While in Battle Through the Heavens, one can pre-appoint oneself as an emperor.

Chapter 369 Before the Tide Rises

The Medicine Clan was destroyed, and none of the powerful sects and alchemists from the Central Plains who went to participate in the Pharmacopoeia returned.

Such a big event could not possibly be kept secret. In just over ten days, the news spread throughout the entire Central Continent.

"The Medicine Clan, the Stone Clan, the Spirit Clan, the Xiao Clan—the eight ancient clans—now only half remain!"

"A friend of a friend of mine is a member of the Yan Clan and has some inside information. It is said that on the day the Medicine Clan was destroyed, problems also arose within the three clans of Gu Lei Yan, all of which were led by the Soul Clan."

"What exactly is this Soul Clan trying to do?"

Traveling through the Central Plains, one can see people discussing things everywhere. Some are worried, feeling that no one is safe when the nest is overturned, and that they might be caught in the crossfire. Others are genuinely laughing, wishing that all the ancient races would disappear.

While opinions were divided in the Central Plains, the ancient races were also far from at peace.

Since the loss of the Tuoshe Ancient Emperor Jade in their clan, the three clans of Gu Lei Yan have all conducted a top-down investigation, fearing that the spies would be involved again.

But before this matter could be resolved, the three clans discovered that the news that they had obtained the last piece of Tuoshe Ancient Emperor Jade from Chen Xiao had been leaked!

What's most frustrating is that they have no idea who leaked the information or from which tribe.

On the summit of a mountain in the Ancient Sacred Mountains.

The three clan leaders were gathered here, but none of them looked very good.

"Only King Heiyan and I know about this matter within the Ancient Clan. Even the three members of the Ancient Dao Clan are unaware of it. It was definitely not leaked by anyone under my Ancient Clan," Gu Yuan said calmly.

"I never told anyone in the clan, so it couldn't have been me who spread the word, could it?" Yan Jin frowned.

"Me too," Lei Ying echoed.

"Since it wasn't us who leaked it, it must have been Chen Xiao. This kid has a deep prejudice against our ancient races. If the four races fight to the death, without a doubt, that's the result he wants to see most!" Yan Jin slammed his hand on the table, his angry expression quite intimidating.

However, Gu Yuan shook his head firmly: "It wasn't him. I can't go into details, but I can guarantee with my integrity that this matter has nothing to do with him."

Upon hearing this, Yan Jin and Lei Ying were immediately stunned.

It's neither this nor that, could it be a ghost?

Seeing their utterly bewildered expressions, Gu Yuan sighed softly, "It's no longer important to investigate where the information leaked from. What we should be considering now is how to deal with the Soul Emperor and the Soul Clan!"

"The fate of the Medicine Clan is imminent. The fact that the Soul Clan was able to wipe them out so quietly shows how deeply the Soul Clan was hiding. Compared to them, even my Ancient Clan is far inferior. The Thunder Clan and the Flame Clan are naturally the same."

"Our primary task now is to protect this Emperor Jade in our hands and prevent the Soul Emperor from collecting it all. Lei Ying, Yan Jin, tell me, how can we ensure that this Emperor Jade is absolutely safe?"

Upon hearing Gu Yuan's question, Lei Ying and Yan Jin also fell into deep thought.

The Medicine Clan's experience proved that their previous alliance method was not secure; merely connecting the four clans could not guarantee safety and was easily concealed.

Therefore, it is absolutely necessary to make changes!

Just as the two were deep in thought, Gu Yuan raised the stakes again, flipping his hand to take out a strange corpse from his storage ring.

It has a human form, but its pupils are deeply sunken, and its limbs have sharp claws. Just one glance at it gives people a very uncomfortable feeling.

"This is—" Lei Ying and Yan Jin's pupils contracted slightly.

"That's right, the Devouring Spirit Clan!"

Gu Yuan nodded solemnly, "When the Stone Spirit Clan disappeared before, I had some suspicions. It wasn't until the Medicine Clan was in trouble this time that we rushed over. The Soul Clan hadn't even had time to clean up the battlefield yet. It was only when we were fighting with the Soul Emperor that I noticed this thing. Now we can confirm that the Soul Clan is frequently attacking ancient races for two reasons."

""

"One is to collect the ancient jade of Tuoshe."

"The other reason is for the power of their bloodline! This is the fundamental reason why the Soul Clan, whose lineage has been passed down for far longer than ours, has seen its bloodline power decline at an incredibly slow pace!"

Looking at the Devouring Spirit Clan corpses in front of them, Lei Ying and Yan Jin's expressions were extremely grim.

They did not doubt that Gu Yuan was lying. After actually seeing the corpse of the Devouring Spirit Clan, many of their previous doubts became clear instantly.

And that is indeed the case.

Gu Yuan did not lie about this matter.

"In other words, even though our clan's Tuoshe Ancient Emperor Jade has fallen into the hands of the Soul Emperor, it's still possible that the Soul Clan will target it!"

"What a Soul Clan! What a Soul Emperor! His ambitions are truly wolfish! Since we have no way out, let's fight the Soul Clan to the bitter end. I refuse to believe that our three clans, joining forces, can actually let him succeed!"

As Lei Ying finished speaking, Yan Jin nodded in agreement.

There is no way out but to fight to the death!

"Gu Yuan, let's unite our three races and launch a preemptive strike. There's no such thing as being able to guard against a thief forever. We won't have peace of mind until the Soul Clan is eliminated. Rather than tormenting ourselves like this, let's end it quickly, unite our forces, and bring out the Tuoshe Ancient Emperor Jade. The Soul Emperor will surely come to fight for it. Let's engage him in a few head-on battles!"

It wasn't that Lei Ying and Yan Jin wanted to be radical; for them, it was something they had no choice but to do.

If this drags on, and the Soul Clan has prepared everything to take action against them, it might be too late then.

Therefore, the best approach is to compete with the Soul Clan while the strength of the three races remains intact!

Even if no one benefits in the end, as long as the Soul Clan can be weakened to the greatest extent, that is enough.

"It seems we're on the same page!" Gu Yuan nodded slightly.

And so, the three clan leaders discussed many details again before concluding today's negotiations.

..

Thunder Realm.

Upon his return, Lei Ying immediately summoned the clan's strongest members for a meeting. His solemn expression was somewhat intimidating, causing many elders to feel uneasy.

"Chieftain, has something happened?"

Once most of the powerful figures had arrived, one of the more impatient elders spoke up first.

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone looked at Lei Ying.

Among them were Mang Tianchi, who had some connection with Chen Xiao, and Lei Dong, the most outstanding genius of the Lei Clan, who had been groomed to be the next Lei Clan leader.

Under the watchful eyes of many, Lei Ying took a deep breath and slowly raised his head. "Today, after discussing with Yan Jin and Gu Yuan, I have decided—"

Without hiding anything, Lei Ying briefly recounted the whole story.

Immediately, a heated discussion broke out in the main hall.

Although the impending head-on confrontation with the Soul Clan was somewhat unexpected, no one questioned Lei Ying's decision.

"Chieftain, we are ready to serve at any time!"

Hearing the cheers of the elders, Lei Ying felt somewhat gratified.

But more than anything, there was helplessness.

He shook his head and said, "You only know one side of the story. Even if we win this battle against the Soul Clan by sheer luck, the Thunder Clan will be severely weakened, and may even be rendered obsolete!"

"Not only my Thunder Clan, but the Flame Clan is the same."

"If we lose—the Thunder Clan will surely follow in the footsteps of the Medicine Clan!"

"Although Gu Yuan didn't reveal any flaws today, I can sense that he is intentionally trying to drag the Lei Yan clan into the game. But I don't understand what benefit he would gain from deliberately leaking the news that he obtained the Tuoshe Ancient Emperor Jade. After all, the ancient clans cannot escape this struggle either."

Every seemingly inexplicable action has its reasons.

If you can't see through it, it only means that your energy is not high enough and your strength is not strong enough!

After glancing at the equally bewildered faces in the hall, Lei Ying took a deep breath and made his final decision.

"From this day forward, ThunderClan, prepare for war!"

"But Mang Tianchi, you don't need to participate. Don't rush, wait for me to finish speaking."

"Given this crisis, our clan must preserve its lineage. Your mission is to lead Lei Dong, Lei Yun, and the others to quietly leave the Lei clan. This is a precautionary measure. I will give you a list later."

Upon hearing his name called, Lei Dong was about to refuse.

His strength is considerable, surpassing many elders, making him a formidable force.

Before he could speak, Lei Ying gave him a deep look, the earnestness in his eyes making Lei Dong's heart tremble, and he swallowed back the words that were on the tip of his tongue.

"Clan leader, why me?" Mang Tianchi asked, getting up with some confusion.

He was only a one-star Dou Sheng, and his strength was at the bottom of the hierarchy in the hall at this moment, even inferior to Lei Dong.

I thought all I had to do today was follow orders, but I never expected that Heaven would bestow a great responsibility upon me.

"Because of Canaan Academy!"

Lei Ying's gaze was intense as he said in a deep voice, "You are the dean of Canaan Academy. Even Chen Xiao studied at Canaan Academy. This is a connection. He helped you advance to the Dou Sheng realm in the Void Thunder Pool. Although this was a transaction, it also shows that you are someone he can talk to, and the only person in my Lei Clan who has a relationship with him."

"As for Chen Xiao's identity, I probably don't need to emphasize it; he is Gu Yuan's son-in-law!"

"I can't understand why Gu Yuan did this, but this old fellow still has some humanity left. He certainly wouldn't betray his own daughter and son-in-law as well."

Due to limited information, Lei Ying always felt that Gu Yuan was the mastermind behind this open conspiracy.

Not only him, but Yan Jin thought the same way.

Don't be fooled by their simple-mindedness and physical strength when they appear before Gu Yuan. A person who could become the leader of a clan is far from being so simple.

Often, it's better to see through something than to say it.

Just like what Gu Yuan said to the Black Annihilation King, what you say is not important, what matters is what you do.

However, Lei Ying and Yan Jin were helpless because even though they saw through this blatant conspiracy, they had no way to refuse.

In this world, strength ultimately reigns supreme!

"I understand. I will not let the clan leader down. As long as I am alive, I will ensure nothing happens to them!"

The occasion was so serious that it temporarily cured Mang Tianchi's verbal tic, and he made a solemn promise.

Perhaps his strength is not as good as Lei Dong's, and his potential is not as good as many of the geniuses in the clan, but he has lived to this age, and in many ways he is incomparable to these young people.

This is also the fundamental reason why Lei Ying put him in charge, rather than letting the more capable Lei Dong take charge.

"Okay, you can go and prepare now. Come find me again tonight."

At the same time, in different places.

In the Flame Realm of the Flame Clan, a similar scene is unfolding.

.

However, none of the Yan Clan members had any dealings with Chen Xiao. After some deliberation, Yan Jin decided to entrust the clan's fire seed to Huo Xuan and Huo Zhi, along with many of the Yan Clan's secrets, and then—

Leave immediately!

He didn't ask where Huo Xuan and Huo Zhi were going, nor did he offer any suggestions.

"Even I don't know where they've hidden themselves. Gu Yuan, Soul Emperor, if you can still make my Yan Clan extinct like this, then I'll accept it!"

Soul world.

The Soul Emperor had already received the message deliberately released by Gu Yuan, and knew that the last piece of the Tuoshe Ancient Emperor Jade was in Gu Yuan's hands.

However, he didn't rush to make a move, as if he knew nothing about it.

After returning from the world of medicine, the Soul Emperor devoted all his energy to receiving the powerful members of his clan.

One after another, the Soul Emperor personally received every Soul Clan expert at the Battle Saint level.

The purpose of doing this is only one: to eliminate the hidden hand left by the Void Devouring Flame!

When the Void Devouring Flame was with the Soul Clan, the Soul Emperor had long been aware of it, but chose to turn a blind eye.

But things are different now.

With the disappearance of the Void Devouring Flame, there is a possibility that it will become a tool in the hands of others, and these hidden dangers must be eliminated as soon as possible.

It wasn't that the Soul Emperor cared so much about these powerful members of his clan; it was just that he needed people he could trust to use!

Thanks to the terrifying number of Soul Clan Battle Saint experts, Soul Emperor was kept very busy for quite some time until today, when he finally managed to handle the matter properly and had time to review it.

After pondering intently without moving for a full half hour, the Soul Emperor's body finally trembled slightly.

"The Ancient Dragon of the Void, Chen Xiao—"

"You really have a clever plan to make me wipe out all the ancient races for you."

"However, this suits my purposes perfectly, so why not let you play the role of sparrows for now!"

Taking a deep breath, the Soul Emperor got up and walked in one direction.

The disappearance of Void Flame is a huge loss.

But what's done is done, and there's no use in lamenting it now.

The biggest difference between the Soul Emperor and Gu Yuan is that he neither takes back his moves nor cheats on them!

This person has extremely strong self-confidence.

Even though many things have gone wrong now, as long as I am still here, the Soul Emperor's goal will not change. Losing Void Devouring Flame is just losing an ally and perhaps gaining another opponent.

Of course, this is also because the Soul Emperor knows very little about the situation inside the Ancient Emperor's Cave. He doesn't know that to suppress the Emperor-grade embryonic core inside the Ancient Emperor's Cave, he needs the Core Transformation Divine Technique. Otherwise, he would definitely find it difficult to maintain his current state.

After all, only the Void Devouring Flame knows the Elixir Transformation Technique now!

Without this technique, below the level of Dou Di, apart from Chen Xiao, almost no one could suppress him.

Perhaps, there is some hope that Bodhi can recover to its peak.

With a blank expression, the Soul Emperor soon arrived outside a specially made prison.

Here, the chieftain of an ancient race is imprisoned!

He is also the only Grand Dou Master—no, now he is the patriarch of an ancient race at the Dou Huang level!

"The Tuoshe Ancient Emperor Jade of the Xiao family has appeared."

Upon hearing the words of the Soul Emperor, Xiao Zhan numbly raised his head, a hint of a smile flashing in his eyes.

The reason he has survived until now is that the Soul Clan was unsure of the exact location of the Emperor Jade of the Xiao family, and there is a possibility that Xiao Yan hid it.

Now that the Soul Clan has confirmed the location of the Emperor Jade, Xiao Zhan is no longer of any value.

The thought of finally ending this endless torment brought a smile of relief to his face.

"Don't be so happy yet. You now have a different kind of value to me!"