671: Chapter 82 The Inescapable Chonglou

"Are we really leaving like this?"

Facing Jing Tian's question, Meng Li nodded.

"Can't you defeat her?" It was Hong Kui who said this.

Meng Li smiled. "Whether I can defeat her or not can only be known by fighting. However, if a real fight breaks out, the situation would indeed be unfavorable for us. Shui Bi is a god, the Water God who governs all rivers under heaven. The ocean is her domain."

"If a real fight starts, she only needs to remove the barrier of the Underwater City and let the seawater flood in..."

Meng Li didn't finish his sentence, stopping after making his point.

Hong Kui looked at the water walls on both sides and fell silent.

She was undying and certainly wouldn't drown. The same went for Lan Kui.

Meng Li should also be unafraid of towering waves.

But Jing Tian, Tang Xuejian, and Xu Maoshan definitely couldn't withstand it.

Xu Changqing and Zi Xuan were also questionable.

Then, Meng Li added, "Even if we could withstand the water pressure, what about the fish? You don't think these big, sharp-toothed creatures are herbivores, do you?"

As if to confirm Meng Li's words, a great white shark in the distance opened its massive, tooth-filled maw and bit down hard, tearing a prey in half.

For a moment, the scene was bloody and brutal.

Jing Tian, Tang Xuejian, and Xu Maoshan shuddered in fright.

Hong Kui frowned.

Zi Xuan and Xu Changqing were also startled.

Lan Kui even hid a little behind Meng Li.

After a moment, Jing Tian forced a smile. "Elder Brother Meng makes a good point. The bottom of the sea is truly dangerous. Besides, we have no past grudges or recent enmity with Shui Bi. If we can avoid fighting, it's best not to. A fair trade, harmony brings wealth—nothing could be better."

"But where do we go to find Xi Feng?" Tang Xuejian asked.

"The Demon Realm," Meng Li answered.

Hearing this answer, Tang Xuejian was first taken aback, then realized: "Oh right! That Senior Mo said that Xi Feng made a deal with the Demon Lord Chonglou and must serve Chonglou for five hundred years."

Hearing this, Jing Tian seemed to recall something and chimed in: "Now that you mention it, I remember."

"Back in the Jile World, that red-haired guy had a man following him."

"Could that man be Xi Feng?"

Hearing his words, Hong Kui, Zi Xuan, and Xu Changqing also remembered.

Xu Changqing nodded. "It's possible."

Seeing this, Tang Xuejian was somewhat surprised: "You've seen him?"

"Then it's easy. We can just go find him directly when the time comes."

However, Jing Tian said, "Things probably aren't that simple. Don't forget, the old man said that Xi Feng, to have a handsome appearance to meet Shui Bi, made a deal with that Red-Haired Demon to be his slave for five hundred years. Knowing that Red-Haired Demon as I do, he won't let someone go easily."

"Otherwise, Xi Feng would have returned to meet Shui Bi long ago."

"And that Red-Haired Demon has always wanted to fight me and Elder Brother Meng. I've fought him before and couldn't win at all. If we run into him while looking for Xi Feng, he'll most likely pester Elder Brother Meng again. Most importantly, the Demon Realm is the Red-Haired Demon's territory. Once he latches onto us, escaping will be difficult."

"Then what should we do?" Tang Xuejian asked, then instinctively looked at Meng Li.

The others did the same, only to see Meng Li's expression was calm.

Lan Kui immediately asked, "Elder Brother Meng, do you have a way?"

Meng Li nodded.

"What way?" Jing Tian asked curiously.

"When soldiers come, we block them; when water comes, we dam it with earth," Meng Li replied lightly, then elaborated: "Since Chonglou is fond of fighting, then we'll just fight him once. Besides, even without the matter of Xi Feng, we still have to go to the Demon Realm. As long as Chonglou is in the Demon Realm, he will inevitably discover us."

"In short, this battle is unavoidable."

"Not just for me, but for you too."

"Me?" Jing Tian was startled, pointing at himself. "I can't beat him."

Meng Li said, "Whether you can beat him or not is your business. Whether he seeks to fight you is his business. There's no necessary connection between the two. And don't forget, he initially came for you."

"Why?" Jing Tian's Face fell.

Meng Li smiled. "Because you are the Reincarnation of Feipeng, the Divine Realm's number one Divine General. And Feipeng was the only opponent back then who could fight Chonglou on equal footing."

"Furthermore, the final battle between Feipeng and Chonglou was interrupted by an accident and never reached a conclusion."

"This has been weighing on Chonglou's mind ever since."

"That's why he descended to the mortal realm, destroyed the Lock Demon Tower, and then found you."

"Tracing it back to the source, the destruction of the Lock Demon Tower is actually related to you. Now that you've taken on the task of collecting the five spirit orbs to repair the Lock Demon Tower, it's like sowing the cause in a past life and reaping the fruit today."

Jing Tian: "..."

After a brief silence, he emphasized, "I am Jing Tian, not Feipeng."

Meng Li said, "We acknowledge that, but it's useless, because the one who'll come to fight you is Chonglou."

Jing Tian: "..."

Hong Kui lightly punched Meng Li. "Stop teasing brother. If you have a way, just say it."

Hearing this, Jing Tian perked up, his eyes hopeful.

Unexpectedly, Meng Li shook his head. "There's no way. He must win this battle himself to truly solve the problem."

"Don't forget, we need to pass through the Demon Realm and enter the Divine Realm next. If we encounter Chonglou in the Demon Realm, I can hold him off. But in the Divine Realm, only Jing Tian and Daoist Xu, who are recognized by the through-heaven stone, can enter among us."

"If Chonglou goes to the Divine Realm to find Jing Tian, I'll be beyond reach."

Hong Kui fell silent.

Lan Kui said, "The Divine Realm should have other gods, right? And Chonglou is a demon. If he goes to the Divine Realm, wouldn't the other gods intervene?"

Meng Li replied, "They won't, and they can't."

"The Divine General Feipeng's main duty in the Divine Realm was to guard the South Heavenly Gate and resist invasions from the Demon Realm. In other words, fighting Chonglou and other members of the Demon Race was his job. The other gods aren't responsible for that, and their combat strength is inferior to Feipeng's; they can't stop Chonglou."

"What about the Heavenly Emperor?" Tang Xuejian asked, then added, "He's the lord of the Divine Realm. Logically, he should be more powerful than Feipeng. Surely he can defeat Chonglou?"

Before Meng Li could respond, Xu Changqing said, "Precisely because the Heavenly Emperor is the lord of the Divine Realm, he cannot take action."

"Why?" Xu Maoshan asked.

Zi Xuan said, "One is the lord of the Divine Realm, the other is the Supreme of the Demon Realm. If they were to fight seriously, it would signify a formal war between the Divine Realm and the Demon Realm. At that point, a divine-demon war would not only bring devastation to both realms, but the other realms would inevitably be affected as well."

Xu Maoshan frowned. "Then does that mean boss can only Face that Red-Haired Demon alone, just like Grandmaster Meng said?"

Xu Changqing said, "It's not just Brother Jing going to the Divine Realm; I will be there too. If Chonglou truly attacks, I will definitely try my best to protect him."

Though he said this, he actually had no confidence in his heart.

He had fought Chonglou before and was completely outmatched.

Zi Xuan knew this and couldn't help but feel worried upon hearing Xu Changqing's words.

Tang Xuejian seemed to think of something and said to Meng Li, "Mr. Meng, don't you have Talismans that can make people stronger? Prepare some for Stinky Tofu when the time comes."

Meng Li shook his head. "Talismans only work temporarily. With his current cultivation level, they wouldn't last long and would have side effects. Chonglou is no ordinary opponent; Talismans alone cannot defeat him. But you don't need to worry too much. While the Heavenly Emperor indeed cannot fight Chonglou, it doesn't mean he'll sit idly by."

"The Divine Realm is his territory. If Chonglou truly ran amok there, it wouldn't look good for his Face."

"Therefore, he will most likely lend Jing Tian a hand when the time comes. However, this is ultimately external help. To forge iron, one must be strong oneself."

Xu Changqing followed up: "Exactly. Brother Jing, you must work hard to improve your cultivation from now on."

"I understand," Jing Tian nodded.

...