Chapter 2049: Bai Yunxin

With just a single roll, Heifeng arrived near the swarm of crimson bats.

A strange screech erupted from the demonic bat swarm, and suddenly, a portion of the bats turned and spat green flames toward Han Li.

Before the emerald flames could reach him, a putrid stench assaulted his senses, nauseating to the extreme.

Han Li let out a hearty laugh, his sleeves billowing as two gusts of azure wind surged forth, halting the green flames in their tracks, unable to advance an inch closer.

At the same time, Han Li took a single step forward, and with a “whoosh,” his figure blurred and vanished from the spot.

The next moment, beside one of the crimson bats dozens of feet away, Han Li’s figure flickered into view. With a slight movement of his arms, hundreds of crystalline claw shadows descended with a sharp, whistling sound.

The crimson bat didn’t even have time to scream before it was reduced to a bloody rain, scattering from the sky.

The nearby bats, startled, hastily turned to attack, but it was already too late.

Han Li’s shoulders swayed, leaving behind a trail of black afterimages as he disappeared once more, reappearing beside another bat over a dozen feet away.

The same claw shadows flashed, and the demonic creature’s body was instantly torn into countless pieces.

From then on, Han Li flickered in and out among the bat swarm, each strike claiming the life of a demonic creature.

With his ghostly movements, the crimson bats’ volleys of green flames mostly missed their mark. The occasional one or two that hit merely caused Han Li to pause momentarily before being effortlessly blocked by a black demonic armor, allowing him to continue his rampage unimpeded.

In just a few breaths, over a dozen bats had fallen to Han Li’s hands.

Witnessing this, the group of demons struggling against the green sea of flames were left dumbfounded.

The beautiful young woman at the Void Refinement stage stared at Han Li with undisguised shock.

Unlike others, they had been battling these bats for most of the day and knew full well how tough their hides were—hard as steel, barely harmed by ordinary demonic weapons. Only a few top-tier demonic artifacts could inflict any real damage. That was why they had been trapped here for so long.

Yet Han Li, with just a pair of demonic claws, effortlessly tore through bats that had left them helpless, naturally leaving them astounded.

“This man’s physical strength is terrifying. What kind of demonic art is he cultivating? Could it be one of those legendary ancient demonic arts?” the young woman thought in horror.

The remaining bats, despite their usual ferocity, couldn’t help but show fear at Han Li’s overwhelming power.

But just then, a sharp screech erupted from the bat swarm, and the remaining bats immediately split apart, revealing a giant bat twice the size of its kin.

This bat not only exuded immense power but also sported a pair of pale purple horns on its head, faintly crackling with electricity. Without hesitation, it opened its maw and spewed a vast wave of green flames, engulfing the space within a hundred feet.

Han Li’s expression remained unchanged. He merely patted his body, and the black demonic armor reappeared, instantly forming a dense layer of black runes that coalesced into a barrier before him.

The green flames collided with the black barrier, emitting a sizzling sound as they were forcibly split apart, unable to reach Han Li.

Enraged, the giant bat let out another screech, and the two purple horns on its head released two thick silver arcs of lightning, streaking toward Han Li in a flash.

Han Li remained calm, raising an arm and pointing two fingers forward.

With a thunderous boom, two blue-white lightning bolts shot from his fingertips, annihilating the silver arcs mid-air.

Seizing the opportunity, Han Li’s shoulders swayed, and he stepped into the void, instantly appearing above the giant bat. A demonic claw descended, five half-foot-long black claw shadows slashing downward.

The giant bat, startled, flapped its wings and shot sideways like an arrow.

Despite its massive size, the creature was surprisingly agile.

Han Li snorted inwardly. The fingers of his descending claw suddenly clenched, and the five claw shadows accelerated several times over, striking the bat’s wing and slicing it into several pieces, raining blood.

The giant bat shrieked in agony, its furious eyes now filled with terror. It frantically flapped its remaining wing, and countless fine blood threads erupted from its body, exploding into a mist of blood that enveloped it.

Han Li’s expression flickered, and his other arm blurred as he swiped downward.

Countless claw shadows materialized, raining down like a storm, piercing the blood mist until it was riddled with holes.

At that moment, a sharp whistling sound erupted from the blood mist, and a streak of blood light shot out, appearing over a thousand feet away in an instant before vanishing into the horizon.

“Blood Shadow Escape!”

A strange expression crossed Han Li’s face as he recognized the escape technique, but he quickly regained his composure and scanned the remaining crimson bats.

Without the giant bat’s leadership and with many bats already slain by Han Li, the green flames no longer posed a threat to the demons.

Led by the three Void Refinement demons, the group began pushing back the flames, on the verge of breaking free.

Seeing this, Han Li crossed his arms and hovered motionless, showing no intention to intervene further.

The remaining bats also kept their distance, not daring to provoke him.

After the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the demons finally broke through the flames, killing nearly half the bats.

The remnants scattered in panic, fleeing the giant tree’s vicinity.

“Many thanks for your assistance, fellow Daoist. I am Bai Yunxin. These are my clansmen, Bai Yin and Bai Ying. May I ask your esteemed name?” The beautiful young woman, clearly the leader, flew over and bowed, gesturing to the other two Void Refinement demons with a smile.

She was unusually courteous to Han Li.

The other two—Bai Yin, an ordinary-looking middle-aged man, and Bai Ying, a scholarly-robed Confucian—also expressed their gratitude, having witnessed Han Li’s prowess.

“My surname is Han, just a wandering cultivator. But I’ve long admired the reputation of the Bai family of Fantasy Night. I’ve heard your clan’s secret tea has miraculous effects, such as warding off evil and calming the spirit. I’d love to experience it firsthand,” Han Li replied with a faint smile, clasping his hands.

“A wandering cultivator? Brother Han, you single-handedly slew so many Bloodthread Bats. Your powers are truly unfathomable. You must be a recluse who rarely ventures out, or I would surely have heard of you,” Bai Yunxin said with a charming smile, her eyes sparkling.

“I’m hardly a recluse, though it’s true I don’t travel often. This place is quite far from Fantasy Night City. Did you come all this way just for these Purple Spirit Fruits?” Han Li chuckled modestly, glancing at the woman before asking casually.

“Our Bai family is refining a certain elixir, and the Purple Spirit Fruit is a key ingredient. I led my clansmen here, searching the wilderness for years before finding this single Purple Light Tree. Without your help, we wouldn’t have been able to harvest them. By rights, we should share half with you, but these fruits are crucial to our family. I’d like to compensate you with an equivalent amount of spirit stones. What do you think?” Bai Yunxin’s expression flickered slightly, but she quickly steadied herself, her tone probing.

“Don’t worry, Fairy Bai. These fruits are of little use to me. I don’t insist on having them. Your proposal is acceptable,” Han Li replied with a nonchalant chuckle.

“Thank you for your generosity, Brother Han. I’ll have my clansmen gather the spirit stones immediately,” the woman said, visibly relieved.

She then instructed her clansmen to harvest the Purple Spirit Fruits from the tree. Once the fruits were carefully stored in special containers, Bai Yunxin handed Han Li a storage bracelet filled with spirit stones.

Han Li took the bracelet, scanned it with his spiritual sense, and calmly stored it away.

Seeing this, Bai Yunxin’s smile deepened. “Where do you plan to go next, Brother Han? If possible, please accompany us back to Fantasy Night City. First, our city is renowned in the Sacred Realm for its unique treasures, which might benefit you. Second, I’ve sworn a heart demon oath to report your aid to our elders, who will surely reward you handsomely. Please don’t refuse—do us the honor of joining us.”

Clearly, this Bai family member sought to recruit Han Li, impressed by his abilities.

“Our Bai family has an elder who also cultivates body-refining techniques. If he were to offer you guidance, you’d benefit greatly. Given your help, I’m sure he wouldn’t refuse,” Bai Ying, the Confucian, added persuasively.