By the riverbank, the gigantic ant thrashed its head and writhed in agitation.
The old chief was hurled back to the shore, staggering a few steps before he managed to regain his footing.
Casting a glance at Huyan Gui, who stood nearby, dumbfounded, he intently declared,
"My son, the presence of this creature in the east is the will of the divine.
If you attempt to resolve it with the strength of the Huyan clan, perhaps you might succeed.
But if you seek to drive it toward the Zuo Qiu clan, it may bring calamity upon our people!"
At his words, Huyan Gui's expression darkened with discontent.
"Must we again entertain that celestial theory?
Father, I am the chief of the Huyan clan now; the future of our lineage rests upon my shoulders!
This monstrosity has already inflicted considerable suffering upon us. If we do not expel it, shall we merely watch as it consumes the resources of the east?"
"Each must bear their own sins; thus, I have come!"
The old chief's white hair billowed in the wind, resembling a lion in its twilight years.
With piercing eyes, he proclaimed, "Most of the conflicts among the three clans were instigated by the Huyan. Now, with blood debts mounting, the deities have sent this beast as punishment...
To ensure the survival and continuity of our clan, I have no choice but to slay this creature!
Should the wrath of the divine be invoked, I, Huyan Wu, shall bear the consequences!"
Upon concluding, the old chief roared and lunged at the massive ant in the river.
Startled, the creature reared its upper body, attempting to fend him off with its forelimbs.
Yet, the old chief skillfully twisted mid-air, slipping through the gaps in its limbs, and delivered a fierce diagonal slash with his curved blade!
Crack!!
This time, he did not strike amiss; the blade found its mark, severing the ant's neck with precision.
"Ha—"
The old chief's eyes widened with fury as his aged arms unleashed an almost youthful vigor, pressing the blade down further!
Splatter!
A torrent of pale yellow, translucent blood erupted, and had the ant possessed vocal cords, it would surely have emitted a wailing cry of agony.
As it collapsed in pain, the cunning creature retaliated, snapping its upper jaw at the old chief!
"Ugh…"
Caught off guard and exhausted, the old chief was seized around the waist, collapsing alongside the ant on the riverbank.
Splash—
The river surged, sending waves taller than a man, while the injured ant writhed desperately on the shore.
The old chief, blood pouring from his midsection, stained the water a deep crimson.
"Beast! Release me!"
Huyan Gui and the remaining surviving cavalrymen rushed in, swinging their curved blades in a desperate attempt to rescue him.
Across the river, the Zuo Qiu clan members exchanged incredulous glances, utterly astonished by the old chief's valiant display!
Huyan Wu.
Fifteen to twenty years ago, this name epitomized the foremost warrior among the three clans!
To their astonishment, after years of silence, the aged Huyan Wu still wielded such terrifying power…
High above, Wang Hui, mounted on his griffin, observed the battle unfold with increasing astonishment etched upon his face.
"To match my ants in such a fierce contest at this age is remarkable!
Even Nalan Huazi, in the prime of his youth, could not reach such heights…"
At this moment, the colossal ant, battered by the onslaught of the Huyan clan, finally released its grip.
The old chief, pale and weary, gazed at his tearful son, Huyan Gui, and managed a smile,
"My son, you just claimed to be the chief of the Huyan clan, arguing back against your father.
Why now, do you weep like a woman?"
"Father, I…"
Huyan Gui wiped away his tears, his voice trembling,
"Why must you risk yourself? Is it truly worth it for the nebulous idea of divine punishment?"
"No, it is not an abstraction; I have witnessed it myself…"
As the old chief spoke, his eyes suddenly widened, and he grasped his son's arm tightly.
"Look! Up in the sky!"
Huyan Gui, initially thinking his father had become confused once more, turned to see several warriors around them gazing in astonishment at the sky.
With a sense of intrigue, he followed their gaze, only to find himself equally mesmerized.
"What… what is that?!"
The members of the Huyan clan all looked upward in unison, while the Zuo Qiu clan on the opposite bank also cast their eyes to the heavens, their mouths agape in shock!
There, a majestic creature with the body of a lion and the head of an eagle hovered, its sharp gaze surveying the surroundings with an air of dominion over all.
The once-mighty ant, now barely clinging to life, seemed to sense an overwhelming threat and struggled to flee.
"Roar—"
The griffin abruptly opened its mouth, unleashing a roar that blended with the cry of an eagle, resonating with a clear warning!
Upon hearing this, the ant froze in fear, lying still as if feigning death.
Witnessing this spectacle, the onlookers' faces turned ashen, arms instinctively raised in preparation for battle.
However, uncertainty gnawed at their hearts.
Just handling the first beast had proven so challenging.
Now, another, more formidable and airborne creature appeared; even if the old chief remained uninjured, it would likely prove a daunting challenge.
"Chief! The figure atop that creature… it resembles the deity summoned by Zuo Qiu Yue using the sacred heirloom!"
Huyan Qingbai, keen-eyed, was the first to notice Wang Hui soaring above the griffin and quickly conveyed the urgency of the situation in a hushed tone.
"Deity…"
Huyan Gui's expression shifted dramatically upon hearing this.
Initially, he had scoffed at the notion, dismissing the so-called "deity" as mere theatrics by the Zuo Qiu clan.
However, after witnessing the dragon horse, the gigantic ant, and now this eagle-headed lion creature, he could no longer ignore the reality before him.
Who else could command such entities, if not a legendary being of unimaginable power?
"May I inquire, are you from beyond the heavens?"
The gravely wounded old chief struggled to sit up, his voice resonating with strength.
Among the hundreds present from both clans, only he, aged and near death, dared to speak out.
"Yes."
Wang Hui did not allow the griffin to descend, channeling the primal energy within him, his voice booming like thunder!
He inquired with keen interest,
"You previously stated that should the divine become enraged, you would willingly accept the consequences.
Are you prepared now?"
Though the distance between them was considerable, Wang Hui's voice struck the ears of the assembly like a hammer, reverberating through their very souls.
"Indeed! To die at the hands of the divine would not tarnish the title of the foremost warrior of the three clans!"
The old chief mustered his strength to rise, laying a firm hand on Huyan Gui's shoulder.
"My son, the lives of over twenty thousand Huyan clan members rest upon your shoulders.
There must be better ways to ensure our survival than through war…
Do you understand?"
Huyan Gui instinctively sought to protest.
But meeting his father's solemn gaze, he opened his mouth, ultimately bowing his head in resignation.
"Son… remember well!"
Only then did the old chief release his hold, lifting his gaze once more to the skies, proclaiming loudly,
"Huyan Wu, I accept the divine punishment!"
"Excellent."
With a swift motion, Wang Hui reached out, and Huyan Wu felt as if an unseen hand grasped him, lifting him and the massive ant into the air!
Amidst the rush of the river, man and beast soared into the distance.
As the other members of both clans processed the events, the figures of Wang Hui and the griffin vanished from sight.
"Father…"
Huyan Gui fell to his knees, tears streaming down his face.
Not long ago, he had believed his father to be a feeble-minded old man, that he alone was the hope of the entire clan.
Now, it was evident that in times of dire crisis, the true pillar of strength remained his father!
"Chief, what shall we do now?"
Hearing Huyan Qingbai's inquiry, Huyan Gui hastily wiped his tears away.
Meeting the anxious gazes of his clansmen, he gradually composed himself.
The former chief had exhausted his final reserves of strength; the new chief could no longer afford to act like a reckless child.
"Let us approach the Zuo Qiu clan across the river and inform them that I wish to speak with… Zuo Qiu Yue!"