Chapter 1454: Biwood Demon

Seeing this, Lei Lan frowned and turned to Bai Bi, saying:

“These things seem a bit troublesome. I’ll go help Sister Qin.”

As she spoke, golden light flickered around her body as she prepared to dart out of the carriage.

However, Bai Bi raised a hand to stop her and, with a bitter smile, pointed in a certain direction. “Junior Sister Lei, I don’t think you need to help Miss Qin. We have something else to deal with.”

Lei Lan was taken aback and followed Bai Bi’s gaze.

In the darkness, a large pack of demon wolves emerged silently. From a distance, they appeared as a mass of fur, their numbers impossible to estimate.

Almost at the same time, loud screeches erupted from another direction.

Lei Lan glanced over and saw a group of towering ice apes, each over ten feet tall, their long, slightly curly fur covering their bodies. Most of them wielded crude clubs made of wood or stone, baring their fangs menacingly.

“I’ll handle the wolves. Those ice apes are yours, Senior Brother Bai,” Lei Lan said decisively before transforming into a streak of silver light, darting toward the wolf pack.

Thunder roared as over a dozen thick arcs of lightning exploded above the wolves before striking downward.

The wolves struck by the silver light trembled and collapsed, their bodies charred.

Bai Bi shook his head at the sight, then cupped his hands slightly toward Han Li before transforming into a golden streak and shooting out.

Moments later, the ape horde in the other direction erupted into chaos as a golden explosion burst in the sky, raining countless golden threads downward.

Screams filled the air as the apes were pierced through vital points, collapsing in pools of blood.

If these were merely low-level demon beasts, neither the wolves nor the apes would have posed any threat to Lei Lan and Bai Bi. However, among the low-level hordes, several mid-level demons with considerable abilities emerged, forcing the two—along with Qin Xiao—to fight cautiously rather than swiftly exterminate the beasts.

Han Li, standing atop the spirit carriage, observed the scene with a flicker of thought. He considered recalling the three and using the grand formation to wipe out all the beasts at once.

But just then, an unusual sound echoed from the sky, as if something was approaching.

Blue light flashed in Han Li’s eyes as he focused his gaze, and his expression darkened.

Hundreds of bizarre ice-fiend demons of varying shapes and sizes flew toward them. Some were pitch-black and crystalline, with the largest spanning over a hundred feet and the smallest barely a foot long. Judging by their auras, they were all mid-level demons from the abyss.

Their eyes gleamed with excitement as they charged toward the formation, clearly drawn by the strange fragrance emanating from the little beast.

Han Li sneered and remained motionless, watching as the demons flew closer and plunged into the formation, heading straight for the beast at its center.

Only when most of the hundred or so ice-fiends had entered did Han Li act.

With a flip of his hand, a fiery-red, glowing formation flag several inches long appeared in his palm. He channeled his spiritual power into it before pointing the flag downward.

A red beam shot out and vanished into the formation below.

A thunderous boom followed as the ten light pillars at the formation’s edges trembled. Runes emerged, and crimson mist surged from all directions, enveloping the ice-fiends within.

The demons panicked—some spewed freezing winds, while others summoned black snow and hail.

Yet all their ice-based abilities disintegrated upon contact with the red mist. The demons themselves dissolved layer by layer as the mist swept over them.

In moments, the demons within the formation vanished, leaving only wisps of ice-fiend essence floating in the air.

The remaining demons outside the formation hesitated—some lingered, unwilling to leave the alluring scent, while others, more intelligent, turned to flee.

Han Li’s brows rose as he spat out a ball of azure light containing a small green cauldron.

The cauldron spun rapidly before expanding to ten feet in size.

With a slap, Han Li struck the cauldron, causing its lid to fly open. A burst of green threads shot out, vanishing into the void.

An instant later, near the fleeing ice-fiends, space rippled as countless green threads reappeared, piercing through the demons effortlessly. Even those that had fled some distance were not spared.

As the green light faded, the demons’ corpses shattered into pieces, raining from the sky.

Clearly, with Han Li’s increased cultivation, the Void Sky Cauldron’s power had grown exponentially.

Qin Xiao and the others also displayed their abilities, slaying the mid-level demons and finally scattering the hordes.

“I never expected so many demons in this ice-fiend land. I wonder where they were hiding before,” Lei Lan remarked in amazement as she and Qin Xiao returned to the carriage.

Bai Bi, appearing in a flash of golden light, added, “This area is vast—there are countless hiding spots. But these were just the nearby demons. Soon, beasts from farther regions will arrive, possibly including high-level ones.”

Han Li remained calm.

Before long, roars of varying lengths echoed as more demons emerged, charging toward the formation.

This time, Han Li didn’t send the other three out. Instead, he activated the grand formation directly. Any demon that entered was instantly reduced to ashes by the crimson mist.

Time passed in waves of demon attacks, and half a day slipped by unnoticed.

At one point, a high-level demon appeared, but Han Li swiftly activated the Great Geng Sword Formation, slaying it with ease.

Perhaps this demon was infamous in the ice-fiend land, as no other powerful creatures appeared for a long time afterward.

Han Li and the others were content to wait.

Hours later, as the fragrance from the leopard-lynx beast began to fade, a flock of strange birds attacking the formation suddenly scattered without warning.

Just as Han Li was puzzled, heavy footsteps—*thud, thud*—echoed from a distance, shaking the icy ground as if a colossal being was approaching.

Lei Lan and the others exchanged surprised glances.

Han Li narrowed his eyes, blue light flickering in his gaze.

Soon, a towering, emerald-green demon emerged from the darkness, standing hundreds of feet tall.

“Jadewood Fiend! It’s actually this demon!” Bai Bi uttered gravely upon recognizing it.

The creature was bizarre—its upper half resembled a human, while its lower half was that of a deer. Its head was unnaturally green, like a giant log adorned with leaves and flowers, making it absurdly comical.

Yet no one could laugh at the sight of the twin mountain-sized hammers it wielded.

“Don’t worry. Though the Jadewood Fiend is massive and immensely strong, it’s slow. As long as we avoid its weapons, we’ll be fine,” Bai Bi reassured, glancing at Han Li.

But he was startled—Han Li’s expression had darkened, the first sign of seriousness since the demon attacks began.

“Brother Han, you…” Bai Bi and the others noticed and couldn’t help but ask.

“If it were just this demon, it’d be manageable. But the one standing atop its head might be more troublesome,” Han Li said quietly.

“Another one?” The group gasped and hurriedly looked up.

Upon closer inspection, they spotted a two-foot-tall, green-robed dwarf with a long beard standing motionless on the Jadewood Fiend’s head, partially hidden by leaves and flowers.

“Listen well, surface-dwelling Winged Tribesmen. I know you have some skill, but your cultivation is no match for mine. Hand over that ascending spirit beast, and I’ll leave at once. Otherwise, this will be your grave,” the dwarf declared arrogantly, not even blinking.

Lei Lan and the others, unsure of his strength, exchanged uneasy glances.

Han Li, however, sighed inwardly—the dwarf was at the mid-stage of Void Refining, a formidable foe for ordinary Winged Tribe saints. But to Han Li, unless the dwarf possessed heaven-defying abilities, he was no real threat.

Choosing not to respond, Han Li simply clasped his hands behind his back, smirking faintly.

The others, though nervous, followed his lead and remained silent.

Enraged, the dwarf’s eyes turned cold. “Since you’ve chosen death, I’ll grant your wish!”

With a tap of his staff on the Jadewood Fiend’s head, the demon roared and charged toward the formation.