Gu Yuan Forced to Compromise

Above the plaza where the Gu Clan was holding their coming-of-age ceremony in the Ancient Realm!

The air began to churn violently, rippling outward until a fissure tore open!

A figure in green robes stepped out from the crack!

It was none other than Gu Yuan!

Gu Yuan stared at the scene before him, which resembled nothing more than ruins, and stood stunned for several seconds!

In the thousand years since he had assumed the position of patriarch, this was the first time the Gu Clan had ever suffered such a horrifying event!

Instantly, an uncontrollable, monstrous rage surged into his heart!

He swore that no matter who it was!

He would grind the culprit into dust!

"Patriarch, you have finally returned!"

A voice choked with tears of joy rose from below.

Gu Yuan moved, appearing instantly before the man.

"What happened to the clan? Why has it become like this! Who did this? Was it the Hun Clan?!"

In the Central Plains, aside from the Hun Clan.

Who else had the strength to break into the Gu Clan's headquarters and wreak such destruction!

Gu Chi shook his head, a bitter expression on his face: "Patriarch, it was not the Hun Clan, it was... it was... the Xiao Clan patriarch..."

Gu Yuan said coldly: "How is that possible! I just returned from the Xiao Clan, and their current patriarch, Xiao Zhan, is only a Dou Grandmaster!"

"Patriarch, it is not that Xiao Clan patriarch, but... but Xiao Xuan, it was Xiao Xuan who did this!"

"You said who?!! Xiao Xuan?!"

Gu Yuan thought he had misheard!

Xiao Xuan had fallen a thousand years ago!

He had seen with his own eyes how Xiao Xuan, relying on his formidable strength, had forcibly preserved a sliver of his remnant soul to enter the Heavenly Tomb, surviving in a different form.

Given the unique nature of the Heavenly Tomb, it was impossible for Xiao Xuan's remnant soul to leave that place!

"Do you truly believe I will not kill you?!"

"The patriarch is indeed Xiao Xuan, the matter is as follows..."

Gu Chi nodded and quickly recounted everything that had happened to Gu Yuan!

After listening, Gu Yuan stood stunned for a full minute!

Xiao Xuan was still alive?!

This information was far too shocking, no less than being told that the Hun Clan patriarch had suffered a cultivation deviation and died suddenly!

Shock!

Petrification!

Incredulity!

None of these could describe his complex state of mind at this moment.

Coming back to his senses.

Gu Yuan flashed and vanished.

When he reappeared, he had already arrived at the Gu Clan's reception hall.

At this moment.

Inside the reception hall.

The Black Annihilation King, the Three Immortals of the Gu Clan, and Gu Nanhai, along with a group of Dou Sheng powerhouses from the Gu Clan, were all present.

Xiao Xuan sat in the main seat with a commanding posture!

His expression was indifferent.

It was as if he were the true patriarch of this place!

He sipped his tea as if no one else were around.

The elders of the Gu Clan were all cautious, their faces plastered with obsequious smiles.

It was exactly the same scene as when he had been at the Xiao Clan earlier!

However, as a super powerhouse at the late stage of the Nine-Star Dou Sheng.

He saw at a glance that Xiao Xuan was merely a soul body!

Yet, it was not a remnant soul!

It was a complete and intact soul body!

This left Gu Yuan deeply horrified!

Even he had no way to restore a remnant soul into a complete soul body!

Could it be... that Xiao Xuan had some sort of fortuitous encounter within the Heavenly Tomb?

Furthermore, Gu Lie possessed the strength of an eight-star Dou Sheng!

Even he had to sit in the main hall, smiling apologetically at Xiao Xuan alongside the other elders of the Gu Clan!

It was evident that even he was no match for Xiao Xuan!

Then what kind of strength did Xiao Xuan possess?

Wait!

This Xiao Xuan...

Could he be an impostor from the Hun Clan?!

Gu Yuan felt a flicker of suspicion.

At this moment, Xiao Xuan's voice rang out.

"Gu Yuan, I thought you were going to keep hiding from me forever!!"

Xiao Xuan set down his teacup, lifted his eyes to look at the man who had suddenly appeared directly in front of him, and gave a cold laugh.

"Patriarch!"

The others all stood up and shouted in unison.

Every one of their faces wore a look of guilt.

Gu Yuan waved his hand and walked straight toward Xiao Xuan.

Looking at that familiar yet strange figure, and hearing that familiar yet long-lost voice.

His throat bobbed.

He hesitated for a moment before asking as if to confirm: "You... you really are Xiao Xuan!"

"What? A thousand years have passed, and you don't recognize me? If it weren't for me back then, would you and your wife have ever ended up together?!"

Xiao Xuan said with a cold sneer.

Hearing this, Gu Yuan's old face flushed red.

Back then, it was thanks to Xiao Xuan that Gu Yuan had met his wife and successfully ended up with her.

This matter was known only to the three of them.

Therefore, his suspicion regarding Xiao Xuan's identity.

Was completely dispelled.

Gu Yuan sighed, looked at Xiao Xuan, and said in a rather complex tone: "It is not that I do not recognize you, it is just... I simply cannot believe you are still alive!"

An old friend he had originally thought had fallen had reappeared before him after a thousand years.

For a moment, Gu Yuan did not know what to say.

He even forgot that he had come to hold him accountable.

Just then, the thoughtful Gu Nanhai suddenly stepped forward: "Patriarch, please punish us."

"Patriarch, please punish us."

The other elders also bowed together to admit their guilt.

Only then did Gu Yuan remember.

He said with a cold face:

"Xiao Xuan, I am happy that you have returned, and it is worth celebrating, but you turned my Gu Clan into such a state—shouldn't you give me an explanation?!"

"I give you an explanation? Fine! But before that, shouldn't you give me a reasonable explanation! I gave you so many things and asked you to look after the Xiao Clan. If you hadn't agreed, that would be one thing, but since you accepted the items, how did you look after them? The current patriarch is merely a Dou Grandmaster, weaker than the guards at your Gu Clan's gate! Is this what you call looking after them, you dignified Gu Clan??"

As his words fell, a terrifying power, as if the master of heaven and earth, swept out from Xiao Xuan's body!

It transformed into a storm of soul power, shattering all the tables and chairs in the hall into dust!

The floor also cracked rapidly, spreading outward with Xiao Xuan at the center.

The several elders of the Gu Clan could not withstand this pressure and instantly knelt to the ground.

"To think it is still a Di-state soul! How is this possible?!"

Feeling the soul power sweeping out, Gu Yuan's expression changed abruptly!

A thousand years ago, Xiao Xuan had also possessed a Di-state soul, but he had already fallen, and what remained in the Heavenly Tomb was only a remnant soul!

How could a remnant soul cultivate to the Di-state soul level?

"Gu Yuan, you are surprised too early. Try taking another move from me!"

Xiao Xuan channeled his soul power, unleashed a soul skill, and condensed a fist several dozen zhang in size, smashing it toward Gu Yuan!

Gu Yuan did not dare to be careless and similarly condensed a barrier using his Di-state soul power!

Bang!

Crack!

The fist slammed into the barrier, shattering it after a mere two-and-a-half-second pause!

Defeated, Gu Yuan felt a surge of horror in his heart!

"We both possess Di Realm souls; why is your attack power so formidable?!"

"Pure soul power alone could naturally never break a barrier formed by another Di Realm soul, but I utilized a high-tier Soul Skill!"

"You... you just used a Soul Skill?" Such things were incredibly scarce across the entire Dou Qi Continent; even the Gu Clan possessed only a single low-tier Soul Skill.

"Correct!" Xiao Xuan admitted.

Gu Yuan said with envy, "I never expected you to have such fortuitous encounters while inside the Heavenly Tomb!"

"Gu Yuan! Enough with the nonsense; the debt between us has yet to be settled!!" Xiao Xuan said coldly.

At this point, for the sake of the Gu Clan, Gu Yuan had to weigh whether he truly wanted to tear off the mask of civility and fight to the death!

After a moment of contemplation.

Gu Yuan gritted his teeth and said:

"Xiao Xuan, regarding the matters of the Xiao Clan, it is indeed my Gu Clan that broke our word. To express our apologies, the Gu Clan is willing to return the cultivation methods and Dou Skills from back then twofold. Furthermore, we can offer additional items as compensation. As for the losses you have caused the Gu Clan... let us consider it settled. What do you think?"