To be precise, it wasn't a truly existing voice but one that arose directly in Li Ang's mind.
The voice was dreamlike and illusory, fluctuating and indistinct. Its melody was slow and strange, like distant rolling thunder or a mumbled murmur in a dream.
In an instant, Li Ang's mind was filled with this voice, and all other stray thoughts vanished as swiftly as if flushed down a toilet.
But his legs were rooted to the ground like a tree, immobile. His entire body was firmly nailed in place.
Li Ang could see, outside the foggy gateway, in the moonlit trench, his few standing player companions, as if sensing something, subconsciously looked in Li Ang's direction.
Through the foggy gateway, their peering gazes abruptly froze.
As if struck by an invisible thunderbolt, they collapsed to the ground without even a chance to struggle—even Miss Chai, who resided within the Qinge Armor, was no exception.
Li Ang, rigid and unable to move, forced his eyes shut with all his might.
However, the figure in the darkness possessed an incredibly intense 'presence.' Even through his eyelids, it could project its image onto Li Ang's retinas, creating a sensation of déjà vu.
Li Ang "saw" the figure's form.
She was a short girl.
Her skin was fiery red, a stark contrast to the ethereal Green Graceful Wing Gauze she wore.
Her black hair reached her waist, its ends, along with her arms and ankles, burning with fierce flames.
Her eyes had no whites; the pitch-black orbs, dotted with countless brilliant lights, were as deep as the vast starry sky.
Her lips curved slightly, a smile that seemed both innocently radiant and mockingly disdainful.
TREAD!
The figure nonchalantly took another step. Instantly, the sandy ground throughout the entire area, under the assault of the sweeping heatwave, transformed into a mirror-smooth crystalline plane.
Only the patch of ground beneath Li Ang's feet remained fine sand.
"You are very impressive."
The figure didn't open her mouth to speak, yet the voice entered Li Ang's mind. "In the past thousand years, you are the first human to open this door."
Li Ang, struggling under an immense pressure that nearly crushed his bones, managed to open his mouth and forced a word out through clenched teeth, "...Drought Demon?"
Classic of Mountains and Seas: There is a person wearing green clothes, named the Yellow Emperor's daughter, Ba. When Chiyou waged war against the Yellow Emperor, the Yellow Emperor ordered the Responding Dragon to attack Chiyou in the wilds of Ji Province. The Responding Dragon stored up water, so Chiyou implored the Lord of Wind and the Master of Rain to unleash great winds and rain. The Yellow Emperor then sent down the celestial maiden called Ba; the rain ceased, and Chiyou was subsequently slain. Ba could not return to the heavens, and where she resided, no rain would fall.
This was the Drought Demon!
The other party—or rather, the Drought Demon—fell silent for a moment. She then gently lifted her head, her eyes gazing at the boundless, tranquil, pitch-black sky. With a reminiscent tone, she said softly, "Heh, it has been a long time since I've heard that name..."
She lowered her head, looked at Li Ang, and said nonchalantly, "Just call me Hu."
The oppressive burden on Li Ang vanished instantly. He stared at the mythical being, who seemed quite pleased. Instead of rashly attacking or fleeing, he stood silently, gathering his thoughts.
This was the first time he had come face to face with a legendary being of such clear consciousness.
Even the false Reindeer God trapped in the underground space of the Williams Mansion couldn't match a thousandth of Hu's imposing presence.
On Li Ang's person, perhaps only the perfect-quality Damaged Origin of Life, once completely restored and upgraded, could compare to the Drought Demon in terms of 'mystique'...
Hu paid no mind to Li Ang's silence. She seemed quite joyful, walking barefoot at a leisurely pace. (The ground she trod upon crystallized from the intense heat even before her soles touched it, producing crisp footsteps.)
She reached out and smoothly took the All Bright Moon Palace Lantern from Li Ang's hand, examining it back and forth with a nostalgic gaze, studying it intently.
Li Ang remained silent. In the presence of a mythical being whose mere existence could cause a natural disaster, silence was perhaps the best option.
However, Hu seemed to have no intention of ignoring Li Ang. Holding the Palace Lantern in one hand, she casually waved the other through the air and asked nonchalantly, "Are you from the Heterodox Academy?"
As she spoke, the dark cloud in the sky connected to the Moon God Crown split apart directly. The dense black clouds over the distant sea trench also seemed as if wiped by an eraser—forcefully torn, splitting in two, and gradually dissipating.
Li Ang exhaled sharply, his mind racing to guess her intentions. He responded cautiously, "Not exactly, but those individuals lying outside do have connections with the Heterodox Academy."
Hu nodded indifferently. She casually crushed the Palace Lantern's frame and took out a yellowed candle burning with a bright flame. "After you leave, inform the Heterodox Academy to prepare themselves.
Shuiyun and I are about to leave. With their current strength, they are not capable of suppressing the Demon Prison and preventing its infiltration into the Mortal Realm. The Demon Tide is inevitable. The sooner they prepare, the smaller the losses will be later on."
The Drought Demon's words contained an overwhelming amount of information. Li Ang was silent for a moment, then slowly asked, "...What do you mean by the Demon Prison infiltrating the Mortal Realm?"
"You don't know?" Hu said indifferently. "Heh, I suppose so. To what state has the Heterodox Academy fallen, for even the handover ritual of the Demon Prison to be completed by an outsider."
She shook her head and explained to Li Ang casually, "Centuries ago, Shuiyun—that is, the Mirage Dragon—and I made an agreement with the Heterodox Academy.
They pledged to protect the Dragon Clan's Dragon Descendant Bloodline and provide me with residency in the deepest part of the Demon Prison, allowing me to hide there and avoid heavenly tribulations. In exchange, Shuiyun and I would guard the myriad fiends within the Demon Prison.
For a thousand years, Shuiyun remained in a half-dreaming, half-waking slumber, while I stayed here with her. Meanwhile, I used the Misty Territory to observe the vast changes on the earth.
Now, the agreed-upon time has arrived. Someone has brought the Palace Lantern and opened the gate, so it is time for Shuiyun and me to leave.
As for the Demon Prison... that is something you yourselves must consider."