With that.
In the Great Xia Conference Room.
The conference room was already filled with people, all with embarrassed expressions.
Elder Long sat in the main seat, with Ye Nantian and Bai Feng seated beside him.
Both of their faces were grim, and the atmosphere in the conference room was heavy.
"Bai Feng, you're saying Ao Yuan is trapped in the ancient battlefield?"
Elder Long looked at Bai Feng directly after everyone had arrived.
"Yes, that's right!"
Bai Feng nodded and said, "His Highness, the Guardian Divine Beast, was trying to rescue me, and he was entangled by monsters in the ancient battlefield. It was precisely at the time when the light spot was about to dissipate."
"So..."
Bai Feng didn't say the rest, but it was clear to everyone in the conference room.
Everyone fell silent, their brows furrowed as they pondered a solution.
Ao Yuan!
He was no ordinary person.
He was the Guardian Divine Beast.
And he was the king of the demonic beasts within Great Xia!
If something happened to him!
The first to be affected would be the demonic beasts within Great Xia. What would they think?
"How do you want to handle this?" Elder Long's expression remained largely unchanged. His cloudy eyes swept across the others in the conference room.
"Elder Long, I think we should keep it a secret for now. After all, if this matter gets out, it will surely cause public outcry!" someone said seriously.
Everyone turned to look. It was a bald middle-aged man, one of the highest-ranking officials in Great Xia, who usually assisted Elder Long. He was called Elder Li.
He was also the person Elder Long was grooming as the successor of Great Xia.
"Elder Li is right."
Immediately, someone in the conference room echoed his words, saying, "If the news of Ao Yuan being trapped in the ancient battlefield leaks out."
"Those who are coveting Great Xia from abroad will definitely not let go of this golden opportunity."
"And it will cause immense turmoil within Great Xia."
Elder Long nodded gently, his demeanor as steady as a mountain, "Are there any other suggestions?"
"I believe we must announce it!" Bai Feng stood up, his body as straight as a pencil.
He said in a deep voice, "If we don't announce it, as Ao Yuan doesn't return, this matter will surely cause public outcry."
"Moreover, the demonic beasts within Great Xia will also be restless. If they question us, I'm afraid Great Xia won't be able to provide a better explanation."
After Bai Feng finished speaking, the people who had initially supported Elder Li fell silent.
It had to be said that Bai Feng's subsequent words were very true.
As everyone knew, the time limit for entering the ancient battlefield was only one day. If Ao Yuan didn't return after one day, would the demonic beasts within Great Xia just sit idly by?
At that time...
If they were to question them, what would be the response?
An explanation?
With what to explain, or to fob them off?
Demonic beasts might not have high intelligence, but the Demon Kings certainly did.
Furthermore, the temperaments of demonic beasts were not like humans who would consider consequences before acting.
If they were truly angered, they wouldn't care about the repercussions.
They would act first.
But if the truth were to be revealed...
It would be even less certain that the demonic beasts within Great Xia wouldn't take action.
For a time.
Everyone in the conference room was silent, wavering indecisively.
It seemed that no matter what they did, Great Xia would inevitably face the risk of angering the demonic beasts within its borders.
Elder Long said nothing, merely looking at everyone.
After about half an hour, seeing that no one in the conference room intended to speak,
Elder Long let out a long sigh and slowly stood up, saying, "I have a proposal."
He paused for a moment, and his aged voice suddenly became firm, "This matter cannot be kept secret."
"Even if it can be hidden for a day, it cannot be hidden for a month!"
"Hiding it is simply us not wanting to face reality!"
"Therefore, I think Bai Feng is right."
Everyone looked up at Elder Long, their lips moving as if they wanted to say something.
Before they could speak, Elder Long slowly continued, "Although announcing it will cause turmoil."
"But there's no need to explain Ao Yuan's situation to the general populace of Great Xia. We only need to explain it clearly to the demonic beasts within Great Xia."
"Perhaps this will cause some unrest!"
"But I believe the demonic beasts within Great Xia won't leave us without any time."
"As long as we have time, we have hope of bringing Ao Yuan out of the ancient battlefield."
"In addition..."
After a moment of silence, Elder Long's voice grew louder, his cloudy eyes flashing with a brilliant light, "You must know that Ao Yuan is the Guardian Divine Beast of our Great Xia."
"He is the most powerful creature on Planet Blue currently!"
"With such power, I absolutely do not believe that a mere ancient battlefield can trap him!"
"He will definitely get out!"
As he spoke the last words, Elder Long returned to his seat.
His subsequent words were calm, but they carried an inexplicable confidence.
It seemed that in his eyes, there was nothing Ao Yuan couldn't accomplish.
Everyone in the conference room pondered.
Finally, seemingly influenced by Elder Long's words, their anxiety subsided, and confidence gradually appeared in their eyes.
This was confidence in Ao Yuan's ability to escape the ancient battlefield.
And even more so, confidence in Great Xia.
Great Xia would definitely find Ao Yuan!
"Alright."
Seeing the expressions of everyone, Elder Long smiled with a frown, "Since none of you have any objections."
"Then let's proceed with this matter."
"Bai Feng! You will go and explain to the demonic beasts belonging to the Dragon Palace of Mount Taibai!"
"Yes!"
The meeting adjourned.
Mount Taibai.
Following the news of Ao Yuan's disappearance,
The entire Mount Taibai fell into a state of great upheaval.
Ao Yuan!
He was their pillar of support!
Now he had mysteriously disappeared?
A sky-high rage suddenly surged!
"Bai Feng, what do you mean by that?!"
"Our Dragon God has disappeared? Was this caused by your Great Xia?"
"I'm telling you, Great Xia must take responsibility for this matter!"
"Roar! If anything happens to our Dragon God, I will hold you accountable!"
"What are we waiting for? How dare they make our Dragon God disappear!"
"I knew Great Xia had ill intentions all along."
"Since they are not giving us demonic beasts any room to survive, then brothers, let's go together!"
After hearing Bai Feng's account, all the Demon Kings on Mount Taibai were furious.
Among them, Ao Guang was the most agitated. His gaze towards Bai Feng was as if he wanted to flay him alive.
"Everyone, His Highness the Guardian Divine Beast was trying to save me."
"If there is any fault in this matter, it is my fault."
"It is not the fault of the people of Great Xia."
"Today, we are here to discuss how to rescue our Dragon God."
Bai Feng said neither subserviently nor arrogantly.
Who knew that his words, instead of calming things down,
Made the Demon Kings on Mount Taibai even more furious.
Their gazes towards Bai Feng were filled with coldness.
They were all poised to strike as if they were about to devour Bai Feng at any moment!
...