The smoke of the Diamond Mountain Range gradually dissipated, and the air was filled with a pungent smell of scorched earth mixed with blood. After a day and a night of clearing and looting, the allied forces of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had already taken control of the entire core zone of the Diamond Mountain Range. The remaining resistance was sporadic and desperate, and it was quickly extinguished.
The counting and distribution of the spoils were carried out in a tense and orderly manner. Indeed, more than one soul bone was found on Huyan Kuang, Tuoba Feng, and Tuoba Yulong, all of which were of extraordinary quality. In particular, the torso bone found within Tuoba Yulong, which was suspected to be of the same origin as his King Kong Dragon Elephant Martial Soul, emitted a dark-gold, heavy luster. Its energy fluctuations were extremely astonishing, and its value was immeasurable.
According to the pre-war agreement and battlefield contributions, Yu Boxuan and Ning Zhiyuan conducted a fair distribution. The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan mainly took the parts that were compatible with thunder and strength attributes and related to dragons, while the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect obtained the gemstones, diamond-type soul bones, and a large amount of rare mineral and medicinal resources that were more suitable for them. Both sides were very pleased; this joint operation not only eliminated a major threat but also yielded rich returns, and their relationship became even closer.
Regarding the remnants of the scattered Dragon-Elephant Allied Forces, the allied forces did not carry out an endless pursuit. After all, the three-day deadline set by the Martial Soul Hall hung over them like a Sword of Damocles; if they really drove the other side to extinction, it would undoubtedly be a slap in the face to the Martial Soul Hall. In the end, only a few elders at the Soul Sage level, relying on their familiarity with the secret routes of the mountain range, managed to escape with a small number of core disciples. This remaining force was already unable to stir up any major wind and waves. More importantly, their core leaders were all lost, and the wealth and territory accumulated by the two major sects over hundreds of years were all gone. Even if they were taken in by the Martial Soul Hall, they were destined to become vassals in the future, with little hope of achieving anything.
On the third day, the morning sun rose, dyeing the devastated Diamond Mountain Range with a touch of tragic color.
Just as the allied forces began to withdraw in an orderly manner, preparing to return to their respective sects to digest the fruits of the battle, a terrifying pressure, carrying a savage and fierce aura from the primordial era, suddenly swept in from the western horizon like dark clouds pressing down!
The strength of this pressure far exceeded that of an ordinary Titled Douluo, filled with a primitive, overbearing, and tearing will that caused all the soul masters present, including Soul Sages and Soul Douluos, to feel their hearts shake violently and their soul power circulation to become sluggish. Those with weaker cultivation levels even turned pale and were almost forced to kneel.
Yu Boxuan, Yu Qingtian, Ning Zhiyuan, the Azure Peak Douluo, and other powerhouses instantly turned solemn, soaring into the air and gazing sharply in the direction from which the pressure originated.
They saw a golden stream of light piercing through the air, moving at an extreme speed, and in the blink of an eye, it had arrived above the Diamond Mountain Range. The golden light faded, revealing a figure as sturdy as a mountain. This person appeared to be about sixty years old, with a rugged face and light-gold hair and beard that stood up like needles. His eyes, as they opened and closed, shot out gleams of light, full of aggression and unquestionable majesty. He wore a dark-gold tight-fitting suit, his muscles bulging, and just by standing there, the space around him distorted slightly, as if it could not bear his weight.
What was most heart-palpitating was the nine soul rings slowly rotating at his feet—yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black, red! That last soul ring was actually a blood-red hundred thousand year soul ring! The soul power fluctuation emanating from his body was as vast as the sea and unfathomable, having clearly reached the peak realm of Level 97!
"Martial Soul Hall, Golden Crocodile Douluo!" Yu Boxuan said in a deep voice, his eyes extremely solemn. Although he was also at Level 97, he could feel that the other party's aura was more ancient and overbearing, especially the pressure brought by that hundred thousand year soul ring and the formidable quality of his Golden Crocodile King Martial Soul; his strength was likely even above his own!
Golden Crocodile Douluo swept his gaze over the ruins below, the Diamond Mountain Range littered with corpses, and then glanced at the remnants of the Dragon-Elephant Allied Forces, numbering less than a hundred, shivering in a distant valley. His brows furrowed tightly, a trace of displeasure flashed across his face, and he cursed in a low voice: "A bunch of trash who don't know the immensity of heaven and earth!"
His original plan was to let the Elephant Armored Sect and the Tuoba Family suffer a bit, recognize reality, and then step forward as a savior to recruit them. This would not only discipline these restless vassals but also demonstrate the majesty of the Martial Soul Hall. He was indeed quite optimistic about Tuoba Yulong's King Kong Dragon Elephant Martial Soul, believing it had cultivation value. However, he never expected that the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect would act so ruthlessly and decisively. Within three days, they not only broke through the natural barrier but also uprooted the high-level combat power of the two major sects, and even Tuoba Yulong, whom he favored, was not spared! This was simply rubbing his, Golden Crocodile's, face into the dirt!
His gaze, like two cold golden swords, shot toward the leaders Yu Boxuan and Ning Zhiyuan, and finally landed on Yu Yuanchen, who was standing beside Yu Boxuan, possessing a profound aura and a young face. He had long heard rumors about this young man defeating Qian Daoliu. Seeing him in person now, although he could perceive that his soul power level was only Level 76, that calm-as-a-mountain demeanor and the True Dragon Pressure faintly emanating from his body, which made even his Golden Crocodile King Martial Soul feel a trace of discomfort, could not be faked.
"Yu Boxuan, Ning Zhiyuan," Golden Crocodile Douluo's voice was low, carrying unquestionable majesty, "This seat gave you three days to settle your grievances, not to carry out such an act of extermination! Looking at the scene now, shouldn't you give this seat an explanation?" The powerful pressure surged toward the allied camp like a tide, focusing on Yu Boxuan and Yu Yuanchen, clearly intending to give these two leaders a show of force.
Yu Boxuan snorted coldly, lightning flashing around his body, and the vast momentum of a Level 97 Super Douluo soared into the sky, forcefully resisting the pressure of Golden Crocodile Douluo. He said in a deep voice: "Elder Jin'e, why do you say that? We did not exceed the three-day limit. Huyan Kuang and Tuoba Feng repeatedly offended me and deserved to die. As for the extermination... on the battlefield, swords have no eyes, and the defeated must eat dust; this has been the case since ancient times. Moreover, Your Excellency has also seen that it is not as if no survivors were left." His words were neither humble nor arrogant, pointing out that his side was in the right and had already left room for maneuver.
"Hmph! Sophistry!" A fierce look flashed in Golden Crocodile Douluo's eyes, and his pressure intensified, pressing down like a substantial mountain. "The sapling I favored has fallen here; do you think you can gloss over it with a few words of reason?"
Before his voice fell, the phantom of the Golden Crocodile King behind him let out a low roar. The hundred thousand year soul ring flickered slightly, and an even more terrifying, fierce aura carrying a sense of tearing and devouring spread out, causing Yu Qingtian, the Azure Peak Douluo, and others to feel their breathing stifle, forcing them to release their soul power to resist with all their might.
Yu Yuanchen stood behind his grandfather, feeling the terrifying pressure like a primordial beast. His Thunder True Essence circulated on its own, purple-gold light faintly flowing on the surface of his body, and the Thunder Runes between his brows grew slightly warm, neutralizing more than half of the targeted pressure. He raised his head, meeting Golden Crocodile Douluo's oppressive gaze with a calm expression. He did not speak, but that composure and the faint sense of resistance made a trace of surprise flash in Golden Crocodile Douluo's eyes.
This young man... is indeed extraordinary! Golden Crocodile Douluo thought to himself, raising his evaluation of Yu Yuanchen by another notch, but at the same time, he was even more dissatisfied. Such a genius could not be used by the Martial Soul Hall and instead repeatedly damaged the face of the Martial Soul Hall!
The scene was suddenly tense, and the air was filled with a strong smell of gunpowder. Golden Crocodile Douluo was powerful and had an overbearing personality. If he really ignored the agreement and acted forcefully, even if Yu Boxuan could barely resist, the allied forces would inevitably suffer significant losses. Ning Zhiyuan's brows were locked in a frown, and the Azure Peak Douluo was already on edge, ready to strike at any moment.
Just at this critical moment, a clear and peaceful voice came from afar, like a spring breeze brushing over an ice field, instantly easing the tense atmosphere:
"Elder Jin'e, hold your anger."
Before the voice finished, a holy golden stream of light slid down from the horizon. It was extremely fast, yet carried a tranquil power that comforted the heart. The light dissipated, revealing a young man with flying golden hair and clothes as white as snow. His face was as handsome as a god, and six wings gently fanned behind his back. Who else could it be but Qian Daoliu?
He first bowed slightly to Golden Crocodile Douluo: "Elder." Then he turned his gaze to Yu Boxuan, Ning Zhiyuan, and the others, nodding in greeting: "Clan Head Yu, Sect Master Ning, and also—" Finally, his gaze landed on Yu Yuanchen. A trace of complexity flashed in his golden eyes, but it was mostly frankness as he smiled: "Brother Yuanchen, long time no see."
The sudden appearance of Qian Daoliu immediately changed the situation on the field. Golden Crocodile Douluo frowned, clearly dissatisfied with Qian Daoliu's interference, but he seemed to have some reservations, so he snorted coldly and restrained some of his released pressure.
Yu Boxuan and the others also breathed a sigh of relief and bowed in return: "Young Master Qian."
Yu Yuanchen looked at Qian Daoliu and also bowed: "Brother Qian, long time no see."
Qian Daoliu turned to Golden Crocodile Douluo, his tone respectful yet measured: "Elder, I have already roughly understood the cause of this matter. The Elephant Armored Sect and the Tuoba Family indeed had a path to death. Clan Head Yu and Sect Master Ning acted according to the agreement and did not overstep. As for Tuoba Yulong... although it is a pity, since they were already enemies, on the battlefield, life and death are determined by fate. Since our Martial Soul Hall has already given its word, if we pursue it further now, I fear it will invite criticism and damage the prestige of the Hall."
He paused and continued: "Moreover, Brother Yuanchen and I are close friends. We sparred in the Savage Beast Hills before, and I benefited a lot. I ask the Elder to let this matter go for my sake. Let me assist the Elder in dealing with the aftermath, shall we?"
Qian Daoliu's words were reasonable and well-founded. He pointed out that the Martial Soul Hall was in the wrong first, and then brought up his "friendship" with Yu Yuanchen, giving Golden Crocodile Douluo a way to step down.
Golden Crocodile Douluo's eyes flickered. He stared at Qian Daoliu for a moment, then coldly swept his gaze over Yu Boxuan and Yu Yuanchen, and finally snorted coldly: "Since the Holy Son has spoken, I will give you this face."
He did not look at the allied forces again. With a flash of his figure, he landed in the valley where the remaining, terrified Dragon-Elephant Allied Forces were located, clearly going to handle the reception matters. The terrifying pressure also dissipated, allowing everyone to breathe a sigh of relief.
Qian Daoliu turned and apologized to Yu Boxuan and Ning Zhiyuan: "Elder Jin'e has a straightforward temperament. If there was any offense, I apologize to you both on his behalf."
Yu Boxuan waved his hand and said: "Young Master Qian, you are too polite. His Excellency Golden Crocodile is also a man of temperament. Thank you, Young Master Qian, for resolving this."
Qian Daoliu smiled slightly, his gaze returning to Yu Yuanchen, and said: "Brother Yuanchen, we have been apart for several months, and your demeanor is even better than before. The feat of you summoning Heavenly Thunder to level the natural barrier in the Diamond Mountain Range battle has already spread, and it is truly admirable. I wonder if you would do me the honor of finding a quiet place where we can drink and reminisce?"
Yu Yuanchen looked at Qian Daoliu's sincere gaze, knowing that he intended to further ease the atmosphere and probe for some information, so he nodded: "Since Brother Qian has invited me, I dare not refuse."
The two looked at each other and smiled, as if the tension of the previous sect confrontation had never happened. This mutual appreciation, which transcended the disputes between forces, also caused a trace of emotion to flash in the eyes of Ning Zhiyuan, who was standing to the side.
With the concession of Golden Crocodile Douluo and the appearance of Qian Daoliu, the grievances of the Diamond Mountain Range temporarily came to an end. But everyone understood that the undercurrents of the continent had not subsided; instead, they might stir up even greater waves because of this incident.
Yu Yuanchen and Qian Daoliu, these two young men destined to stand at the peak of the tide of the era, walked side by side toward a relatively intact mountain peak nearby. Their conversation might influence the future landscape.
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Translated by: randomtranslator.com
Proofread by: GodKun-Chan