Li Chonglou remained silent.
The two sat facing each other, but the atmosphere had become extremely subtle.
Luo Ya seemed to have something to say, but due to Li Chonglou's silence, he held back for a moment.
He appeared to want to speak but refrained.
He couldn't gauge Li Chonglou's attitude and wanted to know his true feelings to make his own decision.
Unbeknownst to him, while the situation was unexpected, Li Chonglou was not overly surprised overall.
He simply hadn't anticipated that the crisis, which he expected during the mission, would erupt only after he returned to safety.
Furthermore, it wasn't a death trap.
Yes, he had a general idea of Luo Ya's intentions.
If it were truly a death trap, the other party wouldn't have the inclination to seek him out. A person on the verge of death would hold no value to them!
Coupled with the fact that the other party had extended an invitation to him when he first visited Camp One, the true purpose of their meeting now was self-evident.
At the same time, Li Chonglou had a conjecture about why it wasn't a death trap.
If there were no external influences, he believed that during the mission, a more powerful exotic beast would have appeared!
Or perhaps a stronger enemy was waiting for him in the shadows.
Based on past experiences, the mission would definitely not be easy.
However, reality was the exact opposite.
The power of the Heavenly Dao, in essence, was the heavens wanting you to have bad luck. This was something you couldn't avoid!
The only thing you could do was possess the ability to deal with it when misfortune struck.
It was like playing a game; when you resolved the misfortune, you would receive a generous reward.
This was the rule governing the influence of the Heavenly Dao.
But this time, all signs leading up to the mission indicated the influence of the Heavenly Dao, yet the mission proceeded exceptionally smoothly.
Despite some twists and turns, the overall crisis was far less severe than the previous two. In the end, he gained a vast amount of soul energy, resolving one of his worries.
Not only that, but he also acquired a significant amount of blood crystals.
Another rule of the Heavenly Dao was that the misfortune escalated with each occurrence, so Li Chonglou had been mentally prepared.
Ready at any moment to face imminent danger to his life!
Yet, reality once again deviated.
"This should also be related to the power of the peak, right?"
Li Chonglou mused silently.
Because Luo Ya had mentioned that the power of the peak generally did not interfere with matters below. Even if China were to be fully invaded by enemies, they typically wouldn't intervene unless it reached a point of total extinction.
This was intriguing.
Because no matter how strong the power of the peak was, they were still human. One of human nature's core aspects is control. Regardless of who it was, upon reaching that level, they would certainly not tolerate things they found displeasing!
Therefore, in Li Chonglou's view, there must be some rule restricting the power of the peak from acting.
And this restriction was likely closely related to the fact that he was not currently in a death trap!
Li Chonglou remained silent for a long time, contemplating much. Luo Ya, meanwhile, did not urge him, simply waiting patiently opposite him.
"I understand."
Li Chonglou suddenly stood up.
Luo Ya asked in confusion, "Where are you going?"
I still have things to say!
"I know you want to invite me to join the Directorate, and as you just said, if I stay in the underground world, I will also have a peak power protecting me, right?"
Luo Ya was astonished.
He had initially thought Li Chonglou's silence was him composing himself, but he hadn't expected him to see through so much.
How long had it been?
Just from his few words?
Despite his surprise, the answer Li Chonglou gave was not what he expected.
"As expected of someone possessing the power of the Heavenly Dao, this ability to react is something I've rarely encountered in my life. However, you may have overlooked something."
Luo Ya's expression suddenly turned serious.
"Yes, I do want to invite you to join us. Although after this, you might not be able to return to the surface world for a while, or perhaps even for your entire life, you will still be you."
"As long as a person is not dead and still possesses their abilities, there will eventually be a chance for a comeback. Ultimately, the power of the peak also began with possessing the power of the Heavenly Dao!"
These words, if heard by others, might have caused them to change their minds, or at least given them a surge of motivation.
Moreover, setting aside other details, from a macro perspective, Li Chonglou's current situation indeed warranted remaining in the underground world.
It was also the best choice, as it would allow him to continue developing his strength, with the backing of a peak power.
Once his influence grew powerful enough, why should he fear that Golden Power?
After speaking, Luo Ya's expression returned to its usual calm.
He felt that anyone who heard these words would undoubtedly grasp the underlying logic.
However, things once again took an unexpected turn.
Li Chonglou paused for a moment, then shook his head.
Luo Ya was utterly bewildered.
"Did you not hear what I said clearly? Shall I repeat it?"
Li Chonglou shook his head and said, "No need, I heard you very clearly. But I want to ask you something."
"If I choose to go out, will Elder Tie be able to protect me?"
Luo Ya chuckled, "You don't think the hope lies with Elder Tie, do you? I can tell you very clearly that in front of the power of the peak, he cannot make the decisions."
"But he still came to see me, so there must be another way."
Good heavens, from his tone, it seemed he wasn't going to accept his suggestion at all!
What on earth was he thinking?
Luo Ya was quite annoyed. He had initially thought that by gradually revealing this matter, the other party would beg for his help without him even needing to ask.
He had even considered whether to use this to pressure Li Chonglou for terms. After all, while those who possessed the power of the Heavenly Dao were not unique, they were still very rare. Even he had only met one such person.
What kind of experience would it be to have someone possessing the power of the Heavenly Dao as a subordinate?
However, in reality, the plot was not developing as he had envisioned! Every word Li Chonglou spoke was beyond his expectations, and he hadn't shown any interest in his suggestion from beginning to end.
What was the reason for this? Even a child could make this choice!
Luo Ya was perplexed beyond measure.
Li Chonglou thought for a moment and then sat down again.
He had initially intended to go out directly and wait for Elder Tie, but he feared an ambush at the entrance. After some thought, he felt Luo Ya's location was safer.
This handsome fellow before him was definitely at least at the eighth level of cultivation!