tao Ji's face changed drastically as he fell to his knees on the ground with a thud, wailing.

The white-robed man ignored Tao Ji's wails, the white light in his eyes growing brighter and brighter, and the pressure emanating from his body growing heavier and heavier.

Tao Ji trembled incessantly, kowtowing repeatedly.

"Hmph! Regardless of whether what you say is true or false, you have some merit for discovering clues to the Creation Crystal Grain this time. Now, you may leave. Later, the Immortal Palace will choose a suitable body for you to possess and be reborn," the white light in the white-robed man's eyes suddenly dimmed and quickly dissipated, he said indifferently.

"Thank you, Palace Lord," The pressure on Tao Ji's body suddenly disappeared. He gasped for breath and thanked him repeatedly.

The white-robed man snorted again, and his figure flickered before disappearing into thin air.

Upon seeing this, Tao Ji's face relaxed, and he slowly stood up, wiping the non-existent sweat from his forehead, and walked outwards.

A sinister smile of success flashed in the depths of his eyes, then disappeared without a trace.