บท 190: Chapter 189: The Agitated Ancient Clan
The mockery from the onlookers left Gu Nan Hai powerless to retort. It now appeared that Gu Xun Er's choice was indeed questionable, a sentiment shared by the entire ancient clan.
But who could have predicted that Gu Xun Er would be so unwavering in her decision?
Gu Nan Hai could only snort coldly and turn away from the troublesome scene.
"Great Elder Nan Hai, it seems your clan's youngsters lack the necessary skills. Our Lei Clan would happily welcome Miss Xun Er as a daughter-in-law. Lei Dong is an excellent candidate, also possessing divine blood. The union of the two would surely be a match made in heaven," Lei Chen remarked with a smile, glancing at Gu Nan Hai.
"Our ancient clan princesses have never married out!" Gu Nan Hai's expression turned even more displeased upon hearing Lei Chen's words, and he stiffly replied.
Gu Xun Er was the only one of her generation with divine blood in the Gu Clan, and she was Gu Yuan's treasured daughter being groomed to become the next clan leader. There was no way the Gu Clan would permit her to marry into another clan.
"There was indeed a connection between Lei Dong and Miss Xun Er. Our clan's leader once almost arranged a marriage with Clan Leader Gu Yuan. I believe they are destined," Lei Chen spoke again, with a disapproving look in response to Gu Nan Hai's stiff reply.
"Ah~~~"
At that moment, a middle-aged man with grayish-white skin and a massive stone mark on his forehead from the Stone Clan let out a puzzled sound: "That seems to be the Xiao Clan's Three Mysterious Fire Transformations???"
"What——"
"The Three Mysterious Fire Transformations——"
The astonished exclamations from the Stone Clan elder immediately drew everyone's attention. They turned to witness the scene unfolding and could hardly conceal their surprise.
Although the Three Mysterious Fire Transformations technique was widely known as Fen Yan Valley's unique skill, they were well aware that it was created by that man, perfectly suited to the Xiao Clan's enhancement methods.
Now, seeing Xiao Yan use the Three Mysterious Fire Transformations and knowing his surname was Xiao, the coincidence was too striking.
Soon, they all revealed schadenfreude-filled smiles, looking toward a black-robed figure in a corner.
In the arena, having defeated several prodigies, Xiao Yan finally 'unsurprisingly' encountered the Soul Clan members.
Clap! Clap! Clap!
A series of applause echoed, followed by the voice of Soul Cliff, laced with mirth.
"So, you're the descendant of the Xiao Clan? To think that the abandoned bloodline could bring you this far. But your journey ends here!"
As the space rippled, Soul Cliff appeared with several black-robed figures, an eerie aura silently spreading.
"Brother Xiao Yan, be careful." Gu Xun Er cautioned in a low voice as she glanced at the Soul Clan members surrounding them and turned to Xiao Yan beside her.
Hearing her, Xiao Yan felt warmth in his heart and confidently smiled, "Xun Er, I am not the same as before. We are all equally ranked Dou Zongs, who can truly claim to be better?"
Gu Xun Er smiled gently at his confidence but still reminded him, "Brother Xiao Yan, be cautious. The leader of the Soul Clan this time is named Soul Cliff. Among their younger generation, he has quite a reputation and is very troublesome. It's said that he could have advanced to a Dou Zun a long time ago, but was forcefully awakened for this Bodhi Ancient Tree event. His strength is formidable!"
"Understood!" Xiao Yan nodded slightly. He could indeed feel the oppressive aura emanating from the other party. Among the gathered prodigies from various clans, Soul Cliff was likely the most terrifying.
These exceptionally talented individuals from ancient clans indeed possessed true strength, unlike the talentless geniuses he had encountered before.
"Xiao Yan, you would face fewer troubles if you stayed an ordinary person. The Central Plains is nothing like your Northwestern Continent!" Soul Cliff smiled coldly, but his words were filled with condescension.
"And what's the deal with Yun Yi?" Xiao Yan's eyes twinkled, and he retorted with a light laugh.
"You!" Sure enough, the name Yun Yi caused Soul Cliff's body to tremble slightly, leaving him momentarily speechless. Eventually, he took a deep breath, forced a smile, and said meaningfully, "Believe me, you wouldn't want to meet him."
Seeing the deep fear in Soul Cliff's eyes, Xiao Yan and Gu Xun Er felt a jolt, elevating their assessment of Yun Yi's importance. The mere mention of his name could evoke such a reaction, indicating how profound an impression Yun Yi had left on the Soul Clan.
"Oh dear—" Soul Cliff sighed theatrically, slapping his forehead in mock frustration, "What am I thinking? Your journey ends today; you'll never get the chance to meet Yun Yi!"
"Just you try!" Xiao Yan responded with a sneer, staring defiantly at Soul Cliff.
"As you wish." Soul Cliff smiled thinly, his pale face flashing a sinister grin. "Attack together, kill them!"
"Kekekeke"
The black-robed figures beside Soul Cliff let out eerie laughs, their emotionless eyes fixed on Xiao Yan and Gu Xun Er.
"Hold off Gu Xun Er. I want to drain the blood of the Xiao Clan person myself!" Soul Cliff's sinister voice commanded as he moved like lightning towards Xiao Yan.
"Brother Xiao Yan." Gu Xun Er instinctively called out, but several black-robed figures surrounded her immediately, with a cold fist punching towards her slender neck.
Facing the fierce attack, Gu Xun Er's eyes turned cold. Her graceful hand moved like lightning, penetrating the void and striking back at the oncoming fist.
"Boom!"
The clash of fist and palm generated a powerful shockwave that shattered the stone beneath their feet.
The black-robed figure retreated several steps, but despite the setback, a cold smile remained on his face. In the next moment, more shadows lunged at Gu Xun Er.
"Xun Er." Seeing Gu Xun Er being surrounded, Xiao Yan instinctively cried out but was forced to focus as a piercing howl drew his attention back to his own battle.
"You should worry about yourself first!"
A cold laugh echoed, followed by clinking sounds as a sinister black chain emerged from the void, targeting Xiao Yan's throat like a venomous snake.
"Splitting Fire Ruler!"
Facing the incoming chain, Xiao Yan's expression turned serious. He swung his heavy ruler, unleashing a massive flame attack.
"What a petty trick. Such a weak technique is useless."
Seeing the grand flame attack, Soul Cliff sneered, opening his mouth to release a pitch-black dragon. With a piercing roar, it tore through the flame, charging at Xiao Yan.
A closer look revealed the dragon composed of countless intertwined souls.
"What a vicious technique!"
Startled by the incoming dragon, Xiao Yan's expression turned grim. He swiftly formed hand seals.
Seeing Xiao Yan's technique, the ancient clan members battling the Soul Clan couldn't help but feel conflicted.
By now, the Gu Clan members knew Gu Xun Er had taught Xiao Yan the Emperor Seal Technique, but with Gu Xun around and the Elder Council's silence, they had no choice but to grudgingly accept it.
"Mountain Splitting Seal!"
With a stern shout, a glowing energy seal appeared in Xiao Yan's palm. As soon as it formed, Xiao Yan didn't pause but continued with rapid seal changes.
"Sea Turning Seal!"
Another, smaller but brighter energy seal appeared and merged with the first, causing the surrounding space to ripple violently.
"Kill—"
Xiao Yan's cold shout accompanied the crystal-clear mark smashing into the black dragon.
"Boom!"
An earth-shattering explosion ensued, shattering the ground beneath them and sending a terrifying shockwave rippling outward.
"Emperor Seal Technique?" Soul Cliff's eyes flickered with surprise but soon turned to a sneer. "You're still too inexperienced!"
"Soul Extinguishing Palm!"
Soul Cliff sneered, forming complex hand seals, an eerie black energy rapidly coalescing into a fearsome palm mark.
The palm mark emitted relentless screams and bore menacing soul faces.
"Three Mysterious Fire Transformations! First Transformation! Second Transformation! Third Transformation!"
Facing the overwhelming energy palm, Xiao Yan's expression grew more serious. His Qi surged as he quickly performed the Three Mysterious Fire Transformations, his power instantly skyrocketing to seven-star Dou Zong level.
Feeling the surge in strength, Xiao Yan's lips curved into a slight smile.
"Six Layers of Flowing Flames!"
Holding his black ruler, Xiao Yan unleashed a flurry of overlapping flame strikes, enveloping a ten-zhang radius with dense flame shadows.
"Boom, boom, boom!"
The numerous energy palm marks clashed against the flame defense, triggering a chain of powerful explosions, engulfing the area in a roaring inferno.
"Bang!"
A loud explosion sent a figure hurtling through the air, landing heavily and retreating several steps before stabilizing.
"Secret techniques to boost strength aren't exclusive to you!" Emerging from the smoke, Soul Cliff charged at Xiao Yan again, his forehead's family mark glowing as he broke through the Dou Zong bottleneck, reaching Dou Zun level.
"Xiao Yan, prepare to die!" Soul Cliff's face turned icy as he appeared above Xiao Yan in an instant, a cold energy claw aimed at Xiao Yan's head.
Facing Soul Cliff's fierce attack, Xiao Yan remained calm, his ruler cloaked in four different flames, counterattacking decisively.
"Boom—"
The clash of their blows resembled a cataclysmic collision, causing the ground to shatter and spiderweb-like cracks to spread rapidly.
"Pfuu—"
Ultimately, the gap in their strength was too vast. Xiao Yan flew back, his energy dropping sharply.
"Brother Xiao Yan…" Mid-battle, Gu Xun Er erupted with a surge of the Golden Emperor Burning Sky Flame, incinerating the surrounding Soul Clan members into ashes.
Exploding with fury, Gu Xun Er transformed into a streak of light, charging at Soul Cliff with an icy threat, "Soul Cliff, if anything happens to Brother Xiao Yan, you won't leave here alive!"
"Xiao Yan, die already!"
Gu Xun Er's threat didn't faze Soul Cliff. His indifferent face twisted into a cold smile, his palm gathering energy for a fatal blow.
"Soul Cliff, you're celebrating too soon!"
At that moment, Xiao Yan, lying on the ground, laughed heartily, pointing at Soul Cliff with a mockin expression.
Soul Cliff sensed something amiss, his soul force scanning frantically until he noticed a small, intricate fire lotus within the lingering flames, pulsating with destructive power.
"Not good—" Cold sweat drenched Soul Cliff's forehead as he hastily erected a protective energy barrier.
"Boom!"
A thunderous explosion rocked the area, the energy turning chaotic under the destructive force, spreading across the battlefield.
"Is that boy really a descendant of the Xiao Clan?" Observing the battle, elder Huo Jun from the Yan Clan gazed at Gu Nan Hai, his tone ringing with certainty.
"He indeed comes from the Xiao Clan!" Facing the crowd's scrutiny, Gu Nan Hai nodded. The truth was undeniable.
"It seems the Xiao Clan still has surviving descendants. But for your clan heiress to know the young master of the Xiao Clan, Gu Nan Hai, you have some grand schemes!" Lei Chen sighed before shifting his gaze to Gu Nan Hai with a sharp look.
Lei Chen's words immediately made the crowd's expressions turn peculiar. Aside from the Tuo She Ancient God's Jade, what else could the ancient clan covet from the Xiao Clan?
Everyone there was a crafty old fox, none ignorant of such schemes.
How could Gu Nan Hai respond? Admit that they got nothing from sending Xun Er to infiltrate the Xiao Clan, only for her to be deeply involved instead?
Such an admission would only turn them into a bigger laughingstock.
Left speechless, Gu Nan Hai could only silently watch Xiao Yan battlefield, his eyes flickering with complexity.
Knowing they couldn't get more out of Gu Nan Hai, the onlookers shifted their attention back to the ongoing battle.
"That boy actually possesses four different types of Heavenly Flames?"
The appearance of Xiao Yan's four Heavenly Flames left even the various clans' Dou Sheng shocked. Throughout history, only two people managed to house multiple Heavenly Flames.
One was Xiao Xuan, who fused three flames, and the other, Yan Jin, managed two. Both were far stronger than Xiao Yan, though.
But Xiao Yan housed four Heavenly Flames simultaneously—an almost mythical feat!
"It must be due to his technique!" Elder Huo Jun sharply guessed, unable to believe anyone could house four different Heavenly Flames at the Dou Zong level otherwise.
Huo Jun's words caused everyone to breathe a sigh of relief.
"Is this what allows him to get this far!" Lei Chen muttered, glancing at Gu Nan Hai. "If your clan doesn't want him, our Lei Clan would gladly take him."
"Old Lei, what nonsense are you spouting! Xiao Yan is clearly a fire expert, he would obviously fit better with our Yan Clan. Stop causing unnecessary trouble!" Huo Jun retorted impatiently before Lei Chen could respond.
"Thunder and fire are interrelated, don't you know?"
"…"
Despite Lei Chen's and Huo Jun's bickering, Gu Nan Hai still found it ear-piercing. Their change of attitude was clearly driven by seeing Xiao Yan's potential.
Not to mention the four Heavenly Flames and the possible existence of the Tuo She Ancient God's Jade. If true, it would be well worth sacrificing a descendant with seventh or eighth grade bloodline talent.
Yan Clan Elder Yao Wan Gui's face looked constipated. Despite the covetous interest in those flames, as well as the potential connection to that mysterious cultivation technique, he couldn't openly contest due to Xiao Yan's mentor.
Meanwhile, Gu Nan Hai felt luck was finally on their side. Seeing Soul Cliff being cornered by Xiao Yan further lightened his mood, making him appreciate Xiao Yan even more.
The developments thus drew everyone's attention back to the battlefield.
Engrossed in the realization that Xiao Yan had four Heavenly Flames, many couldn't suppress their amazement. Soul Cliff being cornered was even more shocking.
Despite their disdain for the Soul Clan, they couldn't deny its young prodigies were exceptionally formidable.
Soul Cliff was highly ranked among the prodigies, yet he was struggling against Xiao Yan.
Amid their schadenfreude, Soul Extinction remained stoic, seemingly unfazed by his clanmates' fate. Such indifference sent chills through everyone watching.
However, suddenly, Soul Extinction's expression turned livid and radiated a four-star Dou Sheng's aura. The sky darkened instantly.
"Soul Extinction, what do you intend to do?"
Alarmed, the gathered clan leaders immediately locked on to Soul Extinction with their energies, ready to jointly subdue him should he act out.
"Excellent—a marvelous job!" Soul Extinction ignored them, growling through gritted teeth. With a final icy glare at the others, he tore open a spatial crack and vanished.
Watching the abrupt departure, everyone blinked in surprise, unsure what could have sparked such fury.
(End of Chapter)
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