Forty-Eight: Far Away at the Horizon, Close at Hand

At the moment when the four Eight-star Dou Saint elders successively broke through to become Nine-star Dou Saints.

The Emperor-level Cultivation Method and Secret Technique, Divine Grade Dou God Bloodline Origin, and eight strands of Source Qi of the Emperor awarded to the Soul Clan by the Gold Ranking were also floating before Hun Tiandi.

After putting away all the rewards before him.

Hun Tiandi instructed 'Hun Shengtian' and the others beside him, "We can't wait until This Clan Leader breaks through to Half-Emperor before taking action against the Ancient Clan. That would give them a chance to recover."

"Notify Nihility Devouring Flame immediately and have them change course toward the Gu Realm at once. Also, remind him to save the strand of Source Qi of the Emperor awarded by the Gold Ranking for me. He mustn't refine and absorb it on his own."

"As for all of you, start opening wormholes connected to the area near the Gu Realm. Prepare for our clan's army to set out."

"Yes!"

After making all the arrangements.

Hun Tiandi raised his eyes toward the Gold Ranking in the void and thought, I'd like to see exactly where that family ranked first came from.

As the Soul Clan's strength surged.

Within the Lei Realm.

The Lei Clan Patriarch Lei Ying, who had already broken through to the late stage of Nine-star Dou Saint under the Gold Ranking Blessing.

At this moment, he was staring at the Gold Ranking image in the sky and exclaimed in shock, "How can the Soul Clan have two Nine-star Dou Saints and four Eight-star Dou Saints?"

"Living Dead—could they be Hun Shengtian and the others who were killed by the Xiao Clan a thousand years ago?"

"How did the Soul Clan revive them?"

"With Nihility Devouring Flame and the four Eight-star Dou Saints added in, the Soul Clan now has the battle power of six Nine-star Dou Saints under the Heavenly Dao Blessing... We must guard against the Soul Clan."

"..."

Within the Gu Realm.

Gu Yuan, Black Annihilation King Gu Lie, and the Three Immortals of the Gu Clan, along with the other Dou Saint powerhouses.

At this moment, they were also staring blankly at the Gold Ranking Light Screen.

No one knew how long they remained silent.

When he came to his senses, Black Annihilation King Gu Lie furrowed his brows tightly and said in a low voice, "I never expected that Nihility Devouring Flame, whom you seriously wounded many years ago, Patriarch, would quietly break through to Nine-star Dou Saint. The Soul Clan has hidden itself deeply!"

Hearing this, Gu Dao also spoke in agreement. "Fortunately, the Soul Clan only obtained nine strands of Source Qi of the Emperor. Otherwise, our clan would be in serious trouble."

"Thank goodness the Soul Clan only ranked second..."

Just as the various Dou Saint elders of the Ancient Clan were rejoicing, Patriarch Gu Yuan suddenly said, "Stop rejoicing. Our Ancient Clan is about to face immense trouble!"

"!!!"

As Gu Yuan's voice fell.

Gu Dao and the other elders seemed to realize something, and their expressions suddenly changed.

They exclaimed, "Patriarch, do you mean the Soul Clan will attack our clan to seize the Source Qi of the Emperor?"

"Mm." Hearing this, Gu Yuan nodded, his face solemn. "Given Hun Tiandi's temperament and the Soul Clan's current strength, they won't spare the Ancient Clan, which possesses the Source Qi of the Emperor."

"Our clan currently has three Nine-star Dou Saints, so our battle power is formidable."

"But among the Soul Clan, the number of Nine-star Dou Saint powerhouses we've seen so far is already six, twice that of our clan. Not to mention the special rewards from the Gold Ranking..."

"If they mobilize their entire force, our clan probably won't last long under the circumstances."

Hearing this.

The expressions of the Ancient Clan's elders immediately darkened.

The current situation seemed to have truly spiraled out of control.

At this moment, Gu Yuan suddenly said, "It seems we must form a deep alliance with the Yan Clan, Lei Clan, Yao Clan, Shi Clan, and Ling Clan, opening wormholes within our respective spaces so we can support each other and band together for warmth. Otherwise, relying on our Ancient Clan alone, we won't be able to protect the Source Qi of the Emperor."

"That's at least six Nine-star Dou Saints, isn't it?" Gu Dao asked with a frown. "Will the Five Great Clans take such a risk?"

"They will agree."

Gu Yuan's tone was utterly certain. "Yan Jin and Lei Ying know the Soul Clan's temperament as well. Once Hun Tiandi successfully seizes our clan's Source of the Emperor and becomes a Dou Emperor, the other Ancient Clans will ultimately be unable to escape the fate of being purged."

"That's true... This Old Man agrees to a deep alliance."

"I second that..."

Just as Gu Yuan and the others were discussing the details, the Ancestral Shrine Dou Saint elder 'Gu Yang,' who stood not far behind them, had a fleeting, strange Black Light flash through his eyes.

Meanwhile.

After they had finished discussing everything.

Gu Yuan seemed to have thought of something and suddenly moved his lips slightly.

The next second, an elder not far away who had just broken through to the late stage of Two-star Dou Saint and belonged to his direct lineage widened his pupils in shock, as though he had heard something unbelievable.

Gu Yuan was not surprised by his reaction and continued transmitting his voice. "No one besides you and me can know about this."

"Rest assured, Patriarch. This Old Man will surely deliver your meaning!"

After responding, that direct-line elder soon dispersed together with the others.

At the same time.

At the entrance to the Heavenly Tomb in the Gu Realm.

Xiao Yan stared at the Soul Clan's formidable strength in the Gold Ranking image.

He felt as though a massive mountain were pressing down on him, its weight making it difficult for him to breathe.

To him, rescuing his father, Xiao Zhan, from the Soul Clan, which possessed so many powerhouses, was simply far too difficult.

At this moment.

Gu Xun'er noticed Xiao Yan's expression.

Knowing exactly what Xiao Yan was thinking, she slowly took Xiao Yan's hand and consoled him softly, "Older Brother Xiao Yan, I believe you can definitely rescue Uncle Xiao Zhan."

"In just a little over ten years, you've walked from Wutan City to where you are now... You've already broken too many records and created too many miracles."

"We're still young..."

Under Gu Xun'er's consolation.

An unyielding flame soon reignited in Xiao Yan's eyes. He said solemnly, "Xun'er, you're right. I'm still young. Youth means limitless possibilities, and I can create even more miracles."

"My father and the clansmen are still waiting for me. I can't give up just like this!"

"So what if the Soul Clan has many Nine-star Dou Saints? If I can't rescue my father as a Dou Saint, then I'll break through to Dou Emperor..."

Seeing Xiao Yan regain his confidence, a bright smile immediately rose at the corners of Gu Xun'er's lips.

At the same time.

In the Far North, above Seven Star Palace on the Meteor God Ice Plain.

After Hall Master Tianshu 'Xiao Xuan' and Hall Master of Tian Quan Hall saw the Soul Clan appear on the ranking.

A cold glint flashed through the former's eyes, and he said in a low voice, "If not for the Lord's other arrangements, how could the Soul Clan have survived until now? It would have been destroyed by my Tianshu Hall long ago!"

As for the latter.

He murmured fervently, "Nine strands of Source of the Emperor!"

"It seems I have to mention this to the Lord and change the plan we set before. We must eliminate them before the Soul Clan obtains the next strand of Source of the Emperor!"

As the two murmured.

The Yao Clan Leader Yao Dan could not help sighing. "The waters of this Dou Qi Continent are truly deep. Even the Soul Clan, with two Nine-star Dou Saints and four Eight-star Dou Saints, only ranks second."

"I wonder where the family ranked first came from?"

"First?" Hearing Yao Dan's mutter, Hall Master Yaoguang said with a teasing look, "Isn't the first-ranked family on the Family Ranking far away at the horizon and close at hand?"

"!!!"

"Close at hand?"

Hearing this, the Yao Clan Leader Yao Dan, the Shi Clan Patriarch Shi Feng, and the Ling Clan Patriarch Ling Yun suddenly came to their senses.

Their gazes instinctively fell on the Mistress of Seven Star Palace and the two Young Masters before them.

At the same time.

The image of the Heavenly Dao Gold Ranking above the Dou Qi Continent.

It also underwent a new change.

The Light Screen once again displayed the Meteor God Ice Plain, which everyone was extremely familiar with, along with an image of Seven Star Palace.

Seeing this.

Countless people on the Dou Qi Continent were bewildered.

"What's going on? Wasn't this the Family Ranking of the Ten Great Clans?"

"Why has the image of the Sect Power Ranking appeared again? Did the Gold Ranking make a mistake?"

"Could it be..."

Amid the countless discussions, the familiar Frightening Heavenly Sound of the Heavenly Dao Gold Ranking suddenly rang out in everyone's ears.

[First place on the Family Ranking: Far North—Lin Clan]