Chapter 2083: Forced Entry

When the mist dispersed, the spot where Han Li had been standing was now empty.

The feathered-robed girl quickly scanned the area with her spiritual sense but still found no trace of Han Li. Her shock was understandable.

“No need to be alarmed, fellow Daoist. Those winged beings will arrive soon. Let’s act quickly,” a calm voice suddenly rang in the girl’s ears, startling her. Without hesitation, she activated the talisman in her hand as well.

After another flash of purple light, the feathered-robed girl vanished as the mist dissipated.

The effects of the Taiyi Concealment Talisman varied greatly depending on the user’s cultivation level.

Given her Body Integration stage cultivation, the concealment effect was far superior to what Han Li had achieved during his Deity Transformation and Void Refinement stages. Unless the winged beings had a demonic lord of the same rank who carefully scanned the area with their spiritual sense, they would never detect the concealed girl.

As for Han Li, after activating the Taiyi Concealment Talisman, only those half-step Grand Ascension old demons could possibly sense his presence. Ordinary demonic lords would be completely oblivious.

At this moment, the colossal flying serpent in the distance slowly descended toward the mist-covered peaks, hovering mid-air.

The elderly demon at the helm glanced around before forming a hand seal with one hand and flicking it downward.

A streak of green light shot out, vanishing into the mist in a flash.

Moments later, the fragrance in the mist intensified severalfold, accompanied by an unusual fluctuation. The mist parted, revealing a passage about ten feet wide.

At the other end of the passage, faint silhouettes of indistinct structures could be seen.

Seeing this, the elderly demon stomped on the giant serpent beneath him without hesitation.

The serpent hissed, its body rapidly shrinking amid flashes of green light. With a flick of the elder’s sleeve, the now-inch-long serpent was swiftly stored away.

The elder turned and spoke a few words to the younger demons with a smile before floating into the passage.

The other demons followed closely behind, their faces alight with excitement.

Within moments, the entire group had vanished into the passage.

The mist on either side churned, and the passage slowly closed as the fragrance lingered.

The demons guarding the formation naturally failed to notice that, alongside their returning kin, two undetectable figures had also slipped into the passage, trailing the young demons.

An hour later, atop a black wooden tower over a hundred feet tall, Han Li—still concealed—hovered motionlessly, surveying the massive stronghold below, which rivaled a small city in size.

The stronghold spanned over ten thousand acres, nestled against three mountain peaks and encircled by towering purple trees that emitted an intense fragrance—the source of the pervasive aroma.

Within the stronghold, wooden structures of varying sizes stood densely packed, capable of housing over a hundred thousand demons.

For the typically small-populated winged tribe, this was indeed a colossal settlement.

Among the structures, massive trees obscured smaller, half-hidden buildings, lending an air of secrecy.

Han Li’s eyes flickered with blue light as he scanned the stronghold, eventually fixing his gaze on a cluster of buildings emitting faint fluctuations of a restriction.

Nearby, winged tribe guards patrolled the streets expressionlessly, while ordinary tribesmen kept their distance, avoiding the area.

Han Li’s blue glow faded as his concealed form drifted down from the tower, landing in a deserted alley.

With a final shimmer, a winged demon with Han Li’s exact appearance silently materialized. Though this disguise couldn’t compare to the Taiyi Concealment Talisman’s effect, it was sufficient to deceive ordinary demons.

Smiling faintly, Han Li strode confidently out of the alley toward the heavily guarded cluster of buildings.

Meanwhile, on another street in the stronghold, the feathered-robed girl also shed her concealment, transforming into a young female demon and calmly heading toward a secluded corner.

In her hand, she clutched a blood-red triangular iron plaque emitting a faint, elusive fluctuation.

In that corner stood a conspicuously large pavilion.

Inside a small, unoccupied wooden hut in the stronghold, a five-colored light barrier shimmered, revealing two figures seated cross-legged opposite each other—Han Li and the feathered-robed girl, who had been investigating the area for two days.

Their expressions were grave as they conversed.

“So, you’ve confirmed that the hall houses the winged tribe’s core disciples?” Han Li asked slowly.

“Absolutely. My artifact’s reaction was unmistakable. The suspicious location you asked me to investigate not only has core disciples but likely multiple ones. It’s probably a dedicated area for their elite. This is both good and bad news,” the girl replied with a sigh.

“Oh? Does Fellow Daoist Ye find it too difficult to act?” Han Li said neutrally.

“With their core members gathered here, the restrictions will be formidable, and there may be multiple winged tribe demonic lords stationed. Our original plan may not suffice, and time is short. We can’t afford to wait,” the girl admitted frankly.

“No matter. If subtlety fails, we’ll use force. I’ll handle the demonic lords while you focus on the core disciples. That shouldn’t be a problem, right?” Han Li said coolly, narrowing his eyes.

“Without interference from the demonic lords, capturing a core disciple won’t be an issue. But if we can’t escape quickly, other high-ranking demons will swarm us. Given the stronghold’s size and the tribe’s strength, there are likely seven or eight demonic lords, not to mention Void Refinement stage demons. Also, breaking the stronghold’s main restriction will take effort,” the girl cautioned.

“Leave the restrictions to me. I’ve studied formations and have identified several weak points over the past two days,” Han Li said confidently.

“Then there’s no major issue. If we can leave quickly, the demonic lords won’t catch us. The only concern is the avatar of the Lingyuan Sacred Ancestor—its whereabouts are unknown,” the girl said, her face brightening slightly.

“If the Lingyuan Sacred Ancestor’s avatar doesn’t appear, all the better. Otherwise, we’ll have to rely on treasures to trap it temporarily,” Han Li said, his eyes glinting.

“That’s the worst-case scenario. Let’s not dwell on it. We should rest and meditate until nightfall, then act. Best not to tempt fate,” the girl suggested.

“Agreed,” Han Li nodded, closing his eyes to meditate.

The girl’s expression flickered as she pondered the plan once more. Satisfied, she too closed her eyes.

Seven or eight hours later, in a seemingly inconspicuous side hall of a large building within the stronghold, a demonic man with jet-black hair but a wrinkled forehead sat cross-legged on a blue ice bed, silently cultivating.

His age was indeterminable, but the spiritual pressure he exuded marked him as a formidable demonic lord.

A few feet before his jade bed stood a peculiar stone altar, no more than a few feet high, covered in dense, extraordinary runes.

Suddenly, the altar emitted a black halo and a low hum.

The demonic man’s head snapped up, his emerald eyes flashing sharply.

“What’s this? Did those youngsters trigger the restriction again?” he muttered, frowning. Without delay, he formed a hand seal, summoning a gust of wind that whisked him away.

In the main hall, the wind swirled again as the man reappeared.

His gaze swept the room, and his pupils contracted.

In one corner stood a figure in a green robe, its back turned as it examined a massive black blade hanging on the wall.

Though the blade was merely a decorative piece, the figure seemed engrossed, showing no intention of turning around.

The demonic man masked his surprise, speaking coldly, “Who are you? Why sneak into my hall at night?”

“Nothing much. I just felt like chatting with you tonight,” the green-robed figure replied lightly, still facing the blade.

“Chatting? What do you—” The demonic man’s eyes darted, but before he could finish, a muffled boom echoed from the adjacent room, shaking the hall.

“Damn it!” The demonic man’s expression twisted. Instinctively, he blurred into motion, streaking toward an exit with a trail of afterimages.

But just as he was about to pass through, the green-robed figure chuckled. A thunderclap sounded as arcs of blue-white lightning enveloped him, and he vanished in a flash.

The next moment, lightning flickered before the demonic man’s eyes as the green-robed figure materialized in his path, fingers flicking rapidly.

“Whoosh!” Countless green threads shot forth, weaving into a net of swordlight that descended upon the demonic lord.