Hun Tiandi's Speculation

After failing to find the ancient jade, Gu Yun and Gu Shen waited until Xun Er's mood had improved slightly before taking her back to the clan.

Upon returning to the Ancient Realm, Gu Yun and Gu Shen went to the main hall to find Gu Yuan.

They reported the entire course of events to Gu Yuan in full detail.

This was no small matter. Gu Yuan immediately contacted the Gu Clan's elders and summoned them to a meeting.

Inside the meeting room.

"Patriarch, why have you summoned us for this meeting? Is there something important?"

The first to speak was Gu Dao, one of the Three Immortals.

Gu Dao was a Supreme Elder of the Gu Clan, a Seven-Star Dou Saint Late Stage expert. Aside from Gu Yuan and several elders who had held office for a long time, no one could compare to him in status.

The other elders also looked at Gu Yuan in confusion.

"I summoned you here today to discuss the Xiao Clan's ancient jade."

"The Xiao Clan's ancient jade? Does the Patriarch know its whereabouts?"

These elders also knew that the Hall of Souls had besieged the Xiao Clan some time ago, but had failed to find the ancient jade.

"A few days ago, the Hall of Souls captured Xiao Yan of the Xiao Clan. The ancient jade was on Xiao Yan's person. I sent Elder Gu Yun there at the time, but unfortunately, Hun Miesheng managed to escape."

Gu Yuan briefly explained the situation to them.

One of the elders exclaimed, "What? Does that mean the Xiao Clan's ancient jade has fallen into the Soul Clan's hands?"

Gu Yuan said, "That's right. That is why I called everyone here—to discuss how we should deal with this matter."

Gu Xuan, a Five-Star Dou Saint, said angrily, "Patriarch, the Soul Clan has always harbored great ambitions. Now they have openly violated the oath and seized the Xiao Clan's ancient jade. We absolutely cannot let this go."

Gu Yuan asked, "Then what do you elders think we should do?"

"Patriarch, since the Soul Clan has openly violated the oath, why not take this opportunity to join forces with the other five clans and launch a campaign against them?"

Gu Yuan said helplessly, "I would certainly like to destroy the Soul Clan, but I fear the other five clans will not contribute their strength."

The relationships among the ancient clans were extremely complicated now. Both the Gu Clan and the Soul Clan, the two clans with Nine-Star Dou Saints, wanted to destroy the other and gather all Eight Ancient Jades.

Thus, Gu Yuan also hoped to form an alliance and eliminate the Soul Clan.

Once the Soul Clan was destroyed, the Gu Clan could recuperate properly before attacking the other clans one by one, collecting the ancient jades and opening the cave abode.

The patriarchs of both the Thunder and Flame Clans were Eight-Star Dou Saint Late Stage experts. The two clans were excellent allies and had essentially chosen to stand together. By joining forces, they could barely contend with the Gu Clan.

As for the Yao Clan, Spirit Clan, and Stone Clan, there was even less to say. The Yao Clan was somewhat better off, with Patriarch Yao Dan having reached the Seven-Star Dou Saint level. The patriarchs of the Stone Clan and Spirit Clan possessed only the strength of Six-Star Dou Saints, leaving them no room to resist before a Nine-Star Dou Saint.

These ancient clans were no fools. They knew that once the Soul Clan was destroyed, no one would remain to restrain Gu Yuan. Therefore, for the sake of stability, they would most likely refuse to form an alliance.

Wasn't it better to watch the Soul Clan and Gu Clan fight each other? Why meddle for no reason?

Even if they agreed to an alliance, they certainly would not give it their all.

Hearing Gu Yuan's words, the other elders also fell silent.

If the other clans did not contribute, they would not dare attack the Soul Clan either!

Gu Yuan said, "In that case, everyone should return and think it over for now. Once you have made up your minds, we will discuss it together again."

Seeing that these elders had all fallen silent, Gu Yuan knew that there was nothing more to be done about the Soul Clan seizing the ancient jade.

Hun Realm.

At this moment, the disheveled Hun Miesheng returned to the Hun Realm. Rather than immediately recovering from his injuries, he went straight to Hun Tiandi to report the news.

Inside the Soul Clan's main hall.

A handsome man in grayish-white robes, appearing to be around thirty years old, sat in the seat of honor. Judging by his appearance, he was undoubtedly refined and scholarly.

With such an image, it was difficult to associate him with the patriarch of the most sinister Soul Clan.

That was right. This man was Hun Tiandi, patriarch of the Soul Clan.

Unlike Gu Yuan's indecisiveness, Hun Tiandi was ruthless and unscrupulous in his actions.

Thus, within the Soul Clan, Hun Tiandi's word was absolute.

Before Hun Tiandi, Hun Miesheng was kneeling on the ground.

Seeing Hun Miesheng in such a bedraggled state, Hun Tiandi slowly said, "Hun Miesheng, I sent you to collect souls in the Central Continent. How did you end up in such a state?"

"Patriarch, a few days ago, this subordinate received a report from my men that they had captured Xiao Yan, the Xiao Clan survivor, in the Northwest Continent. I personally went there, intending to retrieve the ancient jade. Who would have thought that Xiao Yan was already dead, and the ancient jade was not on him either? I suspected that the protector who captured Xiao Yan had hidden the ancient jade, but that protector was tight-lipped. Before this subordinate could force the truth out of him, two Four-Star Dou Saints from the Gu Clan arrived at the Hall of Souls. Knowing I was no match for them, I fled back here with this protector."

Knowing that his patriarch disliked beating around the bush, Hun Miesheng recounted everything that had happened in full detail.

"Oh?"

Hun Tiandi's unusually bright eyes turned toward Yin Shan, as though they could see straight through a person's heart.

Yin Shan below shuddered with fear.

Yin Shan hurriedly explained, "P-Patriarch, I truly did not hide the ancient jade! I really found Xiao Yan outside the Hall of Souls. He was already dead when I found him."

After watching him for a while longer, Hun Tiandi slowly said, "There is no need for him to lie. He probably was not the one who hid the ancient jade."

Hun Miesheng said, "But Clan Leader, if the Ancient Jade wasn't on Xiao Yan, why would the Gu Clan people still come to seize it?"

Hun Tiandi stared at Yin Shan and asked, "When you found Xiao Yan, was there anything unusual about him?"

"Unusual? Right, Clan Leader—there was also a Golden Emperor Burning Flame's Child Flame beside Xiao Yan."

Yin Shan suddenly remembered this and hurriedly spoke up.

Hun Tiandi asked in confusion, "A Golden Emperor Burning Flame's Child Flame?"

Hun Tiandi thought to himself, Isn't the Golden Emperor Burning Flame the Gu Clan's Inherited Heavenly Flame? How could it have been beside Xiao Yan?

Linking this to the Gu Clan experts who had come to seize the Ancient Jade...

Hun Tiandi's mind jolted. Could it be that Gu Yuan killed Xiao Yan and threw his corpse into the Hall of Souls, intending to frame my Soul Clan? And the Ancient Jade was actually in Gu Yuan's hands?

If that was truly the case, what Hun Tiandi could not understand was why Gu Yuan had placed the Golden Emperor Burning Flame's Child Flame beside Xiao Yan. Wouldn't that expose the Gu Clan?

Seeing his clan leader like this, Hun Miesheng could not help but ask, "Clan Leader...?"

Hun Tiandi said, "Take him away first. Let me think this through properly."

P.S.: A real head-scratcher—not just for Hun Tiandi, but for the author too!

Thanks to Primal Chief Sovereign_ for 3 recommendation votes.

Thanks to reader 20190929095555844 for 1 recommendation vote.

Thanks to reader 20230211295_BB for 7 recommendation votes.