Water Palace

After the two left, Su Yao called over the three birds and was about to return to his cave abode when he suddenly sensed something was wrong. He quickly went to the side facing the Cibi Lake.

Su Yao stood on the edge of the cliff, gazing out at the view, his brow furrowing almost imperceptibly.

What was seen was that the once calm and clear Cibi Lake was now inexplicably turbulent. A strong wind was blowing across the lake, and waves surged one after another, crashing against the rocks below the cliffs and splashing white foam several meters high.

It is important to know that the daily water source of Cibi Lake mainly relies on several streams and rivers flowing from the surrounding mountains and underground currents.

The sky was not overcast; it was still the usual clear weather of winter in Nanzhao. However, the wind picked up in gusts.

The three birds flapped their wings uneasily behind Su Yao, and Xiao Huang stretched its neck toward the lake and let out a low cry, as if warning something.

Su Yao didn't turn around, but simply raised his hand to signal the three birds to be quiet. He gazed at the surging blue water, thinking to himself:

Beneath Cibi Lake lies the lake god's water palace, which has remained in seclusion until now. This commotion is most likely aimed at him. With the Turtle Prime Minister killed first and the invitation to the Pear Garden's opening ceremony following, if this lake god doesn't show his fangs soon, he will never be able to hold his head high in Nanzhao again.

He immediately took out the array token, poured his Law Power into it, Soul-Losing Radiant Fire Formation rose in response, like an inverted giant bowl enveloping the entire Golden Ao Mountain. The wind and waves outside crashed into the light barrier, only stirring up ripples, and could not advance any further.

Looking through the Prism, all that could be seen were towering waves, with no sign of anyone. It seemed that the other side was still in the hidden realm at the bottom of the lake, and had not yet appeared.

A moment later, two streaks of light swept down from the mountainside and landed behind Su Yao. They were Liu Yunhe and Li Siyi, who had stayed behind in the mountains.

Liu Yunhe stepped forward, his expression grave. "Daoist, this storm is strange. I was just checking the invitation receipts with Fellow Daoist Li halfway up the mountain when I sensed a sudden surge of spiritual energy on the lake's surface. This is no ordinary storm; it seems the one at the bottom of the lake is about to emerge from seclusion... it seems..."

"It's alright." Su Yao stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze still fixed on the lake. "The Soul-Losing Radiant Fire Formation is already activated. Even if he really comes out of seclusion, he won't be able to attack for a while. If he really intended to break off relations, he should have made his move before I activated the array."

He paused, a cold smile appearing at the corner of his mouth:

"The reason for all this commotion is simply to lure me down the mountain to see him."

Liu Yunhe and Li Siyi exchanged a glance, Liu Yunhe tentatively asked:

"Does Daozi mean... to wait and see?"

Su Yao pondered for a moment, then looked at the token in his hand without giving a direct answer.

"If there really was some deep relationship, it seemed that it wasn't just an ignorant lake minister who made the move that day. Moreover, after searching the entire Baisha Mountain, I felt that the Lake God and the Lu Household weren't as close as I had imagined. Instead, it seemed like they were plotting something. Furthermore, Yunhe went to deliver the invitation, his Water Palace treated him well and didn't make things too difficult for him, as if it wasn't their Lake Minister who had died. And did you notice any of the Water Palace's patrolling generals appearing at that time?"

He paused and then said:

"The fact that they've chosen to make such a fuss on the eve of the Pear Garden's opening ceremony suggests it's not about settling old scores."

Li Siyi's heart skipped a beat, and she softly replied, "He's testing him. Testing whether Daozi will take the initiative to back down and give him a way out."

"Since he wants a way out, I'll give him one. But I'll decide what that way out is." Su Yao turned to Liu Yunhe. "The mountain gate is about to open, and the invitations have already been sent out; courtesy comes first. If he's truly sincere, he'll naturally accept them. If he doesn't appreciate it, he's just being ungrateful."

Upon hearing this, Li Siyi nodded slightly, but still asked uncertainly:

"But the opponent is ultimately a dragon, albeit a mixed-blood one, yet the proud and arrogant nature of dragons has always remained..."

Su Yao shook his head and looked at the lake again, saying:

"Although the dragon is proud and arrogant, he is of mixed blood. If he were a pure-blooded dragon, belonging to the Returning Water element, he would naturally have no affection for his parents, only a desire to devour everything. However, being of mixed blood and belonging to the Fu Water element, he naturally has a special and deep affection for his birth mother. If he were to make a move, an imperial decree would immediately travel from Qixia Mountain to the Dragon Palace of the South Sea. But ultimately, the other party is Purple Mansion, and we still have to give him face."

After speaking, Su Yao looked at Liu Yunhe.

Liu Yunhe and cupped his hands in greeting, saying:

"Understood. I will prepare a gift and make another trip to the Water Mansion."

Su Yao nodded slightly upon hearing this, then looked at the still-wavering lake surface, his voice carrying beyond the formation with the aid of his Law Power:

"The Pear Garden orchard is located near Cibi Lake. Why must neighbors act like this?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the waves on the lake seemed to pause slightly before surging again. But this time, the waves were three-tenths lower than before.

Su Yao saw this but said nothing more. He put the array token into his sleeve, took out a bottle of pills and handed it to Liu Yunhe, then turned and walked towards the cave abode.

The three birds flapped their wings and followed closely behind, leaving Liu Yunhe and Li Siyi behind, gazing thoughtfully at the gradually calming blue water.

Liu Yunhe stared at the pill in his hand for a moment, then turned and left the great formation. He flew to Cibi Lake, cast Water-Avoidance Incantation, and headed straight for the underwater palace at the bottom of the lake.

Lake gods and mountain gods exist by relying on the spiritual energy of the earth's veins, and can use this energy to create a pseudo-secret realm. Compared with ordinary secret realms, these pseudo-secret realms are no different except that they cannot produce Purple Mansion spiritual treasures; if one is willing to invest Higher Vehicle treasures, it is not impossible to build a real secret realm.

A quarter of an hour later, Liu Yunhe arrived at a gate at the bottom of the lake, above which were engraved the four characters "Cibi Water Palace". He straightened his robes, clasped his hands in greeting, and said loudly:

"Liu Yunhe from the Pear Garden Branch Temple at Qixia Temple has come specifically to request an audience with the Lake God of Cibi Lake."

For a long time, the gate to the Water Palace remained unmoved, and there was no sound from within.

Liu Yunhe knew the other party was deliberately ignoring him, but he wasn't annoyed. He continued standing outside the door, neither humble nor arrogant:

"When I first arrived in Nanzhao, the White Sand Lu Household not only failed to welcome me, but also crossed the border and injured my disciples without cause. Negotiations failed, and in order to gain a foothold, I had no choice but to make an example of them. I never expected that the matter would involve your esteemed Fu Water Affairs. I am also uneasy about this, and today I have brought a bottle of ' Azure Water Pill ' to apologize."

After a moment, a deep voice, tinged with sarcasm, echoed from the depths of the water mansion:

"Qixia Temple has quite the airs. They think they can get rid of my subordinates with just a bottle of pills?"

Upon hearing the other party finally speak, Liu Yunhe felt a sense of relief, but his expression remained unchanged as he continued to cup his hands in greeting:

"I believe I am in the right in this matter. As for matters beyond reason, Daozi also asked me to convey a message: The Pear Garden is founded, Cibi Lake is its neighbor. Between neighbors, why should there be such formalities?"

"Hahaha!" A loud laugh echoed from inside the mansion, but the tone softened slightly after the laughter subsided.

"I have no intention of provoking Qixia Temple, nor am I bothered with your affairs. That Lake Minister was as stupid as a pig; his death is no consequence. However, there is one condition. The Lu Household must produce a few more cultivators specializing in the path of Witch Talisman. After they open that secret realm for me, you may decide how to deal with these esteemed Daoists."