Turning a Clever Move into a Blunder, Gathering at the Ice Plain

As Seven Star Palace began its counteroffensive.

At the westernmost edge of the battlefield, within the Flame Demon Clan Barracks Base headquarters.

One High-level Earth Supreme, two Lower Earth Supremes, and seven Supreme Realm elders of varying levels had gathered together, endlessly arguing over Seven Star Palace's latest actions.

"I told you that plan wouldn't work, but you insisted on doing it!"

"Well, this is great. Not only did we fail to accomplish anything, we completely enraged that madman Lin Yuan."

"With Lin Yuan's strength—he has killed one of our Half-step Earthly Supreme Realm elders—apart from the three Earthly Supreme Realm elders present, anyone else targeted by him is certainly doomed..."

"We can't just hide in the Barracks Base and refuse to come out because of him, can we?"

"According to the information Seven Star Palace released, that useless Xie Zhu not only failed to capture Lin Yuan's wife and children, but had his physical body blown apart and his soul imprisoned..."

"Didn't the intelligence say Lin Yuan hadn't been on the Flame Demon Battlefield lately?"

"How did he suddenly return?"

"No idea!"

"Xie Zhu knows quite a bit about our clan. Once Lin Yuan searches his soul, he'll definitely learn that our Old Ancestor will emerge from seclusion within ten years..."

"So what if he knows? With our clan's Sealing Boundary Array in place, unless he breaks through to the Heavenly Supreme Realm, he can forget about escaping."

"Given the state of the Dou Qi Continent, breaking through to Earthly Supreme is already difficult for him, let alone Heavenly Supreme..."

"If you ask me, Seven Star Palace's initiative this time is most likely because Xie Zhu attacked Lin Yuan's wife and children. On top of that, Lin Yuan learned through soul searching that the Old Ancestor was about to emerge from seclusion, so he got anxious!"

"Then how do you explain the collective increase in strength among Seven Star Palace's members?"

"They must have been holding themselves back for too long and already intended to counterattack. That was why they had hidden everything before, preparing to catch us off guard..."

"They're just ants. Minor realm improvements are useless. As long as those few Quasi-Supreme Realm palace masters of Seven Star Palace don't break through, there's nothing to worry about."

"..."

After a fierce round of arguments and discussion.

Xie Feng, the strongest person on this side of the Flame Demon Battlefield and a High-level Earth Supreme, waved his hand to cut off everyone's debate.

He made the decision directly. "Alright. I will truthfully report Xie Zhu's failure to the Clan Patriarch. Lin Yuan definitely won't let him go, so don't even think about rescuing him."

"Abandon him outright."

"Send Seven Star Palace a message. Say that the capture operation was Xie Zhu's personal action and had nothing to do with the Flame Demon Clan. Let Lin Yuan handle him however he wishes..."

"Also make it clear that the Flame Demon Clan will continue to abide by the principle of not allowing Supreme Realm cultivators to take action."

"And tell Lin Yuan that our clan will not arrange for any more members to infiltrate the Dou Qi Continent within the next ten years... He'll understand what we mean."

"As for Seven Star Palace's counteroffensive on the Flame Demon Battlefield..."

"Let them do as they please. Our Flame Demon Clan has countless subordinate vassals and branch clans. What we lack least are cannon fodder soldiers!"

"Once they finish venting their anger..."

"They'll only be able to slowly wait for death through ten agonizing years!"

"Also, before our clan's Old Ancestor emerges from seclusion, all of you should behave yourselves. Try not to go out and provoke that man. He's especially sensitive during this period. If he disregards everything and fights you to the death, it won't be worth it."

"Rest assured, Elder Xie Feng!"

"We understand."

Not long afterward.

The Flame Demon Clan's response.

Reached Lin Yuan's ears as he cultivated his Present World Body.

Lin Yuan did not know whether to laugh or cry at this. He had never expected that, through such a twist of fate, the Flame Demon Clan would actually give Seven Star Palace an opportunity to develop peacefully for ten years.

They had even stated that they would no longer send clan members to infiltrate the Dou Qi Continent within those ten years.

But after thinking it over carefully.

There seemed to be nothing wrong with their decision.

After all.

The Flame Demon Clan currently did not know that the Heavenly Dao Gold Ranking had appeared in the Dou Qi Continent. They did not know that the Tian Ji Palace Master was breaking through, nor did they know that Lin Yuan had already broken through to the Lower Earth Supreme Realm.

From the Flame Demon Clan's perspective.

There was only Lin Yuan, who could not break through to Earthly Supreme, and a group of ants who had not even reached the Supreme Realm.

If not for the restrictions of the rules.

Their Flame Demon Clan would have long since wiped them out.

Now, with the clan's Spirit Grade Heavenly Supreme Old Ancestor about to recover to his peak state and emerge from seclusion.

There seemed to be no need for them to make too much of an enemy out of Lin Yuan.

They only needed to wait ten years for the Old Ancestor to descend.

Then everything would be settled.

At that thought, Lin Yuan silently gave the Flame Demon Clan elder who had made this decision a thumbs-up, then sent voice transmissions to the palace masters of the major branch halls.

After redeploying everything.

Lin Yuan turned back and focused on condensing a clone of his Present World Body.

He was preparing to give the Flame Demon Clan a few surprises at the right time.

Time flew by.

A month passed in the blink of an eye.

At this moment, under Lin Yuan's instructions, the Flame Demon Battlefield had already returned to how it was a month ago.

Other than the Tian Xuan Palace Master and the Tian Ji Palace Master, who was still breaking through, the remaining palace masters had all returned to the Dou Qi Continent.

As for the members of Seven Star Palace who remained on the Flame Demon Battlefield.

They formed teams of more than ten people and ventured deep into every part of the battlefield to hunt Flame Demon Clan members, exchanging their corpses for Seven Star Palace contribution points and then trading those points for Seven Star Palace cultivation resources.

On the Flame Demon Clan's side.

Seeing that everything had returned to normal.

Elder Xie Feng, a High-level Earth Supreme, thought his arrangements had worked. He believed Lin Yuan had finished venting his dissatisfaction, begun accepting reality, and was trying a desperate remedy.

Little did he know.

Lin Yuan and Seven Star Palace were holding back something huge for the Flame Demon Clan.

And the decision he had made earlier would bring unimaginable consequences upon the Flame Demon Clan.

Just as the turmoil on the Flame Demon Battlefield came to an end.

The Forbidden Land, Meteor God Ice Plain, in the Far North of the Dou Qi Continent was unusually lively.

Powerhouses from Central Continent and the eastern, western, southern, and northern continents had all gathered here within the month since Seven Star Palace had been exposed by the Gold Ranking.

The Meteor God Ice Plain, which had been deserted year-round, was now packed with people.

There was barely even a place to stand.

Of course.

Those still lingering on the outskirts.

Were merely insignificant loose cultivators and small clans.

Most were below the Dou Wang realm and had only come to watch the excitement.

Forces with Dou Zong cultivators had already followed the main group into the central region of the Meteor God Ice Plain.

Meanwhile, the strongest sects and clans with Dou Zun and even Dou Saint combat power had already entered the Core Zone, braving the snowstorm filling the sky and the bone-piercing Cold Qi as they advanced deeper toward Seven Star Palace.

Among all the groups.

Those flying at the very front.

Were, unexpectedly, the vast black mass of the Soul Clan and Hall of Souls.

Following close behind were members of ancient clans such as the Ancient Clan, Lei Clan, Yan Clan, and Yao Clan, as well as top sects with Dou Saint powerhouses such as Burning Flame Valley, Starfall Pavilion, and Flower Sect.

After an unknown amount of time.

The Soul Clan, which had set off first, moved the fastest, and led the way, suddenly stopped.

It was not that they did not wish to continue deeper.

Rather.

They could not proceed.

It was as though an invisible barrier stood before them, blocking their path.

The Soul Clan Dou Saint responsible for clearing the way was sent flying after crashing into it. He instinctively attacked, but it was useless.

All he could see were ripples spreading through space.

Even Hall of Souls Hall Master Hun Miesheng, who had reached the Early Six-star Dou Saint level through the Heavenly Dao Blessing, was unable to blast apart the invisible barrier before them.

At this sight.

A smile immediately appeared on the face of Hun Tiandi, the Soul Clan Patriarch.

Because they had arrived at their destination.