On the far western edge of the Central Plains, two figures swiftly cut through the sky, streaking across the heavens.
At this moment, Gu Fei was dressed in a black and gold robe, his sharp eagle-like eyes scanning the lands below. Trailing behind him was Ling Xi, her long, snow-white hair flowing gracefully in the wind, giving her an ethereal and otherworldly beauty.
Her slender figure soared behind him like a celestial being. Bringing this girl back home now, it seemed she could hardly contain her excitement. However, when he glanced back at her following behind him, he was surprised.
"Hmm?" He furrowed his brow.
Contrary to what he expected, her usually calm face showed a trace of unease and anxiety. Her brows were slightly furrowed, and a look of worry flickered in her beautiful eyes. By all logic, this girl should be overjoyed right now.
"What's wrong? Are you feeling homesick?" He noticed something troubling his beloved disciple and softly inquired.
She seemed to be lost in thought, taking a moment to react. "Master, I don't know... I just have a bad feeling." She shook her head, her tone filled with confusion. "It feels like..."
Hearing this, his frown deepened. He wasn't the only one feeling unsettled.
Truthfully, Gu Fei himself had sensed something amiss. It seemed they couldn't afford to delay any longer. "If that's the case, let's pick up the pace."
After pondering for a moment, his body suddenly lit up with a brilliant golden light, his speed increasing dramatically. She quickly followed suit, circulating her energy to keep up.
The two figures transformed into streaks of light, racing through the sky at an incredible speed toward the Ling Realm.
After flying for an unknown amount of time, the entrance to the realm finally appeared ahead of them. However, when they approached, what greeted their eyes left them in shock.
The entrance, which should have been guarded by Ling Clan experts, was now completely deserted. The surroundings were eerily silent, and even more alarming, the realm's space barrier had been entirely sealed, like an invisible wall cutting it off from the outside world.
"This isn't right. Normally, this wouldn't happen..." she murmured quietly, her unease growing stronger. As the clan's favored daughter, she had always trusted her instincts, which had never failed her.
Now, with this unsettling feeling weighing on her, she feared her clan was in serious trouble. Could the clan still be safe? The thought caused a pang of pain in her chest.
At this moment, his brows were tightly knit as his mind replayed the scene when he had last seen Gu Yang at the Gu Clan's ancestral shrine. That old fox's smug expression now seemed far more suspicious in retrospect.
Regardless of the specifics, the Hun Clan had always been meticulous and ruthless in their actions. This matter had likely been planned for a long time.
For the Ling Clan to be completely sealed off… it was highly likely the Hun Clan was involved!
"Could it be... they have made their move?" He murmured, his eyes flashing with a cold light.
If they had indeed attacked the Ling Clan, the situation was far worse than they had anticipated. The Ling Clan did not possess the strength to stand against them. Furthermore, knowing the Hun Clan's typical ruthlessness and precision, they wouldn't have sent weaklings for such a task.
This was bad!
"It seems we'll need the patriarch's intervention!" Gu Fei took a deep breath, determination gleaming in his eyes.
Without hesitation, he retrieved a crystalline jade slip from his robes. This was the spatial jade slip given to him by Gu Yuan, designed to summon him in times of crisis. Now was certainly one of those times.
(TL/n: Having the continent's peak powerhouse on speed dial..)
Without further thought, he crushed the jade slip.
In an instant, the sky darkened!
The fragments of the jade slip transformed into tiny specks of starlight, which converged in the void, forming a complex symbol.
The symbol radiated dazzling light, as if it were illuminating the entire sky. Then, it began to spin rapidly, creating a massive vortex. At the center of the vortex, the space began to distort and warp, and a crack slowly appeared.
The crack grew larger and larger until it became a portal large enough for a person to pass through. The portal emitted an unsettling aura, as though it connected to a distant and mysterious realm.
The next moment, a figure stepped out of the portal.
The man was tall, dressed in a majestic robe, exuding an air of authority. His gaze was sharp and penetrating.
It was none other than the patriarch of the Gu Clan!
As Gu Yuan appeared, the entire world seemed to fall silent. His terrifying aura as a peak Nine-Star Dou Saint enveloped the surrounding hundreds of miles, causing the very air to feel as though it had frozen.
"What's wrong?" He asked, his voice deep and powerful. He had given Gu Fei this jade slip so it could be used in moments of great danger. Now that he had used it, it indicated a significant event had occurred.
However, upon arriving, there didn't seem to be any enemies present, which puzzled him.
Suddenly, his expression froze.
"This is... the far western region!" Gu Yuan surveyed the surroundings, his brows furrowing deeply.
"Could it be... the aura of the Nihility Devouring Flame?" His expression became even more solemn.
With his incredible perception as a Nine-Star Dou Saint, he quickly sensed the aura of the Heavenly Flame.
"Patriarch, the Ling Realm has suddenly sealed itself off. Something is terribly wrong. You've sensed the Nihility Devouring Flame, and I fear the Hun Clan is currently inside, slaughtering them!" Gu Fei explained urgently.
"They dare to act so boldly?" His brow tightened, a flicker of anger flashing in his eyes.
The reasons behind the Hun Clan's invasion were no mystery to him. Now, there was no way he could stand idly by!
Without further hesitation, he raised his right hand, his fingers spreading slightly. In his palm, a brilliant golden light began to gather, radiating an overwhelming power, as though a miniature sun was blooming in his hand.
With a gentle push, the golden orb shot toward the seemingly impenetrable space barrier in front of them.
In an instant, the world changed!
As the golden orb flew, it evaporated the air in its path, leaving behind a vacuum. The enormous pressure swept across the land for miles, and even Ling Xi had to hide behind Gu Fei to withstand it.
When the orb struck the Ling Realm's space barrier, a deafening explosion echoed across the sky.
"Boom!"
The terrifying energy wave radiated outward, shattering clouds and shaking the ground as though a massive earthquake had struck.
Gu Fei, witnessing the scene, was left speechless. The sheer power of his casual attack was awe-inspiring.
Though he had heard tales of the terrifying strength of a peak Nine-Star Dou Saint, seeing it firsthand was far more astonishing. Gu Yuan's effortless attack could manipulate the forces of nature and alter the very laws of the world.