The six advisors felt a chill run down their spines as they witnessed the sudden disappearance of the group right before their eyes. In an instant, a dark understanding took hold of them. The formation surrounding them was not the work of the patriarch; it was a trap, a prison from which there was no escape.
A young man, seemingly no different from the others in terms of cultivation, emerged from that formation, and a fire of anger ignited in their hearts. The Albedo clan and their allies were waiting for them to let their guard down. They had already lost half of their advisors due to negligence, and the advisors suspected that the patriarch himself might be thinking the same and waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike.
Lian remained motionless, with his hands crossed behind his back, observing the advisors with a look of ridicule and contempt. His face displayed an expression of superiority, as if he were witnessing something insignificant before his eyes.
"Isn't the old man going to show up? These little bugs aren't even fun to step on," Lian said, his lips curling into a sarcastic smile while his eyes shone with a mix of disdain and contempt.
"Don't worry, it's just me and the group here. Call the patriarch so I can finish this quickly. Out of respect for some of your ancestors with whom I had some friends, I won't completely destroy the clan. I've only come to gather information, and depending on what I find out, I will leave," Lian calmly stated, making it clear that he did not consider the advisors or the patriarch as a real threat.
All the advisors displayed twisted faces contorted in furious expressions while their eyes gleamed with intense anger. Unable to contain themselves, they decided to attack together, believing that a single young man would not be able to survive and counterattack with the Albedo clan's techniques.
Lian noticed their intentions to attack and smiled strangely. He clenched his fists but did nothing more.
A cold sweat ran down the advisor's forehead as his powerful soul clearly sensed the premonition of death. That young man appeared to be less than 20 years old and had a cultivation level lower than theirs, but they felt a greater pressure than any demon they had ever faced, even greater than the patriarch of the Purplecloud clan in the capital.
An explosion echoed through the surroundings, breaking the wooden prison and freeing the 12 Dark Elves. The advisors felt a wave of hope welling up within them at this new turn in the battle.
Lian then fixed his gaze on the Dark Elves, displaying a mixture of pity and compassion. His eyes, laden with mesmerizing magic, shone brightly, radiating a mysterious aura. In an instant, all the Dark Elves fell into a state of unconsciousness as if they had been enveloped in a deep and irresistible sleep.
Silence spread through the surroundings, broken only by the calm breathing of the unconscious Elves. Lian, with his imposing presence, remained motionless, observing the scene with serenity.
The advisors immediately understood this technique, recognizing it as the "Eyes of Ruin," an advanced stage of the Albedo clan's abilities. They were paralyzed with confusion and astonishment because this technique was exclusive to the patriarchs of the Albedo clan and could only be mastered by an extraordinary cultivator.
However, even if the patriarch were present, it would be impossible to attack the mind of a Core Formation Realm Dark Elf, let alone do it to all twelve Dark Elves simultaneously.
"Who are you? And why are you attacking our clan?" one of the advisors questioned fearfully, now relying only on Lian and his group as the culprits behind the attack.
Lian snorted impatiently and replied, "Very well, I will destroy everything until the patriarch shows up. There is nowhere for you to hide within this formation."
The gnome remained unconscious as Lian decided to test the techniques brought from another world by the Albedo clan.
With a majestic gesture, a bright Qi emerged beside Lian, taking the form of a resplendent sword. He focused all his power on this ethereal weapon, and suddenly the sky darkened, plunging everything into darkness. A sense of death rapidly spread, enveloping everyone present. The air became heavy and oppressive, making it difficult to breathe and evoking a feeling of imminent celestial punishment.
The advisors were paralyzed, unable to move or speak, as they witnessed the terrifying spectacle before their eyes. Lian continued to concentrate his Qi on the sword, increasing its intensity with each passing second. The laws of the world seemed to unravel one by one before the astonished gaze of the onlookers.
The space around the sword began to distort and break frantically, defying reality itself. Fragments of light and shadow danced around the weapon, creating a dazzling yet menacing display.
The techniques of the first and third stages of the Albedo clan elicited a peculiar sensation in Lian. They were practically different versions of soul techniques. The Shiny Blade involved focusing Qi to attack from a distance or enhance the attacks of a weapon.
The Ruin Eyes, on the other hand, were described as a mental attack. If the target had a weak mind or was weakened, they could be struck in their mind, scouring memories, implanting false recollections, or creating illusions.
Furthermore, Lian felt that this technique was something much deeper; it was as if the desire of his mind was being materialized into the physical world. Despite possessing a powerful soul, Lian couldn't use soul techniques due to the damage to his soul.
However, when using these techniques, he felt no discomfort at all. Lian was certain that they had been perfectly adapted for his use. A common mortal wouldn't be able to extract the full potential of these techniques, but someone with a divine soul certainly would.
Saya watched everything with wide, fixed eyes, unable to look away. The first shock came when Lian brought down the twelve Dark Elves with a single glance, and now, in the face of this new power he displayed, her entire body was paralyzed.
A terrible sense of fear gripped her soul as she witnessed the staggering magnitude of Lian's power. Her feathers trembled involuntarily, and her hands grew sweaty.
Beyond the overwhelming fear, regret flooded her mind. Saya realized that Lian possessed a strength far greater than she could have ever imagined. At that moment, she deeply regretted her previous actions, as she realized she had ruined any chance of obtaining Lian's help to save her race. The feeling that he would soon abandon her tormented her mind, filling it with despair and sadness.
Lian continued to accumulate Qi frantically until cracks appeared on the shining sword. He could feel death approaching, knowing that if he continued to accumulate, the sword would explode, and he might even die.
With an agile movement, the sword was launched into the air. A deadly silence hung over the surroundings as if the very world held its breath, awaiting the imminent impact of the apocalyptic strike. The intense glow of the blade sliced through the air with a fearsome aura while everyone watched, paralyzed, with racing hearts.
The patriarch emerged as an imposing shadow before the advisors, aware that if he didn't act quickly, the entire clan's territory, along with its disciples, would be consumed by imminent destruction. His Qi erupted with overwhelming intensity, sparing nothing in its path. In the next instant, five more Dark Elves appeared by his side, each channeling all the power and skill they possessed.
The patriarch's Qi emanated a brilliant and dazzling aura, filled with authority and ancestral power. On the other hand, the Dark Elves radiated a dark and mysterious Qi, shrouded in a veil of darkness and enigma.
The impact of the two powers caused a burst of brute force, creating a shockwave that swept everything around. The shock generated waves of energy that spread through the environment, causing tremors in the ground and stirring the atmosphere. Sparks of light and shadows danced in the air, creating a visually impressive spectacle.
After the dust finally settled, Lian remained motionless in the center of the devastation. His serene gaze surveyed the ruined landscape, where debris was scattered as mute witnesses of the cataclysmic battle that had just taken place. The air was thick with a heavy silence while the metallic scent of blood and the sight of chaos filled the senses.
Around Lian, the scene was desolate. The advisors who had once been filled with arrogance and power were now nothing but bloody mists, their existence erased by the powerful shockwave.
The patriarch, once imposing, knelt in a sea of his own blood, his broken bones bearing witness to the price he paid to protect his clan. Despite being wounded, most of the disciples survived, but in exchange, he used all his strength.
As Lian remained undisturbed, the aura of indifference and mastery that emanated from him was palpable. Nothing seemed to shake his calmness as if chaos and destruction were merely a fleeting spectacle to his eyes.