Huang has been taken by the Gu Clan. What are they planning? Several young elites from the Emperor Clans were stunned, their expressions shifting with suspicion.
The Gu Clan held an extremely high status, standing undefeated even before the Emperor Clans and sharing equal footing with those ancient lineages. Their identity was particularly unique—they hailed from the same place as Huang.
“Are they trying to harm him?” Qing Kun muttered.
Not long ago, Shi Hao had captured a Fearless Lion in the Heavenly Beast Forest, declaring he would severely punish traitors. As beings of the same origin, was the Gu Clan now making a move in response?
Yet, logically, the Golden Lion lineage should have been the first to target Shi Hao.
“He hasn’t left yet—Huang is still in the Alchemy Hall!” Wu Kun announced.
Mo Xian, Wu Kun, Qing Kun, and Yu Yu had split up earlier, mobilizing their followers to gather information and had just learned the latest developments.
The group swiftly moved toward the hall.
The Alchemy Hall was eerily quiet, as few were willing to visit. Compared to the Hall of Power or the Armory, it was far too desolate.
The foreign realm was warlike, its clans obsessed with raw strength and personal combat prowess. Alchemy and similar pursuits held little appeal.
“So, the one lecturing in the Alchemy Hall is actually a Supreme from the Gu Clan,” Mo Xian murmured.
By the time they arrived, several Half-Step Supremes from the War God Academy had already gathered there.
Mo Xian, Wu Kun, Yu Yu, and the others quickly pieced together the situation. It turned out that certain figures within the War God Academy had approved the Gu Clan’s actions.
Huang had caused far too much chaos in recent days, especially with the last incident, which had shocked the entire academy. For some in charge, it was intolerable.
“Are they trying to punish Huang?”
The Gu Clan’s Supreme intended to take Shi Hao to their ancestral lands to probe certain ancient matters. Having been separated from the Nine Heavens for too long, they sought answers from him.
However, some within the academy were reluctant, fearing the Gu Clan might go too far and cripple Shi Hao. After negotiations, it was decided that Huang would remain in the Alchemy Hall for now.
“Rumor has it that some among the higher-ups have agreed to the Gu Clan’s request.”
“Others worry the Gu Clan might act too harshly, hence the opposition.”
This was the deeper truth they uncovered. The Immortal Kings had ventured into the Ancient Burial Grounds and had yet to return—otherwise, Huang would have been handed over long ago.
Currently, the higher-ups were led by Immortals, but none dared act rashly without knowing why their ancestors wanted this youth.
“So, with the Immortal Kings absent, the higher-ups are divided on how to handle Huang? This is bad. If they cripple him outright, we’ll lose a crucial sparring partner,” Wu Kun remarked.
“The supreme Anlan and Yu Tuo Ancestors have gone to the Burial Zone, but shouldn’t Chi King still be in our realm?” He Ziming questioned.
Chi King, a figure of unparalleled ferocity, had once wielded the Chi King Furnace to slay a true Immortal King, shaking the ages and striking fear into all clans.
“Don’t even think about it. Since the Immortal Ancient War, Chi King has vanished. Who would dare disturb his ancestral lands?” Yu Yu shook his head.
In short, the situation was complicated. With the Immortal Kings absent, the higher-ups were divided.
Given the current circumstances, the Gu Clan was pressing hard, having likely convinced many to act against Huang.
The Alchemy Hall stood silent—now sealed shut!
“We can’t enter. What are they planning? Some major operation?” Wu Kun was visibly shocked.
Deep within the grand hall, glyphs shimmered, the massive doors firmly shut, barring outsiders.
“Junior Qing Kun requests an audience!”
“Scion of the Emperor Clan, Yu Yu, requests an audience!”
…
One by one, they announced their names and origins.
Meanwhile, word spread, stirring unrest across the War God Academy. Crowds gathered, eager to witness the spectacle.
Some cheered—Huang’s brutality had finally caught up with him.
To the denizens of the foreign realm, Huang was nothing short of a demon king, despised by young cultivators of every clan. Were it not for the higher-ups’ protection, the old masters would have long since struck him down.
**Boom!**
Unexpectedly, the hall doors swung open.
Wu Kun, Yu Yu, and the others rushed in, followed by a flood of academy disciples, filling the once-desolate hall.
Yet, they were halted dozens of feet away by a barrier of glyphs, close enough to see clearly but unable to approach.
What they saw startled them. Even the Half-Step Supremes who entered wore expressions of reverence, cautiously observing the scene ahead—there was no place for them to sit.
Only three figures sat upon meditation cushions.
The first was an elderly man, short and hunched, his body withered, yet his eyes burned like golden lamps. His hair, once golden, had faded to white, now streaked with faint gold. His aura was overwhelming, compelling worship.
“The Gu Clan’s Supreme!” Yu Yu’s heart raced. This clan was truly formidable, rivaling even the Emperor Clans!
Next was an aged lion in beast form, its golden fur glowing faintly. Though ancient, its eyes held profound wisdom. Strangely, though a beast, it sat motionless like an old monk.
“A Supreme from the Fearless Lion lineage!” He Ziming murmured in surprise.
Lastly, there was a true monk, his eyes flashing crimson when opened, a dark halo radiating behind his head.
“A Supreme from the Fallen Ancient Monk lineage!” Mo Xian’s eyes gleamed.
Three Supremes, all whose ancestors once belonged to the Nine Heavens, now gathered here. What was their purpose?
When the Emperor Clan youths located Huang, they were stunned. The other students behind them also paled, staring at the cauldron before the three figures.
“Are they trying to refine Huang?” Wu Kun, towering like an iron pillar, tensed. This was escalating beyond expectations.
The higher-ups’ division ran deep—some wanted Huang *melted*.
“The clans from the Nine Heavens are acting first, and more aggressively,” Yu Yu noted grimly.
The ancient cauldron sat dull and unassuming, flames licking its base, the lid sealed tight—a grim portent for Huang.
“Brothers, tread carefully!” A voice suddenly echoed as a fourth figure materialized on another cushion.
“To probe the secrets in his mind, this is the only way. Otherwise, triggering the restrictions in his sea of consciousness would shatter him,” the Gu Clan’s Supreme explained.
Beneath the cauldron, the flames intensified—no ordinary fire, but one woven from Dao principles, stoked by the Gu Clan Supreme himself.
“Had we taken him to our clan and used the Yin-Yang Cauldron, success would be assured—overturning heaven and earth to unveil all his secrets,” the Gu Clan Supreme mused.
“If this fails, we’ll take him to the Gu Clan,” the fourth figure stated.
**Boom!**
The cauldron erupted with radiant light, having reached a critical stage. Essence and brilliance gushed forth.
“Elders, is that truly Huang inside?” someone dared to ask, needing confirmation.
“Indeed,” the Fallen Ancient Monk nodded, his dark halo pulsing ominously.
The cauldron turned translucent, revealing Huang within—truly being refined.
The crowd reeled. Were these Supremes determined to kill him? Survival in such a divine cauldron seemed impossible.
“Since you’ve come, I shall impart a lesson,” the Gu Clan Supreme declared.
He occasionally lectured here, though few cared for alchemy, all chasing raw power. Today’s turnout was rare—though he knew they hadn’t come for wisdom.
“You’ve all strayed, fixated on strength while neglecting vital truths. You should listen to the Dao more often,” the Supreme admonished.
Then he began his lecture, soon stirring hearts.
“Cultivation is the process of gathering medicine. In truth, the Great Dao itself is medicine…”
“Observe now—refining Huang in this cauldron is to extract the great medicine of the human body. Master this, and you may overturn yin and yang.”
Inside the cauldron, Shi Hao’s body was dissolving—blood vapor rising, flesh simmering.
Strands of pristine essence seeped from his form, mingling with the vapors.
Extracting the great medicine of the human body—were they distilling the hidden forces within Huang?
Soon, the crowd noticed the cauldron’s uniqueness. Yin and yang energies swirled within, disassembling Shi Hao’s body, splitting him into segments.
Within his flesh, medicinal blossoms bloomed—each fragment of his body contained a flower of human-body medicine.
Finally, his skull parted, revealing his Divine Soul, now simmering under the flames.
“Will this truly work?” A fifth figure appeared, exuding traces of immortality.
Then a sixth arrived, likely of the Emperor Clan. “If it fails, ensure his Divine Soul remains unharmed. As a last resort, take him to the Gu Clan and use the Yin-Yang Cauldron.”
“He won’t die. Extracting his great medicine might even benefit him,” the Fearless Lion Supreme said coldly, displeased by the leniency.
“The Gu Clan acts as we see fit. Observe quietly.”
The Gu Clan’s tone was calm, but their dominance was unmistakable.
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