A dozen of Xuanhuang Heaven's powerhouses appeared, ascending to the highest point of Xuanhuang Heaven.
This was a place unreachable by most, and from here, one could overlook all of Xuanhuang Heaven, with all living beings beneath their feet.
At this moment.
More than thirty enormous gray whirlpools were spinning in the sky, emitting an overwhelming aura powerful enough to crush the heavens.
In the depths of each whirlpool, a figure could be vaguely seen, deliberately hiding their form, making it impossible to discern their identities.
"What business brings you all to Xuanhuang Heaven with such a grand display?" one of the Xuanhuang Heaven powerhouses asked.
"We're here for someone."
An elder cloaked in flames stepped out from one of the gray whirlpools. He wore a wide black robe, and phoenix-shaped shadows shimmered around his body, ancient and radiant.
"The Phoenix Clan?" The Xuanhuang Heaven powerhouse frowned slightly.
Everyone else remained hidden, but this person revealed his identity, clearly indicating that he was the instigator behind today's events.
After thinking for a moment, the Xuanhuang Heaven powerhouse asked, "Who are you here for?"
"We want the Lord of Xuanhuang Heaven, Qin Zi! This boy killed the heir of our Phoenix Clan and then orchestrated the death of my eighth brother. His sins are unforgivable!" the elder from the Phoenix Clan said coldly.
"That shameless little brat?" The Xuanhuang Heaven powerhouse was slightly taken aback, but then suddenly laughed in schadenfreude, "Hehe, karma at last! That little rascal harassed my daughter, and now he's finally getting his comeuppance!"
Indeed!
This Xuanhuang Heaven powerhouse was none other than the Ice Lord!
When the elder from the Phoenix Clan heard this, he quickly understood, and a smile appeared on his face. "It seems Ice Lord is not too fond of this Xuanhuang Heaven junior either. So why not hand him over?"
"No." The Ice Lord retracted his smile, saying indifferently, "Though I don't particularly like the boy, he's still one of Xuanhuang Heaven's people. I may not be some paragon of virtue, but I'm not one to betray my own."
Whoosh!
The elder from the Phoenix Clan's smile froze, his gaze turning sharp as he said in a deep voice, "So you intend to protect him?"
"Not necessarily." The Ice Lord chuckled and shook his head, "I said I wouldn't hand him over willingly, but whether anyone else wants to protect him... well, that depends on how well-liked he is."
With that, the Ice Lord stepped aside, adopting an indifferent stance, as though the matter no longer concerned him. In his view, it was already an act of kindness not to kick Qin Zi while he was down.
After all, the little rascal had bullied his daughter. If the Golden Dragon King hadn't intervened back then, the Ice Lord would have killed the boy himself!
"Friends, may I ask for your cooperation?" the elder from the Phoenix Clan addressed the other Xuanhuang Heaven powerhouses.
At this moment, twelve powerhouses hovered in the sky.
Since many of the powerhouses had reincarnated and returned, their appearances and auras were different from their previous lives. Unless they revealed themselves through combat, it was impossible to recognize who was who, so they could be considered... nameless.
"Killing to repay a life is the natural law of the world." One Xuanhuang Heaven powerhouse moved to the side, his expression cold, clearly uninterested in starting a fight with so many other powerhouses over Qin Zi.
"I have no interest in getting involved either."
Another Xuanhuang Heaven powerhouse stepped aside.
"Do as you wish."
"Just make sure not to harm any innocents."
One by one, the remaining Xuanhuang Heaven powerhouses also stepped aside, indicating their unwillingness to interfere in this matter.
These powerhouses had long grown indifferent to worldly matters. Having waded through mountains of corpses and rivers of blood, they viewed the passage of time with cold detachment. To them, the masses were little more than ants.
Such a group of people was unlikely to risk their lives for an ant they didn't care about.
Unless, of course, they knew that ant was the protagonist!
But they didn't know.
"Thank you!"
The elder from the Phoenix Clan cupped his hands toward the Xuanhuang Heaven powerhouses, then reached out with his right hand, grabbing toward the sky below.
Whoosh!
With that motion, the space in front of him twisted, forming a massive vortex. A young figure, bound by an invisible force, was drawn out of the vortex.
It was none other than Qin Zi!
At that moment, Qin Zi felt the overwhelming pressure around him—like the weight of the heavens themselves. His face turned pale, and his body trembled uncontrollably. Terrified, he cried out, "Where… where am I?!"
"Hmph!"
The elder from the Phoenix Clan snorted coldly, and a terrifying aura exploded around Qin Zi, as if he had been struck by lightning.
"Pffft!"
Even though Qin Zi was a Divine King-level cultivator, he couldn't withstand such a force. He spat out a mouthful of blood, his body nearly torn apart.
When Qin Zi looked at the elder and felt the familiar fiery aura, he gasped in horror, "The Phoenix Clan! You're from the Phoenix Clan!!"
"Now that you know, prepare to die."
The elder from the Phoenix Clan spoke coldly, raising his right hand, slowly closing his fingers toward Qin Zi.
Crack! Crack! Crack!
The space within a hundred meters around Qin Zi began to collapse inward, like a crushed egg—an alarming sight!
"No!!"
Qin Zi screamed in despair, desperately trying to escape, but the surrounding space had been sealed by an immense power. There was no way out!
"Mere ant."
The elder from the Phoenix Clan continued closing his fingers. His expression was indifferent, as if he were truly crushing an insect, devoid of any emotion.
"Hmm?!"
Suddenly, his expression shifted slightly, for he noticed a golden barrier forming around Qin Zi's body—a golden shield that gleamed like metal, impenetrable!
"Did you ask for my permission before trying to kill my junior brother?"
A young yet commanding voice echoed through the air. In front of Qin Zi, a dashing young man dressed in golden robes slowly appeared.
"You... Golden Dragon King?!"
The elder from the Phoenix Clan's face twitched in shock.
"That's right." The Golden Dragon King stood with his hands behind his back, a smile on his face. "It's been years since we last met. You've aged quite a bit. I still remember the times I used to beat you up."
The elder from the Phoenix Clan's face turned ashen. He and the Golden Dragon King were from the same era. During the dragon-phoenix rivalry, several geniuses from the Phoenix Clan were crushed by the Golden Dragon King. It was a black mark in the Phoenix Clan's history!
He took a deep breath and said solemnly, "A momentary victory doesn't mean anything. The one who laughs last is the true victor. Now, we've both reached the pinnacle—who knows who's stronger?"
"I'm younger." The Golden Dragon King smiled slightly, his words simple but impactful. You're on your last legs, while I've lived a second life. Clearly, I'm stronger.
"You…"
The elder from the Phoenix Clan trembled with rage, his voice seething, "You're just someone who was destroyed and then revived by the strange powers of Xuanhuang Heaven. What's there to be proud of?"
"I'm younger." The Golden Dragon King continued smiling.
"I already have countless descendants, an unbroken lineage! What do you have?!" the Phoenix Clan elder gritted his teeth.
"I'm younger."
The Golden Dragon King repeated, unphased.
"You... Aaaahhh!!"
The elder from the Phoenix Clan roared in fury, his blazing flames shooting into the sky, dyeing the heavens of the upper realms red.
It was clear that his mental defenses had been shattered.
After a while, he regained his composure and glared fiercely at the Golden Dragon King, asking in a low voice, "Golden Dragon King, are you determined to protect him?"
"He's my brother," the Golden Dragon King said calmly. Standing with his hands behind his back, his robes fluttered gently in the wind, as if he alone could hold up the sky.
"You can't protect him!" the elder from the Phoenix Clan snorted coldly. An overwhelming aura erupted from his body, and the gray whirlpools behind him began to spin even faster, releasing terrifying energy from the powerhouses hidden within.
Boom! Boom!
The collective pressure from those forces surged like a tsunami, threatening to engulf everything.
"Hmph!"
Golden light burst from the Golden Dragon King's body, forming a massive golden sphere a thousand meters in diameter, creating a firm barrier against the overwhelming pressure.
It was a clash of wills!
Crack! Crack!
Though the Golden Dragon King was strong, there were simply too many enemies. The golden sphere began to compress under the pressure, showing signs of collapse.
"Golden Dragon King, stop being so stubborn. Otherwise, you'll die here!" the Phoenix Clan elder frowned and warned.
He didn't want to kill him.
After all, one who had fought alongside you for countless years, even if he had been an opponent, was difficult to kill. Could you truly bear to see that familiar face perish?
"I've already died once. What is there to fear?"
The Golden Dragon King's expression was resolute as he stood tall, as though even if the sky fell, he could hold it up!
The Phoenix Clan elder clenched his teeth and said, "If you insist on going against the tide, don't blame me for being ruthless!!"
As his words fell, an even stronger pressure erupted from his body. At the same time, the hidden powerhouses behind him also began to unleash their full power.
Boom!
The terrifying pressure flooded in like a tidal wave, quickly cracking the golden barrier that the Golden Dragon King had created.
Everyone here was at the same level of power—none of them were simple. How could one man stand against dozens?
Buzz!!!
Just then, a beam of orange-yellow light shone across the sky, like the soft glow of dawn or the warm light of a setting sun.
Under this light, everything seemed to be reaching its end, including the pressure and energy that were dissolving into nothingness.
"The Dusk King?!"
A shocked voice rang out from one of the gray whirlpools.
Far away, beyond the clouds, a magnificent sunset slowly rose, and a stunning golden-haired woman gracefully walked out from the evening glow.
"Master?!"
Qin Zi's eyes lit up with joy as he exclaimed in surprise.
The woman was none other than Ye Lingshuang!