“Since the Venerable has no interest here, this junior will directly take you to another floor to see the puppets!” The middle-aged man, hearing Han Li’s words, immediately complied respectfully.
He then exited the room, waved the iron token in his hand to close the door, and walked back toward the teleportation array they had arrived from.
Han Li followed silently behind him, his expression unchanging.
Just as the two were about to step onto the teleportation array, a sudden buzzing sound filled the air, followed by a flash of white light. Several figures abruptly materialized within the formation.
The middle-aged man was slightly taken aback. After glancing at the figures, his expression darkened.
The figures were four demonic guards clad in black armor, an elderly man in brocade robes, and a young woman in blue attire.
The brocade-robed elder had a sallow complexion and a gloomy demeanor, possessing the cultivation of a Deity Transformation cultivator. The young woman, however, had a round, delicate face and was exceptionally beautiful, though her cultivation was only at the Core Formation stage.
Yet, faint black demonic patterns flickered across her skin, and her expression was icy—clearly, her cultivation had been suppressed. She was a newly arrived slave!
Han Li swept his divine sense over the girl casually, but his pupils abruptly contracted, revealing a trace of disbelief.
At the same time, the brocade-robed elder also noticed the middle-aged man nearby. His gaze darkened, and he forced a smile as he greeted, “Ah, Shopkeeper Fang! Are you bringing a guest to select slaves? If nothing catches your eye, I happen to have some new, high-quality stock. Perhaps this guest would like to take a look?”
“No need. Venerable Han is more interested in demon crystal puppets. Shopkeeper Huang, you should focus on your own affairs,” the middle-aged man replied coldly, clearly not on good terms with the elder.
“Venerable Han! So it’s an esteemed guest. Huang was truly remiss. If the Venerable is interested in puppets, this junior has a few top-grade ones in stock. I’d be happy to show them to you.” The elder’s eyes flickered over Han Li, and his expression shifted slightly before he quickly bowed with a forced smile.
“Shopkeeper Huang, what do you mean by this? Venerable Han is my guest. I have plenty of demon crystal puppets in my collection and will naturally take him to select one. You should tend to your own business first. As for this new slave of yours… Hmm? She doesn’t have a trace of demonic energy—she’s not from our Sacred Realm!” The middle-aged man, Fang, interrupted with a grimace, but his expression turned to shock when his gaze landed on the yellow-robed girl.
“Hmph, took you long enough to notice! This girl is no ordinary slave. I went to great lengths to acquire her for a special purpose. I’ll discuss the details with you later, Brother Fang. But as for demon crystal puppets—let’s be honest, the ones you have are barely passable for Nascent Soul cultivators. For Venerable Han, they’d hardly be worth a glance.” Shopkeeper Huang chuckled dismissively, unwilling to elaborate on the girl, instead turning eagerly back to Han Li.
“Huang, you—!” The middle-aged man’s veins bulged on his forehead, his anger flaring.
But before he could speak further, Han Li raised a hand to stop him and addressed the brocade-robed elder with words that stunned everyone present.
“We can discuss the puppets later. How much for this girl? I’ll take her.” Han Li pointed at the yellow-robed girl, a strange expression flashing across his face.
“The Venerable wants her? I’m afraid that’s impossible. She’s already been claimed by someone else and can’t be sold to you,” the elder replied with a strained smile, his lips twitching.
“Oh? Does the Ten Thousand Slaves Tower allow reservations?” Han Li’s eyes narrowed. Ignoring the elder, he turned to the middle-aged man with a calm question.
“Our tower operates on a first-come, first-served basis—no reservations. Shopkeeper Huang, since the Venerable has taken a liking to her, why not sell her? Unless you doubt Venerable Han’s ability to pay?” The middle-aged man blinked before suddenly smiling at the elder.
“You make it sound simple. This girl was requested by Venerable Zhao Wenhao. If I hand her over so easily, will you take responsibility for the consequences?” the elder snapped irritably.
“What? She’s for Venerable Zhao?!” The middle-aged man gasped, his eyes darting to the girl before his expression turned hesitant.
“Who is Zhao Wenhao? A member of the Zhao Clan?” Han Li asked calmly, his brow lifting slightly.
“Venerable Han, Venerable Zhao is not just a member of the Zhao Clan—he’s the current patriarch. Antagonizing him over a mere Core Formation slave would be… unwise,” the middle-aged man advised with a forced smile.
“The Zhao Clan’s patriarch? So, a Void Refinement cultivator. But so what? Regardless of who wants her, I’m taking her now. If he has any objections, he can come find me afterward.” Han Li’s eyes flashed with surprise, but after a brief pause, he sneered coldly.
The middle-aged man and the brocade-robed elder both paled at his words.
Before the middle-aged man could speak again, Han Li suddenly stepped forward. In a blur, he appeared amidst the four demonic guards, seized the yellow-robed girl’s arm, and returned to his original position—all in the span of a single breath.
His movements were ghostly, leaving no room for reaction.
“Venerable, what is the meaning of this? Do you intend to rob our tower? Even with your Void Refinement cultivation, our tower is not without its own experts!” The brocade-robed elder, recovering from his shock, roared in fury.
The four demonic guards hastily raised their weapons, expressions wary.
The middle-aged man beside Han Li also retreated two steps, his face tense, though he hesitated to speak.
The yellow-robed girl, meanwhile, blinked up at Han Li in confusion.
Ignoring the elder’s threats, Han Li channeled a wisp of spiritual power into the girl’s body through her arm, withdrawing it moments later. His eyes flickered with unmistakable astonishment.
“As I thought—it’s true! Silence! If you can’t make the decision, I’ll find someone who can.”
Han Li murmured to himself before suddenly releasing an overwhelming aura. The two Deity Transformation demons were sent flying backward by an invisible force, slamming into the tower walls dozens of feet away.
With two dull thuds, they barely managed to steady themselves, their faces drained of color.
The four demonic guards collapsed instantly, pinned to the ground by the crushing pressure.
The yellow-robed girl, shielded by Han Li, remained unharmed but stared in shock at the scene.
Han Li’s aura continued to surge, enveloping the entire tower. The formations within trembled under the pressure, some weaker ones triggering shrill alarms.
Such a disturbance naturally alerted higher-ranking demons.
In the highest floor of the tower, two Void Refinement demon elders meditating in a secret chamber jolted to their feet at the sudden presence. Without hesitation, they teleported outside.
Moments later, two Void Refinement demon elders appeared before Han Li. Under the stunned gazes of the two shopkeepers, they bowed deeply, addressing him as “Demon Venerable.”
Han Li retracted his terrifying aura and coldly regarded the newcomers before gesturing to the yellow-robed girl.
“I want her. Any objections?”
“None at all! For the Demon Venerable to favor her is her great fortune. Consider her a gift from our tower—we wouldn’t dare accept payment!” one of the elders, a horned demon, replied without hesitation.
The other nodded vigorously in agreement.
Having encountered other Demon Venerables before, they knew better than to provoke these ancient, temperamental beings.
“Hmph, do you think I can’t afford a few spirit stones? Take this—I won’t be accused of coercion. And besides this matter, I have another to discuss with you two.” Han Li flicked his sleeve, sending a storage bracelet filled with spirit stones toward them.
“Whatever the Demon Venerable commands, we shall obey!” The horned elder caught the bracelet, not daring to refuse, and tucked it away respectfully.
“We’ll discuss it another time. I have urgent matters to attend to now. I hope your tower will prove more satisfactory upon my next visit.” Han Li’s expression shifted before he shook his head.
With that, black light erupted from his body, enveloping the yellow-robed girl.
A streak of light shot toward the tower wall, blasting through the formations with ease before vanishing into the distance.
The two Void Refinement elders exchanged wry smiles, watching the aftermath in silence.
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