Chapter 748

"Xiao Ling! How dare you slaughter the prodigies of my Soul Clan! A life for a life, blood for blood! Today you will not escape!"

Two scarlet eyes, like poisoned blades, were fixed on Xiao Ling. One of the old men in black robes finally couldn't suppress his surging killing intent. His deep roar shook the clouds in the sky, and the resentment he contained almost solidified.

The deaths of Hunya and Hunli are a foregone conclusion, with no way to reverse them. However, these two were the younger generation on whom the clan placed great hopes. Now that they have perished here, it would be better to take advantage of the situation. Xiao Ling possesses mysterious strength and unfathomable potential, and has long been a major threat to the Hun clan.

Now that we have this opportunity, no matter what the truth is, we must pin the blame on him and take this chance to completely eliminate this hidden danger!
Hearing this stern question, Xiao Ling, high in the sky, slowly withdrew his indifferent gaze and turned it to the two Soul Clan elders, his tone calm and undisturbed.
"Your words are utterly absurd. During my trip to the Heavenly Tomb, I had absolutely no interaction with any of your Soul Clan members, let alone any 'slaughter' involved. Are you trying to provoke me with such slander?"

He knew perfectly well that the deaths of the two from Soul Cliff were his doing. But in front of everyone, surrounded by people from various races, admitting it now would only give the Soul Clan ammunition and create unnecessary trouble.

Instead of confronting them head-on, we should first shift the blame back to them and see how they handle the situation.

"I will judge right and wrong fairly! You little brat, stop trying to argue with your clever words!"

Before the words were even finished, the two Soul Clan elders exchanged a fierce glance, their eyes brimming with murderous intent.

The old man on the left suddenly raised his hand and flicked his sleeve. As his black robe fluttered, several soul locks wrapped in thick black mist burst out of his sleeve. The locks glowed with eerie green ghost fire, and their tips were as sharp as claws. With a shrill shriek that tore through the air, they rushed straight at Xiao Ling's face. Wherever the black mist passed, even the surrounding battle qi seemed to be corroded and sizzled.

The old man on the other side was even more sinister. His figure suddenly transformed into a blurry black shadow, silently approaching under the cover of the black mist. A twisted, pitch-black soul flame condensed at his fingertips. As the soul flame flickered, it emitted a bone-chilling cold and a foul stench. Taking advantage of the moment when the soul lock was restraining him, he fiercely blasted towards Xiao Ling's side vital points. His move was ruthless and left no room for mercy.

In fact, based solely on the corpses of Soul Cliff and Soul Calendar, it is impossible to determine that the perpetrator was Xiao Ling.

But for these two Soul Clan elders, the truth was no longer important. Xiao Ling's potential and strength had long been the most glaring threat in the eyes of the Soul Clan. Now that they had such a rare opportunity, they were determined to completely eliminate him.

As for how to explain things to the various ethnic groups and how to quell the unrest, those are secondary matters. First, we need to eliminate the biggest threat, and then adapt to the situation.

Facing the sudden attack from the two Soul Clan elders, Xiao Ling remained calm and composed, standing with his arms crossed in the void, a faint smile playing on his lips, as if the approaching killing move was nothing more than a gentle breeze, leaving him completely unmoved.

Xiao Yan, standing beside him, had already turned his gaze to a deep and serious expression. Before Xiao Ling or Xun'er could make a move, he took the first step forward, his figure like an arrow blocking their path, forming a solid barrier.

His right hand reached back smoothly, his fingertips precisely gripping the ancient handle of the Xuanzhong Ruler, and he pulled it back sharply.

"Clang!" A muffled roar reverberated through the sky as the jet-black ruler, carrying immense weight, tore through the cloth and revealed itself. The dark patterns flowing across the ruler were faintly visible in the sunlight, and a fierce aura swept over you.

Xiao Yan gripped the ruler handle tightly with both hands, his arm muscles bulging. Facing the several soul locks glowing with eerie green flames, he suddenly twisted his waist and slammed the Xuan Heavy Ruler to the left with a sharp whistling sound!
"Bang!" The ruler and the soul lock collided violently, and the dark soul mist that permeated it was immediately shaken and scattered. The seemingly tough soul lock broke into pieces like rotten wood, flying backward with a piercing crack. It was still burning as it fell into the clouds below, and finally turned into wisps of black smoke and dissipated.

The moment he repelled the soul lock, Xiao Yan's gaze locked onto the direction of the spreading black mist like a hawk's, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes, and a thunderous roar erupted from his throat: "Flame Dividing Wave Ruler!"

Before his shout had even finished, his battle qi surged into the Xuan Heavy Ruler like a raging river. Crimson-gold volcanic flames suddenly erupted from the ruler, instantly enveloping the entire heavy ruler. The scorching temperature distorted the surrounding air, and even the clouds in the sky were baked to a charred yellow.

Amidst the churning flames, the faint sound of waves crashing against the shore could be heard, the fierce and intense intertwining to create an unstoppable pressure.

Xiao Yan suddenly exerted force with both arms, and the Xuan Heavy Ruler drew a magnificent arc in the air. As he pressed down hard with his wrist, a crimson-gold strange fire slash several meters wide suddenly left his body, like a long river of flames tearing the sky apart, carrying the momentum to burn everything, and fiercely slashed towards the thick black mist!
Wherever the strange fire struck, the black mist was instantly vaporized by the flames, emitting a sizzling corrosive sound. The Soul Clan elder, who had been hiding within, could no longer conceal himself and was forced to reveal himself. His black robe fluttered in the heat of the flames, and his face was filled with shock and anger.

He hastily condensed a battle qi barrier to defend himself, but the temperature of the volcanic rock flames far exceeded his expectations. The soul shield melted instantly upon contact, and the crimson-gold slash struck his chest without any hindrance!

"Pfft!" The Soul Clan elder spat out a mouthful of black blood, his body flying backward like a kite with a broken string. His black robe was burned black and tattered, and a deep, bone-revealing burn mark appeared on his chest, emitting wisps of black smoke. His aura instantly weakened.

The people from various tribes below saw it clearly, and in an instant, gasps of astonishment rose and fell, merging into a chorus of exclamations.

Countless gazes were fixed on Xiao Yan, filled with disbelief and shock. Who could have imagined that a junior who had just stepped into the Seven Star Dou Zun realm would possess such overwhelming strength!
The Soul Clan elder's cultivation was at least at the high-level Dou Zun level. Ordinary Dou Zun would probably have no choice but to avoid his sharp edge. However, Xiao Yan severely injured him in a single move with just one move of the Earth-level "Flame Dividing Wave Ruler". The fierceness of the Xuan Heavy Ruler combined with the intensity of the volcanic stone flame made the attack fast and ruthless, without any hesitation.

Such swift and decisive methods, such keen combat intuition, far surpass the realm of ordinary Seven-Star Dou Zun; they are simply terrifying!
The Xuanzhong Ruler stood upright in the void, a wisp of lingering crimson-gold flame condensing at its tip, sizzling and burning the surrounding air.

Xiao Yan stood before Xiao Ling, his slightly slender back now as upright as a pine tree. The weight of the Xuan Heavy Ruler caused subtle ripples in the void. He raised an eyebrow, the sharpness of his previous attack still lingering in his eyes. His tone was as cold as icicles in winter, carrying undisguised mockery:
"Ha, to attack without distinguishing right from wrong, such unreasonable and illogical behavior is truly the nature ingrained in the bones of your Soul Clan. You only dare to use fabricated charges to kill in secret, and dare not fight fair and square. Such despicable behavior is truly contemptible!"

His gaze swept over the two Soul Clan elders who had regrouped, their expressions sinister, especially the one whose aura was weak after being severely injured. A mocking smile curled at the corner of his mouth: "You keep shouting 'a life for a life,' but in reality, you're just using this as an excuse to eliminate dissidents. It's probably because of cowards like you that the Soul Clan has been disgraced little by little."

His words resonated powerfully, carrying the pride and awe of a warrior, echoing endlessly across the sky. Many of the various races below nodded in agreement; the Soul Clan was known for its cunning and domineering ways, and Xiao Yan's sarcasm was indeed spot-on.

"Soul Forest! This is the Ancient Realm, not the Soul Realm where your Soul Clan can act recklessly!" Before the words were finished, Elder Tongxuan arrived on a cloud. His gray-blue elder robe fluttered in the wind, his brows furrowed, and his deep voice rolled across the sky like thunder, carrying the pressure of a high-level half-saint, instantly suppressing the commotion in the arena.

His gaze was sharp as a knife, fixed directly on the old man called Hunlin, his tone filled with an unyielding authority: "On the journey to the Heavenly Tomb, life and death are left to fate. How dare you provoke trouble here without distinguishing right from wrong? Do you really think my ancient clan has no one to rely on?"

"Hmph! Tongxuan, stop with your sophistry!" Hun Lin's already raging anger was further fueled by being publicly refuted, and a murderous intent surged in his crimson eyes. "My Soul Clan's prodigy has perished within your Ancient Realm, and your Ancient Clan is to blame! If you don't hand over this wicked Xiao Ling to pay for his life today, this matter will never be resolved peacefully!"

"Xiao Ling! If you are truly innocent and did not kill the two from Hunya, then obediently return with us to the Soul Clan for confrontation! Although our Soul Clan acts ruthlessly, we will not make things difficult for innocent people!" The black-clad elder, who had been severely injured by Xiao Yan and whose aura was still weak, gritted his teeth and shouted coldly, his words seemingly leaving room for maneuver, but in reality full of coercion.

"absurd."

A cold, mocking laugh spread across the sky. Xiao Ling finally lowered his arms, which had been crossed over his chest. His eyebrows twitched slightly, a faint sarcasm swirling in his eyes. His tone was light and airy, yet carried a sharp edge that struck straight to the heart.
"When did your Soul Clan develop such a self-righteous attitude? Do you really think you are the arbiters who control the universe, and that whatever you say goes? You tell me to go with you, and I'll listen to you? Then let me ask you, if I told you to commit suicide on the spot to atone for your sins, why didn't you obediently do so?"

The words fell silent. All the people from each race were secretly shocked. Not only was Xiao Ling's strength unfathomable, but his words were also as sharp as blades, showing no mercy whatsoever to the Soul Clan elders.

Xiao Ling's gaze turned cold as he swept over the two ashen-faced elders of the Soul Clan. His tone suddenly deepened, carrying a chilling undercurrent.
"As for the 'life for a life' you mentioned, let's set aside the fact that this matter has nothing to do with me. Just consider the boundless atrocities committed by your Soul Clan's Soul Hall on the Central Plains. The number of sects slaughtered and innocent lives harmed is in the tens of millions. If we really talk about 'life for a life,' even if we grind your entire Soul Clan to dust, we probably still wouldn't be able to repay that blood debt!"

These words were powerful and piercing, instantly striking a nerve with many people present.

Many forces in Zhongzhou had been coerced by the Soul Palace to varying degrees, and upon hearing this, they all secretly echoed it, their gazes toward the Soul Clan filled with resentment and fear.

"Elders, the Heavenly Tomb is fraught with danger, where opportunities and death coexist. No one can say for sure that they can escape unscathed."

A clear, melodious voice came from the edge of the clouds, and Gu Qingyang and his two companions arrived gracefully, their blue robes fluttering in the wind.

His gaze swept over Hun Lin and the other man, his tone indifferent.

"Since you have no concrete evidence to prove that Brother Xiao Ling is the murderer, please do not act recklessly here. This is the Ancient Realm, the territory of my Ancient Clan, and we will not tolerate outsiders running rampant here."

He paused slightly, raised an eyebrow, and a cold glint flashed in his eyes. His tone abruptly changed: "Moreover, this matter is far from over. Deep within the Heavenly Tomb, Hun Ya and Hun Li secretly laid an ambush and ruthlessly killed our ancient clan's companions. Perhaps we will have to trouble you two to give our ancient clan an explanation for this debt!"

Previously, within the Heavenly Tomb, they had been ambushed and pursued by the Soul Clan, fleeing in a sorry state and suffering considerable indignation. Although Hunya and his companion were now dead, the demands for justice and the old scores still needed to be settled. How could the ancient clans tolerate such humiliation from the Soul Clan?

Gu Qingyang's words were like a thunderclap from a clear sky, instantly causing another uproar in the room.

All eyes in the world turned to Hun Lin and his companion. Most of them were disciples and elders of ancient clans. Their gazes had lost their previous observation and were now filled with obvious hostility and coldness, falling on the two of them as if they were real.

"Is this true?" Elder Tongxuan's expression instantly darkened, his already furrowed brows tightened even more, and the pressure of a high-level half-saint subtly spread around him. He asked in a deep voice, "Hunlin, is what Qingyang said true?"

Although Gu Qingyang and the other two were not as talented as Xun'er, they were still the best among the younger generation of the Gu clan, second only to Xun'er. They possessed pure Gu clan bloodlines of the eighth or even ninth rank, and were the most solid pillars of the clan's future.

If Hunya and the other two dare to kill them in the Heavenly Tomb, it would be a blatant slap in the face to the ancient clan. We must seek justice for these younger generations and make the Hun clan pay a heavy price!

The ancient tribes of today are no longer the pushovers that the Xiao tribe of the past could easily manipulate. They possess just as much strength and confidence as they should.

Caught off guard by the ancient clan in such a public display, Hun Lin and his companion's expressions turned ashen. A flicker of panic crossed their eyes, but it was quickly replaced by ruthlessness. At this point, admitting defeat would be tantamount to walking into a trap; not only would it bring them no benefit, but it would also cause the Hun clan to lose face. How could they possibly admit it?

"Hmph! Utter nonsense, sophistry!" Hun Lin sneered, his voice deliberately raised due to his guilty conscience. "You're just trying to clear Xiao Ling's name by fabricating this incident!"

He stared intently at Xiao Ling, his bloodshot eyes filled with resentment and venom. He knew full well that they were in the Ancient Realm, surrounded by experts from ancient clans, and that further entanglement would be futile. So, he could only grit his teeth and utter harsh words.

"Today, due to the constraints of the Ancient Realm, we two will temporarily back down! But Xiao Ling, remember this well: the blood feud between Soul Cliff and Soul Era will never be let go by my Soul Clan! In the future, when my Soul Clan's army is on our borders, we will make you pay for your crimes in blood and make you pay a terrible price for what happened today!"

The severely injured old man beside him also forced himself to agree, his voice hoarse but filled with the same ruthlessness: "You wait! The Soul Clan's revenge may be delayed, but it will never be absent!"

As soon as they finished speaking, the two dared not linger any longer. A surge of black mist erupted around them, instantly enveloping their figures. Carrying the corpses of Hun Li and Hun Ya, they transformed into two streaks of dark light, fleeing without looking back towards the distant horizon, fearing the ancient clan might change their minds and intervene. (End of Chapter)