Han Li narrowed his eyes slightly as he gazed at the white jade palace high in the sky. After a brief moment of thought, his escape light flashed, and he shot straight toward it.
Before he could even get close to the palace, those above had already noticed his approach. Immediately, over a dozen armored warriors clad in green, led by a golden-armored guard, flew out to cautiously intercept him.
“Dare I ask if you are Senior Han? This junior has been ordered by several elders to respectfully welcome you to the Observing Platform for a gathering,” the golden-armored guard said, scanning Han Li’s face before stopping his escape light and bowing.
“Indeed, it is I. Lead the way,” Han Li replied calmly, retracting his escape light and revealing his figure.
“Of course, Senior! Please follow me,” the golden-armored guard said respectfully, stepping aside.
The other armored warriors also split into two rows, standing with hands clasped behind them in deference.
Without further ceremony, Han Li flew toward a towering platform within the palace, escorted by these warriors.
On the platform, Zen Master Jinyue and several elders from Tianyuan City, whom Han Li had met before, stood overlooking the demonic forces outside the city.
Upon seeing Han Li approach, their faces lit up with smiles as they greeted him.
“Fellow Daoist Han, you’ve finally arrived. This demonic invasion is far more ferocious than the last calamity. It seems the rumors may indeed be true!” Zen Master Jinyue, being the most familiar with Han Li, voiced his concerns directly after reciting a Buddhist chant.
“Oh? Have many high-ranking demons appeared?” Han Li felt a chill in his heart but maintained a composed expression.
“See for yourself, Fellow Daoist,” Zen Master Jinyue replied, pointing into the distance.
Han Li’s brows twitched slightly as he followed the gesture.
From such a height, the situation beyond the city walls, which would normally be impossible to discern, became clear.
Stretching dozens of miles beyond the walls were countless grotesque demonic beasts—some spewing mist, others growling lowly—their sheer numbers sending shivers down one’s spine.
At the center of this monstrous horde were five colossal beasts, each as massive as a mountain, crouching on the ground as they coldly surveyed Tianyuan City.
Among them were a crimson giant ape, two milky-white colossal snails, a black avian beast with steel-like feathers, and a three-headed purple serpent.
Other demonic beasts kept a wide berth around these five, as if terrified of them.
Yet, compared to these behemoths, Han Li was more concerned with the numerous humanoid figures floating above the demonic horde.
From a distance, they appeared no different from humans, but their demonic auras surged skyward. There were at least ten thousand of them, each possessing cultivation levels comparable to Deity Transformation or Void Refinement—an overwhelmingly formidable force.
“Hmm? Who are these people…?” Han Li’s eyes flickered as he vaguely recalled something, but doubt lingered.
“If we are not mistaken, these individuals were originally human cultivators who ascended from various lower realms to the True Demon Realm. However, they cultivated demonic techniques as their primary path and have been steeped in demonic energy for so long that they can no longer be considered part of our race,” Elder Gu, clad in white robes, sighed in response.
“In past demonic invasions, these demonic humans never appeared directly on the battlefield. It seems this calamity is truly unusual. Could it be that the demons are determined to conquer us this time, even deploying them?” Silverlight Fairy, still wearing her silver mask, spoke gravely.
“These individuals are indeed troublesome. But compared to them, I’d like to know where the high-ranking demons leading this assault are hiding,” Han Li said after observing the demonic humans for a while, suddenly frowning.
“The high-ranking demons are concealed within the demonic mist. Earlier, some revealed themselves, but they’ve since retreated. It seems they intend to conserve their strength before attacking,” Zen Master Jinyue added.
“Have you seen any Demon Saints, Master?” Han Li pressed, his expression turning serious.
“None yet. However, among the high-ranking demons that appeared earlier, there were indeed several at the Body Integration stage. Given the scale of their forces, it’s highly likely Demon Saints are present. But since the demonic realm has only recently encroached upon our world, the boundary’s resistance remains strong. Their true forms cannot cross over—if they appear, it will only be as avatars,” Zen Master Jinyue explained after a moment of hesitation.
“If it’s just avatars, Tianyuan City’s defenses should handle them easily,” Han Li said, visibly relaxing.
“Let’s hope so. What we see now is only a fraction of their forces. The low-level demonic beasts are mere cannon fodder. The true ancient demons and elite troops have yet to appear,” Elder Gu, who had lived through the last demonic calamity, voiced his deep concerns.
“At this point, we can only take things step by step. Tianyuan City’s defenses are unmatched among human factions. If we can’t hold, other cities stand no chance. Besides, according to earlier intelligence, Spirit Emperor City is their primary target—their forces there are said to be several times larger than here,” Silverlight Fairy remarked coldly.
“Fairy speaks true. No matter how fierce this invasion, if we unite, we can overcome it. Our outer defensive formations and fortresses alone can annihilate most of these beasts,” Zen Master Jinyue said with a reassuring smile.
“That’s true! Tianyuan City was built to withstand allied attacks from other races. After our centuries of reinforcement, I refuse to believe we can’t repel the demons,” a previously silent black-robed man added confidently.
As the Body Integration cultivators conversed, Han Li listened with a faint smile, his eyes glowing blue as he scanned the distant demonic mist.
The mist was no ordinary phenomenon—his spiritual vision could only penetrate about a mile before everything blurred.
Vaguely, he could make out numerous flying vessels resembling warships and chariots, along with scattered armored figures.
Just as Han Li was about to channel more spiritual power to enhance his vision, a piercing gaze from deep within the mist locked onto his own, following his line of sight back to his physical form with terrifying speed.
Startled, Han Li immediately severed his spiritual vision, his expression darkening.
At the same time, within the depths of the demonic mist, a soft exclamation came from a massive beast-drawn chariot.
A gaunt, yellow-haired old man clad in green robes retracted the crimson glow from his eyes, withdrawing his own mystical vision.
“What is it, Elder Green? Did you spot something interesting?” asked a purple-armored man covered in black spots standing beside him.
“Nothing much. It seems the humans have a high-ranking cultivator with spiritual vision as well. I startled him just now,” the old man replied indifferently.
“Oh? Someone with spiritual vision? Then won’t they see all our preparations?” the purple-armored man asked urgently.
“Rest assured, Stone Venerable. I’ve used the Chaos Demon Banner bestowed by the Demon Saint to weave intricate formations within the mist. No matter how powerful their vision, they won’t see through it. However, it seems they’ve also set up formidable concealment barriers—I couldn’t discern their defenses either,” the green-robed elder explained.
“No matter. As long as our plans remain hidden, that’s enough. After all, our task is merely to probe their defenses. Heh, we’re quite fortunate—this city is a rich prize. If we can sack it, the rewards will be unimaginable,” the purple-armored demon said, his eyes gleaming with greed.
“Stone Venerable, don’t underestimate this city. According to the captured humans, it’s a stronghold of both human and demon races. Even if we take it, our losses will be heavy,” the elder cautioned.
“Casualties are inevitable in a holy war. But the strategy of conquest lies with the Demon Saints. We need only follow orders. It’s time to begin the assault. Though we don’t expect to take the city in one strike, we must test most of its defenses,” the purple-armored demon declared, waving his hand dismissively.
“Since you lead this operation, Stone Venerable, we shall proceed as you command,” the elder conceded with a nod.
Pleased, the purple-armored demon grinned savagely at Tianyuan City before flipping his hand to produce a row of small black banners.
Each banner, no more than eight inches long, bore eerie patterns and radiated pure demonic energy.
With a spell seal, the demon tapped two of the banners, which vanished with a flicker.
Moments later, two distinct roars erupted from the frontlines of the demonic horde.
Two types of demonic beasts—their eyes gleaming with malice—began advancing toward Tianyuan City.
Back on the palace platform, Elder Gu’s expression tightened as he witnessed this.
“Double-headed Demon Lizards and Venomous Demon Insects! Warn the frontlines to be extra cautious!” he ordered urgently to the nearby guards.
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