Chapter 2120: Entering the Lake

“It seems the Venerable already has a well-laid plan. I was being presumptuous!” Zhu Guo’er blinked her large eyes and spoke respectfully.

“However, what you said isn’t entirely without merit. We cannot afford to be too careless on this journey. After the previous battles, we’ve already made quite a stir in the demon realm. To enter Blue Waterfall Lake, we must not only alter our appearances but also split up temporarily. Guo’er, you and Brother Crab should stay nearby for a while. I’ll go alone to Blue Waterfall City to gather information first. With my transformation technique, as long as I don’t directly face a Mahayana-level being, I shouldn’t fear being exposed.” Han Li seemed to have already considered this and gave his orders without hesitation.

“Since it’s the Venerable’s command, Guo’er will obey.” Naturally, Zhu Guo’er dared not defy Han Li’s wishes. Moreover, the thought of being alone with Crab Daoist secretly delighted her, so she agreed at once.

The little girl still hadn’t realized Crab Daoist’s true nature as a puppet. For some inexplicable reason, she had developed a peculiar fondness for his human-like form.

Crab Daoist gave a slight nod and remained standing silently, saying nothing.

As a pseudo-immortal puppet, though it possessed a certain degree of sentience, it was bound by the contract with Han Li and had already received a substantial advance payment of counterfeit Creation Dew. Thus, it showed no particular concern.

Han Li smiled faintly, unbothered by its reaction.

Being well-versed in puppetry himself and having spent considerable time with Crab Daoist, he had grown quite familiar with its semi-autonomous nature.

He knew that while Crab Daoist appeared no different from an ordinary person, it was still constrained by several restrictions imposed by its original master and could not easily defy them. However, in all other matters, it possessed a high degree of autonomy.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been able to lure it out of the Thunder Sea with the mysterious green liquid, turning it into a temporary bodyguard.

Of course, Han Li was well aware that even with Crab Daoist by his side, he couldn’t truly act without worry in the demon realm.

Had it not been for the fact that the major demon progenitors were preoccupied with their own affairs and unable to focus their full attention on him, while other ordinary Saint Ancestors were too proud to consider joining forces, he wouldn’t have been able to remain in the demon realm so safely for so long.

After giving Zhu Guo’er and Crab Daoist a few more instructions, Han Li’s bones crackled as his body grew taller by a foot, and his appearance transformed into that of an elegant middle-aged man.

With a stomp, he shot into the sky as a streak of black light, heading straight for the depths of the lake.

As Han Li vanished into the distance, Crab Daoist silently flicked its sleeve, releasing a golden mist that enveloped itself and Zhu Guo’er, causing them to disappear from the hill.

—

With Han Li’s current cultivation, even without pushing his flight speed to the limit, his movement was astonishingly fast. In just a short while, he had traversed over a hundred thousand miles.

In the distance, small islands began to appear on the azure waters, dotted with simple structures and bustling with demons coming and going.

Some islands had black wooden boats of varying sizes moored nearby, frequently ferrying groups of demons deeper into the lake.

Han Li wasn’t surprised by this.

Since he had planned to visit Blue Waterfall Lake, he had gathered detailed information about the area. He knew that deep within the lake, Blue Waterfall Ancestor had once invited several allied Saint Ancestors to jointly set up a massive aerial restriction. Any demon below the Demon Venerable level would immediately lose the ability to fly upon entering, forcing them to rely on boats to reach the lake’s core.

Though Han Li wasn’t bound by this restriction, he didn’t want to draw the attention of high-ranking demons in the area. After circling a small island briefly, he descended.

The moment his feet touched the ground, a short, dark-skinned demon man hurried over.

“This lowly one, Guan Yang, greets the Venerable! Might the Venerable be heading to Blue Waterfall City? My boat may not be the largest, but its speed is unmatched among the hundred nearby islands!” The low-ranking demon, who resembled an ordinary human, bowed respectfully before flashing a grin, revealing a set of pearly white teeth.

“Oh? With your mere Foundation Establishment cultivation, you dare boast like this. Surely you’re exaggerating?” Han Li studied the demon before him, then glanced at the dozen or so wooden boats of varying sizes docked along the shore, responding noncommittally.

“Venerable, rest assured! If my words prove false, I’ll gladly return double the spirit stones!” Though Guan Yang couldn’t gauge Han Li’s cultivation level, the latter’s demeanor alone made it clear he was no ordinary Core Formation or Nascent Soul cultivator. Not daring to slight him, Guan Yang thumped his chest in assurance.

“Very well. Since you’ve said so, I’ll take your boat. The spirit stones aren’t an issue, but speed is crucial—I need to reach Blue Waterfall City as soon as possible.” Han Li narrowed his eyes slightly, sensing no deceit in the demon’s words, and nodded in agreement.

“Venerable, you won’t be disappointed! Please, this way—my boat is right over there.” Overjoyed, Guan Yang bowed deeply and pointed toward a small boat several yards long moored at the shore.

Han Li glanced at the boat and strode toward it without another word.

Guan Yang followed eagerly behind.

Within the time it took to finish a meal, the black wooden boat had left the island, speeding forward like a bolt from a crossbow.

Han Li sat cross-legged at the prow, quietly observing the demon man at the stern, his bare arms wielding two pitch-black iron oars with remarkable speed.

The oars shimmered faintly with blue light, each stroke churning the water behind them into two long trails of white foam.

“No wonder you dared to boast—you have a pair of suitable low-grade demon tools,” Han Li remarked after watching for a while, amused.

“The Venerable flatters me. These tools are heirlooms passed down in my family. Our ancestors relied on them for their livelihood. Though better demon tools exist, those who possess them would never stoop to ferrying passengers. I’m just trying to make a living,” Guan Yang replied honestly between strokes.

“Ah, so you’re a local? You must know Blue Waterfall City well, then,” Han Li probed casually.

“If it’s common knowledge, this lowly one knows it inside out. But if it’s something too secretive, I’m afraid I can’t help. My cultivation is limited—I’d never have access to higher-level matters,” Guan Yang answered without hesitation, clearly accustomed to such questions.

“Rest assured, I won’t ask anything too confidential,” Han Li chuckled at the demon’s guarded response.

“Then the Venerable may ask freely—I’ll share all I know!” Guan Yang relaxed and replied eagerly.

“Very well. I’d like to know where Bloodfang Rice is sold in Blue Waterfall City. Such goods aren’t typically traded openly, are they?” Han Li mused before posing the question.

“Ah, so the Venerable is also here for Bloodfang Rice? You’ve asked the right person! Does the Venerable intend to purchase just a few grains, or a larger quantity?” Guan Yang’s face lit up with excitement.

“What if I only want a few? And what if I want more?” Han Li frowned slightly.

“If it’s just a few, the Venerable can visit designated shops in the city. However, these shops impose daily limits and only sell to those at the Deity Transformation level or above, with a maximum of two grains per person. To purchase again, one must reside in Blue Waterfall for at least a year. But that’s just the official route. If the Venerable truly seeks a larger quantity, there are… alternative methods to acquire more at once. Of course, if the Venerable isn’t too particular about quality, even greater quantities might be possible.” Guan Yang’s grin widened as he explained swiftly.

“But what if I want more than that—and only the highest-grade Bloodfang Rice?” Han Li replied coolly, his expression unchanging.

“Ah! If that’s the Venerable’s goal, I’m afraid it’s nearly impossible. The city strictly controls top-grade Bloodfang Rice—none is allowed to leak beyond authorized channels.” Guan Yang’s face fell into a troubled expression.

“I’m well aware of that. If I could obtain enough top-grade rice outside, I wouldn’t have come to Blue Waterfall Lake. Besides, I’ve always believed nothing is truly impossible—it’s just a matter of the price one is willing to pay.” Han Li stared at the demon, his voice flat.

“In this case, I truly can’t help. But perhaps the Venerable could inquire further in the city—others might have solutions.” Guan Yang hesitated before forcing a bitter smile.

Han Li’s lips curled slightly. He nodded and closed his eyes, falling silent.

The boat continued its rapid journey toward the heart of Blue Waterfall Lake under Guan Yang’s vigorous rowing.

Two hours later, a black dot appeared on the horizon. As the boat drew closer, it grew into a massive island, its features gradually coming into focus.

Han Li narrowed his eyes, blue light flickering in his pupils as he took in the island’s details. Along its shores stood a sizable city, its walls constructed from pale blue stone. Apart from this, it resembled any other demon city, with towering walls patrolled by armed guards.

At the gate facing their direction, a group of spear-wielding demons stood watch, their expressions vigilant.