Chapter 793: Passing the Gate Without Entering

Han Li harbored doubts about everything that had happened since encountering the Black Weasel King, but he did not ask.

At first, he thought it was his breakthrough that had attracted the attention of these demon beasts and demon kings, leading to the chase, but now he felt things were not so simple; Shi Chuankong seemed to be their target.

And the Black Weasel King, one of the Ten Calamities, had been so courteous to Shi Chuankong, likely due to his identity. However, Shi Chuankong seemed unwilling to explain, so Han Li found it inconvenient to ask.

But regardless, being in the Ten Calamities Mountain Range, his best choice was to rely on Shi Chuankong and make plans after leaving this place.

Three days later, Han Li and Shi Chuankong set out for Xiongju City through the secret trade passage established between Heiyou City and Xiongju City.

Several months later.

In the southern part of the Demon Domain, a long mountain range with steep slopes stretched like a natural moat between the Ten Calamities Mountain Range and Fengguang Plain. At a low saddle in the middle, a massive city wall several hundred zhang high was built.

The wall was constructed from black boulders, engraved with intricate runic patterns, and shrouded in a faint mist, giving it a grayish appearance. Above the wall, a huge plaque was faintly visible, inscribed with the words "Xiongju City."

Below the plaque was a large arched gate, flanked by two smaller side gates.

The largest main gate and the left side gate were closed, while only the right side gate was open. On both sides, teams of demon soldiers in black armor stood guard.

Few pedestrians were near the gate, giving it a desolate look. On a road outside the city that grew more barren with distance, two figures walked side by side, approaching slowly.

One was a burly man with dark skin, rough features, and a single black horn on his forehead, wearing a green leather armor. The other was not as tall, with a face resembling that of a human, but with some golden scales on his cheeks, also showing traces of demon lineage.

“Brother Shi, why didn’t we enter the city with the merchant convoy arranged by the Black Weasel King, but instead split off halfway and enter Xiongju City separately?” asked the man with golden scales on his cheeks.

“Brother Li, you may not know this, but although Xiongju City has trade dealings with the Black Weasel King, they are secret under-the-table transactions, not aboveboard. Given my special identity, it’s better not to get involved,” explained the tall man.

These two were none other than Han Li and Shi Chuankong, returning from the Ten Calamities Mountain Range.

As they spoke, they arrived at the city gate and were stopped by the guards.

"Produce the pass." A demon soldier with a face like a demon wolf, standing at the front, extended his hand toward the two and said.

Shi Chuankong grinned, twisted his wrist, and produced two palm-sized black jade tokens, handing them over.

The demon soldier took them, examined them carefully for a moment, then looked up at Han Li and the other, asking, "These are passes issued by the You Mountain Earl's residence. So far from Xiongju City, why are you entering the pass here?"

"We're just running errands for our masters. No matter how far, we have to comply, don't we?" Shi Chuankong said with a fawning smile.

"The passes are fine. Go on in." The demon soldier handed back the two black jade tokens and said.

"Thank you." Shi Chuankong quickly expressed his thanks and led Han Li toward the gate.

Once inside the arched gate, Shi Chuankong handed one jade token to Han Li and said, "We'll need this for a while. Keep one with you."

"What's this about the You Mountain Earl on the pass?" Han Li took the token and asked.

"The Holy Domain is different from your Immortal Realm. Though various factions vie for power, my father is generally the supreme ruler. Below him are several princes, dukes, earls, and barons, each commanding different regional forces. The You Mountain Earl is one of them," Shi Chuankong explained.

"Then you, as the son of the Demon Lord, should be at the prince level, right?" Han Li nodded and asked further.

"In the Holy Domain, bloodline matters, but ultimately strength reigns. To obtain a prince-level title, one must at least be a Da Luo cultivator, with certain merits or backing from powerful forces. I currently have no fief and thus no title, but I can access most of Guangyuan Zhai's resources," Shi Chuankong said with a bitter smile.

"I see." Han Li nodded and said.

The thickness of the city wall far exceeded Han Li's expectations; the gate tunnel below was actually a hundred zhang long.

The two walked slowly out of the gate tunnel. With no cover overhead, the sky light suddenly brightened, giving a feeling of sudden openness.

But as soon as Han Li stepped out of the city gate, his brow furrowed slightly, feeling somewhat uncomfortable.

The demonic energy between heaven and earth within Xiongju City was actually several times denser than outside.

Although on the journey northward, Han Li had long noticed that the farther north he went, the denser the demonic energy became, yet separated by just one city wall, the drastic change in demonic energy still caught him off guard.

"When this Xiongju City was first built, it was blessed by a Saint Domain array master, able to trap the demonic qi between heaven and earth within. Once we leave the city and head north, it may not be any denser than here." Shi Chuankong saw the strange look on Han Li's face and said with a smile.

"Compared to this Xiongju City, the Ten Pestilence Mountains are indeed a desolate region with sparse demonic qi." Han Li nodded and said.

"Brother Li, are you adapting to the change in demonic qi? If it's truly uncomfortable, I have a Lock Qi Pill here; taken internally, it can help you seal the demonic qi you've inhaled." Shi Chuankong asked.

"No need. If it's only to this extent, it's fine; I don't feel much discomfort." Han Li shook his head and said.

"True, Fellow Daoist Li is after all a Taiyi realm cultivator; even without resisting this bit of demonic qi, it won't have much effect." Shi Chuankong smiled and said.

Inside the city gate was a broad plaza, from which a straight stone avenue led to the city center. Buildings on both sides were spaced with varying density, growing taller toward the center.

The architectural style of Xiongju City was quite unique. Most houses were built from black boulders, with domed and pointed roofs predominating; the hipped-gable roofs common in the Immortal Realm were rare, and the walls and eaves were often adorned with finely crafted sculptural decorations.

The most common were bizarre beast sculptures, among which were not a few demonic women with wings on their backs. All in all, as he looked along the way, Han Li was greatly amazed.

In the blocks near the city gate, shops were sparse, mostly small low-door establishments. The pedestrians passing through also seemed listless, giving a somewhat desolate impression. But the further into the city one went, the more people filled the streets, and the livelier it became.

"Should we head directly to the city lord's mansion to use the teleportation array?" Han Li asked.

"No rush. There's a branch of Guangyuan Zhai in Xiongju City; let's go there first." Shi Chuankong smiled and said.

Han Li heard this, nodded, and said nothing more.

Before long, the two arrived at a beast stable in the city, hired a beast-drawn carriage, and the driver drove them along the main avenue northward.

Passing through the city, Han Li saw from afar a large expanse of tall buildings nestled in a green garden.

"That should be the city lord's mansion, right?" Han Li asked.

"Yes, that's the city lord's mansion. The current city lord is Tianyue Hou." Shi Chuankong glanced and said.

"Tianyue Hou?" Han Li said with some confusion.

"In ordinary cities, the city lord is at most of the count rank, like Fenghong Bo or Qinglin Bo. Xiongju City is different; it guards the southern wilderness against incursions from the Ten Pestilence Mountains, a weighty responsibility, so it is garrisoned by a marquis. In fact, the vast territory north of Xiongju City is also under his jurisdiction." Shi Chuankong explained.

"I see." Han Li nodded slightly and murmured to himself.

The beast carriage bypassed the city lord's mansion and headed north, turning into a very imposing street.

On both sides of the street, imposing buildings with high-hanging plaques stood in close succession, all shops selling magical treasures and elixirs.

As soon as they entered this street, the flow of people immediately became dense, and the carriage had to slow down, carrying the two along at a leisurely pace.

The driver originally wanted to introduce the various shops along the street and recommend a few that gave him a commission, but after a few exchanges, he found that the rough-looking man was not at all unfamiliar with Xiongju City, so he wisely shut his mouth.

Along the way, Shi Chuankong told Han Li much about the backgrounds of the shops they passed, speaking with a rough but orderly clarity.

"Brother Shi, how are you so familiar with Xiongju City?" Han Li asked with a flicker in his eyes.

Shi Chuankong did not answer directly but replied via voice transmission: "When I first started getting involved in Guangyuan Zhai's business, it was here in Xiongju City that I began, which is why I know the situation in the Ten Pestilence Mountains so well."

"So this is your base, Brother Shi." Han Li nodded in realization.

"You could say that." Shi Chuankong grinned.

As the two were speaking, a seven-story building appeared across the street, also with a pointed roof, decorated with exquisite sculptures and intricate patterns. A vertical plaque hung on it, bearing the words "Guangyuan Zhai."

When the carriage drew near, Han Li thought they had reached their destination, but Shi Chuankong only glanced at the gate of Guangyuan Zhai, then turned his gaze forward and directed the driver to continue on.

"Why pass the gate of Guangyuan Zhai without entering?" Han Li frowned and asked via voice transmission.

"This..." Shi Chuankong hesitated.

"Brother Shi, although I agreed to return to Yeyang City with you, it's not the only path. If you intend to conceal things, I'm afraid I can no longer travel with you; we might as well part ways here." Han Li transmitted.

"Brother Li, don't be hasty. Let me first settle in, then I'll explain the reasons in detail, alright?" Shi Chuankong sighed and replied via voice transmission.

Han Li said nothing, only pondered for a moment, then silently nodded.