Central Continent, Ancient Realm.
In the Ancient Clan plaza.
Ling Quan's grandfather, Ling Shui, stared at his grandson's cold corpse. His eyes were wide like those of a dead fish, and a trace of tears still hung at the corners.
His face was deathly pale with rage, his eyes bloodshot.
His entire body trembled uncontrollably.
A glaring crimson color seeped out between his fingers!
"Who was it? Who exactly killed my grandson?! Who!!!"
Ling Shui's voice, filled with endless hatred, echoed across the Ancient Clan plaza!
"You lot, speak! Who killed my grandson? If you refuse to say it, this old man will skin you alive!!!"
Ling Shui gripped a bloodstained curved blade, his killing aura surging as he glared at the several Black Annihilation Army guards before him!
Seeing that no one spoke.
A crazed and ferocious expression appeared on Ling Shui's face.
"Good! Very good! You refuse to speak, is that it? Then die for me!"
Dou Qi surged within Ling Shui's body as his blade slashed toward the nearest Black Annihilation Army guard!
At that moment, a sharp female voice rang out.
"Stop!!"
Ling Shui turned his head. The violence in his eyes did not diminish in the slightest; instead, it grew even stronger.
Xun'er spoke coldly.
"Ling Quan was disrespectful. I killed him."
"Miss, do you take me, Ling Shui, for a two-and-a-half-year-old child?!"
Ling Shui stared at Xun'er with narrowed eyes.
Xun'er's current strength was merely that of a Dou Master!
Even if a hundred of her joined forces, they would still be no match for a Dou Emperor expert.
Let alone killing Ling Quan!
Therefore, Ling Shui concluded that Xun'er was saying this to shield the real murderer.
The person she was protecting must be someone extremely close to her.
"What? Deputy Commander Ling Shui does not believe me?"
Xun'er's tone turned even colder. A trace of golden flame flickered in her eyes.
"Hahaha! Good! Good! This old man has devoted his heart and soul to the Ancient Clan, yet in the end my grandson dies without a clear reason!"
Ling Shui laughed toward the sky, tears mixed with his laughter.
Suddenly, the laughter stopped as he shouted loudly.
"Elder Tong Xuan! Should you not give this old man an explanation for this matter?!"
"When my grandson left, he was perfectly fine! Yet when he returned… he became a corpse that cannot rest in peace!!"
After a long moment.
An elderly man with white hair and a walking staff appeared out of thin air before Ling Shui.
"Ling Shui, this old man has already investigated the matter. Your grandson was overbearing and repeatedly provoked others. His skills were inferior, and thus he lost his life."
Tong Xuan paused and opened his palm.
A storage ring slowly floated toward Ling Shui.
"Considering your family's loyalty to the Ancient Clan, take this as compensation. Let this matter end here. You are not permitted to pursue it further."
Ling Shui tightly gripped the storage ring.
He knew that relying on the clan to resolve this matter was now impossible.
If the public path would not work…
Then he would have to rely on himself!
Ling Shui picked up Ling Quan's corpse. Before leaving, he replied with a single word.
"Fine."
"Miss, the Council of Elders requests your presence," Tong Xuan said.
Xun'er replied, "Elder Tong Xuan, I fear Commander Ling Shui may still act recklessly. I hope you can take some measures."
"Miss, rest assured. This old man has already made arrangements."
"Thank you."
The two arrived at the Council Hall of Elders.
It was already filled with people.
The meeting was presided over by Gu Nan Hai.
Xun'er had just taken her seat when Gu Qian immediately launched the first attack.
"Everyone, since Miss has arrived, please take a look at this list. These are the most suitable partners we have selected for you."
"Indeed. Not only does it include the outstanding young talents of our Ancient Clan, but also geniuses from the Thunder Clan and Flame Clan," Gu Xu quickly added.
"However, in my opinion, Miss is the pride of the Ancient Clan. To put it bluntly, good water should not flow into others' fields. Perhaps outsiders should be excluded."
"I agree."
Right from the beginning, the Gu Xu and Gu Qian brothers echoed each other's words.
They gave no opportunity for others to voice their opinions.
Anyone unaware might think they were the true decision-makers of the Ancient Clan.
Gu Nanhai noticed Xun'er's tightly furrowed brows and the faint golden flames flickering in her eyes.
He immediately understood that she was angry.
He waved his hand.
"Enough. This matter is not for you two to decide directly. Let us first hear Xun'er's opinion."
"Xun'er, tell us your thoughts," Gu Nanhai said with a smile.
Xun'er stepped forward and cupped her hands toward Gu Nan Hai before speaking clearly.
"My marriage will naturally be decided by myself. There is no need for the elders present to worry about it!"
"You…"
Gu Qian had just begun to speak.
Xun'er coldly interrupted.
"If the elders truly feel idle, perhaps you should concern yourselves with the marriages of your own descendants! Or better yet, spend more time cultivating."
"We…"
Gu Xu was about to say that they were doing exactly that.
But Xun'er retorted again.
"Has Elder Gu Xu already reached the pinnacle of cultivation? If so, since the Hun Clan has repeatedly provoked our clan, please trouble Elder Gu Xu to go and take charge of the situation!"
Gu Xu froze.
He did not dare speak again.
Gu Qian moved his lips but chose to temporarily avoid confrontation.
The two could only glance toward Gu Shan and shake their heads slightly.
Gu Shan clenched his fists. His expression looked somewhat unpleasant, but in the end he said nothing.
The other elders could clearly see that Xun'er strongly resisted their arrangement of her marriage.
As people with experience, they could roughly guess the reason.
Perhaps during these years in the Xiao Clan, the young lady had already given her heart to someone!
Several of them began to consider whether they should find that person and cut off Xun'er's feelings.
They could not allow someone with inferior bloodline to contaminate the Ancient Clan's bloodline.
However!
No one expected what would happen next!
Xun'er suddenly revealed everything herself.
"Additionally, I wish to make an announcement here! For many years now, my heart has already belonged to someone. Therefore, I ask the elders not to concern themselves with my marriage!"
"And if I ever learn that anyone dares to secretly harm the person I love, then do not blame me, Gu Xun'er, for turning my back on you all!!"
At the end of her words, Xun'er's gentle voice suddenly turned ice-cold!
The killing intent in her eyes was released without concealment!
After speaking, Xun'er turned and left!
Leaving the elders of the Ancient Clan staring at each other in stunned silence.
…
At the same time.
Jia Ma Empire, Jia Ma Sacred City, Alchemist Association Plaza.
Rumble!
In the sky!
The thunderclouds of the five-colored pill lightning churned violently, multicolored lightning serpents darting through the clouds!
Suddenly!
Boom!
A blazing white bolt of lightning descended from the sky, striking fiercely toward Ye Hao below!
The terrifying power seemed capable of splitting the very space in half.
One could easily imagine that if it struck a human body, nothing would remain.
"Ye Hao, move!"
Medusa flashed forward to Ye Hao's side. She raised her pale jade hand and condensed a massive Dou Qi barrier, attempting to block the attack for him.
The Amethyst Winged Lion King also rushed forward.
"My lord, hurry and leave!!"
Seeing this, Yao Chen sneered.
"The power of eighth-rank five-colored pill lightning. She thinks her strength as a one-star Dou Ancestor can block it? What a foolish dream!"
"It would be best if they both died!" Xiao Yan said through clenched teeth.
Looking at such terrifying power, even Jia Xing Tian felt his hair stand on end as if facing a great enemy.
He could not imagine how much pressure Ye Hao was enduring directly beneath it. Perhaps he had been frightened stiff and forgotten to escape.
Otherwise, why would that woman rush up to save him?
Fa Ma felt his legs turn weak.
He did not even dare look directly.
"Step aside. I need this pill lightning for something important."
Ye Hao stepped forward, wrapped an arm around Medusa's waist, and moved her behind him.
"And you, Amethyst Winged Lion King, step back as well!"
"This… very well! But if something goes wrong, I will intervene immediately!"
Medusa retreated.
Ye Hao sat down cross-legged!
He began circulating the Saint-Grade Devouring Heaven Technique!
In an instant!
The Dou Qi within his body surged out completely, forming a massive energy funnel above his head!
Boom!
The lightning bolt struck the energy funnel.
Bang!
The lightning rampaged wildly inside the funnel. Just when the funnel seemed about to collapse, Ye Hao forcibly endured it!
The lightning never struck his body.
Instead, something astonishing happened.
The energy funnel actually fused with the pill lightning's power.
That energy transformed into countless threads that poured into Ye Hao's body from all directions!
Even so, the power contained within the pill lightning was far too immense.
With Ye Hao's current strength, it was indeed difficult to endure.
His body rapidly collapsed, yet under the miraculous effect of the Saint-Grade Devouring Heaven Technique, it began to recover just as quickly!
During this process, his aura continued rising!
Only then did Medusa understand Ye Hao's intention.
He was using the power of heavenly lightning to break through to the Dou Emperor realm!!
Even the Amethyst Winged Lion King broke into a cold sweat. Such a crazy method was something even few magical beasts would dare attempt!
Seeing this scene, the entire plaza fell into absolute silence.
One could hear a needle drop!
Everyone's mouths hung open in shock.
Fa Ma and Jia Xing Tian stood frozen like wooden statues.
Even Yao Chen was dumbfounded, as if he had seen a ghost!
After roaming the Dou Qi Continent for many years, he had never seen such a life-risking cultivation method!
The key point was…
It actually worked!
However, this was eighth-rank five-colored pill lightning. How many waves could he endure?
Boom!!
Boom!!
Wave after wave of pill lightning descended!
Ye Hao's body repeatedly collapsed and recovered, collapsed and recovered, while he frantically absorbed the lightning energy within the funnel!
Just like this!
More than two hours passed!
Relying on the mysterious power of the energy funnel, Ye Hao endured wave after wave of pill lightning and absorbed it all!
His final realm stabilized at the level of a four-star Dou Emperor!
"He actually… broke through so many levels at once and survived. Th-this is simply unbelievable! What kind of technique is that?!"
Yao Chen was completely stunned!
Jia Xing Tian stared blankly at Ye Hao, already thinking about how he should explain that the events in the Magical Beast Mountain Range had not been his intention.
Everything had been because of Gu He.
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