421: Duan He ran away

Deep in a certain canyon, a figure stood in the center of a blood lake.

Strange, pitch-black mist swirled around its body, with wisps of twisted Spiritual Qi threads floating within the mist, emitting a terrifying pressure.

This aura was definitely not something an ordinary Cultivator would possess; it was cold, carrying the Origin of a Nascent Soul. A mere glance from afar was enough to make one feel as if they had fallen into an ice cellar, making their Divine Soul tremble.

As time passed, the aura became increasingly thick and viscous, seeping into every inch of the canyon's soil like tangible ink.

The ancient trees that had originally grown tenaciously by the lake instantly withered and turned black, their branches and leaves falling with a rustle, turning into ash.

The insects hiding in the rock crevices could not escape in time and were swallowed by an invisible force.

In just half an hour, the once lush canyon had turned into a land of death; the ground cracked with spiderweb-like patterns, and the air was filled with a dead, decaying smell.

Only the misty figure in the center of the blood lake continued to inhale and exhale ominous Qi.

"Not enough. Still far from enough."

After a long while, the mist dissipated, revealing a body as massive as a small mountain.

He tossed it aside casually, and a skeleton, which looked like a toy in his hands, slammed onto the ground.

"Since that is the case... then..."

His gaze swept across the horizon. He locked onto a direction, leaped up like a cannonball, and turned into a massive black shadow that whistled away into the distance.

Immortal mountains and pavilions stretched for a hundred miles, shrouded in clouds and mist.

Within the Myriad Heavens Palace, young Cultivators were focused on Cultivating, and there were also Disciples who had retreated from the front lines to rest.

The buildings and courtyards remained, but they were a bit more desolate.

In front of the Seventh Elder's Immortal Cave, there was an old man with an immortal bearing and a beautiful woman; such a combination was somewhat awkward.

Fang Yanzu was lying comfortably in the sun, dozing off, while Lin Qingxuan sat cross-legged beside him Cultivating. Suddenly, her expression turned serious, and she whispered: "Husband, a powerful expert is approaching."

"It's fine, it's fine, they are friendly forces."

Fang Yanzu did not even lift his eyelids, remaining nonchalant.

The next moment, several figures landed; it was Chu Shuang and the others.

Fang Yanzu glanced at them, slightly surprised: "So it's Little Shuang. Long time no see, how have you been lately?"

"Junior Chu Shuang pays respects to the Seventh Elder and his wife!"

Chu Shuang saluted first, and the accompanying experts did not dare to be negligent, bowing in unison: "We pay respects to the Seventh Elder and his wife!"

"Thank you for your concern, Senior. In these past fifty years, Chu Shuang..."

While Chu Shuang was exchanging pleasantries with Fang Yanzu, the accompanying experts were secretly observing the two in front of them.

This Seventh Elder appeared old, but his Qi and blood were actually flourishing.

As for the other one, although she looked young and her appearance hadn't changed, it was hard to hide the signs of declining Qi and blood between her brows.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Fang Yanzu knew well that "one does not visit the temple without a reason," so he simply said bluntly: "If you have something to say, feel free to speak directly."

Who would have thought that as soon as Chu Shuang opened her mouth, it was like a thunderclap.

"What! A death battle of Nascent Souls, and True Lord Qing Lie has been missing for many days?"

"Yes, our clan's coalition is now a group of dragons without a head. I implore you, Senior, to come out and take charge of the overall situation!"

Fang Yanzu sat up abruptly, his expression grave: "What about the other Elders? What about those with higher seniority and strength?"

Looking around, he suddenly realized that the Elders of his generation were either dead or injured; now, he, Fang Yanzu, was actually the "tallest" in the clan.

"Wait, there is one more person!" A sharp light flashed in Fang Yanzu's eyes.

"The Ninth Elder, Duan He! I believe he will definitely be up to the task!"

"The Seventh Elder's words are very true," Chu Shuang shook her head with a bitter smile.

"We initially sought out the Ninth Elder, but he told us to come and invite you instead..."

The accompanying experts couldn't help but secretly sigh in their hearts; the position of leader of the coalition, which so many people coveted, was actually being pushed back and forth between two Elders like a hot potato.

"Dammit! Follow me, I will personally go and call him to take the job!"

Fang Yanzu was enraged and led the group straight to the Ninth Elder's Immortal Cave of Duan He, but only found a letter left on the desk inside.

The letter was long, but the core meaning was only one thing: he, Duan He, had run away.

Several hundred miles away, a figure was speeding along.

An extreme sense of unease surged into Duan He's heart like a tide.

Having Cultivated for hundreds of years, he had never experienced such intense palpitations. That inexplicable feeling of danger made him instinctively feel fear.

Therefore, he decisively ran away.

He abandoned all ties and left behind the Myriad Heavens Palace where he had stayed for almost his entire life.

Where to run? It didn't matter.

Staying alive was the most important thing.

Longevity, or rather "staying alive," had long since become the only obsession in Duan He's heart.

He ran away gracefully, but Fang Yanzu was completely caught in a dilemma.

"Thump!" Chu Shuang led everyone to kneel together, pleading loudly: "We implore the Seventh Elder, for the survival and continuation of our clan, to take charge of the overall situation!"

After speaking, she unceremoniously draped the Daoist robe, which symbolized the leader of the coalition, onto Fang Yanzu.

"Oh my, you have really made things miserable for this old man."

The matter was settled; the great cause of the clan could not be delayed.

Lin Qingxuan remained to guard the Myriad Heavens Palace, while Fang Yanzu and Chu Shuang's group traveled through the night to rush to the border of the two races.

The main camp stretched for dozens of miles, with tents arranged in an orderly fashion, but it could not hide the chaos that had arisen in recent days due to the lack of a leader.

The patrolling Cultivators had unsteady steps, and the alert Spiritual Qi at the guard posts also seemed lax.

There were even many Cultivators gathered in various parts of the camp, either whispering rumors about the current situation or worrying about the safety of the rear; their brows were filled with anxiety.

Suddenly, a dozen streams of light streaked over.

It was Chu Shuang and other long-famous Golden Core Cultivators, who were accompanying an old man dressed in a simple Daoist robe as they flew in from afar in a high-profile manner.

Fang Yanzu let out a soft hum, and the aura he had cultivated for over four hundred years slowly dissipated.

Golden Core Peak!

In an instant, the noisy sounds throughout the camp stopped abruptly.

"That is the Seventh Elder of the Myriad Heavens Palace, the old Senior Fang Yanzu!"

Someone recognized this face, which, although old, was known to everyone in the Starry Sky Wing Clan, and the exclamation was filled with unbelievable ecstasy.

There was no other reason; it was just that this Seventh Elder was too cautious, and his luck was too good.

Many Elders had been replaced round after round for various reasons; he was one of the few surviving members of the older generation, besides True Lord Qing Lie.

The news spread through the camp as if it had grown wings. The originally dejected Cultivators poured out of their tents one after another, their eyes burning as they looked toward the camp gate, wanting to catch a glimpse of his esteemed appearance.

No one dared to question anything; how could someone who could become a Seventh Elder of the Myriad Heavens Palace be an incompetent person?

Fang Yanzu did not hesitate in the slightest and, led by Chu Shuang, walked straight toward the central military tent.

Along the way, the Cultivators bowed and saluted one after another, not daring to look directly at him.

When he stepped into the large tent, a large number of powerful experts from the Starry Sky Wing Clan had already gathered inside.

"Greetings, Seventh Elder!"

In an instant, countless burning gazes looked over; they were all waiting for Fang Yanzu to issue orders to stabilize the morale of the army.

But the problem was, how would Fang Yanzu know any art of managing people? He only knew the art of managing women.

But facing everyone's eager eyes, Fang Yanzu had to say a few words.

"Ahem, the border region has seen over fifty large-scale wars throughout history; the rights and wrongs are hard to discuss."

"But historians have all noted that it is precisely on this battlefield that the rise and fall of our clan have been decided; this one rises and that one falls, which is why there is the saying of 'vying for the world'."

"Four hundred years ago, when I first embarked on the path of immortality, our clan's military might was at its Peak, wiping out numerous savage alien races, standing proudly in the four domains of east, west, south, and north; it could truly be said that we occupied all the advantages of the times."

"That state of vigorous vitality and everything competing for growth is still before my eyes."

"I do not understand!"

"Why is everyone now talking about True Lord Qing Lie's disappearance, as if this border battlefield is destined to be ominous for us."

"No matter how you put it, the battle force is 300,000 against 210,000; the advantage is with me!"

After a principal-style speech, there was immediate applause filling the hall.

"Phew, finally passed the first hurdle."