Chapter 288: with translation of chapter title

One strand of white light had already, in the instant of exiting the void, wrapped around Shen Qingshi, who was about to split open.

Shen Qinghe's warm, water-like voice drifted out, "Tenth brother, the elder brothers are still here; it's not your turn to die in nirvana."

"Fifth brother!" Shen Qingshi called out with a soul‑trembling voice still bearing a few cracks, "Can you do it?"

"Of course." Shen Qinghe healed the cracks on his soul, then immediately brought him before Shen Qingsyuan, "Second brother, I entrust the tenth brother to you; you all leave this place."

The Five Phoenixes they had risen up had already blocked back the black vines that had just rushed out! Shen Yue let out a slight sigh of relief, then felt delighted, "You've broken through, reached the divine realm?"

"Perhaps immortals." Shen Qinghe said, "The five‑line phoenix immortals passed down by our little sister, we have fully integrated them; Second Uncle, rest assured. But we must also send word to the divine realm—this vine is no ordinary thing."

"Good." Shen Yue stopped wasting words, taking Shen Qingsyuan and the others along the five‑colored passage opened by Shen Qinghe and his companions, quickly leaving this place, not to become a burden to them.

Good. Shen Yue stopped wasting words, taking Shen Qingyuan and a few others, following the colorful passage opened by Shen Qinghe and them, swiftly departing this place, not letting them be a burden.

Inside the golden bronze gate, a figure walked out.

She wore a green robe and white skirt, her appearance fairly lovely, like a fairy, yet her aura was unusually wicked!

"Who are you, and why do you dare intrude upon my Changshui Shen clan?" Shen Qingshan shouted.

The green‑clad woman did not answer……

But the middle‑aged man who stepped out from behind her already rebuked, "Impudent! In the presence of the Fifth Clan's goddess, you still refuse to kneel swiftly!"

"What Fifth Clan? I don't know them." Shen Qingshuang sneered, "You've intruded upon our ancestral land, destroyed our ancient gate, not mentioning compensation, yet you demand we kneel—what audacity!"

"Frog in a well!" the middle‑aged man sneered, "I am of the Fifth Clan, an ancient divine tribe! Possessing extraordinary powers, you lowly wretches, not thinking to kneel and offer tribute, yet dare demand compensation—hmph! Go die!"

As the man's words fell, his eyes instantly turned deep!

"Fifth Trigram Technique!"

A blue trigram diagram arose beneath his palm.

An azure Eight Trigrams diagram appeared beneath his palm.

The trigram diagram transformed the azure light into flames, spreading across the sky, burning and suppressing toward Shen Qingshan and the five!

A single move displayed immortal‑level power! The immortal technique was far from ordinary; in just one exchange, it not only made the combined barrier of Shen Qingshan and the five emit a sizzling sound, but also burned it apart!

The "crack‑crack" splitting sound made the man ever more exhilarated!

"All of you, die!" the man roared, "Now, today, my Fifth Divine Clan returns!"

The Li Fire Trigram diagram rapidly expanded, so much so that even Shen Yuan, who had brought people rushing over and had not yet entered the ancestral land, had already seen this diagram.

"Not good!" Shen Yuan's expression changed; seeing Shen Yue leading people out, he hurried forward, "Second brother!"

"What's going on?" Demon Lord immediately asked, "Who are these people, and how did they appear directly in the Phoenix clan's ancestral land?"

"I—" Shen Yue had just opened his mouth when he spat blood; Shen Qingsyuan promptly reported, "Just now we vaguely heard them say they were the goddess of the Fifth Divine Clan."

"I," Shen Yue had just opened his mouth when he vomited blood; Shen Qingyuan immediately reported, "Just now I vaguely heard that it was the goddess of the Fifth Divine Clan."

Shen Yuan immediately asked, "Brother Pei, do you know?"

"Indeed." Pei Heng nodded solemnly, "According to ancient divine records, the Fifth Divine Clan are descendants of Fuxi, blessed with heavenly favor, yet they abandoned ancestral teachings, violated the divine path, incurred divine punishment, been sealed away, and may never return."

Lin Musheng, who was with them, instantly changed expression, "Aren't all ancient divine tribes extinct? And if this Fifth Clan has been punished by the heavens, how can they still appear?"

"Little brat, you didn't mishear?" Yellow Old Dog hurriedly asked.

"No." Having caught his breath, Shen Yue stated firmly, "I also heard them; they claimed to be the goddess of the Fifth Clan, but their evil aura surges to the heavens! Perhaps they used some nefarious means to escape the divine punishment."

"Lord Shen, this matter is of great importance; I must first return to investigate more information about the Fifth Clan before I can deal with them." Pei Heng immediately said.

"I also need to return to Linmu." Lin Musheng also spoke.

"Hmph!" Demon Lord instantly sneered, "This is just clinging to the Shen clan when there's good fortune, then fleeing at the first sign of trouble!"

"Don't spout nonsense!" Shen Yuan rebuked, then apologized to Pei Heng and Lin Musheng, "Their demonic cultivators have no filter; please don't take offense, gentlemen."

"No problem." Both of their faces were not looking good.

Pei Heng apologetically said, "The Fifth Clan skillfully uses the trigrams, and their divine arts are all inherited from Fuxi; if we don't understand them clearly, it's truly unwise to rush ahead. Lord Shen, please withdraw from Changshui quickly."

"Thank you for the advice, Brother Pei, but our Shen clan has long stood here, deeply blessed by Changshui's grace. Now, we may leave, but the common folk of Changshui and myriad beings cannot; we must therefore fight!" Shen Yuan bluntly refused.

"Thank you, Elder Brother Pei for informing me, but our Shen clan has stood here since ancient times, deeply favored by the Changshui's grace. Now, we Shen can leave, but the Changshui populace and myriad beings cannot leave; we must fight!" Shen Yuan bluntly refused.

He has already arranged for the women and children to leave.

But the able‑bodied must stay behind to guard Changshui and protect the Shen clan!

"What leaving? If the Shen clan is annihilated, can we alone preserve ourselves?"

Yellow Old Dog gazed afar at the evil aura emanating from the Shen clan's ancestral grounds, his mind clear on the matter!

"This pack of sinners must have done some evil deeds! Having emerged, they cannot possibly be good! To think of seeking temporary safety? Impossible!"

"Indeed." The elder of the Jiang clan slowly spoke, "Perhaps one could survive as a slave or servant, fawning and flattering. But we cultivators, with servile countenances and fawning bones, how could we break the divine? Lord Shen, rest assured—I, the Fengchen Jiang clan, will stand with the Shen clan."

"Farewell." Pei Heng gave no further explanation, bowed and left, after all a gentleman does not stand beneath a crumbling wall.

Lin Musheng said nothing, directly leading the people of the Shenmu Lin clan away.

Shen Yuan did not stop them; at such a time, if their hearts are not united, keeping them would only bring disaster.

"Thank you, both of you." Shen Yuan bowed to the people of the Jiangxia Huang clan and the Fengchen Jiang clan.

"Hey!" Yellow Old Dog hurriedly pulled someone, "No need for politeness! These days we've taken many good things from your Shen clan; it's time to repay—can't just take and not give back."

But Shen Yuan clearly understood, those repayments were merely thanks to the Jiangxia Huang clan's previous strong assistance! Now, facing an utterly unknown powerful enemy, the Jiangxia and Fengchen clans could completely withdraw, yet they did not—this is benevolence and righteousness, not obligation.

Shen Yuan, however, clearly understood that those repayments were merely thanks to the Jiangxia Huang clan's previous mighty assistance! Now, facing a completely unknown powerful enemy, the Jiangxia and Fengchen could completely withdraw, yet they did not withdraw; that is benevolence and righteousness, not obligation.

Shen Yue still wanted to follow, but he was left behind.

"Arrange for the citizens of Changshui City to evacuate, heading toward the Ten Directions Forest!"

The Ten Directions Forest is perilous, yet it has a divine prohibition! At critical moments, perhaps it could offer protection.

"Little Second Brother, you go!" Shen Yue handed the order to Shen Qingsyuan, "Take good care of Qingshi."

As the words fell, he immediately fell in behind Shen Yuan and the others! And at this moment——

As the words fell, he immediately tailed Shen Yuan and the others! And at this moment—

All defenses of the Shen Clan are activated! Within the clan lands, only the bright light formation can be seen; the fighting over the ancestral lands cannot be seen.

Shen Yuan and the others, however, could clearly see: the five-system giant phoenix representing their Shen Clan had already torn open the so-called divine clan divination technique.

"Pfft!"

A middle-aged man of the Fifth Clan vomited blood and fell to the ground.

"Clan Uncle!"

The Fifth Divine Maiden's tone was sinister!

The next moment—

She lifted her gaze toward Shen Qingshan and the others.

"I never wanted to kill you, but you hurt my clan uncle!"

Before the cold, yin-laden voice had even faded, her hands had already transformed into azure light!

"Eight Trigrams Divine Technique, Heaven, Lake, Fire, Wind, Water, Mountain, Earth."

As each word left her lips, a clear Eight Trigrams Diagram unfolded in the heavens, not to mention emitting eight different colors!

The Fifth Clan's divine maiden, Diwu Qingfeng, who possesses the ability to command the entirety of the Eight Trigrams, is this generation's pride of the Fifth Clan!

And so, the Fifth Clan Chief finally made up his mind to trade with the evil god! He could not allow the Fifth Clan's hope, together with himself and the decaying clansmen, to be buried in a deathly stagnation in the Land of Divine Punishment! Absolutely not!

Thus, at this moment! The Fifth Clan Chief walked out of the Golden Bronze Gate; upon seeing this splendid Eight Trigrams Diagram, he felt that everything was worthwhile.

"We, the Fifth Clan, have returned!"

"My clan! Returns——"

The Fifth Clan Chief's mighty roar resounded, accompanied by the Fifth Clan's emblem, the Eight Lines Diagram. Heng Huan's crushing and grinding upon the ancestral land of the Changshui Shen Clan! Almost breaking through Changshui and bursting out into space.

However…