Chapter 1862: The Pact of the Demon Realm

"So, the Saintess told you and the others about this Spirit Pool? But Brother Long, you seem to trust it implicitly; you must have your own reasons, right?" Han Li asked the Old Ancestor of the Long family calmly, after a brief moment of thought.

Upon hearing Han Li's question, both the Feather-robed Young Woman and the Dishevelled Man subtly shifted their expressions and involuntarily looked towards the Old Ancestor of the Long family.

"Naturally, I have my own methods to ascertain the truth of this matter, but I cannot easily disclose them to fellow Daoists. Fortunately, Fairy Ye's earlier remarks indirectly confirmed the existence of the Spirit Cleansing Pool somewhere in the Demon Realm. In that case, it's up to us whether we truly dare to take this risk and seize this immense fortune. To be frank, the Saintess, Brother Hui, and I are definitely going on this trip. Moreover, a few Saint Spirit-ranked individuals from the Spirit Realm side will also be participating. On the Human Race side, major powers like the Three Sovereigns certainly wouldn't allow this, which is why I sought out the three of you. Haha, actually, I originally intended to invite only Fairy Ye and Brother Lin. Daoist Han's appearance is quite a pleasant surprise. Now, it's up to the three of you to decide if you're willing to take a gamble and make a trip to the Demon Realm," the Old Ancestor of the Long family said decisively.

After hearing this, Han Li and the other two exchanged glances. For a moment, none of them immediately agreed, their expressions varied.

After a long pause, the Feather-robed Young Woman exhaled deeply and asked, "Brother Long, when do you intend to go to the Demon Realm after the demonic calamity erupts? As far as I know, this demonic calamity is far more severe than previous ones. One misstep, and our human race could even face annihilation. If we leave at the wrong time, it might be difficult for our respective families to survive the demonic tribulation."

The Old Ancestor of the Long family's eyes flickered with a strange light as he calmly replied, "I naturally considered this long ago. Therefore, the timing for entering the Demon Realm will be several decades after the demonic calamity erupts. By then, the human race should have endured the most ferocious phase of the demonic tribulation and entered a stalemate, with all forces supporting each other. In such circumstances, if we then find a suitable time to sneak into the Demon Realm, there shouldn't be any major problems. Besides, Daoist Han, as you said, is a lone cultivator, so he has no worries about his family. And surely, the Integration-stage cultivators of the Ye and Lin families aren't just the two of you, right?"

"Hmph, Old Monster Long, you certainly are well-informed! All right, if our Lin family truly doesn't encounter too much danger during the demonic tribulation, then Lin will go with you on this trip." The Dishevelled Man was surprisingly the first among the three to give a response.

Clearly, the Spirit Cleansing Pool and the Pure Heart Lotus held too great an appeal for him, making it impossible for him to refuse, despite his gloomy expression.

The Feather-robed Young Woman exhaled deeply, then asked, "Since there's a method to conceal our aura, the chances of survival are naturally much greater when sneaking into the Demon Realm. However, even with the most flawless disguise, moving around in the Demon Realm for a long time will likely lead to exposure. How long, approximately, will this round trip to the Demon Realm take? If it's too long, the chances of falling will surely be extremely high, and I might need to think it over carefully before deciding whether to truly go on this trip. Of course, if the time isn't too long, I naturally wouldn't miss such a great opportunity."

Saintess Qianqiu said with a hint of difficulty, "Fairy Ye's question puts me in a bit of a predicament. As far as I know, the Spirit Cleansing Pool and the Pure Spirit Lotus are located in the very heart of the Demon Realm. Even if everything goes smoothly, the round trip would take over a decade. If we encounter trouble or unexpected events, it could very likely take several times longer. And we cannot possibly begin our operation as soon as the demonic tribulation erupts. So, in terms of time, we don't actually have much leeway."

"Several decades? That truly is a bit too long. I'm afraid I'll need to go back and think it over carefully; I cannot give you an answer right now." The young woman's expression fluctuated for a while before she replied, still somewhat unsure.

The Old Ancestor of the Long family was not surprised by the Feather-robed Young Woman's reply; instead, he responded with deep meaning, "No problem, Fairy Ye can certainly go back and think it over thoroughly. However, your Heavenly Wind bloodline possesses the great divine ability to shatter space, which is a powerful asset for a trip to the Demon Realm. It would truly be a shame if you didn't go."

"Whether I go or not, I will consider it carefully," the Feather-robed Young Woman replied, having no intention of saying more, and then fell silent.

At this point, the gaze of the Old Ancestor of the Long family and the others naturally fell upon Han Li, who had not yet spoken.

Han Li, after a moment of contemplation, let out a wry smile and uttered words that surprised the others. "Since such a treasure exists in the Demon Realm, as a lone cultivator, I naturally wouldn't hesitate to take a gamble for it. However, in the next few centuries, I have several other important matters to attend to, all of which are quite time-consuming, so I might not truly be able to spare the time for this trip."

Unlike his interaction with the Feather-robed Young Woman, the Old Ancestor of the Long family seemed not to place too much importance on whether Han Li would go or not. After a couple of casual remarks, his tone suddenly turned cold as he issued a warning: "I see. In that case, Daoist Han, let's see how things develop when the time comes. If you have time, then go on this trip. If you truly cannot spare a moment, I won't force you. However, fellow Daoists, let me be frank. Whether you go or not, I have no objection, but before the Saintess and I depart for the Demon Realm, I hope you will keep this a secret. Currently, only a handful of us know about this. If any rumors were to leak out, do not blame me for being ruthless then. Hmph, it's not that I, Long, fear others competing for the Spirit Pool; rather, I'm concerned that if the demon race were to learn of this in advance, it would naturally be several times more difficult to infiltrate the Demon Realm safely."

Han Li smiled faintly upon hearing this, appearing unconcerned.

The Feather-robed Young Woman, however, raised an eyebrow, and her expression darkened as she replied:

"Brother Long, what kind of people do you take us for? Do you think we would do something so harmful to others and pointless to ourselves?"

The Old Ancestor of the Long family chuckled, then said seriously, "I was just making a point. I also believe that none of you are the type to be loose-lipped. Since I've told the three of you everything, whether you truly wish to take this risk and make a gamble is entirely up to your discretion. However, you must give me a definite answer before the demonic tribulation erupts. After all, if you don't agree, I'll need to find other suitable Daoists."

"That goes without saying!" This time, the Feather-robed Young Woman immediately agreed.

Han Li, standing by, also nodded thoughtfully.

With the discussion concluded, Han Li and the others naturally didn't linger. After exchanging a few more pleasantries, the three of them bid farewell and left the side hall.

The cultivator named Hui, of course, personally escorted the three of them out.

In a blink of an eye, only Saintess Qianqiu and the Old Ancestor of the Long family remained in the side hall.

The smile on the yellow-robed young woman's face instantly vanished, and her eyes flickered incessantly. The Old Ancestor of the Long family, meanwhile, stared towards the door, lost in thought, his expression contemplative.

For a moment, the place became utterly silent.

After an unknown period, Saintess Qianqiu suddenly said softly:

"I still don't quite understand why you insist on recruiting someone from the Ye family to join us. Does Brother Long truly believe her Heavenly Phoenix Transformation is crucial for our trip to the Demon Realm? When it comes to the divine ability to shatter space, another Saint Spirit Daoist whom I've already invited will certainly not be inferior to Fairy Ye. Brother Long, do you perhaps not trust Qianqiu's words?"

The Old Ancestor of the Long family glanced at the yellow-robed young woman and replied very calmly, "Of course not. The Saintess and I have known each other for more than just a year or two, so how could I not trust you? However, we are going to the legendary Demon Realm; having one more Daoist with the ability to shatter space will naturally increase our chances of survival. Furthermore, the Ye family's secret arts and divine abilities are no less profound than our Long family's. Taking this woman along would definitely be a great asset."

Saintess Qianqiu fell silent for a moment, then suddenly sighed and said, "Even if Fairy Ye is indeed important, Daoist Han is only an early-Integration stage cultivator. Even if he possesses some formidable divine abilities, there's no need to bring him along, is there? If Brother Long truly feels that we are short-handed and it's difficult to find mid-stage fellow Daoists among the human race, I can go back to my clan and contact another capable clan member to participate."

The Old Ancestor of the Long family sneered, then said with confidence, "Heh heh, the Saintess and I have an agreement. The number of people we bring when infiltrating the Demon Realm should be the same. You're not going back on your word, are you, Fairy? And Daoist Qianqiu, you've misjudged this time! Although this young man, Han, is an early-Integration stage cultivator who only recently advanced, I personally tested him, and his strength is definitely above Elder Hui's. Even if late-stage existences like the Saintess and I were to act, defeating him would likely not be an easy task. Furthermore, my audacious invitation for him to join this matter was not made lightly. The Golden Bodhisattva Dharmakaya he condensed should originate from a top-tier demonic cultivation technique of the ancient demon race, allowing him to similarly manipulate True Demonic Qi. Bringing him along might prove unexpectedly useful in the Demon Realm! Of course, if he truly doesn't wish to join, it's not strictly necessary; I will simply find another capable lone cultivator to participate."

Saintess Qianqiu smiled faintly, unconcerned, upon seeing that the Old Ancestor of the Long family had other ideas. "I am, after all, the Saintess of the Artifact Spirit Race. How could I go back on my word? Since Brother Long already has a plan, I will say no more. I will leave this demonic bead with you; you have already learned how to use it. I have already signed the agreement on behalf of the Spirit Race and your esteemed clan, so it's inconvenient for me to stay here any longer. I will depart immediately tomorrow to return to the Spirit Race. Regarding the various matters of cooperation between your Long family and our Artifact Spirit Race, I hope you will take good care of them."

The Old Ancestor of the Long family nodded, and his wooden expression grudgingly forced out a hint of a smile. "Rest assured, Saintess, our cooperation is mutually beneficial, and I, Long, will naturally put in extra effort. However, our next meeting will likely be after the demonic tribulation has erupted."

The yellow-robed young woman chuckled and exchanged a few more polite words, then likewise stood up and left the place.

Meanwhile, Han Li had returned to his dwelling and was lying on a large bed on one of the pavilion's floors, his eyes slightly narrowed in thought.