Chapter 597: Grand Elder Kun Yuan
The ground shook violently, continuously collapsing. Within mere moments, the white jade platform below fractured apart, forming an enormous, thousand-foot-deep black pit, the edges of which spiderwebbed outward into countless massive cracks.
Countless gazes fixed in awe upon this scene, heartbeats accelerating uncontrollably. Almost simultaneously, they raised their heads to look at the single remaining figure standing upright in the sky.
That slender, bloodied figure belonged to Lin Langtian!
"Haa… haa..."
Heavy, ragged breathing escaped Lin Langtian's mouth. After enduring such a fierce and arduous battle, his complexion was now pale beyond description.
His formerly fierce aura was greatly diminished, the sinister glow in his dark eyes completely extinguished. Clearly, the battle had cost him immensely.
Indeed, Wu Yan and Wu Xiu had proven incredibly powerful adversaries. Without the extraordinary power of the Demon Embryo, today's outcome would have been highly uncertain.
Traces of pure Yuan power flowed gently within Lin Langtian, slowly restoring his strength and color to his ashen face. As he recuperated, his gaze—though dimmed slightly—remained sharp and locked onto the enormous crater below.
According to the rules of this battle, touching the ground meant defeat. Thus, by all rights, Wu Yan and Wu Xiu had already lost.
"You two," Lin Langtian spoke, crossing his arms, a cold sneer forming on his lips. "You've lost. My brother Jin Wu's return to the clan is no longer something you can prevent."
Swish!
As his voice faded, countless stones shot skyward from the pit, followed by two severely battered figures emerging into the air. Wu Yan and Wu Xiu reappeared, covered head to toe in blood, each missing an arm from which blood flowed incessantly. Their appearances were utterly pitiful.
Even their auras had noticeably weakened, clearly suffering from grave injuries.
"You… you...!"
Wu Yan's eyes turned bloodshot as he pointed a trembling finger toward Lin Langtian. His face twisted with rage, humiliation, and murderous intent. He still could not believe he, the dignified head of the Fire Branch, had been defeated by a young human who, just a short time ago, was merely at the peak of Death Profound Realm.
Beside him, Wu Xiu also glared at Lin Langtian, unwillingness and a deeply concealed killing intent flashing through his eyes.
Lin Langtian stared indifferently at Wu Yan's savage expression and Wu Xiu's hidden hostility. Faint flickers of black and silver gleamed quietly at his fingertips—proof that even in his current depleted state, he still had hidden cards left.
"Wu Yan, Wu Xiu! You've already lost. Are you planning to shamelessly deny your loss before everyone?!"
Wu Xuan's stern voice suddenly echoed through the sky. Several figures quickly appeared beside Lin Langtian, forming a protective circle around him—Wu Xuan, Jin Wu, and the other elites of the Wind Branch had arrived.
Swish! Swish!
The moment Wu Xuan's group moved, elites from the Fire and Forest Branches swiftly appeared by Wu Yan and Wu Xiu's sides. Wu Sen, in particular, glared viciously at Lin Langtian's group, clearly ready for violence.
Boom!
As both sides faced off, tensions rose sharply, with both factions poised for imminent conflict. A major war could break out at any instant.
Spectators from the surrounding major powers were startled by this sudden escalation. Some experts frowned. Wu Yan and Wu Xiu had clearly lost. Would they truly resort to such a dishonorable move?
In the world of beasts, strength was everything. Losing was simply losing. To reject the outcome now, especially when they had joined forces, would only invite scorn and mockery.
"Enough!"
At this critical juncture, an elderly yet overwhelmingly authoritative shout thundered from the horizon. The voice belonged to Great Elder Wu Qian, who had appeared unnoticed. His aged face was as cold and unyielding as iron, his eyes radiating an oppressive, terrifying aura.
A master who had touched upon the realm of Reincarnation—even merely sitting still—could emit enough pressure to intimidate ordinary Samsara Realm experts.
"I never expected that two respected branch heads could stoop to such a level," Wu Qian said grimly. "You lost fair and square. Do the Forest and Fire Branches lack even this much dignity?!"
"Although I rarely interfere in clan matters, and generally leave things to the Elder Council, until the new clan leader is selected, I remain the ultimate authority within the Seven Evil Black Golden Crow Clan!"
"Do you two branch leaders dare openly defy clan law right before my eyes?!"
Wu Qian's eyes flashed dangerously. His aged figure, though hunched, suddenly felt as imposing as a mountain, his authority permeating the very heavens.
"If you two persist in this foolishness, then perhaps the Elder Council should convene to consider stripping you of your positions!"
Boom!
His words reverberated through the heavens. Thunder roared, winds surged violently, and the atmosphere resembled an apocalypse. Although Wu Qian had only touched the Reincarnation Realm, his wrath was enough to make heaven itself tremble.
Even powerful Samsara Realm experts among the crowd showed respectful fear under his mighty aura.
Wu Yan and Wu Xiu paled dramatically, expressions turning fearful. While Wu Qian had withdrawn from daily clan affairs as his age advanced, disregarding his authority was akin to courting death.
The threat was real—if Wu Qian wished, stripping them of their branch-head positions was entirely within his power. Even their own branches would hesitate to defend them fully, given internal rivalries.
"Great Elder, we were wrong," both Wu Yan and Wu Xiu immediately approached Wu Qian, bowing deeply, their voices filled with sincere contrition. "We were blinded by stubbornness, causing disgrace to the clan."
Wu Qian snorted coldly. "If you acknowledge your error, then I assume you know exactly what you must do next."
Their faces shifted through complex emotions. Wu Yan's eyes burned murderously toward Lin Langtian, but he forcefully calmed himself, glancing apprehensively at the Great Elder.
Lin Langtian smiled faintly. "I've won this battle. I trust you two have nothing further to say about Jin Wu's return?"
At this result, Wu Xuan and the Wind Branch experts were elated. Victory had come swiftly and decisively—far beyond their expectations.
"Too powerful…" Shuang Wu's beautiful eyes sparkled as she gazed at Lin Langtian. Her delicate face flushed crimson with admiration and excitement. At this moment, Lin Langtian had completely overshadowed the entire Seven Evil Black Golden Crow Clan.
The Wind Branch members felt proud—after all, Lin Langtian was currently their ally, and his victory was also theirs to share.
In stark contrast, the Forest and Fire Branches fell into grim silence. Fire Branch's Wu Yan glared venomously at Lin Langtian as if desiring to devour him whole.
Lin Langtian stood calmly in midair, his back emanating a faint dark demonic glow. He lowered his gaze toward the silent Forest and Fire factions below and spoke softly yet authoritatively, leaving no room for argument:
"You've lost. Keep your promise."
Just as victory seemed certain, a sudden voice rang out clearly through the air.
"Wait!"
From the audience, two figures abruptly appeared, one of whom Lin Langtian recognized immediately—it was Kun Jian, whom he had previously battled.
Lin Langtian frowned slightly at Kun Jian, but quickly shifted his attention to the woman beside him.
The woman wore a striking red dress, her beauty astonishingly exquisite, with silver hair cascading elegantly down her icy, delicate face. Most curiously, her Yuan power felt extremely weak, only at the minor stage of Death Profound Realm.
"Hmm? Wait a moment…" Lin Langtian's brow furrowed, sensing something unusual—beneath her fragile Yuan power, another immensely powerful and familiar force lurked within her.
At that moment, their eyes met, and the woman's pupils flashed silver. A potent spiritual wave surged toward Lin Langtian without warning.
"Spiritual power?!" Lin Langtian's gaze sharpened instantly. He flicked his finger, releasing a similarly powerful wave of spiritual energy to shatter her attack effortlessly.
Both trembled slightly, sensing each other's formidable mental strength.
"This woman… is a Spirit Symbol Master at the initial Symbol Grandmaster level!" Lin Langtian felt profound surprise—such a beautiful woman held strength comparable to a Samsara Realm expert!
Suddenly, Aunt Ling's voice echoed urgently in his mind. "Langtian, this woman carries royal blood of the Kunpeng Clan—I need her blood essence!"
Kunpeng royal blood?
Lin Langtian blinked in surprise, staring with renewed intensity at the silver-haired beauty. His previous promise to Aunt Ling had finally found its target.
Uncomfortable under his gaze, the woman spoke softly yet firmly: "If you have time, let's exchange pointers."
Lin Langtian smiled slightly, plotting his next move.
Meanwhile, Kun Jian turned to Great Elder Wu Qian and said coldly, "The return of the criminal's son to your clan isn't solely your decision. You must consider my clan's stance as well."
As he spoke, space twisted violently in the sky. A small elderly figure emerged from the distortion, radiating an aura no weaker than Wu Qian's.
Recognizing him, Wu Qian frowned deeply and spoke solemnly:
"Grand Elder Kun Yuan... It seems matters have become complicated."
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