Liu Yalan's whereabouts were unknown, and Li's Treasure Pavilion had undergone such a major change. What hidden secrets lay behind all of this? Li Mu urgently needed to figure it out.
Just as Li Mu was coercing and questioning the staff, a furious shout suddenly came from the inner hall: "Boy, this isn't a place for you to act wildly, get out!"
As the voice faded, an Elder in White Robes with a sinister face walked out from the inner hall, glaring fiercely at Li Mu, like a hungry beast ready to pounce and tear him to shreds at any moment.
Li Mu was not too surprised by the appearance of this Soul Transformation Elder. Before entering Li's Treasure Pavilion, he had cautiously released his Divine Sense to investigate the situation inside.
"Oh! When did Li's Treasure Pavilion change its surname? Why don't I know about it!" Li Mu smiled slightly, questioning without fear.
"Who are you? What's your name, state it!"
Hearing Li Mu's words, the Soul Transformation Elder's heart skipped a beat. He stared intently at Li Mu and questioned him.
"I'm curious, who are you? By what right do you occupy Li's Treasure Pavilion? Where is Liu Yalan! Where did you take her?" Li Mu smiled without answering, his gaze as sharp as a sword, coldly looking at the other party and questioning again.
"What did you do to Sister Liu!" Miss Xue Er glared at the Elder and followed up with a question.
At this moment, the few customers and staff inside the Treasure Firm were all drawn to the sudden quarrel.
"Lord Li! Miss Xue Er, you're finally back!" Suddenly, a familiar voice rang out in the crowd. A staff member rushed out with a face full of pleasant surprise, his gaze fixed on Li Mu and Miss Xue Er.
"It's Lord Li! Lord Li, you're finally back!"
"It's Miss Xue Er and Lord Li!"
As the staff member's voice fell, several other staff members also recognized Li Mu and Miss Xue Er. Their faces all showed expressions of joy, and they exclaimed in surprise.
"Could it be Master Li has returned?" an old customer asked doubtfully.
"Who?" another person leaned their head over curiously.
"The original Grandmaster Refiner of Li's Treasure Pavilion! Li's Treasure Pavilion back then wasn't like this!"
...
Several old customers in the store began to discuss amongst themselves, their faces showing expressions of reminiscence and emotion, as if they had returned to the glorious era of Li's Treasure Pavilion in the past.
Hearing the discussions of the staff and customers, the Elder in White Robes's face changed repeatedly. A trace of panic and unease flashed across his originally gloomy face, as if some secret had been exposed.
"You are Master Li?"
The Elder in White Robes looked at Li Mu with a glimmer of hope, asking tentatively.
Li Mu smiled slightly, not directly answering his question. Instead, he turned and bowed deeply to the old customers and staff, politely seeing off the customers in the store: "Everyone, I'm back. I'm truly sorry for making you worry. We will close the store for today, please come back another day!"
"It's really Master Li, Master Li is back, that's great!"
"Lord Li, you're finally back, Shopkeeper Liu was driven away by them!"
"Lord Li, you must uphold justice for Shopkeeper Liu!"
...
Seeing Li Mu's action, the staff and customers who originally held respect and expectation for him immediately erupted into excitement.
Seeing this scene, the Elder in White Robes's face instantly turned ashen, as if all the color had been drained from him. He knew he was finished, completely finished. He had originally thought he could use the occupation of Li's Treasure Pavilion to restore the prestige of the Liu family, but now, the original owner had actually returned. His heart was filled with regret and fear, but there was no escape now.
"Speak! Who exactly are you! Where is Liu Yalan?" Li Mu turned back, his gaze shooting towards the Elder in White Robes like a sharp sword, demanding.
The Elder in White Robes opened his mouth, his lips trembling, but he couldn't utter a single word for a long time. He had no face to confront Li Mu's questions, nor could he answer those about Liu Yalan's whereabouts. He lowered his head, wishing he could dig a hole in the ground and hide.
"Reporting to Lord Li, this person is the Liu family's Old Ancestor - Liu Huaiyi. Shopkeeper Liu was driven out of the Treasure Firm by him." At this moment, an Artifact Refining Great Master who came out from the inner hall to watch the commotion reported to Li Mu.
"Oh? The Liu family's Old Ancestor?" A trace of doubt flashed in Li Mu's eyes. He curiously scrutinized the Elder in White Robes before him, asking in confusion: "I have met the Liu family's Old Ancestor - Liu Huaiyi. How come you're in charge now?"
"The Liu family's Old Ancestor unfortunately passed away a few years ago. Now, this one is in charge of the Liu family!" The Artifact Refining Great Master quickly responded to Li Mu's question, explaining.
Hearing this, Li Mu's brows furrowed slightly. He was not interested in the changes in the Liu family, but now he had to face this reality.
Li Mu looked at the Elder in White Robes, coldly ordering: "I don't care what changes have happened in your Liu family, but if you dare to occupy my Treasure Firm, you must pay the price! Speak, where is Liu Yalan?"
The Elder in White Robes trembled all over. He knew he could no longer escape Li Mu's questioning. He raised his head, looked into Li Mu's majestic eyes, and responded bitterly: "She's at the Liu family, I didn't harm her..."
"Have someone bring her over!" Li Mu looked at the Elder in White Robes and gestured.
The Elder in White Robes quickly agreed, instructing a confidant to summon her. The atmosphere inside the Treasure Firm immediately became tense, everyone waiting for Liu Yalan's arrival.
Soon after, a staff member quickly arrived with Liu Yalan.
As soon as Liu Yalan entered Li's Treasure Pavilion, she saw Li Mu and Miss Xue Er, her face showing pleasant surprise as she happily said: "Lord Li, Miss Xue Er, you're finally back!"
"Sister Liu, are you alright!" Miss Xue Er quickly stepped forward, grabbing Liu Yalan's hand and asking with concern.
Liu Yalan glanced at the Elder in White Robes, then shook her head and said: "I'm fine, he only put me under house arrest at the Liu family and didn't cause me any substantial harm."
Afterward, Liu Yalan turned to Li Mu, saying apologetically: "Lord Li, I'm truly sorry for causing you such a loss. It's all my fault for not guarding the Treasure Firm well, which allowed such a thing to happen."
"It's good that you're fine. Someone will naturally bear the loss of the Treasure Firm!" A cold glint flashed in Li Mu's eyes. He turned to the Elder in White Robes, coldly saying: "Since you didn't harm Liu Yalan, I can give you a quick death. Tell me, how do you wish to die?"
As his voice fell, Li Mu unleashed his Divine Thought Divine Ability, "Gathering Star Strike," gathering powerful Divine Thought, transforming it into an invisible whip that lashed fiercely at the Elder in White Robes.
The Elder in White Robes felt an unprecedented sense of oppression. His face instantly turned ashen. He reacted, just about to cast a spell to resist.
However, Li Mu's Divine Thought whip was too fast and too powerful. He simply couldn't react effectively, only able to watch helplessly as the invisible Divine Thought whip lashed fiercely at him.
"Crack!" A crisp sound suddenly echoed in the air. The Elder in White Robes's body stiffened, his eyes rolled back, his Divine Soul instantly suffered heavy damage, a painful expression twisted his face, and his consciousness gradually fell into darkness.
The Elder in White Robes suddenly fell powerlessly, without any further movement. The entire Treasure Firm then fell into a deathly silence.
Inside the store, all the staff and customers were shocked by Li Mu's ruthless and sharp methods, their gazes filled with awe as they looked at Li Mu.
"Lord Li!" Liu Yalan called out, unable to bear it.
Li Mu glanced at everyone, then looked at Liu Yalan, and said calmly: "Have someone carry him away and lock him up. You quickly clarify the losses of the Treasure Firm and re-organize the accounts."
He had originally intended to check the business status of Li's Treasure Pavilion and then leave, but he didn't expect such a thing to happen at the Treasure Firm. Li Mu couldn't help but feel a wave of helplessness.
"Yes!" Liu Yalan respectfully accepted the order, watching Li Mu lead Miss Xue Er towards the inner hall.
Afterward, Liu Yalan immediately instructed the staff to carry the Elder in White Robes away and handle him properly, then began to take full control of the operations of Li's Treasure Pavilion, starting to deal with the subsequent series of matters for the Treasure Firm.
Li's Treasure Pavilion was urgently closed for rectification that day, officially announced as being for internal renovation and inventory. However, those customers who had witnessed the incident firsthand knew full well what had happened. They became the disseminators of this news, vividly recounting the astonishing scene that occurred inside the Treasure Firm to those around them.
The news of Li's Treasure Pavilion, Lord Li, and the return of the Grandmaster Refiner immediately spread across Wanxing Island.
This matter naturally could not be hidden from some attentive individuals. They used various means to inquire about the details and inside story of the incident, causing the news to spread rapidly through certain channels, as if it had grown wings.
In the Ten Thousand Stars Sea Region, on a remote island, a cluster of classical buildings stood.
At this moment, Hong Shuang, dressed in a red dress, was sitting at a table, flipping through a yellowed ancient book. Suddenly, the communication spiritual mirror she wore buzzed, breaking the silence of the air.
Hong Shuang's expression changed slightly. She immediately immersed her Divine Sense, quickly read the message attached to the communication spiritual mirror, and her expression immediately became serious.
Soon, Hong Shuang's expression became serious, complex light flickering in her eyes, her heart filled with an inexplicable mix of emotions: excitement, apprehension, unease, a complex feeling woven from various emotions.
"He's here! He's here!" Hong Shuang murmured in a daze. This news was like a thunderclap, exploding in her heart, as if reminding her of the major changes she was about to face.
This news came too suddenly. Hong Shuang even wished he would never appear. However, ten years later, that person returned to the Ten Thousand Stars Sea Region. His return would undoubtedly break the existing peace and trigger a terrible bloody storm.
This person was an extremely important existence in the eyes of the Nine Demon Sect and the Blood Demon Clan. He held the key that could unlock the Water Elemental Dao Lord's Water Mansion. The Nine Demon Sect and the Blood Demon Lord had been tracking and monitoring him, hoping to obtain the key to that Sealed Land from him.
However, after this person went to the Central State Spirit Domain, he completely disappeared without a trace, making it impossible to pursue him. This turned the hopes of the Nine Demon Sect and the Blood Demon Lord into an illusion, forcing them to turn to other directions to search for the Sealed Land and seek a Breakthrough.
But, for the past ten years, they had gained almost nothing, falling into an unprecedented predicament.
Now, if the news of this person's return to the Ten Thousand Stars Sea Region spread, the Nine Demon Sect and the Blood Demon Lord would definitely take him down at all costs.
In ten years, the Nine Demon Sect and the Blood Demon Clan had accumulated a vast underground force in the Ten Thousand Stars Sea Region. Their power had permeated every corner of this sea region. Once the Blood Demon Lord learned of this person's return to the Ten Thousand Stars Sea Region, his wrath would sweep across the entire sea region like a hurricane and tidal wave. Countless innocent lives would be devastated in this disaster, and it would inevitably unleash a bloody storm throughout the Ten Thousand Stars Sea Region.
Thinking of this, Hong Shuang couldn't help but feel a pang in her heart. She seemed to already see the bloody and cruel scene, and hear the wails and cries of countless living beings. She somewhat wanted to conceal this news, not wanting the entire Ten Thousand Stars Sea Region to become a battlefield.
However, the consequences of concealing such important news were too severe; she simply couldn't bear them.
Hong Shuang took a deep breath, thought it over carefully, then stood up indifferently, preparing to report this news to the high-ranking members of the Sect.
---
Inside a mysterious Demon Palace hall, dim lights barely illuminated the surroundings, and the atmosphere was eerie and oppressive.
In the center of the hall, seated on the main seat, was an Elder in Black Robes with a sinister face—Wu Tian Demon Ancestor. At this moment, he seemed to merge with the surrounding darkness, only his deep and cold eyes flickering with cold light in the dimness.
Wu Tian Demon Ancestor was toying with a black token. The surface of this token was as smooth as a mirror, and it recorded the news from Wanxing Island that Hong Shuang had reported.
"This person, he's on Wanxing Island right now, right?" Wu Tian Demon Ancestor looked at the intelligence Hong Shuang presented, his voice low and hoarse. His originally unruffled eyes suddenly revealed a bone-deep hatred and unconcealed excitement, his hands trembling slightly, as if he was trying his best to control his emotions, or perhaps savoring past grudges.
"Yes, Demon Ancestor! The news was sent over immediately, and after repeated confirmation, he is still on the island right now," Hong Shuang replied respectfully, her voice trembling slightly, as if infected by Wu Tian Demon Ancestor's emotions.
"Good!" Wu Tian Demon Ancestor sneered, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.
Wu Tian Demon Ancestor suddenly stood up, his black robes spreading like bat wings, giving off an invisible sense of oppression. He looked at his subordinates beside him, his voice revealing an unquestionable authority: "Xue Wu, Xue Wu, you two will accompany me to invite the Demon Lord out of seclusion. This operation must be foolproof."
"The rest of you, prepare yourselves. The army will set off immediately to attack Wanxing Island. Set up a net of heaven and earth, and absolutely do not let this person escape again." Wu Tian Demon Ancestor looked at his other subordinates, giving stern orders.
"We obey your command!"
All the Demon Venerable subordinates responded, Evil Qi filling the air.
As Wu Tian Demon Ancestor's order was issued, the entire Nine Demon Sect immediately became busy. Dark figures shuttled through the dimness, and a tense, battle-ready atmosphere permeated the air.
Wu Tian Demon Ancestor, accompanied by Xue Wu and Xue Wu, quickly walked towards the depths of the main hall, preparing to go to the Blood Pond Holy Land to respectfully invite the Blood Demon Lord - Dana out of seclusion. (End of this chapter)
