Three Clans Plot in Secret

Deep within the East Sea Dragon Palace, the atmosphere was suffocating.

The Ancestral Dragon slowly rose from his throne. His terrifying pressure, far beyond the Great Firmament Realm, made the entire Crystal Palace tremble.

"Candle Dragon, handle the purge within the Dragon Clan yourself. Remember: anyone tainted by Demonic Qi, regardless of rank, is to be thrown into the Dragon Burial Abyss and suppressed with the Nine Nether Cold Spring! If they resist, kill them without mercy!"

The Ancestral Dragon's voice was cold and merciless, filled with the resolve to sacrifice part of his clan to save the rest.

"Yes, elder brother! I'll see to it at once." The Candle Dragon accepted the order, turned, and strode away.

The Ancestral Dragon took a deep breath. His gaze pierced the layers of seawater and turned toward the Primordial Wilderness Continent.

"Luo Hou... You old devil. You tried to use our three clans as pawns and sacrifice our people to fuel your Devil Dao. If word hadn't leaked when a dragon elder corrupted by Demonic Qi slaughtered living beings, you might have succeeded."

The thought still left the Ancestral Dragon shaken. Had word not gotten out, even he would not have realized that Luo Hou had infiltrated the Dragon Clan. He transformed into a streak of golden light, tore through the void, and vanished above the Eastern Sea.

Several days later, in a hidden pocket of space billions of li east of Mount Buzhou on the Central Continent.

The Ancestral Dragon stood with his hands behind his back, clad in golden armor.

Across from him stood a man and a woman.

The man wore a dark jade robe. His refined face carried an imposing gravity.

The woman wore a scarlet imperial robe. She was breathtakingly beautiful, and defiant Southern Bright Flame burned between her brows.

"Ancestral Dragon, you old mudfish. Why did you suddenly summon us to this secret meeting? What are you plotting?"

Yuanfeng broke the silence first. She stared coldly at the Ancestral Dragon, her hostility undisguised. "If you're here to beg for peace, forget it! Two of my Phoenix Clan's Late Daluo elders are dead. Your Dragon Clan will pay that blood debt with its own!"

"Stop raving, you madwoman!"

The Ancestral Dragon frowned and shot back, "I told you already: my Dragon Clan did not kill those two elders! If I wanted them dead, why would I skulk about?"

"If it wasn't you, was it that hypocrite, the Primordial Qilin?!" Yuanfeng laughed bitterly in her fury.

"Fellow Daoist Yuanfeng, you should be more careful with your words."

The Primordial Qilin glanced at Yuanfeng. "My Qilin Clan also lost an Early Zenith Heaven elder in the northern Thunder Marsh. If we were secretly attacking one another, this would be a remarkably clumsy way to do it."

"You..." Yuanfeng began, but the Ancestral Dragon cut her off with a wave of his hand.

"Enough! I didn't bring you here to argue!"

The Ancestral Dragon was more serious than ever. His gaze swept over Yuanfeng and the Primordial Qilin. "Haven't you noticed something wrong with your clansmen lately?"

At those words, Yuanfeng's and the Primordial Qilin's pupils contracted. Their expressions changed at once.

"So you've noticed too."

The Ancestral Dragon gave a cold laugh. "Bloodred eyes, frenzied minds, a thirst for killing—even their souls are polluted by a strange black energy. This isn't Tribulation Aura entering their bodies. It's Demonic Qi!"

"Demonic Qi?!" Yuanfeng and the Primordial Qilin cried out together.

"That's right. Demonic Qi!"

The Ancestral Dragon ground out the words. "That old devil in the Western Lands shut himself away, and I thought he was quietly reciting the Yellow Court. I never imagined he was plotting something this big. He reached straight into our three clans and used Demonic Qi to corrupt my people."

"Luo Hou!"

The Primordial Qilin clenched his fists, a terrifying killing intent flashing in his eyes. "That old devil has a monstrous appetite! Isn't he afraid he'll choke?!"

Yuanfeng's face was livid too. She had spent some time gloating when she heard what had happened to the Dragon Clan, then warily begun investigating the Phoenix Clan. She had never expected to find the same corruption among her own people.

"He wouldn't dare do this unless he had something to rely on."

The Ancestral Dragon took a deep breath. "Our three clans have already weakened ourselves fighting over the Fortune of heaven and earth. If we keep slaughtering one another without restraint, Luo Hou will be the only one to benefit. And perhaps... so will Hongjun, who's stayed shut away on Mount Yujing all this time!"

"After what Luo Hou's done, I doubt Hongjun has truly been sitting quietly either."

"Then what do you propose?" the Primordial Qilin asked gravely.

"A ceasefire."

The Ancestral Dragon's two words rang out with conviction.

"Impossible!" Yuanfeng refused without a moment's thought. "Countless Phoenix Clan members have died. How could I answer to my people if we stopped now?!"

"What answer do you want?!"

The Ancestral Dragon roared, "Do you want to watch the last of your Phoenix Clan's bloodline become corrupted by Demonic Qi and turn into Luo Hou's puppets? Or do you want our three clans to destroy one another and hand dominion over the Primordial World to someone else?!"

Yuanfeng froze under his outburst. She was still unwilling to concede, but reason told her he was right.

"We can agree to a ceasefire, but we need a plan."

The Primordial Qilin thought for a moment before continuing. "The grudges between our clans run too deep. If we suddenly announce a ceasefire, we won't be able to keep our people in line. And now that Luo Hou has made his move, he won't stand by and watch us make peace."

"Then we need a 'decisive battle.'"

A sharp gleam flashed in the Ancestral Dragon's eyes. "A 'decisive battle' staged for Luo Hou and every living being in the Primordial World!"

"You mean..." Yuanfeng and the Primordial Qilin were quick to grasp his intent.

"Each of our clans will select those already corrupted by Demonic Qi and beyond saving, along with elders whose grave injuries will never heal. They'll fight a 'final battle' at the edge of the Western Continent!"

The Ancestral Dragon's voice was utterly cold. "Their blood will quell the resentment within our clans. At the same time, the battle will draw Luo Hou's full attention!"

"Meanwhile, the elite and core forces of our three clans will pull back, retreating to the Four Seas, the Undying Volcano, and Qilin Cliff. We'll seal ourselves away and wait for the right moment!"

Yuanfeng and the Primordial Qilin both drew sharp breaths.

What a ruthless plan!

He meant to trade the lives of some of their people for a chance for the three clans to survive!

But they had to admit that, trapped as they were, it was the only way out.

"Very well. I agree." The Primordial Qilin closed his eyes and nodded with difficulty.

"The Phoenix Clan... agrees too." Yuanfeng gritted her teeth, pain and resolve flashing in her eyes.

"Then return and make your preparations. In a hundred years, at the foot of Mount Sumeru on the edge of the Western Continent, we'll fight to the death!"

The Ancestral Dragon swept his sleeve, dispelling the barrier of laws around the isolated space, then vanished in a streak of golden light.

Yuanfeng and the Primordial Qilin each sighed and disappeared as well.