"I heard about it, right? That Leng Bingyan was scared witless by the Yun Lan Ancestor, Ye Qianqian, and fled in terror!"
Inside the holy city of the Misty Cloud Empire.
In a small tavern, countless Dou Qi cultivators were discussing this very topic.
"Of course! Back then, I saw it all clearly in Ningfeng City. That Leng Bingyan was unbelievably ugly, with a face like a dog's—just like my stingy father-in-law. She even wanted to eat us! Luckily, the Yun Lan Ancestor appeared. Otherwise, we would all have been done for."
These people were cultivators from the various major forces of the Northwestern Continent who had come seeking refuge. Having heard that only Ye Qianqian could defeat Leng Bingyan, they had all rushed to the area around the Misty Cloud Sect to seek protection.
Of course, there were also mercenaries who had downed a few cups of liquor and forgotten their own status.
These mercenaries had no filter and dared to brag about anything.
"That Leng Bingyan even wanted to slaughter our Xiongqi Mercenary Group! But as the vice-captain of a mercenary group, how could I let her have her way? I fought Leng Bingyan for three hundred rounds!" A burly man with a hulking physique boasted shamelessly, reeking of alcohol.
"Big Brother Gouzi, what happened afterward?" Everyone listened intently and hurriedly asked.
The middle-aged man belched and said, "What else could happen? I'm a dignified three-star Dou Zhe! How could I possibly tolerate that Leng Bingyan? I fought her fiercely on the ground. I used the ultimate technique I learned back in the army—the Basic Fist Technique—and exchanged five hundred punches with Leng Bingyan on the ground. If the Yun Lan Ancestor hadn't arrived in time, I really would have lost to her. When Leng Bingyan fled, she even said... hic... she said I was the greatest genius in the history of the Dou Qi Continent!"
Everyone exchanged glances before bursting into laughter at the man's words. "Keep bragging!"
"Creak."
A strikingly handsome young man walked into the tavern from outside and lazily sat down at a table.
"Sir, what would you like to drink?" A fourteen-year-old girl in a server's uniform smiled sweetly and asked warmly.
"Bring me a cup of the finest strong liquor you have here."
Although the young man was handsome, his eyes were filled with arrogance, as though everything in the world was worthless garbage in his eyes.
"Sir, your drink is here."
The young server set down the tray and gazed infatuatedly at the young man. His handsome features made her fall for him at first sight.
The young man downed the liquor in one gulp, then headed out of the tavern.
"Sir, you haven't paid yet!" the tavern owner called out with a smile.
"Paid?" The young man sneered. "That's true. This liquor is so delicious that I should reward you with something. I'll grant you death."
"Bang!"
The young man flicked a finger, and a streak of Dou Qi shot straight through the tavern owner's forehead. The owner's head exploded with a boom.
The sudden scene left everyone in the tavern horrified.
"Father!" the server girl screamed in terror and threw herself before the corpse on the ground, sobbing miserably.
The young man raised the corner of his mouth and looked at the server girl. "I killed your father. You must be terribly grieved. Why don't I kill you too? Then you won't be so grieved anymore."
He flicked his finger again, killing the girl on the ground. His cruelty was utterly appalling.
"How outrageous!" Furious at the young man's brutality, everyone in the tavern slammed the tables and stood up. "This is the holy city of the Misty Cloud Empire, protected by the Misty Cloud Sect! How dare you cause trouble here?"
The Misty Cloud Sect was no longer what it had once been. No one dared cause trouble here. Yet this vicious young man was acting so lawlessly. Was he not afraid of the Misty Cloud Sect's punishment?
"The Misty Cloud Empire?" The young man laughed loudly, without the slightest trace of fear. "I, Gu Yao, came here today to destroy this mongrel empire. You dared bully Xun'er, so every one of you here will die!"
This young man was Gu Yao of the Ancient Clan. The moment he heard the news sent back by Gu Xun Er, he had rushed here.
What status did Gu Xun Er possess? She was the Ancient Clan's young lady, noble, exalted, and sacred—someone who could never be profaned. Yet these lowly, humble, weak ants had bullied her. As Gu Xun Er's admirer, he naturally would not let these mongrels off.
Today, he would personally annihilate this nation and vent Gu Xun Er's anger.
Gu Yao reached out and grabbed. The surrounding space instantly collapsed. Everyone in the tavern wailed as they were swept into the Space Turbulence. Their bodies were torn apart, shredded, and reduced to nothing.
"Rumble!"
With Gu Yao's attack, the entire tavern collapsed as well.
Passersby on the road screamed in fright.
"Who is it? How dare someone act so brazenly inside the holy city?"
Two powerful Dou Wangs flew over from afar. They were two of the former Ten Great Experts of the Jia Ma Empire, Yan Shi and Feng Li.
They happened to be responsible for maintaining order in the city today. The moment they sensed the massive fluctuation of Dou Qi, they rushed out to investigate.
"Wonderful! Lord Yan Shi and Lord Feng Li are here!" the city's citizens cheered loudly.
"Oh? Two Dou Wangs?" Gu Yao sneered contemptuously. He flicked two fingers, and two streaks of Dou Qi instantly pierced through Yan Shi and Feng Li's bodies. The two fell from the sky and died horribly.
No one could accept what they were seeing. Two mighty Dou Wang experts had been killed by this man in an instant. It was far too terrifying.
Gu Yao laughed uproariously, his voice echoing across heaven and earth. With a tone that looked down on all living beings, he said, "You lowly ants will all die by my hand today. Not a single one of you will survive!"
Today, he, Gu Yao, would crush this mongrel empire into dust and let Gu Xun Er know that only he, Gu Yao, truly cared for and protected her.
"Damn it, we're too late!" Ice Emperor Hai Bodong and Jia Xingtian hurried over. When they saw their old friends Yan Shi and Feng Li lying dead, they felt hatred, rage, grief, and fear all at once. They wished they could chop off Gu Yao's head.
"Quick, crush the jade slip and summon the elders of the Misty Cloud Sect!" Hai Bo Dong shouted urgently.
This mysterious young man was brutal, and his strength was extraordinary. The two of them, both Dou Emperors, were no match for him at all.
Jia Xingtian did not waste words. He immediately took a jade slip from his Storage Ring and crushed it fiercely.
"You want to summon help? No matter how many ants you call, they're still just ants." Gu Yao laughed loudly. He reached toward Hai Bo Dong and Jia Xingtian with one hand. The two immediately felt themselves bound by some force, completely unable to resist. "I'll kill you two little fish first."
Gu Yao clenched his hand viciously, and the bodies of Hai Bo Dong and Jia Xingtian were instantly crushed and flattened.
"Wind's Ultimate—Sunset Radiance!"
At that moment, a woman's delicate shout rang out from the sky. A sword severed the great hand formed from Dou Qi and rescued Hai Bo Dong and Jia Xingtian, who were barely clinging to life.
A pink-haired girl flew over from the distance. Her cultivation was not to be underestimated—she was actually a Dou Zun.
It was Na Lan Yan Ran, who had just emerged from seclusion. The moment she received Jia Xingtian's message, she had flown over.
A trace of astonishment flashed through Gu Yao's eyes. He was captivated by Na Lan Yan Ran's beauty. This girl's looks were no less stunning than Gu Xun Er's.
"Who exactly are you? How dare you cause trouble in the capital of the Misty Cloud Empire? Aren't you afraid of punishment from my Misty Cloud Sect?"
Na Lan Yan Ran's eyes were cold, but she was wary. Although she had received a reward from the ancestor, Ye Qianqian, and risen to the Dou Zun realm, the man before her was countless times stronger than she was.
Gu Yao looked Na Lan Yan Ran up and down, then clicked his tongue in admiration at her graceful figure. "You're so young, yet you've already reached the Dou Zun realm. Such talent would only count as an average genius in my Ancient Clan. Why don't you return with me and become my seventy-sixth concubine? As long as you perform well in bed and do your best to please me, perhaps I'll even grant you an opportunity to advance to the high-level Dou Zun realm in the future."
"Bah! Die, villain!"
Na Lan Yan Ran brought her long sword down. Dense sword energy whirled through the air, shredding the void and carrying fierce gales toward Gu Yao.
Gu Yao was an eight-star Dou Zun. How could he care about such a feeble attack? With a sweep of his sleeve, he shattered the sword energy.
Knowing she was no match for him, Na Lan Yan Ran flew rapidly toward the Misty Cloud Sect. Gu Yao pursued her relentlessly from behind. Several times, he nearly captured her, but each time, Na Lan Yan Ran interrupted him with a Spiral Shuriken.
One fled while the other pursued. At last, they entered the depths of Misty Cloud Mountain.
"Teacher, save me!"
A cry rang out. From one of the Misty Cloud Sect's secluded cultivation grounds, a graceful figure shot out, sealing off Gu Yao's path behind Na Lan Yan Ran with a single sword.
"Tut, tut, tut, another beauty!" Gu Yao gazed at Yun Yun's stunning features, somewhat intoxicated. "The disciple is beautiful, and the teacher is beautiful too. Why don't the two of you serve me together in bed?"
Yun Yun's phoenix eyes widened. This outsider was outrageously arrogant. Did he not know where he was?
"What happened?"
At the same time, Medusa and Xiao Yi Xian also rushed out of their secluded cultivation grounds, while She Xiuyue came over from the distance as well. All of them turned to face the menacing Gu Yao.
"Hahaha, three more beauties!" Gu Yao laughed delightedly. "Once I cripple your cultivation, I'll take all of you back to the clan and properly train you. I'll make you fight over the chance to writhe in pleasure on my bed."
"Hmph!" Medusa snorted coldly. "It seems you don't know where you are. Since you had the nerve to come here and cause trouble, you can die here today!"
In an instant, Yun Shan, Xie Biyan, Xie Shan, Yan Luotian, and the Mu Lan Three Elders all arrived. More than ten Dou Zun experts surrounded Gu Yao, while the five-star She Qingqing also appeared at the scene, giving the Misty Cloud Sect even greater confidence.
Gu Yao let out a mocking laugh. "A bunch of low-level Dou Zuns. I could kill a pile of you with one slap. Let me show you the power in my hands!"
He snapped his fingers. Above his head, it seemed as though the heavenly gate had opened wide. Ten Dou Zun experts flew out through the spatial crack, their cultivation ranging from three-star to six-star Dou Zun.
The moment these people appeared, Medusa and the others felt their hearts tighten and their spines turn cold.
Gu Yao said, "The ants of a mongrel empire dared to bully Xun'er. Today, I'll erase this nation from the map of the Dou Qi Continent!"
Before you continue