"I saw it, Xiao Yu is in that building."
Upon seeing Octavian's laboratory, Chen Long's emotions instantly became agitated, wishing he could rush in immediately and rescue Xiao Yu.
Fortunately, Nick Fury, who sensed something was amiss, stopped Chen Long from rushing in to save the day. "Don't be hasty. We are in the Holy Lord's stronghold now. Do you think such an important place would be undefended?"
Nick Fury's words jolted Chen Long. Indeed, this was the Holy Lord's stronghold. It was already incredible that they had managed to reach here so easily. If they were allowed to just walk in, no one would believe there wasn't a trap.
"Tell me, how can there be so little trust between people?"
Just as they hesitated, a voice rang out, and a familiar figure appeared before them.
It was Bai Qi himself.
In truth, Bai Qi had sensed Chen Long and his companions the moment they entered the Shadow Realm. However, considering that Xiao Yu would eventually be returned, he figured it would be an excellent opportunity to extort a handsome sum from them.
For this reason, Bai Qi had not attacked Chen Long and his group, allowing them to reach the depths of the Shadow Realm.
Facing the Holy Lord before them, no one dared to be careless. After a brief exchange of glances, Nick Fury stepped forward and addressed Bai Qi. "Holy Lord, as a king and one of the Primordial Demons, with such a noble status, it is truly shameful to resort to kidnapping and extortion."
Bai Qi was stunned at first, then chuckled. "I say, human, have you misunderstood something? I am a demon. Have you ever seen a righteous demon? Cunning, cruel, and bloodthirsty are our true natures. The fact that I haven't eliminated you immediately and am conversing with you calmly shows I am already restraining myself."
Seeing that this approach was not working, Nick Fury immediately changed tactics, preparing to probe Bai Qi's bottom line in a different way. However, he was unaware that his espionage theories were almost useless against Bai Qi, who believed all schemes and calculations were futile in the face of power.
Compared to Nick Fury, who sought to minimize losses, Old Dad saw things most clearly. Before Nick Fury could speak, Old Dad stepped forward, preempting him. "Alright, Holy Lord, let's not waste time. I don't know why you kidnapped my two disciples, nor do I care. Our purpose here is to bring Xiao Yu and Truit home. They are both blessed with righteous energy, which is of no use to you. So, name your price. What must we pay to bring them back?"
Satisfied with Old Dad's directness, Bai Qi nodded. "Now that's more like it. Straightforward and easy for everyone."
"Since you've put it that way, I won't beat around the bush. I want you."
Upon hearing Bai Qi's words, everyone present cast strange glances.
What did he mean? Although dragons are known for their lust, is he really that indiscriminate? Old Dad is so old, and you still want to...
Old Dad was also taken aback by Bai Qi's statement. However, compared to these impure-minded individuals, Old Dad's thoughts were much simpler. He said with a solemn expression, "Old Dad is a disciple of a Grand Mage, protected by righteous energy, and absolutely will not sell himself to a demon."
Bai Qi waved his hand. "I don't want you to sell yourself to me. To get your two disciples back, you only need to teach at the magic school I founded for five years. Of course, during these five years, you can freely use the rare magical materials in the academy's warehouse and borrow ancient magical texts from the library. Your two disciples can also attend the magic school and enjoy various conveniences."
Old Dad had heard about the magic academy founded by Bai Qi. He had to admit, as an educational institution, Bai Qi's magic academy was successful, producing a large number of skilled mages for the world each year, far surpassing the half-baked ones he had seen at SHIELD. More importantly, the academy's efforts had brought the once-declining mages and magic back into the spotlight, making being a mage a coveted and respected status.
The only thing that displeased Old Dad was that this academy, which had revitalized magic and mages, belonged to no country and was not even part of the righteous faction. Instead, it was founded by an utterly wicked demon.
It was truly ironic. The flourishing of righteousness had led to the decline of mages and magic, yet it was the very black energy and demons they had been fighting against that led mages and magic back to their peak.
However, no matter what, he, a disciple of a Grand Mage, could not work for a demon, no matter how great the benefits.
Seeing Old Dad's silence, Bai Qi knew what he was thinking. He spoke again. "Old Dad, don't you want to take your two disciples back as soon as possible? You know, this is the Shadow Realm, filled with black energy, and your nephew doesn't seem to be holding on much longer, does he?"
Upon hearing Bai Qi's words, everyone's gaze turned to the silent Chen Long.
Chen Long had been like a mute since the beginning, not saying a word. Coupled with everyone's attention being on Bai Qi, they had gradually forgotten about Chen Long. Now, with Bai Qi's reminder, all eyes were back on Chen Long.
Chen Long was in a terrible state. His skin had turned a faint blue, his lips were dark, as if poisoned. One eye was blood red, the other normal. His body trembled slightly, his face contorted as if he were in immense pain.
"Chen Long, what's wrong?"
Seeing Chen Long's condition, his friend Black immediately asked.
Just as Black was about to reach out and touch Chen Long, he was interrupted by Old Dad's sharp shout.
"Don't touch him!" Old Dad took out the dried gecko he carried and said while casting a spell, "Chen Long is currently fighting the corruption of the demon's mark."
Seeing that they were still confused, Bai Qi continued, "In other words, it won't be long before Chen Long is corrupted by the demon's mark and becomes my loyal subordinate. And you will all perish in the endless darkness of the Shadow Realm."
Without giving them time to react, he looked back at Old Dad and said, "Old Dad, I'm asking you to teach at the magic academy. This is a good thing for you, your disciples, and all mages. At the magic academy, you can fully utilize your knowledge, and your disciples can reach higher realms with the academy's help. And surely you don't want all your skills to be buried with you."