Chapter 175: A Sudden Turn of Events
"Spirit arrays, again with these spirit arrays! Damn you, Xiao Tiance, screw your ancestors!"
Eastern Dragon Island, Ancient Void Dragon Clan
More than a dozen high level spirit arrays had trapped Zhu Kun, who was now visibly furious. Despite all his precautions, he had still been outmaneuvered by the two young brats, Huang Min and Ling Yun.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
Zhu Kun unleashed punch after punch, relentlessly striking the barriers of the spirit arrays. However, breaking a spirit array required one of two methods.
The first was to locate the array's core, the array eye, and dismantle it, which would break the array with ease.
The second was to rely on overwhelming brute force to destroy the entire array outright.
Unfortunately, this was Dou Qi Continent, not the Greater Thousand Worlds. Here, people were unfamiliar with spirit arrays and had no idea where to find the array eye.
As for brute force, Zhu Kun lacked the energy to break free quickly. If he had attacked with full power from the start, it might have been possible. However, moments ago, Huang Min and Ling Yun had forced him to use the Ancient Void Dragon Clan's ultimate defensive technique his dragon scales while under the onslaught of their Heavenly Phoenix Secret Technique. This had consumed much of his Dou Qi, and he had even sustained minor injuries.
"Cough, cough!"
Outside the spirit arrays, Huang Min and Ling Yun's Heavenly Phoenix Secret Technique had run its course, leaving them in a severely weakened state. Adding to their troubles, this was their first time using the technique, and they suffered backlash as soon as it ended.
"King, are you alright?"
Several elders from the Nine Netherworld Python Clan and the Sky Demon Phoenix Clan rushed forward, forming a protective circle around the pair.
"Don't worry about us. Capture every last member of the Ancient Void Dragon Clan," Huang Min ordered weakly, waving her hand to signal that she was fine.
"Yes, my King!"
In an instant, the beast army surged toward the Ancient Void Dragon Clan's remaining members. Within minutes, from Zhu Li to the lowest ranked dragon, everyone was subdued and captured.
Huang Min coughed twice as she forced her weakened body to walk toward the spirit array. Her cold gaze locked onto Zhu Kun, who was trapped inside.
**"Zhu Kun, stop struggling. Trapped by this many high level spirit arrays, there's no way you'll break free anytime soon.
Now, I'll give you two choices:
First, I give the order, and your entire Ancient Void Dragon Clan is slaughtered.
Second, trade your life for theirs. I only want your life to avenge my father. If you die, the grudge will be settled, and I won't harm the rest of your clan."**
As her words fell, Xiao Tiance, watching from the void above, frowned deeply.
"Clan Leader..." Qing Lian began cautiously, but Xiao Tiance raised his hand, signaling him to stop.
While Qing Lian thought this approach was too cruel, Xiao Tiance understood the nature of this world. Strength ruled, and the strong determined what was just.
Huang Min saw Zhu Kun as her sworn enemy, and in such a situation, any means to achieve her goal were justified. While it was ruthless, Xiao Tiance couldn't deny its logic.
"Sigh."
With a soft sigh, Xiao Tiance decided not to intervene.
Inside the spirit array, Zhu Kun's face contorted with rage. He knew he had been completely outplayed. Huang Min and Ling Yun had used the Heavenly Phoenix Secret Technique from the very beginning, not to defeat him outright, but to set the stage for this moment.
Despite his constant vigilance against Xiao Tiance's dreaded spirit arrays, he had fallen into their trap after all.
"Hahaha! Hahaha! You truly are Xiao Tiance's disciples such ruthless and cunning methods! Truly impressive!" Zhu Kun laughed maniacally, his voice echoing with a mix of anger and admiration.
"What are you laughing at? Do you think I'm joking?" Huang Min said coldly, her eyes narrowing.
**"No, no. Since you've gone this far, you're clearly not joking.
To be honest, I'm impressed. The Dou Qi Continent rarely sees the weak triumph over the strong, and your strength and intellect are commendable.
However, you've underestimated my Ancient Void Dragon Clan."** Zhu Kun's tone shifted from surprise to admiration, then to icy disdain.
"Something's wrong! My King, watch out!"
The warning came too late. In the blink of an eye, both Ling Yun and Huang Min were sent flying through the air.
"Boom!"
As they tumbled backward, two powerful auras erupted, sending shockwaves that blasted away the Dou Saints who had been guarding the pair.
When the dust settled, two towering figures came into view. They radiated immense power one was a peak eight star Dou Saint, and the other was a late stage eight star Dou Saint.
"Hmph!"
The two men exchanged glances before vanishing in a blur of white light. Moments later, the magical beasts guarding the captured Ancient Void Dragon Clan members exploded into blood mist, while the chains binding the dragons were shattered one by one.
"First Elder! Second Elder!"
"Greetings, First Elder and Second Elder!"
Cheers erupted from the Ancient Void Dragon Clan. The clan members, overjoyed at their miraculous rescue, celebrated without restraint.
These two men were none other than Zhu Ku and Zhu Lu, the First and Second Elders of the Ancient Void Dragon Clan. Long thought to be in seclusion, they were Zhu Kun's most trusted lieutenants.
In the original history, these two had never appeared. However, Zhu Kun's early return, prompted by Xiao Tiance's presence, had changed everything. After witnessing the Xiao Clan's overwhelming power and realizing the Heavenly Phoenix Clan was under their protection, Zhu Kun had used a secret technique to force Zhu Ku and Zhu Lu out of their long seclusion.
And now, they had returned just in time to save the clan from the brink of annihilation.
"Dragon Emperor!"
After freeing their clansmen, Zhu Ku and Zhu Lu turned their attention to Zhu Kun, who remained trapped inside the spirit arrays. Bowing respectfully, their eyes shone with reverence and loyalty.
"Hahaha! Zhu Ku, Zhu Lu, you've finally returned!"
Zhu Kun laughed heartily. Even before their arrival, his dragon bloodline had faintly sensed their approach. Everything he had said earlier was merely a stalling tactic to buy time.
Fortunately, Zhu Ku and Zhu Lu had not let him down, arriving at the critical moment to save the clan.
"Dragon Emperor, please hold on. We will break these spirit arrays and free you immediately," Zhu Ku said respectfully.
The two elders exchanged a glance before unleashing their full power, their fists hammering against the barriers of the spirit arrays.
Unlike Xiao Tiance's personally controlled arrays, these spirit arrays had been pre prepared and sealed into jade tokens for convenience. Their primary purpose was to delay and trap enemies, not to permanently imprison them.
As a result, while breaking out of the array from within was extremely difficult, breaking in from the outside was significantly easier.
Under the relentless assault of Zhu Ku and Zhu Lu, the barriers of the spirit arrays shattered one by one. Within moments, the spirit arrays collapsed entirely, dispersing into shimmering particles of energy.
"Hahaha, Zhu Ku, Zhu Lu, in the blink of an eye, thousands of years have passed. It's been so long since we've last seen each other!"
Freed from his confinement, Zhu Kun was in an exceptionally good mood. He patted both Zhu Ku and Zhu Lu on the shoulders and laughed heartily, his voice filled with nostalgia.
"It truly has been a long time," Zhu Ku sighed. "When you left Dragon Island, we never imagined that it would be thousands of years before we saw you again."
At his side, Zhu Lu nodded and added, **"Seeing you return safely fills our hearts with joy.
By the way, Dragon Emperor, how should we handle these two?"**
As soon as Zhu Lu finished speaking, he and Zhu Ku vanished in a blur. The next instant, they reappeared beside Huang Min and Ling Yun, each grabbing one of them by the neck and lifting them into the air. Without delay, they flashed back to Zhu Kun's side, presenting their captives.
Zhu Kun glanced at the immobilized Huang Min and Ling Yun, their eyes filled with unwillingness and defiance. With a cold smirk, he sneered, **"Two mutts from the Sky Phoenix Clan dared to scheme against me, Zhu Kun? Truly impressive.
But what's the point of all your tricks? In the end, you've still become prisoners, haven't you?"**
"Hmph!"
Huang Min and Ling Yun, unable to move or speak, could only let out cold snorts to express their discontent.
However, in Huang Min's eyes, beyond the unwillingness, there was also a sense of relief.
Faced with the threat of death, her thoughts turned to regret toward Xiao Tiance and Huang Jiuyi. She knew her actions would hurt her teacher deeply, but if she died, at least her teacher might seek vengeance on her behalf.
As for Ling Yun, his mind was much simpler. He thought only that dying alongside Huang Min wasn't so bad. At least on the road to the underworld, he would have her as a companion.
In the Void Above the Battlefield
When Qing Lian saw Zhu Ku and Zhu Lu appear, his face turned pale with worry. And when Huang Min and Ling Yun were kicked flying, he almost rushed out to intercept the attack.
But Xiao Tiance stopped him.
"Clan Leader, these two are dangerous. Even at their full strength, Min'er and Ling Yun wouldn't be a match for them, let alone in their current weakened state…"
Before Qing Lian could finish, Xiao Tiance waved a hand to silence him.
"Foolishness always comes with a price," Xiao Tiance said coldly. "This is the price they must pay."
"Clan Leader…" Qing Lian was anxious, but Xiao Tiance cut him off again.
**"Don't worry. Let them suffer a bit it'll be a valuable lesson. Besides, I want to see how Zhu Kun will handle this situation.
Sigh, these two fools. The Ancient Void Dragon Clan has existed longer than the Eight Great Imperial Clans. They've endured from ancient times until now. Did they really think the two of them could shake such a behemoth?
I can't believe these two have followed me for so many years and yet learned so little."**
The frustration in Xiao Tiance's tone was evident. He knew Huang Min's plan from the start to use her life to force him to intervene. She had calculated that if she died at Zhu Kun's hands or in the Ancient Void Dragon Clan's territory, Xiao Tiance would inevitably take revenge.
But if Huang Min and Ling Yun had been a bit smarter, they could have used the spirit array tokens in their possession to gain the upper hand without falling into such dire straits.
Xiao Tiance prided himself on his cautious nature, always leaving multiple contingencies in place. That his disciples had not inherited this trait frustrated him deeply.
Hearing these words, Qing Lian's anxiety began to ease. If the Clan Leader was here and in control, there was no way he would let Huang Min and Ling Yun die.
On the Battlefield
In just a few minutes, the tide of battle had completely shifted. Those who had seemed poised for victory moments ago now found themselves as prisoners. Such was the unpredictability of life.
"Dragon Emperor, since these two mutts were the ringleaders, we should execute them. Let the entire Dou Qi Continent know that even though the Ancient Void Dragon Clan has stayed hidden for thousands of years, we are still a force to be reckoned with," Zhu Lu suggested coldly.
Zhu Kun, however, remained silent.
Though Zhu Ku and Zhu Lu had returned, Zhu Kun couldn't ignore the fact that many of the clan's members had been killed or captured. While the Ancient Void Dragon Clan remained formidable stronger than some Imperial Clans even there was one exception: the Xiao Clan.
With hundreds of Dou Saints, including many high level Dou Saints, the Xiao Clan was a force that could crush all opposition.
Zhu Kun sighed heavily, and Zhu Ku, seeing his hesitation, stepped forward.
"Dragon Emperor, before I entered seclusion, the Heavenly Phoenix Clan had already been destroyed. These two mutts are likely just survivors who slipped through the cracks. Killing them would be no great loss," Zhu Ku said respectfully.
Zhu Kun shook his head and sighed again. **"Even if the Heavenly Phoenix Clan wasn't completely destroyed, they are no threat.
But these two mutts are backed by the Xiao Clan, one of the Eight Great Imperial Clans.
I've crossed paths with their Clan Leader, Xiao Tiance, before. Even when he wasn't using his full strength, I couldn't hold my ground against him."**
"Xiao Tiance? The Xiao Clan has a new Clan Leader?" Zhu Ku exclaimed in surprise. "The Xiao Clan is truly blessed. Even back in the day, Xiao Xuan might not have surpassed you, Dragon Emperor. To think this Xiao Tiance is even stronger…"
Zhu Kun had already heard about Xiao Tiance's rise, and while it shocked him, it also made him wary.
"Forget it. Imprison them for now," Zhu Kun said after a moment of thought. "I'll invite Xiao Tiance to Dragon Island and discuss this matter with him personally."
In the Void Above
When Xiao Tiance saw Zhu Kun hesitate to deliver the killing blow, he knew it was time for him to step in. Dispelling the spirit array that concealed his presence, Xiao Tiance descended from the void with Qing Lian by his side.
"Hahaha, no need for such formalities, Senior Zhu Kun. I've already arrived uninvited I hope you won't hold it against me."
"Hiss!"
The moment Xiao Tiance appeared, both Zhu Ku and Zhu Lu sucked in a sharp breath.
Neither had sensed his presence until he revealed himself. If this man had intended to launch a sneak attack, none of them would have escaped alive.
"It had to be you. I knew there was no way you'd send those two to their deaths without making any preparations," Zhu Kun said, his eyes narrowing slightly. **"If I'm not mistaken, you've been here all along, haven't you?
In that case, you must know that I have no intention of making an enemy of the Xiao Clan. And as for their current state, it was not my doing!"**
Zhu Kun's explanation carried a note of surrender.
Xiao Tiance smiled faintly and nodded. "Of course. My two disciples acted recklessly and caused trouble for you, Senior Zhu Kun. I'll take them back and discipline them properly."
"How dare you, junior! Do you think this is a place where you can come and go as you please?"
(End of Chapter)
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