The Clan Master Can't possibly Be A Mortal

"Escape!"

The Ten Directions Saint Emperor roared, then mustered all his strength to unleash a vast radiance. But instead of striking Situ Ding, it surged toward Shangguan Shenyu and the others.

"Courting death!"

Situ Ding shouted angrily.

He could discern the Saint Emperor's intentions—it was merely a diversion, meant to delay him and ensure an escape.

"Thunder Barrier!"

With a leap, Situ Ding positioned himself in front of Shangguan Shenyu and the others, raising a screen of flickering thunderlight with both hands, blocking the Saint Emperor's onslaught.

"Thank you, Senior Brother, for saving us!"

Xin You and the rest expressed their gratitude, their faces still pale with lingering fear.

Except for Shangguan Shenyu, the other Ancient Emperor's disciples were powerful in their own right and despised becoming False Heavenly Dao, so they had not acquired an Undying Body.

"Damn it!"

Shangguan Shenyu looked into the distance and saw that the Ten Directions Saint Emperor had already fled with his entourage, vanishing without a trace. He stomped his foot in frustration.

"The Ten Directions Saint Emperor managed to escape. Senior Brother, what should we do now?"

Situ Ding waved dismissively and said, "No matter! He may escape as a monk, but not as a temple. Head straight to Zhongzhou's Ten Directions Holy Sect; we can subdue them there."

"Understood."

The group prepared to leave the Myriad Clans Continent.

"Wait!"

A voice from within the Myriad Clans Divine Mountain broke out—it was the voice of the Hunting Tribe's Chief, catching the attention of Situ Ding and the others.

"What is it?"

Situ Ding turned to face the Myriad Clans Divine Mountain, his gaze landing on the Ancient Coffin where the Hunting Tribe's Chief resided. He could keenly sense the aura of the Myriad Clans within.

The sensation was identical to the presence they had encountered in the Ancient Emperor Realm among the Gods.

It wasn't until now that...

Situ Ding realized he had nearly overlooked something. Quickly, he gestured to his group and descended to the base of the Myriad Clans Divine Mountain with Shangguan Shenyu and the others.

"Situ Ding, why do I sense the aura of our Myriad Clans on you?"

The Hunting Tribe's Chief questioned.

He opened a force field to block sound waves, ensuring their conversation would not be overheard by outsiders.

"Because, within the Ancient Emperor Realm where we reside, there are pure-blood descendants of your Myriad Clans. We refer to them as 'The Gods.'"

Situ Ding replied.

The Hunting Tribe's Chief was overjoyed and eagerly asked, "We are Myriad Clans' ruling bloodline. How many descendants of ours remain today, and what is their overall strength?"

"Your strength is insufficient. Let someone qualified to represent you speak to me."

Situ Ding glanced indifferently at the Ancient Coffin housing the Hunting Tribe's Chief, speaking in a calm tone.

Hearing this, the Hunting Tribe's Chief was so frustrated he nearly spat blood.

"You... arrogant!"

The Hunting Tribe's Chief cursed angrily.

"Silence!"

Shangguan Shenyu stepped forward, coldly glaring at the Ancient Coffin containing the Hunting Tribe's Chief.

"How dare you speak this way to my senior brother? You Myriad Clans leaders, apart from those ranked at the forefront in the Hundred Tribulations Realm, the rest are just a rabble. Do you truly dare to show arrogance before us?"

At these words, the Myriad Clans' leaders grew angrier.

However, Shangguan Shenyu indeed had the qualifications to be prideful.

The Grand Elder of the Ten Directions Holy Sect could defeat countless Clan Leaders, and Shangguan Shenyu, who could heavily injure the Grand Elder, could naturally crush most of the Myriad Clans' leaders as well.

At the thought of this, the Hunting Tribe's Chief fell silent.

Buzz!

Suddenly, atop the peak of the Myriad Clans Divine Mountain, an Ancient Coffin began to tremble, its surface brimming with countless arcs of thunder. A single word, "Thunder," was etched onto the coffin.

"It's the Thunder Emperor!"

"One of our top ten Clan Leaders! At his peak, he was above the Hundred Tribulations Realm's tenth level. Who would have thought the Thunder Emperor would awaken so soon?"

"This is fantastic!"

"Let's see who dares to belittle us now."

The Hunting Tribe's Chief and other members of the Myriad Clans were ecstatic.

"No, I have not yet fully awakened, merely revived a fragment of my Divine Sense. I won't last long before falling into a prolonged slumber once more."

A deep, resonant voice echoed.

The next moment, above the Ancient Coffin where the Thunder Emperor resided, a phantom figure took form—woven entirely of dazzling lightning as it descended the mountain step by step.

Each step caused the hearts of Situ Ding, Shangguan Shenyu, and their companions to pound faster.

Before long...

The Thunder Emperor reached the foot of the mountain.

With hands clasped behind his back, he gazed down at Situ Ding and the other once-arrogant disciples of the Ancient Emperor. He spoke in a resonant voice, "I am the Thunder Emperor. Am I formidable enough to speak with you now?"

Situ Ding's expression turned grim in an instant.

Earlier, his arrogance before the Hunting Tribe's Chief and others was backed by genuine strength.

But now...

Facing the manifestation of the Thunder Emperor, whose cultivation had surpassed the Hundred Tribulations Realm's tenth layer, Situ Ding dared not act recklessly. He clasped his hands respectfully and said, "I am the Ancient Emperor's chief disciple and Sect Master of the Number One Divine Sect. Greetings to the Thunder Emperor of the Myriad Clans."

"The Ancient Emperor... who is that?"

The Thunder Emperor asked deeply.

Hearing this, Situ Ding, Shangguan Shenyu, and Xin You, along with several other powerful figures, straightened their backs proudly and looked at the Thunder Emperor's manifestation with a smile.

"The Ancient Emperor is currently recognized as the strongest being known."

Shangguan Shenyu took the initiative to answer.

Situ Ding waved a hand and said, "Junior Brother, your statement is too absolute. He should be considered the strongest under the Heavenly Dao Realm in the Three Thousand Realms for now."

"Oh?"

The Thunder Emperor's manifestation furrowed its brows. "The strongest under the Heavenly Dao Realm? Intriguing! Has the Ancient Emperor reached the Hundred Tribulations Realm's hundredth layer?"

"Not yet, but back then, he struck down the Tyrant Emperor from afar with a single sword strike."

Situ Ding smiled faintly as he spoke.

At these words, the emotions of the Myriad Clans' chiefs shifted. Even some of the Ancient Coffins visibly trembled.

The Tyrant Emperor, ranked third on the Power God Ranking!

Though the Thunder Emperor and others did not know the precise strength the Tyrant Emperor held back then, the fact he surpassed Nantian Sword Emperor, who was around the Fifteenth Layer of the Hundred Tribulations Realm, indicated he was unquestionably powerful.

Yet, the Ancient Emperor had slain the Tyrant Emperor from a distance with a single strike.

Such strength was truly terrifying.

"If your claims are not exaggerated, the Ancient Emperor's abilities are indeed fearsome."

The Thunder Emperor's manifestation murmured thoughtfully.

"But let's set that aside. I have heard that your clan will fully awaken in ten years?"

Situ Ding turned to the Thunder Emperor's manifestation and asked seriously.

"Correct!"

The Thunder Emperor's manifestation nodded.

"What a coincidence. Our Ancient Emperor created the Ancient Emperor Realm, which is currently home to the preserved members of your Myriad Clans. Their development has thrived, and there are no shortage of Supreme Saint powerhouses among them."

Situ Ding clasped his hands behind his back. "Once you are fully revived, you won't have anywhere else to go. How about this—join us in the Ancient Emperor Realm."

"Are you suggesting an alliance?"

The Thunder Emperor's manifestation asked.

"You could say that." Situ Ding nodded.

If the Thunder Emperor agreed to have the Myriad Clans join the Ancient Emperor Realm, it would be a significant achievement for Situ Ding, increasing his prestige before the Ancient Emperor.

"I must meet the Ancient Emperor."

The Thunder Emperor's manifestation stepped out of the Myriad Clans Divine Mountain's range. His aura was suddenly suppressed a thousandfold, and the power he could exert plummeted.

"A pity."

"Without my true body's full revival, this fragment of my Divine Sense can unleash no great strength and can only serve as a messenger."

The Thunder Emperor whispered softly to himself.

"Esteemed elder, please follow us."

Situ Ding led the way for the Thunder Emperor's manifestation, guiding him toward the Ancient Emperor Realm to meet the Ancient Emperor.

To Situ Ding, chasing after the Ten Directions Saint Emperor paled in comparison to securing an alliance between the Myriad Clans and the Ancient Emperor Realm. Ensuring the alliance was the higher priority.

"Thank you for leading the way."

The Thunder Emperor's manifestation nodded slightly.

Rip!

The group tore into the void and disappeared.

When the various factions saw the Thunder Emperor's manifestation, their expressions had already shifted drastically. Now, seeing him leave with Situ Ding and the others only added to their curiosity.

"They actually left?"

"Could it be they're going to pursue the Ten Directions Saint Emperor?"

The cultivators murmured amongst themselves.

...

In the depths of the starry sky.

The Ten Directions Saint Emperor was desperately fleeing with the Great Elder, other Elders, and the disciples, blood still dripping from his wounds, his complexion growing paler by the moment.

"Saint Emperor, are you all right?"

The Great Elder's worry deepened.

"Don't worry about me. Quickly take the Sect's members and hide them. Should Situ Ding and the others raze Zhongzhou, they must not destroy our Sect's Holy Land."

The Ten Directions Saint Emperor gave hurried instructions.

He was no fool.

The first thing that came to his mind was that Situ Ding and the others would invade the main sanctuary of the Ten Directions Holy Sect in Zhongzhou.

For now, ensuring the Sect's survival was paramount.