Chapter 187

Both sides suffered casualties in the great battle, but overall the Soul Clan's losses were greater.

After withdrawing to the Soul Realm, all the Soul Clan elders expressed anger at Character: Character: Character: Jiang Xing and Ziyan's actions.

"Character: Character: Character: Jiang Xing, you shameless wretch, you actually dared to flee the battlefield at the crucial moment, ruining our Soul Clan's plan!" an elder slammed the stone table.

Another elder, face grim, voice bone‑chilling like ice: "And Ziyan, as the Dragon Emperor of the Ancient Xuwu Dragon Clan, actually colluded with him, betraying our agreement. Clearly we only needed to hold on a little longer to easily annihilate the Ancient Flame Thunder Three Clans!"

When Character: Character: Character: Jiang Xing's name was mentioned, all the elders gnashed their teeth, as if they wanted to chew the name to pieces and swallow it.

They took the benefits, yet refused to keep the promise.

The mighty Dou Di clan was actually played by a brat without Dou Di blood.

The elders grew angrier the more they thought, and some even proposed exterminating the Ancient Xuwu Dragon Clan.

After all, they who considered themselves superior could not accept being toyed with by Character: Character: Character: Jiang Xing, who lacked Dou Di blood.

The hall was noisy, and the Soul Heavenly Emperor seated at the head grew annoyed.

However, at that moment a low, powerful voice cut through their clamor: "Enough!"

Inside the hall, the previously boiling‑water‑like din suddenly hushed at that low, powerful "Enough," as if an invisible force had pressed it down.

The elders' faces showed awe; they all turned their gazes to the main seat, where the Soul Heavenly Emperor sat upright.

The Soul Heavenly Emperor's gaze was icy as a blade, sweeping over each elder present; his eyes held majesty and a faint, hardly noticeable fatigue.

"I just heard you say you want to exterminate the Ancient Xuwu Dragon Clan?"

"Clan Chief, Character: Character: Character: Jiang Xing is simply overbearing! He not only fled the battlefield, but also indirectly caused our Soul Clan's operation to fail. If we don't teach them a lesson, do we really think the Soul Clan is easy to bully! Moreover, the Ancient Xuwu Dragon Clan must pay for their actions!" a somewhat younger four‑star Dou Sheng elder stood up and said.

Upon hearing this, many elders nodded, indicating agreement.

In their view, the Ancient Xuwu Dragon Clan only had Character: Character: Character: Jiang Xing and Ziyan with any strength, but they were merely eight‑star Dou Sheng.

They didn't even have a nine‑star Dou Sheng; as long as the Soul Clan's chief, the Soul Heavenly Emperor, and the Xuwu‑Swallowing Flame joined forces, wiping out the Ancient Xuwu Dragon Clan would be a piece of cake.

Seeing his view gain the approval of many elders, the young four‑star Dou Sheng elder felt a surge of pride and exhilaration.

"Clan Chief, when will we attack the Ancient Xuwu Dragon Clan to avenge our shame?" He looked eagerly at the Soul Heavenly Emperor, his tone full of urgency.

But the Soul Heavenly Emperor's brows furrowed tighter; his gaze, sharp as a sword, swept over those elders eager for war, and an uncontrollable anger rose in his heart.

He hadn't expected that after the Soul Clan's recent defeat, his subordinates not only failed to restrain themselves and reflect on recovering strength, but instead were here clamoring to attack the Ancient Xuwu Dragon Clan.

"Foolish!"

The Soul Heavenly Emperor's voice boomed like thunder in the hall, shaking the elders' hearts; that four‑star Dou Sheng elder trembled with fear, nearly kneeling.

"The Ancient Xuwu Dragon Clan doesn't even have the ancient jade; why attack them? For that so‑called face, just increase the Soul Clan's casualties?" the Soul Heavenly Emperor's voice was icy as ice.

He angrily scanned those who had just been shouting for war; see, they each lowered their heads, faces guilty, bodies trembling involuntarily.

The Soul Heavenly Emperor looked at these elders before him and couldn't help asking himself, with his superior wisdom, why had he cultivated such brainless subordinates?

"Clan Chief, calm your anger; they're just blinded by fury," the Xuwu‑Swallowing Flame stepped forward to ease the tension. After a long while, the Soul Heavenly Emperor's anger subsided.

"Clan Chief, what should we do next?"

After emotions settled, the Soul Heavenly Emperor took a deep breath and spoke slowly: "From now on, we have only one word—wait."

"Gu Yuan's daughter and the Flame Clan's most talented youth were abducted by Character: Character: Character: Jiang Xing; surely the Flame and Ancient Clans won't let this go easily."

An elder somewhat older stood up, his eyes flashing with wisdom: "Clan Chief, wise! Character: Character: Character: Jiang Xing seized those three surely for the Strange Fire within them; but doing so will surely provoke the Ancient and Flame Clans' wrath, and if mishandled, the three clans might even clash with the Ancient Xuwu Dragon Clan—then it will be the perfect moment for our Soul Clan to act."

The Soul Heavenly Emperor nodded; this elder's plan largely matched his own thoughts.

First, observe quietly and see how the Ancient and Flame Clans react.

His heart felt somewhat relieved; at least among these elders, there was still someone with sense.

……

Elsewhere, the senior leaders of the Ancient Flame Thunder Three Clans were also tense, discussing the matter.

The battlefield had been cleared, casualties counted, and they began handling post‑war affairs, but more urgent was the issue of Gu Xun'er, Huo Xuan, and Huo Zhi being captured.

The Thunder Clan, having no youths captured, reacted relatively mildly to this.

However, the Ancient and Flame Clans were extremely angry.

These three were not only the most talented geniuses of their respective clans, but also inheritors of their clans' Strange Fire, the hope for future breakthrough to high‑rank Dou Sheng.

Gu Xun'er and Huo Xuan are furthermore the young chiefs of the Ancient and Flame Clans; now captured, their fate unknown—how could they not be furious?

"Character: Character: Character: Jiang Xing, this madman, dares to be so audacious!" Gu Lie slammed the table in fury, his eyes brimming with hatred and anger toward Character: Character: Character: Jiang Xing.

The Flame Clan's senior figures also had grim faces.

After careful deliberation, the Ancient Flame Thunder Three Clans decided to send an elder to the Beast Realm to deliver a message to the Ancient Xuwu Dragon Clan.

The gist: "Character: Character: Character: Jiang Xing, those three are the pride of the Ancient and Flame Clans; hurry and release them, don't bring ruin upon yourself!"

However, things did not go as they wished; the envoys searched desperately in the Beast Realm but could never find a trace of the Ancient Xuwu Dragon Clan.

When the elder bearing the message brought this news back to the three clans' leaders, the whole conference hall fell into a brief silence.

Now they face two difficult choices: continue seeking the Ancient Xuwu Dragon Clan's whereabouts, or temporarily give up and look for another plan?

Gu Yuan sat at the head of the council hall, brows locked, his heart filled with conflict and struggle.

As a father, he naturally wanted to quickly find his captured daughter Gu Xun'er.

But as a clan chief, he must put the clan's interests first, he must bear his responsibility.

(End of chapter)