The flying carriage carrying Han Li and the others didn't hesitate for even a moment. With a flash, it shot like a meteor straight toward the center of the demon clouds.
As the black mist scattered, a massive passage roughly a li in diameter revealed itself.
Just then, two different, ice-cold voices suddenly rang out from the mist on either side!
"This road is blocked!"
"Turn back!"
The words had barely faded when a thunderclap erupted from the black mist on one side. A bolt of black lightning over ten zhang long flashed out, transforming into a thunder serpent that struck directly at the flying carriage.
On the other side, a long cry rang out, and the phantom of an enormous green greatsword emerged from the mist. With a single cleaving slash through the air, a swath of green-tinged sword light rolled toward them.
From within the flying carriage, Han Li witnessed this scene, and his expression shifted ever so slightly.
Though the two attackers remained hidden within the mist and hadn't revealed themselves, the sheer momentum of their dual strikes was genuinely impressive—clearly beyond what ordinary demon lords could muster.
Of course, Han Li paid these attacks no mind. He gave one sleeve a casual flick while extending a finger on his other hand, pointing lightly toward the green sword light.
A peal of thunder rumbled from within his sleeve, and with a flash of golden light, a thick bolt of golden lightning shot outward. On the other side, a surge of sword qi appeared at his fingertip, and a brilliant arc of golden light unfurled in response.
Two thunderous booms erupted.
Lightning met lightning; sword light met sword light.
The moment the four forces collided, a blinding radiance exploded forth. But it vanished as quickly as it had appeared—all four attacks dissipated simultaneously.
The two sides had seemingly fought to a draw.
Han Li stared in surprise at this outcome, and the two demons lurking in the dark clouds on either side were equally stunned.
After all, while those two high-ranking demons' attacks had appeared rather ordinary on the surface, each one actually contained truly extraordinary power.
That bolt of black lightning was one of the four great divine thunder techniques of the Demon Realm, harboring an utterly terrifying power of decay. Any ordinary magic treasure struck by it would instantly be corroded beyond recognition.
As for the other strand of green sword qi, it was the life-bound supernatural power of another demon who had painstakingly cultivated it for nearly ten thousand years. With its unmatched sharpness, it had cut through countless flying swords and flying blades.
Yet now, with both attacks launched simultaneously, Han Li had neutralized them both with a single counter using equivalent techniques. How could this not leave these two supremely arrogant demons utterly shaken?
Han Li, however, had no intention of lingering to let the two demons mull over their shock. The flying carriage, which had briefly juddered from the impact, trembled once more before transforming into a streak of cyan light that plunged straight into the entrance of the massive passage.
"How dare you?"
"Don't even think about escaping!"
The high-ranking demons on both sides flew into a rage at the sight, casting aside whatever lingering doubt still remained in their minds, and attacked once more in that same instant.
This time, ten thousand peals of thunder erupted simultaneously from the black mist on one side, and dense, tightly packed bolts of black lightning shot outward in a barrage.
On the other side, a piercing shriek rang out as a beam of sword light—four or five times thicker than before—flared with the brilliance of the midday sun and cleaved downward.
Both attacks were launched almost in the same instant, and their targets weren't aimed at the carriage itself but rather bombarded directly at the entrance of the passage. In the next moment, the passage entrance was sealed completely shut.
If the flying carriage wished to enter, it would first have to break through both barriers.
Seeing this, Han Li didn't grow angry—instead, he laughed. With a low roar, golden light blazed from his body, and his entire form transformed into a towering golden-furred giant ape several zhang tall. His massive hands simply clenched into fists, his arms swelling several times thicker in an instant, and channeling the full force of his strength, he hammered punch after punch at the lightning and sword light ahead.
With the divine might Han Li possessed in his Mountain Giant Ape form, unleashed at full power, the resulting force had reached an inconceivable level. Even a Mahayana-realm being would surely be unwilling to take such a blow head-on.
The void ahead twisted violently, rippling with distortion. The air blurred and condensed into two enormous fist-shaped projections of golden light, each the size of a small mountain, which hammered downward as if they were solid objects.
With a deafening, earth-shattering boom, the lightning and sword light blocking the way shattered inch by inch under the overwhelming golden radiance of the fist projections. Han Li had forcibly blasted open a path.
The flying carriage flickered like a phantom and vanished in a blur, plunging completely into the spatial passage beyond.
As flashes of five-colored light rippled through the passage and waves of spatial fluctuations surged outward, the flying carriage disappeared without a trace.
Only then did the dark clouds on both sides part, and two figures shot out in haste.
After several flashes, both appeared simultaneously at the entrance of the spatial passage. Staring into the unfathomable depths within, a trace of alarm crept onto their faces.
One of the demons had refined, handsome features, wore a long purple robe, and sported a single horn growing from his head. The other had dark skin, fiery red hair, and was draped in white battle armor.