The Xuan Clan's Strength

They really had come!

The subordinates beside the Void Cloud Sect's leader all turned pale with fright.

Their opponent was a terrifying expert who had blown a Quasi-Emperor apart with a single punch. Even if everyone in the Void Cloud Sect attacked together, they would be no match for him.

Surrender!

Faced with Ancestor Dali, the Void Cloud Sect decisively gave up all resistance.

Looking at the vast crowd of Void Cloud Sect cultivators kneeling and begging for mercy, Ancestor Dali frowned and snorted coldly. "What a bunch of spineless cowards!"

Yet the Void Cloud Sect's leader could only smile bitterly at the insult.

If the gap between them had not been so great, how could he have surrendered?

He simply did not want to do something pointless.

Come to think of it, he was fairly innocent himself. After all, the Void Cloud Sect that had attacked the Lu Clan back then was not the Void Cloud Sect under his command, yet now the karma had fallen on his head.

But there was nothing he could do. He was the Void Cloud Sect's leader now, so he could only bear it.

"Senior, the Void Cloud Sect is willing to give up everything. Please be merciful and spare our lives."

"I can spare your lives. Submit obediently and let me place servant marks on you, and pledge eternal loyalty to the Lu Clan. Then I'll let you live."

If he could take these people in, they would be of considerable benefit to the Lu Clan's development.

Hearing Ancestor Dali's demand, the Void Cloud Sect's leader was not particularly surprised. Instead, he felt it was only reasonable. Still, he said, "Senior, some of our disciples joined the sect only recently, and their cultivation is low. They would be of no use to you. Could you let them leave?"

Hearing this, Ancestor Dali thought for a moment and decided it made sense. He then let everyone in the Void Cloud Sect below the Spirit Concentration Realm go.

(Body Tempering Realm, Qi Condensation Realm, Spirit Gathering Realm, Spirit Control Realm, Spirit Master Realm, Void Shattering Realm, Spirit Concentration Realm, Divine Palace Realm, Half-Saint, Saint Realm, Sage King Realm, Quasi-Emperor, Great Emperor)

After placing the servant marks, Ancestor Dali sent the rest to the Lu Clan.

He continued on to his next destination.

Two days passed quickly.

Ancestor Dali conquered three superpowers in succession. The Void Cloud Sect surrendered, while the other two resisted to the bitter end and were ultimately razed by Ancestor Dali.

For a time, the whole of Central Province was shaken.

Countless forces were gripped by fear. They knew the Lu Clan was settling old scores, so they hurried to search through their historical records, checking whether their ancestors had ever made enemies of the Lu Clan.

At this point, Ancestor Dali reached his next destination.

The Heaven-Gazing Gate.

This force had once been a superpower and had enjoyed a glorious age, but now it had fallen to the level of a first-rate force. Its strongest member was only at the Saint Realm.

"Hmm? Empty?"

Seeing the Heaven-Gazing Gate deserted, its people gone and its buildings empty, Ancestor Dali frowned. "Decisive, I'll give them that."

Knowing they could not resist a Quasi-Emperor-level expert, the Heaven-Gazing Gate had already disbanded on the spot, leaving behind nothing but an empty shell.

But before he left, Ancestor Dali still threw a punch, leveling the entire Heaven-Gazing Gate.

Meanwhile, on the distant other side of Central Province.

Several forces had joined together, quietly twisting themselves into a single rope.

They were the very forces that had once targeted the Lu Clan. Even if they were unwilling to be its enemies, the Lu Clan was too overbearing and would never take them seriously. With no other choice, they could only gather together and huddle for warmth.

"This Lu Clan has gone too far, leaving us no way out at all!"

The leader of a major force slammed the table and spoke through gritted teeth.

"Why don't we stake everything on a fight with the Lu Clan? If we strike first, we might still have a chance of winning."

At this point, another person spoke up.

But his words made everyone present shake their heads helplessly. "That strength-path Quasi-Emperor is so powerful that we couldn't possibly be his match."

"To tell you the truth, my force still has a slumbering ancestor with Quasi-Emperor cultivation."

Hearing this, everyone turned to look at him.

Even among Quasi-Emperors, some were naturally stronger than others. Ancestor Dali of the Lu Clan, for example, was no ordinary Quasi-Emperor, but a Four-Tribulation Quasi-Emperor who had survived four heavenly tribulations. Ordinary Quasi-Emperors were still no match for him.

"How many heavenly tribulations has your ancestor survived? Can he deal with the Lu Clan's Quasi-Emperor?"

"I don't know, but definitely more than one."

After further discussion, everyone felt it was worth a try. Even if he could only hold Ancestor Dali off for a moment, they would have some hope.

And so, the experts arrived at the Heaven-Battling Sect in a great procession.

The Heaven-Battling Sect's leader rushed without pause to the deepest part of the sect.

He had to awaken the ancestor, or they would all be finished.

Still, he was quite confident. The sect was on the verge of destruction, after all, and he refused to believe the ancestor could sleep through that.

Soon, he made contact with the sect's ancestor inside the stone coffin.

"Ancestor, please wake up! The Heaven-Battling Sect is about to be destroyed!"

"Hmm? What exactly happened?"

The ancestor's voice echoed from within the stone coffin.

The Heaven-Battling Sect's leader then told the sect's ancestor the whole story, from beginning to end.

Yet after hearing it, the ancestor fell silent.

"Ancestor?"

"Don't call me ancestor. I don't know you."

"???"

Hearing this, the Heaven-Battling Sect's leader panicked. "Ancestor, are you really going to stand by and watch the sect be destroyed?"

"No, I won't."

At those words, a little hope flared in the Heaven-Battling Sect leader's heart.

But the Heaven-Battling Sect ancestor's next words plunged him into despair.

"As long as I, your ancestor, am alive, I can rebuild the Heaven-Battling Sect. So go on your way without worry."

"Ancestor, how can you be so heartless?"

The Heaven-Battling Sect's leader was heartbroken.

Little did he know that the Heaven-Battling Sect's ancestor had his own difficulties. His heavenly tribulation was imminent, and the Heavenly Dao would sense him as soon as he came out. If he could survive it, that would be one thing.

But he had no confidence in doing so. Otherwise, he would not have hidden in the coffin for so long.

Of course, he was not completely useless.

He could deal with a One-Tribulation Quasi-Emperor even from inside the coffin.

Unfortunately, this time the enemy was Ancestor Dali of the Lu Clan, a Four-Tribulation Quasi-Emperor and a body cultivator to boot. Even if he came out, he would be no match for him.

After realizing that his ancestor would not help no matter what, the Heaven-Battling Sect's ancestor told the other forces the news, utterly dispirited.

"We're done for. This time we're finished."

"Sigh, I might as well surrender. If I surrender of my own accord, the Lu Clan might even treat me a little better."

"Count me in."

The people who had still held a little hope now lost even the desire to resist after that hope was dashed. They all prepared to go to the Lu Clan and surrender of their own accord.

But just then, a figure appeared inside the Heaven-Battling Sect.

"Hehe, you really are here."

Seeing who had come, everyone was slightly taken aback.

"Patriarch of the Xuan Clan, what brings you here?"

The newcomer was none other than the patriarch of the Xuan Clan, one of Central Province's former three great ancient clans.

"Strange. How have they all vanished without a trace?"

Ancestor Dali stared at the information on the jade token in his hand, his brows tightly furrowed.

He had sought out several forces in a row, only to find empty shells every time.

Where had those fellows run off to?

With no clue for the moment, he simply turned his attention to the last force remaining on the jade token—the Xuan Clan.

At the sight of it, Ancestor Dali's expression grew slightly grave.

The Xuan Clan was no ordinary superpower. Even back in his own era, it had possessed the strength to lock horns with the Lu Clan.

He did not know how strong the Xuan Clan was now, after so many years.