"Everyone, please rise. Hun Xiao, there's no need to be so formal; I still consider you a friend," Xiao Yan said with a smile.
Hun Xiao stood up from the ground, her expression complex. "I never imagined you would reach such a height."
Xiao Yan sensed a sub-flame of the Void Swallowing Flame within Hun Xiao's body, so he flicked his finger, sending a milky-white flame into her.
"You've always been bothered by me taking your Fallen Heart Flame, haven't you? To be honest, if you hadn't intervened back then, I might not have gotten it… Now, I'll give you something even more powerful."
"This is a sub-flame of the Nether Lotus Demon Flame. Its energy-purifying effect is even better than the Fallen Heart Flame. Combined with your Void Swallowing Flame's sub-flame, it can be considered an enhanced 'cultivation cheat code.'"
Hun Xiao was stunned. Although she knew Xiao Yan likely wouldn't do anything to her, receiving a benefit was still quite unexpected.
Xiao Yan turned his gaze to Hun Zhang and said, "Aunt Hun and my father both mentioned you… In fact, I should probably call you 'brother'…"
"As Old Ancestor Xiao Yuanshan said, the grievances from a thousand years ago end with him. During the Ancient Emperor Cave trip, although we fought, there weren't too many casualties."
"Furthermore, you have already suffered a painful lesson because of Hun Tiandi. I will not pursue the Xiao Clan's responsibility. I hope you will act responsibly."
"However, a few people must be handed over."
As he spoke, Xiao Yan's face darkened, and his voice gained a hint of killing intent.
"I know, it's them, isn't it?"
Hun Zhang tore open space and dragged out Hun Feng and Hun Yu, who were tied up with black chains.
"Heh, these two have always coveted my sister, the Young Clan Leader's position. I've disliked them for a long time."
"Bastards… What exactly do you want to do?" Hun Feng and Hun Yu immediately cursed upon being released.
"The clan will not tolerate your insolence. At the Dou Saint stage, if conflicts arise again, it won't be dismissed as mere squabbling between youngsters."
"Aren't you afraid of the Clan Leader's reprimand?"
"Release us quickly; we can pretend this never happened."
"Can't you recognize the situation? Look who this is?" Hun Zhang raised his chin, signaling them to look in that direction.
"Xiao Yan…" Hun Feng's pupils contracted.
"Audacious! You should respectfully address him as Emperor Yan!" Hun Zhang kicked each of them.
"Emperor Yan? What does that mean?" They still couldn't react.
An immense pressure suddenly descended, vast as if transcending heaven and earth, and an indescribable fear surged into their hearts—a trembling from the very soul.
This kind of majesty felt familiar.
When the Tuoshe ancient emperor jade merged into one, and the Ancient Emperor's projection appeared, the pressure was similar. But the pressure they bore now far surpassed that time.
Both of them lay prostrate on the ground, unable even to lift their heads. Their bones groaned, and their bloodlines felt as if they were about to burst.
"You… you became a Dou Emperor?" Hun Feng laboriously uttered this sentence.
Hun Zhang captured them when the Soul Clan was preparing the Spirit Devouring Life Extinguishing Array, so they only knew that Hun Tiandi was going to attempt to become a Dou Emperor, but they didn't know that Xiao Yan also had a chance.
"Where is the Clan Leader?" Hun Yu's face showed undisguised horror.
Xiao Yan stared coldly at the two, a hint of ruthlessness appearing in his eyes.
He waved his hand, and a flame surged out, instantly burning the two of them until not even ash remained.
If this had happened when he first learned of Xuner's death, and these two were before Xiao Yan, he definitely wouldn't have let them die so easily. But by now, he didn't have so many thoughts.
After killing Hun Feng and Hun Yu, the ferocity on Xiao Yan's face receded. He sighed softly, his expression desolate, appearing dispirited.
"Alright, you may do as you please," Xiao Yan waved his hand.
Then, he opened the Heavenly Tomb's gate and notified the Xiao Clan members inside that the danger had passed and they could come out.
The Xiao Clan members, led by Xiao Zhan, filed out. They looked at the scarred the Central Plains, each one greatly shocked. A Dou Emperor battle could actually be fought to this extent!
"Hahaha, we won, we won! Cousin is the best in the world!" Xiao Qing laughed very happily.
Xiao Zhan's face showed both relief and pride, and he murmured:
"Ancestor, Yaner has done it. Our Xiao Clan will once again be glorious!"
"Xiao Lang…" A soft female voice came, filled with lingering affection.
Hun Mi held Xiao Lang's arm, her eyes seemingly seeing nothing else. Neither the ruined the Central Plains nor the Soul Clan, now leaderless and chaotic like headless flies after losing Hun Tiandi, drew her attention.
"Mother!" Hun Zhang and Hun Xiao walked over.
Hun Mi glanced at them. "Oh, it's you two. Not dead yet, huh…"
Her tone was indifferent, showing a lack of interest.
Hun Zhang reverted to his usual self, saying with an exaggerated expression, "Mother, your attitude will make your precious son sad."
"What precious son? You're a dispensable son!" Hun Mi corrected, "Go, go, don't disturb Xiao Lang and me here."
She waved her hand, making a shooing gesture, her expression a little disdainful.
"Alright, dispensable it is." Hun Zhang shrugged, then cleared his throat, becoming slightly more serious.
"Father, Emperor Yan said he wouldn't pursue the Soul Clan's responsibility. What do you think?" Hun Zhang's address of 'Father' was still as natural as ever.
"What do you want?"
Hun Zhang said with a smile, "Hun Tiandi is Sealed, Void Swallowing Flame has been taken by Emperor Yan, and the four living dead old guys are gone. Now, the strongest in the Soul Clan is me."
"Although Hun Xunzi is not weak, and his status as a Ninth-Grade Alchemist makes him respected, I also have the support of two other Seven Star Dou Saint. So now, the person most likely to become the next Clan Leader of the Soul Clan is me."
"You want to take over the Soul Clan?" Xiao Zhan pondered for a moment, then nodded. "I have no objections."
It was better for the Soul Clan to fall into the hands of his convenient son than to be controlled by others.
After receiving Xiao Zhan's support, Hun Zhang flew to the Soul Clan army, whose main body had not yet dispersed and whose atmosphere was particularly low, and declared loudly:
"Everyone, we lost this battle, but the Soul Clan is not yet extinct; we must look forward… The Soul Clan cannot remain leaderless. I suggest we elect the next Clan Leader now, and then collectively brainstorm and discuss how we should proceed from now on."
Hun Zhang's words did not elicit much reaction; many were still immersed in the despair of the Soul Clan's failed hegemony.
"I propose that Hun Zhang succeed as the next Clan Leader," Hun Dan said cooperatively.
"I second that…"
"Does anyone have any objections?" Hun Xiao looked at Hun Xunzi.
The latter's eyes flickered, and he shook his head. "I also agree."
Hun Miesheng and Hun Qianmo exchanged glances and said together, "We also agree."
Hun Zhang's smile faded, and he said with a solemn expression:
"Good. Then I will now announce my first decision after becoming Clan Leader… I declare that former Clan Leader Hun Tiandi acted rebelliously and harmed his kin, making him a sinner of the Soul Clan. From now on, he is expelled from the Soul Clan!"
He used his Dou Qi with full force to make his voice spread further.
…
Inside the fire cocoon created by Xiao Yan, a light portal lit up, and Hun Zhang's voice came through the light portal, reaching Hun Tiandi's ears.
"This traitor!" Hun Tiandi initially appeared extremely enraged, his expression becoming somewhat distorted.
However, calming down, he had to admit that Hun Zhang's actions were correct.
The Xiao Clan was powerful, and from now on, the Soul Clan could only live at their mercy, humbling themselves.
If they continued to be hostile to Xiao Yan and oppose him, then their destruction would be imminent. By then, the Soul Clan would have no future.
He still held a glimmer of hope that Hun Zhang would seize the opportunity to break the seal and come to rescue him.
Wait, can outside voices be heard inside? Hun Tiandi suddenly thought of this point, his expression hardening, and he scanned his surroundings, looking for possible weak points in the seal.
"Do you have any thoughts?" A slightly magnetic voice sounded.
Layers of starlight emerged, outlining a young man wearing a black classical robe, a pointed soft hat, and a monocle over his right eye.
"It's you!" Hun Tiandi's pupils contracted. This person's appearance was identical to the Emperor Grade Young Pill and the Ancient Emperor statue in the Tuoshe Ancient Emperors Cave.
"Were you helping the Xiao Clan, helping Xiao Yan?" He immediately reacted, "Are you Amon?"
He recalled the name Xiao Yan had called out when he saw the Emperor Grade Young Pill, and asked with a hint of inquiry.
"That's right, it's me. I supported Xiao Yan, and I gave the Xiao Clan the power to contend with your Soul Clan. Don't you think the combat power displayed by the Xiao Clan members was completely disproportionate to their cultivation level? Because that power was all borrowed from me," Amon said with a smile.
Hun Tiandi's eyes turned red, filled with unwillingness and rage. He suppressed the anger in his heart and spoke in a hoarse voice:
"Who exactly are you? What do you want to do? Entering this seal, specifically to tell me all this, it can't just be to mock me, a loser, can it?"
Amon pinched his crystal monocle and said in a strange tone:
"Why not? Isn't this a very interesting thing?"
Hun Tiandi was stunned, his fists instantly clenched.
Originally, the Xiao Clan had no strength to contend with the Soul Clan, and there wouldn't have been a Xiao Yan to interfere after he became an Emperor. It was all because of this guy in front of him!
It was he who caused the Soul Clan's millennium plan to be ruined in an instant, and caused him to fall into his current predicament.
He found the smile on Amon's face so detestable that he wished he could immediately grind him to dust.
"Tsk tsk, you seem very angry, very unwilling…" Amon's smile remained unchanged. "But you can't do anything…"
He casually grabbed a flame in the Sealed space and said softly:
"These flames are slowly refining your power. Perhaps it's fine in the short term, but over time, you will only face death."
"I'll give you another chance, and ask you one more time, do you want to become my Blessed?"
Hun Tiandi's expression hardened, and he said loudly, "So it was you!"