Becoming the Acting Clan Leader?!

"Haggle over another condition? Senior Gu Yuan, isn't that a bit too wishful?" Hun Tianchen chuckled, utterly unmoved.

"We cannot simply hand the Tou She Ancient God Jade over to you." Gu Yuan's expression darkened as his aura silently gathered and pressed down upon Hun Tianchen.

Hun Tiandi was just about to intervene and dispel Gu Yuan's aura. After all, the other man stood at the pinnacle of Nine-Star Dou Saints; he could not possibly gamble with his son's life by testing the temper of one of the continent's greatest experts.

Yet what he had not expected was that, without anyone's help, Hun Tianchen withstood the aura pressure of a peak Nine-Star Dou Saint with merely the cultivation of a peak Nine-Star Dou Zong!

The gap in strength between them was not merely a hundredfold—it was more than a thousandfold! A single glance from Gu Yuan could have killed countless Hun Tianchens. How had he done it?

Under such overwhelming pressure, few could endure. Yet a colossal Black Dragon emerged behind Hun Tianchen, helping him resist Gu Yuan's aura.

"Senior Gu Yuan, bullying the young isn't a very good habit." Though Hun Tianchen's face had turned somewhat pale, he still confronted Gu Yuan head-on. The Soul Dragon behind him let out a roar, and the pressure bearing down on him completely dissipated.

"The Hun Clan has produced quite an extraordinary fellow." At this moment, seeing Hun Tianchen disperse such astonishing aura pressure through his own strength, Gu Yuan began wondering whether he should kill Hun Tianchen at any cost.

"Thank you for your praise, Senior Gu Yuan. This junior is deeply grateful." Hun Tianchen smiled faintly. "Rest assured, Senior Gu Yuan, our Hun Clan will give you plenty of time to discuss it. Whenever you have decided, you may hand it over then. I merely wish to remind you not to delay for too long. If you wait until Miss Gu Xun'er breaks through to the Dou Saint realm, things may become troublesome."

Gu Yuan stared fixedly at Hun Tianchen and said in a low voice:

"You must guarantee that Xun Er will not be harmed. Only then will we hand the Tou She Ancient God Jade over to you."

"Senior Gu Yuan, you may rest assured on that point. I, Hun Tianchen, always keep my word. As long as I have promised you, I will do everything in my power to ensure that no one touches a single hair on Miss Gu Xun'er's head." Hun Tianchen smiled. "Surely I have that much credibility."

Gu Yuan gave Gu Xun'er a deep look and sighed.

"Xun Er, wait for me. I will find a way to save you. You must hold on..."

"Let's go." Gu Yuan left the scene with that dejected figure in tow.

As Gu Yuan departed, Hun Tianchen finally let out a sigh of relief.

Hun Tiandi came over, his eyes filled with approval.

"Very good. You were able to confront Gu Yuan alone without changing expression. It seems you have truly grown. You did not disappoint me."

"Father, he stands among the continent's strongest experts, just like you. How could I possibly be fine?" Hun Tianchen forced a smile onto his deathly pale face.

"Very good. As long as you're fine." Hun Tiandi chuckled, growing increasingly satisfied with Hun Tianchen. "It seems sending you out to gain experience was the right choice. After one trip, you're already about to break through to the Dou Venerate realm. I remember you had been stuck at the peak of the Nine-Star Dou Zong realm for a long time."

"Yes, Father."

"However, the constitutions of these women... I've examined every one of them. Each is more remarkable than the last. Where did you find them?" Hun Tiandi looked thoughtfully at the women surrounded by members of the Hall of Souls.

"Just lucky." Hun Tianchen smiled awkwardly.

"Perhaps. But this little girl actually possesses the bloodline of the Taixu Ancient Dragon Clan?" Hun Tiandi looked at Ziyan in astonishment.

"Yes, I came to bring her home." Hun Tianchen chuckled and reached out to pat Ziyan's little head. "After arriving here, you should have sensed a familiar yet unfamiliar aura calling to you from somewhere beyond perception, right?"

"Mm... I did." Ziyan nodded.

"You can follow that summons. That place is your home."

Ziyan nodded dazedly, then looked at Hun Tianchen with reluctance in her eyes.

"Once I return home, will you still refine pills for me to eat?"

"I will, of course I will. If you ever need my help in the future, you can come find me anytime." Hun Tianchen revealed a gentle smile and tossed her a token. "If you need me, crush this, and I will sense it."

"Mm, then it's a promise? You have to refine pills for me when the time comes!"

Faced with Ziyan's reluctance, Hun Tianchen nodded indulgently.

"All right, all right. I'll refine pills for you."

Ziyan gave him one last reluctant glance, then followed the sensed summons and slipped into space, departing.

"Xiao Yi Xian, Qinglin, would you two like to return with me?" Hun Tianchen turned to the two women. "That way, it will be easier to cure your Calamity Poison Body, Xiao Yi Xian, and there will be abundant cultivation resources for you to use. As for Qinglin, once I have time, I will help you find the cultivation resources you need."

"Mm." Xiao Yi Xian and Qinglin had no objections and obediently agreed.

"Finished with everything?" Only then did Hun Tiandi come over. "Your aura is becoming increasingly unstable. You could break through to the Dou Venerate realm at any time, so hurry back first."

"Yes, Father. But there is something very important I need to report to you."

"What is it?"

"I discovered the location of the Tou She Ancient God's Cave Mansion." Hun Tianchen transmitted his voice directly into Hun Tiandi's ear with Dou Qi.

"What?!" Hun Tiandi was greatly startled by this sudden piece of good news, leaving the surrounding Hun Clan members baffled. Yet none of them dared ask anything.

"We'll discuss this after we return. Let's go." Hun Tiandi urgently led everyone away, safely bringing Hun Tianchen and the others back to the Soul Realm.

Only after entering the Soul Realm did Hun Tiandi finally relax. He looked at Hun Tianchen with a grave expression.

"Tianchen, is what you said true? This matter cannot tolerate even the slightest joke."

"Father, I would never joke about something like this. When the Hall Master and I were searching for the Heavenly Flame, Fallen Heart Flame, the Tou She Ancient God Jade on me happened to react. That was why I dared to speculate that the underground world concealed the Tou She Ancient God's Cave Mansion."

"Mm." Hun Tiandi pondered for a moment before summoning Hun Miesheng.

"Did you know of what Tianchen said?"

Hun Miesheng answered respectfully:

"Clan Leader, at the time, I was focused solely on searching for Fallen Heart Flame with Young Master. We did indeed enter that underground world, but I did not possess the Tou She Ancient God Jade, so naturally I could not sense such a reaction."

"Green Lotus Core Flame, Sea Heart Flame, Fallen Heart Flame... you found them all?" Hun Tiandi saw through the Heavenly Flame on Hun Miesheng at a glance and looked at Hun Tianchen in surprise. "Tianchen, the surprises you have brought me are truly immense... Where is this underground world?"

"Please rest assured, Father. I have long since made preparations." Hun Tianchen smiled faintly and clasped his hands. "That underground world lies beneath Jia Nan Academy in the Black Corner Region of the Northwest Continent. But I have already ordered the Hall of Souls to turn the Black Corner Region's territory into the private property of our Hun Clan."

"Haha, good!" Hun Tiandi threw back his head and laughed. "With a son like you handling matters, I am completely at ease!"

"From this moment onward, I announce that Hun Tianchen is the Acting Clan Leader! His words are equivalent to mine. While I enter seclusion to cultivate, everyone must obey Hun Tianchen's orders."