Chapter 2089: Goodbye, Different Metal

Fantasy Cultivation

Volume Ten: War in the Demon Realm

A month later, at the edge of the Illusion Howl Desert, several lizard-like demonic beasts burst out from the gray, sandy ground. Each beast had a person seated firmly upon its back.

It was Han Li and his companions, returning from the Bai Family's mine.

Initially, after Han Li learned that the Demonic Spirit had been destroyed by the yellow-haired man and others, he immediately rushed with the purple-haired woman to meet up with the other three Demon Venerables. They eventually found the source of the Demonic Spirit: a massive, grayish-white crystal. Although the crystal had lost all its spiritual essence because the Demonic Spirit was no longer present, it was still an extremely rare material for artifact refining. The yellow-haired man unceremoniously took possession of it.

As for the detailed process of the Demonic Spirit's destruction, Han Li did not inquire, and neither Luan Long Tianjun, Han Qi, nor the others offered any information. However, at Han Li's insistence, the group set out on their return journey the day after the Demonic Spirit's demise, and they successfully traveled out of the Illusion Howl Desert without incident.

The moment they emerged from the desert, Han Li felt his body lighten. The mysterious power hovering in the void immediately dissipated, and simultaneously, ninety percent of his suppressed magical power within his body was instantly restored. Feeling the vast, surging magical power within him, Han Li couldn't help but let out a soft breath. Having so much magical power suppressed in the Illusion Howl Desert was truly an unpleasant experience! When he thought about potentially having to venture deep into this desert again for several decades in the future, he couldn't help but secretly grimace a few times.

However, it was good that this trip was finally completed successfully. He even managed to acquire an extra Demon Race demonic lizard, so the gains were considerable. Now, all they had to do was quietly await the arrival of the Long Family Ancestor and others. Furthermore, the Bai Family had promised him a reward: entry into their treasury to select three treasures. He wondered if there would be any unexpected surprises. As Han Li thought this, a faint sense of anticipation stirred in his heart.

With their magical power restored, the Integration Stage cultivators naturally reached incredible speeds of evasion. In just under half a day, the group could already see Illusion Night City in the distance.

Several hours later, Han Li, Luan Long Tianjun, and Han Qi were in a simply decorated hall within the Bai Family fortress, conversing casually with the purple-haired woman as their companion. However, the yellow-haired man was nowhere to be seen; he seemed to have gone to attend to some urgent matters. That was understandable! The entire Bai Family relied on two Demon Venerable ancestors to maintain order. Having been away from the family for over two months, there were naturally some pressing matters that needed to be handled first.

After about the time it takes to eat a meal, a figure flickered at the hall's entrance, and a person walked in. It was the yellow-haired man. This Bai Family ancestor had a smile on his face, as if he had encountered something pleasant earlier.

“Brother Bai, have the family matters been resolved so quickly?” Luan Long Tianjun glanced at the large man and asked, his fleshy face quivering slightly.

“Haha, just some minor matters. Besides handling those, I've also brought the rewards I promised you fellow Daoists. Feel free to take a look, all three of you!” The large man chuckled, vaguely responding with a few words, then shook his sleeve towards Han Li and the other two. A black ring flew out to each of them.

Han Li and the other two raised their hands and easily took hold of the rings, then scanned them with their divine sense. Moments later, expressions of satisfaction flashed in Luan Long Tianjun's and Han Qi's eyes, and they both put away their storage bracelets. After Han Li inspected his, his expression remained calm. With a flash of green light in his hand, the ring also silently disappeared.

“This assistance has caused me to expend some vitality; I need to return to my cave dwelling to recuperate for a period. I won't disturb you two fellow Daoists any further.” Luan Long Tianjun was not polite at all; as soon as he put away his reward, he immediately stood up to take his leave.

“Since Brother Luan Long is leaving, I won't linger either,” Han Qi said hoarsely after a brief moment of thought.

Seeing this, Han Li's eyes flickered slightly, but he remained steadily seated in his chair, not moving. This caused Luan Long Tianjun and Han Qi to glance at him with varying expressions. But Han Li showed no unusual expression on his face.

Seeing this, the yellow-haired man and the purple-haired woman naturally offered a polite word of retention. Seeing that the two truly had no intention of staying, they escorted them to the hall's entrance and then instructed a Bai Family disciple to see them out of the fortress before returning to the hall themselves.

At this moment, Han Li was leisurely sipping a cup of spirit tea in the hall.

“Brother Han, you are quite composed! Now that Daoist Luan Long and Daoist Han Qi are no longer here, aren't you afraid my sister and I will renege on those three treasures?” The yellow-haired man's eyes flickered slightly as he saw Han Li's demeanor, and he said something with deep meaning.

“If Brother Bai were truly so petty, the Bai Family likely wouldn't have reached its current standing,” Han Li replied with a smile, showing no anger after hearing this.

“Heh heh, that's indeed true. If the Bai Family were to break its promise for the sake of a few mere treasures, how could it maintain its position in Illusion Night City? Fifth Sister, take Brother Han to our treasury to select three treasures. Whatever treasures Daoist Han fancies, he can take them.” The yellow-haired man waved his hand, speaking with extraordinary generosity.

“Yes, Elder Brother. Brother Han, please follow me,” the purple-haired woman replied, offering Han Li a charming smile.

Han Li didn't stand on ceremony; he gave the yellow-haired man a slight cupped-hand salute and then followed the purple-haired woman out through a side door. In the hall, only the yellow-haired man remained in the blink of an eye.

After watching Han Li's back disappear through the side door, some of the smile on the large man's face faded. He sat thoughtfully in the main seat of the hall, then shook his head, muttering in a voice too low to be heard: “What a pity. If I had known that Demonic Spirit could be dealt with so easily, there would have been no need to promise such a generous reward? But fortunately, the mine issue has finally been completely resolved; these losses will be recouped soon enough.”

Half an hour later, Han Li appeared before a mysterious building enveloped in layers of restrictions. Outside the building, at least ten elite Bai Family disciples were guarding the area, some openly, some hidden. However, led by the purple-haired woman, Han Li naturally entered the first-floor hall of the building without obstruction.

On both sides of the hall stood eight bronze statues resembling giant devils, looming menacingly. Judging by the faint, almost imperceptible aura emanating from these statues, they were clearly another group of guardians. Between the two rows of statues, there were a dozen long wooden shelves. Various lights shimmered on them, revealing demonic artifacts, oddly shaped materials, jade boxes and wooden chests of various sizes, and even bottles and jars.

The purple-haired woman stood at the entrance, not entering the hall. With one hand, she performed an incantation and cast a series of spell seals towards the eight bronze statues on either side. Then, she opened her mouth and exhaled a dull purple jade pendant. At her command, the jade pendant shot into the hall, vanishing into thin air with a muffled sound. The next moment, the entire hall trembled. The layer of fluctuations that originally enveloped the hall suddenly dissipated in a strange manner.

“Brother Han, this is one of our Bai Family's treasuries. You may select three treasures from within,” the purple-haired woman said with a light chuckle as she dispersed the spell seals in her hand and turned to Han Li.

“Then I won't stand on ceremony,” Han Li replied with a faint smile, sweeping his gaze across the hall. With his powerful divine sense and extensive experience, a mere glance was enough for him to understand the general origin and purpose of eighty to ninety percent of the treasures here. The remaining ones either required closer inspection or were genuinely new to him, sparking considerable interest.

Han Li moved, walking to a nearby wooden shelf. He reached out and picked up a material that looked like charred wood, examining it carefully from top to bottom. The purple-haired woman stood at the entrance, smiling without offering any explanations or reminders. It was clear that Han Li was to choose the three treasures entirely on his own, and she would not provide any suggestions.

After observing the material in his hand for a moment, Han Li calmly put it back. He didn't even glance at the other items on that shelf and walked directly to an adjacent one, picking up a jade box tightly sealed with several talismans. This jade box had a special label on its surface, and faint silver light subtly permeated from within it. Han Li glanced at the label on the jade box, then carefully probed it with his divine sense. Without a word, he directly put the item into his storage bracelet. The purple-haired woman at the entrance couldn't help but reveal a hint of distress on her face upon seeing Han Li's action.

Meanwhile, Han Li had already walked to a palm-sized bottle. After opening its lid and sniffing it lightly twice, a hint of hesitation appeared on his face, but in the end, he placed it back where it was. Thus, Han Li looked left and right, passing by more than half of the wooden shelves, but he didn't pick up anything else. This caused a hint of surprise to flash across the purple-haired woman's face. After all, in her mind, the value of several other treasures on these shelves was by no means inferior to the item Han Li had just taken from the jade box.

Strolling slowly, after about the time it takes to brew a cup of tea, Han Li arrived at the last two rows of shelves. His expression finally changed, and he stopped before one item, staring intently at it. It was a skull-sized ore, black and white, shimmering with a cold light. It was none other than the Heterodox Demon Gold Han Li had once seen in Blood Raven City, only this piece was at least ten times larger.

Han Li gazed at it silently for a long moment. Suddenly, he flicked his sleeve, and a wave of green light swept over it. The shelf was instantly empty. The purple-haired woman at the entrance witnessed this scene, her beautiful eyes flickering several times, and her fair face couldn't help but reveal an expression of surprise. Although such a large piece of Heterodox Demon Gold was rare, compared to the other treasures in the treasury, it was almost one of the lowest-value materials. That Han Li, an exceptionally mysterious Demon Venerable in her mind, would actually take this item was truly beyond her expectations.