Hun Xuzi

"What did you wish to tell me, Ancestor?" Xiao Yan asked curiously after watching the two women leave.

"Well, it is not truly urgent, though it is still important. Besides, it would not be appropriate to say it in front of them." Xiao Xuan smiled slyly. "No matter what, whether out of sentiment or reason, you must give that little girl from the Yao Clan a proper answer."

"Ancestor, are you really so concerned about such matters?" Xiao Yan grinned bitterly. He naturally understood Yao Ling's feelings for him very well. However, if he accepted such affection, he would likely face many difficult troubles in the future. Neither the Gu Clan nor the Yao Clan—these two colossal powers—were something he could handle alone.

"Out of sentiment, she saved your life and helped you merge four bloodlines. The Yao Clan has aided you greatly, so you cannot chill their hearts. Out of reason, while the Yao Clan's hard power does not rank among the forefront of the Eight Clans, when it comes to nurturing talent, they stand unrivaled among all eight. If we can establish ties with them, the revival of our Xiao Clan will proceed even faster." Xiao Xuan said seriously.

"Well, I do not wish to betray Xun'er." Xiao Yan did not beat around the bush and went straight to the point.

"Tsk, young people should not be so rigid. The greater one's ability, the greater one's responsibility. I am not asking you to build some harem, but often, refusing another's goodwill is instead the greatest form of contempt." Xiao Xuan said as if casually.

"Then... I will give it some more thought." Xiao Yan smiled awkwardly upon hearing this.

"Good. I have nothing else to tell you. Little fellow, run forward. I believe you will surely restore the glory of our Xiao Clan." Xiao Xuan smiled gently. "These old eyes of mine have never misjudged a person!"

He then casually pointed into the void, and a spatial tunnel appeared within it.

"I will never disappoint Ancestor's high hopes!" Xiao Yan respectfully bowed deeply to Xiao Xuan once more before shooting into the spatial tunnel without looking back. He understood that only through diligent cultivation could he live up to Xiao Xuan's expectations...

A day later, a spatial rift roughly three hundred meters wide suddenly appeared above the Ancient Realm. Though this sight seemed abrupt, it did not stir the slightest ripple among the surrounding crowd. It appeared they had long anticipated its arrival.

"I have long admired your name, Senior Hun Xuzi. I truly did not expect you to personally come and receive these juniors." Elder Tong Xuan spoke respectfully. Even with his exalted status within the Gu Clan, it was difficult for him to meet such a renowned great figure of the age.

"What senior? I am merely bringing my child home." Hun Xuzi chuckled. Whenever he mentioned his children, his voice became much lighter. "Hun Ya is the fourth son borne by my wife, and among all my children, he is the most outstanding. I specially secured him a place in the Heavenly Tomb because I wanted to see just how much he could improve through this experience."

Several dazzling bolts of lightning burst from the spatial rift, and two figures swiftly flew out. Their auras had improved greatly compared to before they entered the Heavenly Tomb.

"These two young people from the Lei Clan have improved considerably." Elder Tong Xuan nodded. In half a year, they had directly leapt from the early Seven-star Dou Zun stage to the peak. Such progress was truly enviable.

"Hun Ya should not be inferior to these two young people either," Hun Xuzi said proudly.

"Of course," Elder Tong Xuan replied with a flattering smile.

As they chatted, several more figures emerged from the spatial rift. A soul imprint drifted out alongside them and landed in Hun Xuzi's hand.

"My son, how did you suffer so much?" Hun Xuzi clasped the soul imprint in both hands, his expression changing drastically. He closed his eyes briefly, then opened them again, fury filling them. He hurriedly took several medicinal pills shining with an unusual radiance from his Storage Ring and attached the soul imprint to them.

In but an instant, the pills vanished without a trace, turning into countless specks of light. Those specks rapidly gathered into a human figure. The figure let out a weak groan, bringing tears streaming down Hun Xuzi's aged face.

"Ya'er, you have suffered..."

He then turned his gaze toward the few people who had just emerged from the spatial rift, fire blazing in his eyes. In the blink of an eye, he appeared before them and spoke in an exceedingly hostile tone:

"Little girl, you have tormented my son terribly!"

"Senior Hun Xuzi, we all respect your lofty virtue and prestige. But this time, Hun Ya harbored ill intentions toward the two of us and attacked first. If not for the fact that you are the Hun Clan's chief alchemist, the Gu Clan would have already seized you for such rudeness!" Xun'er said, forcefully suppressing her anger. Facing the Hun Clan's acting Clan Leader, she was furious beyond measure, yet she did not neglect the courtesy and politeness due to him.

"You are that little girl from the Yao Clan?" Hun Xuzi neither confirmed nor denied her words. After all, he knew full well that he could not touch Xun'er in the slightest. He turned his head and glared viciously at Yao Ling.

"It is my honor to be recognized by Senior Hun Xuzi. However, even someone as esteemed as you likely has no right to do anything improper to me in public." Yao Ling smiled sweetly and spoke blandly.

"A sharp tongue is no good thing. Little girl, it is not that retribution does not come—it is simply not yet time. One day, I will make you a slave and servant, begging for death but unable to die." Hun Xuzi said coldly. With a sweep of his sleeve, he vanished into the void together with Hun Ya, leaving only the furious group standing where they were.

"The Hun Clan has truly become increasingly arrogant these past years," Xun'er said to those who had just emerged from the Heavenly Tomb. At her words, everyone nodded in agreement. The Hun Clan had originally been one of the Ancient Races that lived in seclusion and ignored worldly affairs, yet in recent years, they had become increasingly overbearing and tyrannical.

"Little Sister Xun'er, do not think about such unpleasant matters. Hun Ya may deserve death, but Senior Hun Xuzi was merely speaking in anger." Yao Ling tried to comfort her. She did not truly believe Hun Xuzi could do anything to her, because the entire Yao Clan stood behind her!

"Heh, I suggest you do not let down your guard, Sister." Xun'er smiled strangely. "Let me tell you a secret. My father once said that Senior Hun Xuzi's methods and strength are far greater than what they appear to be."

"Well, thank you for your concern, Little Sister Xun'er." Yao Ling nodded. Hun Xuzi presented himself as a Mid Six-star Dou Sheng, and within the Yao Clan, only a handful of people could stand shoulder to shoulder with such strength. After hearing this today, she became even more wary of him.

"Let us go, you two." Yao Ling beckoned to the two people from the Shi Clan. "The Clan Leader has likely been waiting for you for quite some time."

"If there is a banquet, how can Sister leave me out?" Xiao Yan laughed heartily. "I believe Clan Leader Yao Dan will be very happy to see me as well."

"Tsk, you really are frivolous." Yao Ling cast a sidelong glance at Xun'er and pretended to scold him.

"Brother Xiao Yan, if you want to go, then go." Xun'er forced out a smile. "You have already done so much for me. Do not let me hold back your steps toward becoming stronger. Once I reach the Dou Sheng level, I will come find you, Brother Xiao Yan."

"It is getting late. Let us go." Yao Ling's tone became much lighter. "The scale of that banquet will not be much inferior to our clan's Yao Dian."

With a slight wave of her hand, the group flashed through the air and flew toward the exit of the Ancient Realm.