The energy of heaven and earth continued to roil, yet it had yet to fully calm. The mountain ranges below seemed plowed, with several deep, unfathomable pits forming.
It was clear that a battle had broken out here not long ago.
Chen Guan's spiritual power enveloped a thousand-mile radius, but he could find no trace of the Great Elder. He immediately looked intently at Hun Mie Sheng and the Great Celestial Venerable in the distance.
Seeing their expressions tinged with anger, devoid of even a hint of triumph, Chen Guan felt a slight sense of relief.
He had no idea what had transpired, but judging by their expressions, something must have gone wrong.
If the Great Elder had fallen into their hands, they would have been impatient to taunt him.
His tense state relaxed, and Chen Guan stared at the two men's faces.
"Hun Mie Sheng, where is our Dan League's Great Elder?"
"Ha, do you think I'd let him go? He's dead, completely dead, not a single bone left,"
Hun Mie Sheng replied with a sneer.
With those words, silence fell.
Only the aura of annihilation continued to surge from both sides. Medusa, Zi Yan, and the Great Celestial Venerable all surged with Dou Qi, like arrows on a bowstring. The atmosphere was profoundly solemn, as if any small movement could ignite a devastating battle.
Chen Guan stared into Hun Mie Sheng's eyes, his thoughts racing.
Zi Yan and Medusa were no ordinary Dou Shengs. With their respective bloodlines and talents, they were more than capable of facing a Five-Star Dou Sheng without losing.
Add to that his own, and if he faced Hun Mie Sheng and the Great Celestial Venerable...
the advantage was mine!
Should he behead Hun Mie Sheng today?
A Five-Star Dou Sheng, and the Soul Palace Master at that—killing him would be worth the price, even if it meant a small price.
The more Chen Guan thought about it, the more excited he became, his killing intent unconsciously emanating from him.
Hun Mie Sheng and the Great Celestial Venerable silently distanced themselves, preparing for a fierce battle.
However, just as the solemn atmosphere was about to be broken, an unfamiliar voice suddenly entered Chen Guan's mind.
"Let's stop here. The Great Elder's body has been destroyed, and his soul severely damaged. You go ahead and take him back to Danta."
Chen Guan paused, a heavy weight lifted from his heart.
He also wondered about the identity of the person who had sent the message.
It wasn't a difficult question. Judging from the evidence at the scene, there were only a few people in the entire Dou Qi Continent who could have rescued the two from the clutches of Hun Mie Sheng and Da Tian Zun.
With a long sigh of relief, Chen Guan dissipated his aura.
This appearance also reassured Hun Mie Sheng and Da Tian Zun.
It seemed that a fight wouldn't break out.
As expected, Chen Guan, from a distance, simply glanced at them indifferently, grabbed Medusa and Zi Yan, and without a word, vanished from the scene.
Like a sudden downpour, the atmosphere instantly relaxed.
But just as their guard relaxed, they noticed the temperature rising rapidly. No longer cold and gloomy, it became intensely scorching.
From behind, bursts of crimson light emanated, illuminating the entire Corpse Burial Mountain Range.
Hun Miesheng and the Great Celestial Venerable suddenly turned their heads and saw dozens of enormous fireballs teetering in the sky above the Human Hall, like a hundred suns across the sky, like stars vying for brilliance. Elders of the Soul Hall could be seen swiftly fleeing from the hall, their faces filled with panic.
"Damn it!"
he muttered through gritted teeth. Hun Miesheng vanished in a flash, reappearing above the Human Hall.
Massive fireballs crashed down one after another. Hun Miesheng formed seals with his hands, condensing a pitch-black mirror that intercepted them all with the force of a sky-supporting force.
Such petty tactics were easy for him to handle. Hun Miesheng was even more infuriated that the man had tried to disgust him before leaving.
"Chen Guan!"
...
Everything has a trace.
If you can't see the trajectory, it simply means you're not strong enough.
Though the voice transmission was cryptic, Chen Guan's meticulous perception allowed him to discern the direction.
After leaving the Corpse Burial Mountains and speeding for about a quarter of an hour, the three arrived at a small, modest valley.
The breeze was gentle, the clouds were graceful, and the vegetation was lush. While not as breathtaking as Qingce Manor, compared to the Corpse Burial Mountains, it was a world apart.
Landing in the valley, Chen Guan and the other two were immediately drawn to the only two living creatures within.
There, a plain, large blue ox leisurely munched on grass. Atop its back, a cowherd boy, about ten years old, idly brandished his whip. Everything seemed so ordinary.
But when the cowherd boy slowly raised his head, his clear eyes revealed a glimpse of the vicissitudes of life.
This was an old monster who had lived countless lives!
Instantly, the three of them thought to themselves.
Confirming the identity of the person before him, Chen Guan immediately saluted.
"Danta Chen Guan, greetings to the ancestor."
"Dieyi (Zi Yan), greetings to the senior."
Medusa and Zi Yan followed suit.
Marry a chicken, follow the chicken; marry a dog, follow the dog. Chen Guan's elders were their elders.
And upon hearing Chen Guan's address, they understood the true nature of this person before them.
The elixir took form; the true founder of the Dan Tower!
The cowherd boy swung his whip and struck the large blue ox on its rump, driving it slowly closer, stopping about ten feet in front of the three of them.
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Scanning the three of them, the cowherd boy's face was filled with surprise.
"A soul that has reached the Great Perfection of the Heavenly Realm, a Nine-Colored Sky-Swallowing Python, and a Great Void Ancient Dragon—seeing is believing. Fate has truly marveled at your coming together."
Chen Guan, unsure of how to respond, simply maintained a polite smile.
Furthermore, he also had the Evil Poison Body and the Green Snake with Three Flower Pupils at home.
"Chen Guan, I've heard of you for a long time. For the past few years, many have been secretly searching for me, forcing me to constantly change identities. Is this all your doing?"
The cowherd boy's voice was childish, and it felt strangely out of place with his usual words. However, considering the true identity of the Danta Patriarch, it was unmistakable.
Sensing that the cowherd boy wasn't blaming him, but rather complaining, Chen Guan smiled wryly and nodded in acknowledgment.
"As expected, nothing can be hidden from the ancestor."
"Although I'm not in Danta, I'm well aware of what's going on there. After you took over Small Danta, Danta's style of operation changed. They've been constantly interfering with the Soul Palace, adopting a completely one-upmanship attitude. This is inconsistent with Danta's centuries-old core values and has disrupted the environment in which alchemists can concentrate on refining their medicines."
"I'm not blaming you. On the contrary, I know you're right. This isn't hundreds of years ago. The situation is completely different. If Danta continues to accept the status quo, it will ultimately collapse. At best, it will become a tool of the Soul Palace."
Upon hearing this, Chen Guan and the other two breathed a sigh of relief.
It seemed this person supported them, and perhaps they could even bring Danta back.
The cowherd boy, unaware of their thoughts, continued to talk to himself.
"Your growth rate is astonishing. Today, the power you have gathered cannot be underestimated. It has even surpassed the Soul Palace. This is a good thing."
"But what I want to remind you is that you must not think about moving Soul Destroying, unless you already have the confidence to face the Soul Clan behind him. You have been to the Ancient Clan, and you should know how powerful these ancient races are."
"In everyone's eyes, the Ancient Clan is the leader of the eight clans, but according to my observations for thousands of years, the Soul Clan is definitely not worse than the Ancient Clan. In recent years, they have been pushing for changes in the situation in Zhongzhou, which is enough to confirm my guess. Behind the huge conspiracy, what supports it is the disregard for the strength of the entire continent."
"Some time ago, the Spirit Clan, one of the eight clans, disappeared. Did you know about this news?"
"I heard something about it." Chen Guan nodded.
"Yes, there are only six tribes left out of the eight ancient tribes now. Because of the matter of the Spirit Tribe, the relationship among the six tribes is now very tense. Almost all eyes are on the Soul Tribe. Any spark may trigger an unprecedented war. At this time, even the Soul Tribe has some reservations and will not rashly do anything dangerous."
Probably because Chen Guan was from Danta, the cowherd boy showed more concern and kept reminding him earnestly.
"Some things seem baffling at first, but slowly become clear over time. When the Soul Palace first appeared in Zhongzhou, no one paid any attention, including me. I simply thought the Soul Clan was bored out of their minds. But now, the answer is clear."
"The Soul Clan began planning for Zhongzhou centuries ago. Zhongzhou is an absolutely essential part of their plan." "
And the Soul Palace, which Hun Miesheng is in charge of, is their eyes!"
"So, we can fight the Soul Palace any way we want, but we must never attack Hun Miesheng. If Hun Miesheng dies, the Soul Clan's eyes will be blind, and they'll inevitably react. The best outcome is to send someone stronger than Hun Miesheng."
In Zhongzhou, the eight ancient clans have an unspoken rule.
Those above the Five-Star Dou Sheng level are forbidden from entering the world.
This is why Hun Miesheng has been able to maintain his position as the head of the Soul Palace.
But rules are meant to be broken. The Soul Clan has never been one to be bound by them.
They followed them in the past, but only because the time was not right.
At this moment, discussing rules with the Soul Clan is a complete joke.
Those involved are often confused, while those on the sidelines see things more clearly. Having been directly involved, Chen Guan didn't see things as clearly as the cowherd boy.
Of course, Chen Guan wasn't exactly warmongering. The fundamental reason he entertained some ideas, which the cowherd boy considered more harmful than beneficial, was the power that had already gathered.
For example, the old Dragon Emperor's retreat, and the presence of powerful figures like Elder Mingxie—these were unknown to the Danta Patriarch.
Different perspectives and circumstances naturally led to different decisions.
"I understand. Thank you for the reminder, Patriarch,"
Chen Guan nodded in response, temporarily letting go of his murderous intent towards Hun Mie Sheng.
Compared to the Soul Clan's subsequent uncertainty and stress response, Hun Mie Sheng was at least easier to handle and more familiar with.
So, maintaining the situation was the only thing to do.
"Well, I understand. Take him back to Danta first and rest up. The Pure Lotus Demon Fire will emerge in a few days. I see you already have several different kinds of fire within you, so I'm sure you won't miss it."
With that, the cowherd boy waved his hand, and a languishing soul, nearly disintegrating, floated out.
"Great Elder!"
Seeing the Great Elder's expression, Chen Guan's recently extinguished murderous intent towards Hun Mie Sheng resurfaced.
The Great Elder, on the other hand, was completely unfazed. A look of joy even crossed his face, strangely rejuvenating him.
"Chen Guan, I'm fine. As long as my soul is still here, it's all right. At worst, I can resurrect like Tianhuo, Yaochen, and the others when I return. I'm not like them; I won't be polite with you."
Chen Guan nodded solemnly, secretly vowing to find the Great Elder a body on Hun Mie Sheng's level!
The Great Elder said something to Chen Guan and then ignored him, turning to the cowherd boy.
Perhaps it was an illusion, but Chen Guan actually saw a hint of childish affection on the Great Elder's face.
"Grandmaster, you really won't return to Danta with us?"
"I will, but not now,"
the cowherd boy chuckled.
Hearing this, the Great Elder knew he couldn't force it, so he could only accept it. He consoled himself with the thought that seeing the Grandmaster again was a blessing.
Even if he died now, he would have no regrets.
"Grandmaster..." The Great Elder wanted to say a few more words.
"Well, you're the Grand Elder of the Little Danta now. Don't make a fool of yourself among the younger generation. Go back. There will be plenty of opportunities to chat in the future."
The cowherd boy waved his hand, raised his whip, and struck the blue ox on its rump. He then turned and slowly headed deeper into the valley...