Yuanfeng Calls, Twenty-Four Sea-Calming Pearls

Li Yi had no intention of concealing himself. The moment he appeared, the Red-skirt Woman atop the immortal mountain noticed him.

The woman cast her gaze over him and sized him up briefly. A faint smile appeared on her exquisite face.

"Yuanfeng greets you, Daoist friend! I have long heard of your great name. Now that I see you, your bearing exceeds your reputation by far!"

Li Yi looked at the Red-skirt Woman. Before she even spoke, he had already guessed her identity.

At present, before the Beast Calamity Tribulation had ended, she was the only female Quasi-Saint cultivator in heaven and earth.

Yuanfeng had personally come to visit and had even waited here for a thousand years, so Li Yi first offered a polite explanation.

"I was discussing the Dao with someone earlier and could not leave midway. I have neglected you, Daoist Yuanfeng."

Yuanfeng shook her head slightly.

"I rashly came to trouble you at your door. How could it be called neglect..."

Li Yi looked at the woman behind Yuanfeng. Recalling the matter of taking possession of the immortal island years ago, he had some idea why Yuanfeng had come.

Yet he said nothing. He merely opened the formation restrictions and led the two women into the immortal island.

They arrived at the same place where he had previously discussed the Dao. Sensing the faint fragrance of white lotuses still lingering in the air, Yuanfeng was even more astonished.

This Heaven-Earth Daoist's realm was even deeper than the rumors had claimed! And it seemed he had only just made a breakthrough!

He said he had been discussing the Dao with someone? But who had that fellow Daoist been?

Many thoughts flashed through Yuanfeng's mind, but none showed on her face.

Li Yi poured a cup of spiritual tea and placed it before Yuanfeng.

The smile remained on Yuanfeng's face, and her voice was clear and pleasant.

"I came today with a junior from my clan, especially to offer an apology..."

The moment Yuanfeng finished speaking, Fengling, who stood behind her, directly knelt and kowtowed to Li Yi.

Li Yi had already guessed the Karma involved.

On that day, Ao Jin of the Dragon Clan had attacked him. Although Yuanling had intended to stop him at the time, she had indeed become involved in the Karma of that matter.

If he had wished to pursue it, he could have slaughtered everyone from the Dragon and Phoenix Clans who had been present. Even if others learned of it, they would have had nothing to say.

As a Great Supernatural Being, in this Primordial World where strength reigned supreme, killing those who offended him was an ordinary matter.

Of course, this matter could be made major or minor; it all depended on what he thought.

He was not particularly bloodthirsty. At the time, Yuanling and the others had been no different from ants before him. Moreover, Yuanling had intended to block the attack for him, so after killing Ao Jin, he had not made things difficult for anyone else.

Yuanfeng brought out a set of Spirit Treasures, her exquisite face still carrying a calm smile.

"A junior of my clan offended you, Daoist friend. Let this set of Spirit Treasures serve as our apology..."

Li Yi glanced over and was secretly startled.

There were exactly twenty-four pearl-type Spirit Treasures, all Mid-Grade Innate Spiritual Treasures! Used together, they were undoubtedly a Supreme-grade Innate Spirit Treasure, no less impressive than the Twelfth-Grade Pure World Lotus Platform in his possession!

This set of treasures was far too distinctive. Li Yi did not need to think long before guessing their identity—they had to be the famous Sea-Calming Pearls of later generations!

Secretly marveling, Li Yi smiled and said, "I fear you have another reason for coming today, Daoist friend?"

Yuanling was merely Yuanfeng's clanswoman. Even if she had been Yuanfeng's blood sister or daughter, Yuanfeng could not possibly have waited outside for him for a thousand years and then deliberately offered a Supreme-grade Innate Spirit Treasure comparable to the Twelfth-Grade Pure World Lotus Platform!

Clearly, Yuanling's matter was merely an excuse. Yuanfeng likely had other plans!

Seeing Li Yi put it so directly, Yuanfeng covered her lips and smiled.

"There is indeed something I wish to ask of Heaven-Earth Daoist..."

"Although the ferocious beast race has perished across the Primordial World, Beast Emperor Shen Ni still remains..."

"More than three thousand years ago, my clan discovered the Beast Emperor's hiding place. But even if my clan gathers all its strength, we may not be able to eliminate this great scourge for the Primordial World!"

"I came today, first to apologize on behalf of the junior Yuanling, and second to invite you, Daoist friend, to join my clan in killing this evil!"

Upon hearing Yuanfeng's words, Li Yi nodded slightly.

Now this was more like it!

Why would that earlier matter warrant such a grand gesture from the Phoenix Clan? So they were paying him to help kill the Beast Emperor! That made much more sense...

If he refused this matter, he could not shamelessly accept the treasure.

On one hand, Great Supernatural Beings of this era cared greatly about face. On the other, he did not dare casually accept such immense Karma. If he accepted such a great treasure for nothing and did no work, he would have to repay it sooner or later during the great tribulation!

After Yuanfeng spoke, she silently observed Li Yi's reaction.

There were only a few Quasi-Saints in this world: the ancestors of the three clans, Beast Emperor Shen Ni, and several Great Supernatural Beings who had existed since the creation of heaven and earth!

She considered herself evenly matched with Beast Emperor Shen Ni, but she did not dare claim she could certainly kill him. Thus, she could only seek assistance.

The ancestors of the other two clans were clearly impossible choices. The three clans were competing for the Dao; whoever killed the Beast Emperor and received the greatest share of Heavenly Dao Merit afterward would become the ruler of the era!

As for the other Great Supernatural Beings, after much consideration, only this Heaven-Earth Daoist seemed suitable.

After all, those others either had no desire to kill and spent their days wandering and discussing the Dao, or, like Luohou, were addicted to slaughter and difficult to deal with.

Heaven-Earth Daoist had previously been obscure, but he had later become famous by killing ferocious beasts. Since he killed ferocious beasts, it showed that he too wished to compete for the Heavenly Dao Merit after the Calamity Cycle.

Though he was also seeking Merit, he was alone. Even if he obtained Merit, it would not affect the Phoenix Clan's position of dominance. Since that was the case, why not split Beast Emperor Shen Ni's Merit with him?

After listening to Yuanfeng, Li Yi pondered briefly but did not hesitate.

"Good! I accept this matter!"

As he spoke, Li Yi swept his sleeve and took the entire set of Sea-Calming Pearls.

Seeing Li Yi accept the matter, a brilliant smile appeared on the beauty's face.

Li Yi then looked at Yuanling, who was still kneeling nearby.

"As for what happened last time, I have not held it against you. Let this matter end here..."

Yuanfeng shook her head slightly in reply.

"Though you do not hold a junior's actions against her, she did indeed offend you, Daoist friend."

"To be frank, this child is the daughter of one of my clan sisters."

"If you do not find her unsuitable, let her remain on the island as a maidservant to brew tea and tend the spiritual herbs..."

As the first phoenix in heaven and earth, Yuanfeng had neither companion nor descendants. The members of her clan who had been born in the same generation as her were her clan sisters and brothers, while the later Phoenix Clan consisted of the descendants of those Primordial Divines.

Hearing Yuanfeng's words, Li Yi roughly guessed her purpose.

With the Beast Calamity Tribulation nearing its end and the future trend of the three clans standing against one another already apparent, she wanted to use an apology as an excuse to leave Yuanling by his side as a maidservant. If the Phoenix Clan truly encountered trouble in the future, could they perhaps borrow his strength?

Just as Li Yi thought this, Yuanfeng continued.

"If you accept her, I am willing to swear upon the Heavenly Dao that Yuanling will no longer be a member of my Phoenix Clan. Whether the Phoenix Clan prospers, enjoys blessings, or suffers disaster in the future, none of it will concern her."

"If she offends you in any way, Daoist friend, you may deal with her as you see fit. My Phoenix Clan will never interfere..."

At these words, Li Yi was shaken, instantly overturning his earlier speculation.

It seemed he had underestimated this ancestor of the Phoenix Clan. She might indeed have had thoughts of borrowing his strength, but her main intention was to have this junior join his side, as though she were entrusting her to him? Could Yuanfeng vaguely foresee the Phoenix Clan's fate and was sending away some gifted juniors in advance to avoid the clan's future destruction?

Having settled on that thought, Li Yi studied Yuanling, who quietly knelt before him.

She was at the peak of the Supreme Unity Golden Immortal realm, with a complete and flawless aura. Breaking through to the Great Firmament Golden Immortal realm in the future was practically inevitable. If properly nurtured, even the Quasi-Saint realm might not be impossible...

In truth, with his current strength, he could enlighten a few immortal herbs and have them serve as maidservants or Dao attendants.

But such attendants could not compare to this woman in innate foundation. Reaching the Supreme Unity Golden Immortal realm would already be their limit...

After pondering briefly, Li Yi nodded slightly.

"Very well. She may remain on the island..."

Yuanfeng was delighted and looked toward Yuanling beside her.

"Why have you not thanked the Dao Master?"

Just as Li Yi had said, although the Phoenix Clan was currently at its peak, prosperity inevitably declined. Yuanfeng had a vague premonition and had considered sending some exceptionally talented clan members into the world to avoid disaster.

There was no safer place than the Dao field of a Great Supernatural Being with no attachments!

Even if the Phoenix Clan was truly destroyed in the future, their enemies would not make trouble with a Great Supernatural Being over a clanswoman who had been cast out of the Phoenix Clan.

Yuanling had long been mentally prepared for this visit. Hearing her aunt's words, she respectfully kowtowed to Li Yi.

"Yuanling thanks the Dao Master!"

Yuanfeng did not hesitate. Before Li Yi, she expelled Yuanling from the Phoenix Clan through an oath, then had her swear upon the Heavenly Dao to remain loyal to Li Yi, the Dao Master. Only then was the matter settled.

Li Yi did not waste words. He sent out a jade slip, briefly explaining the island's affairs and its formation restrictions. Then he rose and left the island with Yuanfeng, heading together toward the place where Beast Emperor Shen Ni was said to be.

Within a valley suffused with baleful aura on Buzhou Mountain.

Although the ferocious beast race was gradually being eliminated, the baleful aura between heaven and earth had not been cleared. Many places remained shrouded in it.

Cultivators found it difficult to probe such places with divine sense. Over time, these places became hiding grounds for ferocious beasts.

Beast Emperor Shen Ni sat upon his throne. On a sudden whim, unease arose in his heart.

Just as he was about to summon the subordinates waiting outside, a violent explosion instantly destroyed the entire valley.

In the void, Li Yi and Yuanfeng stood side by side, with more than ten Great Firmament Golden Immortals of the Phoenix Clan following behind them.

Looking at the valley before them, Yuanfeng turned to Li Yi. Li Yi did not hold back either, raising the Twelfth-Grade Pure World Lotus Platform beneath him. A dense, vast force of pure white instantly purified the baleful aura filling the valley. Even the ferocious beasts concealed within it were affected. Some Great Firmament-level ferocious beasts lost twenty percent of their baleful aura before they even showed themselves, their strength dropping drastically.

Seeing the baleful aura purified, the Phoenix Clan members behind Yuanfeng did not hesitate in the slightest. They charged into the battlefield below and began slaughtering the ferocious beasts!

As for Li Yi and Yuanfeng, their gazes fell upon Beast Emperor Shen Ni, who stood at the forefront.

When enemies met, their eyes burned with hatred. The instant they met, Shen Ni recognized the two of them. He raised a Spirit Treasure and charged at them.

Ordinary ferocious beasts, even Great Firmament-level ones, possessed no mana at all and could not refine Spirit Treasures. However, Shen Ni had already entered the Primordial Unity Supreme Immortal realm. Having returned to the origin, he possessed mana. Though it was inferior to that of cultivators at the same realm, he could still wield Spirit Treasures.

Li Yi and Yuanfeng likewise did not hesitate. Each raised a Supreme-grade Innate Spirit Treasure and rushed forward. In an instant, dense power of laws filled the entire valley.