At the foot of a massive volcano in the Yan Realm, the crimson earth spread like a vast canvas, painted into a suffocating hellscape by lava and volcanic ash.
The air was thick with the pungent scent of sulfur, its choking presence like the breath of something from the depths of the underworld.
In the distance, towering volcanoes rose high into the sky, their outlines distorted by the searing heat, resembling a slumbering army of ancient beasts.
Suddenly, the ground began to quake violently, and a deafening roar shattered the skies. The nearest volcano erupted with a fury, spewing molten lava like an enraged dragon breathing fire, shooting straight into the heavens.
At that moment, in front of the ancestral temple, the atmosphere grew heavy with tension.
Gu Fei's recent words were like a bombshell, exploding in the hearts of all present.
Everyone's gaze was fixed on elder Huo Xiong, and whispers of speculation spread among the crowd. If his accusation was true, the clan would be thrown into chaos today!
Fairy Huo Ling stood in a daze, her beautiful eyes staring blankly.
Huo Xiong had long been a respected figure in the clan. To suddenly be accused of being a spy was hard for anyone to accept.
Huo Zhi and Huo Xuan exchanged uneasy glances.
If he truly was a spy for the Hun Clan, it would be a devastating blow to their clan. Given Huo Xiong's high rank and many years within the tribe, who knows how many secrets he had already leaked?
The other members of the Yan clan looked at each other in confusion and disbelief. Some even began whispering, making the scene increasingly chaotic.
"Elder Huo Xiong has always been loyal and diligent in his service to the tribe. How could he be a spy for the Hun Clan?"
"Exactly, he's guarded the ancestral temple for years. If he were a spy, he would have stolen the ancient god jade long ago!"
"Gu Fei may be famous, but it's not right to accuse our elder without proof!"
The murmurs of doubt continued- understandable given Huo Xiong's long-standing presence within the clan. In contrast, he had only just arrived and pointed a finger, accusing him of being a spy.
Some skepticism was to be expected.
Huo Xiong felt a slight sense of relief seeing this. He took a deep breath and, forcing himself to remain calm, looked at Gu Fei.
"Isn't your accusation a bit too much? I've devoted my life to the clan. How could I possibly be a spy for the Hun Clan? Do you have any evidence?"
His voice carried a note of indignation.
The moment he finished speaking, others chimed in to support him.
"Yeah, you can't just throw around accusations without proof!"
"Accusing an elder without evidence is going too far!"
"Our clan won't be bullied so easily!"
Faced with this mounting skepticism, Gu Fei remained utterly unbothered.
His handsome face sported a faint smile, his gaze sharp as he looked directly at Huo Xiong. The moment he met his eyes, Xiong's heart was instantly filled with dread, and he looked away.
"Heh, I wonder how long you can keep up this act!"
Gu Fei's tone was laced with amusement, as though he had already seen through everything.
"Fairy Huo, you can handle the rest from here."
He turned toward Huo Ling, saying this before starting to walk away.
For him, the murmurs of doubt were expected. But having already identified the spy, he had no intention of wasting time on an investigation.
If the Yan Clan didn't take it seriously, there was no point in Gu Fei investing more effort. After all, it wasn't his responsibility to prove or eliminate anyone for them.
Moreover, with the fate of multiple clans resting on his shoulders, he didn't have time to deal with trivial matters like this.
However, just as Gu Fei was about to step away, Huo Xiong panicked.
His large, muscular body trembled slightly, and the calm expression on his face instantly crumbled.
"Wait! You can't just leave without showing proof!"
His voice was filled with urgency as he quickly moved to stop Gu Fei.
He abruptly turned around, his gaze sharp as lightning, piercing through Huo Xiong. For a moment, time seemed to freeze, and the air became thick with an overwhelming pressure.
The next moment, a terrifying aura capable of shaking heaven and earth erupted from Gu Fei's body.
Boom!
It was as if the very laws of nature had been shaken to their core.
The entire Yan Realm fell into deathly silence. The wind stopped blowing, leaves froze midair, and the birds held their breath.
The immense power transcended the bounds of the ordinary. Gu Fei stood like a god descended from the heavens, looking down on everything- untouchable.
Surrounded by a radiant golden glow, his eyes shone like two suns, burning with intense brilliance. Anyone who met his gaze felt their soul tremble. His hair flowed in the wind, and his robes billowed as if he were the embodiment of the laws of the universe.
"My words are the proof."
His voice was not loud, yet it carried an overwhelming authority.
This simple statement thundered in everyone's ears, echoing deep within their hearts.
The terrifying pressure surged like a massive tidal wave, radiating outward. In an instant, the air within a several-mile radius solidified, creating a massive vacuum.
The ground cracked open, forming web-like fissures that spread far and wide. Even distant mountains trembled slightly under the weight of this pressure, as though they were bowing to this formidable figure.
Countless clan members instinctively took a few steps back. Even Huo Ling couldn't help but reveal a hint of fear on her face.
As for Huo Xiong, his face turned ashen, and his legs trembled uncontrollably. Under the terrifying aura, it seemed as though his body might collapse at any moment. Cold sweat formed on his forehead.
The entire scene fell into an eerie silence, with everyone awed by the power Gu Fei had displayed.
He hadn't intentionally used his strength to intimidate them.
But to him, this was such a minor issue that it wasn't worth further explanation.
After a long pause, Fairy Huo Ling finally snapped out of her daze.
"Don't worry, we will thoroughly investigate this!"
Her voice now carried a note of respect, clearly realizing the gravity of the situation.
Gu Fei nodded, withdrawing his aura. He gave Huo Xiong one final glance before turning to leave.
As he walked away, the onlookers exchanged glances, their eyes filled with complex emotions.
Now, they fully understood that his words weren't baseless.
With his current status and power, there was no need for him to falsely accuse an elder he didn't even know.
"Elder, please come with us. We need to conduct a thorough investigation."
Huo Ling took a deep breath, her gaze locking onto Huo Xiong.
Upon hearing this, his face turned deathly pale.
At this moment, he knew that there was no way he could continue hiding his true identity.
(TL/n: Idk it feels like Author is drawing out the chapters lately. I tried removing the bs fillers and the chapter barely made 700 words... So I left it as is.)