Published: September 9, 2025
The door to Han Li’s secret chamber remained unopened for several months, while Silver Moon kept a constant watch outside the secluded mansion, ensuring Han Li wouldn’t miss the right moment to enter Fallen Demon Valley.
As the miasma in the mountain range gradually thinned, the number of immortal cultivators near Ten Thousand Ridge Mountain increased significantly. Most of them gathered in the area facing Yehua City, since entering the mountains from this direction was much closer to Fallen Demon Valley than from other routes.
Cultivators from various sects and clans who had obtained the Fallen Demon Command Token arrived here one after another. Many, like Han Li, set up temporary secluded mansions nearby and settled down for the time being.
The magic formation Han Li set up outside his mansion wasn’t a top-tier restriction. Quite a few high-level cultivators discovered his mansion and some even came to pay a visit.
However, no matter what kind of transmitting talisman was thrown into the external formation, there was no response from inside at all.
These cultivators understood that the mansion’s owner did not want to receive visitors.
Though some were displeased by this, none dared to recklessly intrude without first identifying who the owner was, wary of making a powerful enemy.
Of course, Han Li’s kind of complete isolation was an exception.
Regardless of their usual pride and arrogance, the cultivators who came here were extraordinarily cautious under the notorious reputation of this area as the most dangerous place in Tian Nan. Most began forming alliances before entering Fallen Demon Valley, either in small groups or larger circles of friends, creating numerous teams of varying sizes.
While more people didn’t necessarily guarantee an advantage in treasure hunting, having companions certainly increased the chances of survival in dangerous situations.
With this in mind, even cultivators who usually preferred to be alone started making friends in large numbers during this period.
At this moment, as the mountain’s miasma waned, Silver Moon, guarding the mansion, was pondering whether to summon Han Li from the secret chamber when the door finally opened.
Han Li calmly stepped out.
After months of secluded cultivation and refining, Han Li had produced over thirty puppets, split evenly between turtle and tiger demon forms. Fortunately, he had previously collected large amounts of high-rank demonic beast vital essences in the Chaotic Star Sea, which made this process smooth. Otherwise, even with the right materials, such powerful demonic souls would be impossible to find.
Even the great yin divine lord, who had been dedicated to studying puppet technique at “Dongfu Tian,” was astonished when he saw Han Li extract one high-rank demonic soul after another, and couldn’t help but exclaim “little monsters” before falling silent again.
Though Han Li still had enough materials to make a few more puppets, he estimated that time was running short. Making three or four more wouldn’t make much difference, so he emerged from the secret chamber.
Silver Moon reported to Han Li some events that had occurred around the mansion during the puppet refinement period.
Han Li listened carefully but only nodded occasionally without saying much.
Then he went to another secret chamber to inspect the heavenly demon fiend corpse.
Everything about the demon corpse was normal, so Han Li was satisfied and put it away. He also stored Silver Moon’s demonic fox form in his sleeve before leaving the mansion.
Han Li didn’t immediately fly away but sat cross-legged on the hill where the mansion stood. He released his spiritual awareness again, slowly scanning the gathering spots and temporary mansions of nearby cultivators.
With Han Li’s powerful spiritual awareness, even early nascent soul old monsters would hardly notice his detection if they weren’t careful.
Apart from a few especially strong auras or places with restrictions, everything within a hundred miles was under Han Li’s control.