Chapter 676: There Is a Traitor

The Dou Qi Continent cannot create resources out of nothing; once they're used up, they're gone. The collective disappearance of the Dou Emperors has caused the continent's strength to plummet drastically.

Once, the Dou Qi Continent had peak experts like the Dan Tower's abbot, Fenyan Gu Zu, the Pure Lotus Demon Saint, and the Yellow Spring Demon Saint; now, only Gu Yuan and Hun Tian Di remain.

The disappearance of the Dou Emperors had far-reaching consequences.

"Since you were able to swallow the Yao Clan's space into your body, I knew your strength had broken through," Gu Yuan said coolly. "You're merely at the early stage of Nine-Star Dou Sheng. If the chance arises, I will permanently seal you."

"Perhaps you'll never get that chance," Xuwu Heavenly Eye chuckled.

"Hun Tian Di, if you've come here today with the intention of attacking my Gu Clan, then these people of yours are not enough," Gu Yuan remained composed, his bearing as Clan Leader unmistakable.

"Hmm, they are indeed insufficient," Hun Tian Di nodded with a smile, offering no rebuttal—after all, this was still Gu Clan territory, and he wasn't so arrogant as to overestimate himself.

"Clan Leader Gu, be careful—it's a trap!"

In the sky, Yan Jin also spoke in a low, grave tone, clearly realizing that the Soul Sovereign's actions must have some hidden purpose they didn't yet understand.

At Yan Jin's warning, the white-robed Hun Tian Di merely smiled faintly, clasping his hands behind his back, saying nothing, standing there with Xuwu Heavenly Eye and the Four Demon Saints—six figures in the sky, facing off against Gu Yuan, Lei Ying, Yan Jin, and the entire Gu Clan.

Strangely, Hun Tian Di simply stood there motionless—neither launching an attack nor negotiating, just standing.

Yet merely standing there was enough to make the entire Gu Clan unable to relax for a single moment.

He simply had that kind of oppressive presence.

But this strange scene made Gu Qingyang, already designated as the next Clan Leader, frown even more tightly. He moved his body instantly, appearing beside the Three Immortals and the Black Annihilation King.

"Be careful," the Three Immortals murmured as they saw Gu Qingyang appear beside them.

With Xun Er and Xiao Yan absent, Gu Qingyang was now the pillar of the Gu Clan, the one destined to shoulder its future.

Gu Lie and the others nodded slightly, brows furrowed—the Soul Sovereign's actions were too strange: neither attacking nor speaking, as if deliberately tying down Gu Yuan and the others.

"What exactly do they want?"

Gu Qingyang's fingers moved rapidly, then suddenly stopped. He turned his gaze to the Three Immortals and whispered: "Three Supreme Elders, is the Ancient Jade being carried by the Clan Leader?"

Hearing this, the Three Immortals froze, hesitated slightly, then whispered back: "No—the Ancient Jade is in the Ancestral Hall; that's the most heavily guarded place."

"The elders inside the Ancestral Hall—shouldn't most of them have come out by now?" Gu Qingyang asked, looking up at the Gu Clan's powerful figures in the sky.

The Three Immortals swept their aged eyes across the sky, then their faces subtly changed—they had indeed noticed many Ancestral Hall elders had been lured out.

"The Soul Sovereign's target is the Gu Clan's Ancient Jade!"

At once, everyone's faces darkened. They looked up and roared: "Clan Leader! Watch out for the Ancient Jade! Hun Tian Di's goal is to distract your attention!!"

In the sky, Gu Yuan, who had been facing Hun Tian Di, suddenly paled. Before he could shout a warning, a sharp wailing cry erupted from deep within the Shan Mai—it was the Ancestral Hall's alarm!

"Woo!"

The piercing alarm echoed violently across the heavens and earth, spreading rapidly and causing every Gu Clan member's face to turn ashen.

"Hun Tian Di!"

Gu Yuan's face turned icy. His gaze locked onto Hun Tian Di. The sky suddenly darkened. Vast Heavenly Energy roared behind him, connecting heaven and earth—far away, it looked like an endless tidal wave, its crashing sound never ceasing.

An energy tide, normally forming only during a Sky Phenomenon, was a spectacle beyond mortal reach. Yet now, Gu Yuan summoned it with a mere thought—his peak Nine-Star Dou Sheng power was terrifying indeed.

The endless energy tide churned, its overwhelming pressure making even the Four Demon Saints of the Soul Sovereign—HunYan and the others—turn grim. They had no doubt that if Gu Yuan attacked them, they wouldn't survive three rounds; their bodies and Spiritual Souls would crumble into nothing under that crushing force.

Four Late Seven-Star Dou Shengs combined still amounted to nothing against a Nine-Star Dou Sheng Peak—barely even capable of escape. The gap was that immense.

In this entire realm, only Hun Tian Di and Xuwu Heavenly Eye remained expressionless under the pressure of Gu Yuan's summoned tidal wave.

"Clan Leader Gu! Elder Gu Yang injured the Ancestral Hall elders and stole the Ancient Jade!"

As Gu Yuan's face turned icy, a streak of light shot out from deep within the Shan Mai—a disheveled figure dashed forward, screaming desperately.

"What?!"

Hearing the cry, the entire Gu Clan erupted in chaos. Everyone's eyes filled with disbelief.

"Elder Gu Yang? How is that possible?!" Gu Zhen's face twisted in shock, and he couldn't help but cry out.

"How could this be? Is Elder Gu Yang a spy for the Soul Sovereign?" Gu Yao's face darkened. The Soul Sovereign seemed most skilled in such tactics.

"Gu Yang is the Second Elder of the Ancestral Hall—his strength ranks among the top ten in our clan. He has guarded the Ancestral Hall for centuries and has been utterly loyal to the Gu Clan. How could he steal the Ancient Jade and flee?" An old-generation Elder of the Gu Clan turned pale, muttering to himself.

At this moment, none of them could believe that the old man—who had shown unwavering loyalty and even risked his life multiple times for the Gu Clan—could be a spy or infiltrator.

From the expressions of these Gu Clan Elders, it was clear they had all interacted with Elder Gu Yang before—and held a favorable impression of him.

"Was this your doing?" Gu Yuan's icy gaze fixed on the smiling Hun Tian Di.

Hun Tian Di smiled faintly but said nothing, still standing motionless in midair.

Yet he showed no intention of leaving. His eyes remained calmly fixed on Gu Yuan. As long as he stood there, even Gu Yuan dared not turn away to search for Gu Yang.

Because Gu Yuan knew—if he left, not even Lei Ying or Yan Jin could stop Hun Tian Di. He would be killed effortlessly.

Hun Tian Di's goal was to tie down Gu Yuan and the leaders of the Lei and Yan Clans, diverting most of the Gu Clan's combat power to give Gu Yang time.

Gu Yuan understood Hun Tian Di's scheme perfectly. His icy expression gradually softened—he had reached a level where his resolve was as unshakable as a rock. Even with the Ancient Jade stolen, he did not let himself remain in constant rage.

"Seal the Ancient Realm's space. Gu Dao, lead the Black Smoke Army and search for Gu Yang!" Gu Yuan barked, his back turned to the Three Immortals.

"Yes!"

Hearing this, the Three Immortals of the Gu Clan immediately responded—but as they moved to act, the Four Demon Saints behind Hun Tian Di floated forward, clearly intending to block them.

"Hehe, Gu Yuan, these people can't leave," Hun Tian Di smiled. He had brought the Four Demon Saints and Xuwu Heavenly Eye here precisely to delay the Gu Clan's powerful forces.

Gu Yang was already extremely strong—Five-Star Late Dou Sheng. As long as the Seven-Star Dou Sheng and above were held back, Gu Yang could extract the Ancient Jade from within the Gu Clan!

"This is the Ancient Realm—it's not your place to decide!" Gu Yuan snapped. He stomped forward sharply. Behind him, the endless energy tide surged violently, forming a colossal tidal hand tens of thousands of zhang tall, slamming straight toward Hun Tian Di. Where the palm's wind passed, space trembled violently—such a casual strike from a peak-level expert could easily tear open space.

"So you've finally lost patience and decided to strike," Hun Tian Di smiled. He raised his palm, and a black hole formed instantly in his palm, expanding at astonishing speed to ten thousand zhang wide, swallowing the entire sky and earth.

Seeing the pitch-black black hole, even Lei Ying and Yan Jin—the two Eight-Star Dou Sheng Late Stage masters—felt a chill run through their bones. They had no doubt that if they were pulled into it, even their Spirits would vanish instantly.

Hun Tian Di's power was terrifyingly immense. Even Eight-Star Dou Sheng Late Stage masters were like chicks in his hands, easily crushed.

Far across the sky, the tidal hand and the black hole collided violently. There was no earth-shattering roar—only the silent collapse of space's patterns and the overflow of destructive energy. Had the Ancient Realm's space not been reinforced over thousands of years, this single clash alone would have torn it apart.

Seeing Gu Yuan actually attack Hun Tian Di, Yan Jin and Lei Ying's faces twitched slightly. Their eyes met, and they silently nodded. The Soul Sovereign's actions clearly marked all ancient clans as targets. If they dared attack the Gu Clan today, the Yan and Lei Clans would face the same fate tomorrow.

If the Gu Clan can't resist, then the Yan and Lei Clans have no reason to resist at all.

If you don't want Hun Tian Di to become a Dou Emperor, this is your last chance.

"Move!" With Yan Jin's low command, the two Clan Leaders shot forward almost simultaneously, their terrifying Eight-Star Dou Sheng Late Stage spiritual pressure surging straight into the sky, the pressure so immense it seemed to make the very space groan.

Their simultaneous attack was naturally formidable—after all, excluding Gu Yuan, Hun Tian Di, and Xu Wu Tun Yan, they were likely the strongest on this continent!

"Heh, why the haste, gentlemen? If you wish to fight, I'll entertain you."

Just as Yan Jin and Lei Ying moved to assist Gu Yuan, the previously motionless Xu Wu Tun Yan smiled, stepped forward, and transmigrated through space to appear before them; black flame surged endlessly from his body, coiling into several massive black dragons around him, their dragon roars shaking the heavens.

Though his Nine Star Dou Sheng Early Stage spiritual pressure paled beside Gu Yuan and Hun Tian Di, to Lei Ying and Yan Jin, Xu Wu Tun Yan stood like an insurmountable mountain—his strength bottomless!

A single minor rank above was already an uncrossable chasm.

Even though Lei Ying and Yan Jin were Clan Leaders of Dou Emperor Families, possessing Dou Emperor inheritance cultivation methods, what was Xu Wu Tun Yan? The Heavenly Flame Ranking Second, a supreme celestial treasure—and since the number one on the Heavenly Flame Ranking was the fusion of all heavenly flames, that meant Xu Wu Tun Yan was, in truth, the true No. 1 among heavenly flames!

His very existence was scarcely weaker than a Dou Emperor cultivation method, let alone his immense soul force.

"Hmph!"

Seeing Xu Wu Tun Yan act, Yan Jin and Lei Ying both snorted, activating their Dou Emperor cultivation methods and even unleashing their Clan Marks; a burst of Seven-Colored Divine Light erupted from their bodies—they were both Divine Grade Bloodline!

"Qing Yang, lead the search of the mountains. Gu Yang has not escaped yet—capture him and retrieve the Ancient Jade!"

In the sky, Gu Dao, the leader of the Three Immortals, frowned severely and barked: "All other Elders, deploy the Demonic Array to protect the clan—seal off the Ancient Realm and the Shan Mai! Do not let the Soul Sovereign seize an opening!"

Hearing Gu Dao's command, dozens of Elders in midair responded in unison; the battles above were merely probes, yet they still had to guard against the Soul Sovereign's hidden moves, so they could not afford to divert too much attention to join forces.

"Big Brother Qing Yang, let's search the mountains!" Gu Hua said grimly. Now that the Elders and the Black Annihilation King were held back by the Soul Sovereign, only they could act.

"Sigh, if Xiao Yan were here, this wouldn't be so troublesome!"

At this moment, in the Great Hall of the Xiao Realm in Shou Yu, a massive heavenly mirror displayed the situation within the Gu Clan. Xun Er clenched her fists tightly, her beautiful eyes filled with worry.

"If you join the battlefield now, you'll only hinder Gu Yuan," Xiao Chen said, slowly opening his eyes to look at Xun Er, who longed to return and rescue the Gu Clan.

Even though Xun Er had reached Five-Star Dou Sheng, if she entered the battlefield, she would become the Soul Sovereign's target, used to coerce Gu Yuan or distract him.

A Five-Star Dou Sheng was like a drop of water in an ocean at this level—utterly incapable of changing anything.

The Yan Alliance may be large, but entering a battlefield of this caliber was a meat grinder.

The great war between the Xiao Clan and the Soul Sovereign proved it—Xiao Xuan had slain several Eight-Star Dou Sheng.

"Don't worry," Xiao Yixian walked beside Xun Er and whispered softly, "the Soul Sovereign's posture suggests they don't intend to trigger a final, decisive battle."

Xun Er nodded slightly; the atmosphere in the entire Yan Alliance Great Hall was suffocating. Without Xiao Yan, the Yan Alliance felt as if it had lost its core. Even with Cai Lin overseeing affairs, for the Yan Alliance's high-ups, Xiao Yan was unquestionably the center.

(End of Chapter)