At the sound of this voice, Xiao Zhan, Xiao Yan, and the others tensed as if facing a formidable enemy, their eyes darting around their surroundings.
Zhou Changqing, however, remained calm. So, it's just as I thought, he mused. Even with so many deviations from the original course of events, the Xiao Clan was still discovered by Protector Wu.
Shaking his head, Zhou Changqing dismissed the thought. There was no point in pondering how the Xiao Clan had been exposed now.
His gaze swept across the inky black sky as he spoke slowly, "Hiding in the shadows... truly the mark of something unsavory. Since you've come, why not show yourself?"
"You don't care about Yun Leng's life, so you must be very confident in your own strength, believing you can easily handle everyone present. Don't you find this little game of hide-and-seek tedious?"
"Jie jie jie... Interesting. Most interesting."
The sinister laughter echoed again. At the same time, a vast expanse of black mist materialized high in the sky, large enough to blanket the entire Xiao Clan estate.
Then, the mist rapidly condensed, shrinking and growing darker until it coalesced into a human silhouette. The figure was completely shrouded in a deep, black smoke, with only a pair of faintly crimson eyes gleaming from within its head.
The instant the figure took form, an aura far more powerful than Yun Shan's—and infinitely more dark and chilling—descended upon the entire Xiao Clan.
Sensing this immense presence, Xiao Zhan and the others began to tremble, their eyes filled with utter terror. It was a chasm in the very hierarchy of life. Faced with such a gap, their bodies betrayed them, succumbing to a primal, uncontrollable fear.
Even Xiao Yan was no exception.
Only Zhou Changqing, relying on his formidable physique and considerable soul strength, managed to withstand the terrifying pressure. Even so, his expression grew incredibly solemn as he stared intently at the smoky figure.
What terrifying power. The mere presence of his aura is enough to exert such immense pressure on me. Compared to him, Yun Shan's so-called Dou Zong realm seems like a joke.
Protector Wu's gaze swept over the figures below, ignoring the trembling Xiao Zhan and the others, and settled on Zhou Changqing. He was somewhat surprised to see the young man standing so composed under his oppressive aura, and a flicker of interest ignited within him.
"Boy, you're Zhou Changqing, aren't you? To remain unfazed before this Protector... not bad, not bad at all."
"It makes this Protector all the more eager to rip out your soul."
Though Protector Wu was laughing, the sound was like the screech of a sharp object scraping against glass, setting one's teeth on edge and sending shivers down their spine.
Zhou Changqing ignored him, instead turning to his side and asking, "Your Majesty, this man is extremely strong. Are you confident?"
As his words fell, the space beside him rippled, and Medusa's stunning figure slowly materialized. Upon reaching the Dou Zong realm, one could manipulate the power of space in simple ways.
After appearing, Medusa maintained her usual cold demeanor, but a rare hint of solemnity surfaced in her beautiful eyes as she looked at Protector Wu. Clearly, even she was not certain of victory against him.
High above, Protector Wu showed no surprise at Medusa's appearance, though the playful mockery in his eyes lessened slightly. He had been in the northwestern region for some time and naturally knew of Queen Medusa. Before, he would not have given her a second thought. But things were different now. She had broken through to the Dou Zong realm and possessed considerable strength, earning her the right to be taken seriously.
As the hidden hand supporting the Misty Cloud Sect and the one who had helped Yun Shan break through to the Dou Zong realm, Protector Wu was well-informed, even if he hadn't witnessed the Three-Year Agreement firsthand.
In fact, the reason he had accompanied that fool Yun Leng to the Xiao Clan was because of Xiao Yan.
It was simple. During the Alchemist Grand Meeting, Xiao Yan had used a white flame that carried an aura of extreme cold. Ordinarily, Protector Wu would never have noticed an ant like Xiao Yan. But because of the Three-Year Agreement, Xiao Yan's name and deeds had reached his ears.
Intrigued, Protector Wu had someone gather a detailed file on him. It was then that he discovered the anomaly. A former prodigy who had become a cripple for three years, only to rise again with incredible strength, advancing from the third stage of Dou Qi to a Da Dou Shi in just three years—all while possessing two Heavenly Flames. One of which was a unique, bone-chilling white flame.
How could Protector Wu not see the truth behind this?
Operating on the principle of leaving no stone unturned, Protector Wu had decided to act against Xiao Yan. Unfortunately, by the time he went looking for him, Xiao Yan had already left the Imperial Capital, his whereabouts unknown. As Yun Leng was planning to seek revenge on the Xiao Clan around that time, Protector Wu had simply tagged along.
He never expected that this trip would lead him to discover something special about the Xiao Clan. It seemed they were the descendants of that clan the Soul Palace had been searching for all this time.
This realization filled Protector Wu with immense excitement. If he could find that "thing," it would be a monumental opportunity for him. Compared to that, this "Master Blacksmith" Zhou Changqing, who was all the rage in the capital, was merely a bonus soul to be collected.
Of course, first, he had to deal with the obstacle in his way: Medusa.
"Medusa, this Protector will consider the hardships of your Serpent-Folk Tribe. Retreat now, and I will let this matter go," Protector Wu said, his crimson eyes fixed on the woman below, his voice sinister.
Normally, he wouldn't have hesitated to attack, even with her breakthrough. His current offer was merely to avoid unnecessary complications. Finding that "thing" was his top priority.
Medusa's expression remained unchanged. Her figure flashed, and she reappeared high in the air, level with Protector Wu, making her stance clear.
Seeing this, Protector Wu grew annoyed and sneered, "Fine, fine. In that case, the Serpent-Folk Tribe will be without its queen as of today."
"Noisy," Medusa spat out the single word.
In the next second, a pair of brilliant crimson rapiers materialized in her hands, and she shot toward Protector Wu like an arrow.
In response, Protector Wu waved his hand, sending a dense wave of black energy surging forward to meet her.
Swish!
With a single slash, the razor-sharp blade, humming with powerful Dou Qi, sliced through the black energy. Medusa was already before Protector Wu, and she thrust her other rapier forward without hesitation.
Protector Wu, a four-star Dou Zong, was no weakling. He met the attack fearlessly, his hand lashing out to slap the flat of the blade.
Clang!
Terrifying force erupted from the hand hidden within the black smoke, knocking the rapier aside just inches from his chest. Simultaneously, Protector Wu's other hand gathered a black, viscous sludge of energy and thrust it toward Medusa's head.
Although Medusa was more than two stars lower in rank, she was a Dou Zong, and with her dual bloodlines, her strength could not be measured by her cultivation level alone. She reacted instantly. The rapier in her left hand liquefied, coating her fair hand in a crimson sheen as she met the sludge-like palm head-on.
Boom!
As their palms collided, a massive explosion of Dou Qi and kinetic force rocked the very space around them. Black smoke and crimson energy erupted outwards in a violent shockwave. In an instant, the clouds in the night sky were torn to shreds, and the ground below trembled from the impact of the aftershock.
"Not good!"
Zhou Changqing's expression tightened. He instantly flashed in front of Xiao Zhan and the others, who had already gathered together. Dou Qi poured from his body, forming a translucent, golden-炽色 protective barrier that enveloped them.
A moment later, the terrifying energy shockwave, carrying a ferocious gale, slammed into the ground. It crashed against the protective barrier, sending ripples across its surface.
Medusa and Protector Wu were not fighting at a great height. Xiao Zhan, the two elders, and Xiao Yan were all merely Da Dou Shi. A single careless moment, and they could be crushed to death by the aftershocks of a battle between Dou Zongs.