Chapter 838
Infiltrating Gu Yang
The burning pain of the Fallen Heart Flame was already like a leech clinging to the bone, but now, with Xiao Ling's fighting spirit fully activated, it transformed into thousands of red-hot steel needles, piercing deep into Hun Feng's soul.
The pain far exceeded the limits that the physical body could bear; it was a slow, agonizing torture that reached the very essence of the soul. Every inch of the soul seemed to be repeatedly roasted, torn apart, and forcibly glued back together in flames, over and over again, without end.
Hunfeng's screams had long since become hoarse and unrecognizable, with only a hoarse sound of wind breaking out of his throat, like a broken puppet whose strength had been drained.
His eyes were bloodshot, the whites of his eyes filled with hideous blood vessels, his eyeballs almost bursting out of their sockets, his face contorted violently with extreme pain, saliva mixed with blood dripping from the corners of his mouth, soaking his already tattered clothes, making him look extremely wretched.
The fighting spirit within his body had long been disordered and dissipated under the scorching of the Fallen Heart Flame, and he could not even muster the strength to resist. His sea of consciousness was enveloped by the raging flames, and his will, which had previously tried to struggle, was like a candle in the wind, teetering on the brink of collapse amidst wave after wave of intense pain.
He could clearly feel his soul dissolving little by little, a sense of annihilation more terrifying than death, as if he would completely turn into nothingness in the next moment, leaving not even a trace.
"No...don't..." Hunfeng squeezed out a broken sob, his voice so weak it was almost inaudible, but the extreme pain continued to wash over his mind like a tide, crushing his last bit of arrogance and stubbornness to dust.
At this moment, he seemed to have reached his breaking point; his last remaining backbone was too fragile to withstand the torture of burning his soul.
Finally, as another wave of even more intense burning pain swept through his sea of consciousness, Hunfeng seemed to have his last lifeline pulled away. His eyes suddenly became unfocused, but then burst forth with a frantic light of survival.
With his last ounce of strength, he frantically twisted his body, which was bound by battle qi, and his hoarse roar suddenly rose, filled with a heart-wrenching plea: "I'll talk! I'll talk! I'll tell you everything!"
"Please...please stop! Don't burn it anymore!" His voice trembled violently, filled with extreme fear and despair. His previous ferocity and arrogance had vanished, leaving only a humble plea.
"Whatever you want to know... I will tell you everything! I will tell you everything! Just stop this fire... just spare my life!"
He stared intently at Xiao Ling, his eyes filled with pleading tears. His soul was still trembling from the lingering burning pain, but his will to live was exceptionally strong. At this moment, he was like a young patriarch of the Soul Clan, having lost all his pride under the torment of the strange fire, only seeking to be freed from this hellish pain.
Looking at Hun Feng's tearful and undignified appearance, Xiao Ling unconsciously raised an eyebrow slightly, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes, as if he hadn't expected the young patriarch of the Hun Clan to have such a fragile backbone.
The Fallen Heart Flame swirling around his fingertips still pulsed slightly, carrying a scorching warmth, yet his tone carried a hint of nonchalant mockery: "Oh? You've been defeated even earlier than I expected. I thought you, as the young master of the Soul Clan, could at least hold out for a while, but I didn't expect this little bit of suffering to make you surrender so easily. Your backbone is far too cheap."
Having said that, he slowly shook his head, seemingly somewhat bored by such an easy surrender. With a slight contraction of his fighting spirit, the invisible flames that had been wrapped around Hun Feng's soul receded like a tide, returning entirely to his palm and transforming into a faint flame that lay dormant.
The searing pain in his soul suddenly dissipated, and his soul, as if granted a pardon, instantly relaxed. His body, which had been stretched to its limit, was now panting heavily as if all his strength had been drained, and cold sweat was streaming down his face, soaking the hair on his chin.
He greedily absorbed the pure energy in the secret chamber, trying to calm the lingering pain churning in his mind, his eyes still etched with fear.
Once Hun Feng had caught his breath, Xiao Ling's gaze suddenly sharpened like a knife, and his usual composure vanished.
"Since you're willing to confess, then stop playing tricks. I ask you, as the young patriarch of the Soul Clan, with a noble status, why did you personally travel to the Desolate Ancient Domain, risking your life to deal with me? Was this a death order given to you by the higher-ups of the Soul Clan?"
Before he finished speaking, he took half a step forward, and his aura suddenly tightened. An invisible pressure enveloped Hunfeng, causing his slightly calmed breathing to become disordered again.
Xiao Ling's gaze was fixed intently on Hun Feng's eyes, each word spoken with resounding force.
"More importantly, has the Soul Clan planted spies within the Ancient Clan? If so, do you know the true identity of those spies? Tell the truth. If you utter even a single falsehood, you may experience that burning pain again."
The final words carried a blatant threat. The wisp of Fallen Heart Flame in his palm seemed to sense this, pulsating slightly and emitting a faint, scorching heat that instantly stirred up the deepest fear in Hun Feng's heart.
Xun'er and Gu Yuan, who were standing to the side, looked at Hun Feng and confessed so easily, and a trace of doubt flashed in their eyes.
But as soon as he finished speaking, Xiao Ling threw out the core questions concerning the Soul Clan's conspiracy and the Ancient Clan's spies. Such secrets, which concerned the safety of both clans and had far-reaching implications, instantly overshadowed the doubts in their hearts.
Both of them held their breath, waiting for Hunfeng's response. The air in the secret chamber seemed to freeze at this moment, leaving only Hunfeng's heavy breathing and the heavy sense of tension.
Hunfeng felt the three men's gazes fixed on him like thorns in his back. His Adam's apple bobbed violently as he swallowed hard, swallowing a mouthful of bloody saliva.
The lingering pain and fear deep within his consciousness had not yet subsided, and the threat of the wisp of Fallen Heart Flame in Xiao Ling's palm was ever-present. He dared not hesitate for a moment, yet he subconsciously hesitated for a moment before speaking, as if weighing the pros and cons, or perhaps recalling the details, his eyes flickering uncertainly.
The silence that followed was amplified in the oppressive atmosphere of the room. Only when Xiao Ling's brow furrowed slightly and the flame in his palm flickered again did Hun Feng shiver violently and speak hastily, his voice still hoarse and trembling.
"It's...it's true! Going to the Desolate Ancient Domain to intercept and kill you was indeed a death order issued by the clan!"
He spoke extremely quickly, as if afraid that if he slowed down even a fraction of a second, he would suffer the torment of hell once again; the fear in his eyes was undisguised.
"Moreover, this order was not issued by an ordinary elder, but... it was personally conveyed to me by Lord Void Devouring Flame! He specifically instructed that you must be eliminated in the Desolate Ancient Domain. If I am not able to defeat you, you can immediately crush the communication jade talisman to summon the three Dou Sheng elders of the clan to come to my aid. You must suppress and capture you back to the Soul Clan. You must not be allowed to leave the Ancient Domain alive!"
When the words "Void Devouring Flame" were mentioned, Hun Feng's voice lowered subconsciously, carrying an indescribable sense of awe, clearly indicating that the figure held immense authority within the Soul Clan.
He paused briefly, catching his breath, his gaze sweeping quickly between Gu Yuan's dignified expression and Xiao Ling's icy eyes before continuing, "As for... as to the matter of the ancient clan's spies, I... I have indeed heard about it!"
He said this with extreme caution, as if confirming something.
"The Soul Clan has indeed planted a spy within the Ancient Clan, and this spy is no ordinary member of the clan, but an elder who has already reached the Dou Sheng level!"
"This matter is also a top secret within the Soul Clan. If I weren't the young patriarch of the Soul Clan, and if I weren't required to cooperate with the Dark Chess to transmit messages during this interception mission, I would never have known such a core secret!" As soon as Soul Wind, the "Battle Saint-level undercover agent," finished speaking, the air in the secret room instantly froze like iron.
Gu Yuan's expression suddenly turned solemn. Dark clouds gathered between his previously calm brows, and the immense pressure of a Nine-Star Dou Sheng poured out without reservation, pressing down on the soul wind like an invisible mountain.
This oppressive aura showed no signs of abating, carrying both fury and chilling killing intent. It caused the black jade walls of the secret chamber to vibrate slightly, and even the glow of the luminous pearls seemed to dim under the weight of this oppressive atmosphere.
The Ancient Clan's Battle Saints are already at the pinnacle of their clans, and all the core forces they have personally promoted or witnessed growing up are under their control, managing many of the Ancient Clan's secrets and important matters.
As the clan leader, he thought he knew the clan's Battle Saints inside and out, but he never expected that the Soul Clan could plant spies in the innermost circle and remain undetected for many years!
Over the years, countless secrets about the ancient clan's strategic plans, resource distribution, and even the cultivation progress of its members have flowed to the Soul Clan through this malignant tumor.
What made him even more apprehensive was that Xiao Ling and Xun'er had traveled to the Desolate Ancient Domain. If it weren't for Xiao Ling's strength far exceeding expectations and the Bodhi Ancient Tree providing protection, not only would Xiao Ling have been besieged by the Soul Clan, but his precious daughter would also have been in danger, with unimaginable consequences!
Thinking of this, Gu Yuan's eyes grew even colder, his gaze fixed on Hun Feng like a blade tempered with ice, each word carrying the power of thunder: "Speak! Who exactly is that undercover agent?!"
The shout was like a thunderclap. Hun Feng, whose mind was already being tormented by the Fallen Heart Flame, was now facing the wrathful pressure of a Nine-Star Dou Sheng. He was so frightened that his soul almost left his body. His body shrank back uncontrollably, his limbs, which were bound by Dou Qi, trembled slightly, and his face was as pale as paper.
He dared not hesitate for a moment, his teeth chattering as he hurriedly replied, "It's...it's Gu Yang! It's Gu Yang, the elder of your clan's ancestral hall!"
"You...you people of the ancient clan should know him better than I do!" Hun Feng gasped for breath, afraid that if he hesitated even a fraction of a second, he would be killed on the spot by the enraged Gu Yuan. His words came out so fast they were almost incoherent.
"Back then... back then it was Lord Void Devouring Flame who personally planned it! Taking advantage of the fact that Gu Yang was away on a mission and far from the protection of the Ancient Realm, the Lord personally took action and used the strange properties of Void Devouring Flame's devouring and fusion to forcibly refine and fuse the soul of one of our clan's Dou Sheng elders with Gu Yang's physical body!"
"That body still resembles the ancient sheep, and its aura and memories are completely preserved, but its soul has long been replaced by my Soul Clan elder!"
Soul Wind's voice carried extreme fear, yet it couldn't hide a hint of awe for the Void Devouring Flame's methods.
"He returned to the Ancient Clan under the identity of Gu Yang, and by virtue of his previous status as an ancestral hall elder, he became a hidden pawn planted by our Soul Clan at the highest level of the Ancient Clan!"
"Elder Gu Yang?"
Hunfeng's words were like a thunderclap, exploding in the secret chamber. Xun'er and Gu Yuan were both shocked, their faces filled with disbelief and astonishment.
Xun'er's clear, gentle eyes widened instantly, her delicate brows filled with shock and confusion.
Elder Gu Yang was one of the elders she had respected since childhood. As the second elder of the clan's ancestral hall, he was kind and gentle, and took good care of the clan's members. Over the years, he had a very high reputation in the clan.
Xun'er simply couldn't connect that kind and gentle elder with the spy planted by the Soul Clan. Her mind was in turmoil, and the vague doubts she had previously held in her heart had now turned into overwhelming shock.
"What a Soul Clan! What a Void Devouring Flame!" Gu Yuan's voice remained calm and even, yet it was like a heavy black iron sword that had been immersed in a cold pool for a thousand years, each word steady and carrying a sense of oppression that penetrated to the bone.
"Back then, when I fought that fellow, I had the opportunity to use my full strength to completely eliminate him, but due to momentary hesitation and a touch of womanly compassion, I held back. I never expected that this momentary negligence would nurture such a great calamity! I truly regret what I did today!"
Immediately, Gu Yuan raised his hand and gestured, his fingertips rippling with pale golden spatial ripples. A spatial passage about ten feet wide appeared beside him. The light and shadow at the other end of the passage were clear, pointing directly to the direction of the ancestral hall of the ancient clan, which was also the core place where Gu Yang usually conducted his affairs and cultivated.
His expression was calm, but his body was filled with an unyielding and imposing aura, clearly indicating his determination to go to the ancestral hall immediately to personally verify the background of Gu Yang and to find out whether what Hun Feng said was true or a poisonous plot by the Hun Clan to instigate internal strife within the Gu Clan.
Inside the ancestral hall of the ancient clan, Gu Yang was meditating with his eyes closed, his aura as a late-stage Five-Star Dou Sheng calm and restrained.
Suddenly, the void in front of him trembled violently, and a spatial passage opened without warning.
On the other side of the passage, Gu Yuan, Xiao Ling, and Xun'er stood side by side, while behind them, Hun Feng was bound by Dou Qi and hung in mid-air in a sorry state.
This scene was too sudden. Gu Yang suddenly opened his eyes, and was stunned at first. His face showed a bit of astonishment. He obviously did not expect that the clan leader would suddenly lead people to break into the ancestral hall, and he did not expect that the young clan leader of the Soul Clan would appear in such a manner.
"You Soul Clan scum, how dare you invade the body of my Ancient Clan elder! Today is your death day!"
Before he could speak, Gu Yuan's indifferent yet overwhelmingly authoritative voice boomed out first.
Before he finished speaking, Gu Yuan had already gathered the vast power of a nine-star Dou Sheng in his palm. Without the slightest hesitation, he slammed his palm down directly at Gu Yang!
Before the palm strike even arrived, a terrifying spatial pressure had already enveloped the ancestral hall.
Gu Yang's expression suddenly changed drastically, and his pupils contracted sharply.
At this point, he finally understood that his identity had been completely exposed!
With a quick glance, he instantly recognized the captured figure as Hun Feng. He immediately understood that Hun Feng must have been captured and confessed everything!
He was both shocked and suspicious, completely baffled. His infiltration of the ancient clan was a top secret of the Soul Clan, known only to the Soul Emperor and the Void Devouring Flame. How could it have been so easily leaked by the young clan leader, Soul Wind?!
At this thought, horror and panic surged into his heart. He dared not hesitate for a moment longer, his fighting spirit surging wildly as he hastily used all his strength to defend against Gu Yuan's fatal palm strike. (End of Chapter)