"We pay our respects to the Young Lord!"
Upon seeing Li Xuan's appearance, Li Baiyi and the others immediately bowed towards him. Even Li Tieyi and the others looked at Li Xuan with reverence.
Li Xuan shook his head helplessly, knowing that this respect was all due to his master. Without being his master's disciple, he wouldn't receive such deference.
"Let's talk about the current situation first. I've seen quite a few drastic changes along the way. Some places even seem to have erupted into major battles?" Li Xuan said.
Upon hearing this, Gu Tianxuan cupped his fists in a salute towards Li Xuan and began to narrate.
A moment later, Li Xuan's expression turned solemn.
While Li Xuan spent a month in the first level of the Town Prison, a year had passed in the outside world. During this year, the Demon Realm had not only failed to reinforce its seal but had actively invaded several small cities. Even medium-sized cities subsequently suffered the same fate.
In just one year, the Demon Realm was on the verge of conquering the Hunyuan Continent.
Although the demons had not made any major moves yet, Li Baiyi and the others knew this was the calm before the storm. Once the demons attacked again, it would undoubtedly be a bloody battle.
"Young Master, I seem to have sensed something. When you collected the Immortal Grade Spirit Vein, there was a feeling of loosening in the world. And when you left, there was a trace of a seal dissipating deep within the Chaos Tomb," the Heavenly Dao Brush suddenly spoke as Li Xuan was contemplating.
Li Xuan's heart stirred, and he asked, "Little Brush, what exactly are you trying to say?"
"Young Master, combining what they just said, it seems you've broken the array formation of the Demon Realm," the Heavenly Dao Brush said after a moment of silence.
Li Xuan was taken aback, then frowned and recalled. After a few breaths, Li Xuan gave a wry smile and nodded slightly. He had indeed felt something back then, but it was so faint that he had dismissed it as an illusion. Now, hearing the Heavenly Dao Brush, it seemed the emergence of the Demon Realm was indeed because of him.
"Everyone, of the demons who have appeared, what is the highest realm of strength they have reached?" Li Xuan asked Li Baiyi.
Li Baiyi replied, "Four Demon Venerables. Their strength is only slightly weaker than the Demon Lord of that year. Even if we join forces, we can only barely hold them to a draw."
Soon, Li Baiyi recounted the origins of the four Demon Venerables.
Dark Sky Demon Venerable, Dark Wing Demon Venerable, Dark Flame Demon Venerable, and Dark Blood Demon Venerable.
These four Demon Venerables were from the four great clans of the Demon Realm, and their strength had reached the intermediate Hunyuan realm. Currently, the patriarchs of the six great families and four hidden sects had just managed to reach the early Hunyuan realm. Without the ten ancestors and the advantage in numbers, they would not have been able to stop them.
Awakening Realm, Eradicating Realm, Hunyuan Realm.
Although it seemed like only a one-level difference, the gap was immense. It could be said that the further one progressed in strength, the more a single level difference, or even who broke through earlier, could be overwhelming.
The overall strength of the Hunyuan Continent was not weak, with countless experts in the Eradicating Realm. However, to reach the Hunyuan Realm was as difficult as ascending to heaven. Even the patriarchs of the six great families and four hidden sects were ancient beings who had lived for thousands of years to achieve their current accomplishments.
More importantly, their talents were not ordinary, and they had the support of their formidable family backgrounds to reach this stage. This showed how difficult it was for ordinary people to reach this level.
However, the Demon Realm had four beings whose strength had reached the intermediate Hunyuan realm.
Li Baiyi's ten ancestors, during their lives, possessed the strength of the intermediate Hunyuan realm. But now, they were only a wisp of their divine souls, and their strength could barely reach the high Eradicating Realm.
What gave Li Xuan a headache was that it seemed there was a Demon Lord above the Demon Venerables.
"Young Master, our decision is to take the initiative to attack while we still have the strength to fight. Otherwise, once our three years are up and we dissipate into the world, I fear we will no longer have any chance of victory," Gu Tianxuan said as Li Xuan remained silent.
Li Xuan pondered for a moment, then nodded. Gu Tianxuan's ten ancestors only had ten years. The reason the Demon Realm had not attacked proactively was likely because they had discovered this.
Having been sealed for countless years, to avoid greater casualties, the demons were clearly willing to wait another two or three years.
"There's another point: that the Young Master and the prodigies of our clans leave. Even if we perish, it would be considered that we protected the Young Master and preserved the bloodline for the family," Li Baiyi added.
Li Xuan immediately shook his head. "I will not leave. Even if I can retreat to the Five-Dimensional World, who can guarantee that the demons won't have ambitions to expand outwards? I am a sword cultivator, and there has never been a retreat on the path of a sword cultivator."
Li Xuan took a deep breath and then looked at everyone with a hint of shame. "Moreover, to be honest, the reason the Demon Realm broke through the seal is likely related to me. If I hadn't taken the spirit vein from beneath the Chaos Tomb, the demons might not have been able to break the seal formation."
Everyone looked at each other, but no one blamed Li Xuan for taking the spirit vein and causing the Demon Realm to emerge. Beings who had cultivated to this level naturally understood that many things were predetermined by fate.
The concept of karma was profound and mysterious.
"My idea is that since the demons are not making any moves at present, we should respond to their actions with stillness. In these two to three years, everyone should make preparations. When the demons can no longer hold back, they will make their move. We only have one chance, and that chance must be used wisely," Li Xuan said, looking at everyone.
Li Xuan did not directly tell everyone that he also needed time. Even with two years, Li Xuan would have forty years in the Town Prison. With sufficient resources, Li Xuan was confident of reaching the Hunyuan Realm.
Furthermore, this time, Li Xuan intended to bring all the patriarchs of the six great families and four hidden sects into the Town Prison. Combined with the spiritual energy of the Immortal Grade Spirit Vein, it would at least improve everyone's strength.
"Since the Young Master has spoken, we will follow your arrangements," Li Baiyi and Gu Tianxuan, after exchanging glances, immediately nodded.
"Everyone, please attend to your clan affairs for now. I will take you to a place later. It will take about two years," Li Xuan said with a smile.
Li Baiyi and the others looked surprised, but they then turned their gaze to Li Tieyi and the others.
"Yes." Seeing this, Li Tieyi and the others cupped their fists in a salute to Li Xuan and turned to leave.
Soon, a quarter of an hour passed, and Li Tieyi and the others returned. After all, it was only a two-year absence, so there was no need for extensive arrangements.
"Everyone, release your minds," Li Xuan said with a smile. As soon as he finished speaking, he moved his mind and instantly brought Gu Tianxuan and the others into the Town Prison.
"This... the spiritual energy is so dense!"
"No, and the time flow here, it seems to be much faster!"
When everyone recovered, they were stunned. But in the next moment, their faces showed shock.
Clearly, everyone had noticed the difference in the time flow.
"Elder Gu, you cannot stay here. The time flow here is twenty times that of the outside world, and you won't be able to withstand it." Li Xuan smiled and then gestured, summoning the Prison Spirit. Under the Prison Spirit's guidance, Li Baiyi and the others entered the first level of the Town Prison.
After settling Gu Tianxuan and the others, Li Xuan looked at Li Tieyi and the other ten people and said, "Gentlemen, for the next forty years, you will cultivate here. Whether you can break through will depend on your own fortune."
The ten people, including Li Tieyi, were already thoroughly impressed by Li Xuan's methods. They immediately bowed and said, "We will do our utmost!"