The voice that suddenly appeared beside Li Si's ear gave him a violent start.
What was going on?
This voice was the same as that white elephant's from before, but from the tone it carried, Li Si could tell that this was no longer the temple guardian white elephant.
What had changed?
Li Si was secretly alarmed.
Where was this place?
This was Azus Temple!
Who could appear here without a sound, without causing the slightest disturbance?
Li Si was certain that the white elephant possessed strength above the legendary tier. Even his teacher, Stephens of the Flame of Judgement, could not have subdued it so effortlessly.
Within this temple, the truth was obvious.
Li Si raised his head and looked toward the source of the voice.
On the central altar of the temple, the white elephant that had been standing there had already vanished. In its place stood a handsome middle-aged man. Time seemed especially kind to him, leaving only a few faint lines at the corners of his eyes and lending his face an air of composure and depth.
His brows and eyes were gentle and warm, like the mildest spring sunlight softly falling upon one's heart. His eyes were particularly striking—bright and profound, glimmering with wisdom and tenderness, as though they could see through all the secrets of the world.
He wore a simple yet elegant white robe, its sleeves drifting lightly, untouched by dust. Though the robe appeared plain, he gently held a thick book in his left arm. The book's cover seemed to be made of some unknown material, with starlight flowing across its surface and shining with a strange, captivating luster.
Most striking of all was the parchment scroll emblem embedded in the center of the book. Ancient and mysterious, its fine patterns were