Gu Lie recognized Xiao Yan through Qing Meng, who was sitting on the other person's shoulder, and thus did not make a move.
The Xiao Clan's First Elder, without hesitation, attacked Yan Jin.
"What?"
Yan Jin dared not be careless about the First Elder's unexpected move; he changed his move midway, forcibly altering the direction of his attack.
He swung his right palm, colliding with the First Elder's fist.
The First Elder had been planning for a long time, while Yan Jin had forcibly changed his move midway. In this collision, Yan Jin did not gain an advantage, retreating a few steps, letting out a muffled grunt, with blood overflowing from the corner of his mouth.
Xiao Yan faced the Void Swallowing Flame's finger print with an unchanged expression. He found that the Void Swallowing Flame's power did not seem as terrifying as it had appeared above the Yao Ceremony.
Vast spirit power surged out, and after forming a hand seal, he used his strongest spirit power Dou Technique.
"Soul Guiding Spear!"
The spirit power condensed into a long spear, which fiercely thrust forward.
The spirit spear collided with the energy finger print, causing the Void Swallowing Flame's figure to pause, while Xiao Yan rapidly retreated.
However, Gu Lie blocked his path.
The power displayed by the Soul Clan was too strong. Gu Lie judged that only if Yan Jin broke through to Nine-Star Dou Sheng would their side have a greater chance of winning.
Although Xiao Yan could now contend with an Eight Star Dou Sheng, he relied on spirit power, and his own cultivation was only Five Star Dou Sheng. Even if he absorbed the Nether Lotus Demon Flame, his strength would not undergo a qualitative change.
From the perspective of the overall situation, Gu Lie proposed his plan, stating concisely:
"Xun'er's Golden Emperor Sky Burning Flame and the Yan Clan's Volcanic Rock Flame are for you; the Nether Lotus Demon Flame is for Clan Leader Yan Jin!"
He believed that Gu Yuan and Yan Jin would also agree. As for the loss of Xun'er's Golden Emperor Sky Burning Flame, as long as they could defeat the Soul Clan, any compensation could be made afterward.
Xiao Yan was silent for a moment, then shook his head and said, "Sorry, I still prefer the Nether Lotus Demon Flame."
"You haven't refined it yet. In this situation, can you even leave?" Gu Lie said calmly.
"Whether I can leave or not, I'll only know if I try!" Xiao Yan's gaze was firm. How could he possibly spit out something he had already obtained?
If he didn't have control over the Heavenly Tomb, he might compromise after careful consideration, but there was no such 'if'. As long as he left the Demon Flame Space, he could directly open the Heavenly Tomb and enter it.
Once inside the Heavenly Tomb, even Gu Yuan wouldn't be able to do anything to him!
However, the Lian Tian Ancient Formation had disappeared, and the Demon Flame Space had regained stability, making it difficult to tear open. To get out, one could only use the entrance and exit.
In the current situation, this was no small challenge.
Looking at the resolute Xiao Yan, Gu Lie still did not make the first move, and the other three had also surrounded them.
The Void Swallowing Flame's eyes flickered. Although according to the agreement with the Xiao Clan, he couldn't make a move once their people got their hands on it, an agreement was an agreement, and whether to abide by it was another matter.
Moreover, the current Xiao Yan was outside the Xiao Clan. If the Soul Clan's people succeeded, he probably wouldn't know about this agreement and would continue to make a move.
He looked at the Xiao Clan's First Elder, who gave no response.
The five people were in a stalemate for a time. The Void Swallowing Flame was wary of the Xiao Clan and dared not act rashly. Gu Lie also had reservations and did not make the first move. The Xiao Clan's First Elder would certainly protect Xiao Yan. Yan Jin very much wanted to launch an attack, but he couldn't discern the attitude of the other few people.
Ultimately, it was Yan Jin who broke the stalemate. He spoke:
"How about we stop fighting and make this kid spit out the Nether Lotus Demon Flame together? We're fighting tooth and nail, we can't let others reap the benefits."
No one responded.
Just then, a star-shimmering slash tore through the Demon Flame Space and crashed into the Magma ocean with a boom, raising huge waves.
This was Xiao Zhan's move. The distance between him and Lei Ying and the Demon Flame Space grew shorter and shorter as they fought. After Lei Ying dodged his attack, this move happened to land on the Demon Flame Space.
Xiao Yan sensed an opportunity and immediately retreated through the passage created by the slash.
"Don't think of leaving!" Yan Jin hastily pursued, "Lei Ying, stop him! The Nether Lotus Demon Flame has been taken away by that kid."
Lei Ying's eyes narrowed slightly, and he slapped out a palm towards Xiao Yan, blocking his path.
Xiao Zhan, however, did not take the opportunity to attack him. His figure flashed, and he appeared in front of Xiao Yan, blocking the palm strike.
Xiao Yan was momentarily stunned. That palm strike just now gave him a very strong sense of danger. Although he didn't know why this black-robed person would help block it, he didn't dither either. After thanking him, he casually opened the door to the Heavenly Tomb.
"We'll meet again!"
After shouting to Yan Jin and the others, he disappeared into the Heavenly Tomb.
Yan Jin still wanted to pursue but was bounced back by the closing door. Xiao Yan used the Heavenly Tomb's own power to refuse all visitors.
"Damn it." Yan Jin's face was grim.
Gu Lie's expression, however, remained unchanged. Although from a strategic perspective, it was best for the Nether Lotus Demon Flame to fall into Yan Jin's hands, he could accept Xiao Yan getting it as well.
The Void Swallowing Flame's gaze shifted erratically, but there wasn't much anger.
As the Soul Clan's trump cards, the four living dead Elders, had not yet been exposed, the Soul Clan still held an absolute advantage when facing the Xiao Clan.
As for the three-clan alliance, the Soul Clan's current displayed power, combined with the Xiao Clan, would be enough to handle it.
Hun Tiandi and Gu Yuan also stopped fighting, the eight figures looking at each other from a distance.
Hun Tiandi spoke calmly: "Gu Yuan, I have given you many opportunities. You have repeatedly refused my proposal to join forces; you will regret it."
Gu Yuan responded coldly: "I really should have, at any cost, annihilated the Soul Clan back then."
A hint of a smile appeared on Hun Tiandi's face:
"Hehe, that was indeed the weakest time for my Soul Clan, and the best opportunity for your Gu Clan. Now it's too late.
"Wait for the moment I break through to Dou Emperor and rule the world. By then, I will no longer offer generous terms. It's either submission or death!"
Gu Yuan frowned, a bad premonition rising in his heart.
...
In the Gu Clan, shouts of battle shook the heavens, and various Dou Techniques constantly flew through the air. From time to time, strong individuals were injured or fell.
Hun Zhang, holding a cyan wooden sword that looked unsharp, like a toy, was fighting with Gu Dao.
"How dare you invade my Gu Clan! Do you think bringing this many people is enough?" Gu Dao's face showed clear anger.
Hun Zhang had a slight smile on his face: "It's not quite enough, but our goal isn't to annihilate your Gu Clan..."
To deal with the Gu Clan, the Soul Clan had dispatched almost all of its experts. The Three Sword Saints, Hun Qianmo, and others all participated in this surprise attack.
However, within the Ancient Realm, many of the Gu Clan's arrangements remained, and not everyone from the Soul Clan had come. So, after the initial surprise attack caused some chaos, the situation settled into a stalemate.
"The Four Demon Saints went to the Nether Lotus Demon Flame, didn't they? To only send you three youngsters over, are you underestimating my Three Immortals of the Gu Clan?" Another Elder, a late-stage Seven Star Dou Sheng, had killing intent in his eyes.
His opponent, Hun Qiu, said nothing, his expression completely unchanged, merely making and countering moves silently.
Hun Zhang saw that Hun Qiu and Hun Dan were at a disadvantage when fighting one of the Three Immortals, so he spoke:
"Let's form a formation. In one-on-one combat, we're still a bit lacking."
"Formation..." Gu Dao's face showed solemnity as he looked at the Soul Clan's Three Sword Saints, who had gathered together, their auras intertwining.
In the chaotic battlefield, a pair of pure black eyes, without any whites, stared at the young girl whose body was engulfed in golden flames, a smile appearing at the corner of his mouth.
"The Gu Clan's divine bloodline... That idiot Hun Xiao in the Heavenly Tomb stopped me from acting against you. This time, I won't let you escape again."
Hun Feng and Hun Yu approached Xun'er silently, one in front and one behind.
Hun Xiao noticed their movements, pursed her lips, and ignored them, choosing Gu Qingyang as her opponent.
She was entirely focused on participation, only using fifty percent of her strength, fighting somewhat distractedly, putting more attention on her surroundings to prevent anyone from the Gu Clan, like Hun Feng and Hun Yu, from targeting her, the Young Clan Leader of the Soul Clan.
Suddenly, an urgent alarm sounded, the sound coming from the direction of the Gu Clan's ancestral hall.
"Oh no, ancient jade!" Gu Dao's expression changed.
"Stop him! Elder Gu Yang has betrayed us!" An urgent shout, amplified by Dou Qi, spread throughout the heavens and earth.
Just as everyone's attention was drawn to this, Hun Feng and Hun Yu attacked Xun'er.
...
In the Yan Realm, two god-like figures stood high in the sky, wantonly radiating their auras.
Terrifying pressure enveloped the entire Yan Realm.
Feeling the formidable auras of these two, no less than their own clan leader's, the people of the Yan Clan immediately activated their protective clan formation.
"Is this the Yan Realm? It's much larger than my Xiao World..."
"As expected of the unweakened descendants of a Dou Emperor..."
The two chatted idly, seemingly relaxed, but their muscles were taut. Facing the Yan Clan's protective formation, they dared not be careless.
"Second Elder, it's been a long time since we've seriously made a move, hasn't it?"
"Haha, Third Elder, together, let's test the power brought by the Worm of Spirit after its breakthrough!"
...
Above the Lei Realm, four black-robed figures continuously released their pressure, and the strong individuals of the Lei Clan stood ready.
All four concealed their faces, but the leading one's slender, pale legs were particularly striking.
Besides them, there was also a small figure with a pair of flying Dou Techniques on his back, refined from Heavenly Demon Phoenix wings.
"Who are you, daring to cause trouble in the Lei Realm?" Lei Dong looked at them coldly.
"Jie jie jie... The Lei Realm is nothing. If it were the Ancient Realm, I might be wary," Xiao Ning, a late-stage Seven Star Dou Sheng, said with a strange laugh.
"Your Clan Leader isn't here, is he? The remaining people aren't enough to make us wary," Xiao Yu said with a smiling expression.
Lei Dong instinctively felt that the four people in front of him were not very old, and he was greatly shocked. Did the Soul Clan hide such powerful experts besides the Four Demon Saints?
"Not good! Elder Lei Nuo has betrayed us and escaped with the ancient jade!" A shout came.
"So your target was the ancient jade?"
"Mm, but you found out too late." Xiao Yu slapped out a palm, restraining the Lei Clan's experts, creating an opportunity for the Soul Clan's infiltrator to escape.