"So that's how it is..." Upon hearing the elder's explanation, the young man finally came to a realization. There was more to this matter than he initially thought. Hiding in the shadows, Xiao Yan slightly furrowed his brows. Even he hadn't expected Qing Tan to harbor such a hidden background—she likely didn't know about it herself.
Still, having obtained the key information, Xiao Yan saw no need to continue hiding. His original purpose wasn't to eavesdrop on the Ice Spirit Clan, but since he'd run into them and overheard this discussion, he simply took advantage of the situation. Now that he'd learned what he wanted, it was time to take action.
At that very moment, a series of agonizing screams echoed from the perimeter of the Ice Spirit Clan's camp. The Earth Sovereign elder immediately reacted, rising to his feet. His gaze landed on a figure wreathed in black flames standing silently at the camp's edge. Behind the figure lay dozens of corpses sprawled chaotically across the ground.
"Who are you?! How dare you cause trouble on Ice Spirit Clan territory!" the Earth Sovereign bellowed in both fury and pain. Though the dead weren't Earth Sovereigns, most were seventh- or eighth-grade Sovereigns—each with the potential to ascend to Earth Sovereign. Losing them here dealt a significant blow to the Ice Spirit Clan's future strength.
"Hmm... So this is the Ice Spirit Clan's camp? Seems I came to the right place," a deep chuckle rang out from within the black flames. With a powerful leap, the figure lunged straight at the elder. Scorching black flames trailed behind him, and the searing heat made the elder's face slightly change.
But the elder was no greenhorn. A seasoned Earth Sovereign and a master of ice-attribute spiritual energy, he wasn't about to back down before a flame-wielding foe. With a cold snort, his arm became encased in glacial ice, and he slammed it toward the approaching figure.
As palm met fist, the elder's heart trembled. He could clearly sense that the mysterious opponent's power was equal to his own—and the black flames were incredibly bizarre. Not only did they resist suppression, but his icy might even showed signs of being overpowered.
'Who is this man? How can he be this powerful?' The Earth Sovereign elder's heart quivered. Without hesitation, he shouted, "Fellow elders—join me!"
In response, several more figures emerged from around the camp. Though their auras weren't as potent as the lead elder's, they were all Earth Sovereigns—some even close to stepping into the upper tier. Together, they could challenge a peak Earth Sovereign.
"Tch. So you've hidden some backup too, huh?" The black-flame-clad figure retreated swiftly, scanning the gathering elders with an impassive gaze. "As expected of the mighty Ice Spirit Clan—bullying the weak with numbers. I've no interest in playing with you all. Farewell."
"Hmph! You think you can come and go as you please? Do you take the Ice Spirit Clan for a bunch of pushovers?!" the elder roared. An immense wave of spiritual energy surged forth, forming an icy phoenix that shrieked as it lunged at the intruder. "Stay here!"
"That weak move can't stop me. If it weren't for your numbers, I would've killed you long ago!" sneered the figure. His black flames coalesced into a massive draconic shape that shattered the ice phoenix and knocked back all nearby elders.
After forcing back the Earth Sovereigns, the mysterious figure spat out a cold warning before streaking off into the distance. None of the elders were willing to let him escape. Without even waiting for the head elder's order, they launched into pursuit.
'I'd like to see how far you think you can run!'
Naturally, the man cloaked in black flames was none other than Xiao Yan. As the elders gave chase, he created a spiritual clone and cloaked it in Void Devouring Flame, using it as bait to draw the pursuers away. Meanwhile, his real body, empowered by the Nine Nether Sparrow wings, sped toward a different destination.
With his current strength and speed enhanced by the wings, even a consummate Earth Sovereign wouldn't be able to catch him. In fact, if he truly wanted to, he could wipe out the Ice Spirit Clan's task force on his own. But he had a different plan—one that would save him considerable effort.
Xiao Yan's true destination was the Sacred Demon Palace. Unlike before, he now concealed himself in thick white mist. As he traveled, terrifying waves of frigid energy burst from him, causing the space around him to visibly freeze.
At that time, Lu Heng was in closed-door cultivation within the Sacred Demon Palace. Suddenly, he sensed a powerful aura rapidly approaching. Before he could react, a massive iceberg descended from the sky, crashing down toward him.
In a life-or-death moment, Lu Heng summoned his Sacred Flood Flame. The jet-black fire formed a protective shield just in time to block the falling ice. Even so, the impact left his blood churning.
"Who are you? Why are you attacking me?!" Lu Heng managed to suppress his injuries and looked up to see a fog-wreathed figure hovering high above the Sacred Demon Palace. Although he couldn't sense the figure's exact strength, the earlier exchange had made one thing clear—the attacker wasn't weaker than him.
"You're not qualified to know who I am," the misty figure replied in a hoarse, ancient voice. "As for why I've come—it's because your Sacred Demon Palace is sheltering someone you shouldn't. Hand that person over, and I will leave."
If the Earth Sovereign elder from before had been present, he would've been stunned—for the voice was identical to his own!
"Hand someone over? I don't know who you're talking about. But if there's someone here you want, we can discuss terms." Lu Heng frowned. He truly had no idea who this man was referring to. Still, if such a person existed, it would be better to hand them over.
It wasn't that Lu Heng feared this mysterious figure. Rather, he didn't see the point in risking a fight with a fellow Earth Sovereign over someone he didn't even know. But what he didn't realize was that this entire scene was part of a setup—and the mist-shrouded attacker had never come seeking peace.
(End of Chapter)
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