Enemy Attack

"The traitor's self-destruction means certain death, but at the same time, Three Commanders and the others will probably also..."

Gu Fang's heart tightened as he muttered.

Nearly everyone present shared Gu Fang's thoughts!

Even after advancing to Six-star Battle Venerable, there was no way they could survive such an explosion.

Just as everyone was thinking this, a spatial crack abruptly appeared in the most chaotic part of the explosion's center. The next instant...

A middle-aged man in coarse cloth robes slowly stepped out!

There was not the slightest fluctuation of Dou Qi or power from the man, yet the instant he appeared, the turbulent force that had been whistling toward them seemed to have encountered an impassable chasm...

It automatically veered away.

Everyone looked at the middle-aged man who had appeared. Though dressed in plain coarse robes, he seemed like the center of the world itself. Seeing this, everyone let out a sigh of relief.

"Clan Chief..."

Three Commanders stared at the man before him and muttered in shock.

"Go!"

Without even turning his head, Gu Yuan raised both arms. An invisible force rapidly spread outward from his palms, blocking all the explosive force!

Three Commanders watched Gu Yuan's movements, watched the violent energy currents that could have easily torn them apart be effortlessly held back.

Awe flashed through his eyes, and when he turned his gaze back to Gu Yuan, it had become one of complete reverence!

Too strong!

Three Commanders thought to himself.

"Retreat!"

Even as shock filled his heart, he shouted the order and led the other ordinary Black Annihilation Army soldiers backward. They could not withstand the energy currents; staying here would only prevent the Clan Chief from fighting freely!

The moment Three Commanders and the others left, Gu Yuan immediately vanished into the void, allowing the turbulent currents to scatter freely.

About half a breath after Gu Yuan disappeared, two figures emerged first. They were the other two of the Ancient Clan's Three Immortals, alongside Gu Dao!

The two stood between the ground and the center of the explosion. An invisible energy barrier spread out, blocking the turbulent currents before gathering them in like a net.

Do not forget...

The battle was taking place in the plaza for the cultivation technique inheritance ceremony. The younger generation of the Ancient Clan was gathered there. Though the currents had weakened considerably after spreading out...

They were still devastating to the Dou Wangs and Dou Emperors on the ground!

So they absolutely could not be allowed to spread unchecked. They had to be gathered together.

Of course...

Gu Yuan could have done this as well. With his strength, it was not even a difficult task.

But...

No matter how simple it was, it still required time. At this moment, Gu Yuan...

Had something more important to do. He had to protect Gu Fang.

Gu Yuan understood clearly...

As far as those Soul Clan bastards were concerned, everything so far was merely an appetizer.

An anticlimax was not the Soul Clan's style!

"Hun Tiandi has gone to the northern region of the continent. Even if he learns of this, he will never make it back in time. With the current arrangements, no one can harm Fang'er!"

Gu Yuan muttered inwardly, "It is time. Time to clean out the vermin within the clan.

After this purge, I will no longer have to act with such restraint.

Fang'er's future growth will be much safer!"

Just as Gu Yuan finished speaking to himself, several spatial ripples rose one after another around the testing platform.

The instant he sensed those auras, even Gu Yuan's expression could not help turning grave.

Three auras, all possessing Battle Saint strength.

"Fall back!"

Gu Dao exhaled heavily. The next instant, he appeared before Gu Fang and the others, thrusting out his palm. He did not use any Dou Technique in this strike, yet even so...

It had already triggered a heavenly phenomenon.

Bang!

A figure was blasted directly out of the void, flying backward!

Gu Dao looked up at Gu Yuan. Upon seeing Gu Yuan slowly nod, he no longer hesitated and immediately chased after that Battle Saint.

At the instant Gu Dao gave chase, Gu Yuan tore through space and entered the void...

The next instant, though moving later, he arrived first before Gu Fang.

He swung both arms, causing the void to tremble. Energy tides from the distant borders of the Ancient Realm surged over. This was the strength of Gu Yuan at the Peak Nine-star Battle Saint level.

An energy tide that appeared only once in a century could be summoned with a mere thought from Gu Yuan.

Bang! Bang!

Two thunderous explosions rang out.

Two figures spat blood as they were sent flying backward.

Two early-stage Battle Saints had been severely wounded in a single move by Gu Yuan!

The two Battle Saints who had launched the assassination were filled with terror, their auras weak. Yet their gazes did not look directly at Gu Yuan. Instead, as though they had agreed beforehand...

They both swept toward a corner of the sky!

It was the gaze of men searching for a savior.

Seeing this, Gu Yuan's expression darkened. He raised both hands, and a thousand-zhang Dou Qi stream instantly formed, rushing straight at the two Battle Saints.

At the same time, Gu Yuan's soul power fiercely surged toward the place they were staring at!

Boom! Boom!

Bang!

Three explosions rang out in succession. The first two were naturally the sounds of the Dou Qi stream striking the two Battle Saints. The final one...

Was the sound of a collision on the soul level!

"Half-step Emperor Realm Soul, Nine-star Battle Saint strength?!"

Gu Yuan frowned toward that direction. His robes fluttered without wind, while a towering Dou Qi vortex formed behind him.

"Who are you, sir? What is your relationship with the Soul Clan?"

As Gu Yuan spoke, he silently sent out a soul transmission.

"What does this have to do with you?"

A middle-aged man's voice answered with amusement.

"If you had come openly, my Ancient Clan would naturally welcome you. But since you have come so furtively and appeared alongside the Soul Clan, you are an enemy of my Ancient Clan."

As his words fell, the Dou Qi vortex behind Gu Yuan suddenly stopped, then pressed down from above.

As it descended, a thousand-zhang phantom figure seemed to appear within the vortex. One hand seal after another flickered between the phantom's hands.

"This..."

Gu Fang looked at the ten-thousand-zhang vortex and the hand seals gradually forming within it. His expression could not help growing grave.

He understood his father Gu Yuan's strength. For him to use such a move was enough to show that the enemy he was fighting was not weak.

There was a ninety percent chance that opponent was also a Nine-star Battle Saint.

"A Nine-star Battle Saint?"

Gu Fang muttered, recalling what his father had told him yesterday: Hun Tiandi had gone north of the continent.

"If it isn't Hun Tiandi, then there should only be one Nine-star Battle Saint left on the continent!"

Second on the Heavenly Flame Ranking, Nihility Devouring Flame...

An early-stage Nine-star Battle Saint!

"I didn't expect to draw that guy out. But it is good that he came out. Nihility Devouring Flame has yet to break through to the Emperor Realm Soul, so he is no match for Father at all!"

Gu Fang thought. Just as the thought ended, spatial ripples suddenly appeared before him.

Gu Fang, Gu Qingyang, and the others instinctively focused, but upon seeing the two smiling old men, they all relaxed slightly.

If they were enemies, they would likely have attacked directly.

Gu Fang looked at the two newcomers, their aged faces unfamiliar to him, and once more marveled at the Ancient Clan's abundant reserves!

The two were somewhat weaker than Gu Dao, but not by much. They were probably around the strength of Five-star Battle Saints.

"Leave the rest to us two old men!"

The leading elder spoke with a smile. After speaking, his gaze fell upon Gu Fang's face. "The new generation surpasses the old. We truly are old."

"Greetings, Elders."

Gu Fang spoke and was about to withdraw his hand from the test to bow, but the elder stopped him.

"If you still have strength left, continue the test. Who knows? There might be some unknown grade beyond Divine Grade!"

After speaking, the elder turned around with the other elder. "Do not worry about us two."

Gu Fang looked at the two. While still shocked, he turned to Gu Qingyang and asked, "Brother Qingyang, these two elders are..."

"They are the elders who guard the ancestral hall."

Gu Qingyang smiled and spoke softly. "The one who spoke is the Great Elder, Gu Mo, a Six-star Battle Saint. The one beside him is Second Elder Gu Yang, at the late stage of Five-star Battle Saint."

"Ancestral hall elder, Gu Yang, late-stage Five-star Battle Saint?"

Gu Fang muttered inwardly. His face abruptly turned pale as he looked at the so-called Second Elder Gu Yang in horror...

His once-vague memories surfaced in his mind, becoming clearer bit by bit.

Gu Fang remembered that at the end of Battle Through the Heavens, there had been a great traitor within the Ancient Clan. But he had read it too hurriedly back then, and only vaguely remembered that the traitor possessed Battle Saint strength.

He had forgotten almost everything else, including the name!

But with Gu Qingyang's reminder, those vague memories became real. At this moment, Gu Fang was certain...

The man standing before him was that Soul Clan spy...

Gu Yang!

Don't attack, don't attack, don't attack!

I'm only a mere Dou Master. You have hidden for a hundred years for the Ancient Emperor Jade. There's no need to expose yourself over a nobody like me.

Gu Fang prayed inwardly, but...

Gu Fang had clearly underestimated his own talent. Though he was only a Dou Master now, he possessed a Divine Grade bloodline. He would surely become a peak Battle Saint in the future.

Even if he exposed himself, Gu Yang would consider it completely worthwhile!

At this moment, Gu Fang's importance had already surpassed that distant Ancient Emperor Jade.

After all, the Ancient Emperor Jade was there. It could be taken sooner or later.

But if they missed the chance to kill Gu Fang while he was still weak, then once Gu Fang truly grew up, there would be no possibility of eliminating him!

Two peak Battle Saints from the Ancient Clan would be able to pin the Soul Clan to the ground and crush them at will.

Gu Yang stretched out his hand, Dou Qi slowly gathering in his palm. Just as Gu Fang was about to send a soul transmission to his father, Gu Yang turned around. Amid Gu Fang's shocked and terrified gaze...

He swung his palm down!

A person stationed at the heart of things, someone they trusted most, had suddenly turned traitor and attacked. Not only had it come without warning, but they were also so close...

Forget Gu Mo, a Six-star Battle Saint—even Gu Yuan, a Nine-star Battle Saint...

Would likely be unable to react in time.

He could not save Gu Fang from this palm strike!

Gu Fang...

Was already trapped in a certain death situation.