Arriving at the Ice Lion Sect

Shuttling through the void, Jiuxiao traveled with extraordinary speed, arriving outside the Ice Lion Sect in just four hours. *Boom!* A colossal dragon measuring a full hundred zhang in length tore open the void and emerged into the mortal world. The instant it appeared, the wind and clouds churned, and heaven and earth resonated with an unending roar of thunder. Li Guanqi rose slowly and peered downward. A magnificent, immortal-sect architectural complex stretched endlessly across the mountain ranges. Pavilions and towering halls looked extraordinarily opulent, with carved beams and painted pillars. Within the sect grounds, disciples soared through the sky on their treasures, each possessing considerable strength. The moment the Ice Lion Sect's disciples and elders glimpsed the terrifyingly oppressive great dragon, countless cultivators bolted into the air, as if facing an existential threat! There was no helping it—presently, Jiuxiao was a ninth-rank great demon; practically no demonic beast in the world surpassed him in power. Yet just as Li Guanqi was about to send a transmission to Han Yuan and the others, an incomparably ferocious beast roar echoed through the clouds! Li Guanqi frowned and peered into the distance. A gargantuan lion leaped into the firmament! The lion was pure white from head to tail, radiating terrifying frost energy from all around its body. Its icy-blue eyes burned with bloodthirsty malice. In the mind of a demonic beast, Jiuxiao's arrival was no different from invading its territory, an overt provocation. Also spanning a hundred zhang in length, the ice lion charged forward like a hurtling mountain. Its frightening aura shattered the surrounding space along its path, enveloped in grand, swirling azure-blue light. "Not good! The guardian divine beast has awakened!!" "Uh... unless I'm blind, isn't that a true dragon?" "A true dragon... Wait, no!! The cultivator atop its head is the Yanluo Sword Venerable!! Quick, stop the guardian beast!!" The elders and consecrated elders of the Ice Lion Sect fell into sheer chaos, hastily teleporting and frantically waving their arms in an attempt to intercept the ice lion. Yet how could the ice lion simply let off a beast that had provoked it? Slaughter between beasts was that simple. As for bloodline suppression... for a pinnacle eighth-rank great demon, it already possessed enough fortitude to resist dragon might. Li Guanqi curled his lip. Tapping his toes against Jiuxiao's head, he waved a sleeve to whisk away the still-cultivating Chen Xiaotian. A glimmer of amusement flashed in the depths of Jiuxiao's draconic eyes. Raising a massive claw, he swatted down ruthlessly at the incoming ice lion! *Bang!!* Lightning flashed and hissed, and the charging ice lion was sent hurtling backward even faster than it had advanced. How terrifying was Jiuxiao's strength today? Cleaving mountains and sundering the earth with a flick of his claw was effortless. Five bloody gouges appeared across the ice lion's cheek. The dreadful force blasted it backward thousands of zhang, smashing clean through mountains along the way and plowing a long trench into the earth as the lion skidded to a halt. The ice lion wobbled. Shaking its massive head, its eyes cleared, only to be overtaken by profound dread. Jiuxiao's draconic eyes brimmed with disdain. Opening his maw, he let out a deafening dragon roar! The contempt in his eyes shifted into an indescribable majesty. A dense dragon might saturated the heavens and earth—rank nine! The figures soaring into the sky froze, their eyes flashing with utter disbelief. The ice lion's legs went limp, and with a heavy *thud*, it collapsed to its knees on the ground! With a flick of his tail, Jiuxiao blurred and materialized right before the ice lion. Haughty and upright, the dragon looked down upon the ice lion pinned beneath him. Pressing a massive claw atop the ice lion's head, he leaned down and unleashed an earthshaking roar! *Roar—!!* "A misunderstanding! It's a misunderstanding!! Sword Venerable, please show mercy!!" A gray-haired old man came jogging up before Li Guanqi. Dressed in a green robe, he wore an anxious expression. He looked gentle and approachable, with a slightly rotund build and a bulbous red nose that completely lacked any frosty or sinister air. Li Guanqi chuckled and sent a faint divine sense transmission to Jiuxiao. *Alright. Even if you want to recruit a lackey, you shouldn't go about it like this...* *A light lesson is enough.* Jiuxiao curled his lips in a remarkably humanlike gesture, then shifted back into the form of a bracelet and coiled around Li Guanqi's wrist. Only then did the old man breathe a sigh of relief. Glancing at the ice lion lying in the distant crater, he turned back to Li Guanqi, cupping his hands with a smile. "This old man is the Sect Master of the Ice Lion Sect, Hu Shouqing. Greetings, Senior Sword Venerable." Behind him stood a middle-aged man who bore a seventy-percent resemblance to him. Closely following them were Han Yuan and his two companions. Han Yuan and the others were secretly startled upon seeing Li Guanqi. To think that after only a few years apart, Li Guanqi's strength was no longer something they could fathom. His aura was as deep as an abyss, completely unsearchable and bottomless. Even the faintest wisp of their own perception would be instantly swallowed by an invisible power the moment it drew close. Instead, it left them feeling as though a blade were pressed against their backs. "Haha, you brat! Making such a huge ruckus the moment you arrive?" Han Yuan and Jiang Qizhi were already very familiar with him. Having weathered many tribulations together, they naturally felt no awkwardness chatting with Li Guanqi despite his towering strength. In contrast, Hu Shouqing and the middle-aged man behind him appeared somewhat ill at ease. They had heard countless rumors regarding Li Guanqi, and the Ice Lion Sect's Grand Supreme Ancestor was currently in the Seventh Domain. Their understanding of Li Guanqi was, if anything, even deeper than Han Yuan's group. As for their guardian beast's sudden frenzy, that had caught them completely off guard. Fortunately, Li Guanqi had not dealt a killing blow, leaving it as merely a minor incident. Looking at the old man, Li Guanqi cupped his hands to return the greeting and chuckled softly. "I dare not accept the title of senior. If anything, my visit to the Ice Lion Sect has caused you trouble." Hearing this, the old man relaxed considerably; it seemed Li Guanqi was quite easy to get along with. "Haha, how could this be considered trouble? Your presence brings glory to our humble sect!" "Oh, right. This is my son, Hu Mingtao. If you have time, perhaps you could offer him some guidance, young friend." Hu Mingtao had an upright appearance, with regular features and bright, spirited tiger-eyes. The man smiled slightly, cupping his hands in salute. "Mingtao greets the Sword Venerable." Li Guanqi replied with a soft smile, "Brother Hu is older than me; simply call me Guanqi." "Seniors, there is no need to be so formal either. In private meetings, let us keep things relaxed." Everyone smiled faintly without saying much. Even though Li Guanqi spoke modestly, his current realm and power were on an entirely different level from theirs. The respect that was due still had to be shown. Hu Shouqing and Hu Mingtao dared not act on their seniority either—that would be sheer foolishness. Jiang Qizhi, stroking his goatee, shifted his gaze toward Chen Xiaotian and asked curiously, "Young friend Li, who is this young man?" Li Guanqi pondered for a moment, then turned to Hu Shouqing. "Senior, does your sect have a quiet room available? Could you arrange one for me?" Hearing this, a sharp gleam entered the old man's eyes. It seemed this youth, who had just broken through, shared a deep relationship with Li Guanqi. "Haha, of course. I'll arrange it right away." "Mingtao, take this young fellow straight to the inner sect and find him a quiet room." The man caught on immediately, cupping his hands with a smile. "Rest assured, Sword Venerable, I will guide him there personally." Li Guanqi nodded with a smile. Seeing this, the old man extended a welcoming hand. "Sword Venerable, let us rest in the main hall. The Ice Lion Sect still has plenty of fine wine." "Hahaha, then I shall defer to your kind invitation. I must certainly have a taste of your sect's fine wine," Li Guanqi said, laughing. The group then took to the air, heading toward the main hall of the Ice Lion Sect. Along the way, disciples stopped in their tracks to bow in respect. Internally, every one of them was deeply shaken. Those disciples who did not recognize Li Guanqi secretly wondered who this youth was, capable of having their grand Sect Master walk half a step behind, personally showing him the way!