. Five days passed quickly as Chen Guan waited.
During these five days, Lingquan didn't bring any men to cause trouble. Chen Guan even didn't see him again for several days, seemingly having been reassigned by the Ancient Clan.
Without this troublemaker, Chen Guan had seen some of the other Black Annihilation Army commanders from a distance. Their attitude wasn't friendly, but neither was there any strong hostility.
After all, Chen Guan and Xiao Yan's arrival this time was different from the previous trajectory. Their relationship with Gu Xun'er was clear, having been invited by her first.
The fact that the commanders didn't cause trouble relieved Chen Guan considerably, but he also knew that this peace wouldn't last. Once the younger generations of the eight clans gathered, even Gu Xun'er wouldn't be able to control the situation as she did now, and a fight was inevitable.
At dawn, as the east grew brighter, doors opened one after another, converging towards the manor's main hall.
Today was the day the Ancient Realm would open!
Chen Guan and Xiao Yan did the same. They politely knocked on Gu Xun'er's door, but unsurprisingly, there was no response. They could only wait in the hallway.
However, the moment they turned around, their steps paused in unison. They suddenly looked up, their gazes fixed on the far end of the corridor.
There, three figures in black robes stood casually, their backs against the shadows. A sense of danger quietly permeated the air.
Their eerie appearance, their iconic black robes, made their origins clear.
"You are Xiao Yan of the Xiao Clan, right?"
The first of the three black-robed figures, his robes trembling slightly, let out a faint, feminine laugh. It didn't sound old, clearly suggesting it belonged to some old monster.
Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan's face darkened. He stepped forward to stand alongside Chen Guan, his gaze scanning the three men carefully. His fists clenched beneath his sleeves, a murderous intent etched in his eyes.
"People from the Soul Palace?"
"No, I prefer to hear you call them the Soul Clan." The black-robed figure laughed, but that laugh was tinged with undisguised contempt.
Perhaps, in their eyes, Xiao Yan was like a child brandishing a dagger, utterly threatening.
Xiao Yan's face was icy, his gaze fixed on the three men, his Dou Qi rapidly coursing. Thinking of the Xiao family's tragedy and the still-unseen Xiao Zhan, he couldn't control his emotions. Had he not matured over the years, he would have rushed forward.
"No need to act like that. Dealing with the Xiao Clan's escaped members isn't my job, so I don't want to get involved. I'm here simply to see the Xiao Clan, who once so powerfully suppressed my Soul Clan, and their current state of decline. A one-star Dou Zong, hehe." The black-robed figure shook his head slightly, his chuckle nearly breaking Xiao Yan's defenses.
Even more infuriating, he couldn't even refute it!
"Thirty years in the east, thirty years in the west. Nothing in this world lasts forever. Who knows? Perhaps your Soul Clan will soon be in an even worse situation than our Xiao Clan? If you see that, then get lost!" While
their strength was unmatched, Xiao Yan, despite losing in battle, tossed his sleeves aside, refusing to waste any more time on the subject.
The black-robed figure remained unmoved, seemingly oblivious to Xiao Yan's curse.
As the black-robed figure's cold gaze shifted, Chen Guan suddenly felt like he was being stared at by a venomous snake.
As the saying goes, enemies often meet on narrow paths, and Chen Guan, fearlessly meeting his gaze, met the man's gaze.
For a moment, the narrow corridor felt like the crackling of invisible thunder, a growing atmosphere of gloom.
Two other figures standing behind the black-robed figure fluttered their sleeves, creating a resounding, clattering sound, like soul-destroying hooks poised to strike.
After a long moment, the leading black-robed figure was the first to break the silence. With a faint smile, he raised his head slightly, revealing a pale, thin young face beneath his black cloak. The smile on his face now radiated a chilling coldness.
"Danta Chen Guan, I've heard of you. We'll have a battle, but not now. I'm here today, not only to see this impoverished Xiao Clan member, but also to tell you: Those who cross our Soul Clan never meet a good end. This person beside you is a prime example."
One could sense that compared to Xiao Yan, he valued Chen Guan significantly, but even then, it was limited.
The Soul Clan seemed to never consider the possibility of their own defeat.
Even the other seven Imperial Clans looked down upon him, let alone Chen Guan, who lacked Dou Emperor bloodline.
Perhaps this was how they viewed Chen Guan, a man who had grown up by sheer luck, believing he could be eliminated at any moment if they had the will.
This was likely the reason the Soul Clan and Soul Palace hadn't bothered Chen Guan recently.
"I don't know if you'll have a good ending in the future, but at least right now, you're not qualified to fight me."
Chen Guan shook his head slightly, his voice flat, as if stating an undeniable fact.
Well, it was indeed true!
Although this person's aura was also extremely well concealed, making it impossible to see through, Chen Guan could sense that compared to Gu Xun'er, this person was much weaker, and he didn't give him the feeling of facing a formidable enemy.
Chen Guan, on the other hand, could clearly see the two figures behind the man: two Seven-Star Dou Zun.
Their words were simple, yet their devastating power was undeniable.
The black-robed figure's smile froze, returning to normal after several seconds. However, the look he cast at Chen Guan was even colder.
"Haha, I hope you'll be as stubborn as
you are now before you die." Fearing his defense would be breached again, he uttered a harsh remark. The three black-robed figures gradually became ethereal, and after a moment, they mysteriously vanished completely. "Remember my name, Hun Ya, and especially Xiao Yan. One of the people who severely injured your ancestor Xiao Xuan and contributed to his ultimate demise was my ancestor. Therefore, this time, you too will die at my hands. Perhaps this is fate, haha."
As the three black-robed figures vanished, a sneer slowly emanated from the void, echoing throughout the space.
Watching the three men leave, Xiao Yan remained expressionless and silent, but a fierce gleam flickered in his dark eyes, and his breathing was slightly rapid, revealing his deep anger.
Chen Guan simply smiled. This Hun Ya…
gave him a rather… childish vibe.
Too much confidence, not enough strength!
"Let's go, don't overthink it. Once we get to the Heavenly Tomb, there will be plenty of opportunities. Maybe he'll kneel down and beg you."
With a chuckle, Chen Guan led Xiao Yan downstairs.
His words weren't entirely consoling. With Xiao Xuan, the big boss, around, anything could happen in the Heavenly Tomb.
Xiao Yan nodded and followed, remaining silent and quiet the entire way, his fists clenched tightly.
Back in the Tianmu Mountains, he'd been a bit proud of breaking through to the Dou Zong level, but today, all that pride had been trampled upon.
Strength! Strength again!
Dou Zong, too weak!
In Hun Ya's eyes, he wasn't even worthy of being his opponent!
The more he thought about it, the more silent he became. Xiao Yan had suddenly grown tremendously in that moment.
Furthermore, from Hun Ya's words, the two of them also understood some information.
This person must have some status within the Soul Clan. After all, with such a powerful ancestor, he must have a strong background within the Soul Clan. Otherwise, he wouldn't be accompanied by two powerful Seven-Star Dou Zun warriors. Even within the Soul Palace, such powerful warriors would be considered Heavenly Venerables, and ordinary people would be unable to command them.
Furthermore, Hun Ya's words revealed the mystery of Xiao Yan's ancestor Xiao Xuan's demise. It seemed that he was besieged by numerous powerful warriors.
Hun Ya's ancestor was one of them.
These events happened so long ago that even if Chen Guan confirmed their authenticity, there was no way to verify them.
However, since Hun Ya had stood up, it didn't stop Xiao Yan from directing his hatred towards him.
The hall
was already crowded when Chen Guan and Xiao Yan arrived, but despite the large crowd, there was no noise. Most people waited in silence, with only a few whispering.
Chen Guan scanned the room, and many seemed shrouded in a mist, obscuring his view. One woman, veiled in a thin veil, caught his attention most.
The surge of strange fire within her revealed to him that she, too, possessed a comparable strange fire.
As if sensing Chen Guan's gaze, Huo Zhi turned, nodded slightly, and chuckled in greeting, a look of indefinable intensity in her eyes.
Time ticked by, and as the morning light streamed down from the sky, the atmosphere in the hall gradually grew lively.
Today marked the opening of the ancient realm. Most of the people here were filled with curiosity about this mysterious place, a place of otherworldly creation. Such a profound power to open up space was possessed by only a few in the world.
Finally, amidst the eager anticipation of the crowd, Gu Xun'er appeared.
"I'm sorry to have kept you all waiting. The ancient realm will be open shortly. Please follow me,"
Gu Xun'er's cold voice echoed, nodding gently to Chen Guan and the others.
She didn't hide her subtle movements, and while those who didn't know Gu Xun'er's identity were fine, Huo Zhi, Hun Ya, and the others saw her, it triggered a brainstorming session.
Without paying any attention to their fantasies, Gu Xun'er, after a greeting, led everyone out of the hall and towards the enormous, clear lake in the heart of Ancient Saint City.
(End of this chapter)