boyutpedia 708. The Extermination of the Clan
708. The Extermination of the Clan
"Hmm... when did I fall asleep?" Huo Zhi's long eyelashes fluttered a few times as she slowly opened her eyes. The first thing she saw was Xiao Yan's face.
"You... Xiao Yan?!" Huo Zhi's voice was hoarse and incredulous, as if she had just woken up.
When Xiao Yan saw that she had finally woken up, a faint smile of relief appeared on his face: "You've been asleep for three or four days. You must have been exhausted before. Fortunately, you're alright now."
However, Huo Zhi seemed not to have heard the second half of the sentence at all. Her beautiful eyes, which had regained their luster, confirmed the authenticity of the figure in front of her again and again—that angular face with deep eyes, that iconic black robe, that composed demeanor, everything was familiar.
But how is that possible?
On that blood-red night at the Pill Tower, she witnessed firsthand the devastating attack of the Spirit Clan's Dou Sheng powerhouse, the immense torrent of energy completely engulfing Xiao Yan. Faced with such absolute power, even a Dou Zun-level being couldn't possibly survive. She had pleaded with her brother and the elders, but ultimately, nothing changed; it was a cruel reality she repeatedly confirmed yet had to accept…
Overwhelmed by confusion, she was speechless for a moment, staring blankly at Xiao Yan without daring to blink.
"Xiao Yan... is it really... really you?" Her voice was very low, as if she couldn't believe that what she was seeing was real.
"It's me, Hime, I'm back."
She even reached out her slender, white fingers and pinched Xiao Yan's cheek in a daze. When the warm and real touch appeared on her fingertips, Huo Zhi truly believed that the figure that had once moved her had reappeared before her eyes.
"You...you're still alive..." Her voice was already choked with sobs, and her eyes uncontrollably reddened slightly. The emotions suppressed in her heart, the immense sorrow of the night of Dan Tower, and the excruciating pain of the Yan Clan's destruction intertwined, and seemed to have found a small outlet at this moment.
After a long while, Huo Zhi calmed down and began to truly communicate with Xiao Yan.
"What happened? Back in the Dan Tower...didn't you already...?"
Faced with Huo Zhi's question, Xiao Yan didn't know how to answer for a moment, after all, he still didn't understand how he survived the terrifying attack from the Dou Sheng.
Xiao Yan shook his head, his tone candid: "Actually, I don't understand any of this myself. At the time, I just felt that everything was over, and then it was like having a very long dream. When I finally woke up, I was back in Zhongzhou."
After hearing Xiao Yan's simple yet somewhat bizarre explanation, Huo Zhi was finally relieved by his safe return, and a natural, relaxed smile appeared on her face: "That's great... I'm glad you're back."
As the initial excitement of their reunion subsided, Huo Zhi's clear and lively eyes began to truly take in her surroundings.
Only then did she belatedly realize that she and Xiao Yan were not alone in the room. In a quieter corner not far away, the familiar figure of Elder Yan Chao was sitting cross-legged, his hands forming a mudra, his fighting spirit flowing slightly around him, as if he was silently adjusting his breathing.
"Ah?! Elder Yan Chao! You...when did you get here?" Huo Zhi let out a short, low exclamation, her fair cheeks instantly flushing with an unconcealable blush. Her exchange with Xiao Yan during their reunion, the unconscious pinch on his cheek, and her undisguised excitement and concern...hadn't all of that been seen by Yan Chao before her?
She was so embarrassed she wanted to disappear into the ground; her face was burning hot, and the blush quickly spread to her neck.
Elder Yan Chao opened his eyes upon hearing the call, a gentle smile appearing in them. Seeing Huo Zhi's embarrassed expression, he stroked his beard, his tone carrying a hint of elder teasing: "Hehe, this old man has always been here. But... just pretend I don't exist, say whatever you want, it's alright."
Hearing Elder Yan's even more teasing words, Huo Zhi's cheeks turned even redder, as if they were about to drip water. She lowered her head shyly, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her clothes. Having grown up in an ancient clan that valued etiquette, she rarely lost her composure like this. If no one were around, it would be fine, but now that she had been seen in the act, she felt that her behavior was extremely reckless.
Although Xiao Yan wasn't as shy as her, he still felt somewhat uncomfortable in this situation. He coughed lightly and glanced apologetically at Elder Yan Chao. Yan Chao gently shook his head, his eyes conveying understanding.
Just as Huo Zhi was about to bury her head in her arms, her gaze inadvertently swept across the other side of the bamboo building and saw Elder Huo Zhen, who was completely focused on the medicine cauldron, surrounded by powerful flames and pure soul power. The violent energy fluctuations in the cauldron were clearly audible.
These past few days, her experiences with the Flame Clan have once again taken hold of her heart. The memories are like a bucket of ice water, almost extinguishing all her shyness and warmth, and a huge shadow has once again enveloped Huo Zhi's heart.
Huo Zhi took a deep breath, trying to suppress the turmoil in her heart, but the immense sorrow was simply uncontrollable.
Huo Zhi suddenly whispered to Xiao Yan, "Xiao Yan, do you know that our ambush was not accidental? It was a targeted attack by the Soul Clan against our Flame Clan."
When she uttered the words "Soul Clan," her voice was filled with deep-seated hatred, and she unconsciously bit her lower lip so hard it almost bled.
"What is the purpose of the Soul Clan doing this?"
Huo Zhi paused upon hearing this, then said with some uncertainty, "Perhaps... it's for the sake of a Dou Di!"
Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan involuntarily gasped. This conclusion was both unexpected and reasonable; the Soul Clan wouldn't target such a behemoth as the Flame Clan without a reason. There must be a reason.
If it's for the sake of the most powerful beings on the Dou Qi Continent, the Dou Di, then the Soul Clan's madness is understandable.
However, the entire Yan Clan became the target of the Soul Clan's attack.
"I will never forget that day..."
Her body began to tremble slightly uncontrollably, and she clutched her arms tightly with both hands.
"One after another... those familiar clansmen who cultivated and laughed with me every day, who watched me grow up... fell down in front of me... never to rise again..."
"Aunt Fire Spirit...do you know how strong she was? She single-handedly held off three Soul Hall Battle Saints. I clearly saw her severely injure her opponent, but to cover our retreat, she took a blow herself. I saw her ignite her primordial fire and charge forward. That powerful Aunt Fire Spirit...just...just like that...gone..."