Chapter 1941: An Old Acquaintance

Suddenly, his brows furrowed, and with a swift movement, he transformed into a streak of radiant light, shooting toward a certain spot below.

The streak of light was as fast as lightning, and after a few flashes, Han Li abruptly appeared above an ordinary-looking residence.

There, five cultivators dressed in various attires were gathered around a house shrouded in milky-white mist, whispering among themselves as if discussing something.

Han Li’s ghostly appearance above the house naturally startled the others. Some immediately flipped their palms to summon treasures, while others formed hand seals in a defensive stance.

“Get lost!”

Han Li didn’t even glance at them, speaking coldly.

“What did you say? How dare you be so rude—”

“Ah! It’s a senior! We’ll leave at once!”

These cultivators were all at the Nascent Soul stage, and upon hearing Han Li’s words, they initially flared up in anger. But when Han Li unceremoniously unleashed the overwhelming aura of a Body Integration cultivator, the five of them were terrified out of their wits, hastily retreating and scattering in panic.

They fled without daring to look back, as if pursued by vengeful ghosts.

Han Li swept a cold glance at them and hesitated for a moment before deciding not to pursue. However, at that moment, an extremely delighted female voice rang out from the house protected by a barrier:

“Senior Han! Is that really you? How did you end up here? Qianyu will come out to greet you at once!”

As soon as the words fell, the white mist outside the house churned, and a gust of wind swept it away, vanishing it into thin air.

Simultaneously, the tightly shut door swung open, and three women stepped out. The one leading them was tall and fair-skinned—none other than Xu Qianyu of the Xu Family.

“Fellow Daoist Xu, it’s been many years,” Han Li smiled slightly and nodded in greeting.

After parting ways with her at the Xu Family back then, he had never seen her again. It was truly unexpected to encounter her here during the demonic tribulation.

“Thank you for your timely intervention, Senior. Otherwise, we might not have escaped this calamity.”

Xu Qianyu, overjoyed at the sight of Han Li, hurriedly led the other two women to bow deeply in gratitude.

“It’s nothing. I merely happened to pass by and acted on a whim. Who were those people? Why were they besieging you? Are they your enemies?” Han Li waved his hand dismissively and asked casually.

“Enemies? They were just opportunistic scoundrels who saw us as easy prey. Senior should have crushed them to pieces!” A round-faced woman behind Xu Qianyu said indignantly.

“Xiao Qing, silence! Meeting Senior Han is already a stroke of great fortune. How dare you speak so disrespectfully? Senior Han, this is my niece. She has spent most of her time cultivating within the family and has little experience outside. Please forgive her rudeness!” Xu Qianyu’s expression turned stern as she reprimanded the girl sharply.

“Ah! Senior, please forgive me! I didn’t mean to offend!” The round-faced woman suddenly realized she was speaking to a senior of unfathomable power and quickly apologized.

“It’s fine. Do I seem like someone who would take offense so easily? Had I known those people were such scum, I might have dealt with them properly,” Han Li chuckled, unbothered.

“Thank you for your magnanimity, Senior. This isn’t the place for conversation. Please, come inside,” Xu Qianyu relaxed and gestured toward the door with a smile.

“Then I’ll impose on you for a while,” Han Li nodded after a brief consideration.

The area was far from where the demon army was stationed, and there were no signs of other demons nearby, so he felt at ease.

The interior of the house was modest in size, but the furniture and decorations exuded an ancient charm, suggesting it had stood for a long time.

However, what caught Han Li’s attention were the faint traces of barrier fluctuations around the house. The moment they stepped inside, the fluctuations vanished completely, leaving even his spiritual sense unable to detect their source.

This piqued his curiosity.

As Han Li was seated in the central position of honor, he glanced at the three women standing respectfully nearby and asked, “This place doesn’t seem like a dwelling for mortals. Does it have any connection to your Xu Family?”

“Senior is perceptive. This was indeed an abandoned outpost of our Xu Family from long ago. We were forced to take refuge here after being pursued by those rogue cultivators, relying on the existing barriers for protection,” Xu Qianyu replied respectfully.

“I see. But this place is quite far from the Xu Family, and I heard your entire clan has relocated to Sacred City. Why did the three of you, with your limited strength, venture out?” Han Li nodded but pressed further without hesitation.

At his question, the three women exchanged glances, hesitating for a moment before Xu Qianyu finally sighed and explained, “Senior, our Xu Family did indeed move to Sacred City under the protection of Sacred Emperor before the demonic tribulation. However, not long ago, Lady Blood Spirit left the city on urgent business, taking some of us with her. On our way back, we unexpectedly encountered a demon army. After a fierce battle, we were defeated and scattered. My two nieces and I were pursued by a small group of demons and ended up fleeing here. Just when we thought we had shaken them off, we ran into those rogue cultivators.”

“Lady Blood Spirit left Sacred City?” Han Li was slightly surprised.

“Yes. The clan elders were reluctant to let her go, but the matter seemed critical, so they had no choice,” Xu Qianyu said honestly.

“Did Lady Blood Spirit escape unharmed after encountering the demons?” Han Li didn’t press for details about the Xu Family’s business but instead inquired about her safety.

“Senior need not worry. Before we fled, I saw Lady Blood Spirit break through the encirclement. Though a few high-ranking demons pursued her, given her abilities, she will surely be fine,” Xu Qianyu reassured him.

“That’s a relief. By the way, how is Sacred City faring now? The demon armies have fragmented human territory, and even some communication talismans no longer work,” Han Li shifted the topic.

“Not well. Sacred City itself is holding strong, but the demon armies have bypassed it, attacking other human strongholds instead. Many have already fallen, with entire sects and families wiped out. Worse, unlike previous raids where demons merely plundered, they’ve begun occupying conquered mortal cities and enslaving our people,” Xu Qianyu said, her face clouded with worry.

“So the rumors are true. This demonic tribulation is unlike any before—they intend to stay in the Spirit Realm for good,” Han Li’s expression darkened, and after a long pause, he spoke gravely.

“What? Senior means the demons plan to permanently occupy our lands?” A pale but voluptuous woman gasped in shock.

“Not just ours. The demonic invasion likely targets the territories of the demon race, the wood race, the yaksha race, and others. I don’t know the specifics, but such rumors are circulating among the higher-ups. Still, don’t despair. If the sky falls, taller figures will hold it up. The Sacred Island must have countermeasures in place,” Han Li’s tone lightened as he chuckled.

“Indeed. With Sacred Island and Venerable Mo Jianli standing guard, the demons’ schemes will fail,” Xu Qianyu also relaxed slightly.

The other two women visibly brightened at the mention of Sacred Island and Mo Jianli, their confidence bolstered.

The conversation continued, with Han Li inquiring further about the demon armies near Sacred City. Before they knew it, nearly half an hour had passed.

“It’s getting late. I have other matters to attend to and can’t linger. Perhaps we’ll meet again someday. One last piece of advice—this place isn’t safe. You should return to Sacred City as soon as possible,” Han Li rose and bid farewell.

Xu Qianyu and the others naturally didn’t dare detain him, respectfully seeing him out.

With a flash of cyan light, Han Li transformed into a streak of light and soared into the distance.

Xu Qianyu watched until the light vanished beyond the horizon, her eyes flickering with complex emotions before she sighed softly.

“Aunt Xu, was that really the same Senior Han who escorted Lady Blood Spirit back to our family? He’s truly a Body Integration cultivator?” The round-faced woman couldn’t contain her excitement the moment Han Li left.

The other woman also perked up, eager to hear the answer.

“Yes, it’s him. Even back then, he was already at the Body Integration stage. Rumor has it he advanced to mid-Body Integration shortly before the demonic tribulation,” Xu Qianyu replied with a wry smile.

“What?! Mid-Body Integration? This is the first time I’ve met someone so powerful! They say you and Senior Han have a close relationship—that you even worked together in Sky Abyss City. Is that true?” The round-faced woman, clearly young and excitable, pressed further.