After mooring the wooden boat near the shore by the gate, Guan Yang personally escorted Han Li to the city entrance.
Clearly, he was quite familiar with the spear-wielding demon guards at the gate. After a brief exchange, Han Li was allowed into the city without any further inspection.
Standing by the street inside the gate, Han Li surveyed the neat rows of buildings nearby and nodded before tossing Guan Yang a few mid-grade demon stones.
“Many thanks for your generous reward, Senior!”
The demon man’s face lit up with joy as he inspected the stones and repeatedly expressed his gratitude.
Normally, escorting a high-ranking demon to and from Blue Waterfall City would only earn him one or two mid-grade demon stones. Han Li’s payment was three to four times the usual amount, leaving him pleasantly surprised.
Han Li waved his hand, signaling that Guan Yang could leave.
However, after a brief hesitation, Guan Yang glanced around to ensure no one was watching before whispering in an extremely low voice:
“If Senior truly wishes to succeed in this endeavor, you might consider visiting the *Guangyuan Zhai*. Perhaps you’ll find what you seek.”
Without waiting for Han Li to react with surprise, Guan Yang hastily bowed and turned to exit the city gate.
“*Guangyuan Zhai*…”
Han Li murmured softly, his initial astonishment fading into a faint smile.
Since Guan Yang had mentioned it, he might as well pay a visit.
Flying was naturally prohibited within Blue Waterfall City.
Han Li casually hailed a beast-drawn carriage and instructed the driver to take him to the largest “shop” in the city. The middle-aged driver immediately replied, “Understood,” and urged the beast forward.
Seated cross-legged in the carriage, Han Li calmly contemplated his next steps while idly observing the surroundings through the window.
Blue Waterfall City was noticeably livelier than most demon cities. The streets bustled with crowds, creating a lively and bustling atmosphere.
However, Han Li noticed that while most of the demons had cultivation levels no higher than Qi Refining or Foundation Establishment, there were also a considerable number of high-ranking demons at the Nascent Soul and Soul Transformation stages. Along the way, he even spotted two Demon Venerables.
Yet, the carriage had only traversed a few streets and hadn’t even reached the edge of Blue Waterfall Lake.
“Hmm? That person…”
Han Li, who had been sitting calmly, suddenly caught sight of a familiar figure and was so startled that he exclaimed aloud.
“No, it’s not her. The aura is completely different!”
His gaze fixed on the graceful figure entering a shop by the roadside, Han Li shook his head in disappointment.
“Of course, even if she ascended from the human realm, she would appear in the Spirit Realm, not the Demon Realm. But from the back, she looks so similar. Could it be that my recent rapid cultivation progress has unsettled my mind?”
Still unsettled, Han Li suddenly recalled something and hastily activated his *Refining Spirit Technique*, closing his eyes to regulate his breathing.
Meanwhile, the elegant figure entering the shop with several high-ranking demons was a demon woman wearing a black veil, her body shrouded in a faint, swirling black mist that obscured her features.
Though Han Li could have used his powerful spiritual sense to penetrate the veil, he refrained, wary of alerting the Demon Venerables in the city.
Inside the shop, the veiled woman was greeted by an elderly shopkeeper and several attendants, who bowed deeply before leading her to a secluded room.
“Young honored, Envoy. This humble one has prepared everything you requested and awaits your command to deliver them,” the shopkeeper said respectfully.
“Well done. I only made the request the day before yesterday, yet Shopkeeper Liao has already prepared everything. It seems assigning you to this small shop was an underutilization of your talents,” the veiled woman remarked coolly, her voice as melodious as a nightingale’s.
“I dare not claim credit. This humble one merely follows orders,” Shopkeeper Liao replied with a flattering smile.
“Shi Huo, go retrieve the items,” the woman ordered, addressing a horned demon man beside her.
“Yes, Seventh Young Lady!” The demon man bowed and followed an attendant out.
The veiled woman sat silently, showing no further interest in conversation. The shopkeeper and the other demons could only wait quietly, not daring to speak.
After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the demon man returned and reported that all items had been secured.
The woman nodded indifferently, then suddenly asked, “Shopkeeper Liao, how long have you been managing this shop?”
“This humble one was assigned here two hundred years ago and has been in charge ever since,” the shopkeeper replied nervously, his posture shrinking slightly.
“Two hundred years… quite a long time. I imagine your personal wealth has grown considerably in that span,” the woman mused, her tone sending a chill down the old man’s spine.
“Envoy, there must be some misunderstanding! This humble one has always been diligent and never overstepped my bounds. Even if you are an inspector sent from above, you cannot falsely accuse me!” the shopkeeper protested urgently.
“Whether there’s a problem isn’t for you to decide. Mu Xi, present the evidence,” the woman commanded coldly, addressing one of the attendants behind the shopkeeper.
“Yes, Seventh Young Lady! This ledger records all transactions, prices, and clients over the past decade. Please review it!”
The attendant, a youthful-looking demon boy, stepped forward and produced a black ledger from his sleeve, speaking clearly.
Shopkeeper Liao’s face turned ashen.
The veiled woman flicked her fingers, and the ledger flew into her hand. After a brief perusal, she closed it and said emotionlessly,
“As expected, this contradicts the ledger you previously provided. In just over a decade, you’ve embezzled a staggering amount. Over two hundred years, the total must be astronomical. Shopkeeper Liao, do you have anything to say for yourself?”
“Mu Xi! You dare frame me? Seventh Young Lady, this boy holds a grudge against me! That ledger is a forgery!” the shopkeeper cried desperately.
“Whether it’s fake will soon be clear. I’ll perform a soul search. If it’s true, you’ll die without complaint. If it’s false, I’ll execute him in your stead,” the woman replied lightly, her words sending the shopkeeper into a panic.
“No!”
With a desperate shout, the shopkeeper flung a cloud of black mist from his sleeve while his other hand produced a yellow talisman. He shook it violently, and his body began sinking into the ground.
“A mere Core Formation cultivator dares play tricks before me?” the woman scoffed, unmoving.
The horned demon man, Shi Huo, laughed cruelly and reached out. A gust of wind dispersed the black mist, and an invisible force froze the shopkeeper mid-descent.
“Seventh Young Lady, spare me! I’ll return everything I took!” the shopkeeper begged.
The woman sighed and flicked her finger.
A black streak pierced the shopkeeper’s forehead, killing him instantly. Shi Huo withdrew his hand, and the corpse collapsed with a thud.
“Pity. Had you not squandered your ill-gotten gains, I might have spared you. Mu Xi, you’re the new shopkeeper. Shi Huo, dispose of the body. We have other places to visit.”
The woman stood and strode out calmly. Mu Xi knelt in gratitude, while Shi Huo incinerated the corpse with black demon flames before following with a sinister grin.
“Is this really the largest shop here?” Han Li frowned, eyeing the somewhat shabby pavilion before him. A plaque above the entrance read “*Cai Xuan Ge*.”
“Senior, though *Cai Xuan Ge* may seem unimpressive, it’s unquestionably the oldest and largest shop in the city,” the carriage driver assured him.
“Very well, I’ll take a look.” Still somewhat skeptical, Han Li paid the fare and strode toward the pavilion.
The moment he stepped inside, he sensed a faint spatial fluctuation. His vision brightened, revealing a massive hall spanning several acres.
“Remarkable! A spatial demon artifact creating a pocket dimension. Even if this isn’t the largest shop, it’s certainly among them,” Han Li marveled, scanning the hall with keen interest.
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