"All those above the Heaven Monarch level must gather?"
Yi Tianyun didn't think too much about it and immediately followed the instructions on the token, quickly flying towards the designated city for assembly. The gathering city was one of the main cities in the Evil Spirit Divine Realm, Evil Dragon City.
Evil Dragon City already had many elders present. Initially, Yi Tianyun had planned to attack this place but thought it would easily attract major figures, so he attacked the more remote areas first.
Who would have thought that after destroying only a few cities, the Evil Spirit Domain Lord would be dispatched immediately? It was evident that they felt incapable of dealing with him and had no choice but to send him. Otherwise, if they flew over one by one to suppress Yi Tianyun, the Evil Spirit Divine Realm's forces would be severely diminished.
"Evil Dragon City, one of the main cities, indeed has more elite troops…"
Yi Tianyun's eyes gleamed. If he could conquer this place, it would be like cutting off one of the Evil Spirit Divine Realm's arms. However, it was impossible to achieve now since the Evil Spirit Domain Lord was here, so he had to behave.
It seemed that the powerful ones were summoned not from the elders but directly from the Evil Spirit Domain Lord.
He noticed many Evil Spirit Race gathering here, all with Heaven Monarch-level cultivation. The large number made him even more tempted. If he could sweep them all away in one go, he would gain an enormous amount of experience and Crazy Points. Unfortunately, with the Evil Spirit Domain Lord present, he couldn't act recklessly.
For now, he had to blend in and listen for any useful information.
As soon as he landed, several Evil Spirit Race nodded at him in acknowledgment. Having seen Yi Tianyun before, they knew he was the Holy Son, and naturally, they showed him respect.
Given his feat of breaking through many powerful foes, he had earned their respect. Among the Heaven Monarchs, his status was one of the highest, second only to the God Monarchs.
"Holy Son, I heard the elders summoned you, and you didn't return. You're quite daring, aren't you?"
"Indeed, with such a significant event happening in the Evil Spirit Divine Realm, you stayed outside. It seems you really consider yourself a Holy Son who doesn't need to do anything?"
"Our great Holy Son, you finally decided to return? Why not stay outside a bit longer? What's the rush to come back?"
While some respected him, many mocked him, some even showing a hint of schadenfreude. They thought Yi Tianyun was too arrogant and indulgent. When the Divine Spirit Race escaped, most were required to search for them.
Yi Tianyun, however, left the Evil Spirit Divine Realm directly.
Yi Tianyun knew that the elders had continuously summoned him to return or join the search. But he had other matters to attend to at the time and couldn't comply. He had already thought of a suitable explanation and didn't worry about it.
Ignoring their remarks, he strode forward. As he reached the front, an elder approached, looking at him coldly, and said, "You finally decided to come back? As a Holy Son, you didn't return when summoned. You better have a reasonable explanation!"
Because of the tokens they carried, the elders knew whether he had returned. When Yi Tianyun retrieved the Evil Spirit Puppet, the token was immediately isolated, preventing any messages from being received or sent.
As the elder questioned him, the surrounding Evil Spirit Race sneered, waiting to see how Yi Tianyun would handle the situation.
"Can you give me a reasonable explanation?"
At this moment, Elder Tai Suo approached, equally displeased. He believed that Yi Tianyun was derelict in his duties. With the race in crisis, Yi Tianyun's refusal to return was a serious offense, akin to defying orders.
Without offering an explanation, Yi Tianyun released his powerful aura, a Heaven Monarch peak-level force, sweeping around and pushing the nearby Evil Spirit Race back a few steps. The formidable aura was difficult for them to withstand.
"Heaven Monarch peak level!?" The surrounding Evil Spirit Race were shocked. They had heard that Yi Tianyun's cultivation was only at the second or third level of the Heaven Monarch?
How had he reached the peak level so quickly?
"Heaven Monarch peak level?" Elder Tai Suo's eyes lit up, his displeasure disappearing. "You couldn't return because you were advancing in your cultivation?"
"Yes, Elder. I was cultivating outside, focusing on improving my cultivation, and forgot about the token," Yi Tianyun said solemnly. "But a mistake is a mistake. I am willing to accept any punishment!"
Not only did Elder Tai Suo's displeasure fade, but the other elders also relaxed. Cultivation breakthroughs were not easy, and having more powerful individuals was a good thing. They were pleased with Yi Tianyun's rapid advancement.
"A rapid breakthrough to this level means you must have found some opportunity, right? In that case, it's understandable." Elder Tai Suo waved his hand, smiling. "I pardon your offense. Opportunities like this aren't easy to come by. This special situation is understandable."
"Thank you, Elder Tai Suo, for your understanding!" Yi Tianyun smiled faintly, knowing they would forgive him.
Here, strength was respected. The faster one's cultivation improved, the better. Moreover, his absence from the search effort wasn't critical. However, under normal circumstances, he would be expected to help.
Heaven Monarch-level searches were much faster than those by Earth Monarchs.
The surrounding Evil Spirit Race looked on with jealousy. They had hoped to see Yi Tianyun punished, but instead, he had risen in status!
"That's enough. The Domain Lord is about to arrive. You've all worked hard, and the Domain Lord has taken notice." Elder Tai Suo gestured for them to stand properly as the Evil Spirit Domain Lord was about to arrive.
Once Elder Tai Suo had arranged everyone, he flew to the high platform, awaiting the Domain Lord's arrival.
Moments later, the Evil Spirit Domain Lord descended from the void. The elders immediately stood and knelt, followed by the Evil Spirit Race below.
Yi Tianyun also had to kneel, feigning respect.
"Greetings, Domain Lord!"
The deafening roar echoed through the sky, signifying their reverence.
The Evil Spirit Domain Lord descended and sat on the high chair, his lofty gaze sweeping over them. "Rise."
"Thank you, Domain Lord!"
Everyone stood, looking at the Evil Spirit Domain Lord with awe. Such powerful strength naturally commanded their respect.
Yi Tianyun smirked silently. So what if he was a Heaven Venerable? He couldn't even detect Yi Tianyun's true identity.