“You two stopped us, surely not just to recruit us into your esteemed hall. I have long admired the Beast Sovereign Hall, but I have no intention of joining any other faction.” Han Li narrowed his eyes and refused without hesitation.
“What a pity. Our hall is currently recruiting like-minded fellow Daoists to undertake a grand endeavor. If you join us, you will certainly not regret it.” The middle-aged Taoist frowned and slowly attempted to persuade him again.
“Thank you for your kind offer, but I prefer not to be bound by any constraints.” Han Li naturally reiterated his refusal.
“Since your mind is made up, I won’t press further. As for why we are here, it’s quite simple. Decades ago, our hall received a commission—someone paid a hefty sum to have us deal with a few individuals, including you. However, since your group entered the Phantom Howl Desert and didn’t emerge for a long time, the matter was delayed until now. Don’t misunderstand—though the Beast Sovereign Hall accepted this commission, we aren’t here to fight to the death. We merely act according to the payment received, dispatching personnel of corresponding rank to strike once. Typically, when facing fellow Daoists of your level, we limit ourselves to sparring, as we just did. If we find a kindred spirit, we might even extend an invitation to join our hall.”
The middle-aged Taoist finally revealed the reason for their presence.
“So that’s it. I’ve heard your hall accepts external commissions. But I’m curious who would target us. Could you enlighten us, Fellow Daoist Leng?” A melodious voice came from behind Han Li as the feathered maiden floated up and stopped beside him, smiling gracefully.
“I’m afraid I can’t help with that. Firstly, our hall has strict rules against disclosing employer information. Secondly, this commission was submitted anonymously. We truly don’t know who hired us.” The middle-aged Taoist shook his head with apparent sincerity.
“Thank you both for the explanation. I assume my companions have also been approached by others from your hall?” Han Li smiled faintly.
“If your companions are also Demon Venerables, then they’ve likely only been sparred with.” The middle-aged Taoist chuckled ambiguously.
“I see. In that case, there’s no real issue. Your hall’s reputation as a formidable force in the Sacred Realm is well-deserved—to mobilize so many Demon Venerables at once is beyond the capability of most small or mid-sized clans.” Han Li’s expression remained unchanged, but his tone carried admiration.
The middle-aged Taoist laughed lightly, but just as he was about to respond, a jade pendant at his waist suddenly emitted a faint white glow and a low hum. His expression shifted slightly, and he immediately clasped his hands in farewell to Han Li and the thick-browed man.
Han Li and the feathered maiden exchanged polite words but made no effort to detain them.
A yellow and a silver streak of light shot into the sky, vanishing into the horizon with a whoosh.
“Fairy Ye, do you think their words were true or false?” Han Li remained motionless, gazing in the direction they had disappeared.
“Mostly true, with perhaps a tenth falsehood. Their demeanor during the fight didn’t suggest they intended to kill us from the outset. But had we shown weakness, they might have truly struck. The Beast Sovereign Hall’s reputation among ordinary demons isn’t exactly stellar.” The feathered maiden mused thoughtfully.
“Likely so. But I suspect their greatest hesitation was their inability to gauge our true strength. With Fellow Daoist Long and the Spirit Tribe members, our group includes nearly ten Demon Venerables—comparable to some minor factions in the Demon Realm. That’s why they were so cautious. Still, this encounter will only deepen their curiosity about us.” Han Li spoke slowly.
“In that case, perhaps we should have eliminated them. To prevent them from reporting back and complicating our next moves. With our combined strength, it wouldn’t have been impossible.” The feathered maiden’s eyes glinted coldly.
“Killing them wasn’t impossible, but as shape-shifting demonic beasts, their abilities far surpass ordinary Demon Venerables. I’d only have a fifty or sixty percent chance. Moreover, judging by their tone, the Beast Sovereign Hall sent more than just these two. Fellow Daoist Long’s group will also be tested. There’s no need for us to act rashly.” Han Li shook his head.
“Fair enough. But the Beast Sovereign Hall wields significant influence in the Demon Realm. If they investigate us thoroughly, we may not be able to hide our origins.” The feathered maiden sighed, her brows furrowing.
“Let them investigate. The Demon Realm is even vaster than the Spirit Realm. It’s not unusual for unknown Demon Venerables to appear. At most, they’ll be suspicious for a while but won’t take action. By the time they compile a full dossier, years will have passed—plenty of time for us to complete our mission and return to the Spirit Realm. Still, we must proceed with caution from now on.” Han Li pondered before voicing his thoughts.
“That’s all we can do. Let’s hope our next steps proceed smoothly, without further complications.” The feathered maiden nodded with a wry smile.
“No need to worry, Fairy Ye. As long as your information is accurate, obtaining the True Phoenix Blood shouldn’t be an issue. But I am curious—what ‘grand endeavor’ did those two demons mention? Their tone suggested it wasn’t mere bluff.” Han Li’s eyes gleamed.
“Could it be related to the demon invasion of the Spirit Realm? Or has the outcome of that war already been decided?” The feathered maiden paled slightly at the thought.
“We’ve only just emerged from the Phantom Howl Desert and haven’t had time to gather news. Let’s hope not. Though we left that town in haste, others may have already received updates. Perhaps the next demon city will provide answers.” Han Li replied calmly.
He knew well that with the thorough preparations of the human and allied races, even if they were at a disadvantage over these decades, they wouldn’t have suffered a swift and total defeat.
Moreover, since entering the Demon Realm, Han Li had learned that only a fraction of its forces were involved in the invasion of the human world. Most factions seemed indifferent to the war.
Otherwise, no amount of preparation could have allowed the human alliance to resist the full might of the demon race. Strangely, however, many of the Demon Realm’s highest echelons—the Sacred Ancestors—had dispatched avatars to the Spirit Realm.
This was rather peculiar.
Han Li’s thoughts raced, but his expression betrayed nothing. He signaled to the feathered maiden, and they returned to the black flying vessel.
Moments later, the vessel emitted a dull thud and shot into the sky as a streak of black light.
At the same time, above a black-green lake, Patriarch Long and Elder Hui stood shoulder to shoulder, watching two streams of black qi vanish into the distance.
“The Beast Sovereign Hall? To be targeted by these demon whelps is troublesome indeed.” Patriarch Long muttered darkly, his face grim.
“Brother Long, don’t overthink it. They’ve seen we’re not to be trifled with. They won’t risk a full confrontation over a mere commission. Let’s focus on reaching the Demon Source Sea. Once there, even the Beast Sovereign Hall’s full force won’t threaten us. The Sacred Ancestor of Ten Thousand Beasts surely won’t personally pursue us.” Elder Hui scoffed.
“The Sacred Ancestor may not come in person, but sending an avatar or two is entirely possible.” Patriarch Long replied gravely.
“Surely not. Even if our origins are questionable, it’s unlikely to alarm a Sacred Ancestor.” Elder Hui’s expression flickered.
“Let’s hope so. For now, we should leave this place immediately. From here on, we’ll travel at full speed—no need to conserve energy.” Patriarch Long declared coldly after a moment’s thought.
Elder Hui nodded hastily, offering no objection.
In another direction, the Holy Maiden of a Thousand Autumns and the Spirit Tribe youth named “Still Water” hovered expressionlessly in mid-air. Opposite them floated two demon elders—one green-skinned, the other red—their faces pale and their eyes filled with terror as they stared at the Spirit Tribe youth.
Over the following weeks, Han Li and the feathered maiden pushed the black flying vessel to its limits, traveling nonstop for a month and a half before stopping at another small demon city, where they stayed for several days.
During this time, they split up to gather intelligence, eventually piecing together the broader picture of the war between the allied races and the demons.
Learning that, despite decades of conflict and the descent of Sacred Ancestors into the Spirit Realm—prompting interventions by the allied races’ Mahayana cultivators—the war remained at a stalemate, both Han Li and the feathered maiden sighed in relief.
Though their intelligence was fragmented and vague, the general outcome was clear enough.
For them, this sufficed.
After two additional days in the city, they resumed their journey aboard the flying vessel.
Their next destination: the Iron Sand Ridge, home of the Azure Wing Tribe.
This leg of their journey passed without incident. Three months later, a vast range of dark mountains appeared on the horizon.
The trees and rocks of these mountains were uniformly black-green, exuding an ominous aura—as if countless demons lurked within.
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