While the player is in Battle Through the Heavens, the system is in The Great Ruler

Chapter 381 The Evil Clan's Revenge, Maha's Fall

A few days later, at the summit of the main peak of the Qingmai lineage of the Futu Ancient Clan.

The stone pavilion remains, and the sea of ​​clouds churns, but the crisp sound of chess pieces being placed is gone.

Holding a communication jade talisman that had just dimmed, Qing Xuanjun's usually composed face now showed no trace of shock, and he remained silent for a long time.

After a long while, he slowly put down the jade talisman, exhaled a long breath of turbid air carrying spiritual light, turned to look at Lu Yu opposite him who was still calm and composed, as if he was just admiring the changing clouds, and exclaimed in disbelief: "Emperor Yan and Martial Ancestor—they actually joined forces to capture the Black Erosion Demon Emperor alive, and even directly repelled the Heaven-Slaying Demon Emperor, who was among the top ten in the rankings?"

He paused, then looked intently at Lu Yu with a mixture of inquiry and understanding: "Holy Son, you—already knew that Xiao Yan and Lin Dong had already broken through to the Saint-Rank Heavenly Sovereign realm?"

Lu Yu picked up the slightly cool teacup on the stone table, took a sip, and did not answer directly, but a faint smile appeared on his lips.

Qing Xuanjun didn't care and sighed to himself, "That kid Xiao Yan is fine—I've watched him get to where he is today."

"His talent for alchemy is truly unparalleled. Nowadays, when I want to refine some pills, I sometimes have to swallow my pride and ask that kid for help."

He shook his head, his tone a complex mix of awe and trepidation, "I just didn't expect him to have reached such a level of cultivation so quietly—"

He turned his gaze to the void outside the pavilion, as if he could see the northern battlefield across endless distances, and continued, "What I didn't expect was that Lin Dong—when he first came to the Great Thousand World, he traveled around looking for his wife. Although he had some strength, he never showed much of his prowess."

"I originally thought that when you recruited him, Your Holiness, you valued his loyalty and sense of justice more than anything else—"

Qing Xuanjun withdrew his gaze and looked at Lu Yu again, his eyes filled with admiration: "Now it seems that the Holy Son truly has keen insight and foresight. These two are no ordinary people; now that they have both broken through to the Saint rank, their combined strength has even forced back a notorious figure like the Demon Emperor of Heaven—"

"My Lingbao Pavilion, no, my entire Great Thousand World, has truly gained two more pillars supporting the heavens!"

Lu Yu put down his teacup, his gaze distant: "They were extraordinary to begin with, and their breakthrough was just a natural progression. The world is vast and full of talented people. In the future, what we need to fight against the extraterrestrial evil race is precisely this kind of sharpness and strength."

He paused, then looked at Qing Xuanjun, "Chief, news of this battle has spread, easing the pressure on the Northern Border for the time being, but the extraterrestrial evil race will certainly not let this go. Next, all sides will likely take action."

Qing Xuanjun's expression turned solemn, and he nodded: "What the Holy Son says is absolutely right. After this battle, the name of Emperor Yan, the Martial Ancestor, will surely resound throughout the world, and the prestige of our Futu Ancient Clan and the Lingbao Pavilion will also rise greatly. However, the tallest tree in the forest catches the most wind—"

"Next, I'm afraid my Lingbao Pavilion will be seen as a thorn in the side by the evil races from beyond the realm."

"In fact, the number of targeted attacks and skirmishes encountered by the disciples and deacons dispatched by the Pavilion to various border battlefields has increased significantly recently."

His words were suddenly interrupted by a clear laugh coming from outside the pavilion.

"Hahaha, what's the head of the Qingmai Sect saying about me behind my back again? Is it because he wants me to refine medicine for him again?"

Suddenly, Xiao Yan appeared on the mountain path, walking leisurely with Lu Fan, Xiao Yan, and Qing Yanjing, the three juniors, by his side.

They still carried some of the lingering smoke of battle and the sharp edge of the war, but their spirits were quite high.

Upon seeing Lu Yu, Xiao Yan's eyes lit up immediately. She quickly stepped forward and presented a pitch-black crystal ball sealed with layers of dazzling flame runes, inside which a twisted, struggling demonic shadow exuding a dense aura of death could be vaguely seen.

"Uncle Lu! Look, this is the 'gift' that my dad, brother Fan, sister Jing, and I caught together!"

Her tone was cheerful, filled with the excitement of a great victory, "Uncle Lin said he would stay in the North to oversee things for a few days, and told us to come back first."

Xiao Yan walked closer, nodded slightly to Lu Yu and Qing Xuanjun, and said with a smile, "The situation in the Northern Territory has stabilized for the time being, so I'll bring these little guys back to rest first. The Black Erosion Demon Emperor's demonic soul is still relatively intact after being peeled away, containing most of its original essence. Ordinary methods are not enough to completely eliminate it, and leaving it is also a hidden danger."

"I thought Brother Lu might have a way to deal with it, so I brought it back."

Lu Yu's gaze fell on the crystal ball that sealed the demonic soul, and he nodded slightly. He reached out and took it. The demonic soul in the crystal ball seemed to sense an even more terrifying existence, and its struggle suddenly intensified, but it could not shake the seal set up by Xiao Yan in the slightest.

"The death energy of the Bone-Eating Demon Clan is an excellent material for refining the Demon Lightning Pearl."

Lu Yu said calmly, then flipped his palm, and a pearl that was deep purple-black in color and seemed to contain endless thunderstorms appeared out of thin air. It was the Thunder Prison Pagoda Pearl.

He gently pressed the crystal ball sealing the demonic soul against the Thunder Prison Floating Pagoda Bead. The instant they made contact, the crystal ball melted away like ice and snow, and the withered demonic soul was instantly sucked into the bead by an irresistible devouring force.

"roar----"

A mournful howl filled with endless fear and resentment suddenly came from within the pearl, but it was completely drowned out in an instant by the even more violent, purplish-black thunder that seemed capable of annihilating everything.

The entire process took only a few dozen breaths.

As the lightning within the bead gradually subsided and the roar ceased, Lu Yu opened his palm. The mouth of the Thunder Prison Floating Pagoda Bead slightly opened, slowly spitting out a purplish-black bead the size of a longan.

The bead lay quietly in his palm, with no more demonic energy escaping. Only a pure and extremely potent thunderous power, containing terrifying and destructive fluctuations, flowed slowly within it.

The Sacred Thunder Pearl is complete!

"This bead contains the annihilating lightning transformed from the death energy of the Bone-Corroding Demon Emperor, which has an additional restraining effect on extraterrestrial evil races."

Lu Yu casually handed the newly refined Saint-grade Demonic Lightning Pearl to Xiao Yan, who was standing beside him, and said gently, "Take it, consider it Uncle Lu's betrothal gift to my Fan'er."

His words, spoken casually, carried the teasing and affection of an elder, yet instantly created a subtle atmosphere in the pavilion.

"ah?!"

Xiao Yan was taken aback at first, then her pretty face flushed red. Holding the Demon Thunder Pearl, which was still warm and contained terrifying power, she didn't know whether to accept it or not.

Her eyes instinctively glanced at Lu Fan beside her, who was also caught off guard. She was speechless for a moment, "Uncle Lu—this—"

Lu Fan's ears burned from his father's sudden mention of "betrothal gifts," and he hurriedly said, "Father! Don't talk nonsense—"

Although he did have feelings for Xiao Yan, he was still somewhat overwhelmed by his father's blunt revelation in front of so many people, especially Uncle Xiao Yan.

Xiao Yan, who was holding a teacup, almost choked when he heard this. He glared at Lu Yu angrily and said, "Brother Lu, what kind of father are you? The child is still young, what nonsense are you spouting about betrothal gifts!"

Upon hearing this, Lu Yu glared back and rebuked him without any politeness, "You're over a hundred years old! Has cultivation made your brain muddled? You're not in a hurry, I'm waiting to hold my grandson!"

He spoke with an air of self-righteousness, as if Xiao Yan were the unreasonable one. "Look at us back then, we were married and established in our twenties. Unlike these kids nowadays, all they know is cultivation and fighting. They don't care about marriage at all. What kind of talk is this!"

His righteous and stern rebuke left Xiao Yan speechless.

Xiao Yan opened his mouth, wanting to refute that the situation was different, but then he thought about how he had indeed married Huo'er early on, and for a moment he was speechless, and could only shake his head with a wry smile.

Seeing Xiao Yan's discomfiture, Lu Yu turned back with satisfaction and looked at Xiao Yan, who was holding the pearl and had her face almost buried in her chest. The seriousness on his face instantly turned into a kind and amiable smile, a change of expression that was astonishing.

"Alright, alright, I'll stop teasing you guys."

He softened his tone and said with a smile, "Yan'er, keep this bead safe. It can protect you in a critical moment, which is more practical than anything else."

He paused, his gaze sweeping between Xiao Yan and Lu Fan, and said slowly and meaningfully, "As for the rest—you young people's affairs are your own business. We old folks won't interfere."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan secretly breathed a sigh of relief, the blush on her face faded slightly, and she nodded obediently. She carefully put away the precious Saint-grade Demon Lightning Pearl and replied softly, "Yes, thank you, Uncle Lu."

Lu Fan steadied himself, but when he looked at Xiao Yan, his eyes held a subtle tenderness and determination that were more pronounced than before.

Qing Xuanjun stood to the side, eyes downcast, a smile playing on his lips, acting as if he were merely an observer. Qing Yanjing remained as calm as ever, seemingly oblivious to everything, with only a faint, fleeting smile playing on his lips.

Several months have passed in the blink of an eye.

The main peak of the Qingmai lineage of the Futu Ancient Clan, outside the stone pavilion.

Xiao Yan, Lu Fan, Xiao Yan, and Qing Yanjing are all ready to set off.

After a period of rest and reflection, the three juniors not only fully recovered from their injuries, but their auras also became much more refined. The immaturity between their brows had faded, replaced by a sense of composure honed by the trials of war.

"Brother Lu, Chief Qing, now that things are settled here, I'll take them back to the Northern Territory."

Xiao Yan said to Lu Yu and Qing Xuanjun in the pavilion, "I'm a little worried about Brother Lin Dong keeping watch over there by himself. These little guys should go back and continue their training."

Lu Yu nodded slightly: "Go. The northern border has been pacified, but we cannot let our guard down. With you and Lin Dong in charge, I can feel at ease."

Qing Xuanjun also cautioned, "Be careful in everything; the border has been quite turbulent lately."

"Father, Uncle Qing, we're leaving." Lu Fan and the other two bowed respectfully.

-

Lu Yu looked at his son, his gaze gentle yet profound: "Fan'er, take good care of yourself and your companions."

"Yes, Father," Lu Fan replied solemnly.

Xiao Yan said no more. With a flick of his sleeve, he prepared to tear through space with the three of them and head directly towards the northern front.

Just then—

"Buzz!" "Buzz!"

The two special jade talismans on Xiao Yan and Qing Xuanjun's waists, representing the highest level of emergency military intelligence, suddenly began to vibrate violently at the same moment without warning, emitting a sharp and piercing resonance!

Their expressions changed drastically. They exchanged a glance and both saw the solemnity in each other's eyes. Without the slightest hesitation, they simultaneously grabbed their respective jade talismans, and their powerful soul force instantly poured into them.

The atmosphere inside and outside the stone pavilion suddenly froze.

A moment later, Xiao Yan was the first to put down the jade talisman, his face as calm as still water, his eyes flashing with cold light.

Qing Xuanjun suddenly raised his head and looked at Lu Yu, who was still sitting quietly, his eyes filled with shock and a trace of undisguised grief.

"Holy Child!"

Qing Xuanjun's voice was more urgent and solemn than ever before, "I just received the highest-level cross-realm emergency message from the Great Thousand Palace—the Black Corpse Heavenly Demon Emperor has recovered, and his strength seems to be even greater than before."

He paused, his voice hoarse: "The Maha Ancient Clan, the Maha Ming Clan Chief who guarded the southern border—died in battle!"

"What?"

Xiao Yan spoke in a low voice, his aura instantly becoming chilling. Lu Fan, Xiao Yan, and Qing Yanjing held their breath, their faces drained of color, their eyes filled with disbelief.

Maha Ming, that powerful veteran mid-stage Saint-level expert, has actually fallen?

Qing Xuanjun continued quickly, as if trying to spit out the heavy information in one breath: "The message mentioned that after the Black Corpse Demon Emperor recovered, he immediately went to the Southern Territory and attempted to recruit the Maha Ancient Clan with great rewards, but was sternly rejected and rebuked by Maha Ming!"

"A fierce battle ensued—Maha Ming fought valiantly but was ultimately defeated, and in the end—he sacrificed himself to cover the retreat of the Maha Ancient Clan, dying a martyr!"

"After his fall, the core of the southern defense line collapsed, and morale plummeted. The Black Corpse Demon Emperor personally led his army into battle, and the southern defense line—completely crumbled, vast swathes of territory fell, and countless lives were lost!"

"The Great Thousand Palace has issued its highest-level demon-slaying order and is urgently summoning all its Saint-grade combat forces at any cost to rush to the aid of the Southern Territory in an attempt to stabilize the situation!"

Almost as soon as Qing Xuanjun finished speaking, Xiao Yan also spoke in a deep voice, confirming the crisis on the other side: "On my side, we have received an urgent request for help from the Northern Territory. The extraterrestrial evil race has launched a large-scale retaliatory counterattack."

"The auras of at least three Heavenly Demon Emperors are rapidly gathering outside the Northern Border defenses, their strength aimed directly at the Northern Border!"

His eyes flashed even colder: "The leader is none other than the Demon Emperor Zhan Tian, ​​whom we forced back earlier. The other two auras are also extremely powerful, and they are definitely not ordinary Demon Emperors."

"This shows they're determined to get their revenge, taking advantage of the turmoil in the south to launch a pincer attack from both the north and south, leaving our Great Thousand World unable to attend to both ends!"

The Southern Territory has collapsed, a sacred artifact has fallen, the Northern Territory is in dire straits, and a powerful enemy is pressing in!

Bad news came from both the north and south at the same time, and the situation instantly became extremely precarious.

All eyes were involuntarily drawn to Lu Yu, the man who had remained silent throughout the night in the stone pavilion.

Lu Yu slowly put down his teacup, the porcelain cup lightly touching the stone table, producing a subtle yet clear crisp sound.

He raised his eyes, his gaze calmly fixed on the distance, yet deep within his eyes seemed to surge with endless cold light.

"Brother Yan,"

He spoke, his voice calm and even, yet carrying an undeniable resolve, "Go to the Northern Border as planned. Lin Dong is alone there, facing three Heavenly Demon Emperors; the pressure is too great. Go and join him immediately. The Northern Border defenses cannot be lost."

He looked at Qing Xuanjun: "Pulse Chief, you will also go to the Northern Territory with Brother Yan. With your Saint-grade Spirit Array Grandmaster abilities, you will assist them in consolidating their defenses and dealing with powerful enemies."

Finally, his gaze turned south, his deep eyes seeming to pierce through endless space, seeing the burning, collapsing battlefield.

"As for the southern border—"

Lu Yu slowly stood up, his plain robe fluttering without wind. There was no vast spiritual power surging around him, but an invisible pressure that made the world pale in comparison quietly spread out.

"I'll go myself."

His voice remained calm, yet it acted like a stabilizing force, instantly calming the turmoil in everyone's hearts caused by the tragic news from the North and South.

"Now that the Black Corpse has recovered and even killed Maha Ming—this time, let it be completely eliminated."

As soon as he finished speaking, he took a step forward and his figure instantly disappeared from the spot.

Meanwhile, deep within the distant ancestral land of the ancient Futu clan, a figure dressed in a plain white robe, with a face identical to Lu Yu's but an even more aloof and transcendent aura, slowly opened his eyes.

Before him stood an ancient Dharma body, radiating endless light and seemingly capable of purifying all darkness and filth in the world, resonating perfectly with him.

Meanwhile, in another secret place where spiritual energy was as abundant as the sea, a figure in black robes also rose at the same time, his vast spiritual energy shining brightly alongside another holy and ethereal ancient Dharma body.

Although the three bodies are separated by an endless distance, their thoughts are perfectly unified at this moment.

Target: Southern Territory, Black Corpse Demon Emperor!

Xiao Yan stared at the spot where Lu Yu had disappeared, his eyes blazing with fury, and he no longer hesitated.

"Walk!"

He gave a low shout, swept up Lu Fan and the other two with his sleeves, exchanged a nod with Qing Xuanjun, and then fiercely tore through space, speeding towards the Northern Battlefield.

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