While countless thoughts churned in Gu Qing Yang's mind, a tense standoff was unfolding nearby.
Gu Nanhai and Hun Mie Sheng stood opposite one another, their gazes locked in a fierce clash, each brimming with killing intent.
"Gu Nanhai!" Hun Mie Sheng roared, his voice thunderous. "Xiao Hua has caused the deaths of many from my Hall of Souls! Why are you interfering in this matter?"
"Ke ke… As I've already said, our Young Lady personally requested that I protect him. And so, I shall—even if it means fighting you to the death." Gu Nanhai responded with a light chuckle, his tone calm yet resolute.
Though he had indeed come here under Xun Er's command, Gu Nanhai's decision was not driven by duty alone. He held a deep respect for Xiao Hua—not just for his terrifying strength, but also for his unwavering will and unyielding spirit.
More importantly, Gu Nanhai had his own suspicions. There was a high chance that Xiao Hua possessed the Tuo She Ancient God's Jade with his strength. If that were true, then letting Hun Mie Sheng capture him would be absolutely unacceptable.
Thus, Gu Nanhai had made his decision. He would remain here, standing guard, until the spatial tunnel closed completely. Once it collapsed, even someone like Hun Mie Sheng would find it impossible to give chase.
And with the boundless expanse of the Central Plains…
Trying to find a single person would be no different from searching for a needle in the sea.
"You alone think you can frighten me into giving up the chase? Don't overestimate yourself!" Hun Mie Sheng shouted, stepping forward with murderous intent.
In that instant, a monstrous Dou Qi surged from his body, shaking the heavens. His eyes glinted coldly as black vapor erupted from his pores, sweeping outward like a tide. The sinister mist churned and twisted, forming ominous clouds that surged menacingly toward Gu Nanhai.
"Hmph!"
Gu Nanhai snorted coldly, his sleeves billowing with force. In response, a powerful Dou Qi burst forth from his body, bright and majestic. Without hesitation, he shot forward to meet Hun Mie Sheng head-on.
Bang!
The skies trembled violently as the two Dou Shengs clashed. A blinding explosion of energy erupted, shaking the void itself. Waves of terrifying shock force rippled across the battlefield, forcing many to retreat or shield themselves instinctively.
Countless onlookers were left breathless—the clash of two Dou Shengs was a scene rarely witnessed in any era.
"Hun Mie Sheng, with strength like yours… I'm afraid it's still not enough to force your way past me," Gu Nanhai said in a deep voice.
Though he could sense Hun Mie Sheng's formidable power and knew that defeating him outright would not be easy, Gu Nanhai had no intention of doing so. His true goal was to delay him—just long enough for the spatial channel to close.
"Ke ke… You truly think I'm unaware of your intentions?" Hun Mie Sheng let out a cold, raspy laugh. "But I never intended to fight you… nor to enter that space channel."
As he spoke, Hun Mie Sheng abruptly retreated a step. Black Dou Qi burst forth like a tidal wave, converging swiftly toward his right arm. In mere moments, his entire arm became shrouded in roiling black fog. Within the fog, distorted faces twisted in anguish began to surface—eyes wide with madness, mouths frozen in eternal screams of torment.
The very air trembled as the fog around his palm condensed, spiraling into a vortex of shrieking souls. The sound was not heard, but felt—a soul-deep pressure that made even the powerful experts falter and frowned deeply at the cruel techniques which uses thousands of souls.
Seeing this, cold sweat gathered on Gu Nanhai's back. He instantly recognized the technique Hun Mie Sheng was preparing to unleash. Clearly, even Gu Nanhai hadn't expected him to go all out.
Suppressing the ripple within his heart, Gu Nanhai's fingers blurred into motion. One seal after another formed in the blink of an eye, leaving behind a trail of afterimages. At the same time, his Dou Qi surged along his veins like a raging flood, gathering in his arm.
A radiant jade-green glow emerged, coalescing into a lightning-like energy that condensed into a jade-green palm, half a foot in size. That palm was etched with numerous dark scars, and an overwhelming spatial force leaked from within. The surrounding air twisted and groaned as space itself split apart, forming countless black cracks around it.
With a wave of his hand, Gu Nanhai shouted in a deep voice, "Sky Burial Seal!"
The jade-green crystalline palm trembled, emitting a faint, sorrowful hum. In the next instant, it burst forth like a comet, trailing a dazzling tail of light as it tore through space and shot toward Hun Mie Sheng.
Gu Nanhai's gaze remained locked on his opponent, a flicker of doubt flashing in his eyes. Hun Mie Sheng hadn't unleashed his technique. Instead, a chilling smile slowly spread across his face—a smile so cold it sent a shiver down Gu Nanhai's spine.
Without warning, Hun Mie Sheng turned toward the spatial crack and raised his hand. A sinister cry echoed from his mouth.
"Nether Soul-Devouring Palm!"
His palm extended slowly—unnaturally so—but the surrounding space twisted violently, as if trying to flee from its presence. The black fog, now fully condensed into a massive palm brimming with vengeful faces and tormented wails, surged forward like a black tide collapsing upon the world. Light was devoured, sound smothered, and even the ground below trembled in silence.
But its target wasn't the incoming Sky Burial Seal.
It was the spatial crack—already nearing closing.
This sudden turn of events sent shock through Gu Nanhai's heart. He hadn't expected Hun Mie Sheng to willingly take his strike… all for the sake of attacking Xiao Hua within the spatial tunnel.
Pu!
The Sky Burial Seal slammed into Hun Mie Sheng's body, causing him to spew a mouthful of fresh blood as his body was sent hurtling backward, crashing through the air for hundreds of meters.
Yet despite the blow, a ruthless grin clung to his blood-stained lips. He let out a cold, mocking laugh and sneered, "Ha ha… Gu Nanhai, didn't I tell you? You cannot stop me from killing that brat!"
As his voice echoed, the massive black palm surged forward, breaching the edge of the spatial tunnel and vanishing within. A breath later, the spatial rift behind it collapsed entirely—cutting off all pursuit.
"Madman!" Gu Nanhai spat with fury, his face darkening as the tunnel sealed shut before his eyes.
He turned sharply toward Hun Mie Sheng, who was already being supported by one of the Honorable Elders, retreating into the distance with blood trailing in their wake.
Gu Nanhai's expression darkened as he turned to face the now-sealed spatial tunnel, deep concern clouding his eyes. He had no way of knowing Xiao Hua's current state… only that if the boy were to fall, the consequences would be disastrous.
'If something happens to him…With the depth of feeling our Young Lady holds, she will undoubtedly go berserk… and vengeance will be the only thing left in her heart.' Gu Nanhai clenched his fists tightly, his brows furrowed in grim resolve.
"Elder Gu Nanhai!"
The sound of rushing wind rapidly approached. While the weight in his heart had yet to ease, several figures descended from the sky. Dozens of Gu Clan elites landed one after another, cupping their fists respectfully.
"Elder Gu Nanhai, what should we do now?" Gu Qing Yang stepped forward, his tone laced with urgency.
Gu Nanhai shook his head and sighed. "For now… we can only pray that the young man is still alive."
His gaze swept over to the Black Submerged Army—some among them appeared quietly pleased, as though they hoped Xiao Hua would perish. A sharp frown creased Gu Nanhai's brow. His voice turned stern, laced with reproach as he addressed them,
"Look at yourselves. That young man managed to slay the Third Tianzun—a peak Nine-Change, 9-Star Dou Zun. He grievously wounded the First Tianzun and ultimately killed him, and even sealed the strength of the Hall of Souls' Deputy Chief. All of this… while still in the Dou Zong realm."
"If someone like him were to emerge from our Gu Clan, the clan's future would be boundless. Is it any wonder the Young Lady holds him so dearly?"
"Tell me… can any of you achieve even a fraction of what he has done at the Dou Zong level?"
"Our apologies Gu Nanhai…"
Everyone—save for Gu Qing Yang—flinched under the weight of Gu Nanhai's reprimand. None dared to argue. They quickly bowed their heads and nodded in agreement, knowing full well that their behavior had genuinely enraged him.
More importantly, they understood that his words rang true.
If Xiao Hua had been born into the Gu Clan instead of the Xiao Clan… none among them would have the qualifications to even lift their heads in his presence.
Seeing their downcast expressions, Gu Nanhai let out a cold snort. He waved his sleeves and said curtly, "Return to the clan."
'Let's just hope nothing happens to that boy', he thought grimly. 'If he falls… Young Lady will not let me off lightly.'
Gu Qing Yang paused briefly, casting one last glance at the closed spatial tunnel. Unlike the others, he sincerely hoped Xiao Hua was still alive. A person like that… was too rare. It would be a true loss to see him fall.
As for the others in the Black Submerged Army, they exchanged glances in silence, then dropped the matter altogether. Without another word, they turned and followed Gu Nanhai back toward the Gu Clan.
Yet deep within their hearts, many were secretly pleased. If Xiao Hua died, then Xun Er would eventually let go of her feelings. Perhaps… they would have a chance to claim her heart for themselves.
Unfortunately for them, upon their return, they would be left stunned. Xun Er still held Xiao Hua's life token in her hands—and it remained untouched, glowing softly with vitality.
This revelation struck them like a hammer. Disappointment gripped their hearts… but it also ignited a fierce, surging fighting spirit. If Xiao Hua was truly still alive, then they would challenge him directly, prove their worth, and show that they too were qualified to stand beside her.
After the withdrawal of the Hall of Souls and the Gu Clan, the surrounding experts exchanged glances, a faint sense of awe and anticipation lingering in the air. Each of them understood clearly—once the events of this day spread, the Central Plains would descend into a storm of uproar.
After all, the Mansion Master of Moonlit Chaos Mansion had accomplished what few in history could claim—slaying a Dou Sheng of the Hall of Souls and sealing another, reducing a mighty Dou Sheng to an ordinary person. Such a feat could not be easily replicated, not even by the most ancient clans or longstanding factions.
…
Meanwhile, within the turbulent flow of the spatial tunnel, Xiao Hua suddenly sensed a dreadful presence closing in. His expression shifted as he turned—only to see a colossal black palm tearing through the void, pressing toward him with suffocating pressure.
Dou Qi surged within him like a flood, drawn forth at the fastest speed he could muster. Yet no matter how he pushed his strength, there was no escaping the grasp of that palm.
"Child, where is the exit?" Lady Azure's urgent voice rang out, laced with worry as she too saw the approaching calamity.
That palm—shrouded in darkness and exuding thick killing intent—was a fatal threat to Xiao Hua even at his peak, let alone in his current battered state.
"It should have opened by now… But because of that palm, the spatial tunnel has become distorted and unstable. The exit has closed—and even I cannot force it open…" Xiao Hua replied, his voice dark and solemn. He had never anticipated that Hun Mie Sheng would go so far as to launch an attack into the spatial tunnel, despite having been obstructed.
Though the events outside were unknown to him, he was well aware that only the Chief of the Hall of Souls possessed strength surpassing that of the Deputy Chief. Furthermore, Xun Er had informed them earlier—she had sent a powerful Dou Sheng to intercept the Hall of Souls.
Yet even with such odds, Hun Mie Sheng had acted decisively, showing no hesitation in attempting to kill him… despite knowing that he might possess a Tou She Ancient God's Jade.
"I have to take it head-on…!"
With grim resolve, Xiao Hua made his decision. A surge of violet lightning erupted from his body, channeling primarily into his mutilated right arm. As his injuries began to recover bit by bit, he drew in a deep breath and turned around, his gaze unwavering.
Clenching his teeth, he retrieved a golden-green flame from his storage ring. With a forceful motion, he split it apart—one part igniting into a pure azure flame, the other into golden lightning. Without pause, he brought the two powers together, swiftly merging them into a blinding fusion of flame and thunder.
Within his spiritual sea, Xiao Hua's avatar stepped into a world awash in golden-green light. There, the merged flame split apart—separating into four distinct flames and four streaks of lightning, each bearing unique colors and auras.
To further bolster the might of his attack, he summoned a final force: the blood-red Heavenly Judgement Lightning. Without hesitation, he began the fusion anew, merging all of them together to form a single devastating strike—one strong enough to clash against the surging black palm.
"This… Are you attempting the Third Strike? Are you trying to force an unstable version just to strike that palm?" Lady Azure sensed his intent and was visibly shaken.
She knew well that the Second Strike required only three flames and three lightnings. The moment she saw Xiao Hua merging two more of each while adding the crimson-red lightning, she understood what he was trying to do.
"As expected… In my current state, I lack the strength to properly execute the true Third Strike," Xiao Hua muttered, his expression dark and solemn. "Since that's the case… I might as well gamble it all on an unstable fusion."
"Very well," Lady Azure responded firmly. "Once you exit the spatial tunnel and fall unconscious, Sister Xue Yue and I will take control of your body and ensure your safety."
Xiao Hua's eyes widened slightly, before the corners of his lips lifted into a faint, warm smile. Her words made one thing clear—Lady Azure believed he would survive this ordeal.
A cold glint and unwavering determination flashed across his eyes. His voice was soft, yet heavy with killing intent:
"Hun Mie Sheng… once I return, I'll overturn that damned Hall of Souls of yours—down to its roots."
The moment his words fell, Xiao Hua hurled the golden-green orb from his hand. In an instant, it transformed into a streak of light, trailing a dazzling arc of golden and green as it shot forth like a falling star, directly toward the colossal black palm wreathed in the anguished wails of countless souls.
Though the sphere bore no soul-stirring aura on its surface, any true expert would immediately recognize the terrifying truth—within that beautiful light was a violent, overwhelming power capable of shattering heaven and earth itself.
"…This might've been a terrible idea," Xiao Hua muttered under his breath, his expression turning grim. The moment he sensed the chaos brewing within the sphere, an ominous premonition struck him—an unbearable heaviness, as if death itself had brushed past his soul.
Before his voice had fully faded, the golden-green sphere collided violently with the incoming black palm. A resounding explosion erupted as both forces clashed before Xiao Hua's tense, narrowed eyes.
Bang—!
A violent collision erupted.
For an instant, the entire spatial void turned utterly silent. But Xiao Hua's face had already gone pale, his pupils contracting. That eerie silence… it was the kind that always came before catastrophe.
A dreadful storm was about to be unleashed.
BOOOMMM!!!!
Just as Xiao Hua had foreseen, a cataclysmic energy storm erupted from the collision—brimming with destruction and pure annihilation. The spatial walls of the tunnel stood no chance; within a single breath, they crumbled, revealing the endless darkness of the void beyond.
The enormous black palm and the golden-green sphere had both detonated, unleashing a monstrous shockwave that surged outward like a flood of ruin.
The annihilation storm showed no mercy. It expanded endlessly—devouring all in its path—and struck Xiao Hua with full force.
Pu!
A large mouthful of fresh blood burst from his lips as his body was flung backward like a falling star cast down by the heavens. Spatial cracks trailed in his wake, stretching across thousands of meters before he finally came to a halt.
But fate granted him no reprieve.
Behind him, a wild and frenzied spatial storm had begun to take shape—born from the chaos of the earlier explosion. Without mercy, it struck his already battered body from behind, hurling him once again—this time directly back into the heart of the annihilation storm.
Yet again, his body was ruthlessly struck by the raging energy storm and flung straight back into the spatial storm. Like a mere ragdoll caught within a maelstrom, Xiao Hua was tossed back and forth between the two terrifying forces—dragged endlessly through chaos without a moment's respite.
Countless grievous wounds tore open across his body. Blood sprayed through the air, only to be scattered and incinerated by the clashing storms before it could even fall.
Inevitably, Xiao Hua lost consciousness—his body unable to withstand the relentless torment of these two devastating forces. The only reason he still clung to life was the tenacious power of the purple-colored Lightning Beast, which healed his injuries.
Supporting this recovery were the two mighty flames within him: the Thousand Immortal Flame and the Life Execution Flame, both working in tandem to mend his broken form.
And perhaps, out of sheer instinct for survival, the Wrathful Chilling Flame surged forth—enveloping his body in a protective shroud, incinerating some of the incoming destructive force before it could reach him.
The Glazed Soul Flame continued to shield his soul, nourishing and reinforcing it, while the Tribulation Lotus Flame ceaselessly absorbed the surrounding energy within the spatial tunnel, transforming it into pure Dou Qi to sustain his fading life.
A moment later, the two storms finally collided.
A thunderous shockwave exploded outward as their forces met, tearing through the void and completely shattering the space where Xiao Hua's body lingered. Thousands of jagged spatial cracks spread like spiderwebs across the shattered realm, each one radiating chaotic and unstable energy.
By some stroke of fortune, a spatial crack opened just beside Xiao Hua's unconscious form. A powerful suction force erupted from within, dragging his battered body away from the turbulent battlefield and out of the wild, collapsing void.
BOOOOOOM—!!
An incense worth of stick after Xiao Hua vanished into the crack, the two storms fully merged—triggering a cataclysmic eruption. A violent surge of destructive force roared out, forming a storm so fierce that even an elite Dou Sheng would be reduced to nothingness if caught within.
At that moment, the entire Central Plains trembled.
High above the land, spatial cracks abruptly tore open across the skies. Countless beings across the continent lifted their heads in shock, sensing the horrifying waves of energy that spilled through those rifts. The atmosphere itself seemed to groan under the weight of that residual force.
And then—just a few breaths later—it all vanished.
The cracks closed, the energy dispersed, and silence returned. The only evidence of the chaos was the sight of countless mountain peaks obliterated—shorn off cleanly by the residual shockwaves. They had simply been the closest... and the first to fall.
As for the cause of it all, not a single soul could say.
None were the wiser…
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