Chapter 82: You Summon Someone, So Do I!
Just then, beside Yun Yi, as a black scroll shattered, a black flame abruptly materialized.
Space rippled, and a vortex slowly took form. Then, from within the vortex, a somewhat slender hand reached out, bracing against its edge. A figure slowly stepped forth.
The figure, wreathed entirely in pitch-black flames, dispelled Gu Yuan's attack with a wave of his hand and looked up at Gu Yuan in the sky with a strange, mocking laugh.
"Hmph!" Seeing that Gu Yuan had just tried to erase him, Yun Yi's expression instantly turned frigid.
"Nihility Devouring Flame!"
Gu Yuan looked toward the figure shrouded in black flames and said quietly, "To think that the palm strike back then not only failed to halt your cultivation progress, but allowed you to advance even further!"
"Had I known, I would have finished you off then."
"Heh heh, Gu Yuan, you think too highly of yourself. That you could defeat me back then is true, but if you think you could completely destroy me, I fear you lack the ability!" Hearing Gu Yuan's words, the black flames around the figure churned violently as he laughed eerily.
Indeed, Gu Yuan truly lacked this ability. To destroy a heavenly flame of the caliber of the Nihility Devouring Flame or the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame, unless a Dou Di personally intervened, even someone as powerful as the Purifying Demonic Lotus Saint could only strip their sentience, not destroy them outright.
"And I must thank you as well. If not for this thousand-year seclusion, I likely could never have reached the level of a nine-star Dou Sheng!"
At this point, the Nihility Devouring Flame looked at Gu Yuan with a hint of malice in his eyes.
A nine-star Dou Sheng—that was the most pinnacle existence under this sky. The Hun clan already possessed a clan leader at the late stage of nine-star Dou Sheng. Back when the Hun and Xiao clans fought their great war, Hun Tiandi had suffered severe injuries, leading many to assume the Hun clan's strength had been greatly damaged thereafter.
With the Xiao clan destroyed and the Hun clan crippled, the Gu clan became the foremost emperor clan beneath the heavens. This was not only the pride of the Gu clan's people; Gu Yuan himself had always taken pride in it. To secure the top seat without expending a single soldier—was that not worthy of pride?
Now, the Nihility Devouring Flame was actually saying that it was because of Gu Yuan's actions that he had entered the nine-star Dou Sheng level. Putting it that way, didn't that mean the Hun clan now possessed two nine-star Dou Shengs?
Such strength had already surpassed the Gu clan. How then could the Gu clan, which had always considered itself the foremost of the emperor clans, reconcile this?
"A mere early-stage nine-star Dou Sheng. Should the opportunity arise, I will permanently seal you away."
The veiled sarcasm in the Nihility Devouring Flame's words—how could Gu Yuan not catch it? His expression darkened as he looked at the other and spoke.
"Heh, perhaps you will never have that opportunity!" The Nihility Devouring Flame chuckled lightly.
"Father!" From the moment Gu Yuan and the Nihility Devouring Flame appeared, matters had begun spiraling out of control. She had thought bringing her father would easily resolve the problem, but who knew Yun Yi also had a backer, and one not much weaker than her own.
This made Gu Xun'er anxious! If these two began to fight, let alone Wu Tan City, even the Jia Ma Empire would be sunk by the battle. Then Brother Xiao Yan...
Hearing his daughter's call, the old father Gu Yuan sighed inwardly. After all his countless calculations back then, he had never accounted for one thing: for the sake of a piece of ancient jade, he had ended up losing his daughter.
Was this the consequence of not receiving the education of an emperor clan, of growing up untamed?
He could only hope that once she returned this time, those little brats within the clan could step up and help Xun'er quickly forget Xiao Yan. Yes, in Gu Yuan's eyes, there was simply no possibility between Xiao Yan and Xun'er. They were people from two different worlds.
Right now, it was just childish ignorance. Once she returned to the Gu Realm, as time passed, Xun'er would surely forget Xiao Yan and become the exalted daughter of the emperor clan she was meant to be!
"Gu Yuan, is this your daughter?"
The Nihility Devouring Flame's gaze suddenly shifted to Gu Xun'er, speaking with interest. This familiar bloodline power—besides Gu Yuan, who else could it belong to?
Being stared at by a nine-star Dou Sheng, even with Gu Xun'er's mental fortitude, sent a chill through her heart. She hid behind Gu Yuan.
"Nihility Devouring Flame!"
Gu Yuan's face was icy as he stared at the Nihility Devouring Flame. Behind him, the boundless energy of the world howled, connecting heaven and earth. From afar, it looked like an endless energy tide, the crashing sound of its waves continuous.
"Gu Yuan, this can't scare me!"
Facing the energy tide powerful enough to shatter a seven-star Dou Sheng, the Nihility Devouring Flame remained calm. With a wave of his hand, he coalesced an energy tide of his own. The two energy tides collided, ultimately annihilating each other into nothingness.
"Mmgh!" With a muffled grunt, the Nihility Devouring Flame staggered half a step back. In their clash just now, Gu Yuan had been the superior one after all.
Late-stage nine-star Dou Sheng, Emperor Realm soul—the Nihility Devouring Flame was outmatched in every aspect. Even with the formidable battle power of a heavenly flame spirit, he couldn't bridge this gap.
"Nihility Devouring Flame, hand over Yao Chen!"
"Hmph!"
With a cold snort, knowing he couldn't gain any advantage alone, the Nihility Devouring Flame tossed out the transparent soul body, cast a deep look at Gu Yuan, and pulled Yun Yi into the pitch-black vortex behind him.
Now was not yet the time to truly antagonize Gu Yuan. Once he himself entered the Emperor Realm of soul, capable of silently swallowing entire clans like the Ling and Shi without anyone noticing, then would be the Gu clan's day of doom.
Watching the two leave and looking at the nearly collapsing soul body before him, Gu Yuan turned to Gu Xun'er and said gently, "Xun'er, it's time for us to go."
"But Brother Xiao Yan..." Suddenly, noticing Gu Yuan's slightly furrowed brows, Gu Xun'er sighed inwardly and nodded. "Yes, Father."
"But... Can we save Senior Yao Chen?"
As long as Xun'er was willing to return, this small request was something Gu Yuan would not refuse. He nodded gently, took out a ring, placed Yao Chen's soul body inside, then retrieved a bottle of medicinal liquid brimming with a rich medicinal fragrance and dripped it on. Instantly, a surge of vast soul power began to awaken.
With a flick of his wrist, the ring accurately landed in the arms of the unconscious Xiao Yan!
"Brother Xiao Yan, this is the last thing Xun'er can do for you. Xun'er has always believed that once you recover, you will become a powerhouse of the continent. Xun'er will wait for you."
Gu Xun'er turned her head, looking reluctantly back at the unconscious youth. The deep reluctance in her eyes made Gu Yuan's heart jolt fiercely.
Fortunately, Gu Xun'er did not continue to test her father's nerves. She turned and stepped into the spatial passageway Gu Yuan had opened.
"Xun'er, it seems these years at the Xiao family have treated you well."
"The life at the Xiao family—Xun'er will never forget it, not in this lifetime!"
"A happy childhood... then it wasn't in vain that I sent you to the Xiao family back then..."
"Oh, yes... the Xiao family's ancient jade..."
"Father, in all Xun'er's years at the Xiao family, I have never seen the ancient jade. It must have been lost over the course of a thousand years!"
"Oh."
"Perhaps it's for the best. The ancient jade would only bring disaster to the Xiao family. It's better that it was lost..."
"Riiip—"
In an unknown forest, a spatial rift appeared, and the Nihility Devouring Flame slowly materialized with Yun Yi.
The Nihility Devouring Flame looked at Yun Yi and asked, puzzled, "What was that old fellow Gu Yuan's daughter doing in that remote, desolate place?"
"That is the territory of the Xiao family in Wu Tan City. It was there that I found Yao Chen!" Yun Yi answered flatly.
"The Xiao family?"
"Xiao?" The name seemed to stir unpleasant memories. The Nihility Devouring Flame shuddered involuntarily, recalling that peerless, magnificent figure of the past.
He also bore this surname, and suppressed an entire era. That battle back then could only be described as earth-shattering. More than half of the Hun clan's ten-thousand-year accumulation was destroyed—all because of that man.
He had even nearly brought about Hun Tiandi's defeat and death. Back then, the Nihility Devouring Flame had only been an eight-star Dou Sheng, and had also crossed hands with that man. He knew that man's strength intimately.
His eyes shifted, recollecting something. The Nihility Devouring Flame let out a cold laugh.
"Heh, Gu Yuan sure has some fine calculations. The remnants of the Xiao clan were taken in by his Gu clan, weren't they? And now he sends his own daughter to the Xiao family? Just what does Gu Yuan mean by that?"
"Truly a cunning scheme!"
Hearing Yun Yi's words, the Nihility Devouring Flame's expression showed true fluctuation for the first time, his eyes filled with undisguised contempt for Gu Yuan.
What was Gu Yuan's purpose in sending his daughter to the fallen Xiao family? If not for the Xiao family's ancient jade, then what? It couldn't possibly have been sent to truly display friendly relations between the two clans, could it?
Don't be ridiculous. Who was there to perform this show for? Before you, Gu Yuan, appeared, who in the Xiao family even knew they had a 'good buddy' like the Gu clan?
As for showing it to the other emperor clans—laughable! Even the Hun clan, who had hunted the Xiao clan, didn't know any Xiao members had survived. The other emperor clans knew even less.
This 'holier-than-thou' posturing only deepened the Nihility Devouring Flame's already low opinion of Gu Yuan. Apart from his cultivation, in what way was Gu Yuan truly worthy of being mentioned in the same breath as the five supreme experts of the past?
"Since we've unexpectedly discovered the Xiao family's existence, shall we take their ancient jade?" Yun Yi turned to the Nihility Devouring Flame and suggested a tempting proposition.
The Nihility Devouring Flame's heart lurched, a hint of temptation rising. But he quickly calmed down and said in a deep voice, "An incomplete piece of the ancient jade is no different from a roadside pebble. Now that we know where the Xiao family is, that piece of jade will eventually belong to my Hun clan."
"Moreover, Gu Yuan's daughter stayed in the Xiao family for so many years, yet seems to have never found the ancient jade. Otherwise, with his temperament, how could he allow his daughter to remain there for so long? Since she didn't find it, we shouldn't make any rash moves either, lest we drive Gu Yuan to desperate measures!"
Having endured for a thousand years, the Nihility Devouring Flame chose to err on the side of caution in this matter. He and Hun Tiandi had endured so many years; they could afford a little more time.
"What are your plans next? Now that you've obtained the Bone Chilling Flame, shall you return to the clan with me?"
After making his decision, the Nihility Devouring Flame turned to Yun Yi, his eyes seemingly piercing through to the chilling flame within Yun Yi's body, and spoke with a smile.
"No, I feel the outside world is more beneficial for my growth!" Toward the Nihility Devouring Flame's proposition, Yun Yi refused without a trace of hesitation.
Yun Yi's words made the Nihility Devouring Flame pause, but he immediately returned to normal and said amiably, "That is also good. Only through tempering can one bravely scale higher peaks, reaching ever loftier summits!"
The Nihility Devouring Flame left, carrying the news of the Xiao family back to the Hun clan, informing Hun Tiandi.
Hun Tiandi showed little reaction. Even his own clan's piece of the ancient jade was currently collecting dust in some forgotten corner of his ring. A piece that was both the easiest to acquire and the most likely to draw the Gu clan's alert—it held no allure for him!
Now, all preparations were complete. They only awaited the Nihility Devouring Flame to achieve the Emperor Realm of soul!
Watching the pitch-black rift slowly close before him, Yun Yi withdrew his gaze and felt the Bone Chilling Flame within his body.
This heavenly flame, ranked eleventh on the Heavenly Flame List, had undergone Yao Chen's refinement and suffered so many tribulations. The energy within it was now extremely weak.
To Yun Yi, it was roughly comparable to the Fallen Heart Flame back then. If he were to absorb it, it would at most raise his strength by two or three stars—which would be a bit of a waste.
"Never mind, this is for Jiang Yun to worry about!"
Having no immediate plan, Yun Yi simply shook his head. He examined his surroundings for a moment, confirmed his location, and coalesced his pitch-black Dou Qi wings. With a whoosh, he transformed into a black streak of light, vanishing into the night.
After the departure of Yun Yi and Gu Xun'er's group, the tremors caused by the upheaval in Wu Tan City finally drew strong practitioners from the Jia Ma Empire to investigate.
That power, akin to heavenly might, was simply beyond anyone's imagination. Even a Dou Zong would fall utterly short before it. What exactly did this tiny Wu Tan City possess to draw such experts here?
The Jia Ma Empire! The Holy City of Jia Ma! The Imperial Palace!
Jia Xingtian now appeared even more aged than before. A hint of twilight gloom lingered in his eyes, like an old man at the end of his life, at risk of passing at any moment.
"Cough, cough... cough, cough... These are truly troubled times!"
Looking at the intelligence report in his hand, a trace of melancholy crossed Jia Xingtian's weary eyes. His worry for the Jia Ma Empire's future deepened even further.
"How could my insignificant Jia Ma Empire be worthy of so many great figures visiting?"
Clutching a hand to his throbbing, aching chest, Jia Xingtian spoke in a desolate tone, his mind recalling that terrifying young man from a few days prior, sending a shiver down to his core.
A peak of Dou Wang at sixteen or seventeen... What was his own cultivation at sixteen? A few-star Dou Zhe, was it?
"Great-Grandfather, your injuries haven't healed yet! I told you not to look at those things! Ye'er will handle these matters properly!"
A somewhat reproachful voice rang out as a graceful, beautiful figure walked through the doorway.
The newcomer wore a noble, long dress trimmed in dark purple. Her features were exquisite, her figure tall and slender, faintly exuding an innate nobility and icy elegance. A purple sash was tied around her slender waist, showcasing her tall, well-proportioned figure to perfection.
At around twenty years of age, the very moment her charm was at its peak, her rather cool gaze now held only helplessness as she looked at Jia Xingtian.
"Ah, it's Ye'er."
"Great-Grandfather is fine..."
Seeing Yao Ye, Jia Xingtian replied somewhat guiltily. But meeting her reproachful eyes, he said helplessly, "Ye'er, Great-Grandfather knows his own body. These medicines cannot cure it. Now, with the empire in a time of crisis, Great-Grandfather feels truly sorry for you. The heavy burden of the empire has suddenly fallen upon your shoulders!"
"Great-Grandfather, what nonsense are you saying? President Fa Ma said your injuries can be healed!"
Hearing Jia Xingtian's words, Yao Ye was inwardly startled, yet verbally she continued to chide him with mild reproach.
"Here, drink today's medicine first!" Stepping forward, she took the intelligence report from his hand and offered a bowl of medicinal liquid. As the corner of her eye brushed over the intelligence report, huge waves surged in her heart, even causing the hand holding the medicine to tremble uncontrollably for an instant.
"You saw it."
Drinking the medicine down in one gulp, Jia Xingtian asked nonchalantly.
"Mm."
Looking at the nodding Yao Ye, then thinking of Mu Chen and Nalan Jie, whose injuries were even more severe than his own, Jia Xingtian felt even more bitter in his heart.
One could say that Yun Yi's single battle had crippled the upper echelons of the Jia Ma Empire.
"Ye'er, Great-Grandfather intends to send you and Yue'er to study at the Jia Nan Academy!"
Putting away the melancholy in his heart, Jia Xingtian looked at Yao Ye and spoke seriously. Yao Ye and Yao Yue were the most outstanding geniuses of the imperial clan's current generation—one in civil matters, one in martial. If anything happened to the imperial clan in the future, as long as the two of them were around, there was still hope of salvation.
"Great-Grandfather, send Yue'er. Ye'er is not going anywhere!" Yao Ye's hand, tidying the medicine bowl, paused briefly. She shook her head, her tone calm, yet the resolution within it moved even Jia Xingtian.
"Sigh—"
"Such hardship for you..."
With a helpless sigh, Jia Xingtian spoke somewhat ruefully.
"Great-Grandfather, don't be pessimistic. Perhaps this time, Great-Grandfather can turn this calamity into a blessing and find the chance to break through to Dou Zong!" Yao Ye, however, did not appear pessimistic. She smiled cheerfully and encouraged Jia Xingtian.
"Dou Zong, ah!"
"Far easier said than done!"
Jia Xingtian was briefly stunned upon hearing this, slightly at a loss for words. In the end, only a sigh and unwillingness remained!