"The Ancestor of the Demon Race."
The moment these four words — seemingly imbaided with tremendous dark power — left the speaker's lips, every cultivator present, whether human or high-ranking demon beast, saw their expressions undergo a dramatic shift.
Having only recently survived the Demon Tribulation, they harbored an unspeakable dread toward the Demon Ancestor, the very embodiment of the Demon Race's supreme power.
The Spirit Race envoy bathed in purple light heard this reply, and while his expression shifted ever so slightly, he did not seem particularly surprised by the answer. After letting out a long breath, he bowed respectfully and said: "This junior thanks Senior for the reply. If this junior was at all presumptuous just now, Senior must please not take offense. I will relay the answer faithfully to the Holy Sovereign."
Han Li nodded, offering nothing further.
After the purple-lit Spirit Race envoy sat down, several other envoys from various alien races who had arrived began to reveal themselves in succession, each presenting their congratulatory gifts and conveying their races' goodwill toward Han Li.
Among them was notably an envoy from the Wood Race — a race that had already fragmented and fallen under the dominion of several other groups.
Facing these envoys, each representing a different race, Han Li smiled and thanked them one by one.
But after the envoys had finished presenting their gifts, a lithe woman who had been sitting in a corner of the plaza and wearing a yellow cloak rose to her feet. She lifted the hood from her head, revealing a face of breathtaking beauty, as though stepped out of a painting.
"Fairy Li Rong — that's impossible!"
"It really is Fairy Li Rong! Didn't Holy Island announce over three thousand years ago that she had ventured deep into the primitive wilderness and her whereabouts were unknown?"
Several human cultivators who caught a clear glimpse of the woman's features immediately stirred into a commotion, many crying out in disbelief, their faces painted with shock.
The woman seemed to possess extraordinary fame, and her appearance instantly set off a wave of excitement.
Han Li observed the scene, and something stirred within him. His gaze swept over the woman, only to discover that despite her being merely at the mid-stage Integration realm, the aura emanating from her was peculiarly extraordinary — faint threads of crystalline light seeped through her skin, lending her an ethereal air, as though she were no mortal being.
It was clear that the cultivation art she practiced was far from ordinary; she was no common Integration cultivator.
"Fellow Daoist is...?" Han Li asked, his expression unchanged.
"This junior is Li Rong, and I represent Holy Island to congratulate Senior Han on his attainment of the Mahayana realm and his ascension to become our race's second Mahayana cultivator. I present as my congratulatory gifts: a top-grade spirit vessel, ten first-class handmaidens, one hundred top-grade spirit beasts, and one thousand armored puppet warriors." The stunningly beautiful woman curtsied to Han Li with a graceful dip, then smiled sweetly, her voice pleasant and honeyed, like a melody from heaven itself.
"So you're the envoy from Holy Island. Such generous gifts — Han Li offers his sincere thanks. I had in fact already intended to visit Holy Island after the celebrations." Han Li nodded slightly, his gaze flickering.
"If Senior would honor Holy Island with a visit, it would naturally be something we could only hope for. Our fellow Daoists on Holy Island have long wished to extend an invitation to Senior. There are certain matters of great importance we would like to discuss with you." Li Rong smiled radiantly.
"Very well. I will certainly come." Han Li nodded, his tone neither committing nor refusing.
"This junior has one more matter—"
"Who's out there, skulking around outside?!"
Li Rong was about to continue, but Han Li's expression suddenly darkened. His sleeve swept sharply toward the distance as he uttered a low shout.
With a deafening boom, an invisible wave of force surged through the protective restrictions surrounding the mountain and reached a point in the void several li away, where it slammed into something with tremendous impact.
A sphere of black light erupted on contact, and within the explosion, a figure flashed into view — a giant man clad in black armor.
The giant's features were fierce and imposing, a look of surprise lingering on his face — clearly he hadn't expected to be detected by Han Li from such a great distance. But after that brief flicker of astonishment, the surprise melted away and he burst into hearty laughter: "Haha... Fellow Daoist Han, Ye pays an unexpected visit — surely you won't refuse to welcome me?"
The moment the black-armored giant finished speaking, he cupped his fists toward Han Li from afar. Then, with a single great stride, he seemed to somehow cross several li in the blink of an appearance, materializing directly above the tri-colored mountain before descending with an air of utter nonchalance.
With a muffled rip, the multiple layers of light barriers comprising the restriction shattered like paper the instant the giant's body made contact.
Surrounded by emanating black light, the giant landed at low altitude above the plaza, folded his arms across his chest, and faced Han Li from across the distance.
The cultivators present were momentarily stunned, but several hot-tempered human cultivators immediately began shouting furious rebukes.
Yet those among the crowd who were more composed and perceptive, upon seeing the giant's utterly indifferent demeanor in the very presence of Han Li — a Mahayana cultivator — felt a chill run through their hearts.
"The Owl King... It's the Black Owl King of the Night Demon Race! Didn't you die thousands of years ago from the True Lightning Tribulation when you were attempting to break through the Mahayana bottleneck? How can you be here? You've become a Mahayana cultivator too?!" Li Rong studied the giant from head to toe, then suddenly gasped and blurted out in shock.
"The Black Owl King..."
Han Li's brows furrowed slightly, a strange glint flickering through his eyes.
A number of the cultivators who had been shouting at the giant had clearly also heard of his reputation, and their cries of outrage abruptly cut short, replaced by looks of shock and uncertainty.