After hearing this, the other clans' expressions shifted, caught between joy and worry.
"The experts of my Stone Clan naturally cannot compare with those of your Gu, Yan, and Lei Clans. But thinning bloodlines are one thing, and being preyed upon is another. Over the past several thousand years, our experts have kept disappearing-no fewer than twenty Dou Sheng alone." The Stone Clan's leader slowly rose and held up two fingers, his face bitter with grief. Looking at Fairy Fire Spirit and the other two, he said, "We are all Emperor Clans. You should know that any clansman capable of cultivating to Dou Sheng must possess a bloodline of at least the eighth tier. So many of my Stone Clan's high-grade bloodlines vanished without a sound."
Thunder Mountain, the Lei Clan's supreme elder, tapped his fingers lightly on the table. "Clan Leader Shi, are you saying there is more to the Stone Clan's gradual decline? Could the Hun Clan have begun secretly targeting your bloodlines thousands of years ago?"
"Elder Thunder Mountain, you are exactly right. But I believe the Stone Clan is far from the only victim of their murderous schemes. In the Hun Clan's eyes, there is probably little difference between your Lei Clan and my Stone Clan," Shi Pan said coldly.
Thunder Mountain's face immediately turned blue, then purple. Quite a few experts of the Lei Clan had also disappeared; the pattern had merely been less obvious.
After all, the Hun Clan had two nine-star experts under one roof. However strong the Lei Clan was, could it surpass the Xiao Clan of old?
How many generations of grass had already grown over the grave of Xiao Xuan, that once-renowned nine-star Dou Sheng?
"We invited everyone here today to discuss an alliance. As the leaflet said, after thousands of years of accumulation, the Hun Clan is no longer an enemy any single clan can withstand," Ling Ya said solemnly.
"Indeed. This concerns us all. As Emperor Clans, we are passengers in the same boat. Once the wind and waves rise, whether we fall into the water sooner or later, none of us will escape." The Stone Clan's leader immediately followed up. Among the Eight Clans, his Stone Clan and the Spirit Clan were the weakest, unable to compare with the others. They needed an alliance most urgently.
Yao Dan, the Yao Clan's leader, stroked the cane in his hand, his eyes shifting in thought. Then he raised his head. "My Yao Clan agrees to form an alliance against the Hun Clan. I also nominate Ancient Clan Chief Gu Yuan as its leader. All matters within the alliance shall be decided by Clan Leader Gu Yuan."
"The Yan Clan agrees!"
"The Lei Clan agrees!"
"The Spirit Clan agrees!"
"The Stone Clan agrees!"
Everyone in the hall turned their eyes toward Gu Dao. Among them, the two supreme elders of the Yan and Lei Clans exchanged a discreet glance.
Gu Dao scratched his head helplessly. In truth, his clan leader, Gu Yuan, had also been greatly alarmed upon receiving the leaflet. By now, he had already slipped into the vicinity of the Soul Realm to investigate and keep watch personally. As for the alliance, Gu Dao had been authorized to make all decisions on Gu Yuan's behalf.
After a brief hesitation, he said, "Very well. Then I shall agree on behalf of our clan leader. Everyone, begin your preparations as soon as possible!" Gu Dao's hearty voice rang through the hall. The many Dou Sheng present all let out a soft breath, even Fairy Fire Spirit and Thunder Mountain.
With two nine-star experts in the Hun Clan, if the Gu Clan did not take the lead, who else could turn back the raging tide?
"To be frank with you all, our clan leader, Gu Yuan, has already gone to the Soul Realm. The Hun Clan must provide an explanation for this."
Ling Ya nodded approvingly. "Our thanks to Clan Leader Gu Yuan for his efforts. For now, I believe we should first construct space wormholes linking our clans. If the Hun Clan attacks any one of us, the others will be able to send reinforcements immediately."
The moment he finished, the Stone Clan's leader hurried to agree. "Exactly. Our clans are separated by great distances. If something happens, distant water cannot put out a nearby fire. We must build space wormholes and station Dou Sheng to monitor them at all times."
Fairy Fire Spirit glanced at the leaders of the Spirit and Stone Clans, smoothed her hair, and snorted. "Build them if you wish, if that will ease your minds. As I see it, the enemy is strong and we are weak. Rather than sit and await death, we should take the initiative and strike."
"I agree with Fairy Fire Spirit. A thief may plot for a thousand days, but who can guard against a thief for a thousand days?" Yao Dan, the Yao Clan's leader, said.
As the undisputed foremost alchemist on the Dou Qi Continent, the Yao Clan's leader, and a Seven-Star Dou Saint, Yao Dan carried more weight with his words than the leaders of the Spirit and Stone Clans combined.
Thunder Mountain, the Lei Clan's supreme elder, also nodded lightly. "Rather than ladle out boiling water to stop it boiling, pull the firewood from beneath the cauldron. Let's just do it."
"In that case, return and assemble your armies immediately. There must be no delays. In seven days, we attack the Soul Realm. We shall fight the Hun Clan with real blades and spears and see just how much strength this clan that wiped out the entire Xiao Clan still has hidden."
As soon as Gu Dao finished, the assembled Dou Sheng unanimously agreed and began offering strategies, discussing the details of their preparations.
Thus, a storm of blood was about to sweep across the Dou Qi Continent. None of the Ancient Races would escape; all would be drawn into it. The scale and brutality of this war would far surpass the Soul Xiao War of a thousand years ago.
The Ancient Seven Clans were about to launch an earth-shaking war with Dou Sheng as their core fighting force. Meanwhile, far away on the Northwest Continent, another clan was locked in a fierce confrontation with its enemies.
The Jia Ma Empire.
Wutan City.
The Xiao Clan.
"Clan Leader Xiao, please, for our sect leader's sake, annul the engagement..." An old man named Ge Ye, dressed in green robes, sighed and spoke coolly.
Xiao Zhan, the Xiao Clan's leader, clenched his fists. Pale green Dou Qi gradually covered his body, gathering over his face into an illusory lion's head.
This was the Xiao Clan's highest cultivation technique: Furious Lion Vajra, intermediate Xuan class!
"Clan Leader Xiao, what is the meaning of this? Marriage requires the consent of both parties. Surely you aren't going to attack merely because Yanran wishes to break off the engagement!" Ge Ye's expression grew grave. He stepped in front of Nalan Yanran, green Dou Qi gathering in his hands, curled like eagle claws.
The Misty Cloud Sect's advanced cultivation technique: Azure Wood Sword Art, low Xuan class!
"Hmph! You have humiliated my Xiao Clan like this. As its clan leader, how could I let you off!"
Nalan Yanran, the daughter of the Nalan Family, and Xiao Yan, the Xiao Clan's third young master, had thrown the Xiao Clan's hall into turmoil over their engagement. They accused one another, each claiming to have been wronged, desperately pinning every accusation on the other's head.
Dou Qi surged wildly from Xiao Zhan as he faced Ge Ye, a steward of the Misty Cloud Sect, in a tense standoff. A single disagreement threatened to spark a furious fight. The Xiao Clan's members and elders were equally tense, afraid their clan leader might suffer, yet also afraid that if he truly injured the other party, the situation would spiral beyond their control.
Meanwhile, Xiao Xun'er, the Gu Clan's divine maiden, sat quietly to one side, eating snacks and reading a book. Cool ripples of light flowed through her eyes, warming only when she looked at a blond boy named Xiao Yan.
The Central Plains.
Sacred Pill City.
Licking his lips, Fan Tian lay on the bed with his arm around Yao Ling's soft, slender waist. Their clothes were disheveled, their bodies slick with fragrant sweat, and the scent of hormones hung in the air.
For the past few days, they had remained nestled together, doing everything they could do and nothing they should not. Yao Ling's graceful body pressed tightly against Fan Tian, the fullness of her chest rising and falling with her breathing.
"Well? Am I impressive or what?" Fan Tian's firm, powerful muscles exuded an intense masculine aura.
"Um, could you let go of me now?" Yao Ling asked shyly, her face red all the way to her ears.
Fan Tian hurriedly released her and gave a light cough. "I'll take responsibility for you."
"Mm." Yao Ling turned her head, too embarrassed to look at Fan Tian.
"Call me hubby."
"Hubby!"
"Louder."
"You damned bastard, get lost!"
After saying that, Yao Ling buried her head deep in Fan Tian's embrace again.
At that moment, a Dou Sheng quietly arrived in Sacred Pill City and stopped outside Yao Ling's shop.
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