212: Bai Ze's invitation

A day later, Li Xiangyun, who had learned about the current situation of the Li Family and the Great Zhou Dynasty, was about to seek retribution from the Great Zhou Dynasty.

Suddenly, an unexpected change occurred.

The originally clear sky darkened without warning, as if covered by a giant black cloth. A fierce wind rose, swirling the Spiritual Qi on the island wildly, letting out a wailing howl.

Following that, dark clouds gathered, electric snakes writhed menacingly within the clouds, and dull thunder rumbled like war drums, striking everyone's hearts one after another.

"What's going on?"

"Why did the sky suddenly turn dark?"

"Is it an enemy attack?!"

The Family members panicked, one after another summoning their Magical Artifacts in defense. The island's protective formation lit up again, but it seemed precarious under this celestial phenomenon.

Li Xiangyun looked up, his pupils constricting slightly.

He saw a huge crack opening in the clouds, and a colossal beast slowly emerged.

It was a Yao Dragon, its body a hundred zhang long, covered in dark golden scales, each one the size of a shield, glittering with a cold luster under the lightning.

Its Dragon head was held high, two majestic Dragon horns pierced the sky, and golden vertical pupils swept over the area below, carrying an Aura of looking down on the world.

A Soul Transformation Stage Yao Beast!

Deng Qi gasped, his face instantly pale. The Soul Transformation Realm was an existence they could only look up to; with a wave of a hand, one could move mountains and fill seas, and annihilate a Family in an instant.

"A huge uproar" was insufficient to describe the chaos at this moment; the Family members were almost crushed by the Dragon's might emanating from the depths of their Bloodline, many collapsing directly to the ground, their eyes filled with despair.

Li Xiangyun, however, stood still, his Nascent Soul Late Stage Aura released without reservation, like a stabilizing needle in the ocean, forcefully propping up a space under the Dragon's might.

He looked at the Yao Beast, cold light surging in his eyes. It was merely at the Soul Transformation Early Stage; with the Law of Ice and Netherworld Darkfire, he was not afraid.

What truly made him wary was the Misty Swamp. Since it could directly dispatch a Soul Transformation Yao Beast, there must be even more powerful Yao Beasts behind it.

Was it because of the giant crocodile from before? A hint of doubt flashed in Li Xiangyun's eyes.

However, just as the Aura of both sides was about to collide, the Yao Dragon suddenly paused, a hint of surprise flashing in its golden vertical pupils, followed by a display of apprehension.

Its massive body sank slightly, and the pressure, originally like Mount Tai pressing down, quietly receded.

Immediately after, a majestic and resonant voice echoed between heaven and earth, not a Dragon roar, but clear human speech:

"Your Excellency, please calm down, I did not come to provoke." The Yao Dragon's gaze fell on Li Xiangyun, carrying a hint of peculiarity, "I am the Profound Water Yao Dragon, ordered by Lord Baize to invite you."

Baize?

Li Xiangyun's brows furrowed, his heart filled with doubts. Baize was an ancient Auspicious Beast, rumored to understand all things and know the affairs of gods and ghosts, long extinct in the world. How could it suddenly send someone to seek him?

He did not relax his vigilance, asking coldly, "What does Baize want with me?"

The Profound Water Yao Dragon shook its massive head: "I do not know. Lord only said that Your Excellency would understand when you meet him." With that, its massive body moved aside, revealing a path to the high sky, "Please."

Li Xiangyun's gaze swept between the Profound Water Yao Dragon and his Family members. The Great Zhou Dynasty's grudge needed to be settled, but Baize's invitation was even more peculiar.

"Revered Master..." Li Xiner clutched her sleeve tightly, her eyes filled with worry.

Li Xiangyun raised his hand, signaling her to be at ease, then looked at Deng Qi, who seemed hesitant to speak, and said lightly, "I'll be back soon. You will temporarily look after the Family's affairs."

Deng Qi anxiously said, "Boss, this matter is a bit strange..."

"It's fine." Li Xiangyun interrupted him, his tone brooking no argument, "If it's truly a trap, there's no escaping it." His Spiritual Qi surged abruptly, transforming into a brilliant silver-white sword light that shot into the sky, stopping steadily beside the Profound Water Yao Dragon.

Seeing this, the Profound Water Yao Dragon's massive body shimmered with a layer of water light. After the light dissipated, a middle-aged man in a dark robe stood in its place, with a resolute face and still a hint of Dragon's might in his brows, but when he looked at Li Xiangyun, his expression was more complex.

"Please." He gestured with a raised hand, then was the first to transform into a streak of light and fly into the distance.

Li Xiangyun's sword light followed closely, the two figures streaking across the sky, disappearing from the sight of everyone on Qiming Island in an instant.

After an unknown period of flight, the waters below gradually became unfamiliar. Islands were scattered like stars, and the Spiritual Qi was several times denser than elsewhere.

Finally, the Profound Water Yao Dragon stopped before a solitary island. There were no luxurious buildings on the island, only a simple wooden pavilion beneath a towering ancient tree.

Beside a stone table in the pavilion sat a figure.

It was a young man who appeared to be only about twenty years old, dressed in an immaculate moon-white long gown, his dark hair casually tied with a wooden hairpin. His face was handsome and gentle, but his eyes held a tranquility and depth unbefitting his age.

At this moment, he held a teacup, his fingertips lightly tapping the rim, his movements relaxed and indifferent, as if merely waiting for an old friend.

But when Li Xiangyun's gaze fell upon him, he instantly felt as if he had fallen into an ice cellar, and an inexplicable sense of oppression rose from the depths of his heart.

He couldn't see through the other party's depth at all!

There was no Spiritual Qi fluctuation on the young man's body, yet he gave the illusion of encompassing heaven and earth, as if he himself was the very Law of this world, revealing endless profoundness in his ordinariness, making one dare not underestimate him in the slightest.

"Little friend Li Xiangyun, I have been waiting." The young man looked up, a faint smile on his lips, his voice clear like the striking of jade, "Please sit."

Li Xiangyun composed himself, suppressing the shock in his heart, and slowly walked into the pavilion.

With just this one glance, he determined that this seemingly young Baize's cultivation had probably reached a Realm he could not imagine, far beyond the Soul Transformation Realm.

Li Xiangyun sat on the stone stool, his gaze never leaving Baize, secretly pondering the other's purpose.

Baize pushed a freshly brewed cup of hot tea towards him, and the misty tea aroma instantly dispelled the stuffiness in the air. "Little friend, do you know that a few days ago, Lord of Myriad Fires fought against the Abyss Soul Reaping Envoys?" He spoke first, his tone calm, yet precisely capturing Li Xiangyun's attention.

Li Xiangyun's heart tightened: "Fire Old he..."

"That Soul Reaping Envoys is a veteran powerhouse of the Abyss, his strength having reached the Infant Transformation Middle Stage." Baize gently rotated the teacup, "Lord of Myriad Fires originally had a chance to escape, but to protect his Disciple, he was captured by the Abyss. Truly admirable!"

"Infant Transformation!" Li Xiangyun's fingers, holding the teacup, suddenly tightened, his knuckles turning white.

Just a Soul Reaping Envoys had Infant Transformation strength, let alone others, which somewhat discouraged Li Xiangyun, who had been a little complacent.

But this would not deter his determination to rescue Fire Old. After all, not to mention Fire Old's help, just the fact that he was captured because of Li Xingyan meant he couldn't stand idly by.