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"Xiao Yuanshan? A member of the Xiao Clan? Ho… After lurking for a thousand years, are you finally coming out of hiding?" Hun Zhang raised an eyebrow, a hint of surprise flashing in his dark eyes.
Wu Meng said with a smile, "A thousand years have passed. The old grudges need to be settled, otherwise our clan cannot move towards a new era."
Hun Zhang's eyes narrowed slightly. He always felt that this Xiao Yuanshan seemed to know quite a lot about their Soul Clan's millennium-long plan.
"New era…" He repeated the phrase, pondering its hidden meaning.
Wu Meng said with a slight smile, "Alright, I'm not here for youngsters like you. Take me to the Soul Realm. I need to settle some old grudges one-on-one with a certain old fellow, to put an end to the past animosities between our two clans."
Hun Zhang remained vigilant, keeping his distance, and nodded, "Follow me."
Midway, a grotesquely shaped greatsword suddenly tore through the void, flying over and automatically stopping around Hun Zhang. It formed an equilateral triangle with the "Prison Soul Sword" and the "Extinguish Soul Sword," their qi connected, forming a formation.
"Brother, just a few minutes, only a few minutes, and the Heavenly flame would have been mine! My Three Thousand Yan Flame Fire!" Hun Xiao let out a mournful wail.
"If I waited a few more minutes, your brother here might not be around anymore. I was unlucky enough to encounter a powerful old fellow who was seeking death, so I had no choice but to summon my swords back," Hun Zhang spread his hands, explaining in a low voice.
Hun Xiao blinked, "That unlucky?"
She glanced at "Xiao Yuanshan," then shuffled her feet, moving closer to Hun Zhang.
Hun Zhang brought "Xiao Yuanshan" to the Soul Realm. He grandly tore open space directly, destroying the automatic defense mechanism, and burst in like an invader.
A massive rift suddenly appeared in the sky of the Soul Realm. Chaotic and violent energy surged in from the void, and in an instant, the world grew dim, and the winds and clouds changed color.
Hun Zhang grabbed Hun Xiao and rushed towards Soul Emperor City like a shooting star or lightning, shouting, "Enemy attack!" as he ran.
The sound, supported by Dou Qi, spread in all directions.
The powerhouses of the Soul Clan reacted immediately, one by one flying into the sky, radiating powerful auras, their gazes fixed solemnly on the rift.
Anyone who could make Hun Zhang cause such a commotion must not be simple.
In a serene bamboo forest, Soul Emperor, whose face was like beautiful jade and whose eyes were exceptionally bright, seemingly as gentle as a scholar, paused slightly in his tea-making motion.
"The Xiao Clan, have they finally revealed themselves…?"
Soul Emperor's figure suddenly vanished, leaving only the teapot on the stone table, emitting a misty aura.
Soul Butcher, Soul Kill, and others surrounded Wu Meng, who had followed Hun Zhang into the Soul Realm.
"Who are you? You have some nerve, daring to trespass into my Soul Clan?"
"Hehehe, I'll extract your soul and let you know what it means to wish for death."
"Wait, be careful, this guy seems to be Xiao Chen." Soul Butcher recognized Wu Meng's disguised identity and warned.
"Blood Axe Xiao Chen?" Many people were startled, showing apprehension.
"Heh heh, so what if he's Xiao Chen? Even a powerhouse like Xiao Xuan fell into my clan's hands back then. Does a mere Xiao Chen dare to come alone?" Soul Kill carried a large ghost-head saber, his eyes flashing with crimson light.
"Xiao Chen… such an ancient name. I almost forgot it." Wu Meng let out a hoarse, aged sigh. His eyes moved, his gaze sweeping through the crowd, locking onto his target, and he sharply said, "Hun Jing, get out here and fight me! Let's settle our thousand-year-old grudge!"
Hun Jing was stunned… Did we have a personal vendetta? If it's a clan feud, why are you specifically calling me out?
He did not back down. Being at the late stage of Seven Star Dou Saint himself, he didn't need to be overly apprehensive. He came to the front of the Soul Clan members, looking at Wu Meng, his eyes revealing confusion and incomprehension.
Wu Meng said in a hoarse, low voice, "A thousand years have passed, and I am tired…
"I am the only one from the Xiao Clan who has lived from a thousand years ago until now, and also the only one who has etched hatred deep into his soul.
"Come, kill me.
"Or be killed by me!
"After this battle, regardless of victory or defeat, the thousand years of animosity ends here. There will be no more hatred from a thousand years ago within the Xiao Clan."
Soul Emperor appeared among the Soul Clan members at some unknown point. He softly said, "Fight, for my Soul Clan's millennium-long plan…"
Then, he looked at Wu Meng and said, "I guarantee that no one in my Soul Clan will harbor animosity towards the Xiao Clan because of events from a thousand years ago. Times are changing, and those who dwell in the past will eventually be eliminated by the era."
Soul Emperor's words sent a chill through some of the Soul Clan members, making them realize it was also a warning.
Hun Jing slowly nodded at Soul Emperor. Although he didn't know why Xiao Chen would target him, he was willing to make a sacrifice for his clan to resolve the thousand-year-old grudge between the Soul Clan and the Xiao Clan, clearing the way for the future cooperation between the two clans.
The outcome of this battle was uncertain, life and death were uncertain. The opponent clearly harbored a death wish, and with a peer at his level fighting with his life, there was a high possibility that he himself would perish here.
He sighed with a hint of helplessness, then adjusted his mindset, revealing a hearty smile:
"Hahaha… I've lived long enough, and my descendants are very promising. Let us two old fellows put an end to the past era."
Soul Emperor's eyes flickered slightly, his voice not loud, but his tone was exceptionally solemn as he said:
"Do you have any other wishes? I promise that even if you perish, your descendants will not be taken advantage of, all resource provisions will remain as usual, and you can designate one descendant whom you are most satisfied with to become my disciple."
For a Seven Star Dou Saint like Hun Jing, even Soul Emperor had to show enough respect. Since the other party was willing to make a sacrifice at this critical moment of the millennium-long plan, then he would reciprocate and make a guarantee.
He had no children, no disciples, and was alone. If someone became his disciple, they would undoubtedly be the Young Clan Leader of the Soul Clan.
Although the Soul Clan advocated for the strong to rise and the weak to fall, and the position of Young Clan Leader was usually earned through competition, no one could say anything about the protection a Seven Star Dou Saint earned for his descendants with his life for the clan.
Hun Jing chuckled, stroking his beard, "My most satisfactory descendant, huh… His name is Hun Zhang. Although he's not from the main lineage, and the relation is a bit distant…"
Soul Emperor suddenly had nothing to say… This guy really didn't need much looking after. Currently, in the Soul Clan, apart from him, the clan leader, Void Swallowing Flame, and four practically inactive living dead, no one dared to provoke Hun Zhang…
If it weren't for the impending Emperor Ascension plan, with his growth rate, in another two or three hundred years, he himself would have to be wary and on guard!
Hun Xiao quietly poked Hun Zhang's arm and whispered, "When did you get another father?"
Hun Zhang rested his chin on his hand, looking thoughtful, "No, I don't remember… Hmm, maybe our dead father could barely be considered a descendant of that old fellow Hun Jing. After all, he's lived for so long, it's not strange for him to have a bunch of collateral branches besides the main lineage."
Hun Xiao's eyes widened, "Don't you even look at the family tree?"
"Family tree? Where would I find that? Mother might have it… But it's useless for me to look at it. Have you seen it?" Hun Zhang shook his head.
"If you haven't seen it, I certainly haven't… Haven't our family always just been the three of us?" Hun Xiao mumbled.
As the battle began, the Soul Clan members retreated, giving the two space.
Dense black mist surged from Hun Jing's body, and a chilling aura that penetrated the soul spread wantonly. Chains intertwined within it, making rattling sounds.
Crimson light emerged, and Wu Meng reached out, distorting the void beside him, pulling out a giant axe larger than a person.
The axe light tore through the sky, as if it wanted to rip the entire world in half. Countless chains distorted and coiled, forming a massive black mirror. The mirror's dark and deep surface was like a portal to another dimension, swallowing the enormous axe light.
Then, the mirror suddenly exploded, turning into pure energy, stirring up a furious wind that surged in all directions.
In the distance, the city walls of Soul Emperor City were packed with people. These were the weaker members of the Soul Clan, unable to even observe from a closer vantage point, only able to watch from afar.
There was no worry on their faces; they deeply trusted their clan leader. Even during the most dangerous times a thousand years ago, the clan leader had never allowed the flames of war to directly harm the ordinary clansmen!
Xiao Zhan was also among the crowd, observing the distant battle through Wu Meng's body, his expression solemn, his eyes filled with infinite respect and deep sorrow.
Hun Mi stood behind him, her demeanor no longer as enchanting as before, but rather radiant, elegant, and virtuous.
Crimson light and deep mist continuously collided, emitting waves of powerful energy fluctuations. This scene lasted for several hours. Finally, the crimson light rose into the sky and fell like a meteor.
Below, black mist permeated, forming a massive ravine like an abyss. The crimson meteor plunged into the abyss, and an earth-shattering explosion erupted.
Large sections of space shattered, dark rifts permeated, countless mountains collapsed, and even Soul Emperor City, though far away, trembled twice before returning to calm.
Xiao Zhan closed his eyes… The Old Ancestor had fallen.
To fulfill the Xiao Clan's long-cherished wish and allow the clan to produce another Dou Emperor, the fastest way was to join forces with the Soul Clan and sweep aside the other clans… Then, it would be a gamble with the Soul Clan, vying for that sliver of opportunity.
The Xiao Family couldn't afford to wait. Their current strength was entirely dependent on Wu Meng. Who knew what Wu Meng's attitude would be over time? Would he grow impatient and seek other partners instead?
They had to ensure everything was settled while Wu Meng was still on their side.
However, "Xiao Yuanshan," due to his hatred for the Soul Clan, found it difficult to convince himself to let go and cooperate with them. Moreover, his body was also deteriorating. Therefore, for the future of the Xiao Clan, he voluntarily came to the Soul Realm and went to the Huang Quan with his former sworn enemy, to give the Xiao Clan a better chance of winning the subsequent struggle with the Soul Clan.
…This was Xiao Zhan's understanding of "Xiao Yuanshan" Old Ancestor's series of actions.
"Xiao Yuanshan… No, Old Ancestor Xiao Chen, may you rest in peace. I will fulfill your wish. I will carry the banner of the Xiao Clan," Xiao Zhan murmured, softly speaking his vow.
"Xiao Zhan…" Hun Mi walked to his side, speaking softly and tenderly. She silently accompanied him, with no further actions.
Xiao Zhan took a deep breath, calmed his emotions, turned around, and looked at Hun Mi, "Mi'er, this is not my true body. Help me tell your clan leader that I want to talk to him."
He slowly walked down from the city wall.
Hun Mi smiled charmingly, "Did you hear that? Go tell the clan leader, Xiao Zhan wants to talk to him."
Hun Qiu nodded in response, "I understand."
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