Chapter 712 513 Dongfang Heyun

"This place must be where Green Pond's Zifu and the Dragon Kind had discussions, and promised something. It was a Foundation Establishment cultivator who came searching here and violated a taboo."

Li Xizhi quickly formulated a conjecture. Now was not the time to think about this. He nodded silently and whispered,

"There are always conflicts of interest within the sect, and such incidents are inevitable. The life and death of my master are at stake, and I cannot sit idly by."

The Zifu monk stood with his hands behind his back, his eyes gleaming with amusement while holding those two heads. He spoke,

"Well, well! What courage! What audacity!"

Li Xizhi lowered his eyes and subdued his expression, seeing that the Zifu spoke coldly:

"Do you know my name?"

Li Xizhi understood this was the final barrier and had already made his deductions:

'Narrow eyes, whiskers stroked and smoothed, body clad in golden scales, a roar as his voice - it must be a dragon! Vivid blue Divine Skills, resembling the water, not matching any of the dragon images in Green Pond… This must be a newly-ascended great demon, benefiting from the downfall of Dongfang You...'

He bowed slightly and answered,

"Junior has seen the great demon Mu Hai."

The Zifu monk suddenly burst into laughter, revealing his shiny white fangs, long and thin, which looked particularly lustrous underwater. He chuckled and said,

"You have strayed into this place and cannot go unpunished. Take your leave and save your life!"

"Thank you, senior!"

Li Xizhi bowed and retired, riding the rosy clouds swiftly towards the south. The demon dragon waited a moment before stirring his lips and tongue, creating a burst of cold air that collided between them.

This cold air twirled sprightly in the air, turning into a cascade of deep blue droplets that hovered and bobbed incessantly.

He picked up the two heads, flicked them lightly, and the droplets fell into the mouths of the corpses. Their flesh immediately began to boil, stretching out like mud and quickly transforming into the form of a young man. Mu Hai laughed twice, his shiny white fangs gleaming, and he released them gently:

"Heyun, you have only an hour."

His voice had barely faded when the young man sprang to life, his eyes full of Agility, his manner graceful and natural. He straightened his clothes, bowed gently, and disappeared to the south like lightning.

Mu Hai stood with his hands behind him as the Great Void next to him broke apart, transforming into a silhouette that inquired,

"Dongfang Changmu, what has happened?"

Mu Hai's blue eyes blinked as he replied softly,

"Green Pond intended to make me their hitman, sending over a Foundation Establishment cultivator on purpose. However, I felt he had a powerful backing. Father said that Sui Guan's appearance is unlike that of ordinary people and it would be wise to tread carefully."

The silhouette could only nod in agreement as it slowly transformed, revealing its form, surprisingly that of a narrow-eyed woman with a regal bearing. Her dress fluttering, she said softly,

"Father and the Xi Yang Dragon Lord will arrive shortly; best prepare yourself."

Mu Hai nodded, smiling,

"With both Dragon Lords taking action together, we should be able to conquer Thundercloud Temple and fill in the missing part of the 'Qingxuan Prophecy Book' about commanding lightning and thunder."

The dragon maiden shook her head slightly, her expressions rife with melancholy, and uttered,

"However, taking advantage of Shangyuan's breakthrough and the internal strife amongst the Human Race, we should capture this secret realm… Besides, who knows how many tens of thousands of years old that Qingxuan person is. What was useful then may not be necessary now."

Mu Hai, nevertheless, had a beaming smile, stroked his red whiskers, and responded,

"He is an Immortal; he cannot be wrong."

...

Li Xizhi rode the rosy clouds, speeding away, tracing a vibrant trail of colors over the sea, with his hands clutching a Talisman, a cold sweat on his back.

'Punishment.'

He didn't have time to carefully think through the cause and effect, only to feel a chill approaching from behind. Looking intently into the water, he saw tiny fragments of ice floating on the surface.

Li Xizhi sensed something amiss; the seawater rose before him, transforming into a human figure, a young man with neatly tied hair, fine eyebrows, and large eyes, his demeanor graceful and natural. He straightened his cuffs and smiled,

"I am Dongfang Heyun, I have had the pleasure of meeting Taoist Fellow."

Li Xizhi, hearing the surname Dongfang, understood that it was the maneuvers of the Dragon Kind's Zifu. He returned the greeting and the gentle young man softly said,

"Sent by the Upper Immortal, I come to execute Taoist Fellow, please forgive the offense..."

Li Xizhi's hand was already on his sword; upon hearing these words, Green Peak sprang from the scabbard, casting a bright light as he first unleashed the Moon Que Sword Arc.

In terms of natural talent in Sword Dao, Li Xizhi was not inferior to Li Xijun. He was even older than Li Xijun, but he practiced many spells, dispersing his focus, which made his sword arc slightly less refined than his cousin's.

Dongfang Heyun was still adjusting his sleeves when he stretched out a hand, pinching the sword light effortlessly and crushing it instantly. He raised his head to look and took a step forward.

With just this move, Li Xizhi had already discerned much:

'I cannot overpower him!'

The Talisman he clutched flew out, transforming into several streaks of golden light in the air. A total of three Foundation Establishment Talismans shone brightly, cascading down and intertwining like a barrier.

Qing Sui Peak had in abundance nothing else but Talismans; the ancestor Si Yuanbai was one of Green Pond Sect's top Talisman masters. Before he departed to the West, he left behind many Talismans, and Yuan Tuan left a batch before his departure, most of which were now in Li Xizhi's possession.

Hurling the three Talismans now, his figure dispersed like a mist. He left behind three dazzling streaks of color in midair and reappeared over thirty feet away. With a flick of his sleeve, the rosy clouds slowly dissipated, spreading a small circle in the air.

Li Xizhi, already recognized as one of the most talented and resolute members of his generation in the Li Family and having practiced for years on Qing Sui Peak, showed no complacency. This display of the Rainbow Mist Escape Step "Golden Droplets Amidst Clouds" was testament to his skill.

Rainbow Mist Escape Step "Golden Droplets Amidst Clouds" was certainly a match for the River Rapids Step, stretching over thirty feet in an instant and capable of turning the tide of battle.

But Dongfang Heyun seemed to drift with the wind. With a simple motion of his fingers, he shifted the golden formation created by the Talismans by a foot, and then he moved forward effortlessly, stepping out serenely.