Journey to Dragon Rise City: The Four Clans Are Shocked as the Spirit Hall Pope Arrives in Person!

Qian Daoliu got straight to the point and placed several intelligence reports on the table.

"Your Holiness the Pope, these are the observation reports on the Two Great Empires and the Upper Three Sects over the past few days. None of them have made any unusual moves."

"However, the Four Single-Attribute Clans will be holding the Four Clan Council seven days from now in Dragon Rise City, where the Defense Clan is based. Our original plan to contact them one by one may be affected."

Ye Xian's eyes flashed as he smiled.

"That saves us some trouble."

"Since the four clans will be gathered, there's no harm in approaching them all at once."

"Seven days from now, I'll personally lead people to Dragon Rise City. The Spirit Hall will still need the Great Enshrined Elder to watch over it."

Qian Daoliu was somewhat surprised, but he did not ask further. He merely nodded.

"I'll go with you."

At that moment, Qian Renxue, who had been standing to the side, slowly spoke.

Ye Xian smiled and nodded.

"Of course."

Seven days passed in the blink of an eye.

Dragon Rise City.

This major city, located in the buffer zone between the Star Luo Empire and the Heaven Dou Imperial Family, had always been a place where undercurrents from every faction converged, thanks to its unique location and relatively permissive environment.

But today, the atmosphere in the city was somewhat suffocating.

The massive gates of the Defense Clan's fortress-like residence were tightly shut, and an invisible killing intent permeated the surrounding air.

Inside the residence, the spacious training ground had been temporarily arranged as a gathering venue.

Tai Tan, Clan Leader of the Strength Clan, glared fiercely at Yang Wudi, Clan Leader of the Breaking Clan, with eyes as wide as brass bells. He made no effort to hide the fury and contempt in them.

"Yang Wudi, you still have the nerve to come?"

"The Clear Sky Sect is in trouble. This is precisely the time for our four clans to repay them, yet you're hesitating here. Have you really been scared out of your wits by the Spirit Hall's bullshit news?"

"Have you forgotten how the old sect master once saved the Breaking Clan?"

This gathering of the Four Clans was not simply an advance in schedule.

Rather, all four clans had received letters of recall from the Clear Sky Sect at the same time.

Feeling threatened, the Clear Sky Sect had suddenly remembered the Four Single-Attribute Clans they had ruthlessly abandoned back then.

That was why they had come up with this plan.

Even Tai Tan, the one with the deepest slave mentality, had agreed without much hesitation, but the other three clans were unwilling to return to the Clear Sky Sect.

That was why this meeting had been convened early.

Yang Wudi sat unmoving. His frame was lean, yet straight as a spear, and his face was as hard and cold as stone.

"Hmph, that sounds nice enough."

In his eyes, the sect that had ruthlessly abandoned them back then was not worth risking the lives of his entire clan to serve again.

"Tai Tan, calm down."

Niu Gao, Clan Leader of the Defense Clan, who sat in the seat of honor, spoke in a deep voice.

"The Spirit Hall has changed leaders, but it will certainly remain opposed to the Clear Sky Sect."

"But if we rashly choose a side now, we may drag our four clans into a place beyond redemption. There's nothing wrong with being cautious."

His gaze swept over Yang Wudi before turning toward Bai He, Clan Leader of the Speed Clan, who sat silently in the corner.

Bai He was small and ordinary-looking, his eyes now filled with worry and struggle.

The Speed Clan under him possessed the greatest speed on the continent, but their offense and defense were the weakest.

Under the crushing weight of such great forces, they were like fallen leaves in a gale. One misstep, and they would be smashed to pieces.

"Cautious? Cautious my ass!"

Tai Tan abruptly rose to his feet, his beard and hair bristling as he glared furiously at Niu Gao.

"The Clear Sky Sect needs strength now. They need us to return, yet you're sitting here talking about caution?"

"I think the Spirit Hall has scared you out of your wits. You want to be a turtle hiding in its shell!"

The muscles on Niu Gao's dark face twitched, and a trace of resolve flashed through his eyes.

"When we were in trouble back then, did the Clear Sky Sect ever care about us?"

"Now that they need us, they want to summon me back?"

"What do they take us for?!"

Tai Tan was choked speechless. He wanted to argue, but realized that Niu Gao seemed to have a point, so he could only let it go.

Just as the confrontation was about to explode, an indescribable, bone-chilling cold suddenly enveloped the entire training ground without warning.

Crack!

A layer of white frost rapidly spread across the thick beast-hide carpet on the ground, visible to the naked eye.

"Who is it?"

Niu Gao's expression changed drastically. He shot to his feet as his Soul Power erupted, and eight soul rings abruptly lit up.

Tai Tan, Bai He, and Yang Wudi also instantly released their martial souls.

This gathering had been extremely secretive. Could word of it have still leaked out?

But even so, the Clear Sky Sect should not have attacked them.

Boom—!

The heavy gates of the training ground, forged from mixed refined steel, suddenly exploded inward.

A freezing gale carrying shards of ice and dust surged inside.

Amid the swirling smoke and dust, three figures slowly walked in.

The figure on the left was shrouded in twisted shadows, emanating a gloomy and bizarre aura.

On the right stood an effeminate figure whose eyes burned with a sickly fanaticism.

In the middle was a figure bathed in gentle golden Holy Light.

Her golden hair cascaded like a waterfall, her beauty was peerless, and her posture graceful. A pure and sacred aura radiated from her body.

They were Chrysanthemum Douluo, Ghost Douluo, and the Saintess, Qian Renxue.

The pupils of the four clan leaders contracted to their limits.

They could keenly sense the aura surrounding Yue Guan and Gui Mei.

They had clearly reached the level of Titled Douluo.

Not the Clear Sky Sect.

Then that was...

The Spirit Hall!

Everyone was instantly alarmed. Why would the Spirit Hall suddenly make a move against them?

There seemed to be no reason for it at all!

"The Spirit Hall Pope has arrived. Why are you not paying your respects?"

Yue Guan's shrill voice carried the cold menace of a fox borrowing a tiger's might as it rang through the deathly silent training ground, like a snake flicking its tongue.

As his words fell, a terrifying pressure crashed down upon the heads of the four clan leaders.

Above the training ground, a Frost King Throne slowly condensed into being. Immediately afterward, Ye Xian appeared upon the throne.

The four of them narrowed their eyes sharply and stared fixedly at Ye Xian.

Was this man the Spirit Hall's newly appointed Pope?

Did their Four Clans truly warrant the Pope coming in person?

Ye Xian's ice-blue eyes calmly swept over the four of them, like a god looking down upon ants.

"The Four Single-Attribute Clans..."

Ye Xian's cold voice rang out, each word entering the ears of the four with perfect clarity.

"You have gathered here today to discuss whether you should return to the embrace of the Clear Sky Sect and die for them, I presume?"

A curve formed at the corner of his lips, filled with undisguised mockery.

"Back then, to avoid the Spirit Hall's edge, the Clear Sky Sect hastily sealed itself away, casting aside your four clans like worn-out shoes and leaving you to fend for yourselves."

"And today, you still wish to serve them? How utterly laughable!"

His words were like the sharpest blade, precisely cutting open the wound in the hearts of the four clans that had never healed.

Yang Wudi in particular had the muscles in his hard face twitch violently.

What the Clear Sky Sect had done back then had truly chilled his heart.

Niu Gao and Bai He also remained silent. Ye Xian was indeed right.

"Do not spout nonsense!"

Tai Tan could no longer restrain himself and roared.

"The Clear Sky Sect is our parent sect! For our parent sect, the Strength Clan will brave fire and water without hesitation, even unto death!"

Ye Xian's gaze abruptly turned icy with killing intent.

"Stubborn fool!"