Chapter 238: That Profound Sun Holy Son?
Not long after Ling Cang's fall.
At the edge of heaven and earth, in some unknown place, stood an ancient star. Upon it rose palaces like those of myth, resembling the Moon Palace of legend. Immortal energy swirled thickly, divine islands floated in the void, and the spiritual aura was so dense it nearly liquefied.
Within a towering and majestic palace, spiritual energy had already condensed to the state of liquid.
At the very center sat a middle-aged man, cross-legged. His aura was incomparably terrifying, like that of a demon god. Suddenly, he opened his eyes, and two bolts of lightning shot forth within the hall.
This man was none other than the current patriarch of the Spirit Clan—a supremely terrifying figure, considered a peer to the Northern Yu Divine Emperor. Rumors had long held that he could have already stepped into sainthood, but like the Northern Yu Emperor, he had been constantly consolidating his foundation.
After all, the Saint Tribulation was no less dangerous than the Life and Death Tribulation. The more heavenly tribulations one endured, the stronger one became.
For ordinary Divine Palace realm cultivators, it was enough merely to survive the calamity. Whether it was one or two tribulations mattered little.
But for someone like the patriarch of the Spirit Clan, who bore the face and pride of his people, becoming merely a one-tribulation or two-tribulation saint would invite ridicule.
Their aim had always been to achieve at least five tribulations, so that their clan's prestige would never wane.
"You've awakened?"
The moment the Spirit Clan's patriarch opened his eyes, a heavy voice rang out.
The voice came from nowhere and carried with it an indescribable might, as though a lofty deity was giving commands from on high.
"Why are you here instead of staying with the Xiao Clan?"
The Spirit Clan's patriarch frowned.
He was not unfamiliar with this voice—in fact, he knew it all too well. The speaker was none other than the patriarch of the Xiao Clan, father of Xiao Chen.
Strictly speaking, the Xiao Clan's patriarch was his brother-in-law.
"Ling Cang is dead."
The Xiao Clan's patriarch spoke flatly.
"…What?"
The Spirit Clan's patriarch's brow furrowed deeper. Just moments ago, during his cultivation, he had felt an ominous premonition. Now he understood the source: Ling Cang was gone.
Ling Cang was his cousin. His strength had reached the Divine Palace Realm—not at the very top tier, but by no means weak. There should have been very few capable of killing him.
"Years ago, several Spirit Clan experts of the Life and Death Realm fell. At the time, I paid it little mind. Now, with Ling Cang's death as well… could it be that Xiao Tianyun has returned?"
The Spirit Clan's patriarch's tone grew heavy.
Xiao Tianyun was Xiao Fan's father. His cultivation was the same realm as theirs, but his strength was far too terrifying, reputed as the Number One Under Saint Realm.
With only Half-Saint strength, he had once grievously wounded a two-tribulation saint of the Xiao Clan.
This matter had been tightly suppressed by the Xiao Clan itself. If such news had spread, it would have shaken the entire world.
"It wasn't him."
The Xiao Clan's patriarch paused, then slowly uttered four words:
"It was Xiao Fan."
"As long as it wasn't him—"
The Spirit Clan's patriarch let out a breath of relief—but before he could finish exhaling, he froze. His eyes snapped wide as if he had just heard something utterly inconceivable.
"You mean that little beast, Xiao Fan—not only did he survive, but he has reappeared?"
"Correct."
The Xiao Clan's patriarch replied coolly.
"This…"
For a moment, the Spirit Clan's patriarch was speechless.
This was far beyond his expectations.
That Xiao Tianyun lived, he had foreseen. But Xiao Fan surviving? That was beyond belief. With his Immortal Marrow lost, his body should have been unable to regenerate blood. Add to that his crippled Immortal Body, his young age, and frail body—how could he possibly have survived?
"No… something doesn't add up."
The Spirit Clan's patriarch raised his gaze again, his eyes grave and intense.
"Even if Xiao Fan survived, he should be nothing more than a cripple."
The Spirit Clan patriarch's eyes grew cold.
"A cripple could never have killed Ling Cang. Then just how did Ling Cang die?
Just now, you already said it wasn't Xiao Tianyun's return. Since it wasn't him, who else would dare strike against a Spirit Clan expert?
Could it be that someone else is lurking in the shadows, aiding that little beast Xiao Fan?"
"It was indeed Xiao Fan who killed him."
The Xiao Clan patriarch's voice was low and solemn.
"What? Impossible!"
The Spirit Clan patriarch's expression darkened, his tone heavy.
Ling Cang had not traveled alone—there had been no fewer than five or six Divine Palace Realm experts alongside him. With so many powerful figures, how could Xiao Fan alone slaughter them all?
And besides—how old was Xiao Fan now? Even if he had started cultivating from within his mother's womb, there was no way he could have reached the Divine Palace Realm already.
Not to mention that just a few years ago, his constitution had been crippled, reducing him to nothing more than a mortal.
"It was Li Xun."
The Xiao Clan patriarch's voice turned icy as he slowly explained:
"He set up a formation that suppressed Ling Cang and the others, forcing their cultivation down to the Divine Power Realm. That was the only reason Xiao Fan was able to kill them."
"Li Xun?"
The Spirit Clan patriarch's brow furrowed. The name sounded familiar, as if he had heard it somewhere before.
Suddenly, his body trembled. His voice dropped to a deep rumble:
"Could it be—the Profound Sun Holy Son?"
"Exactly. For some reason, he has taken Xiao Fan as his younger brother, fiercely protecting him. In fact, within a certain secret realm, he even gifted Xiao Fan with a descendant of the Black Tortoise."
The Xiao Clan patriarch spoke slowly.
"This Li Xun is bold indeed. Does he not fear that the Spirit Clan will annihilate the Profound Sun Holy Land he belongs to?"
The Spirit Clan patriarch's face grew dark and cold, his eyes glinting with unrestrained killing intent.
"A mere newly risen Holy Land dares provoke the Spirit Clan? He must truly be tired of living."
"This matter requires caution."
The Xiao Clan patriarch's tone was heavy as he continued:
"Li Xun's backing is not limited to the Profound Sun Holy Land alone. If you strike at him, not only the Spirit Clan but even the Xiao Clan may find themselves riding a tiger, unable to dismount."
"What do you mean?" the Spirit Clan patriarch demanded.
"Li Xun has used some unknown means to draw the loyalty of powerful figures from all sides. Every one of them admires him greatly. To strike at Li Xun would be to simultaneously provoke countless factions."
The Xiao Clan patriarch patiently explained.
"You mean to say… we just sit idly by, watching Xiao Fan grow stronger?"
The Spirit Clan patriarch's tone was displeased.
After all, the Xiao Clan patriarch had just said that Li Xun had only suppressed Ling Cang and the others' cultivation to the Divine Power Realm—yet even so, Xiao Fan had slain them.
That meant Xiao Fan's current strength was already at least at the Profound Elixir Realm, or perhaps even the Divine Power Realm.
From being crippled a few years ago to now reaching this level in such a short time—who knew how terrifying he would become in the future?
If they did not eradicate him now, then once Xiao Fan grew to maturity, even with Xiao Chen's protection, it might not be enough to shield them.
After all, Xiao Chen could not remain in the clan forever.
Not to mention, Xiao Fan now had Li Xun standing behind him. As the Profound Sun Holy Son, Li Xun bore the Scarlet Flame Divine Body—his future accomplishments were not to be underestimated.
If Li Xun himself intervened, then in the future, both the Spirit Clan and Xiao Clan could truly be in danger.
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