The term "devilish patriarch" immediately sent a massive stir running through the crowd, and everyone's expressions changed drastically.

Having just endured the devilish tribulation, they were naturally extremely fearful of the most powerful trio among all devilish beings.

The Spirit being's expression also changed slightly upon hearing this, but he also didn't seem to be surprised by this answer. After heaving a long sigh, he extended another respectful salute.

"Thank you for your response, Senior; please forgive me if I've caused you any offense, and I'll be sure to relay your answers to our Spirit Monarch."

Han Li merely nodded in response.

After the Spirit being sat down again, the other representatives of the foreign race also began to offer their congratulatory presents and good wishes, among which were several Wood Tribe representatives from the factions that had already become subsidiaries to the other races.

Han Li offered his gratitude to these foreign representatives, and after that, a beauty in a yellow hooded cloak stood up from a corner of the plaza.

After removing her cloak, an exquisitely beautiful set of facial features that resembled an artistic masterpiece was revealed.

"Impossible! It's Fairy Rong!"

"It really is Fairy Rong! Didn't the holy island declare that no news of her has surfaced since she ventured into the primordial world over 3,000 years ago?"

A stir immediately ran through the crowd among those who were familiar with this woman, and all of them were incredulous to see her.

It seemed that she was also quite a renowned figure.

Han Li's heart stirred slightly upon seeing this, and he cast his gaze toward her to find that she was only at the mid-Body Integration Stage, but her aura was very peculiar, and there was faint light emanating from her skin, further accentuating her stunning beauty.

It was clear that this woman was no ordinary Body Integration cultivator and was using very special cultivation arts.

"May I ask your name?" Han Li asked.

"I am Li Rong, and I'm here on behalf of the holy island to congratulate you on becoming our human race's second Grand Ascension cultivator. I bring with me a top-grade flying ark, 10 exceptional female servants, 100 top-grade spirit beasts, and 1,000 armored warrior puppets," Li Rong said as she extended a salute with a sweet smile, and her voice was as pleasant to the ears as heavenly music.

"I see. I must thank the holy island for these precious gifts, and I'll be sure to pay the island a visit after the ceremony," Han Li replied with a nod.

"We would certainly be honored to have you on our island, Senior Han; my fellow daoists on the holy island have some very important things to discuss with you," Li Rong said with a smile.

Han Li merely nodded in an ambiguous manner in response.

"There's also something else I'd..."

"Who's sneaking around back there?"

Just as Li Rong was about to say something else, Han Li's expression suddenly darkened, and he abruptly swept a sleeve toward the distance.

A burst of invisible force passed through the restrictions around the giant mountain, then struck something with a heavy impact several kilometers away.

A ball of black light abruptly exploded, and a burly black-armored man appeared out of thin air.

The man wore a surprised expression, clearly not expecting to have been discovered by Han Li from so far away, but he then burst into nonchalant laughter.

"Haha... I came of my own accord without an invitation, but I'm sure I'm still welcome here, right?"

The burly man then cupped his fist in a salute from afar before covering a distance of several kilometers with a single stride, appearing right above the three-colored mountain, then descended in a nonchalant manner.

The light barriers formed by the restrictions around the mountain were instantly torn apart by the burly man's body, and he arrived right above the plaza, looking on at Han Li from afar with his arms crossed.

All of the cultivators present faltered initially upon seeing this, following which some of the more short-tempered human cultivators immediately began to hurl verbal insults at the intruder.

Even some of the more steadfast individuals present were quite dismayed by the burly man's rude intrusion.

"It's the Black Owl Monarch of the Yaksha Race!" Li Rong immediately drew a sharp breath upon identifying the burly man.

"Black Owl Monarch?" Han Li's brows furrowed slightly upon hearing this.

Those who were insulting the burly man had clearly all heard of this name, and their voices abruptly cut off as horrified looks appeared on their faces.

"Oh? You've seen me before?" the burly man asked in a surprised manner as he turned toward Li Rong.

Li Rong's face was slightly pale as she hurriedly replied in a fearful manner, "I once saw you several thousand years ago with Master Mo, Senior."

"So you're the little girl who was following Old Man Mo around; you've done quite well to have reached the Body Integration Stage in such a short time." There was undisguised lust in the Black Owl Monarch's eyes as he spoke, and Li Rong's heart immediately sank as the urge to flee surfaced in her mind.

Thankfully, they were still in Deep Heaven City, and there was a new Grand Ascension Stage human being present, so she was able to repress her own fear and cast her eyes downward to avoid the Black Owl Monarch's sinister gaze.

"Welcome, Fellow Daoist Black Owl; I'm truly honored to have you here." Han Li finally spoke, and his expression was completely calm, making it impossible to glean his thoughts.

"Hehe, you are the second Grand Ascension Stage being of the human race, and the only new Grand Ascension Stage being in all of our races for close to 10,000 years; of course I had to pay you a visit and gather some experience from you," the Black Owl Monarch chuckled in response.

"I see. Unfortunately, I've only just progressed to the Grand Ascension Stage, so I don't have any experience to offer. Prepare a seat for Fellow Daoist Black Owl," Han Li instructed.

"Yes, Master," Qi Lingzi immediately replied.

However, the Black Owl Monarch waved an impatient hand, and said, "There's no need for that; I only have some things to speak to you about before I leave."

"Oh? What would you like to discuss with me, Fellow Daoist Black Owl?" Han Li asked calmly.

"The primary reason I came here was to witness your powers for myself, and you certainly haven't disappointed me, considering you were able to detect me from so far away. Secondly, I want to borrow someone from you. Actually, I changed my mind; I want to borrow two people now," the Black Owl Monarch said as a sinister look appeared on his face.

"Which two people are you referring to?" Han Li's eyes narrowed slightly upon hearing this.

"I heard that one of your disciples possesses a recessive lightning spiritual root; I'd like to employ his services to help me transcend my next heavenly tribulation. As for the second person, that would be this fine celestial maiden here. She's caught my eye, and I'd like her to be my servant," the Black Owl Monarch said in a rumbling voice, much to the astonishment of all of the cultivators present.

"What? He wants to take Senior Han's disciple?"

"And he wants Fairy Rong to be his servant? How dare he!"

Many of the cultivators present immediately flared up with rage, but they didn't dare to actively oppose a Grand Ascension Stage being, so they could only look on with fury burning in their eyes.

Li Rong's expression became extremely strained upon hearing this, and she said in a cold voice, "How dare you, Black Owl Monarch! Have you forgotten Master Mo's warning to you?"

"Master Mo? Haha, you humans sure do like to deceive yourselves. Do you really think that I don't know that Old Man Mo and Old Man Ao have disappeared from your races? If I hadn't known that, do you think I would've dared to come here?" The Black Owl Monarch burst into raucous laughter, and everyone's expressions changed drastically upon hearing this.

"What's happened to Senior Mo and Senior Ao?"

"He must be lying! How could something happen to those two seniors?"

"Having said that, there really has been no news about those two seniors for the past several decades."

......

Everyone on the plaza had become extremely panicked upon hearing this, while the foreign representatives all displayed differing reactions.

"Fellow Daoist Han, you're not going to bring disaster to your race over those two people, right? You've only just reached the Grand Ascension Stage, and it would take you at least several centuries to fully master your newfound power, so you're no match for me," the Black Owl Monarch threatened in a cold voice.

"I see, so you're here to cause trouble rather than actually attend my celebratory ceremony," Han Li chuckled in response.

"Cause trouble? I guess you can say that, Fellow Daoist Han." The Black Owl Monarch had done away with all semblance of pleasantries.

"Alright, in that case, it'll be my duty to kick out an unwelcome guest like you and teach you a lesson," Han Li said as a cold look appeared in his eyes.

As soon as his voice trailed off, he made a hand seal, and countless streaks of five-colored light erupted from all parts of the plaza, sweeping directly toward the Black Owl Monarch.

At the same time, golden and silver lighting flashed in the air above the plaza, then came crashing down with devastating power.

Han Li had unleashed the restrictions around the giant mountain without any hesitation.

"You dare to attack me? What an insolent fool! In that case, everything I do from here onward will be justified self-defense," the Black Owl Monarch guffawed with glee.

Immediately thereafter, he clenched his fists before smashing them together, and black soundwaves instantly erupted forth in a frenzy.