The spirits in the sky cheered with unbridled joy. The greatest threat to the clan, Liu Shengrong, the Innate martial artist, had finally been slain. The once-looming crisis was now vanquished, and victory seemed within reach.
On the battlefield, the green light points that had healed and empowered the Chen clan members continued to grant them the upper hand. The Liu clan, already battered and bruised, were steadily losing ground. Though they fought valiantly, their last hope rested on the return of their Innate Elder, but that hope grew dimmer by the minute.
Liu Zishan, who had been anxiously awaiting the return of his granduncle, felt an overwhelming sense of unease. He convinced himself that the elder must have been delayed for some reason or had found greater success elsewhere. After all, with his granduncle’s mastery of several mid-stage Innate battle techniques, how could he possibly be defeated by the Chen clan?
As the battle raged on, Liu Zishan rallied his remaining clan members, urging them to fight on. Despite being injured himself, he fought with a tenacity that belied his wounds. But the endless onslaught from the Chen clan warriors—bolstered by the Divine Tree’s power—was wearing down the Liu clan.
Each blow from the Chen warriors was calculated to avoid vital points, making them near impossible to defeat in a single strike.
Just as Liu Zishan steeled himself to inspire his troops further, a movement in the shadows caught his eye. A figure was approaching from the darkness, and his heart leaped with hope. Had the great elder returned?
But as the figure grew closer, doubt crept into Liu Zishan’s mind. His initial joy dissolved into horror. It was his granduncle—lifeless, carried by a Chen clan member as though he weighed nothing more than a child. The sight of blood trailing from the elder’s corpse sent shivers down Liu Zishan’s spine.
“How is this possible?” Liu Zishan muttered in disbelief. His granduncle had reached the Innate Realm!
The stark reality left him frozen in place, his mind struggling to comprehend the loss.
The sounds of battle brought him back to his senses. Glancing at the few remaining members of his clan, he took a deep breath and shouted,
The morale of the remaining Liu clan fighters shattered upon hearing the command, and they scattered in all directions.
"Hunt them down! Don't let them go!"
Chen Tianyu's voice boomed across the battlefield. He had recovered quickly after Liu Shengrong’s earlier attack, his body strengthened by the Divine Tree’s green light points.
His recent breakthroughs had propelled him to the Great Perfection of the Blood Coagulation Realm, filling him with unmatched courage.
When he saw Chen Qingyu carrying the lifeless body of Liu Shengrong, he had been momentarily stunned, but with the Liu clan retreating, he couldn’t let them escape. Without hesitation, he led the charge, chasing after them.
However, as the Chen clan members pursued the fleeing Liu clan beyond the borders of their stronghold, they noticed something odd—the green light points did not follow them. Those lights, the source of their power, remained behind.
Chen Tianyu and the others soon realized that without the Divine Tree’s protection, things might turn against them.
The remaining Liu clan members, though fewer in number, were still formidable martial artists, many at the late stage of the Blood Coagulation Realm. A wounded tiger was still dangerous.
Just as the Chen clan warriors hesitated, Chen Xingzhen stepped forward. Exhausted but resolute, he called out, "Don't chase!"
He reminded them that their recent success was largely due to the power of the Divine Tree. Beyond its reach, their advantage would be lost.
The Five Viscera Ascension Technique had taken its toll, and they wouldn’t be able to increase their strength again anytime soon.
"But Chief, letting the tiger return to the mountain will bring endless trouble," one of the warriors protested.
Chen Xingzhen sighed. He knew the risks. Though the Liu clan had suffered heavy losses, those who escaped were still their elite.
Given time to recover, they could pose a significant threat in the future. Unlike the Lu clan, whose remnants posed little danger, the Liu clan’s survivors would come back stronger.
Chen Xingzhen waved his hand, silencing further objections.
"No more. My mind is made up."
Inside the Ancestral Hall, Chen Changming and the other spirits shared their concern. If they didn’t eliminate the Liu clan now, they risked future retaliation.
Worse, the Liu clan had knowledge of the Natural Blood Spring. If they chose to spread this information, it could draw the attention of other powerful families, sparking more conflict.
As the spirits pondered their dilemma in silence, a sudden burst of light emanated from the Divine Tree. They all looked up in unison, watching as several locust leaves descended from its branches.
The spirits were puzzled. They knew the leaves had the power to enhance the strength of the Chen clan’s warriors, but what use could they be to souls like themselves? Souls couldn’t interact with the physical world.
Chen Changming’s voice broke the silence, his eyes narrowing as he observed the falling leaves. Unlike before, these leaves weren’t the usual bright green—they were black.
Confusion spread among the spirits, but soon, the leaves landed in their spectral hands. As Chen Changming grasped a leaf, it began to transform, and in less than a heartbeat, a layer of black armor enveloped his soul.
From head to toe, he was clad in armor, his eyes glowing with an eerie light.