The figure that emerged from the spatial rift was quite burly, with a broad back and a stout waist, exuding an aura of fierce ferocity. His appearance was none other than Hei Qing, the formidable elder of the Ancient Void Dragon Clan whom Xiao Yan had met before. “Hei Qing, my old friend, what brings you here?” Seeing this sudden figure, Xiao Yan was taken aback, his voice filled with surprise. “Ah, I have some business with you. Those old fogies in the clan sent me to find you. Damn, it’s a good thing Zi Yan left a dragon mark on you, or I would have really searched till I dropped dead.” As if seeing a savior, Hei Qing rushed over to Xiao Yan and sighed in relief. “Find me?” Hearing this, Xiao Yan’s brows furrowed slightly. What could the Ancient Void Dragon Clan want with him? Could it be… “Is something wrong with Zi Yan?” Xiao Yan sharply turned his gaze to Hei Qing, his voice low and serious. “It’s not exactly a problem, but we need your help. If you have time, please come with me,” Hei Qing rubbed his head and said. Seeing the slightly serious expression on Hei Qing’s face, Xiao Yan hesitated for a moment, then nodded. It seemed like the matter was not small, otherwise, a strong individual like Hei Qing wouldn’t be so anxious. “After I resolve the trouble here, I will go with you.”
“Trouble?” Upon hearing Xiao Yan’s words, Hei Qing snapped out of his thoughts and turned his head, surprised. “So it’s that old bastard Mo Yu from the Soul Temple. Do you still remember me, Hei Qing?”
“Hei Qing?” Jiutianzun was slightly stunned, his face dark. He seemed to recall something, and his expression changed. “You are Hei Qing of the Ancient Void Dragon Clan?”
“You, an old bastard, dare to call me Hei Qing? You, in your position as the ninth elder, have no right to say my name,” Hei Qing crossed his arms, and without giving Jiutianzun any face, sneered.
Facing Hei Qing’s rude remarks, Jiutianzun’s face became extremely dark, but surprisingly, he did not erupt in anger. He knew clearly that the man in front of him was an extremely troublesome opponent, even for someone of his strength.
“Friend, I am Elder Sen Luo of the Heavenly Demon Sect. This Xiao Yan is someone we must capture. I hope you will not interfere,” realizing who Hei Qing was, while Mo Yu did not, and unwilling to let Xiao Yan escape again, Elder Sen Luo cupped his hands and spoke sternly.
“Heavenly Demon Sect? What the hell is that?” Hei Qing frowned, then waved impatiently. “Scram quickly; I have business with Xiao Yan. Don’t waste my time.”
“You!” The blunt and coarse words from Hei Qing made both Elder Sen Luo and the demonic flower emperor’s faces change. They roared, “Dare to show disrespect to the Heavenly Demon Sect, you seek death!”
With their roar, the two of them stepped into the void, and their bodies shot forward like lightning. Their cold and malevolent qi surged forth, aimed directly at Hei Qing.
“Two six-star Douzong, daring to shout in front of me,” Hei Qing laughed mockingly, not retreating but advancing. Clenching his fists, his muscles rippled with a strange energy. He lashed out with a direct and unadorned punch.
*Boom!*
His iron fists slammed through space, leaving two black ripples in its wake. The black traces spread rapidly, colliding fiercely with Sen Luo and the others.
“Just who the hell are you?” The collision made Sen Luo and the other’s bodies tremble. Their faces turned pale instantly, the terrifying force almost destroying everything, instilling deep fear in their hearts.
*Bam!*
Just as the fear arose, a sweetness filled their throats, and a mouthful of red blood spurted out. Their bodies flew backward like kites cut off, crashing heavily into the forest below, creating a massive pit nearly a hundred meters wide. The shockwave shattered every tree within a hundred-meter radius.
*Clap clap…* Hei Qing clapped his hands, his face filled with mockery. He then looked at Jiutianzun, his eyes flickering with malice. “Mo Yu, will you leave by yourself, or do I need to send you on your way?”
“Don’t get too arrogant, Hei Qing. Xiao Yan is someone the Palace Lord has specifically ordered to be captured. Are you going to protect him?” Jiutianzun said coldly.
Hei Qing narrowed his eyes, rubbing his hands together casually. “I don’t care about that. The old fogies in the clan sent me to get Xiao Yan’s help. Now that I’m here, nobody can take him away.”
*Grinding sound.* Fury rose in Jiutianzun’s eyes, his palms slowly tightening, and a terrifying qi began to emanate from his body.
“Want to fight? Let me see if you’ve improved at all since I last saw you.” Seeing this, Hei Qing sneered. His body twisted strangely, and a series of rumbling sounds, like muffled thunder, echoed from his bones. His form grew larger, and a strong oppressive force radiated from his massive frame.
Feeling that pressure, Jiutianzun’s eyes twitched involuntarily. He took a deep breath, suppressing his rage. He knew that he was no match for Hei Qing, and even if he fought, he wouldn’t gain anything. Furthermore, the Ancient Void Dragon Clan’s control and possession of spatial power were unmatched. Even those stronger than they were would find it difficult to keep hold of their foes after defeating them.
“Hei Qing, I don’t believe you can protect this kid forever!” Jiutianzun said coldly.
“That’s not for you to decide!” Hei Qing glanced at him and snarled.
*Hmph.* Jiutianzun snorted, his heart filled with indignation. He hadn’t expected to bypass Ya Chen smoothly, only to run into people from the Ancient Void Dragon Clan. He was startled to realize that Xiao Yan had a connection with this clan.
Since Hei Qing was involved, Jiutianzun knew that capturing Xiao Yan today was impossible. With gritted teeth, he glared at Xiao Yan. “Xiao Yan, go hide all your life. I don’t believe someone will always save you!”
With these words, Jiutianzun no longer lingered. He turned and was about to leave when Hei Qing suddenly spoke softly, “Mo Yu, tell those above you not to keep targeting Xiao Yan and the Xiao family. The grudges between our clans should be forgotten. If you push too hard, there will be consequences. That’s not just from me, but from the old fogies in the clan.”
Hearing Hei Qing’s last words, Jiutianzun narrowed his eyes and sneered, “That doesn’t mean anything to me. No one can stop what the Soul Temple wants to do, not the Gu Clan, and not your Ancient Void Dragon Clan either!”
With that, Jiutianzun transformed into a ray of light, disappearing in the blink of an eye.
Watching Jiutianzun vanish, Hei Qing stroked his palm, his face stern. After a moment, he turned to Xiao Yan and asked, “Brother Xiao Yan, are you okay?”
“Thanks for your help, brother,” Xiao Yan bowed slightly.
“No worries, it’s us who need your help this time,” Hei Qing shook his head. Hesitating, he added, “I’ll explain why later. Can we leave now? This matter is urgent, and any delay could cause trouble.”
Seeing how serious Hei Qing was, Xiao Yan felt a chill. What could have happened to make the Ancient Void Dragon Clan so tense?
“Okay, but can my friend come along?” Xiao Yan pointed to Qingshi, who was nearby.
When Hei Qing appeared, the Heavenly Demon Sect elder who had been tangling with Qingshi retreated hastily, especially after seeing Hei Qing’s overwhelming power knock back the two seniors with a single punch. The elder was too frightened to come near.
“Sure, no problem.” Hei Qing nodded after looking at Qingshi.
Relieved, Xiao Yan let out a sigh. He wasn’t comfortable letting Qingshi travel alone after such a short departure. It was best if Hei Qing agreed.
As he relaxed, Xiao Yan retracted the severely damaged puppet, internally sighing. His long-time companion, the Celestial Puppet, was once again on the brink of breaking.
Retrieving the puppet, Qingshi also withdrew her gaze from the strong figures. She stood in the air, her face filled with fear, staring at Hei Qing, whose imposing presence made her shudder.
“Master Xiao Yan, should we let this woman go? If it weren’t for her, we wouldn’t have been intercepted,” Qingshi said softly.
“No time for that…” Xiao Yan gave the woman a glance and shook his head. Time was tight, and he didn’t want to spend it on a lesson.
“Let’s go, Brother Hei Qing!” Xiao Yan turned and looked at Hei Qing.
“Alright.” Hei Qing nodded, waving his hand to tear open a spatial rift. Xiao Yan and Qingshi swiftly entered it.
Seeing Xiao Yan and his companions leave, Huajin sighed in relief and cursed inwardly. However, as she muttered under her breath, the footsteps of Hei Qing, who was about to enter the spatial rift, paused. Without turning around, Hei Qing’s large hand swept through the air, launching a terrifying gust of wind that tore through space, hitting Huajin in an instant.
*Plop!*
The force threw Huajin into a mountain, burying her in the rubble.
“Don’t think I won’t hit a woman,” Hei Qing declared, then disappeared into the spatial rift, vanishing with it.
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