Chapter 839
The Ancient Sheep's Body Dies
Gu Yuan's palm strike appeared to be incredibly powerful, but in reality, he had not used his full strength. Although he was angry, he still had some intention to test the waters, wanting to verify whether Hun Feng's words were true or false, and also to find out the true strength of this "Ancient Sheep".
The vast battle aura gathered in his palm was only controlled at the level of an ordinary six-star Dou Sheng.
Even so, the immense pressure from the palm strike was like Mount Tai crashing down, slamming into the ancient sheep!
Gu Yang's face was ashen, and his late-stage Five-Star Dou Sheng Dou Qi was running wildly without reservation. A dark light shield rose around him, and he concentrated all his power in front of him to meet the fatal palm strike head-on.
"Bam—!"
A deafening roar erupted in the ancestral hall, and a violent energy shockwave swept in all directions like a raging torrent. The jade table in the hall was instantly reduced to dust, the ancient runes engraved on the beams and pillars became dull and lifeless, and the smooth gold bricks on the floor cracked with spiderweb-like fissures. Even the luminous pearl floating in the air trembled violently, its light flickering.
Gu Yang grunted, his body feeling as if it had been struck by a heavy hammer. His feet plowed two deep furrows into the gold bricks, and he staggered back several feet before barely managing to regain his footing.
The battle aura shield he had condensed was covered with cracks, like glass about to shatter. A trickle of dark blood spilled from the corner of his mouth, and his chest heaved violently, clearly indicating that he had suffered internal injuries from this attack.
However, it must be said that the foundation of a five-star Dou Sheng in the late stage is ultimately formidable. Even when facing a probing attack from a nine-star Dou Sheng, he exerted all his strength and actually managed to withstand it.
However, this resistance had exhausted most of his strength, and he hadn't even had a chance to catch his breath. A resolute fear flashed in Gu Yang's eyes.
He knew that since Gu Yuan had already seen through his identity, what followed would inevitably be a devastating and ruthless attack. With the opponent's peak nine-star Dou Sheng strength, he had no chance of resisting him at all.
Escape! We must escape immediately!
The thought exploded in his mind like wildfire. Without the slightest hesitation, Gu Yang's remaining fighting spirit surged again, and his figure suddenly transformed into a blurry black shadow, crashing violently into the wall of the ancestral hall!
"Boom—!"
The thick bluestone wall collapsed like paper under his full force, sending rubble flying and dust billowing everywhere.
Ignoring the secondary shock to its body from the impact, the ancient sheep used the momentum to propel itself like an arrow through the dust, speeding straight toward the horizon.
He knew that in front of a top expert like Gu Yuan, fleeing was futile, just like an ant trying to break free from the shackles of the sky.
But the instinct for survival had already overwhelmed all reason. Even if there was only a one in ten thousand chance, he had to try. Even if he could not escape death in the end, he was unwilling to sit and wait to die and be killed on the spot!
Above the sky, Gu Yang's figure transformed into a streak of light, frantically fleeing with all his might. The ancient clan ancestral hall behind him rapidly shrank in his field of vision, but the terrifying pressure that followed him like a shadow did not weaken in the slightest as the distance increased. It was like a sword hanging overhead, constantly locking onto his entire body.
Witnessing Gu Yang's panicked escape without offering any explanation, the last trace of doubt in Gu Yuan's eyes vanished completely. This behavior was an admission of guilt—every word Hun Feng had said was true. The familiar body before him was now inhabited by the filthy soul of the Soul Clan. The kind and benevolent ancestral elder of the past had truly become a pawn of the Soul Clan, lurking for many years.
A surge of overwhelming rage welled up once more, but Gu Yuan's expression remained as cold as ice as he casually raised his hand and waved it.
In an instant, the void around Gu Yang, who had been fleeing into the sky, suddenly solidified! His originally speeding figure seemed to have been paused, frozen in mid-air. The surrounding air currents and light all stopped moving. An invisible spatial barrier enveloped him like an impenetrable wall. No matter how he urged his remaining battle qi, he could not move an inch. Even the thought of spatial jump was completely suppressed as soon as it arose.
Immediately afterwards, Gu Yuan slightly loosened his fist.
hum-
The void trembled, and a massive, sky-covering handprint of Dou Qi suddenly condensed. The handprint was covered with intricate patterns and flowed with the vast pressure of a peak Nine-Star Dou Sheng. Like the hand of the heavens, it traversed several miles and accurately grabbed at the imprisoned ancient sheep.
With a muffled "plop," the fighting spirit hand seal firmly gripped the ancient sheep's body. The immense squeezing force was like thousands of mountains crushing it, and the ancient sheep instantly let out a shrill scream.
His bones creaked under the immense force, his meridians were almost broken by the pressure, and his fighting spirit was frozen solid like a frozen river, completely stagnant and sealed, making it difficult to mobilize even the slightest bit.
His body contracted continuously under the grip of the handprint, and excruciating pain swept over him like a tidal wave, leaving him with no strength to struggle. He could only watch helplessly as the giant handprint dragged him rapidly toward Gu Yuan's direction.
Gu Yuan's figure slowly floated up, his clothes fluttering without wind, and the heavy pressure emanating from his body made the world pale in comparison.
He stood silently in mid-air, his gaze fixed on the ancient sheep being dragged along. The murderous intent and heartache surging in his eyes were chilling.
A moment later, the battle qi handprint carrying the ancient sheep landed in front of Gu Yuan. The handprint slowly loosened, and the ancient sheep collapsed to the ground, covered in blood and barely breathing, yet it was still restrained by an invisible force and could not move an inch.
"Elder Gu Yang, you have devoted your life to the Gu Clan, yet you have been plotted against by the Soul Clan. Not only did you die and your soul perish, but your body was also taken over by treacherous people and turned into a tool to wreak havoc on the clan."
Gu Yuan gazed at the familiar body, let out a long sigh, his voice filled with sorrow and resolve.
"Today, I will settle your score and let your soul rest in peace. As the clan leader, I, Gu Yuan, will exact revenge on the Soul Clan a hundredfold for this blood feud!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Gu Yuan gathered a wisp of pure and sharp fighting spirit at his fingertips and pointed it at Gu Yang's brow without hesitation.
"laugh--"
Battle energy pierced through the skin like fine needles, surging directly into the ancient sheep's body. Wherever it passed, the meridians and heart meridians were precisely shattered! The ancient sheep spat out a mouthful of black blood, and the last trace of life in its eyes quickly dissipated. The body that had been occupied by the Soul Clan for many years completely lost its power to resist.
Immediately afterwards, Gu Yuan aimed his palm at Gu Yang's crown and slammed it out!
The immense battle qi transformed into a gentle yet irresistible force, surging into the depths of the body, forcibly stripping and washing away the soul of the Soul Clan hidden in the sea of consciousness like a tidal wave.
A phantom black shadow screamed and broke free from the body; it was the soul of the Soul Clan Battle Saint Elder who had taken over the body of the ancient sheep.
The moment the soul appeared, it showed extreme panic and fear, and turned to try to transform into soul power and escape.
But would Gu Yuan give him that chance? With a casual flick of his wrist, the surrounding void tightened once more, and the invisible spatial force, like countless sharp blades, instantly enveloped and compressed the soul. "No—!"
The shrill screams abruptly ceased. Under the crushing force of space, the soul of the Soul Clan shattered like a broken bubble, turning into specks of pitch-black soul power, and finally dissipated completely in mid-air, leaving not a trace.
After dealing with the Soul Clan's soul, Gu Yuan bent down and looked at the lifeless body, his eyes filled with even deeper sorrow. He raised his hand and waved, a gentle aura of battle qi enveloping the body and slowly sending it towards the Ancient Clan's ancestral hall.
Just then, dense ripples suddenly appeared in the surrounding void, like countless pebbles being thrown into a calm lake, and layers of spatial fluctuations spread out.
One after another, figures slowly emerged from the ripples in the void, some dressed in ancient robes, others clad in battle armor, all surrounded by unfathomable battle aura pressure. They were none other than the Battle Saint elders of the ancient clan.
The spatial tremors and energy bursts that occurred when Gu Yuan made his move had already spread throughout the core area of the ancient clan. Sensing this unusual disturbance, the elders immediately put down their tasks and tore through space to rush over and see what was going on.
As soon as everyone appeared, their gazes were immediately locked onto the familiar body in the arena. Elder Gu Yang lay there, his clothes stained with blood, his breath gone. His body was enveloped in a layer of gentle battle aura, but there was no sign of life at all.
In an instant, the expressions of all the Dou Sheng elders changed slightly, and their eyes flashed with deep astonishment and confusion.
As the second elder of the ancestral hall, Gu Yang possessed the strength of a late-stage Five-Star Dou Sheng and held a revered position in the clan. He usually spent his days with them, jointly managing the clan's religious affairs and defense. How could he suddenly die here?
The group exchanged glances instinctively, each seeing deep doubt in the other's eyes.
Besides Gu Yuan, the only other people in the arena were Xiao Ling, Xun'er, and Hun Feng, who was bound by Dou Qi.
Gu Yang's death was clearly related to the commotion just now, and among all the elders in this area, only the clan leader Gu Yuan possessed the strength to easily kill a late-stage five-star Dou Sheng.
Gu Yang was a core elder of the ancient clan and had not committed any acts of rebellion. Why would the clan leader kill him so cruelly?
In an instant, a barrage of questioning gazes converged on Gu Yuan, some with shock, some with confusion, and some with a cautious curiosity.
"Clan leader, what exactly is going on?" A deep voice broke the silence first. The speaker was none other than Gu Lie, the second strongest member of the ancient clan and an eight-star Dou Sheng.
His brows furrowed, his gaze darting back and forth between the remains of the ancient sheep and the ancient Yuan, his tone filled with urgency and confusion.
"Elder Gu Yang has served us for many years with utmost loyalty. Why did you have to kill him so cruelly, leaving him in this predicament?"
Gu Lie's question echoed the thoughts of all the elders. As his words fell, the elders stopped exchanging glances and focused their attention on Gu Yuan, their expressions solemn as they awaited the clan leader's response.
The scene was completely silent; even the howling of the wind through the ruins of the ancestral hall could be clearly heard. Everyone was waiting for a reasonable explanation. After all, killing a core Dou Sheng elder of the clan was no small matter, and without a sufficiently compelling reason, it would inevitably shake the foundation of the clan.
Gu Yuan raised his hand to signal everyone to calm down. His expression was as firm as iron, and his voice carried a hint of weariness from the vicissitudes of life, yet it exuded an undeniable authority.
"This is a long story, involving a shocking conspiracy by the Soul Clan."
He slowly opened his mouth and revealed the truth: "Elder Gu Yang did not die at my hands, but was murdered by a villain long ago. A hundred years ago, when he went out on a mission, the Void Devouring Flame of the Soul Clan seized the opportunity and secretly tampered with his body. The Void Devouring Flame used strange methods to forcibly refine and fuse the soul of a Battle Saint Elder of the Soul Clan with Elder Gu Yang's physical body!"
"Since then, the one who returned to the ancient clan was no longer the true Elder Gu Yang. His physical appearance remained the same, and his memories and aura were imitated perfectly, but the soul inside had long been replaced by a member of the Soul Clan!"
These words struck the elders like a thunderclap!
The elders' expressions changed drastically, their eyes filled with disbelief and shock, and a clamor arose one after another.
Elder Gu Yang was highly respected in the clan. He was gentle and fair in his dealings. No one could imagine that such a respected elder had long been replaced by the Soul Clan and had become an undercover agent lurking in the heart of the Ancient Clan.
Thinking of the many clan affairs that Gu Yang had been involved in over the years and the countless core secrets he had mastered, all the elders felt a chill in their hearts and broke out in a cold sweat. If the truth had not come to light today, who knows how long this malignant tumor would have remained hidden in the clan and how much disaster it would have brought to the Gu clan.
Gu Yuan looked around at everyone, his tone heavy with sorrow: "In the final analysis, this matter is due to my negligence. I failed to notice the clues in time, which caused Elder Gu Yang to suffer injustice for many years and also put the clan in danger."
He abruptly changed the subject, his expression becoming extremely solemn, and issued the clan leader's order: "Having learned the truth today, I have personally removed this hidden pawn of the Soul Clan, avenging the blood feud of the true Elder Gu Yang. From this day forward, a formal funeral will be held for Elder Gu Yang, and he will be buried with the highest honors to comfort his spirit in heaven."
"Pass down the order: all members of my Ancient Clan who bear the surname Gu, regardless of their location, must return to the Ancient Realm within three days to attend the funeral and bid farewell to the elders. At the same time, let all clansmen know of the Soul Clan's despicable acts, remember this blood feud, and be extremely cautious in future confrontations with the Soul Clan, lest they repeat the same mistake!"
Gu Yuan's voice was firm and authoritative, carrying the absolute authority of the clan leader, instantly silencing the uproar among the crowd.
The elders looked solemn and bowed to accept the order. The doubts in their eyes had disappeared, replaced by overwhelming hatred for the Soul Clan and deep sorrow for Elder Gu Yang.
Immediately, Gu Yuan turned to Elder Gu Nanhai beside him and whispered a few words about the preparations for Elder Gu Yang's funeral. Elder Gu Nanhai solemnly accepted the order, immediately turned and disappeared, gathering people to begin handling various matters.
After everything was arranged, Gu Yuan bent down, a wisp of warm battle qi emanating from his palm, and carefully lifted Elder Gu Yang's body, slowly stepping into the dilapidated ancestral hall once again.
The ancestral hall was no longer solemn and majestic as it once was. The fierce battle had left the main hall severely damaged, and this dilapidated scene reflected the heavy and oppressive mood of everyone present.
Xun'er's gaze was fixed on the body her father was supporting. Elder Gu Yang's eyes were closed, his face was peaceful, as if he had just fallen into a deep sleep, but his chest, which was not rising and falling, and his skin, which was gradually getting cold, were silently telling the story of the end of life.
Her father, a nine-star Dou Sheng peak expert who was usually unfazed even when Mount Tai collapsed before him, had an unyielding heaviness shrouding his face. This was a sight Xun'er had never seen before, and it made the girl's heart ache slightly.
As for Xiao Ling, although his face showed no extra expression, he was also touched by the deathly silence.
However, he did not regret revealing the matter early. Rather than letting Gu Yang continue to act as an inside agent for the Soul Clan and cause great disaster for the Ancient Clan, it was better to make a clean break to prevent future troubles. (End of this chapter)