NOVEL WEB Chapter 657: Chapter 658: The Lost Jade!
Chapter 658: The Lost Jade!
Under the terrifying pressure that filled the Ancient Realm, all of the Gu Clan's experts mobilized.
Gu Yuan's expression darkened as he recalled Xiao Ze's earlier questions. The Soul Heavenly Emperor's arrival in the Ancient Realm was highly unusual. He had openly released his oppressive aura, as if declaring his presence to all the Gu Clan's experts. There was no doubt he had come with ill intent.
Gu Yuan instinctively glanced toward the depths of the Sacred Ancient Mountains the location of the Gu Clan's ancestral hall. It was there that the Ancient Jade was stored. At that moment, a surge of intense energy erupted from the hall.
The timing was no coincidence. Just as the Gu Clan's experts were drawn away, the explosion of energy followed.
Gu Yuan's Dou Qi surged as he prepared to act, but before he could move, a slender, pale hand emerged from the void vortex. A calm, mocking voice followed.
"Gu Yuan, it's been a thousand years since I last visited the Ancient Realm. Aren't you going to catch up with me?"
The voice continued with a chilling undertone.
"Or are you planning to let your clan members and that son in law of yours face me alone?"
The Soul Heavenly Emperor's words froze Gu Yuan in place. He knew the truth: if he left, Xiao Ze and the Gu Clan's experts would be in grave danger. The title of the continent's strongest wasn't given lightly it represented unimaginable power.
The Soul Heavenly Emperor stepped fully out of the vortex. His youthful appearance, as if he were in his early thirties, was accompanied by piercingly bright eyes that seemed capable of seeing into one's soul. His demeanor was gentle and refined, and with a book in hand, he might have been mistaken for a scholar.
But this seemingly unassuming man carried an aura so powerful that countless Gu Clan experts turned pale. His gaze swept over them, and a chilling coldness spread through their hearts. Though his eyes appeared calm, they held an emotionless cruelty, as if everything before him were mere blades of grass.
Behind him, more Soul Clan experts emerged from the vortex Void Swallowing Flame, the Four Demon Saints of the Soul Clan, and other pinnacle figures who were rarely seen on the Dou Qi Continent. The combined pressure of their arrival caused widespread alarm among the Gu Clan's strongest.
Gu Dao, one of the Gu Clan's Three Immortals, shouted angrily, "Soul Clan! Are you declaring war on the Gu Clan?"
The Soul Heavenly Emperor ignored him. His eyes settled on Xiao Ze, his calm demeanor contrasting sharply with the icy intent in his gaze.
"Unfortunately, you've been hiding in the Ancient Realm recently, so I haven't had the chance to kill you," he said as if discussing a trivial matter.
Xiao Ze remained composed. This raid for the Ancient Jade had caught him off guard; the timing was far earlier than he had expected. The Soul Clan's plan, as Xiao Ze understood it, required extensive preparation. They needed vast amounts of ancient bloodline power to fuel the Soul Heavenly Emperor's breakthrough to Dou Di.
Such an important step couldn't be rushed.
Yet, despite this, the Soul Heavenly Emperor had come directly for the Ancient Jade. This unexpected move confirmed Xiao Ze's suspicion: his actions had disrupted the Soul Clan's plans.
He had become the butterfly whose wings stirred a storm, altering the course of events. Though he didn't know which of his actions had caused this shift, now wasn't the time to dwell on it. He had to act.
The Soul Heavenly Emperor's approach this time was also different from the original timeline. In the original events, he had drawn attention away from the Gu Clan and other allied clans, creating an opportunity for Elder Gu Yang to seize the Ancient Jade. But now, the Soul Heavenly Emperor had opted for a far bolder strategy using his overwhelming aura to alarm the entire Ancient Realm.
This tactic forced the Gu Clan to redirect their defenses, weakening the protection around their ancestral hall. This change was rooted in the current state of power.
The Soul Clan and Gu Clan were evenly matched in mid and lower tier Dou Saints, but the Soul Clan had two Nine Star Dou Saints. Without the support of the Thunder Clan and Yan Clan as in the original timeline, the Soul Heavenly Emperor was free to act more aggressively.
In an instant, Xiao Ze understood the situation, but the lack of reinforcements left little room for effective countermeasures. Without two late Eight Star Dou Saints to restrain Void Swallowing Flame, the Gu Clan was at a severe disadvantage.
Seeing Xiao Ze remain silent, the Soul Heavenly Emperor smirked.
"You've been hiding in the Ancient Realm, but the remnants of the Xiao Clan aren't here, are they?"
Xiao Ze's expression didn't waver as he replied coldly, "If you think you can threaten me, you're mistaken. I can contact the Xiao Clan at any moment."
The Soul Heavenly Emperor chuckled.
"And what then? Even if you use some strange technique to return to the Xiao Clan instantly, all you'll accomplish is adding another corpse to the pile. Gu Yuan can't be with you at all times he has his clan to protect. When the time comes, I'll personally deal with the Xiao Clan. Who could stop me then?"
The crowd's expressions turned grim. The Soul Heavenly Emperor's shameless approach and terrifying power left them feeling helpless. His words rang true; if he acted, no one could stop him. Xiao Ze's return to the Xiao Clan would only add to the casualties.
"You don't think mere words will convince me to hand over the Ancient Jade, do you?" Xiao Ze retorted, his tone resolute.
The Soul Heavenly Emperor said no more but turned to Void Swallowing Flame. The flame entity grinned wickedly before opening his mouth. From the dark void within emerged a fragment of jade. The aura it emitted caused Gu Yuan's face to darken it was unmistakably the Gu Clan's Ancient Jade!
At that moment, a Gu Clan elder arrived in a panic, shouting, "Clan leader! Elder Gu Yang has betrayed us! He attacked the guardians and swallowed the jade!"
Xiao Ze's gaze snapped to the fragment in Void Swallowing Flame's hand.
In the original timeline, Void Swallowing Flame had the ability to create black flame portals, enabling the Soul Clan to escape in times of defeat. It was likely he had imbued Gu Yang with a portion of his power, allowing him to retrieve the jade and send it directly to Void Swallowing Flame.
"Retrieve the jade!" Gu Yuan roared. The Gu Clan experts formed a powerful battle array, while Gu Yuan himself summoned a tide of energy and launched a direct assault on Void Swallowing Flame.
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