Fighting: Practice makes it real, start with a poisonous body.

Chapter 230 A thousand years have passed since I honed this sword, its frosty edge yet to be tested; today I present it to you, who has a grievance to redress!
In an instant, the entire venue fell into a deathly silence, so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Whether it was the various battle saints on the high platform or the thousands of powerful figures watching below, their faces were filled with disbelief.

Xiao Yan really won!

Xiao Yan single-handedly defeated four top geniuses of the ancient clan!
Gu Yuan slowly closed his eyes, his chest rising and falling slightly. Although he tried his best to suppress his emotions, a hint of barely concealed anger still flashed in his eyes.

Xiao Yan endured the excruciating pain that felt like his meridians were being torn apart, slowly straightened up, his gaze fixed on the high platform, and his voice resounding: "As agreed, release my father, my teacher, and all the members of the Xiao family!"

On the high platform, Gu Dao's expression was uncertain.

Should we really keep our promise and let Xiao Yan take the person away? If so, wouldn't all this meticulous planning have been for nothing?

However, if they go back on their word, the ancient clan's reputation will be completely ruined, leaving the world with the impression of being fickle and untrustworthy!

"What an interesting competition..."

Just as Gu Dao was caught in a dilemma, on the high platform to the side, Hun Xuzi curled up a sinister smile, his eyes fixed on the weak Xiao Yan in the arena, his gaze full of interest as he scrutinized him.

His lips trembled slightly, and a barely perceptible wisp of soul power, like a thread, silently entered Gu Dao's ears.

A few breaths later, Gu Dao's expression shifted, all his previous hesitation vanished, and a cold and eerie smile appeared on his lips. He said loudly, "Good! Xiao Yan, you are indeed remarkable!"

As agreed, you can take the person away!

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan was slightly taken aback at first, but then a relieved smile finally appeared on his tense face.

It seems that even a powerful ancient clan wouldn't dare to act recklessly and disregard the gaze of the world. His life-risking battle was ultimately worthwhile.

"Xiao Yan, well done!"

In the area where the Xiao clan lived, the crowd, which had been suppressing their emotions for a long time, finally erupted in thunderous cheers. Everyone raised their arms and shouted, their faces full of relief and excitement at surviving the disaster.

Only the old apothecary showed no joy on his face; instead, his expression grew even more solemn. He stared at the ancient path on the high platform, trying to discern something from that calm face.

But Gu Dao's expression was as calm and still as a deep pool, which only intensified the unease in Gu Dao's heart.

When did these guys change their ways...?

"Xiao Yan, I will never dare to look down on you again!"

Xiao Ning suddenly rushed out from the crowd, her face full of excited tears. She ran all the way to Xiao Yan and opened her arms to give him a big hug.

He used to dislike Xiao Yan, but today, witnessing Xiao Yan risk his life and fight for his family, he felt only shame and admiration.

Xiao Yan smiled. The two of them did have a lot of disagreements when they were young, but the bond of blood was hard to break. Those old stories were like passing clouds, and he no longer cared about them.

Just as Xiao Yan opened his arms to welcome Xiao Ning...

"call out--!"

A piercing whistling sound suddenly rang out!
On the high platform, a jet-black beam of light shot out without warning, moving at extreme speed, and in an instant, it accurately struck the unsuspecting Xiao Ning!
"Do not--!"

Xiao Yan's pupils suddenly contracted, his eyes widened in horror, and he only had time to reach out his hand, but he couldn't grasp anything.

In an instant, Xiao Ning's body, eroded by the dark beam of light, was like paper being burned by a raging fire, quickly turning into ashes that filled the sky, leaving not a trace, and completely disappearing into the air!

Xiao Yan stood frozen in place, his mind blank, until the ashes of Xiao Ning completely dissipated into the air, and the biting cold suddenly gripped his heart.

Xiao Yan suddenly looked up, glaring angrily at the high platform. His gaze instantly pierced through the crowd and landed on Hun Xuzi.

Hun Xuzi sat leisurely in his chair, a few wisps of dark energy still lingering on his fingertips. He looked at him with a half-smile, his eyes full of mockery and undisguised malice!

"What are you doing!"

Xiao Yan roared. His Dou Qi, which was already on the verge of collapse, surged uncontrollably, and the flames around him suddenly flared up.

Hun Xuzi, however, seemed to have heard something amusing, and a sinister smile curled at the corner of his mouth.

"Xiao Yan, the Soul Clan and the Xiao Clan are mortal enemies. Do you really think I would just stand by and watch your Xiao Clan reunite?"

Xiao Yan was filled with rage, but he couldn't do anything to Hun Xuzi. He turned his head and glared at Gu Dao.

Hun Xuzi acted so brazenly in the Ancient Realm; he didn't believe it was done without the authorization of the ancient clans!
Gu Dao's expression was indifferent, as if the tragedy just now had nothing to do with him. He simply said, "Xiao Yan, you won the competition, so you can naturally take the person away."

But you must understand that from now on, the ancient clan will no longer interfere in the safety of the Xiao clan. From now on, the responsibility of protecting your clan will be yours to bear.

Your strength has indeed earned the recognition of my clan, but that's not enough; you still have to face challenges from the outside world!

The clan chief, being kind and mindful of the past relationship between the Xiao and Gu clans, was willing to make an exception online, but the others were not so merciful.

As soon as he finished speaking, Gu Yuan, who had been sitting with his eyes closed, slowly opened them. His gaze drifted between Gu Dao and Hun Xuzi before finally settling on Xiao Yan, a meaningful smile playing on his lips.

“Gu Dao is right, Xiao Yan. You must walk your own path from now on. I will no longer interfere in the affairs of the Xiao Clan.”

"how so……"

Among the Xiao clan, Xiao Yu burst into tears, sobbing uncontrollably, unsure whether she was crying for herself or for Xiao Ning.

The old man's soul floated in mid-air, looking at the situation before him, and sighed heavily.

He shouldn't have come.

Just as the Xiao clan members were at a loss, Gu Dao suddenly changed the subject: "Of course, the previous bet was only between my clan and Xiao Yan."

He raised his hand, his fingertips gathering fighting spirit, and with a gentle stroke on the smooth white jade plaza, a clear boundary line instantly took shape.

Then, Gu Dao slowly spoke up: "If others are still willing to stay in our clan, we welcome them as well."

"Whether you leave with Xiao Yan or seek the protection of my ancient clan, it's entirely up to you."

"What do we do now..."

The members of the Xiao family looked at each other, their faces full of confusion and helplessness.

Xiao Yan clenched his fists tightly, his nails digging deep into his palms, blood dripping from between his fingers. The anger in his chest almost burned him to ashes, but a deeper sense of powerlessness continued to spread.

Having come this far, are we just going to watch our people waver and let all our previous efforts go to waste?
Xiao Yan looked at the cold boundary line on the square, and then at his bewildered clansmen. He felt a tightness in his throat and even his breathing was painful.

“Hun Xuzi, the grudges you formed with the Pill Tower back then are not over yet.”

Just as Xiao Yan was falling into despair, the Pill Tower Ancestor suddenly stepped forward, his eyes blazing as he looked straight at Hun Xuzi on the high platform.

"Oh?"

Hun Xuzi raised an eyebrow, a hint of sarcasm flashing across his face, and said, "Killing my teacher back then was truly not my intention. It's just a pity that my teacher saw through my identity, so he had no choice but to die."

"What do you want? To use this Xuanhuang Exquisite Pagoda to suppress and kill me? I'm so scared..." "Senior!"

A glimmer of hope instantly ignited in Xiao Yan's eyes. The intervention of the Pill Tower Ancestor was undoubtedly a ray of light in his desperate situation.

Before he could even catch his breath, a chilling voice suddenly rang out, extinguishing his newly ignited hope.

Gu Yuan said coldly, "Ancestor of the Pill Tower, don't push your luck."

The Dan Tower has its own profound heritage, so why don't my ancient clans have one too?
Outside, I won't do anything to you, but this is the Ancient Realm. How can you be allowed to harm people so easily!

As soon as he finished speaking, Gu Yuan suddenly waved his sleeve, and countless mysterious patterns instantly appeared on the spatial barrier above the Ancient Realm, with golden light flowing among them, radiating a heart-palpitating pressure.

"This is an ancient emperor's grand formation. In the ancient realm, I possess the power of a half-emperor when I preside over this formation. If you dare to make a move, I will activate the formation and banish you to the endless void!"

A cold look appeared on Gu Yuan's face. He had sensed the moment the Pill Tower Ancestor entered the Ancient Realm. If he didn't have a way to deal with it, how could he not have stopped him?

Ancestor Danta froze, caught in a dilemma.

Once banished to the endless void, even with his cultivation level, he wouldn't be able to return to the Dou Qi Continent for at least a hundred years!

This is a critical moment, and Danta cannot do without him!

Xiao Yan's expression was almost desperate. The Soul Clan and the Ancient Clan were in cahoots. How could he possibly save people?
"Xiao Yan, you are not under the protection of the ancient clan either."

Hun Xuzi's voice rang out again, as if to remind him, but the amusement in his eyes grew even stronger.

Xiao Yan's face stiffened, then turned to one of shock and anger.

“You are quite talented. Although you are not as good as Xiao Jibai, you are still a major threat to our clan.”

Hun Xuzi's fingertips once again emitted a jet-black energy, and that chilling aura caused the surrounding temperature to drop several degrees, yet he hesitated to make a move.

"Ugh."

Just then, Gu Dao suddenly sighed heavily, his face showing a sorrowful and pitiful expression: "Back then, the Gu and Xiao families were so close and had such deep affection for each other."

Xiao Yan, after a thousand years, the Xiao Clan has finally produced a genius like you. I really can't bear to see you perish at the hands of the Soul Clan..."

The pity on Gu Dao's face gradually faded, turning into a calm expression: "Xiao Yan, although you have repeatedly offended my clan, my Gu clan, as an imperial clan, has always been magnanimous."

I will forgive and forget your past mistakes. But the ancient clan cannot stand idly by if Hun Xuzi wants to kill you.

From this day forward, you shall remain in the ancient realm and be protected by my people.

In this way, you can reunite with your father and teacher, wouldn't that be a wonderful thing?

"A good thing?"

Xiao Yan suddenly looked up, his eyes bloodshot. His pent-up anger and humiliation exploded at this moment, and he roared at the high platform.

"No! I don't want your fake help!"

Gu Dao's face darkened, and he said, "No, you need it!"
"Ancient sheep!"

"Yes!"

Gu Yang responded and stepped forward, a ferocious look instantly appearing on his face. He unleashed his full Dou Sheng aura without reservation.

His large hand, imbued with terrifying strength, gripped Xiao Yan like an iron clamp, as he roared, "Come here!"

"No!"

The pressure from the Dou Sheng descended like a mountain, and Xiao Yan felt as if all the meridians in his body were imprisoned, making it difficult for even his fingertips to move.

He could only watch helplessly as the large, veiny hand drew ever closer, and despair overwhelmed him like a tidal wave.

Is it really all over?

Just then, Gu Yuan seemed to sense something, looked towards the spatial passage, and the next second, an uncontrollable smile appeared on his lips.

"Clang, clang, clang—!"

A clear and resounding sword cry suddenly echoed throughout the heavens and earth, like a dragon's roar!
Immediately afterwards, a dazzling golden sword light shot out from the spatial passage, carrying an invincible and sharp aura, and slashed straight at Gu Yang's hand that was grabbing Xiao Yan!
"Tsk-!"

As the sword light flashed past, Gu Yang felt a sharp pain in his palm. He instinctively pulled his hand back and saw a deep, bone-revealing sword wound on his hand, with blood gushing out from the wound!

"Who?"

Gu Yang was furious and suddenly looked up at the spatial passage.

This sudden turn of events instantly drew everyone's attention to the golden spatial passage.

The tense battlefield instantly fell silent, with only the lingering echoes of sword strikes reverberating in the air.

"Who's coming?"

The Sword Master murmured to himself, a hint of bewilderment in his voice.

He turned his head to look at the sword intent that shook his mind, but soon his pupils dilated violently and his whole body froze on the spot as if struck by lightning!
From within the silver spatial portal, a figure dressed in white robes, wielding a three-foot-long green sword, slowly stepped out.

His posture was as upright as a pine tree, and his body was surrounded by a faint golden sword intent that soared into the sky, as if it would split the heavens and the earth apart!

In an instant, everyone's attention was drawn to that domineering and sharp sword intent.

However, no one noticed that at the waist of the white-robed figure, an inconspicuous, ancient jade pendant was swaying gently with his steps!

"I've finally waited for you, you've kept me waiting so long..."

Gu Yuan looked at the white-robed figure with a gratified expression, and an indescribable excitement welled up in his heart.

The moment he saw Su Yun, he knew that the person in front of him was the one he had been thinking about day and night.

"You must be Ji Bai?"

Gu Yuan's expression was gentle, and the more he looked at Su Yun, the more he liked him. He said softly, "What brings you here today?"

Su Yun looked at Gu Yuan on the high platform, his voice as cold as ice: "Seeking revenge."

His eyes were sharp as swords, and all the sword intent in his body was poured into the Green Peak Longsword in his hand. The sword hummed incessantly, and its sharpness became even more intense, as if it would be drawn and drink blood at any moment!

A sword honed for a thousand years, its frosty edge yet to be tested.

Today I present this to you; does anyone have a grievance to redress?
(End of this chapter)