Chapter 1961: Abandoned City

The other avatar, currently entangled with the spirit body in the distance, seemed to have received the message. Its entire body surged with blood-red light, forcing the spirit body back, and then it suddenly shot backward and flew away.

In the blink of an eye, the three avatars converged, and their escape lights seamlessly merged into one, fleeing towards the horizon.

"Brat, this matter is far from over. This time, I couldn't do anything to you because I didn't have my best treasures with me. But the next time we meet, I will certainly extract your soul and refine your essence to avenge this humiliation!" The ominous voice of the leading youth rumbled over, but as he spoke the last few words, the blood-red light he had transformed into vanished at the edge of the sky.

Once this demon decided to retreat, it did so remarkably decisively, without even a glance back.

It seemed highly confident that Han Li would not give chase.

The golden-haired giant ape hovered motionlessly in mid-air, gazing in the direction where the formidable enemy had vanished. Its face was devoid of expression, and indeed, it showed no intention of pursuing.

Not only that, the spirit body in the distance made a hand seal with one hand, vanishing from its spot in a flash. However, with a ripple, it suddenly reappeared beside the giant ape, standing still with its hands at its sides.

The giant ape suddenly let out a cold snort. Its body flashed with golden light, and its three-headed, six-armed manifestation instantly dissolved and vanished. Then, it stomped its foot, and its body rapidly shrunk hundreds of times, shedding all its golden fur as it reverted to human form.

Han Li, having returned to his original appearance, showed no sign of joy on his face. Instead, he swept his gaze across the distant horizon, a hint of solemnity appearing in his expression.

"Just a few mere avatars, yet they are so troublesome. If the main body were to arrive, who knows how powerful it would be! The might of a Mahayana cultivator truly lives up to its reputation! No, it's even more terrifying than rumored," Han Li murmured. Only then did he withdraw his gaze and raise a hand to beckon to the spirit body beside him.

The spirit body swayed, transforming into a faint green shadow that shot towards him. With a flash, it merged into his body and disappeared.

The thirteen purple-patterned Gold Devouring Beetles also soared into the air in a spiral.

Han Li swept his sleeve, releasing a cloud of green mist that drew all the spirit insects into his sleeve. Then, he closed his eyes, formed a hand seal with one hand, and began to chant.

A thumb-sized blood-red inscription appeared between his eyebrows, flickering with a soft glow.

After only a moment, Han Li suddenly opened his eyes, a look of delight on his face, and murmured to himself:

"It worked! The Purple-Muttering Cauldron didn't get too far after all!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Han Li changed the incantation in his hand, his ten fingers continuously forming various complex hand seals. Simultaneously, the blood-red inscription between his eyebrows flickered erratically.

Not long after, a spatial ripple sounded from the sky in another direction, and a black streak of light shot towards him.

Within the escaping light, there was indeed a round, purplish object—it was precisely the Purple-Muttering Cauldron that had previously fled on its own.

However, when the cauldron flew to within a few hundred feet of Han Li, it suddenly paused, stopping its escape light and revealing its original form as a small purple cauldron.

The purple light on the cauldron's surface expanded and contracted erratically, emitting a low hum. It seemed quite hesitant to approach Han Li.

Yet, the subtle connection created by Han Li activating the blood-red inscription also made the cauldron unwilling to leave.

Han Li gazed at the small cauldron, the joy at the corners of his mouth deepening. The blood-red inscription flickered, then flew directly out from between his eyebrows, pausing to begin rotating in front of him.

At the same time, his incantation grew louder. With a flick of his ten fingers, streaks of multicolored magical seals shot out, disappearing in a flash as they merged into the small cauldron.

The small cauldron trembled, immediately emitting a clear, dragon-like cry. With a movement, it shot directly towards the blood-red inscription.

With a flash of light, the blood-red inscription likewise merged into the small cauldron.

The cauldron's surface immediately glowed with a blood-red hue, and its prolonged cry became a few pitches higher, as if it had become exceptionally joyous.

Seeing this, Han Li smiled faintly in turn, then raised his hand and gently pointed at the small cauldron.

The purple cauldron swayed, then obediently flew over, ultimately transforming into a miniature, several-inch-sized form that settled steadily in his palm.

Han Li was greatly delighted. He let out a long breath, raised the small cauldron to his eye level, and meticulously examined it with a flash of blue light in his eyes.

The small cauldron was light purple, but its surface was inscribed with many unknown runes. Furthermore, a faint, almost imperceptible black mist enveloped its entire body.

Han Li narrowed his eyes slightly. Suddenly, a spiritual light flashed in the palm holding the small cauldron, and several golden and silver runes silently emerged, instantly adhering to the cauldron.

The small cauldron barely managed a low hum before the spiritual light on its surface became dull and inert, losing its previous almost supernatural sentience.

Moreover, Han Li moved his ten fingers, and a thunderous roar erupted. Countless golden electric arcs shot from his fingertips, forming a golden electric net that completely enveloped the small cauldron.

After the electric light crackled and shrank, a small golden sphere immediately appeared in his palm.

Only then did Han Li's expression relax. With a flip of his other palm, a pristine white jade-like box appeared.

The golden sphere flashed and was placed inside.

He quickly flicked his sleeve over the box again, and over a dozen multicolored talismans shot out. Upon sticking to the box, they immediately formed several miniature talisman arrays that were deeply embedded in the lid.

Han Li thus swiftly sealed the small cauldron temporarily.

After putting away the jade box, he let out a long breath, finally truly relaxing.

Although he had successfully seized the Purple-Muttering Cauldron from the Bloodlight Sacred Ancestor's avatar using the secret art imparted by Che Qigong, and it was now in his grasp, the treasure contained a wisp of the old demon's divine sense. How could he dare to simply use or keep it close without first expelling that wisp and refining it anew?

Nevertheless, Han Li was still genuinely overjoyed to have obtained such a fragment of a Xuantian treasure. At the same time, he felt a pang of regret over the destruction of the Myriad Sword Scroll.

He had only just finished refining that treasure, which was originally intended to be a powerful weapon against the demon army. For it to be rendered useless after just one battle naturally left him feeling somewhat dejected.

However, when Han Li recalled the words spoken by the leading demon before it left, his expression unconsciously grew a little more serious.

Just as the demon had said, the main reason he was able to force back the three Mahayana avatars this time was that they had come unprepared and in a hurry. Additionally, the two Xuantian treasure fragments they relied upon had met with accidents, leading to their ignominious retreat.

If they were to borrow treasures from the other avatar commanding the demon army and become wary of his methods for influencing the Rainbow Light Pagoda, whether he could still repel the three Bloodlight Sacred Ancestor avatars the next time they came after him would be truly uncertain.

Han Li thought silently, his gaze flickering.

Suddenly, he chuckled softly.

"I really was worrying too much! How could I give them a second chance to corner me? Calculating the time, if they go to the demon army's main camp, it would take at least three or four months. In such a long time, I would have already secretly returned to Tianyuan City. From now on, as long as I don't leave Tianyuan City, I should be safe," Han Li thought with a relaxed heart, his expression returning to normal.

However, before that, he still needed to do one more thing: visit the Yellow Springs Earth Fire, which was not too far from his current location.

On one hand, he had made an oath to Che Qigong and did not wish to suffer a backlash from inner demons.

On the other hand, he was indeed greatly tempted by the Two Chaotic Qi.

Now that the Bloodlight Sacred Ancestor's avatar had been damaged and retreated, it was unlikely to return anytime soon. This was precisely a good opportunity to act.

However, since Che Qigong was also a demon sacred ancestor, Han Li naturally would not fully trust his words. He would have to secretly take precautions before proceeding according to Che Qigong's instructions.

As for Yitian City, with the retreat of these Integration-stage cultivators, it was surely beyond saving, so there was no longer any need to return.

Han Li's mind was sharp, and in a flash, he made up his mind. He immediately turned around, and with a flash of green light on his body, he transformed into a green rainbow and soared into the sky.

At the same time, the colossal demon, already tens of thousands of miles away, retracted its dharma body and once again released the small blood-red boat. It had the other two avatars stand on it with him, then urged the treasure to rush towards Yitian City.

Along the way, all three Bloodlight Sacred Ancestor avatars maintained blank expressions, not uttering a single word.

Several days later, the three demons saw Yitian City in the distance, its city walls nearly half collapsed. Above Yitian City, dark demonic qi already permeated the air, shrouding nearly half of the entire grand city.

When the blood-red boat drew closer to the city wall, the demonic qi above the wall immediately churned, and a team of armored soldiers riding demonic beasts respectfully approached to greet them.

"Immediately open the nearest teleportation array to the Sacred Race army. We must leave this place at once!" the leading youth commanded coldly as the Myriad Manifestation Demonic Cavalry drew a little closer.

"As you command, Sacred Ancestor!"

The middle and high-ranking demons present had all witnessed the Bloodlight Sacred Ancestor's divine sense descending and possessing the body earlier. This Myriad Manifestation Demonic Cavalry naturally recognized the Sacred Ancestor's avatar. Immediately, their leading knight bowed humbly and, with a deep bow, readily assented.

Half a month later, the green rainbow, into which Han Li had transformed, traveled swiftly at an altitude of ten thousand zhang.

His escape light was incredibly faint, and he used immense power to completely contain its fluctuations. Unless one meticulously observed with the divine sense or spirit eyes of a great divine ability cultivator, the green rainbow's presence would be utterly undetectable.

Han Li was currently flying over a human city.

This city was not large; even before the demon invasion, it was only a small-scale city. But now, it was covered in overgrown ruins, with not a single human figure visible, having been abandoned by humans for over a century.

With Han Li's speed, he could have swept over the city in an instant. However, when his divine sense casually swept downwards, he suddenly let out a soft "咦." His escape light paused in mid-air, and with a retraction of green light, he revealed his original form.

He swept his gaze downwards, his eyes flickering incessantly, his face filled with surprise!