Chapter 2052: Wannu Tower

Above it were inscribed three enormous demonic characters: “Tower of Ten Thousand Slaves.”

Han Li, seeing such a place for the first time, paused briefly in thought before walking toward the massive tower’s entrance with a hint of curiosity.

Upon stepping through the tower’s doors, he found himself in a resplendent hall. On either side stood over a dozen demonic maidens dressed in silver palace attire, smiling as they lined the path.

At the center of the hall was a row of crystal-clear tables and chairs made of fine jade.

A middle-aged man clad in a black robe was attending to three other demonic guests, assisted by several maids.

Before Han Li could take a closer look, the middle-aged man’s gaze swept over him, and he immediately excused himself from his guests, striding toward Han Li with a respectful demeanor.

“Greetings, Senior. Is there anything this junior can assist you with?” the man asked, bowing slightly as he approached.

This demonic man, who appeared to be the shopkeeper, had a cultivation at the Deity Transformation level and could naturally sense the overwhelming aura of a Void Refinement cultivator emanating from Han Li, so he dared not show any neglect.

“What business does this Tower of Ten Thousand Slaves engage in? I’ve never seen anything like it in other cities,” Han Li remarked coolly, glancing at the middle-aged man.

“Senior must be visiting Illusory Night City for the first time. Indeed, the Tower of Ten Thousand Slaves rarely appears in ordinary cities, as this tower specializes in the trade of slaves and demonic beasts,” the man replied.

“Slaves and demonic beasts?” Han Li’s expression flickered slightly.

“Indeed. These guests here have come to purchase slaves. If Senior is also interested, you may accompany them to take a look. As for demonic beasts, our tower only carries common varieties, which likely won’t catch Senior’s eye,” the man added with a polite smile.

“Since I’ve come this far, I might as well take a look,” Han Li mused, narrowing his eyes briefly before nodding slowly.

“Excellent. Please follow me, Senior.” The middle-aged man immediately beckoned a maid to guide the other three demons before leading Han Li and the group toward a simple teleportation array in a corner of the tower.

The three guests—two men and a woman, all in their twenties—were strikingly handsome and graceful, though their cultivation was only at the Nascent Soul stage. Strangely, they regarded Han Li with curiosity rather than the usual reverence.

Noticing this, Han Li swept his gaze over them and spotted a small, inconspicuous silver character “Ning” embroidered on their sleeves.

“Could they be from the Ning Family?” he thought, though his expression remained unchanged.

As soon as the group stepped onto the teleportation array, the middle-aged man cast a spell onto its edge. A flash of white light later, they were all instantly transported away.

The next moment, several figures materialized on a similar teleportation array on another floor of the tower.

Han Li opened his eyes and surveyed his surroundings.

The layout here was completely different from the first floor.

Before them stretched only a narrow stone passageway, its walls densely inscribed with demonic runes that clearly held restraining power.

At the far end of the corridor stood several golden doors, each flanked by two towering armored guards standing motionless.

Han Li swept his spiritual sense over the guards and was momentarily surprised—they lacked any trace of life force, revealing them to be nothing more than cold, humanoid puppets.

Without hesitation, the middle-aged man led the group down the passageway, soon arriving near the nearest golden door.

As they approached, the two puppet guards turned their heads, cold eyes locking onto the group. Their halberds, previously held at their sides, now crossed in front of their chests, as if ready to attack anyone who drew too close.

Unfazed, the middle-aged man flipped his hand, producing an iron plaque wreathed in faint black mist. He waved it slightly while murmuring a short incantation.

Instantly, the puppets’ chilling gazes dimmed, and their halberds lowered, returning to their lifeless state.

The three Ning Family members showed no reaction, but Han Li, his eyes glowing faintly blue, scrutinized the puppet guards with interest.

“These puppets seem quite advanced—ordinary Nascent Soul cultivators would struggle against them. Yet their construction is unusual, differing greatly from standard techniques. Did your tower craft them, or were they purchased elsewhere?” he asked.

From what he knew of the demon world, these puppets didn’t match any known crafting methods. Their materials and techniques appeared crude, yet their combat strength was unexpectedly high.

This naturally piqued his curiosity.

“Ah, Senior is also interested in these Demon Crystal Puppets! Their crafting method is indeed unique—they cannot be controlled by spiritual possession but instead respond to pre-set artifacts and spells for simple actions. However, these puppets are a proprietary secret of our tower and unavailable elsewhere. But if Senior desires them, we might be able to negotiate,” the man replied with a sly smile.

“Demon Crystal Puppets? I am somewhat intrigued, but let’s discuss this later,” Han Li said indifferently, concealing his thoughts as he withdrew his gaze.

“Of course. Then allow me to open the door first,” the man replied, masking his disappointment with a smile.

He stepped forward and pressed the iron plaque against the golden door.

With a creak, the door swung open, revealing a soft, milky-white glow within.

The man stepped aside, gesturing respectfully for Han Li to enter.

Though the Ning Family members were of high status, they dared not act disrespectfully toward a cultivator far surpassing their own realm and remained still, their expressions unreadable.

Without ceremony, Han Li nodded and strode inside.

The chamber contained several glowing white cylindrical barriers, each imprisoning dozens of demonic men and women of varying ages and attire.

Their skin and faces shimmered with faint demonic runes, indicating additional restraints.

However, none of these slaves possessed high cultivation—the strongest were only at the Core Formation stage, while the weakest were mere Qi Condensation cultivators.

“Attend to your other guests first. I’ll observe for now,” Han Li said, waving off the man’s attempt to explain as he studied the slaves.

“Then this junior shall assist these guests first,” the man replied obediently.

Turning to the Ning Family trio, he gestured toward one of the barriers.

“Fellow Daoists, if you seek attendants, these individuals may suit your needs. They are from the Earthshadow Tribe of the Illusory Roar Desert, naturally skilled in earth-attribute demonic arts. Upon maturity, the men become strikingly handsome, and the women exceedingly beautiful. More importantly, each possesses remarkable potential—with proper training, reaching the Nascent Soul stage would be effortless, and some may even advance to Deity Transformation,” he explained with a smile.

Hearing “Illusory Roar Desert,” Han Li instinctively glanced at the Earthshadow tribesmen.

Inside the barrier were eight adolescents clad in light-green leather robes, their disheveled hair revealing faces no older than thirteen or fourteen. Their cultivation hovered around Foundation Establishment, though they appeared somewhat listless.

“Earthshadow tribesmen? Rare indeed in your tower. But are their talents truly as you claim?” asked a Ning Family youth with red scales on his cheeks, skepticism in his voice.

“Heh, if you doubt me, you may inspect their bone age yourselves. Reaching Foundation Establishment at such a young age speaks volumes about their aptitude,” the man replied confidently.

“Not necessarily. Your tower might have fed them potential-boosting elixirs,” the Ning Family woman countered with a coy smile.

“Such elixirs are far too valuable to waste on mere slaves. Besides, their effects would leave traces. Why would I risk offending the Ning Family over petty profits? If you’re satisfied, these Earthshadow tribesmen are yours upon payment,” the man said with a wry smile.

The trio exchanged glances, finding his reasoning sound, and soon began negotiating prices.

After a brief discussion, the Ning Family woman handed over a hefty sum of demon stones, and the Earthshadow slaves were released from the barrier and led away by a maid.

“Senior, have any of these slaves caught your eye? If not, I can guide you elsewhere. Perhaps something more to your liking awaits,” the man said, approaching Han Li, who remained silent as he observed the other barriers.

“No need. I prefer solitude and have no use for slaves. Instead, take me to see these Demon Crystal Puppets you mentioned,” Han Li replied impassively, withdrawing his gaze.