People in Doupo: The beginning of the game intercepts the rich woman Xun'er

Elder Tongxuan watched the two streaks of dark light disappear into the distance. His brows furrowed slightly for a moment before slowly relaxing. The pressure of his high-level half-saint aura subtly subsided, and he said in a deep voice, "Alright, let them go for now."

He turned to look at Xiao Ling and Xiao Yan, his tone softening slightly, "Although Hun Lin and the other two are despicable, they are ultimately just peripheral elders of the Soul Clan. There is no real evidence for what happened today. If we force them to stay, it will only give them an excuse to make unreasonable demands and will further escalate the conflict between the two clans. It would be a losing proposition."

Xiao Ling stood in the void, his fingertips casually brushing away non-existent dust from his robes, his expression remaining calm.

"Elder Tongxuan is absolutely right. They are just two clowns, not worth us tearing off the mask of civility."

A cold glint flashed in his eyes, but it vanished in an instant.
"Letting them off the hook for now is just a temporary measure. When the reckoning comes, no blood debt will be overlooked."

Gu Qingyang stepped forward, his blue robe fluttering slightly in the wind: "Brother Xiao Ling, Brother Xiao Yan, rest assured, although our Gu Clan does not wish to cause trouble for no reason, we are by no means a soft persimmon to be manipulated. Today's events have already caused the Soul Clan to lose face. In the future, if they want to provoke us again, they will have to think twice about whether they can afford the price."

He swept his gaze across the various races below and said loudly, "As you all have seen, this matter is purely the Soul Clan using this as an excuse to provoke trouble. My Ancient Clan has already done everything it can. If similar incidents occur again in the future, don't blame my Ancient Clan for showing no mercy!"

The people from various races below nodded in agreement. Since the elder of the Soul Clan had fled in panic, the turmoil had been settled, and there was no need to dwell on it any longer.

The journey to the Heavenly Tomb has long since ended. The opportunities and dangers within the secret realm are now in the past. The young prodigies from various races who came to train either gained a lot or had some regrets. At this moment, none of them had the intention to linger in the ancient clan.

The elders who accompanied the guards were even more astute and did not intend to linger in the ancient clan. They had already secretly instructed their clansmen to prepare and were ready to depart at a moment's notice.

Several elders from various clans who had a long-standing relationship with Elder Tongxuan stepped forward and bowed to him across the void, their tone polite yet tinged with reverence.

"Brother Tongxuan, thank you very much for the hospitality of the ancient clan. We will take our leave now and hope to meet again in the future."

Elder Tongxuan smiled and nodded in return, offering a few words of advice to take care on their journey. He watched as they led their clan members, transforming into streaks of light of various colors, and disappeared into the distance in different directions.

In a short while, as Mang Tianchi said goodbye to Xiao Ling and his group and turned to leave, the once noisy airspace became mostly quiet.

With only the members of the Ancient Clan, Xiao Ling and Xiao Yan, and the Ancient Clan disciples standing in the distance remaining in the world, the tense atmosphere gradually subsided.

Seeing that all the tribes had departed and the airspace had returned to peace, Xiao Yan withdrew his gaze and turned to look at Xiao Ling beside him, his tone carrying a hint of inquiry.

"Cousin, now that everything is settled, shall we leave the ancient clan and return to the Starfall Pavilion directly, or is there another plan?"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Ling snapped out of her reverie, turned her head to look at him, her expression still calm, her tone even yet carrying an undeniable certainty.
"Don't rush, this matter isn't urgent. You should rest and recuperate in the ancient clan for the next few days. I still have some things to take care of. Remember not to wander around aimlessly, and there's no need to wait too long. This matter won't take too long. Most importantly, you are not allowed to leave without saying goodbye if you don't hear from me."

At this moment, Elder Tongxuan slowly stepped forward, his gray-blue elder robe brushing against the air, creating ripples. His gaze fell on Xun'er, his tone respectful yet unable to conceal his solemnity.
“Miss, the clan chief has already summoned me, saying there are confidential matters of the clan that he needs to discuss with you in person. He deliberately reminded me to bring this up with you as soon as possible.”

Upon hearing this, Xun'er's delicate brows furrowed almost imperceptibly, but her eyes quickly calmed down. She nodded gently, her tone calm yet conveying an undeniable certainty: "Since Father has summoned me, it must be no ordinary matter. Xun'er understands. I will go with Brother Xiao Ling to see Father later."

Elder Tongxuan's expression suddenly froze, and he was momentarily speechless. He looked up at Xiao Ling beside him, his eyes filled with a strange and unreadable expression. The clan leader's summons was a core secret of the ancient clan, and according to clan custom, it was always the young lady who had an audience with him alone. Xun'er actually said that she wanted to bring Xiao Ling with her.

However, he knew his mistress's temperament well, and Xiao Ling was no ordinary person now, and he was deeply in love with his mistress, so he dared not say anything more, and only bowed slightly in agreement.

Hearing the conversation between the two, Xiao Ling raised an eyebrow, a hint of interest flashed in his eyes, and a faint smile appeared on his lips.

"I had already planned to visit the clan chief later, but this time it saved me a lot of trouble, and it was convenient to go there anyway."

He paused slightly, his eyes narrowing slightly, "However, the trip to the Heavenly Tomb has just ended, and the Ancient Clan Chief is already in a hurry to summon me, even specifically stating that it is an important matter. It must be something extraordinary, which really makes me curious about what has happened."

Xun'er nodded slightly, a soft light appearing in her eyes. She looked up at Xiao Ling, her tone gentle.

“In that case, Brother Xiao Ling, let’s set off now to see Father. As for what important matter has occurred, we should find out soon.”

Xiao Ling nodded in agreement, then turned to look at Xiao Yan, his tone calm but with a hint of caution: "Take care of things here on your own for now, and rest peacefully in the Ancient Clan."

As soon as he finished speaking, he and Xun'er stood hand in hand, their bodies radiating a faint glow. Their figures transformed into a dazzling stream of light, rushing towards the direction of Gu Yuan's residence, their robes fluttering as they tore through the void.

Seeing this, Xiao Yan didn't hesitate. His Dou Qi surged slightly, and his figure transformed into a crimson afterimage as he rushed towards his resting area in the ancient clan. In the blink of an eye, he disappeared.

……

Xiao Ling and Xun'er, transformed into a dazzling stream of light, swept across the ancient clan's territory. The rows of palaces and pavilions below gradually receded into the distance. As they ventured deeper into the ancient clan's heartland, the carved beams, painted rafters, and upturned eaves of the buildings became increasingly sparse, replaced by an ever-rich spiritual energy of heaven and earth, wisps of which enveloped them, soothing their souls.

After walking for a while, a majestic mountain range suddenly came into view. Ancient trees towered on the mountain, their vigorous branches twisting like coiled dragons, and their lush foliage blocked out the sun, enveloping the entire mountain in a tranquil green shade. Occasionally, exotic flowers and rare herbs dotted the forest, emitting a faint fragrance.

The mountains are shrouded in mist and clouds, with spiritual energy rising like a waterfall. Birds and beasts can be vaguely seen darting through the forest, exuding a primitive and wild atmosphere.

Before even approaching the mountain range, Xiao Ling keenly sensed an invisible pressure spreading out. It was a barrier that was difficult to see with the naked eye, with obscure ancient clan runes flowing on it. Its aura was heavy and majestic, completely enveloping the mountain range and exuding an inviolable majesty.

Xun'er was already used to this. She condensed a wisp of pale golden battle qi at her fingertips and gently tapped the void in front of her.

The seemingly indestructible barrier instantly rippled with a gentle wave, automatically creating a passageway.

She turned and smiled faintly at Xiao Ling, then led him straight through the barrier, their figures disappearing into the depths of the spiritually rich mountain range. The moment they passed through the barrier, Xiao Ling felt the surrounding space ripple slightly, as if he had stepped into another world.

When you look back at the mountains, the ancient trees are still lush and green, and the paths are lined with exotic flowers. The misty clouds give it an ethereal feel, but the once sparse scenery now has many more buildings scattered around.

These residences are not ordinary palaces; they are all built along the mountainside and are made entirely of ancient stones that resemble black jade. They are not overly decorated, but exude a natural simplicity and solemnity.

The roof is covered with bluish-gray tiles, and crystal bells hang from the eaves. When the wind blows, the bells ring, and their clear and melodious sound spreads, cleansing the mind and soul.

The buildings are connected by bluestone paths, with a babbling brook beside them. The bottom of the brook is covered with colorful pebbles, and spiritual energy rises up with the water, turning into wisps of white mist that linger among the buildings.

With a clear goal in mind, Xun'er led Xiao Ling straight towards the core area of ​​the mountain range.

The deeper you go, the richer the spiritual energy of heaven and earth becomes, almost tangible. You can feel the pure energy permeating your limbs and bones with every breath.

Before long, a more open valley came into view, and in the center of the valley, a palace carved entirely from warm jade stood quietly.

The palace wasn't grand, but it exuded an indescribable solemnity. Several large luminous pearls were embedded in the ceiling, emitting a soft glow even in daylight. Two jade pillars with coiled dragons stood on either side of the palace entrance; the dragon patterns were so lifelike that they seemed ready to take flight at any moment.

In front of the hall is a flat white jade square. In the center of the square grows an ancient pine tree with a thousand-year history. Its vigorous branches stretch out, and its needles are lush and green. Under the tree, there is a blue stone table and several stone benches, exuding a sense of leisurely tranquility.

There were no guards here, yet an invisible pressure permeated the air. It was the aura accumulated from the long-term residence of a high-level expert, low-key yet commanding respect. Clearly, this was the residence of Gu Yuan, the patriarch of the ancient clan.

Xun'er led Xiao Ling slowly into the Warm Jade Hall. The hall doors slid shut silently, isolating the outside world from its tranquility. The hall was not elaborately furnished, with only the floor paved with uniform black jade. Several jade pillars engraved with ancient clan runes stood on both sides, their shafts shimmering with a faint golden light, making the hall even more serene and solemn.

A faint scent of sandalwood permeated the air, mixed with the purest energy of heaven and earth; inhaling it brought a sense of clarity and tranquility.

As soon as the two entered the hall, before they could even stand still, a deep and calm voice, like a spring breeze caressing the water, entered their ears without the slightest ripple, yet precisely lingered in their ears: "You've arrived."

Xiao Ling's eyes narrowed slightly. The voice came without warning. Before it spoke, he had not sensed any living person in the hall. It was as if only he and Xun'er remained in the entire hall.

The two looked up in the direction of the sound and saw a chair carved from ten-thousand-year-old warm jade standing quietly on the high platform directly above the main hall. Gu Yuan was already sitting on it, having been waiting there for a long time.

"Father."

"Greetings, Chief Gu."

Two voices rang out one after the other. Xun'er curtsied, her tone naturally respectful, while Xiao Ling also bowed slightly, his expression calm yet polite.

Gu Yuan sat upright on the warm jade chair, his gaze slowly sweeping over the two of them. A hint of gentleness flickered in his deep eyes. He raised his hand and said in a deep voice, "No need for formalities."

His voice remained calm, yet carried an undeniable air of authority: "Having returned from the Heavenly Tomb, you must be tired. Sit down and let's talk."

Having said that, he lightly raised his fingertips and gestured towards the two matching jade chairs placed on either side of him. The two jade chairs were made of the same material as the main chair, with simple carvings that exuded a warm and smooth texture. They faced the center of the hall, just right for the two of them to sit down.

Xiao Ling and Xun'er exchanged a glance and nodded in response. The two walked forward side by side and slowly sat down on the jade chair.

As soon as she sat down, Xun'er looked up at Gu Yuan in the main seat, her delicate brows furrowed slightly, her tone filled with concern and doubt, and asked softly, "Father, you summoned Xun'er here specifically because you must have something important to discuss? Has something happened in the clan, or is there a major matter that needs to be decided?"

Her voice was soft yet clear, and her gaze was clear as she looked at Gu Yuan with earnest anticipation for a reply. The trip to the Heavenly Tomb had just ended, and her father was already in a hurry to summon her, which was no ordinary clan matter. She couldn't help but have some suspicions in her heart.

Seeing Xun'er press him for an answer, a hint of seriousness flashed across Gu Yuan's face. He nodded helplessly, his voice lowered and tinged with melancholy: "The Spirit Realm has suddenly shut down."

He paused, his eyes darkening, his tone filled with uncertain worry: "Based on my deductions, this closure was not without reason. There must have been a tremendous internal upheaval, and this time, I fear the odds are against us."

"Eldar?"

Xiao Ling and Xun'er exclaimed in unison, both startled.

Xiao Ling raised an eyebrow slightly, a look of realization flashing across his eyes.

Xun'er, on the other hand, had her brows furrowed and her eyes filled with confusion, clearly still having many questions about the deeper meaning behind the closure of the spirit realm.

Xun'er frowned, her fingertips unconsciously stroking the armrest of the jade chair, her tone full of disbelief: "How could the Spirit Realm suddenly close? No wonder the Spirit Clan, who usually sends their geniuses to participate in this trip to the Heavenly Tomb, didn't even send a single person."

Gu Yuan frowned deeply, his eyes filled with an inscrutable melancholy. He slowly shook his head: "I have no idea why this happened. We have already sent several high-ranking half-saints from our clan to investigate, but all the news they brought back was that they had found nothing. The space that the Spirit Realm originally occupied has now completely disappeared into the world, without even a trace of spatial fluctuation remaining."

He paused, his tone becoming more serious.
"Several elders in the clan who are skilled in spatial deduction exhausted their battle qi to set up secret techniques for detection, but they still failed to detect the slightest clue. This situation does not resemble a spatial collapse, but rather it is as if the entire spirit world has been completely sealed off and hidden by someone with supreme power, and traces have been forcibly erased from this world."

His words betrayed a hint of confusion and apprehension. The power to achieve this level was beyond the realm of ordinary Battle Saints, and even he had to consider it carefully.

If he weren't currently on guard against and secretly restraining the Soul Emperor, he would have already personally crossed realms to investigate, and would never have allowed such a strange matter to remain unresolved. (End of Chapter)