“Four Demon Venerables still lack full confidence in dealing with a single demonic beast! What is the origin of this creature, and what divine abilities does it possess?” Han Li pondered for a moment before asking solemnly.
“To my shame, I once confronted this monster but failed to see its true form clearly. It was always enveloped in a mass of green flames, revealing only a vague outline—something resembling a rhinoceros yet not quite, or a bull yet not entirely. As for its abilities, this beast wields fire-based divine powers of such immense force that they can nearly rend space and melt the void. At the time, I was caught off guard and nearly perished trapped within its demonic flames.” The purple-haired woman bit her lip slightly and spoke gravely.
“Fire-based divine powers? That does complicate matters! When fire-based abilities are cultivated to their peak, their destructive power far surpasses that of other elemental attributes. No wonder you suffered such a heavy loss!” Han Li’s eyes flickered as he murmured.
“Brother Han, there’s no need to flatter me. Even if this beast didn’t possess demonic flames, its sheer mana reserves are far beyond my own. I estimate it has reached the late-stage Demon Venerable level, which is why the Bai Family must gather a group effort to dare confront it again.” The purple-haired woman replied with a bitter smile.
“A late-stage Demon Venerable demonic beast! No wonder you’re being so cautious. May I ask how confident you are in this operation, Fairy Futian? Facing a powerful beast of unknown depths is no jest—there’s always the risk of severe injury or even death.” Han Li’s expression shifted uncertainly as he asked.
“Slaying such a beast would be nearly impossible. But if the goal is merely to drive it away or inflict heavy injuries, with four of us, we should have a sixty to seventy percent chance of success. However, if you agree to join, I believe our odds would rise to ninety percent.” The purple-haired woman answered without hesitation.
“Heh, Fairy seems quite confident!” Han Li chuckled lightly, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.
“That’s because the two friends the Bai Family has invited are not only comparable to me in mana but also possess abilities that counter the beast’s flames—one cultivates ice-based powers, while the other wields an artifact of extreme yin and cold. Otherwise, I wouldn’t dare make such bold claims before you. If this operation fails, the Bai Family may have no choice but to abandon this vein.” Seeing Han Li’s skepticism, the woman hurriedly explained further.
“Having allies who can counter the beast’s flames does increase the odds by another twenty percent. It seems Fairy Futian has already planned meticulously. However, I have one more question I’d like you to clarify.” Han Li nodded in understanding but then suddenly asked another question.
“Brother Han, feel free to ask anything. I will hold nothing back!” The purple-haired woman replied with a smile.
“This demonic beast has reached the late-stage Demon Venerable level. Even if it originally had low intelligence, it should have gained some awareness by now. Why would it occupy your Bai Family’s vein without reason? Moreover, the Bai Family seems to value this vein immensely, willing to pay such a price rather than abandon it. May I ask what rare mineral it produces?” Han Li inquired calmly.
“It’s a massive vein of Firecloud Stone, and of the highest grade at that. The reserves are incredibly abundant, enough to benefit our Bai Family for thousands of years. How could I possibly let it go so easily?” The woman explained urgently.
“Firecloud Stone! That explains it. This late-stage beast is likely absorbing the vein’s true fire energy to advance its cultivation.” Han Li nodded, his doubts resolved.
“Precisely. Only certain special types of demonic beasts possess such innate abilities to directly absorb vein energy. If an ordinary Saint Clan member like us attempted it, no matter how high their cultivation, their body would explode. But the longer we delay, the worse it gets—either the beast grows stronger or the vein is ruined. If you agree to help, regardless of the outcome, the Bai Family will gift you an Eight-Legged Demon Lizard and a substantial sum of demon stones as compensation.” The woman’s eyes gleamed as she made her offer.
“Since you’re so sincere, I can’t outright refuse. But I must clarify—where in the Illusion Roar Desert is this Firecloud vein, and how long will the round trip take? If it’s too time-consuming, I may not be able to participate.” Han Li deliberated before speaking seriously.
“Rest assured, Brother Han. The vein isn’t too far from the city—just over a month’s journey into the desert. Even with delays, three months should suffice for the round trip.” The woman’s beautiful eyes flashed as she replied eagerly.
“In that case, I agree. When does the Bai Family plan to depart?” Han Li consented without further hesitation.
“Thank you for your aid, Brother Han! One of my two friends has already arrived, and the other should be here within a month. Once everyone is assembled, we’ll set out immediately.” The woman was overjoyed.
Han Li smiled and nodded, saying nothing more.
The purple-haired woman then invited Han Li to stay with the Bai Family, offering to cover all his cultivation expenses during this time, but Han Li politely declined.
Seeing his resolve, she didn’t press further and instead engaged him in discussions about demonic arts and body-refining techniques.
Naturally, Han Li didn’t refuse. They conversed face-to-face, and soon he was astonished to discover that despite being a woman, Fairy Futian had unique insights into body-refining. Their discussion even clarified some of his lingering doubts about the Vajra Devilish Arts—a rarity even among his exchanges with other Body Integration cultivators in the Spirit Realm.
Upon reflection, Han Li realized this wasn’t surprising. The Vajra Devilish Arts originated from the demon realm, sharing commonalities with other high-level demonic techniques. Previous exchanges with Body Integration cultivators had yielded little in body-refining compared to a true Demon Venerable.
With this in mind, Han Li devoted his full attention, and their discussion lasted most of the day.
During this time, the purple-haired woman was equally astounded. Given her expertise, she could tell Han Li’s comprehension of body-refining far surpassed hers—he was no ordinary Demon Venerable. With his help against the beast, their chances would soar.
Delighted, she treated Han Li with increasing courtesy.
As dusk fell, Han Li finally took his leave. The time hadn’t been enough to exhaust their exchange, so the woman invited him to return in the coming days to continue. After brief consideration, Han Li agreed.
She then personally arranged for the beast-drawn carriage to escort him home.
Once Han Li left the hall, the woman’s smile faded slightly. Sipping spiritual tea, she suddenly raised an eyebrow and spoke: “Elder Brother, what do you think of him? What level has his cultivation reached? With your powers and the Guangyin Mirror, you should have gleaned something.”
“Fifth Sister, you overestimate me. This Han fellow is far more formidable than you imagine—a true master of concealment!”
As the voice echoed, a wall shimmered into a white curtain, and a figure emerged holding a black prismatic mirror. The man—a burly, curly-haired, yellow-haired giant with a white horn larger than the woman’s—took Han Li’s seat calmly.
“So even with the Guangyin Mirror, you couldn’t discern his cultivation?” The woman tensed.
“You know the mirror, forged from heaven-earth ice spirit, loses efficacy against those with yin treasures or cold-based techniques. Moreover, his spiritual sense is terrifyingly strong—he likely detected my spying but feigned ignorance.” The man sighed, his expression darkening.
“He noticed you? That complicates things. I’ll have to explain later. But did the mirror reveal nothing?”
“Explain? Unnecessary. Since he played along, do the same. Next time, I’ll refrain from spying. Han is merely passing through; no need to invest heavily in courting him. As for discoveries…” The man smirked, activating the mirror. It floated mid-air, projecting a vivid image amidst swirling colors.
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