The currently manifesting Gui Ling did not feel surprised at the presence of the Xu-family youth and the silver-winged yin-xia nearby, yet upon glancing at Han Li, the latter's previously composed expression suddenly revealed a hint of astonishment. "Has Gui friend discovered anything down below?" asked Lin Yinping, the celestial daughter of Tianlan, her eyes brightening at Han Li's demeanor. "Nothing significant—only the two Daoists from Hua Xian Sect appear to also be seeking a way out down there," Han Li replied, quickly regaining his calm, understated tone. "Ah, really?" The woman's gaze flowed gently, a half-smiling, skeptical expression playing at her lips—clearly unconvinced by Han Li's words. Yet Han Li remained expressionless, evidently unwilling to elaborate further. While the others shared similar doubts, they soon resolved to act together and did not wish to prolong the matter. The group immediately began discussing their course of action. They were all seasoned combatants. After only a brief consultation within the soundproof enclosure, they immediately outlined concrete steps. At once, the others' bodies shimmered with luminous energy, vanishing into the wind and beginning their actions. Han Li nodded to Gui Ling, who then disappeared once more into the earth. As for Yin Yue, she transformed again into a small fox at his command and floated into the sleeve of his robe. Han Li glanced toward the direction of the black teleportation array, stroked his chin, and then lightly tapped his storage pouch on his waist. A faint silvery figure materialized before him—his humanoid automaton. With a gentle wave of his hand, the automaton's glow rotated briefly, instantly fading into an unobtrusive yellow hue. Then, its eyes flared with deep purple light, and its form vanished completely, as though it had never been there at all. This engagement was no ordinary affair. To ensure absolute security, Han Li could no longer spare any additional strength. With this automaton serving as a reliable support, he could now focus fully on the battle ahead. Moreover, given the adept concealment techniques displayed by this puppet thus far, it was likely that the ancient demon could not detect them either. As for the black-robed woman, Han Li had never encountered a celestial immortal-level demon such as Yuan Sha's progenitor, so he wasn't entirely certain he could conceal himself from the latter's keen senses. Suddenly, a flash of unusual light flashed in the monster's eyes, and a tremendous roar echoed from afar. A golden blade of energy surged upward from the center of space, cleaving through the thick cloud layers with astonishing force—so powerful that even the wind seemed to pause momentarily. The ancient monster's brow furrowed slightly, its face showing a moment of hesitation. It seemed eager to move forward and assist, yet it remained cautious. But it soon grew reassured. For after the astonishing blade of light swept across the distance, a remarkably thick column of wind surged forth as well. The wind column was over ten dozen feet in diameter, resembling a black wind dragon, sweeping through the air and even drawing in the lightning above. Its force was so intense that it caused the surrounding air to hum and warp, as though it were about to tear the very fabric of this realm apart. Witnessing this, the ancient monster's expression relaxed. Yet the other head remained motionless, its eyes suddenly widening in astonishment. With a sudden motion, one massive hand swept forward and struck the air. A beam of red light burst forth, then vanished instantly, transforming into a massive brick several tens of feet in size, which crashed down with great force The ground had not yet settled when the sky erupted in blazing flames, and several fiery serpents, coiled and snarling, surged forth with fierce determination. "Hmph! I never expected you to be so alert!" A cold exclamation rang out from the wind, and two figures stepped into view. One of them raised his hand casually, and a blue arc shot forth, transforming into a jade parasol several zhang in diameter, which rose into the air. A thunderous burst of sound followed. This jade parasol was an ancient relic of cold nature, yet it instantly absorbed the falling hot bricks amid a sea of shimmering blue cold mist. The blue light and crimson flames clashed violently between the two relics. Though the fiery serpents attacked relentlessly, biting and tearing with great vigor, their cold-natured properties rendered them powerless against the jade parasol. The two figures remained motionless, their gaze steady and cool, fixed upon the ancient demon hovering above. They were Xu, the young man, and Lin Yinping. The ancient demon's two large heads moved in unison, and both of its eyes locked onto the young man and woman below. "I recognize you both. You are the cultivators from "Too late!" The head of the figure snarled, emitting a thunderous roar. Upon hearing this, the young man of Xu surname grew visibly stern, silent, and then struck his waist pouch with a firm hand. Instantly, a sound like a phoenix's call resonated, and amidst shimmering hues of light, a five-colored peacock burst forth and hovered above his head. It was truly remarkable—wherever the peacock's five-colored radiance touched, the turbulent winds instantly stilled, and the air became calm once more. All of this unfolded before the ancient demon's eyes. "The Peacock of Spiritual Harmony! You possess such an ancient spiritual bird. Alas, your cultivation is still too shallow. If it were mature, I might indeed feel a measure of fear." The ancient demon seemed somewhat surprised. "Indeed? Then let us first experience the power of this five-colored radiance." The young man of Xu surname remained unmoved by the ancient demon's words. With a clear, resonant call, he prompted the peacock above him to raise its neck in response. Then, with a sudden motion, the peacock spread its wings, unleashing a cascade of radiant hues and swirling five-colored lights. The ancient demon sneezed, clasping his two hands around a purple ring. As the two rings lightly touched, a sharp, piercing hum resonated, causing listeners to feel restlessness and dizziness. Then, the two rings were launched into the air, transforming into dense waves of purple shadows that swiftly obscured the sky around, creating a powerful and impressive display. Yet the demon showed no signs of relenting. With hands forming gestures, black magical energy surged from his body, as if preparing to channel his magical prowess to enhance the attacks of the artifacts. Amidst the pale and deep blue wisps of vapor, a brilliant luminous glow suddenly burst forth. Two figures leapt out, their sharp claws and a cascade of fine, hazy filaments sweeping down and instantly covering the ancient demon's head. At the same moment, the treasures unleashed by the two young men with the Xu surname reached the ancient demon just as perfectly timed—seamless, as if orchestrated by heaven itself. The speed was astonishing—by the time the ancient mage had fully realized what was happening, the great sword had already struck him. The purple flames and golden arcs shimmering upon the blade were clearly visible to the mage. "It's you!" the ancient mage instantly recognized the sword's wielder, shouting in surprise and outrage. However, due to the swift advance of the sword and being distracted by other attacks, he could only hastily wave his four arms downward, producing a series of sharp crackling sounds. Dozens of translucent claw-like streaks formed a vast net, aiming to intercept the sword. This hastily assembled defense, of course, could not truly withstand the sword's force. In an instant, the sword pierced through the net and then swiftly slashed toward the ancient mage. Yet, during this brief pause, almost as the sword reached him, a dark magical aura surged outward from the mage's body, producing a thunderous boom. Suddenly, a massive orb of light emerged upon him, radiating an intensely bright and dazzling glow that made it impossible to see clearly within. A silver arc flashed on the ground, and Han Li materialized from below, raising his head toward the sky, his brow furrowing. He had clearly sensed that although the great sword was positioned upon the demon's body, it had not truly struck home—it seemed to have slipped past, as though bounced by something unseen. As he pondered this with growing astonishment, a subtle movement occurred within the brilliant light in the sky, followed by a sharp "pffft!" A dark silhouette shot forth like a strong bowstring or a sturdy crossbow bolt, then vanished, only to reappear moments later directly above Han Li. "Die!" roared the massive figure, its voice like thunder. A massive, deep-black blade, humming with resonance, surged straight toward Han Li, cutting down with the speed and force of a lightning bolt. Though startled, Han Li, well-prepared, had already activated his wind-and-thunder wings at the very instant the blade descended, enabling him to vanish from his original position in the electric arc. The black blade missed by mere inches. A deep gash, several feet wide, remained etched into the ground, echoing with the dull thud of impact. And at a distance of over twenty paces, a thunderous roar echoed, and Han Li's figure reappeared, gazing toward the spot. The towering form before him was indeed the ancient demon. Yet at this moment, it appeared terribly disheveled—only three of its four magical arms remained intact, the fourth severed halfway, leaving a hole the size of a fist on its shoulder. On its chest, several deep claw marks ran like gashes, nearly splitting it open. It seemed that, under the combined assault of Han Li and the others, the demon could no longer hold its ground and had suffered a significant defeat. As Han Li fled past its body, the ancient demon's eyes flashed with fierce rage, fixing Han Li with a sharp glare. Then, suddenly, it spread its hands. A flash of black light passed through, and the resonant great blade split into two, transforming into two slightly smaller, glowing blades that still emitted a sharp, piercing sound.