CHAPTER 179: CHAPTER 177 REVENGE FOR GRUDGES_2

"However, if others inquire about the Li Family in the future, today’s guest’s actions might also become part of the news."

The squid demon’s voice, slippery as if coated with mucus, echoed again, as the black mist at the entrance grew thicker, blocking the way in.

Lu Yan paused his steps, turning to look at the figure in the disguised black robe.

"Are you threatening me?"

The squid demon let out another light laugh, "How could that be? Here at Tingfeng Tower, we conduct legitimate business, based on mutual consent. This is merely part of the deal."

Lu Yan’s gaze penetrated the obstacles of this floor, landing on the enormous squid demon.

The squid demon, with a cultivation level of Peak of Foundation Establishment, wasn’t considered strong. If Lu Yan employed the full might of the Profound Vagina Door, he could crush it in an instant.

However, after all, this was still Luocheng, a place teeming with mixed forces. Although it was uncertain whether any Nether Abyss Realm ancestors were present, there were at least a dozen Mara Realm experts currently in Luocheng.

If Lu Yan took action, it would inevitably be noticed by all forces.

The squid demon naturally wasn’t aware that Lu Yan harbored murderous intent. In his eyes, though Lu Yan was generous with his spending, he was still just a minor figure who hadn’t even comprehended the True Intent of the Great Dao.

If not for the rules within Luocheng, he would have already killed Lu Yan to seize his treasures.

After a moment of silence, Lu Yan took out a lowest-grade gray storage pouch from his pocket and threw it to the black-robed figure disguised by the squid demon’s tentacles.

The squid demon laughed lightly, speaking in a muffled tone:

"A wise choice! Tingfeng Tower will seal any information related to the esteemed guest; no one will know what the guest inquired about today."

Lu Yan did not believe the squid demon’s words at all, pushing open the re-appeared portal and striding out.

Meanwhile, in the room, the squid demon’s tentacles probed the gray storage pouch, mumbling to itself:

"It’s not a demon body made by comprehending the Space True Intent, but rather some kind of fabric?

A precious treasure indeed! Truly a precious treasure!"

"He handed it over so willingly, maybe he has more spatial treasures on him..."

Lu Yan left Tingfeng Tower with Bi Jie, disappearing into the crowd.

...

Nightfall, Beimang Forbidden Land.

The Li Family had long sealed off all surrounding regions of Beimang Mountain, especially the ruins of the forbidden area, forbidding any outsiders from entering.

Right at the heart of these forbidden ruins stood an elder.

Clad in a tattered Daoist robe, though his face was aged, his eyes were pure black like an abyss. His long beard fluttered like smoke, and in his hand, a dark red staff entwined with writhing vines. With each step he took, a ghostly green ripple spread beneath his feet, his shadow distorted, exuding an eerie aura.

He was none other than the Li Family Patriarch, Li Hao, the foremost expert in Luocheng at the Peak of Mara Realm.

Ever since that anomalous change in his family, he had almost daily come to Beimang Forbidden Land.

Every time, he hoped to see traces of the Underworld, but always left disappointed.

Half a year ago, when the Beimang Forbidden Land emerged, chaos swept through Luocheng as Night Parade of Hundred Demons and Yin Soldiers Crossing occurred. Li Hao, as the head of Luocheng’s first family, naturally took the lead in exploring Beimang Forbidden Land.

It was here that he encountered the ghost gods of the Underworld, entities that only existed in myth and legend.

To seek opportunity, he willingly became a lapdog under the Blood God of the Underworld, eventually receiving the Blood God’s decree to explore the Beimang Tomb.

The exploration teams sent by various forces nearly perished entirely in the Beimang Tomb, leading the ghost gods of Beimang to abandon resurrection and start a war with the Blood God of the Underworld.

In this battle, the two ghost gods exhibited unparalleled divine prowess, with the fight spreading wide, even attracting interference from the Celestial Dao.

Ultimately, the Lord of the Underworld descended upon the world, eradicating the effects of the Celestial Dao’s interference, and with supreme power, took away the Beimang Forbidden Land and the two ghost gods, leaving behind a legend that awed both demons and humans.

Although the Underworld departed, benefits left by the Beimang Forbidden Land still remained within Beimang Mountain.

Initially, leveraging the ghost gods of the Underworld’s lapdog title, the Li Family dominated the division of Beimang Mountain’s benefits, with no other forces able to intervene.

But as the Underworld remained silent and hidden, millennium-old families began to covet the benefits of Beimang Mountain, seeking to cooperate, only to be refused by Li Hao.

Initially, the millennium-old families still feared the terrifying power displayed by the Underworld, not daring to press.

But as time passed without any movement from the Underworld, rumors even suggested it had already left this world. This presented an opportunity in the eyes of the millennium-old families.

Some families, stirring trouble, took the initiative to guide the Li Family’s second and third branches, provoking them to struggle against the main branch. When conflicts intensified, they even claimed the Underworld’s legitimacy lay with the second and third branches, fabricating a so-called Underworld Envoy.

This situation instantly placed Li Hao in an extremely awkward position.

Admitting a fake Underworld Envoy is undoubtedly an act of desecration against the Underworld. Once the ghosts and gods of the Underworld return to the mortal realm, Li Hao, as the Patriarch of the Li Family, will inevitably bear the responsibility.

But the news has already spread, and if it is publicly claimed that the Underworld Envoy is fake, it will undoubtedly impact the prestige of the Li Family, even inviting doubts from millenniums-old families.

"Your Li Family claims to be the orthodox under the Underworld’s ghosts and gods, yet you cannot even distinguish the Underworld Envoy. You must be rebels using the name of the Underworld!"

If this accusation is affixed to them, unless the Underworld’s ghosts and gods can affirm face to face, the Li Family will have no chance of rising again.

However, the ghosts and gods of the Underworld have long crossed over, and whether they can reappear is still unknown. How could Li Hao respond?

In a short month, the situation has almost pushed Li Hao to the brink.

"Three days later, a banquet for the guests?"

Li Hao’s gaze grew deeper and deeper.

As the hero who brought the Li Family to its current position, how could he easily accept defeat?

To date, he no longer hopes for any response from the Underworld’s ghosts and gods.

Li Hao is placing all his cards on the banquet three days from now. If the families choose to use the fake Underworld Envoy to force him, he will gamble everything, unleashing the hidden strategies in his mansion to devour everyone present and to break into the legendary Nether Abyss Realm.

If he succeeds, even the millenniums-old families and royal dynasties will have to acknowledge his status.

If he fails, it’s nothing more than death.

"It’s just... such a pity for the opportunity that should have soared with the might of the ghosts and gods."

"Relying on external forces is ultimately too fragile."

Li Hao sighed softly.

Just then, Li Hao suddenly turned his head, his eyes shooting out a divine light towards a certain location in the forbidden land.

"Who is it?"

The layers of cloud and mist were pierced by the divine light, eventually revealing a figure dressed in a dark robe.

The visitor was Lu Yan.

Using Profound Unity True Intent, Lu Yan avoided the Li Family’s layers of obstructions, arriving deep in the forbidden land specifically to find Li Hao.

At this moment, he was wearing a dark robe condensed by the Soul Computation Power of the Blood God, striding towards this top Peak of Mara Realm expert in Los City, showing no trace of fear on his face.

On the contrary, Li Hao’s pupils suddenly contracted upon seeing Lu Yan’s dark robe, and his aura showed a moment of instability.

Li Hao instinctively bent down cautiously and asked:

"Who are you?"

Lu Yan didn’t speak but scrutinized Li Hao with an appraising gaze.

A moment later, Lu Yan smiled broadly and said, "The Blood God said, he has taken an old dog in the mortal world and sent me to have a look."

Li Hao immediately knelt on the ground, loudly proclaiming:

"Old dog Li Hao, pays respect to the envoy!"

Lu Yan chuckled and asked, "Are you not afraid of mistaking the person?"

"Among the fortunate who witnessed that battle of ghosts and gods, the aura on Envoy Lord is identical to the Blood God Lord’s, I dare not forget!"

"Very well!" Lu Yan applauded.

"But to show loyalty, merely barking a few times is not enough."

Li Hao immediately understood Lu Yan’s meaning and said, "Any command from Lord, I shall certainly comply!"

Lu Yan’s lips curled into a smile: "It’s not a troublesome matter. It’s just that there’s a little thief coveting my possessions."

Half a quarter of an hour later, above Los City, a thunderous roar erupted.

"Tingfeng Tower harbors demons; its sins are unforgivable!"

With those words, a gigantic hand fell from above the sky, enveloping the entire Tingfeng Tower.

The void twisted and warped under this power, countless souls swirling around the hand emitted sharp wails.

The numerous bronze bells of Tingfeng Tower simultaneously trembled and rang, about to manifest a demonic apparition, but merely in an instant, all bronze bells shattered, and the nine-tiered tower collapsed with a bang.

Within the tall building, the gigantic squid demon only managed to utter a cry before it turned to dust under the great power of Mara Realm.