Chapter 374: When the Xiao Clan Falls, the Gu Clan Thrives!
"Blood Blade Sage, does this reward satisfy you?" Lu Bu's lips curved into a faintly mocking smile.
"Why toy with me, sir?" The Blood Blade Sage sighed, gazing skyward with a mix of frustration and helplessness.
The young man before him could probably only be negotiated with by a genuine Dou Saint. As a mere Half Saint, he didn't even qualify to sit at the table.
Realizing this, the Blood Blade Sage lowered the massive executioner's blade in his hand. With a wave of his sleeve, he summoned a gust of wind to return the energy core in front of him back to Lu Bu.
How could he dare to accept such a thing? This man wasn't just a big shot in the Heavenly Tomb he was a living Dou Saint!
The Blood Blade Sage quickly calculated his odds and realized there was no other way but to yield. Fighting? Out of the question. Even if he somehow won, he would undoubtedly sustain heavy injuries. And in this perilous Heavenly Tomb, where could he flee to after that?
Outside, on the Dou Qi Continent, he might be able to hide in the depths of some remote mountain or forgotten corner to cling to life. But here in the Heavenly Tomb? There was no escape.
"This mountain is yours to use as you wish. I'll relocate elsewhere." The Blood Blade Sage hefted his blade onto his shoulder and pointed toward another peak in the distance. "I'll take that spot over there. Should you need anything, feel free to call upon me."
After all, these two couldn't stay here indefinitely. Comforting himself with this thought, the Blood Blade Sage turned and strolled away. Before long, blood colored blade lights soared into the sky from the mountain he had claimed, accompanied by deafening bursts of energy. Moments later, the aura of two Turning Dou Zun disappeared, most likely indicating that the Blood Blade Sage had killed the local "landlords" to claim his new domain.
"Such a sensible person…" Qing Lin giggled softly, her delicate voice ringing with amusement.
Lu Bu shook his head with a hint of regret. He had hoped that the Blood Blade Sage would greedily take the bait, shout in indignation, and charge at him with his blade.
But to his disappointment, the sage was cautious no, rational and had instead turned tail and fled, denying Lu Bu the chance to take action.
Of course, Lu Bu hadn't particularly wanted to fight in the first place. The Blood Blade Sage was relatively decent, and with three Dou Saint energy cores already in hand and seven more promised, the sage's Half Saint energy core wasn't indispensable. It wasn't worth the effort to risk an all out battle.
"This guy has good instincts. No wonder he thrived so well in the original story," Lu Bu remarked with a smile before tapping his foot lightly. His soul force surged outward, blanketing the area.
Buzz… buzz… buzz…!
The mountain peak trembled as massive silver runes emerged one after another, stretching across dozens of meters. These runes interconnected, forming a protective web. Moments later, a towering gray barrier rose, blotting out the sky and separating the mountain from the Heavenly Tomb.
Lu Bu flicked his finger, and a strand of black flame appeared in his palm. With a gentle motion, he pressed the flame into the formation's array.
Whoosh… whoosh… whoosh…
The black flames spread like threads, tracing intricate patterns across the gray barrier, forming ominous black chains that radiated a terrifying devouring force, restrained yet menacing.
The gray barrier flickered momentarily before dimming, vanishing into the void as if it had never been there.
The formation Lu Bu had set up wasn't unbreakable. Against a Dou Saint, it might only last for a breath or two. But for any Turning Dou Zun foolish enough to intrude, it would spell certain death. They would be devoured by the formation's energy, becoming fuel to strengthen it further. Even a Half Saint would have to contend with its devouring power, and breaking through the array would cost them at least half their life.
"Done. Time to start cultivating." Lu Bu smiled warmly as he ruffled Qing Lin's hair.
As for whether the devouring force would expose him? Lu Bu wasn't worried. With the Void Devouring Flame as his cover story, Xiao Xuan would have no choice but to believe him. What could Xiao Xuan do, kill Lu Bu? If so, what about saving Xiao Chen? Would Xiao Xuan abandon his only chance?
He wouldn't dare.
"Mm hmm…" Qing Lin nodded earnestly, leaping onto a flat boulder nearby. Sitting cross legged, she produced two eight star energy cores, circulating her cultivation technique as she began to refine their energy.
"Not bad," Lu Bu murmured approvingly. Stretching lazily, he took a seat and began to adjust his breathing.
Half a year had passed since they entered the Heavenly Tomb. With two and a half years remaining, it was time to focus on closed door cultivation.
From afar, the Blood Blade Sage stood atop his newly claimed mountain, observing the faint spatial distortion near Lu Bu's array. His brow furrowed. "Those two… they don't seem like members of the emperor clans."
…
In the dim, oppressive realm of the Soul Clan a place as eerie as the Nine Nether Ghost Abyss
"Void Lord, we've identified the owner of that lost sub flame!" Hun Sha reported respectfully, standing beside the Void Devouring Flame.
"Oh? Who is it?" The Void Devouring Flame's deep black eyes opened, a trace of curiosity flickering within them.
"It was Hun Yu…" Hun Sha's expression turned odd. How does the Void Lord not know who possesses his own sub flames? This is absurd…
"Why are you looking at me like that?" the Void Devouring Flame snapped impatiently. "Your Soul Clan is full of people constantly begging for sub flames. How am I supposed to keep track of them all? You expect me to remember every single one?"
"Haha…" Hun Sha laughed awkwardly, his embarrassment clear. He hadn't expected the Void Lord to catch on to his internal criticism.
"Tell me, who is this Hun Yu?" the Void Devouring Flame asked with a frown.
"Hun Yu is a standout among the younger generation, a Nine Rank bloodline member with strength at the nine star Dou Zun level…"
"Wait, that doesn't make sense!" The Void Devouring Flame interrupted, his brow furrowing deeply. "A Nine Rank bloodline and only a nine star Dou Zun? And why would a mere nine star Dou Zun have one of my sub flames?"
He certainly didn't recall giving a sub flame to someone so weak. And a nine star Dou Zun wouldn't have the capability to sustain and wield such power.
"Uh… we've investigated this as well," Hun Sha replied quickly. "Hun Yu was defeated and captured by the Gu Clan during a battle with the Black Abyss Army. He was imprisoned in the Gu Realm for some time."
"Initially, the clan wanted to abandon him because of the humiliation. However, after deliberation, they sent Elder Hun Jing to use the Clan Leader's token to secure his release…"
At this, Hun Sha's expression grew peculiar, and he couldn't suppress a hint of schadenfreude. Frankly, Hun Yu should have died long ago if it weren't for the fact that his captors were from the Gu Clan.
If Hun Yu hadn't been a Nine Rank bloodline member, the clan wouldn't have cared whether he lived or died. The Soul Clan could afford to lose someone like him.
"And the sub flame? How did he get that?" the Void Devouring Flame pressed.
"It was given by Hun Jing…" Hun Sha said, struggling to hold back his laughter. "Hun Yu has a relative, a three star Dou Saint, who works under Hun Jing. To protect Hun Yu's pride and ensure he didn't embarrass the clan further, Hun Jing extracted a sliver of your sub flame and gave it to him."
And yet, even with that sub flame, Hun Yu still perished. Now Hun Jing had truly made a fool of himself. Hun Sha couldn't help but grin. Among the Soul Clan's Four Demon Saints, his relationship with Hun Jing had always been competitive, and this blunder was an opportunity he wouldn't forget anytime soon.
When seeing Hun Jing stumble like this… hehe, it's the perfect opportunity to mock him thoroughly!
"Oh, by the way, my lord…" Hun Sha quickly composed himself, shaking off his amusement at Hun Jing's situation. Nearly forgetting his purpose for being here, his expression turned serious as he spoke in a solemn tone:
"Hun Yu recently traveled to the Gu Clan to attend their coming of age ceremony. If I'm not mistaken, he should currently be in the Gu Realm…"
"The Gu Realm… Gu Yuan…" The Void Devouring Flame's brows furrowed slightly as he muttered, "Could it be that old man who extinguished my sub flame?"
Gu Yuan certainly had the strength and the Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame to accomplish it, but it didn't seem likely. That spineless old fool wouldn't go out of his way to attack a mere Soul Clan junior, would he?
Besides, Gu Yuan wasn't the type to hold grudges. Even when his own clan elders berated him to his face, he didn't get angry. Suggesting that Gu Yuan personally destroyed his sub flame… seemed far fetched.
Over the years of battle, the Void Devouring Flame had come to understand Gu Yuan well. Most of the injuries on his body had been inflicted by that very man.
"After the coming of age ceremony, the participants enter the Heavenly Tomb. It's possible this was Xiao Xuan's doing…"
At that moment, a clear and pleasant voice suddenly rang out. Before the words finished, the space around them rippled gently, and a tall, slender figure in white appeared beside the Void Devouring Flame.
"Greetings, Clan Leader!" Hun Sha bowed respectfully. The newcomer was none other than the Soul Clan Leader, Hun Tiandi.
Hun Tiandi's figure was lean and scholarly, his white robes resembling those of a cultured academic. His gentle demeanor starkly contrasted with the eerie, oppressive atmosphere of the Soul Realm, making him seem like someone from an entirely different world.
"Xiao Xuan…" Upon hearing Hun Tiandi's words, the Void Devouring Flame's expression grew dark and grim.
During the great battle years ago, it had been Hun Tiandi and the many Soul Clan powerhouses who bore the brunt of Xiao Xuan's assault. The Void Devouring Flame had not engaged Xiao Xuan directly, serving more as a support role, helping the Soul Clan plunder the Xiao Clan's bloodline power and fend off interference from other clans.
Even so, that battle had left an indelible mark on the Void Devouring Flame. The image of a figure wielding three different Heavenly Flames remained vividly etched in his memory, haunting him to this day.
"Hmph… fine. Let's just put the blame for this on that old fool Gu Yuan!" The Void Devouring Flame snorted coldly, his expression sinister. "One day, I'll kill Gu Yuan and see if he truly is as spineless as they say!"
"Don't worry, that day will come," Hun Tiandi said with a faint smile. With a flick of his finger, two jade like blocks began to hover in the air, one inscribed with the Soul Clan's emblem and the other with the Ling Clan's.
"Do you think that old fool Gu Yuan knows it's us?" the Void Devouring Flame asked as he and Hun Tiandi walked side by side. He was referring to the Ling Clan, and their steps carried them into the distance, where traces of deathly energy loomed, waiting to strike.
"It doesn't matter. Gu Yuan is a master at feigning ignorance," Hun Tiandi replied with a chuckle. "Even if he knows, so what? He won't stop us… not as long as your Devouring Spirit Clan remains hidden."
"After Xiao Xuan's death, the first to strike at the Xiao Clan wasn't my Soul Clan it was Gu Yuan's Gu Clan. Do you think the Gu Clan is so powerful now by coincidence? Even my Soul Clan has to give them three points of respect… they've practically gorged themselves on the spoils!"
"Haha, you're half right," the Void Devouring Flame said with a sinister laugh. "Your Soul Clan's deference to the Gu Clan isn't just because of their strength it's also part of our plan."
"Still, you're right about one thing. The Gu Clan are experts at kicking someone while they're down. That 'desolate annihilation aura' that Xiao Emperor and the Xiao Clan were so skilled at? They turned it into their own technique and called it the Great Annihilation Finger. Truly amusing…"
"Hun Sha, summon Hun Yan and the others. It's time to pay the Stone Clan a visit!" Hun Tiandi commanded with a smile.
"Yes, Clan Leader!" Hun Sha immediately straightened, raising his arm as a blood red light imbued with killing intent shot into the distance. In response, several powerful auras erupted across the Soul Realm, converging toward them like a raging storm.
"Move out! Annihilate the Stone Clan!"
"Yes! Annihilate the Stone Clan!"
In an instant, the Soul Realm echoed with deafening war cries, like a tidal wave crashing against the heavens.
…
Heavenly Tomb.
"Something feels off…" The Blood Blade Sage furrowed his brows, gazing toward the mountain he had previously occupied.
The more he thought about it, the more something didn't add up. If that pretty boy had someone backing him, why didn't he just go train in the territory of the powerful figure who supposedly killed a Dou Saint?
Why instead come to his relatively modest well, not too modest, but clearly less impressive mountain? Could it be that the boy had been bluffing all along?
The Blood Blade Sage's suspicions grew the more he dwelled on it. Had he been intimidated by a mere pretty boy? Outrageous!
The more he thought, the angrier he became. Apart from that Dou Saint energy core, the boy had shown no significant background or connections. Could it be that he had fallen for an act?
How humiliating!
As this thought took root, the Blood Blade Sage's eyes gleamed with a faint red light, his killing intent rising as he gripped his executioner's blade.
Boom!
However, before he could act, a terrifying and overwhelming aura surged from the deepest part of the Heavenly Tomb, towering into the heavens.
Clang!
The Blood Blade Sage's grip loosened, his blade clattering to the ground as his face turned deathly pale. "Damn it, damn it… What's that lunatic doing? Why is he on the move?"
"This isn't even the ten year mark yet…"
It wasn't just the Blood Blade Sage. All across the third layer of the Heavenly Tomb, countless energy entities felt their scalps go numb. With cries of alarm, they scrambled to retreat into their lairs.
Xiao Xuan's aggressive mobilization could only mean one thing: it was time for a "clearing."
"I need to get out of here!" The Blood Blade Sage's heart raced as he hastily picked up his blade, preparing to hide.
When Xiao Xuan cleared the field, he didn't pick specific targets. He didn't discriminate between the diligent or the lazy. Anyone who was unlucky enough to cross his path would bear the full brunt of ten years' worth of pent up rage.
"Roar Xiao Xuan! We have no quarrel. What is the meaning of this?"
A terrifying aura erupted from a distant corner of the Heavenly Tomb, standing in direct opposition to Xiao Xuan's oppressive might.
"Nothing much. I just want your energy core. Hand it over," Xiao Xuan replied coldly.
Before the words even settled, a cataclysmic wave of destructive energy engulfed the third layer of the Heavenly Tomb.
Countless energy entities wept with relief, thanking the heavens that Xiao Xuan finally had a specific target. At least now, it wasn't a free for all massacre.
"Don't just stand there! Run while you still can!"
"Exactly, let's go!"
"Head home, quickly!"
The Blood Blade Sage hesitated briefly before diving toward his old mountain. He wasn't looking to fight he simply wanted to hide among the juniors, hoping Xiao Xuan wouldn't stoop to attacking them. After all, someone as proud as Xiao Xuan wouldn't waste his time on small fry… right?
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