Chapter 2103: Strong Entry

When the mist dispersed, the spot where Han Li had been standing was now empty.

The feathered maiden's spiritual sense swept the vicinity in a hurry, but she still found no trace of Han Li. Her shock was palpable.

"No need to be surprised, Fellow Daoist. The Green-Winged beings are almost here; we must act quickly." A faint voice suddenly reached the maiden's ears, making her heart clench. Without hesitation, she immediately activated the talisman in her hand.

After a similar flash of purple light, the feathered maiden's figure dispersed into purple mist and vanished from sight.

The etherealization effect of the Taiyi Cleansing Talisman varied significantly depending on the cultivation level of the user.

Given her Body Integration cultivation, the effect was far superior to what Han Li had achieved when he was at the Deity Transformation and Void Refinement stages. Unless there was a Demon Venerable of the same cultivation level among the Green-Winged cultivators, carefully searching with their spiritual sense, the etherealized feathered maiden would remain undetected.

As for Han Li, after he used the Taiyi Cleansing Talisman, ordinary Demon Venerables were completely unable to detect his presence, with the exception of the very top-tier old demons who were only half a step away from the Grand Ascension stage.

At this moment, the gigantic flying serpent in the distance slowly descended towards the mist between the peaks, hovering stationary in mid-air.

After the elderly demon leader surveyed his surroundings, he formed a hand seal with one hand and then gestured downwards.

A beam of green light shot out, instantly disappearing into the mist.

A moment later, the peculiar fragrance in the mist intensified several times over, accompanied by an unusual ripple. The mist parted, revealing a passage about ten feet wide.

At the other end of the passage, some indistinct, hazy architectural silhouettes were faintly visible.

Seeing this, the elderly demon no longer hesitated and stomped his foot on the giant serpent beneath him.

Instantly, the demon beast hissed, and with a flash of green light, its body rapidly shrunk. With a flick of the elder's sleeve, the several-inches-long flying serpent was immediately put away.

When the elder turned to the young demons and spoke a few words with a smile, he immediately drifted into the passage.

The other demons, also smiling broadly, closely followed and flew into it.

Within a few breaths, the figures of the group vanished into the passage.

Then, the mist on both sides churned, and the passage slowly closed up amidst the peculiar fragrance, returning to its original state.

The demons guarding the restrictions naturally did not notice that, at the same time as these individuals returned, two other undetectable ethereal figures had also quietly entered the passage, closely following behind the young demons.

An hour later, above an over-hundred-zhang-tall black wooden tower, the etherealized Han Li floated motionless, observing the massive mountain stronghold below him, which was no smaller than a small city.

The stronghold covered an area of over ten thousand mu, a vast expanse relying on three mountain peaks. Rows of towering giant trees planted around it enclosed the entire region.

These giant trees were purple throughout and exuded an extremely strong fragrance, which was the source of the scent permeating the area.

Within the stronghold, wooden buildings of various sizes stood densely packed, seemingly capable of accommodating over a hundred thousand demons.

For the Green-Winged race, which had always been sparse in population, this was indeed considered a gigantic outpost.

Between the buildings of this Incense Stronghold, several other gigantic trees were planted, concealing numerous faintly visible smaller structures, making them quite hidden.

After Han Li's eyes, shimmering with a faint blue light, roughly scanned the entire stronghold, his gaze finally settled on a cluster of buildings from which restriction fluctuations emanated.

On the streets near these buildings, several Green-Winged guards patrolled with expressionless faces.

Ordinary Green-Winged individuals also kept a wide distance from the area, not daring to approach casually.

The blue light in Han Li's eyes receded, and his etherealized body floated down from above the wooden tower, landing in a deserted alleyway on the ground.

Finally, the light receded, and a Green-Winged demon with a face identical to Han Li's silently materialized.

Although this illusionary secret technique for disguising identity couldn't compare to the concealment effect of the Taiyi Cleansing Talisman, it was sufficient to deceive ordinary demons.

Han Li smiled faintly, then strolled out of the alley mouth and headed towards the more heavily guarded cluster of buildings.

At the same time, on other streets within the stronghold, the feathered maiden also dispelled her etherealization effect, transforming into a young female demon. With a composed expression, she walked towards another secluded corner.

In her hand, she secretly clutched a blood-red triangular iron tablet, from which a faint, elusive hidden fluctuation subtly emanated.

And in that corner, a very eye-catching gigantic pavilion was faintly discernible!

Inside a deserted small wooden hut within the Incense Stronghold, a five-colored light barrier unfurled, faintly revealing two figures seated cross-legged, facing each other.

These were Han Li and the feathered maiden, who had been investigating the area for two days.

At this moment, both of them were conversing with solemn expressions.

"So, Fairy, you've confirmed that Green-Winged core disciples are residing in that hall!" Han Li asked, enunciating each word.

"Absolutely no mistake; my magical artifact's reaction was very strong! This suspicious location, which you, Brother Han, informed me to investigate, not only houses core disciples, but probably more than one. It's most likely a place specifically built by the Green-Winged race for their core members. This is both good news and bad news!" The feathered maiden replied with a soft sigh.

"Oh? Fairy Ye finds it difficult to proceed now?" Han Li said, noncommittally.

"Since this stronghold gathers core clan members, that area must be heavily restricted, and there will definitely be Green-Winged Demon Venerables stationed there, perhaps more than one. Our original plan is indeed unsuitable, and time is short; we cannot wait any longer." The feathered maiden admitted frankly.

"No problem. If subtlety doesn't work, we'll use force. I'll tie up those Demon Venerables for a while; you just need to deal with the core disciples. That shouldn't be an issue, right?" Han Li said calmly, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"If there are no Demon Venerables to interfere, capturing a core disciple alive is naturally no problem. However, once we make a move, if we cannot escape quickly, other high-ranking demons will immediately swarm us. Given the scale of this Incense Stronghold and the proportion of experts among the Green-Winged race, there will likely be at least seven or eight Demon Venerables, not to mention those Void Refinement stage demons. Additionally, breaking through the stronghold's protective restrictions will also take some effort," The feathered maiden nodded repeatedly and added as a reminder.

"As for the restrictions, you can leave that to me. I've also done some research on array formations, and after observing for the past two days, I've found a few weak points in the outer restrictions," Han Li said confidently.

"In that case, there shouldn't be any major issues. As long as we can swiftly leave the Incense Stronghold, these Demon Venerables shouldn't be able to catch up to us. The only concern is the avatar of Ancestor Lingyuan, whose whereabouts are unknown," Upon hearing this, the feathered maiden's face lit up with joy.

"Ancestor Lingyuan's avatar! It would certainly be best if it doesn't appear. Otherwise, we'll have to rely on the power of treasures to temporarily trap it," Han Li said, his eyes glinting.

"Indeed, that's the worst-case scenario! Well, let's not dwell on it for now. You and I should meditate and rest for a bit. We'll make our move tonight. No need to prolong things!" The feathered maiden suggested.

"Alright, we'll do as Fairy says!" Han Li had no other objections. He nodded, then closed his eyes and entered a meditative state.

The feathered maiden's expression fluctuated as she carefully reconsidered everything one last time. Once she determined there were no major issues, her beautiful eyes slowly closed as well.

Seven or eight hours later, in a side hall of a seemingly inconspicuous large palace within the Incense Stronghold, a demon man with lustrous black hair but a forehead full of wrinkles sat cross-legged on a blue ice bed, silently cultivating some technique.

The demon man's true age was indiscernible from his face, but the faint spiritual pressure emanating from him was truly astonishing, clearly indicating he was a powerful Demon Venerable.

Before him and the jade bed, merely about ten feet away, stood an odd, small altar-like stone platform, only a few feet tall, yet its surface was covered in dense, intricate runes, appearing exceptionally extraordinary.

Suddenly, the altar erupted with a black halo and emitted a low humming sound!

The demon man, who had been cultivating with his head bowed, suddenly raised his head in alarm, his pair of emerald eyes flickering with dazzling, moon-piercing brilliance.

"What's going on? Have those little rascals triggered the restrictions again?!"

The demon man muttered to himself with a frown, but his movements were not slow in the slightest. With a single-hand seal, an inexplicable gale surged through the room, and his figure vanished into the wind.

The next moment, as the gale swept through the main hall once more, the man's figure silently materialized.

However, the Demon Venerable's gaze merely swept across the hall, and his pupils immediately constricted.

In a corner of the hall, a figure in a green robe stood with his back to the Demon Venerable, staring at a massive black blade hanging on the wall.

This black greatblade was merely a decorative item crafted from ordinary materials, yet the green-robed figure seemed to be observing it with great interest, showing no intention of turning his head.

The demon man was surprised inwardly, but his face remained expressionless as he coldly spoke:

"Who are you, and why have you infiltrated this hall in the middle of the night?"

"Nothing much. I simply had nothing to do in the middle of the night and wished to chat with you for a moment." The green-robed man still gazed at the black greatblade, but a faint male voice resonated.

"Chat for a moment? What do you mean by that...?" The demon man's eyes shifted slightly, just as he was about to press for more clarity. But at that very moment, a muffled thud faintly echoed from the adjacent room, causing the entire hall to tremor.

"Oh no!" The demon man's expression suddenly changed. Without thinking, he swayed, transforming into a series of afterimages as he darted directly towards an exit in the hall, seemingly about to flash past it.

But at that very moment, the green-robed man let out a soft chuckle. A clap of thunder sounded, and countless green and white electric arcs enveloped his form, causing him to vanish amidst the electric light.

The next instant, the demon man only saw a flash of electric light before the green-robed figure eerily blocked his path and extended his ten fingers, unleashing a barrage of attacks.

In an instant, 'chi chi' sounds erupted loudly!

Dense green threads shot out from his fingertips, transforming into a net of green sword-lights that swooped down to envelop the demon man.