Lord of Bones

Chapter 654 Old friends gather together
"Brother Li Yuan, I haven't seen you for many years. You are still as charming as ever."

A middle-aged man looked Li Yuan carefully and stood up to greet him.

"Old village chief?" Li Yuan asked uncertainly.

Before entering the spiritual world, Li Yuanlong still looked like an old man.

Now that his cultivation has greatly improved, his face and figure look much younger.

"I didn't expect you to recognize me at first sight." Li Yuanlong said with relief, "It's been a few years since we last met, and it seems like your cultivation has improved a lot."

Before the two separated, Li Yuan had not yet entered the Yuanshen realm.

Li Yuan smiled slightly, cupped his hands and said: "Thank you for the compliment, it's just a small improvement, not worth mentioning.

"I just touched the barrier of the late stage of Yuan Shen realm."

As soon as these words were spoken, the atmosphere in the hall suddenly became silent.

He has reached this level of cultivation at the age of seventy-two. Even on the Thousand Kings List of the Seven Sects of Wenhe, he is a rare existence. He definitely has the strength to compete for the top ten.

Apart from the top ten geniuses, only those direct disciples of the ancestors have such talent.

There was a hint of awe in everyone's eyes when they looked at Li Yuan.

Li Yuan didn't care about these, and asked Li Yuanlong: "I didn't expect that after not seeing you for a few years, the old village chief has also advanced to the peak of the early Yuandan realm.

"It won't be long before we can enter the mid-term stage."

Li Yuanlong said gratefully: "Without your help, I would have turned into dust."

"Old village chief, is there anything unusual about the black dragon bone?" Li Yuan asked.

Hearing the words "Xuanlonggu", Tan Qiuyun and several senior members of the family showed expressions of doubt and uncertainty.

After they exchanged glances, Tan Qiuyun asked, "Are you Li Yuanlong, who was famous in Wenhe back then?"

Li Yuanlong bowed to the few people and said, "It is me, the junior."

"There is nothing unusual about the black dragon bone." Li Yuanlong replied to Li Yuan again, "After returning to the clan, I followed your method and carefully nurtured it with the materials provided by the clan.

"Now, the black dragon bone is evolving at an accelerated pace. If nothing goes wrong, it should be able to evolve into the earth dragon bone within half a century."

Li Yuan smiled and said, "In that case, it should be a natural thing for the old village chief to enter the Yuanshen realm before he turns 100."

Li Yuanlong did not comment, but turned his gaze to Li Lieyang and Ruan Manqiu, and introduced: "This is my father, the head of the Li family, Li Lieyang.

"This is the head of the Ruan family, Ruan Manqiu.

"You once saved the life of Patriarch Ruan, so you two should be old acquaintances."

Li Yuan's gaze shifted to Ruan Manqiu, he nodded slightly in greeting, and then turned his gaze to Li Lieyang.

Although it was their first meeting, Li Yuan did not feel strange, and said with a salutation, "Patriarch Li came to Longshan Tan's to wait for me, it shouldn't be just for me to reminisce with Brother Yuanlong, right?

"What's more, I am really flattered that Master Ruan came with us."

Upon hearing this, Li Lieyang showed some hesitation on his face, as if he was choosing his words.

The old woman at the side, Ruan Manqiu, was the first to break the silence:
"My dear friend Li Yuan, after not seeing you for several years, your strength has reached such an astonishing level. It really makes us old bones ashamed."

Li Yuan waved his hand and smiled modestly, "Master Ruan, you are overpraising me. I just made some progress by chance.

"Since you two have come here together, you must have something important to discuss with me. You may as well speak frankly."

Li Lieyang and Ruan Manqiu looked at each other, then Li Lieyang took a deep breath and spoke slowly: "We would like to ask Li Yuan to represent my son and fulfill the agreement we made with the Grand Elder of Shuiyun Peak of Tianyun Sect."

"Agreement?" When Li Yuan heard these two words, a trace of thought flashed in his eyes, as if he recalled something, "Could it be the sixty-year agreement between Brother Yuanlong and Ruan Ningmeng?"

Li Lieyang and Ruan Manqiu looked at each other and nodded in confirmation.

Li Yuan suggested: "Wouldn't it be fine if we just let Brother Yuanlong go to Tianyun Sect to go through the motions?"

Ruan Manqiu shook her head and said, "With Yuanlong's current cultivation level, it is really not suitable for him to keep the appointment.

"If he fights Ning Meng, he will definitely lose."

Li Yuan frowned and said, "But in this duel, according to the agreement made by the predecessors, as long as Ruan Ningmeng wins, she can take the position of the young master of Shuiyun Peak. Isn't this a good thing for her?"

Ruan Manqiu sighed and said, "When I first met my friend Li Yuan, I told you this.

“Ningmeng’s master doesn’t want Ningmeng to stay in Tianyun Sect.

“Only if she loses this duel can she keep what her master left behind.

"At the same time, she can leave the sect with good reason and pursue her own path."

Hearing this, Li Yuan sighed and said, "Ah, there are still people who try to admit defeat."

Ruan Manqiu continued, “Even if Yuanlong really shows up and Ningmeng wins, Shui Qing won’t admit it easily.

"As the great elder of Shuiyun Peak, he has always been cunning. How could he easily let Ningmeng get what she wants?"

Li Yuan nodded and agreed with it.

Although he had only met Shui Qing twice, these two brief contacts, one of which was a wisp of his soul, were enough for him to make some inferences about the behavior of this great elder.

At this moment, the atmosphere in the main hall became a little heavy.

After a moment's silence, Li Yuan shook his head and said, "You two should know that the Xuanyin Thunder Region begins a weakening period every two hundred years, and it has been in the last three to five years.

“I accidentally got some Lightning Yin Thunder Blades, and I want to take this opportunity to go deep into the Xuanyin Thunder Realm to see if I can find more Lightning Yin Thunder Blades.

"This will conflict with the appointment between Brother Yuanlong and Ruan Ningmeng, so I can't go to Tianyun Sect to keep the appointment."

"What? Young friend Li Yuan wants to enter the Xuanyin Thunder Domain?" Ruan Manqiu exclaimed.

Li Yuan nodded slightly and asked, "Master Ruan, is there any problem?"

Ruan Manqiu said slowly: "The Xuanyin Thunder Region is regarded as a forbidden area by the disciples of the seven sects.

“Although it contains countless natural treasures, it is also filled with endless dangers.

“Even some sect elders don’t dare to get involved easily, as they risk their lives.

"Are you...are you really determined to go?"

Li Yuan's eyes were firm, and he answered without hesitation: "For the Lightning Yin Lei Blade, I must go to the Xuanyin Thunder Region."

In addition to looking for the remaining Earthly Evil Blades, he also wanted to find out where Emperor Yin Lei had obtained the Earthly Evil Blades.

Li Yuan took a deep breath and continued, “Besides, my identity is a problem and I am not suitable for the appointment.

“Everyone in the outside world thinks that I am a descendant of the Longyang Li family, but everyone here should know that I am not from the Longyang Li family.

“Besides, I am not Brother Yuanlong.

"Even if I win this duel by chance, the Tianyun Sect will not easily admit it."

Li Lieyang said, “My dear friend Li Yuan, everyone in the hall is trustworthy and will not reveal your true identity.

“Moreover, our three families now need to rely on your identity as the Longyang Li family to act.

"More than half a year ago, the great elder of Shuiyun Peak sent three envoys who were half a step into the realm of transformation to the Li family, and specifically asked you to fulfill the agreement with Ruan Ningmeng." "The head of the Ruan family has confirmed that you don't need to go to Tianyun Sect in person for this duel.

“Ruan Ningmeng will take the initiative to come to you to fulfill the agreement.

"This way, your trip to the Xuanyin Thunder Region will not be affected in any way."

Li Yuan heard this and a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes. He frowned slightly and confirmed, "You specifically asked me to attend the appointment, but I don't need to go to Tianyun Sect in person?"

Ruan Manqiu and Li Lieyang nodded at the same time.

Li Yuan's face was as heavy as iron, and he muttered to himself: "It seems that the Tianyun Sect has really set its sights on me."

He raised his hand and waved it. Light flashed, and dozens of rings of hidden meanings scattered on the table like stars. He said in a deep voice:
"Master Li, these are all the resources I can currently provide.

"More than one million Earth Yuan Stones, as well as some elixirs, ingots, and materials. Please accept them first."

"Young friend, what does this mean?" Li Lieyang was stunned by Li Yuan's sudden action and asked in confusion.

Li Yuan said slowly: "I heard that there is a wider area outside the Wen River Basin.

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“Since the Longyang Li family is among the hundreds of families in Wenhe, it is not a small family.

“You should also know that the Wen River Basin is just a corner of this continent.

"In order to avoid the possibility of genocide in the future, I suggest that Patriarch Li consider moving the entire family out of the Wen River Basin and away from the Tianyun Sect's sphere of influence."

Li Lieyang's expression instantly became solemn, and the others looked at each other with expressions of surprise and doubt.

The atmosphere in the entire hall became tense and depressing.

Li Yuan turned his gaze to Ruan Manqiu and continued, "Master Ruan, if necessary, the Ruan family should also leave."

Ruan Manqiu asked hurriedly: "My friend, why did you make such a suggestion? What is the hidden reason behind it?"

Li Yuan looked at the people in the hall, feeling mixed emotions, and sighed, his tone heavy: "I won't hide it from you, I know some secrets of Tianyun Sect.

“They specifically asked me to attend the meeting, and it was obvious that they had something in mind for me and they would not stop there.

“Teng Qing and I have traveled everywhere. Although the Tianyun Sect is strong, we can still protect ourselves.

"It's just that I don't want the Longyang Li family and the Ruan family to be in danger of extinction because of this incident."

He paused, looking at the two family heads with a firm gaze: "With our current strength, in order to protect ourselves, even if Tianyun Sect uses your two families as a threat, I can only stay out of it and cannot help.

"As for the appointment on the 60th day of the lunar year, just let Miss Ruan come to me. It will satisfy Patriarch Ruan."

He continued to analyze the interests for the two heads of the family, explaining one by one from the family's future, safety to the possible crises they might face.

Faced with such a serious situation, whether the two major families are willing to leave is not something Li Yuan can decide.

He could only offer them advice and help to the best of his ability.

After listening to Li Yuan's analysis, Li Lieyang frowned and pondered for a long time.

This concerns the future and survival of the family, so it cannot be taken lightly. He spoke slowly: "Moving the entire family will involve too many things. We need to think carefully about it."

Li Yuan nodded slightly to show his understanding.

Then, he flicked his fingers and a crystal clear jade ring with fine patterns engraved on the surface appeared on his palm, emitting a faint luster.

"This is what Brother Yuanlong asked me to pass on. Now it's time to return it to its rightful owner." He said softly, handing the jade ring to Li Lieyang.

Li Lieyang looked at the jade ring, a complex emotion flashed in his eyes, and he said in a deep voice: "When Yuanlong left the family, this jade ring was not taken back, so it is no longer a symbol of identity.

"If you really fight Ning Meng in the future, wearing this jade ring may make Shui Qing really think that you are Yuan Long, giving you more room for buffer."

Hearing this, Li Yuan hesitated and said, "I'm afraid that if I wear this jade ring, it will cause Miss Ruan to misunderstand."

Seeing this, Ruan Manqiu quickly waved her hand and said, "You don't need to worry about this.

“When the Tianyun Sect sent an envoy to the Longyang Li Clan to deliver a message, Patriarch Li informed me immediately.

"I have already informed Ning Meng of your true identity through the Seventh Elder of Shuiyun Peak. She will not misunderstand."

Li Yuan's doubts immediately dissipated and he nodded.

He put the jade ring into the Yun Ring, then turned his gaze to Tan Qiuyun who was standing beside him, and said seriously: "Master Tan, today's matter is of great importance. I hope the Tan family will not spread it to others."

"Of course." Tan Qiuyun nodded and said seriously, "I promised before that I would support the Longyang Li family.

"If the Longyang Li family decides to leave the Wen River Basin in the future, the Tan family will also help them."

Li Yuan felt warm at heart when he heard this, and he cupped his hands and said, "I am very grateful to the Tan family for extending a helping hand."

Tan Qiuyun immediately smiled and said, "My dear friend Li Yuan, I have a small request. I wonder if you can help me."

Li Yuan was stunned and felt helpless. It turned out that there was no help without reason in this world.

He calmed himself down and said, "Master Tan, please speak."

Tan Qiuyun hesitated for a moment before speaking: "Now my friend's cultivation has already touched the barrier, and he has stepped half a foot into the Half-Step Transformation Realm. His strength has improved significantly compared to half a year ago.

"I wonder if you are willing to challenge one of the top three for the Tan family again?"

"Oh?" Li Yuan frowned slightly, hesitated, and asked, "Which genius is it?"

"Gong Yunya from the Shuiquan Gong family." Tan Qiuyun answered promptly and clearly.

When Li Yuan heard the name, he was shocked and said hesitantly, "Master Tan, are you joking?
"Gong Yunya, number fifty-ninth on the top three list, is a strong man who has reached the minor success of the half-step transformation realm."

Tan Qiuyun said: “My friend, you were able to defeat Ren Zhiyuan in the late stage of Yuan Shen realm before.

"Now that your cultivation has greatly improved, I believe you should be able to deal with Gong Yunya."

Li Yuan was silent for a moment, then asked, "Master Tan, may I ask why I must challenge this person?"

Tan Qiuyun said with some worry, "She challenged another member of our family who is on the top three list, Tan Wenjie."

"Is it Tan Wenjie who is ranked 57th in the top three?" Li Yuan asked.

"That's right." Tan Qiuyun nodded, "Wenjie accepted the challenge last year, and although he successfully defeated his opponent, he was also seriously injured.

“The injury has not healed, causing his strength to be greatly reduced.

“Nowadays, many people are coveting his ranking.

“As soon as his one-year exemption from fighting ended, several geniuses on the list challenged him at the same time.

"After careful consideration, we finally chose Gong Yunya, who had waited the longest."

Li Yuan frowned slightly, and after a moment's silence, he said, "If I agree, then won't it mean that I have to stay in Longshan City for a while?"

Tan Qiuyun said: “That’s not necessary.

“Due to his injuries, Wenjie has been staying at Xie’s in Yaodu to recuperate.

"Yaodu is considered a gathering place for medicine in the Wen River Basin. There are many famous doctors and precious medicinal materials that can help him recover faster."

(End of this chapter)