Chapter 825: Breaking the Siege

"Tsk tsk, how come these chains are so flimsy? They break with just a gentle tug. Hey, Eighth Brother, next time you might as well give this business to our Guangyuan Studio—the quality will surely satisfy you!" Shi Chuankong said, casting a sympathetic glance at the Eighth Prince and shaking his head, his tone laced with mockery.

After speaking, he even winked at Han Li.

Seeing this, Han Li sighed inwardly. With Shi Chuankong's nature of fearing nothing but chaos, this matter was likely to blow up.

With Shi Chuankong around, he wasn't worried about his own safety, but how to resolve the aftermath was a problem.

The Eighth Prince's face had already turned ashen, golden light surging around him as he prepared to act.

"The city gate is quite lively today." Just then, a calm voice suddenly rang out. An ordinary dark-green beast carriage had emerged from the city gate at some unknown time, the voice coming from the rear carriage.

Upon hearing the voice, Shi Chuankong's face lit up with joy, and he quickly strode toward the carriage.

The Eighth Prince's expression also shifted slightly at the sound. His cold eyes flickered, and the golden light around him rapidly receded.

The elephant-headed, human-bodied golden demon god also dissipated, vanishing without a trace.

Seeing this, Han Li made a hand seal and waved his hand. The many true spirit projections around him immediately shot back, merging into his body.

At that moment, the curtain of the beast carriage stirred, and a figure slowly descended.

The newcomer was a man around thirty years old, with a head of white hair cascading over his shoulders. His facial features were sixty to seventy percent similar to Shi Chuankong's, his eyes warm and moist, his figure slender. He wore a moon-white long robe, resembling a scholar from the mortal world.

"Third Brother!" Shi Chuankong hurried over, grabbing the white-robed man's hand, his eyes brimming with excitement.

"Thirteenth Brother, you're back." A flicker of joy also passed through the white-robed man's eyes, but his expression remained calm.

"Greetings, Third殿下!" Most of the onlookers nearby showed reverence, kneeling in homage—a stark contrast to their reaction when the Eighth Prince appeared.

The Eighth Prince snorted coldly at this, turning his head away.

"Third Prince, Shi Pokong." Han Li quietly appraised the white-robed man, murmuring to himself.

"I am merely traveling incognito today; there is no need for such grand salutes." Shi Pokong moved his arm, raising it slightly toward the surrounding crowd.

The kneeling people nearby felt their bodies lighten as a gentle force lifted them, and they all stood up.

Han Li's gaze flickered. The aura on Shi Pokong was elusive, appearing and disappearing. Even with his divine sense, he could not discern the man's specific cultivation level.

"Eighth Brother, city defense is of utmost importance in Yeyang City. Besides monitoring those who come and go to ensure the city's safety, it is more crucial to reassure the subjects. Even if there is an issue, it should not be handled with great fanfare; otherwise, causing public panic would be putting the cart before the horse," Shi Pokong said, looking at the Eighth Prince with a calm tone.

"Third Brother is right. However, this man is a cultivator from the Immortal Realm. According to the rules, his identity must be verified and identity tokens issued before he can enter the city. Thirteenth Brother brought this man through the gate without any reason, so I had to intervene," the Eighth Prince said, a hint of wariness in his eyes.

"This cultivator from the Immortal Realm is named Li Feiyu, Thirteenth Brother's personal guard. I have already reported this to Father. Here is his identity token." Shi Pokong raised his hand and flicked, and a purple token shot out, landing before the Eighth Prince.

The Eighth Prince took the token, examined it a few times, and though reluctant, nodded.

Shi Pokong moved his fingers slightly, and the purple token vanished from the Eighth Prince's hand, reappearing in front of Han Li in the next instant.

The Eighth Prince's face stiffened, his expression turning even more sour.

"Fellow Daoist Li, this is your identity token. Please keep it safe," Shi Pokong said to Han Li with a smile.

"Thank you, Third殿下." Han Li took the token. One side was engraved with a pattern of two five-clawed golden dragons, their heads and tails intertwined; the other side bore his image, his true appearance.

Han Li's pupils contracted, and his grip on the token tightened.

He had only revealed his true appearance moments ago.

"Let's go." Shi Pokong smiled faintly. Without returning to the beast carriage, he took Shi Chuankong's hand and headed into the city.

His mind churning, Han Li followed.

The stone mirror on the city gate let out a clear hum, its surface shimmering with crystalline light. The reflections of the three figures appeared within, showing no abnormalities.

The Eighth Prince watched their figures recede, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

A gray-clad man among the onlookers also gazed in the direction Shi Pokong and the others had gone, then turned and left. Soon, he reached a secluded corner, took out a purple disc, and muttered a few words.

The disc spun rapidly, purple light flickering on its surface, but it quickly dimmed.

The gray-clad man put away the purple disc, his form flickering as he sank into the ground and vanished.

Han Li and the others soon entered Yeyang City.

Behind the city gate was a massive street, wide enough for over a dozen people to walk abreast. On both sides of the street stretched rows of houses and buildings, with no shops or the like. There were few pedestrians, mostly royal attendants in purple robes or patrolling soldiers.

Han Li glanced around briefly, then looked up. At a height of about a hundred zhang in the air, black spheres the size of a human head floated at intervals.

The spheres were covered in black patterns and runes, constantly emitting black ripples that vanished into the void.

The surrounding void was filled with an invisible force, omnipresent, soft and dense like water waves.

"That is a spatial restriction formation designed by our clan's array masters. It can forcibly suppress even the遁光 of a Da Luo cultivator. Flying within the city is a serious crime, and those caught are severely punished," Shi Chuankong explained, noticing Han Li's gaze.

Han Li nodded upon hearing this.

"Fellow Daoist Li, I was inconsiderate and nearly got you caught by Eighth Brother. I'm truly sorry," Shi Chuankong said, a hint of shame on his face.

"Someone deliberately stirred up trouble. Even if we had prepared thoroughly, they wouldn't have let us enter the city smoothly," Han Li shook his head and said.

"That's true. Thanks to Third Brother arriving in time," Shi Chuankong said, looking at Shi Pokong beside him with a smile.

"You're always too rash and don't think things through. You know the situation in the city now. You should have sent word to me before entering the city so I could arrange for someone to receive you. Why cause such a commotion?" Shi Pokong sighed, speaking in a tone of admonishing a younger brother.

"Third Brother's lesson is well taken. I'll remember next time," Shi Chuankong replied casually, clearly not taking it to heart.

"You..." Shi Pokong gave a wry smile, as if at a loss with this brother.

"Third Brother, this time I went out..." Shi Chuankong's eyes suddenly lit up with excitement.

"This is not the place to talk. Let's return to the residence first." Shi Pokong's clear eyes shifted, and he raised his hand to cut off Shi Chuankong, pulling him onto the nearby beast carriage.

This was the imperial city. As a guard, Han Li felt it inappropriate to ride in the same carriage as the two princes, so he sat with the driver.

The beast carriage sped off, soon disappearing into the distance.

The carriage moved swiftly and soon arrived before a tall mansion deep in the Luoja District. The plaque above the gate bore four large characters: "落衡公府" (Luoheng Duke Residence).

The mansion occupied a vast area, its main gate tall and wide, enough for six or seven people to enter side by side.

In front of the gate stood two huge, majestic lion beast statues. The purple-golden gate, the high-hanging gilded plaque, and the guards in bright armor at the entrance all proclaimed the尊贵 status of this residence.

Han Li looked at the mansion before him, estimating Shi Pokong's status in the Demon Clan based on what he had seen along the way.

Shi Pokong alighted from the beast carriage and led Shi Chuankong and Han Li straight inside, soon arriving at a large hall.

The interior of the mansion was also resplendent, exuding utmost luxury and honor.

"Fellow Daoist Li, as a prince, I am constrained by my status to decorate the residence in this manner. Please forgive the ostentation," Shi Pokong said with a gentle smile, addressing Han Li as a fellow Daoist.

"Not at all. I am a cultivator from the secular world, unfamiliar with etiquette. Please do not take offense, Third殿下," Han Li replied humbly.

"Fellow Daoist Li has escorted Thirteenth Brother all the way, a task of great merit. You should be heavily rewarded. Does Fellow Daoist Li have any desires or requests?" Shi Pokong said.

"I already have an agreement with Fellow Daoist Shi; there is no need for a heavy reward," Han Li shook his head.

Shi Pokong was taken aback, then turned to look at Shi Chuankong. He nodded and did not press the matter, instead saying, "Fellow Daoist Li must be tired from the journey. Someone, take Fellow Daoist Li to the guest quarters to rest."

A purple-robed attendant quickly entered from outside. He was a young man, not tall, with a long, thin face and unusually pale skin, giving off an eerie, feminine air.

Han Li raised an eyebrow. This effeminate young man had a very high cultivation level—an early-stage Tai Yi cultivator—and his aura was peculiar, a mix of yin-coldness and cunning agility, like a venomous snake lurking in a deep, cold pool, ready to strike passersby.

"Fellow Daoist Li, please." The effeminate young man bowed to Han Li.

Knowing that Shi Pokong and the other had private matters to discuss, Han Li took his leave and followed the purple-robed attendant out.

"This Fellow Daoist Li is extraordinary in both character and strength. Thirteenth Brother, where did you recruit him? Is he reliable? And what was that agreement he mentioned?" Once Han Li's figure had receded, Shi Pokong asked with a flicker in his eyes.

"Fellow Daoist Li is a good friend I made in the True Immortal Realm. He has saved my life many times; he is absolutely trustworthy. As for the agreement, it's like this..." Shi Chuankong recounted the agreement they had made.

"Since he has saved your life, we should repay him fully. Finding that woman named Zi Ling is not difficult, but asking the High Priest to save someone might be troublesome," Shi Pokong said with a slight frown.

"Why? I remember Third Brother has a good relationship with the High Priest. Asking him to act once shouldn't be too much trouble, right?" Shi Chuankong was taken aback.

"That was before. Several hundred years ago, Father placed all matters of the Sacrificial Hall under the charge of Eldest Brother. The High Priest has now fully aligned himself with Eldest Brother. It will be difficult to ask him to treat Li Feiyu's person. But don't worry, I will do my best; there might still be a chance," Shi Pokong said thoughtfully, slowly.

"Father has put the Sacrificial Hall under Eldest Brother's charge! And he gave the City Defense Battalion to Eighth Brother. What does he mean? Is he really planning to make someone like Eldest Brother the Holy Lord?" Shi Chuankong's face changed dramatically, and he stood up abruptly.