The black-robed figure indifferently gazed at the shattered white ice, slightly raising his head. His gaze, hidden behind a black cloak, slowly swept across the silent hall. Though the black cloak blocked his line of sight, wherever his gaze fell, people hastily retracted their necks, their eyes flickering with fear, aimlessly shifting, no longer daring to linger on the black-robed figure.
Nalan Yanran’s delicate hands clenched tightly, her fair face turning slightly pale as she stared at the gradually melting ice on the carpet. Her slender frame trembled slightly. The great elder of the Mo family, who had been brimming with ambition just an hour ago, was now obliterated in front of her, two vastly different scenes making it hard to believe.
Taking a deep, cold breath, Nalan Yanran slowly calmed her turbulent emotions. Regardless of how things stood, after three years of training, she was far from the naive girl she once was. The pallor on her face gradually faded, and her beautiful eyes fixed on the black-robed figure. “No matter who you are, you have sown enmity with the Yunlan Sect. Mo Cheng may not have the qualifications to provoke a conflict with a Battle Emperor, but the reputation of the Yunlan Sect is worth that price!”
“Today, in front of the many leaders of the southern provinces and us, you killed Mo Cheng. If the Yunlan Sect does nothing, the other forces relying on us will surely feel disheartened.”
Under the black robe, the gaze quietly observed Nalan Yanran, who could ignore the pressure of his presence. After a while, he shook his head slightly and said softly, “Our Yunlan Sect and I will eventually be at odds. Even if I hadn’t killed Mo Cheng today, I would still go to the Yunlan Sect in the future. Then, the enmity would only intensify. So, your words are useless to me.”
“Who exactly are you?” Hearing this, Nalan Yanran’s willowy brows furrowed, and she couldn’t help but ask.
“You will know in due time.” The black-robed figure replied calmly, then ignored Nalan Yanran, turning around and slowly walking towards the Mo family members, whose faces were ashen.
“Hand over the girl!” The black-robed figure stopped two meters away from Mo Lan, his voice as cold as ice. The lingering killing intent made Mo Lan shudder, knowing that if they delayed any longer, the next ones to turn into ice blocks would be them.
“Sir… the girl will be here soon.” Mo Lan’s voice trembled as he replied, his steps shuddering back two paces before he felt slightly more at ease.
“Five minutes.” The black-robed figure ignored Mo Lan’s retreat, his voice frigid as he spoke, then stood still like a wooden stake, silent.
Hearing these three words, Mo Lan’s mouth twitched. He quickly waved for a Mo family member, his face panicked as he urged him to hurry up.
In the spacious hall, the giant pillars still bore red characters symbolizing joy, but now, those joyful reds seemed mocking to everyone present. It was likely that after today, the Mo family, having just celebrated, would have to prepare for a funeral.
Eyes swept across the hall, and when they inadvertently glanced at the black-robed figure standing in the center, everyone’s hearts trembled fiercely. The great elder of the Mo family, who had intimidated them, was now like soft clay in the hands of this even more terrifying being, easily molded with no resistance.
Such a strong individual was clearly beyond their level of contact. They could only guess in their hearts: How much luck did Mo Cheng have to attract such a powerful figure from the pinnacle of the empire and get himself killed?
In the hall, people shifted restlessly, yet it was eerily silent, creating a bone-chilling atmosphere. Standing in place, the black-robed figure turned his head slightly, his gaze passing through the black cloak and landing on a blurry dark figure standing atop a beam. He nodded slightly, indicating everything was going smoothly.
Hai Bo Dong, standing on the beam, noticed the black-robed figure’s subtle glance. He hesitated for a moment, then nodded, but his aged face under the black robe held a hint of confusion. Earlier, he had faintly sensed a very discreet aura in the hall, but this feeling was so vague that even Hai Bo Dong himself was uncertain.
Noticing Hai Bo Dong’s puzzled expression, the black-robed figure continued counting the seconds. Suddenly, the black ring on his finger trembled slightly. Though the tremor was minuscule, it did not escape the black-robed figure’s notice. In his mind, he asked in surprise, “Teacher, what is it?”
“Be careful. For some reason, I seem to sense a familiar aura,” the Elder’s aged voice, filled with gravity and doubt, echoed in Xiao Yan’s mind.
“Huh? What do you mean?” Startled, Xiao Yan responded, “A familiar aura?”
“When you borrowed my soul power earlier, that previously well-hidden aura showed a slight fluctuation. Otherwise, even I might not have detected it,” the Elder said gravely. “And this aura feels familiar… possibly someone I’ve encountered before.”
Hearing this, Xiao Yan’s heart jolted, and a look of shock appeared on his face. Although he didn’t know the Elder’s past strength, he was certain that the Elder was once one of the strongest in the Dou Qi continent. Someone who could interact with the Elder must also be formidable.
“In the past, I rarely interacted with the Jia Ma Empire’s strong individuals. So, I think this person, whose identity is unknown, is probably a powerful individual roaming the Dou Qi continent. But why has he come to the Jia Ma Empire and lurked in the Mo family? What is his purpose?”
“How strong is he?” Xiao Yan frowned, asking the most critical question.
“I’m not sure. Even now, I can only vaguely sense him, and I can’t identify who he is,” the Elder admitted, slightly troubled.
“Regardless, be cautious. When Qing Lin appears, take her and leave immediately.”
“Okay.” Nodding, Xiao Yan’s face grew serious. His eyes, hidden by the black robe, subtly scanned the crowded hall, but found nothing. His vigilance heightened.
Five minutes passed swiftly. In the final moments, Mo Lan, his face panicked, sighed in relief as he saw a figure approaching from the end of the hall.
Several figures rushed in through the door. On the backs of three Mo family members, a little girl in green clothes, her eyes wide with fear, timidly looked around the unfamiliar environment.
In the hall, all eyes were on the pitiful, green-clad girl. They were slightly stunned; they hadn’t expected that the cause of a Battle Emperor’s fierce action was this pretty little girl.
Seeing Qing Lin, though somewhat haggard but unharmed, Xiao Yan sighed in relief, his tightly clenched fist under his sleeve relaxing slightly.
“Sir, this is the girl the great elder captured from Shi Mo City. We haven’t harmed her,” Mo Lan said bitterly, carefully carrying Qing Lin towards Xiao Yan.
Qing Lin, not recognizing Xiao Yan, grew anxious when Mo Lan carried her to the black-robed figure, struggling to no avail.
As Xiao Yan reached out to take Qing Lin, relieved, a sudden change occurred in the quiet hall!
“Boom!”
As Xiao Yan’s hand extended, a crisp sound erupted beside him. The hard floor suddenly burst, and countless wide green tree trunks sprang from the ground, intertwining instantly to form a wooden prison, trapping Xiao Yan inside.
The sudden change stunned everyone, including Nalan Yanran. They hadn’t expected anyone to attack this Battle Emperor.
In the instant of their shock, a light green figure, which had been standing like a servant by a pillar, suddenly lunged forward. Moving at an incredible speed, it snatched Qing Lin from Mo Lan and prepared to flee. However, the wooden prison was incinerated by a surge of white flames, and a forceful kick aimed at the green figure’s head.
Sensing Xiao Yan’s fierce attack, the green figure waved a hand, causing a huge wooden stump to rise from the ground, blocking Xiao Yan’s kick.
Dodging Xiao Yan, the green figure twisted in midair and shot towards the hall’s exit.
“Old Man Hai, stop him!”
“Heh, so there really is someone!” As the green figure approached the door, a wave of cold air formed a thick ice shield, blocking the exit.
The green figure rebounded, leaping onto a pillar, and laughed, “Hehe, two Battle Emperors, I didn’t expect the Jia Ma Empire to hide such talent. But I am very interested in this girl, and I won’t let her go easily.”
In the hall, Xiao Yan quickly leaped onto another pillar, staring coldly at the masked woman in green, his palms igniting with white flames.
In the spacious hall, three immense auras surged, and everyone in the hall looked up at the three figures on the pillars, their faces frozen in shock.
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