Chapter 962

“Hu Qing Emperor?”

Upon hearing this name, the Rakshasa King’s heart tightened with caution; though to the Rakshasa, a Tian Emperor-level powerhouse was not a major concern, he was merely a Tian Wang—if he angered that Hu Qing Emperor and faced retribution later, he would surely suffer dearly.

But.

He did not blindly believe the words of this man before him; it could not be that just because Li Yi claimed to be a subordinate of Hu Qing Emperor, he truly was—many had used such lies before.

Moreover, the Heavenly Realm was vast, and this was the Gui Xu Sea; if a Tian Bing died here, who could possibly investigate? “So you’re a subordinate of Hu Qing Emperor,” the Rakshasa King smiled and bowed slightly. “Your humble servant greets you, but friend, do not be alarmed—I mean no harm. I merely wish to ask: have you encountered a Bishui Beast?”

“Bishui Beast?” Li Yi heard the name and immediately recalled what had happened when he first arrived in this world.

Yet he hesitated.

Was this inquiry a test—or merely a genuine question? After all, he was new here and still knew little of this world.

After a brief moment of thought, Li Yi made his choice. With a blank expression, he said: “While searching for Jingwei Bird, I encountered a group of Bishui Beasts to the west. If the Tian Wang seeks them, fly in that direction for roughly twenty days.”

“Oh, truly?” The Rakshasa King’s face brightened. “I never expected my luck to be so good—I’ve actually found a Bishui Beast in the Gui Xu Sea.”

This sea was immense, with no directional guidance; finding a specific creature was extremely difficult, even for a Tian Wang. Thus, his voyage here was merely a gamble.

“Since you know the location of the Bishui Beast, please accompany me. Once I obtain the Bishui Pill, I shall personally escort you out of this Gui Xu Sea.” The Rakshasa King immediately extended his invitation.

Li Yi’s expression darkened instantly.

This was no invitation—it was coercion.

“If I delay Hu Qing Emperor’s affairs, my death is minor, but you, Tian Wang, may suffer consequences as well,” he said at once.

The Rakshasa King laughed heartily. “Rest assured, I shall send a trusted escort to accompany you to meet Hu Qing Emperor and explain the situation. With the honor of the Rakshasa Clan, I’m certain Hu Qing Emperor will understand.”

Clearly, he did not fully trust Li Yi’s words.

“Friend, please—let us go quickly and return swiftly, lest we delay matters.” He gestured.

At this moment, four jade dragons had drawn the ship to a halt on the nearby cloud sea.

Onboard were also powerful Rakshasa warriors—Tian Bing and Tian Jiang level—each terrifying in strength.

“Since the Tian Wang requires my guidance, I cannot refuse—but I hope you move swiftly. Remember, Jingwei Bird’s movements are unpredictable. If we fail to find the Jingwei Stone, even Hu Qing Emperor himself will hold us accountable.” Li Yi took a deep breath, deliberately showing anger and resentment, then immediately headed toward the ship.

This demeanor caused the Rakshasa King’s gaze to sharpen slightly.

He was beginning to believe this man’s words—perhaps Li Yi truly was a subordinate of Hu Qing Emperor, and searching for the Jingwei Stone was entirely plausible.

Such treasures were of great use even to Tian Emperors.

Many Tian Emperors dispatched Tian Bing and Tian Jiang to the Gui Xu Sea to seek traces of treasures—it was not unusual.

Yet he truly needed the Bishui Beast.

Thus, he would worry about the rest later—first, achieve his goal, then decide how to handle this man.

When Li Yi boarded the ship.

He immediately drew many hostile glances.

All were powerful Rakshasa warriors, scrutinizing him with clear ill will.

"The Rakshasa people despise humans—don’t be nervous, it’s normal. I must say, you Earthman, you’re truly different. Lying comes as easily as eating and drinking. You weave lies with such skill—ha! The Hu Qing Emperor has been gone for so many years, yet I never thought I’d help you one day."

At this moment, Hu Qing’s voice echoed in Li Yi’s mind—he was laughing merrily.

He never imagined Li Yi would use a dead man’s name as a shield—and it actually worked, at least enough to prevent the Rakshasa Tian Wang from killing him on the spot.

Of course, this only lasted until they found the Bishui Beast.

What happened after—that remained uncertain.

“Why do the Rakshasa hate humans?” Li Yi ignored the rest and asked for the reason.

“Of course because humans are handsome. Haven’t you seen how ugly these Rakshasa are—green faces, fangs, hideous?” Hu Qing explained.

“At this cultivation level, changing one’s appearance shouldn’t be difficult,” Li Yi said.

Hu Qing replied: “All transformation arts leave traces. Only natural appearance aligns with the Dao of Heaven and Earth. In the Heavenly Realm, methods to pierce illusions are countless. The Rakshasa’s ugliness is common knowledge—their stench remains no matter how you change. You can’t hide it.”

“I see. So they’re jealous I’m handsome—no wonder their hostility is so intense. Now I understand.” Li Yi stroked his chin, unafraid, and met their gazes directly.

“I’ll kill you.”

At that moment, a Rakshasa Tian Jiang could no longer endure Li Yi’s stare—he erupted in fury, roaring as he vanished from his spot.

In that instant.

A lethal threat enveloped Li Yi’s entire body.

“Damn it, this guy’s gone mad from being ugly,” Li Yi gasped.

He’d assumed Heavenly Realm cultivators would be more civilized, more refined—but even here, there were lunatics—just because he was ugly, they wanted to kill him?

Yet a Tian Jiang’s power was terrifying to Li Yi now—even with his recent breakthrough and the dual blossoms, he was no match for such a foe.

He channeled all his magic power, and the Black Gold Star Armor on his body blazed with light, hoping its defense could withstand the attack.

But then—

BOOM! The heavens trembled, the cloud sea scattered—the fiery-tempered Rakshasa Tian Jiang was blasted away in an instant, with no time to react.

“What? Did the Tian Wang intervene?” Li Yi instinctively thought.

But clearly, that was not the case.

The Tian Wang had not moved. Before him stood a woman—dressed provocatively, her figure graceful and exquisitely seductive. Though only her back was visible, she radiated a suffocatingly alluring beauty.

“Finally, I meet a handsome man—and almost get him killed by you? What a waste. Let me take him—I’ll cherish him well, to ease the boredom of the journey,” the woman said, her voice honeyed and bone-melting, igniting an unnamed fire in the heart.

"This is a Rakshasa woman—beautiful and alluring, draining marrow and blood. Be careful," Hu Qing’s voice echoed again.

Rakshasa Woman? Li Yi’s expression shifted as he stared at her.

She turned, swaying her waist, revealing a face of breathtaking, almost demonic beauty. Her crimson treasure-robe framed her like a mandrake flower.

“Why are Rakshasa men so ugly, yet their women so stunning?” Even Li Yi, well-traveled and worldly, could not help but find her dazzling, his heart quickening.

It was as if her very existence embodied desire.

“This is the Rakshasa way. But don’t be fooled by her looks. Rakshasa women may be beautiful, but they’re ruthless—they love to rip out your heart while you’re aroused and eat it raw,” Hu Qing said. “Of course, if you’re powerful enough, you can get a Rakshasa Woman pregnant. They won’t mind becoming your wife and bearing your children.”

“No thanks,” Li Yi said at once.

Suddenly, the Rakshasa Woman flickered and appeared behind Li Yi.

Her pale arm curled around his neck, her alluring face pressed close as she inhaled deeply.

Li Yi instinctively tensed, silver lightning weaving around his body, spiritual power leaking outward, trying to repel her.

But the Rakshasa Woman remained unmoved, her eyes burning hotter: “Thunder energy—though weak now, the potential is immense. I wonder what connection you have with the Heavenly Thunder Bureau.”

At this moment, the Rakshasa Tian Wang boarded the ship and said: “Treat this friend with courtesy—he is a subordinate of Hu Qing Emperor, here specifically to guide us in search of the Bishui Beast.”