On the border of the Beast Region, Liu Xi stood suspended in the sky, his gaze locked toward the distant horizon. His deep, calm eyes seemed capable of piercing through the layers of space itself. As his voice echoed through the heavens, the air trembled. Ripples of space shimmered outward, and from within them stepped a middle-aged man—handsome, dignified, carrying a faint air of age-worn grace. It was none other than Gu Yuan.
At first glance, Gu Yuan's face wore a warm smile, yet the flickering emotions deep within his eyes betrayed his unease. The closer Liu Xi looked, the more he sensed Gu Yuan's taut muscles and surging Dou Qi—ready to erupt at the slightest provocation. The man was clearly on edge.
"Congratulations, young friend," Gu Yuan said warmly after cupping his fists. "Your strength has advanced once again. Were it not for the restrictions of this heaven and earth, you would already stand as a Dou Di powerhouse!"
Liu Xi's faint smile carried an edge of amusement. The man maintained a polite distance—barely a hundred meters away. To cultivators of their level, such a span was meaningless, yet the deliberate space spoke volumes.
"So you're Clan Leader Gu Yuan?" Liu Xi's tone was casual, even teasing. "Your name truly resounds like thunder. I didn't expect a nobody like me to be praised by the great Clan Leader Gu."
Gu Yuan's expression stiffened. In the past, Liu Xi had been a rising name among Central Plains factions but never one worthy of the ancient clans' notice. Who could have imagined that, without fanfare, such a monster would emerge under their very noses—one who now stood as a 9-Star Dou Saint… no, a Half-Step Dou Di. The realization left him bitter.
For one to reach such height, the accumulation of countless resources and opportunities was required. Such strength could not appear overnight. The calamities that had once rocked the continent—the Ancient Tree disaster, the Demon Flame calamity, the Medicinal Ceremony catastrophe—all began to align in his mind. Those tragedies that cost the ancient clans dearly had a single, unseen thread—Liu Xi.
'He should've been crushed while still in his cradle… but it's too late now.' The thought came with a sigh that carried both helplessness and regret.
After a long pause, Gu Yuan's gaze steadied. "In the Demon Flame Space, you must have participated," he said evenly. "I wonder… Did you happen to meet my unfilial daughter there?"
Though his tone seemed calm, the faint tremor within it did not escape Liu Xi's notice. For Gu Yuan, that "unfilial daughter" clearly meant the world.
'Ah… so he's finally connecting the dots. Testing me, is he? Afraid I'll confirm what he already suspects about Gu Xun'er's whereabouts?' Liu Xi mused inwardly, his smile widening. At this stage, denial was meaningless.
"I did see her," Liu Xi replied lightly. "Quite the delicate little beauty, I must say."
The offhand remark was deliberately provocative, and as expected, Gu Yuan's face darkened instantly. His fists clenched within his sleeves, veins bulging. For a moment, it seemed he might strike. But reason prevailed, and he exhaled through gritted teeth, forcing calm.
He knew better than anyone how captivating his daughter was. If she truly had fallen into another's hands… he dared not imagine her fate. Still, he could not afford to offend Liu Xi.
"Since you have seen her," Gu Yuan said at last, suppressing his fury, "I would be deeply grateful if you could help me bring her back. No matter the cost, the Gu Clan will reward you handsomely."
His voice carried the sorrow of a father's longing, tinged with careful humility.
"That's not impossible," Liu Xi replied lazily, eyes narrowing. "But that depends… on your sincerity."
Of course, he hadn't harmed Gu Xun'er—merely kept her sealed away. Still, teasing Gu Yuan was far too entertaining to resist.
Liu Xi's expression hardened slightly. "But I doubt you came all this way just to ask about your daughter, Clan Leader Gu. If that's all, please return. I have more pressing matters to attend to."
He smiled faintly. In the distance, he could already sense the approaching auras of Xiao Yixian, Zi Yan, and Qing Lin—their presence far more important than another round of ancient clans politics.
Gu Yuan hesitated, then cupped his fists again, his voice lowering with sincerity. "There is indeed something else. Since you heavily wounded Hun Tiandi, the Hun Clan's forces have all retreated into their Hun Realm. Our investigations suggest an opportunity has arisen. I came to invite you to join us in eradicating them once and for all. Hun Tiandi's cruelty has plagued the continent for too long. Now that he's weakened, it's time we strike together—Gu Clan, Lei Clan, Yan Clan, and you—so that this scourge may finally end."
His words rang with noble conviction, but Liu Xi nearly laughed. Such righteous posturing. What a politician.
The Hun Clan did need to be destroyed—Liu Xi wanted their Ancient Jade fragments for himself—but he had no intention of being pulled along by Gu Yuan's sense of "duty."
As Gu Yuan finished, Liu Xi's eyes narrowed sharply. The invisible weight of his gaze pressed down like a mountain. Gu Yuan's pulse quickened; his body tensed involuntarily as his Dou Qi surged in defense.
Just one glance—and his instincts screamed danger.
Then, just as suddenly, the pressure vanished. Liu Xi's faint smile returned, calm as ever.
'That was a warning…' Gu Yuan realized, chills running down his spine. The sheer dominance Liu Xi exuded was beyond comprehension. He was glad he hadn't acted rashly earlier—otherwise, he might not have left this place alive.
This trip, then, was less an invitation and more a declaration. The Gu Clan had discovered that seven of the eight Ancient Jade pieces had already fallen into the Hun Clan's hands. Only the Yao Clan's piece remained missing—and it could easily be in Liu Xi's possession. With the Hun Clan weakened and Hun Tiandi gravely injured, their destruction was inevitable.
But if Liu Xi refused to act alongside them, the Gu Clan would bear the brunt of the risk.
"The Ancient Void Dragon Tribe suffered heavy losses fighting the Hun Clan," Liu Xi said lightly. "When I wounded Hun Tiandi, I too suffered a backlash. As much as I'd like to assist you, I'm still recovering. But if Hun Tiandi dares show himself again… I'll gladly help you finish the job."
It was a perfect lie. What Liu Xi wanted was for the Gu Clan to test the Hun Clan's remaining strength first—then he would sweep in when the time was ripe.
Having said his piece, Liu Xi turned away. Space rippled softly around him, and in an instant, his figure disappeared into the void.
Gu Yuan stood frozen, his expression shifting between gloom and resignation. Failing to secure Liu Xi's cooperation meant the Gu Clan alone would shoulder the peril of striking first—but there was no other choice.
The bow was drawn; the arrow had to be released.
With a silent sigh, Gu Yuan stepped into the fading spatial ripples and vanished.
(End of Chapter)
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