When Heavenly Elder Li Rui arrived at the Nine Heavens Holy Land, the news spread through the Nine Peaks as if it had grown wings!
Disciples across the Nine Peaks dropped everything and rushed to the Guest Reception Hall, craning their necks to catch a glimpse of the legendary elder from afar—a source of immense pride.
The source of all this commotion was nothing more than Xu Hui blurting out Elder Li's name.
When Yang Kai and the five grandmasters brought Elder Li and Zhai Yao into the Nine Heavens Holy Land, Xu Hui hastily pulled Yang Kai aside to ask about their identities. After all, as the Holy Land's Grand Elder, he couldn't afford to slight the guests.
Upon learning that the visitor was none other than Heavenly Elder Li, Xu Hui let out an explosive shout of surprise. Only then did he understand why Yang Kai had rushed off in such a hurry to receive him, and why the five highly respected grandmasters had behaved like humble students in front of the old man.
Under the entire heavens, only Elder Li commanded such standing—and only he could draw such reverence from the five grandmasters.
And so the news spread like wildfire, drawing thousands of Holy Land disciples to crowd around the Guest Reception Hall until there wasn't room to breathe.
Each generation produces its own legends. Thousands of years ago, the Demon Race had the Great Demon God—a titan of his era. Now, the Human Race had Elder Li, an extraordinary figure of his own time.
The Human, Monster, and Demon races stood opposed to one another, filled with mutual hatred. Yet if there was anyone in this world whom members of all three races would treat with respect, it was none other than Heavenly Elder Li.
Even Demon Venerable Chang Yuan and several Great Venerables of the Monster Race dared not act out of line in Elder Li's presence.
The pity was that Elder Li was elusive as a divine dragon—one could see its head but never its tail. He had no fixed abode, and few people even knew what he looked like. For many years, no one had heard any news of him. Even when he visited Floating Cloud City, he had quietly gone to the City Lord's Manor without causing much of a stir.
Rumors had long spread that he had passed away, a thought that made many sigh with regret.
Yet today, he had come to the Nine Heavens Holy Land of his own accord.
"What are you looking at? Don't you have work to do? Keep crowding around here and I'll gouge every last one of your eyes out!" Xu Hui strode out of the hall with a cold expression and bellowed.
The thousands of disciples flinched and scattered like startled birds.
Inside the hall, Yang Kai said with an embarrassed smile, "Forgive the spectacle, Elder Li. I'll make sure to keep the disciples in line and prevent them from revealing your whereabouts."
"No matter, no matter!" Elder Li waved his hand with a genial expression, indicating he didn't mind at all. "In the past, wherever I went, I kept my name hidden and didn't want outsiders to know my whereabouts. But this time... I actually hope people know I'm here."
"Oh? Why is that?" The Holy Land elders and alchemists in the hall gazed at him in puzzlement.
Elder Li paused thoughtfully, his expression growing serious, and said at an unhurried pace, "Lately, I've heard quite a few strange rumors. I'm told they all originated from here?"
"Yes."
"Those rumors..."
"Are true!" Yang Kai nodded.
"Just as I suspected." Elder Li sighed softly and said leisurely, "I've also heard that Chang Yuan and several Great Venerables of the Monster Race have already taken action. But most of the major Human Race factions are still maintaining a wait-and-see attitude?"
"Yes." Yang Kai's expression grew considerably heavier. "Hearsay is easily dismissed, but seeing is believing. Unlike Chang Yuan and the Great Venerables of the Monster Race, they haven't witnessed certain secrets with their own eyes, so they don't really believe it. Can't blame them for that."
After a brief pause, Yang Kai continued, "But it's not entirely like that. My home sect, the Tianxiao Sect, as well as the Dragon Phoenix Manor, Twin Pavilion, and the Proud Alliance—these forces have all sent word in recent days, saying they'll bring people here as soon as possible."
"Just these few sects close to young friend Yang—how many experts could you gather? I'm afraid the Monster and Demon races would laugh at us. Right now on the continent, our Human Race is the strongest, and the incident occurred on our territory. Yet in the end, it's the Monster and Demon races who mobilize all their forces while we can barely put together a handful—what kind of impression would that make?!"
"There's nothing I can do. I can't exactly force people!" Yang Kai was utterly exasperated.
"Does young friend Yang know which is the greatest force in all the world?" Elder Li suddenly asked with a smile.
"The greatest force?" Yang Kai was taken aback. After careful thought, he said, "Our Nine Heavens Holy Land has been developing well and could be considered one of the top forces. My home sect, the Tianxiao Sect, isn't bad either. But how can such things really be compared?"
"Indeed. There are many blessed lands and holy places on the continent. Some top experts haven't appeared in ages, and no one knows whether they're still alive." He Feng chimed in from the side.
"Elder Li, this greatest force you speak of—what exactly is it?" Du Wan asked, confused.
Elder Li burst into hearty laughter without answering directly. Instead, he spoke at a measured pace, "Young friend Yang, I've heard much about the rise of your Nine Heavens Holy Land. It's said that you rose to prominence thanks to a remarkable alchemist, lifting the Holy Land's status ever higher, gradually surpassing its former glory."
"That's right." Yang Kai nodded, and his eyes suddenly lit up as he began to grasp what force Elder Li was referring to.
"A single remarkable alchemist can make warriors who come seeking pills grovel and rush to this place. But what if you count every alchemist in the entire world?"
"The Alchemist Association!" Yang Kai exclaimed.
Elder Li smiled and nodded. "If the Alchemist Association takes the lead, I believe those factions and the world's experts will make the correct choice."
"Elder Li, is that why you came here today?" Yang Kai looked at him with excitement.
"That's right." Elder Li smiled and nodded. "Ever since I became known, I've been wandering the world, staying out of affairs. Over the past thousand years, I haven't done anything for this continent, yet countless people revere and worship me—which weighs on my conscience. Now that there's an opportunity, I naturally won't let it pass. Well, though I haven't shown myself in a long time, I believe I still have a little influence to call upon."