The young man's expression was somewhat stiff, and his stature was relatively thin. A closer look revealed that he had deliberately altered his appearance.
Hearing Chen Guan's question, the young man shook his head slightly.
"Senior, my clan perished because of the Soul Clan's Soul Palace. There's no point in mentioning it."
Chen Guan glanced at him. "As long as you're alive, your clan isn't considered extinct. Fighting for the Pure Lotus Demonic Fire is too dangerous. There's no need to risk it. If you die, your bloodline will be truly severed."
Chen Guan had a rough idea of the man's identity, considering him barely an acquaintance, so he spoke a few words.
Bearing a deep blood feud and facing a hopelessly powerful enemy, he could only desperately strive to become stronger, teetering on the brink of life and death. He understood, but he didn't quite support it.
This was the last remaining bloodline, carrying the hopes of so many. If they perished like this, wouldn't they be letting down so many?
The frail young man remained silent. The moment he saw the Pure Lotus Demonic Fire, he knew this wasn't something he could dream of. But having reached this point, he couldn't just retreat. Meanwhile,
on the other side,
As everyone cautiously observed him, a gray-robed elder, barely a high-level semi-saint, responded to Hun Miesheng's call, shook his head, and slowly walked out with a look of disappointment on his face.
As he walked, his features changed slightly, his long black eyebrows drooping, giving him a strange and eerie look.
Chen Guan, who had been distracted by this situation, was also somewhat surprised. He had carefully observed the remaining semi-saints and had five suspects in mind, but this black-browed elder, disguised as a gray-robed elder, was not one of them.
True to form, they were an ancient race; even their disguises were far more sophisticated than those of ordinary forces.
The black-browed elder was like this, as was the thin young man not far away.
"Old Soul Demon, it's you?!"
Seeing this black-browed elder, Gu Nanhai and the other elders of the ancient races all turned grim, a hint of fear flickering in their eyes.
They had thought that even if the Soul Clan broke the rules and allowed Hun Miesheng to participate, that would be the limit.
They had never expected there was someone even more powerful.
The Soul Clan's shamelessness once again blew their minds.
The dark-browed elder known as the Soul Demon Old Man smiled faintly, his gaze sweeping across the room. A flash of murderous intent crossed his face as he glanced at Chen Guan and Gu Xun'er, who had fought Hun Feng with equal force.
He viewed the scene from Voldemort's perspective, believing these two individuals could become the Soul Clan's greatest future troubles.
However, he didn't immediately strike. With a soft sigh, his gaze shifted to the distant void.
"Old ghost, now that I've revealed myself, are you still hiding?"
Ninety-nine percent of the people present were shocked by the Soul Demon Old Man's words, their gazes fixed on the void in doubt.
Is there someone even more hidden?!
"Alas, why bother? If you don't take action, even if the Soul Clan sends Hun Mie Sheng, I won't intervene. That way, you might still have a chance."
Under the gaze of everyone present, the space remained silent for a moment before slowly undulating. A voice, resigned and unusually aged, echoed quietly, its meaning worthy of deep reflection.
Is this person even stronger than the Soul Demon?
Soon, the spatial fluctuations intensified. Immediately, a blue ox, treading through the void, slowly appeared above the space amidst a deep, lowing howl.
Upon seeing the newcomer, many were startled. The imagined elderly figure didn't appear. The figure on the ox's back was short and slender, dressed in ordinary coarse cloth. His eyes were clear, his face childish, and he looked like a child of about ten.
"Senior, are you the one from Little Danta?"
Gu Nanhai asked uncertainly.
Given his generational status, he could only be addressed as "senior," demonstrating the immense depth of experience the cowherd had endured.
The cowherd boy chuckled, not denying it.
The other elders of the ancient races also showed a look of sudden realization. Rumors circulated that the Danta Patriarch, whose true form was a ninth-grade elixir, was inevitably coveted, but few could actually find him, or even see him.
Because the Danta Patriarch constantly borrowed bodies to be reborn, playing games with his life, and never being in Danta, no one knew what he would become tomorrow.
Now, seeing him, the rumors were not groundless.
The Soul Demon Elder stared directly at the cowherd boy, scoffing at his confidence. "
We're both late-stage five-star Dou Shengs, how can you really outsmart me?
" "The Soul Clan must obtain the Demonic Fire Origin. Old Ghost, you'd better not meddle. My clan leader is extremely interested in you. After all these years, you've probably already reached the peak of the ninth-grade Xuandan. If you could take another step forward... hehe, that legendary ninth-grade Jindan, even my clan leader would be tempted to take action."
Upon hearing this, the cowherd boy simply smiled faintly.
"He's been thinking about me for a thousand years, and it wasn't a spur-of-the-moment thing. But even if I offered it to him, do you think he'd dare eat it?"
"Hmph!"
The Soul Demon Elder snorted, not wanting to discuss this irrelevant topic any further.
His gaze shifted, and the next moment, the Soul Demon Elder's body vanished from its original location, appearing next to the pillar of light that sealed the Demonic Fire's Origin, grabbing it.
No one had anticipated his sudden outburst, and even then, it was too late.
However, just when everyone thought the Soul Demon Elder would seize the Demonic Fire's Origin first, something unexpected happened.
The space around the Soul Demon Elder shifted strangely. With a sudden ripple, the Soul Demon Elder's body unexpectedly appeared where the Green Ox Shepherd Boy had been.
The latter, in turn, strangely appeared in the Soul Demon Elder's position.
The strange sight made everyone's eyes widen, and even the Soul Demon Elder was startled, his face darkening.
As a veteran powerhouse, they all knew the significance of such a move.
Spatial displacement—the hallmark of a six-star Dou Sheng!
There's a huge gap between each Dou Sheng level. One to five stars is fine, but after five stars, even those with the talent of Chen Guan and Gu Xun'er can no longer advance beyond a few minor realms.
This is precisely why the Pure Lotus Demonic Flame was able to maintain its even strength despite the siege of the Nine Saints.
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Although the Soul Demon Elder was currently a late-stage five-star Dou Sheng, facing the six-star Danta Ancestor, he stood no chance, not even the slightest chance of fighting back.
"You're six-star!"
the Soul Demon Elder gnashed his teeth in envy.
Six-star Dou Sheng—even among the ancient races, only a handful of Grand Elders could achieve that status.
The Stone Clan elder and the unremarkable, frail young man behind him wore complex expressions.
The cowherd boy ignored the incredulous stares. His tiny hand grasped the black beam of light, the very essence of the demonic fire within.
"I said, if you don't make a move, I won't intervene. Now that I've intervened, you don't stand a chance."
These words, calm yet commanding, emanated from the childish mouth, yet no one saw any flaw in them.
A genuine six-star Dou Sheng, even more formidable than the Pure Lotus Demonic Fire, he had the credentials.
"Ghost, do you really want to fight my Soul Clan to the death?"
The Soul Demon Elder grew anxious, his expression grim, and he began to exert his power.
"Stupid as a pig,"
the cowherd boy commented, glancing at him. He then ignored the Soul Demon Elder's frightened expression and casually tossed the beam of light into the air, seemingly uninterested.
Seeing this, the Soul Demon Elder, unconcerned at the scolding, looked ecstatic and about to snatch it away. But just as he had made his move, the cowherd boy's words frightened him so much that he turned and flew back, like a clown.
"Pure Lotus Demon Fire, you truly deserve the third place on the Abnormal Fire List. Your wisdom surpasses this fellow by a hair's breadth. You intentionally allowed yourself to be sealed, hoping to see them strife among themselves while you reap the benefits. It was a cunning scheme. Unfortunately, you can't hide it from me. Reveal yourself." The cowherd boy's
voice, invisibly stepping on the Soul Demon Elder...
, slowly emerged, and everyone's expressions suddenly changed. Their gazes swirled in horror at the black beam of light swirling across the sky. Is
this Pure Lotus Demon Fire truly that demonic?!
"Old ghost, stop your nonsense! Once struck by our Soul Clan's Heavenly Net Demon Sealing Formation, no one will escape!" the
disheveled Hun Mie Sheng shouted in a deep voice.
The cowherd boy looked down on him and sneered, "Then why doesn't your clan leader use it against Gu Yuan? Once the formation is revealed, just say, 'End yourselves!'"
Hun Mie Sheng was stuck, unsure how to argue.
A great formation, ultimately, is nothing more than the subtle manipulation of power and rules.
Absolutes never exist in this world.
When you possess greater power, rules are meant to be broken!
The old Soul Demon beside him stared at the black pillar of light in the sky, his gaze flickering slightly, but he uttered no question.
He had dealt with the Danta Patriarch more than once and naturally knew he wasn't one to make false claims. Since he spoke so, he must have some confidence.
The cowherd boy didn't care whether the crowd doubted or believed him. He simply watched the swirling black pillar of light. After a while, seeing the demonic fire source still showed no reaction, he shook his head.
"Since you won't reveal yourself, I can only force you out."
With that, the cowherd boy waved his hand, and a black line shot out. The line seemed thin, but it silently dissolved a trail of vacuum in space wherever it passed, and with lightning speed, it swept towards the black pillar of light.
In an instant, it was only half a foot away from the black pillar of light!
But just as the black line was about to strike, the sealed source of the demonic fire violently trembled.
The next moment, a torrent of flames erupted from the source, covering the entire sky. The black pillar of light completely exploded before the astonished gaze of the crowd.
"Old ghost, you've ruined my plans again!"
Milky white flames blazed through the sky, and a figure materialized within the sea of blaze. It was none other than the white-robed Pure Lotus Demonic Fire, though its frayed expression bore a resemblance to the Soul Demon Elder's from before.
Seeing this, the hearts of the warriors leaped in fear.
If the cowherding boy hadn't appeared, and they had continued the struggle, the outcome...
was unpredictable!
"Pure Lotus Demonic Fire, you possess a violent temper. If you were allowed to escape, the people of Zhongzhou would be devastated. The Pure Lotus Demon Saint had this in mind when he sealed you. Therefore, you cannot leave,"
the cowherding boy raised his childish face, gazing at the Pure Lotus Demonic Fire treading on the sea of fire in the sky, and spoke slowly.
He then added.
"At least, you can't leave like this."
The already broken Pure Lotus Demon Fire didn't consider the underlying meaning, a look of resentment surging across his handsome face.
"Don't mention that old bastard to me. I've been with him for thousands of years, helping him rise to the pinnacle step by step. The Pure Lotus Demon Saint's reputation speaks volumes about my contributions, yet he, even on his deathbed, still disgusted me. He sealed me away without a trace of affection, and ultimately suffered the consequences. He deserves it! Karma!"
"As for whether I can leave today, that's not up to you. You've repeatedly blocked my path, not because I can't do anything about you, but because you're not ready to leave. It seems my reserve has led you astray. Today, let's settle all. I'll show you clearly that even if you ascend to a Six-Star Dou Sheng, the outcome will be the same!"
A fierce and erratic expression crossed the Pure Lotus Demon Fire's face, proving with its actions that the Pure Lotus Demon Saint had been right.
To ultimately reap the benefits, the Pure Lotus Demon Fire had many hidden cards.
But as he glanced around the entire room, he realized his usual trump card was no longer effective.
He immediately steeled his resolve and shouted,
"Refining Heaven Ancient Formation, reveal!"