98: Wind and Thunder Valley

In front of the ornately carved and painted gates of the Long Family, guests were arriving from all directions.

From time to time, a Foundation Establishment Family would arrive, making it incredibly lively, far more bustling than when he had hosted his lecture ceremony.

This made Li Xiangyun, who was already puzzled, even more curious.

Just then, another voice came, "Hanhai Miao Family, Chen Family of Chasing Wind Valley, arrived!"

"Haha, Brother Chen, long time no see!"

"Brother Miao, long time no see!"

"Brother Chen also came for Real Person Leilong's Nascent Soul Breakthrough Ceremony?"

"Naturally."

"Then let's go together!"

"Please."

"Let's go."

With that, the two walked in together.

"Nascent Soul Breakthrough Ceremony?" Li Xiangyun raised an eyebrow, a little surprised.

Li Xiangyun knew about this Real Person Leilong; he was one of the oldest Golden Core True Persons in the Long Family.

Even before Li Xiangyun had Cultivated to the Golden Core stage, he was already at the Late-stage Golden Core cultivation, famous throughout the Great Zhou Dynasty.

He hadn't expected that after several decades, this Real Person Leilong would have Cultivated to the Golden Core Peak and was even preparing to Breakthrough to Nascent Soul.

It was truly surprising!

But why hadn't he received any news about it before?

Also, Li Zhongwen, why hadn't he told him about such a big event?

A hint of doubt flashed in Li Xiangyun's eyes.

In fact, it wasn't that the Li Family hadn't received the news; it was that by the time the Li Family received the news, Li Xiangyun had already departed.

Naturally, there was no need to inform him again.

But Li Xiangyun didn't know this; he was still thinking about going back and having a good talk about this matter.

Thus, with curiosity, Li Xiangyun revealed himself from the air and swaggered to the gate.

The Long Family Elder at the gate had sharp eyes and immediately recognized Li Xiangyun's identity, shouting, "Ice Peak Zhenren, arrived!"

In an instant, everyone's gaze turned to this exceptionally handsome young man.

Now that his injuries had recovered, Li Xiangyun naturally didn't need to maintain that old appearance.

After all, according to the Lifespan of a Golden Core True Person, Li Xiangyun felt he was still a "baby"... Moreover, Li Xiangyun felt that true authority didn't rely on appearance, but on strength.

Didn't Lord Xuanjian, despite his youthful appearance, still command respect?

Furthermore, given the option, who would want to maintain an aged appearance if their strength allowed otherwise?

Indeed, seeing Li Xiangyun's current appearance, not only did everyone not find anything amiss, but they praised him profusely.

"Is this Ice Peak Zhenren? Not only is he powerful, but he's also so handsome."

"I heard Ice Peak Zhenren doesn't have a Dao Companion yet. Is that true or false?"

"That's naturally true."

"Then do you think I have a chance?" At this moment, a beautiful woman turned her body and asked expectantly.

"You? You should go look in a mirror!"

Everyone sneered, implying that a toad wanted to eat swan meat.

Hearing this, the woman was furious and was about to speak, but she was interrupted by another person.

"I say, can you all stop focusing on such trivial matters?"

"Does everyone know about the three-year agreement between the Li Family and the Spirit Beast Sect a few days ago?"

"I heard that Ice Peak Zhenren not only instantly killed Crimson Sun Zhenren and Immortal Master Kunmu with one sword, but also heavily defeated Dragon Scale True Person and contended with Lord Xuanwu!"

"That battle was truly earth-shattering, soul-stirring, causing the sun and moon to change color and rivers to flow backward!"

The young man spoke eloquently, his expression proud, as if he had witnessed it firsthand.

"I also went to see that event myself, but it doesn't seem as exaggerated as you say!"

"Heh, what do you know?"

The young man immediately became angry and started arguing with him out of embarrassment.

Li Xiangyun almost stumbled upon hearing this; he admitted he was brave, but it seemed he wasn't *that* brave!

Leaving aside other things, just the matter of contending with Lord Xuanwu, even ten of him couldn't do it!

However, Li Xiangyun hadn't expected that the events of that day would spread so quickly, and he even had... crazy fans?

Thinking this, Li Xiangyun involuntarily tidied his clothes, then continued to walk forward with a profound demeanor.

Just then, a middle-aged man with a dignified and imposing aura quickly walked out from inside.

This person was Long Tianhai, the Clan Chief of the Long Family.

"Immortal Master, Old Ancestor requests your presence!"

"Let's go," Li Xiangyun nodded and said.

He also wanted to obtain Wind Thunder Grass, and this clearly required Real Person Leilong's permission.

Before long, Long Tianhai led Li Xiangyun through layers of buildings and arrived in front of a valley entrance.

What met their eyes were charred, rugged rocks, like bones gnawed by a giant beast, with not a blade of grass growing.

A fierce wind, mixed with the smell of ozone and burnt earth, whistled intermittently, making one's hair stand on end and eardrums ache.

The wind carried faint, almost inaudible crackling sounds—that was the free-floating lightning Qi in the air, whispering and accumulating.

Looking inside, as far as the eye could see, the sky was distorted.

The heavy dark clouds were not the usual inky black but had an eerie lead-gray hue, with ominous purplish-golden electric light flashing at the edges, like the bared fangs of a giant beast.

The clouds churned like boiling lava, and occasionally, a thick bolt of lightning tore through the clouds, instantly illuminating the despair-inducing scene at the bottom of the valley.

This was Wind-Thunder Valley, just like the Tian Family of Green Bamboo Peak; many Families often occupied a treasure land to establish their Family.

For example, the Li Family is now known as the Purple Cloud Lake Li Family.

Furthermore, Wind-Thunder Valley was not entirely a desolate land, but a Holy Land for wind and lightning Cultivators, where many exotic beasts lived, and there were also many unique Spiritual Plants.

And these were all necessary for their Cultivation.

Therefore, Wind-Thunder Valley was actually cordoned off by the Long Family and treated as a Forbidden Ground.

"Immortal Master, please!"

Standing at the valley entrance, Long Tianhai respectfully extended his right hand.

Li Xiangyun asked doubtfully, "Aren't you coming in?"

Long Tianhai replied, "The Old Ancestor has something to discuss with the Immortal Master, which is inconvenient for this Junior to hear. Besides, there are still matters in the Clan that this Junior needs to handle!"

Hearing this, Li Xiangyun hesitated for a moment and walked in.

He was genuinely curious now what the Long Family wanted with him; it was all so mysterious.

Could it be that they wanted to ask him to act as Protector during Real Person Leilong's Breakthrough?

Entering the valley, the cliffs on both sides soared into the clouds, their surfaces covered with honeycomb-like holes burned by lightning and fire.

The valley floor was not flat either, but covered with large and small deep pits and ravines, with charred lightning patterns remaining on the pit walls, as if they were claw marks left by a giant beast.

Some strange, completely transparent plants grew at the bottom of the pits, with faint electric light flowing on their leaves, emitting soft "sizzling" sounds.

These might be the few surviving creatures in this valley, yet they too were imbued with the violent power of wind and lightning.

As he walked, no short-sighted Yao Beasts approached due to the Golden Core's pressure.

Therefore, before long, Li Xiangyun saw an ancient pavilion ahead.

An old man wearing a loose, dark Daoist robe sat in the ancient pavilion.

His face was thin, and his skin, like the bark of an ancient tree, was covered with deep wrinkles, as if etched with years and hardships.

Sensing Li Xiangyun's approach, Real Person Leilong slowly raised his head, and a pair of amber-like eyes looked over.

In his seemingly peaceful gaze, there seemed to be a surging, thunderous pressure, full of an oppressive feeling.

Suddenly, Real Person Leilong chuckled, "You've arrived!"