"Boom!"
With a thunderous roar, the wooden palm slammed into Xing Su's light shield. Xing Su's battle qi surged forth, supporting the energy barrier radiating brilliant starlight before him. Then, starlight swirled in his eyes, rising upwards to support the massive black wooden palm.
Just as Xing Su used all his battle qi to resist this colossal palm, a dazzling silver beam of light, seemingly tearing through time and space, arrived before him with a "whoosh."
"Taiyin Divine Light!"
Even Xing Su couldn't react to the speed of this beam. Caught off guard, he couldn't defend against it in time.
The Taiyin Divine Light struck the energy barrier in front of Xing Su, but without any explosion or energy collision, it simply pierced through the barrier and invaded his body.
As the Taiyin Divine Light invaded, Xingxiu's body trembled violently, and the circulation of his internal battle qi instantly became extremely chaotic. A mouthful of bright red blood spilled from his mouth, but that was all.
The power of this divine light was not great, and the damage it caused to Xingxiu was not obvious. However, this was Hun Changqing's deliberate act. After sacrificing the destructive power of the Taiyin Divine Light, he made its speed incredibly terrifying and increased its penetrating power. Once it was released, it injured Xingxiu, disrupting the circulation of his internal battle qi. In this way, Hun Changqing's goal was achieved.
As Xingxiu's aura became chaotic, the brilliant starlight supporting the black wooden palm instantly dimmed. As Hun Changqing continuously poured his battle qi into the wooden palm, the rising black mist became even deeper and darker, and the aura became even colder.
As the aura on the giant palm surged again, directly suppressing the starlight surging from Xingxiu's body, the dark, sky-covering giant palm slammed down on him in Xingxiu's horrified, wide-eyed gaze.
With a deafening roar, the entire mountain range trembled violently. The giant palm slammed Xing Su down from the sky, sending up a cloud of dust. As the roar subsided, an eerie silence fell over the mountain range.
Hun Changqing, still high in the air, remained grave, showing no sign of relief despite striking Xing Su. Xing Su's cultivation level far surpassed his own; Hun Changqing didn't expect his Taiyin Black Death Wood to kill him with a single blow.
Just as Hun Changqing had predicted, blinding beams of light erupted from the crater still shrouded in thick black mist, dispelling the rising black fog. A figure shot out from the crater.
Xing Su was back in the air, his aura exploding without restraint, incredibly powerful, though he now looked somewhat disheveled.
His black robe was now tattered in places, revealing large expanses of snow-white skin through the tears, a glimpse of skin that stirred the imagination. Wounds appeared on the exposed skin, crimson blood flowing from them, creating a striking visual impact.
His hood was completely torn, revealing his face beneath. His cheeks, like the exposed skin on his body, were fair and smooth, like white jade. He had a delicate, upturned nose and full, cherry-red lips.
His beautiful eyes, true to his name, shone like dazzling stars in a galaxy, reflecting the starlight behind him. He seemed like a divine tree standing before the stars, looking down upon all things, high above and untouchable.
However, at this moment, Xing Su's silver hair flew wildly, dancing in the gusts of cold wind. Strands of silver gathered at her forehead, gently brushing against her exquisitely beautiful, fair face and her murderous eyes. Her eyes, filled with boundless rage, were fixed on Hun Changqing. The crimson blood flowing from her red lips, along with her disheveled appearance, completely destroyed the ethereal, otherworldly aura she should have possessed.
Hun Changqing, not far away, was stunned upon seeing Xing Su's true face. He had never imagined that Xing Su was a woman. When did the Soul Clan acquire such a beautiful woman of high-ranking blood? How come he didn't know?
He had seduced several of the most beautiful women in the Soul Clan before, but he had absolutely no recollection of this woman, who was even more beautiful than those he had seduced before. This was very strange.
However, after carefully examining Xingxiu, Hun Changqing sensed a familiar feeling between her brows. This caused him to frown slightly, his mind racing as he tried to recall the familiar image.
Fortunately, in the Dou Qi Continent, everyone who cultivated possessed a photographic memory; with careful recollection, every moment of their life could be vividly recalled.
Soon, relying on that sense of familiarity, Hun Changqing found a fragment in his mind. The figure in the image quickly matched the Xingxiu Venerable before him. When Hun Changqing saw this figure, he was utterly shocked, his pupils contracted sharply, his mouth opened slightly, and his face was filled with disbelief. He couldn't help but cry out her name.
"Hun Tong?!"
It's no wonder Hun Changqing was so shocked. Hun Tong was a famous figure in the Hun Clan back then. She wasn't from the same era as Hun Changqing; she was a hundred years older. She truly possessed a ninth-grade bloodline in her time, the highest bloodline talent among the Hun Clan, and the most dazzling rising star.
Moreover, she was a descendant of a Dou Di from ten thousand years ago. This Dou Di's bloodline was not abundant, with only a few people in each generation. By Hun Tong's generation, the number was extremely small, leaving only her and her brother. Their parents had died outside the clan during a mission years ago. Therefore, the two relied on each other for survival in their early years, and life in the clan was somewhat difficult. Fortunately, Hun Tong's talent was exceptional. She awakened a ninth-grade bloodline during her first bloodline test, and later, relying on the fighting techniques and skills left by her ancestors, she shone brightly in the clan.
These fighting techniques and skills were created by this Dou Di according to his own bloodline, and only his bloodline descendants could fully unleash their power. This is why Hun Tong's unique fighting techniques were so powerful.
In the Hun clan, there were also many fighting techniques and skills left by other Dou Di. In addition, the restrictions in Hun Tong's ancestral fighting techniques prevented others from being envious of Hun Tong's fighting techniques. Therefore, apart from Hun Tong's lineage, no one else in the Hun clan practiced the fighting techniques of Hun Tong's ancestors.
Back then, Hun Tong reached the Dou Zun realm at the young age of twenty-something. Her incredibly profound fighting techniques, coupled with her stunningly beautiful appearance, made her famous in the clan, and she had countless suitors.
Back then, she was chosen to participate in the Heavenly Tomb Secret Realm, which the ancient clan opened only once every twenty years. When she first came into the view of the other seven clans' prodigies
, some of the young and unsettled prodigies were immediately abuzz with excitement. After Hun Tong returned from the Heavenly Tomb, some gossipy people even named her the most beautiful woman on the Dou Qi Continent, and many who had seen her agreed.
For a time, the entire continent was abuzz with talk of Hun Tong. Many young talents regarded her as their goddess. If it weren't for the Soul Clan's terrible reputation—everyone was afraid that if they went there, their souls would be easily extracted and eaten as snacks—proposals would probably have broken down the Soul Clan's gates.
Even some prodigies from other clans asked their elders to propose to the Soul Clan, but they were all scolded by their elders and the plans were abandoned.
At that time, Hun Tong was at the height of her power in Zhongzhou and even the entire continent, enjoying immense prestige. If nothing unexpected happened, she would soon become an elder of her clan. Furthermore, the Hun clan had been frantically improving its members' strength for nearly a thousand years in pursuit of a grand plan. With Hun Tong's talent, becoming a half-saint or even a Dou Sheng would have been a piece of cake.
However, her good fortune didn't last long. Decades ago, during a mission for the Hun Palace, due to a shortage of manpower, Hun Tong was transferred. What was supposed to be a simple mission turned into an unexpected encounter with a half-saint powerhouse who harbored deep resentment towards the Hun Palace. If it weren't for the wondrous fighting technique left by her Dou Di ancestor, she would likely have perished.
Although Hun Tong escaped, she was in critical condition. After struggling to reach her clan's residence, she immediately fell into a coma upon arriving at her courtyard. Hun Tong's serious injury alarmed the elders, who, after examining her at home, all showed regret on their faces.
Although Hun Tong's life was not in danger, her bloodline had been completely destroyed due to the exhaustion of its power in her attempt to escape the pursuit of a half-saint, coupled with severe injuries. Even her cultivation, which had just reached the Dou Zun realm, had plummeted to the Dou Zong realm, leaving her with no hope of ever reaching Dou Zun again. Furthermore, the Dou Qi within her body was slowly draining away due to her severe injuries.
There was no longer any value in nurturing Hun Tong, and although the elders were disappointed, they no longer paid her any attention, treating her like they had treated Hun Changqing—completely ignoring her and leaving her to fend for herself.
When Hun Tong awoke, she learned of the clan's attitude towards her from her brother. After assessing her physical condition, she did not give up but locked herself in her room, diligently practicing day after day. However, just as the elders had predicted, her cultivation level regressed instead of increasing; she was unable to condense Dou Qi any longer.
In an instant, Hun Tong went from being the most sought-after and favored daughter of the Soul Clan to a useless person whose cultivation was constantly declining. Some clansmen who had previously harbored ambitions towards her began to plot against her after she lost power. Without the attention of the Soul Clan elders, Hun Tong's strength was declining, and to them, wouldn't she be at their mercy?
However, when they tried to enter Hun Tong's residence, the entire courtyard began to emit an incomparably dazzling starlight, blocking them all out. Hun Tong's residence was also the former residence of her ancestor, the Dou Di. Back then, that Dou Di had set up an array in this courtyard, and if Hun Tong did not wish to, even a half-saint would find it difficult to break through the array.
Those with ulterior motives, upon seeing the formation and considering Hun Tong's background, clearly made a connection and could only leave dejectedly. Although the elders turned a blind eye to their intentions towards Hun Tong, if such a trivial matter caused a formation set up by a Dou Di to be activated within the clan, not only the elders but even the clan leader would be enraged, and no one would be able to save them.
For the next several decades, without any further disturbances, Hun Tong, even unable to condense Dou Qi, persevered day after day, cultivating relentlessly and frantically, seemingly on the verge of madness. Her twin brother, seeing his sister like this, wanted to dissuade her but couldn't bear to discourage her, so he could only silently support her.
Hun Tong's brother wasn't particularly talented, only reaching the Dou Zong realm, and his bloodline power was only at the third rank. Therefore, he could only serve as a protector in the Earthly Fiend Hall of Zhongzhou, carrying out missions to collect souls in exchange for resources to support his sister's cultivation.
The reason Hun Changqing had first seen Hun Tong was when he was two years old. At that time, Hun Tong's Dou Qi had regressed to the Dou Wang realm. That day, she left her residence for unknown reasons and was recognized. A woman who had been constantly suppressed by Hun Tong in the past, seeing Hun Tong, who had disappeared for decades, rekindle her hidden resentment. She brought her daughter, now a Dou Wang, to challenge her and issue a challenge.
This incident caused a sensation in the clan at the time, attracting countless spectators. Hun Changqing's adoptive father, who had harbored some feelings for Hun Tong in the past (a secret crush), naturally wouldn't miss the opportunity to see his goddess again. He immediately took the then-young Hun Changqing to the dueling arena.
Hun Tong wore a black veil, concealing her true face. On the dueling arena, relying on his rich combat experience, he defeated the Hun clan woman's offspring with sheer physical strength. Afterward, she left the clan, and no one knew where she went.
Although Hun Changqing was still young at the time, he had quite a bit of interest in beautiful women. Even though Hun Tong's true face was concealed, Hun Changqing still managed to scan her general outline; otherwise, it wouldn't be so easy for him to recognize her now.