Chapter 1646: Discovery

“Generous thanks?” Han Li chuckled lightly upon hearing this.

“What, Fellow Daoist doesn’t believe my words? If that’s the case, I can certainly pay some price in advance,” the Gui-surnamed man said coldly, his expression icy.

“Brother Han, only I, who have studied the Outerworld Demon Armor, can repair it. If you join forces with me, not only will I repair the armor upon our return, but in a few hundred years, I will also bring you back here to search for the True Kirin Essence and share it with you,” Xianxian said calmly, appearing utterly confident that Han Li would help her.

As expected, Han Li only pondered briefly before shaking his head at the Gui-surnamed man. “Regardless of the future, I cannot stand idly by this time. If you know what’s good for you, leave now.”

Hearing this, the Gui-surnamed man was furious. A savage look flashed across his face, and the bloody aura around him thickened.

Han Li narrowed his eyes. A rumbling thunder echoed from his body as golden arcs of lightning crackled around him. Simultaneously, a faint golden Dharma Form with three heads and six arms materialized behind him, flickering in and out of existence.

Beneath his feet, dozens of emerald flying swords shot out, releasing a chilling light as they formed a slowly blooming green lotus.

Han Li himself stood with his hands behind his back, expressionlessly staring at the Gui-surnamed man.

Xianxian smiled radiantly at this sight.

But she was not idle either. With a flip of her hands, a shimmering green talisman appeared in one, inscribed with the image of a green kirin, while a small black flag materialized in the other. Both were densely covered in runes, clearly extraordinary.

With a slight shake, a black whirlwind and a phantom image of a green kirin roared into existence, merging instantly. The kirin phantom, bolstered by the wind, grew several times in size, its low growls echoing as it glared menacingly at their foe.

Despite his usual ferocity, the Gui-surnamed man’s face darkened at the sight of Han Li and Xianxian joining forces.

The Crystal Race woman’s strength was negligible to him, but Han Li’s solo defeat of the Cave Spirit had shaken him deeply.

He knew his chances of defeating the Cave Spirit one-on-one were no better than fifty-fifty—let alone one possessed by an Outerworld Demon Monarch’s avatar.

“Fine, very well. There will be another day. I hope the two of you remain as safe as you are now when we meet again,” the Gui-surnamed man said coldly, his eyes flashing with malice.

With a flick of his sleeve, a gray mist shot out, coalescing into a bizarre, blood-red flying vehicle shaped like a spike, with ghostly shadows flickering around it. The man vanished into the vehicle, which then transformed into a crimson streak, vanishing into the horizon after a few flashes.

He was decisive—seeing little chance of victory, he fled without hesitation.

Xianxian relaxed, forming a hand seal to disperse the kirin phantom, which reverted to the talisman and flag, falling into her hands.

She then turned gracefully to Han Li and bowed. “Thanks to Brother Han for driving that beast away. Otherwise, whether I could have left here alive today would have been uncertain.”

“Hmph, you trust me too easily. Aren’t you afraid I might turn on you, seize you, and extract the armor-repairing technique through soul-searching?” Han Li snorted, glancing at her.

“Though we haven’t known each other long, I can tell you’re not the type to betray allies. Besides, while my cultivation is low, I know a few soul-locking secrets. Even if my soul were to scatter, no one could easily extract critical information,” Xianxian replied with a smile, unfazed by his tone.

Han Li was momentarily speechless.

His primary goal was repairing the Outerworld Demon Armor, and he had no desire for further complications.

As for the True Kirin Essence, he had never heard of it before and had no immediate plans to pursue it. He would investigate further upon returning. Moreover, the anomalies involving the Outerworld Demon Monarch and the Soul Devouring Beast troubled him, requiring careful consideration later.

“This time, I’ll take all the materials from that Saint-rank demon ape,” Han Li declared after a moment’s thought, his tone brooking no argument.

“No problem. After repairing the armor, I’ll also gift you something else as thanks for your help,” Xianxian agreed readily, even offering additional compensation.

Pleased by her compliance, Han Li nodded slightly.

“Brother Han, the earlier commotion likely drew many demonic beasts. Let’s leave to avoid further trouble,” Xianxian suggested, glancing at the wreckage below with a hint of frustration.

“Agreed. The disturbance was too great. Let’s go,” Han Li said, scanning the surroundings before nodding.

Xianxian brightened.

The two then soared into the sky as white and green streaks, heading out of the mountain range.

Soon, the area fell silent, devoid of any presence.

Within half a day, they exited the mountains, landing on the peak where they had parted ways with Yue Zong.

Without a word, Xianxian flicked a silver light into the air. It circled briefly before returning to her sleeve.

Her expression darkened, then she smiled wryly. “As I feared, Fellow Daoist Yue has likely perished. Either that Gui-surnamed man or the high-rank demonic beast killed by the Cave Spirit is responsible. Had I known, I would have brought him into the mountains with us. Now, our return journey may be riskier.”

“Yue Zong’s death is unfortunate. But even if he had entered the mountains, he couldn’t have entered the demonic energy channel. His fate would have been the same. As for our return, let’s stick to the original route—it’s safer since we’ve traveled it before,” Han Li said after a brief pause.

“That’s all we can do. Let’s depart immediately,” Xianxian sighed.

Han Li nodded.

They took to the skies again, retracing their path.

Unbeknownst to them, thousands of miles away, hundreds of transformed demonic beasts were racing toward them along the same route.

Leading them was Wu Qi, the horned humanoid demonic beast and another trusted subordinate of the Saint-rank Multi-Eyed Demon.

Clad in black armor, his fierce face was grim as he frequently glanced at a blood-red orb in his hand.

Once smooth and translucent, the orb now bore a deep crack and had lost its luster.

After receiving Jiu Ye’s distress signal, the Multi-Eyed Demon, unable to act personally, had dispatched Wu Qi with all available mid-to-high-rank demonic beasts to intercept Han Li’s group.

But shortly after setting out, the tracking device in Wu Qi’s hand split in two—a sign that Jiu Ye had likely perished.

This left Wu Qi uncertain whether they could still intercept their targets.

Yet recalling the chilling glare his “master” had given him before departure, Wu Qi shuddered.

He had no doubt that returning empty-handed would result in his own demise.

Growling in frustration, he urged the demonic beasts behind him to hasten.

The demonic winds howled as the horde surged forward, their speed increasing.

…

At the edge of the Demon Gold Mountain Range, four figures stood in a tense standoff above an ordinary-looking valley.

On one side were an elderly man with graying hair and a palace-robed woman; opposite them stood a square-headed, green-haired alien and a lean, fierce-looking man.

All four wore dark expressions, eyeing each other with hostility.

“Isn’t it too domineering to demand we leave the moment you arrive?” the elder—Yan, the local cultivator from Thundercloud Pavilion—asked calmly.

“Hmph, I’ve taken a liking to this place and don’t want anyone waiting outside to snatch my prey,” the green-haired alien, who had suffered at Han Li’s hands, retorted bluntly.

“You go too far! We found this place first—why should we yield?” the palace-robed woman snapped.

“Why? Among our kind, strength dictates reason. Refuse, and I’ll test your abilities. Defeat me, and the valley is yours. Otherwise, scram!” The green-haired alien’s killing intent flared, ready to fight at the slightest provocation.

“No need for haste. Let’s speak plainly—your urgency suggests your detection tool reacted to this valley. But such reactions don’t always mean a Spirit Mushroom Immortal is inside. You’ve encountered false leads before. Why not search together first? If it’s genuine, we can decide then. Otherwise, I won’t leave without a fight,” Yan said coolly.