Several figures in black cloaks sat facing one another in a pitch-black secret chamber. The dimness made the atmosphere especially oppressive.
One of them suddenly asked in a low, somewhat aged voice:
"Third Brother, why aren't you keeping watch over the Sacred Blood Crystal? Why did you summon us to the clan's secret chamber in such a hurry? Don't tell me you've already run out of patience again. In the past, you at least stood guard for four or five years, but this time it hasn't even been a month since you took over from Second Brother. You're already tired of it? You've gone a little too far with this. Are you asking to be placed in confinement?"
The voice was quiet, but everyone could hear the trace of anger in it. Most astonishing of all, they couldn't tell where it had come from.
At those words, a black-robed figure among them, whose face could not be made out, rose and took a step forward. The old face beneath his robe was full of smiles as he looked at the others and said:
"I didn't call you here because I want to slack off today. It's because, from now on, I won't have to do it anymore."
The old man's carefree tone made everyone frown, their displeasure growing.
The moment he said it, everyone felt the temperature around them steadily rising. The robes of one of the black-robed figures billowed as his presence grew.
Seeing this, the old man hastily wiped the playful look from his face, which turned solemn beneath his black robe.
The others seemed to see through the pitch-black darkness as though it were broad daylight. Seeing his expression, they said no more, and the rising temperature and the terrifying presence in the chamber gradually subsided.
Once everyone had composed themselves and grown serious, the aged voice that had been full of laughter spoke again. This time, there was no trace of its earlier playfulness, only solemnity and caution.
He looked at the tallest of the black-robed figures, whose eyes were hidden beneath the robe.
Yet for some reason, the two raised their heads in unspoken accord and faced each other across the chamber. Without the black robes in the way, their eyes would surely have met.
After a few breaths, the aged voice finally spoke slowly:
"The Sacred Blood Crystal lit up, and it was a Divine-Grade Bloodline!"
That simple sentence brought the atmosphere, which had only just grown solemn, to a boil again in an instant.
The elders were so excited that tears streamed down their aged faces as they looked at one another. The Sacred Blood Crystal was the herald of their clan's coming prosperity. They had guarded it for years, hoping that one day the crystal, which represented the clan's hope, would shine.
For as long as the Sacred Blood Crystal shone, it meant that a descendant of the clan had just returned to this continent.
Moreover, that descendant could only be an outstanding junior with an exceptionally strong bloodline and extraordinary talent. When that happened, the time of the clan's prosperity would be close at hand.
And now, their long vigil had finally been rewarded. The Sacred Blood Crystal had not let them down!
Boom!
Suddenly, an immensely powerful Soul Storm raged throughout the secret chamber. Only after enveloping the entire chamber and adding several restrictions outside it did it gradually subside.
As soon as the Soul Storm appeared, the elders in the chamber rose to their feet and fell silent. They quickly straightened their robes, then stood quietly in their places and waited.
Suddenly, the old man who had spoken first said sternly:
"Third Elder, with a matter of such importance, you actually dared to joke around in front of us and delay reporting it. What punishment do you deserve?"
The Third Elder's expression changed drastically. He understood that the clan's First Elder was truly angry now. He hurriedly replied:
"Xiao Mingyuan admits his guilt. First Elder, please punish me."
Though Xiao Mingyuan held the honored position of Third Elder in the Xiao Clan, he was extremely fond of fooling around. He usually neglected his duty to guard the Sacred Blood Crystal and often slipped out of the clan, returning after stirring up a whole mess of trouble, leaving the clan's higher-ups not knowing whether to laugh or cry.
If he had not caused only minor, trivial problems, and if he were not the clan's Third Elder, he would probably have been locked up long ago.
The people of the Council of Elders had also tried every possible way to persuade him, but he remained unmoved, doing whatever he pleased.
This year, it had been the Third Elder's turn to guard the Sacred Blood Crystal again. If the First Elder had not happened to emerge from seclusion, learned about the crap he had been up to all these years, and, in a fury, used his formidable strength and the clan rules to keep him in line, he would probably have run off again by now.
Fortunately, he did have great respect for the First Elder, and with the clan rules as well, he had not dared to run off again.
But now, only a month after taking over from the Second Elder, he had summoned the elders again. This had greatly annoyed the elders who knew his character, and the First Elder had been extremely displeased as well. At last, after all that fuss, Xiao Mingyuan could only accept his loss and submit to the First Elder's punishment.
"Elder Xiao Mingyuan knew of a matter of great importance to the clan, yet delayed reporting it. Your punishment is one month of confinement. However, considering that you also rendered a service by reporting this matter, the task of finding that person and bringing them back to the clan will be entrusted to you. Elder Xiao Mingyuan, do you have any objections?"
The First Elder fixed his gaze on Xiao Mingyuan and asked in a tone that brooked no argument. Xiao Mingyuan bowed slightly and replied:
"First Elder, Xiao Mingyuan has no objections."
In his heart, he was overjoyed by the First Elder's punishment. He could hardly thank him enough, so how could he possibly object? Though he would be confined for a month, the thought that he could leave the clan afterward made that month seem like nothing. Naturally, he accepted the punishment without hesitation.
The First Elder had done this merely to give him a reason to leave the clan. After all, this way he could both send Xiao Mingyuan, that troublemaker, away and have him look for the clansman with the Divine-Grade Bloodline at the same time. Why wouldn't he? The other elders understood this clearly enough, but could only curl their lips and nod in agreement. After all, the First Elder had spoken, so who would dare object?
Once the tasks had been assigned and the elders had prepared to leave, the First Elder released his imposing presence and said in a low voice:
"No one other than us and the clan head may know what happened today. If any outsider is found to know of it, they are to be killed without mercy!"
The First Elder's words were full of overbearing authority, but the others understood that it was all for the sake of the clan's future. They all nodded and answered:
"Yes!"
The First Elder nodded at their response, and his figure gradually faded away in the pitch-black chamber. The elders also departed one by one, leaving the chamber.
Meanwhile, tens of thousands of miles away, Xiao Yan and Huo Yi were flying toward the mountain peak that towered into the clouds.
They wouldn't have known until they tried, but once they set out, they were startled to find that the seemingly short distance took quite some time to cover even at Xiao Yan's speed. Both of them felt rather helpless.
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