Gu Yuan’s voice thundered like an exploding bolt of lightning, instantly paralyzing every individual on site. In an instant, countless shocked eyes gazed upwards toward the emptiness of space, while the Black Yanyun warriors — who moments ago surrounded Xiao Yan’s duel in a battle-watch — released surging torrents of Dou Qi almost instantaneously, flooding across the land in mighty waves.
“Hun Tiandi?!” The words spoken by Gu Yuan echoed repeatedly in Xiao Yan’s ears, making his fists clench involuntarily. The chief culprit long feared of bringing calamity upon the Xiao Clan might now finally stand exposed before them all.
“Gu Clan; prepare yourselves!” The Three Elders of the Guczu flashed into the skies simultaneously; their stern shouts rolled unendingly across the horizon. Whereupon the vast expanse from within the massive mountain range, streaks of radiant light shot skybound. All of the Guczu’s champions had manifested at this very moment. Instantly, surging waves of might unfurled across the heavens, a grand display so overwhelming that even Xiao Yan could suppress but a sharp inhale — was this the actual strength of the Guczu?
Atop that turbulent Dou Qi-choked skyline, Gu Yuan simply hovered in midair, hands clasped behind him, placidly observing that abyssal vacancy. Though empty of anything outwardly, his intent gazed unswervingly toward that expanse.
“Chief Gu Yuan, what’s happening?” The faces of Yan Jin and Lei Yin also bore expressions of growing heaviness now — with a brief shift, they stood at his side, casting gazes toward that voided air — finding, astonishingly, nothing visible at all, yet their vigilance soared, dread for whomever the Hun Clan’s feared figure still present gnawing deep.
“Has Hun Tiandi come? Could it be that they intend a campaign upon the Guczu themselves?” questioned Yan Jin gruffly, his words stirring his own inner frowns even further. The Guczu held little comparable likeness to those less enduring among the Primordial Races — even a complete incursion by the Hun Clan might not easily bring total annihilation akin to that which befell the Herbal Race.
Gu Yuan spoke nothing in response, locked only upon that space within. And with this hush, so too hushed the earlier raucousness of these mountain peaks now — the silence became palpable, almost allowing all nearby to hear each other’s hastened pulses. If the Hun Clan truly appeared, every soul understood what confrontation this moment might unveil… A reckoning unlike anything the Herbal Clan battle could resemble.
For around five quiet minutes spread this silence over field and fathom, with none daring relaxation — yet their eyes held like spears upon the emptiness; minutes dragged until, upon its stillness — the void rippled. From this distortion, a soft laughter unfurled gradually in their awareness.
“Hahaha, Gu Yuan… All these years… Still as sharp-sensed as ever, aren’t you?”
That arrival of voice alone caused all elite champions throughout Guczu to tense, quivering within their flesh — Dou Qi surged through all like torrents of floodwaters ready to erupt on only a heartbeat’s notice!
Ripples spread, forming whirling spatial turbulence which shaped gradually toward a vortex. With deliberate precision an elongated arm emerged from this maelstrom, placing a slender palm over the spiral’s crown as, from that portal, steps unfolded, presenting its figure into sight.
Draped within ashen grey robes came forth a slender figure — of appearance roughly thirty cycles. His elegant features possessed eyes both clear and deep, piercing the soul. First view conveyed scholarly refinement — armed instead with parchment would befitting of scholar’s poise, perhaps no disparity would stand.
Yet even at his emergence, Lei Yin and Yan Jin both bore expressions of grave trepidation. Even Gu Yuan himself narrowed attentively at him directly.
“Thus comes Hun Clan’s Sovereign — Hun Tiandi?” Watchfulness painted Xiao An’s expression, perplexed even in reconciling one exuding composure and grace with one known as the sinister architect behind the dread-infamous Hun forces.
Emerging thereafter from behind within the portal’s trail arose further shadows. One, wreathed fully in blackened flame, unmistakably identified — the “Void Devouring Flamer,” whom Xiao Yan had seen within a prior herbal campaign, stood prominent again before him. Behind followed — unmistakably — The Hun’s feared Four Demon Lords in unison — their presence collectively rivaling no second assembly upon any part of that Dou realm’s surface, so great their might! Upon this sight now appearing, the Guczu Elders clenched their teeth — shields of light flaring upward at once from sacred ground, interweaving with colorful magnificence as their response.
“What a joyous sight the Guczu lays here today… Companions — Gu Yuan, Yan Jin, and Lei Yin… Perhaps indeed, millennia’s gap finds now reunification at last?” Hun Tiandi’s words, amidst countless defensive spells summoned from the ground, fell forth soothingly, like breezes.
“You don’t belong amidst these lands, Hun Tiandi,” Gu Yuan finally spoke, maintaining his steady gaze.
“Nothing bars me from stepping any which place,” was Hun Tiandi’s calm reply — between they two exchanged words like daily parlance, the calm so contrasting.
“Regarding the demise of the Ling — Stone and Pharmaceutical Clans… Was it by Hun’s hand?” Lei Yin’s voice thundered, even as knowing much still he found it vital to seek confirmation from their feared foe directly.
“Some truths… are better grasped than articulated openly,” came Hun Tiandi’s offhand reply with casual mirth. His stare sweeping down amidst assembled Guczu warriors, chilling cold surged within all caught by his vision’s depth—an uncaring placid yet lifeless stare from eyes which dismissed creation as naught more than dust.
“Indeed your doing!” The reply ignited Lei Yin with fury, face blackening sharply between himself and the equally incensed Yan Jin.
“Was it that final remnants of The Devourers fell to your devourer’s rapture, Tiandi?” Gu Yuan shifted his focus directly on that dark flame-clothed specter standing rear. “Was it by consuming that lone Ling Emperor your power sustained? And so prolonged the Hun to current heights?” He paused, adding gently, “Perhaps I underestimated myself then… had I known — I should’ve ensured complete eradication that very day…”
“Hahaha!! Gu Yuan… You flatter yourself greatly indeed,” spat the cloaked dark flame figure, whose aura roared outward amidst deranged laughter. “Though vanquished — complete termination…? That far, friend, far too grandiose your imagination.” He sneared: “And ironically, thanks are owed to you for forcing retreat these thousand trials… Without their contemplative stillness, attaining a Ninth-Level Dou Saint would never find fulfillment in these forms.”
Upon this declaration, few maintained their color amidst gathering — two of the most exalted being within this domain stood revealed — the Ninth-Stage Dou Sage! Was it insinuated that Hun Clan harbored now *two* such? Could any force on this plane stand against such might?
Xiao Yan’s visage dimmed — for two Ninth Stars would not cower, indeed! Guczu paled against that scale! Little wonder had destruction met the Herbs so suddenly in all dimensions.
“You achieved this while carrying the Herb Clan’s realm within, did you not, Devourer?” queried Gu Yuan with calm clarity: “Yet mere early attainment of that ninth degree will not suffice — should opportunity rise, complete containment shall be yours.”
“…perhaps such a chance shall never rise,” interceded Hun Tiandi casually in counter.
Gu Yuan continued undeterred. “Your forces here might not yet suffice were you considering direct strike.”
Hun merely agreed: “Indeed… it lacks.”
Observing these surreal events, Xiao Yan frowned deeply below — if their very presences posed no outward aggression, yet still purpose brewed somewhere deep — Hun would never move without design.
Was it perhaps to cast formation undetected amidst distraction? The notion flickered then extinguishing — Gu Yuan reigned with fears some equalling Tiandi, unlikely any scheme would evade his vision; remember — Gu Yuan’s perception remained leagues away from that of a weak, fallible soul like that Herbal Elder.
“Take vigilance… Gu Yuan!” Yan Jin echoed warning upward: the Hun’s silence bore design no doubt hidden even they now fathomed but vaguely — a shared suspicion between them all.
Tiandi accepted the warning with another silent smile upon face — maintaining a passive vigil above alongside his companions — the two primordial powers held the field, at a tense standoff — a moment surreal.
Such a paradoxical standoff caused Xiao Yan furrowing brows to dig deeper — such peculiar behavior from them suggested only one purpose… a diversion against Gu Yuan’s full attention.
“What ulterior design festers now?” Xiao Yan’s fingers fidgeted through thoughts — until halting… as if realization burst forth:
He pivoted toward the silent silhouette beside him and asked in hushed intonation:
“In your lineage does the ancient Guczu Relic now lie at old Gu’s keeping?”
She halted… then after a beat replied, “No… The relic guards within Ancestral Rite Hall — strongest sanctuary among us…”
“Even so, many guarding the temple have risen outward now… I observed many such presences amongst those airborne,” his words confirmed her own realization — her expression flickering with horror.
Thus realization struck between them —
“Theirs! The Hun desires acquisition of the Ancient Guczu Relic!”
A cry exploded forth — echoing skywards — from lips that now bellowed in dread realization: “Gu Elder… Protect the Relic! Hurry — defend it!”
Yet even while this warning took skyward bound route — from the depth of those distant sacred mountains erupted an urgent, mournful horn — the hall cried alarms… alarm for its defilers…
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