Chapter 2018: Heaven’s Omen

Han Li’s gaze swept around.

All he could see was an endless expanse of ocean, with a clear blue sky stretching into the distance, dotted only by a few inconspicuous white clouds—nothing else of note.

“We’re only four or five days away from our destination now. Though the node isn’t large and is located in a remote corner of the Black Tortoise Realm, the demon forces stationed in this region are the most bloodthirsty and battle-hungry of all—the Berserk Demons. These demons thrive on conflict, and right now, the entire Black Tortoise Realm is engulfed in war, far more chaotic than the other regions. So we must proceed with caution from here on out,” the Long Family Patriarch said gravely to the group.

“Of course. If the demon node we had chosen was in the Tianyuan City region, we wouldn’t have to take such risks,” the feathered-robed girl suddenly remarked with a hint of regret.

“The node near Tianyuan City wouldn’t work. I’ve long since sent scouts to investigate—only this node leads directly to the Bloodstone Mountains in the Demon Realm. Even in the Demon Realm, the Bloodstone Mountains are an exceptionally desolate place, with few demon forces stationed there. We shouldn’t face much danger appearing there. If we used any other node, we’d either be walking straight into the enemy’s jaws or end up too far from our destination, adding several times the travel distance,” the Long Family Patriarch replied without hesitation, shaking his head.

“I was merely making an observation. Do you think I truly doubt your arrangements, Brother Long?” The feathered-robed girl rolled her eyes and chuckled.

The Long Family Patriarch merely gave a dry laugh and didn’t respond further.

At that moment, the Sage of a Thousand Autumns flew toward the Long Family Patriarch, exchanged a few quiet words with him, then signaled the other four to set off with their escape lights.

The Long Family Patriarch called out to Han Li and the others before taking to the skies alongside the Long Family’s black-robed Elder Hui.

The remaining three—Han Li and his companions—transformed into faint streaks of light and followed closely behind.

Over the next four days, Han Li and the others encountered several patrols of demon guards, ranging from a dozen to over a hundred in number.

These demon guards were vastly different from those seen in Tianyuan City. Not only were they significantly taller than ordinary demons, but their demonic armor was also inscribed with eerie blue demonic runes, giving them a particularly ferocious appearance.

With Han Li and the others’ abilities, eliminating these demon guards would have been effortless. However, they simply concealed their escape lights and boldly flew past the demons unnoticed.

The strongest among these demon guards were only at the Nascent Soul stage, making it impossible for them to detect Han Li and the other Body Integration-level powerhouses.

By the afternoon of the fourth day, a cluster of black dots finally appeared on the horizon at the edge of the sea. As they flew closer, it became clear that these dots were actually coral islands of varying sizes.

Some were only a few miles wide, while others spanned nearly a hundred miles, densely scattered across the sea ahead.

“Sage of a Thousand Autumns, there are likely high-ranking demons stationed ahead. The rest is up to you. Also, everyone should take the pseudo-demon pearls we distributed earlier. If we’re discovered, activating the demonic energy within them should help us blend in,” the Long Family Patriarch said cautiously, halting his escape light and addressing the Sage of a Thousand Autumns and the others.

“Of course. For this journey, I spent over a hundred years refining this little treasure,” the Sage of a Thousand Autumns replied with a charming smile.

She then flipped her palm, revealing a white banner. With a slight shake, countless strange white flowers surged from it before exploding with soft pops.

Thick white mist materialized in the air, rapidly condensing into a cloud the size of an acre before descending to envelop Han Li and the others.

Han Li narrowed his eyes but remained motionless.

In an instant, the rolling mist swallowed the entire group.

The Sage of a Thousand Autumns then began chanting incantations and vigorously waved the banner several more times.

A bizarre scene unfolded.

Multicolored runes emerged within the milky-white mist, and the figures inside gradually blurred and thinned before vanishing entirely.

The feathered-robed girl and the others were visibly delighted.

Han Li remained calm, though his eyes flickered as he released his spiritual sense to probe the mist.

A moment later, a trace of surprise flashed in his eyes.

The mist seemed to contain some profound restriction—even his formidable spiritual sense detected nothing, as if nothing existed within.

With a quick thought, faint blue light glimmered in his pupils.

Under the power of his Brightsight Spirit Eyes, he finally glimpsed the thin layer of white mist forming a protective barrier.

Now, the mist appeared incredibly faint, barely noticeable.

Han Li relaxed slightly, the blue light in his eyes fading.

Though this concealment couldn’t deceive him, it would likely suffice against most high-ranking demons, except for those with specialized detection techniques. It should be enough to help them infiltrate the node undetected.

Not just Han Li—the Lin Family cultivator, the feathered-robed girl, and the others also seemed to recognize the mist’s ingenuity, inwardly marveling at it.

The Long Family Patriarch wore an expression of deep satisfaction.

The Sage of a Thousand Autumns tossed the banner forward, where it transformed into a streak of white light, circling nearby. The entire mist barrier began silently drifting forward.

Han Li and the others swallowed the black pseudo-demon pearls they had been given, suppressed their auras, and followed the mist as it advanced.

In no time, the group had stealthily entered the vast coral archipelago.

…

About a hundred miles away, in an eerie stretch of sky, a ripple appeared, and a pink light sphere flashed into existence.

As the light faded, two figures emerged and hovered motionlessly in the air.

One was a graceful woman in a white palace robe, idly twirling a purple coin in her hand, her gaze as cold as ice.

Beside her stood a towering demonic warrior clad in black armor, his expression one of utmost deference, not daring to breathe too loudly.

“Black Jaw, prepare the altar. I will perform a Heaven’s Divination here,” the woman said abruptly, the purple coin vanishing from her hand as she issued the command.

“Master, the backlash from your last divination hasn’t fully subsided. Performing another so soon could be dangerous,” the black-armored demon said hesitantly, his voice tinged with concern.

“Conducting two Heaven’s Divinations in succession will indeed strain my body. But if I miss this opportunity, I may never regain my full power. Compared to that, a little sacrifice is nothing,” the palace-robed woman replied dismissively.

“They’re just a few human cultivators. If you permit it, Master, lend me the Zhenyuan Mace, and I’ll slay those Body Integration cultivators myself, retrieving the spiritual medicine for you,” the demon said fiercely, his face darkening with murderous intent.

“The Zhenyuan Mace is powerful, but you can’t wield even a fraction of its strength at your current level. Besides, the Heaven’s Fate Coin warned us—these humans must have means to counter it. Even if you took it, you’d likely fail. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have made this decision. Enough talk—begin the preparations. Those humans aren’t moving slowly, and any delay will make catching up harder,” the woman said coolly, glancing at him.

“Yes, Master! I’ll begin at once!” Seeing her resolve, Black Jaw dared not argue further. He bowed deeply before darting downward.

In a flash, he reappeared a hundred feet above the sea. With a sweep of his arms, eight objects shot out, hovering in the air with a faint hum.

They were eight pitch-black wooden figurines, each only half a foot tall but with grotesquely oversized heads—nearly as large as their bodies. Each face bore a different expression—joy, anger, sorrow, delight—yet all were eerily lifelike.

Without pause, Black Jaw spun in place, and hundreds of stone slabs flew from his body, rapidly assembling into a towering green altar nearly thirty feet high.

The altar’s surface was carved with intricate emerald-green patterns, exuding an ancient, primordial aura.

The demon then produced a shimmering blue crystal sphere and hurled it into the sea below.

With a flash, the sphere vanished beneath the waves.

Black Jaw pointed a finger downward.

A thunderous roar erupted as the sea churned violently, surging upward in a colossal wave hundreds of feet high.

The water crashed into the sky, forming a translucent blue curtain that enveloped the altar and the eight wooden figurines.

“Master, the altar is ready. You may begin the ritual!” Black Jaw exhaled deeply before clasping his fists toward the sky in reverence.

The palace-robed woman nodded and descended gracefully into the water curtain.

With a single hand seal, she uttered a series of mystic incantations. The water curtain rippled with strange blue light, and the surrounding space twisted.

The curtain turned crystalline before vanishing entirely.

Simultaneously, the eight wooden figurines, previously motionless, suddenly appeared at the altar’s four corners—two at each—standing rigidly in place.