The thousand-foot treasure ship moved through the sky, radiant light flowing around its massive hull. As it neared Nine Tripod City, it drew the attention of numerous cultivators on the ground.
Up on deck, when the golden-crowned, purple-haired, jade-robed young man gave his orders, a gentle female voice responded, âYoung Master, thirty thousand years ago, the ancestor of the Xia Family placed the Nine Tripod Suppression Barrier Formation around Nine Tripod City. It was once the third-ranked peerless killing formation on the Azure Continent!â
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A beautiful, dignified woman in a cloud and phoenix-patterned robe appeared.
She wore a gilded crown and carried a golden jade ruler. She was reserved and elegant, and as she looked around, her eyes flashed with faint but utterly intimidating silver light.
âBesides, Nine Tripod City has always had a rule forbidding flight above the city. Weâre guests from afar. It seems to me that weâd best descend and visit Mount Heavenbristle on foot.â
As the phoenix-robed woman spoke, she looked at the purple-haired young man next to her.
His eyes shone with a hint of wanton pride. âRules are dead, while people are alive. To the best of my knowledge, after thirty thousand years of the corrosive effects of the Prohibition of Ancient Darkness, the Nine Tripod Suppression Barrier Formation is severely damaged. I most certainly donât believe the olâ Xia Emperor could bear to use his damaged grand formation against us.â
With that, he said in a hearty voice, âDo as I say! Fly straight to Mount Heavenbristle!â
âYes, sir,â said an aged, respectful voice from within the cabin. The thousand-foot treasure ship immediately proceeded toward the cityâs airspace.
The woman in the phoenix-patterned robe couldnât help but sigh. âYoung master, people will criticize you for this. Theyâll say youâre too domineering.â
Although she said this, it didnât sound like a rebuke. On the contrary, she sounded a bit helpless, as if sheâd long since anticipated this.
âAunt Wen, donât tell me you donât know? Thirty thousand years ago, the Huan Family had already rebelled against orthodoxy and departed from established practice. We were famous for our unbridled, domineering ways. Every descendent of the Huan Family has frenzy and ruthlessness in their very blood, and Iâm naturally no exception.â
The purple-haired young man laughed, then wrapped his arm around the womanâs soft, slender waist. He pulled her into an embrace and gave her a big, sloppy kiss.
The beautiful, dignified woman in the phoenix-patterned robe flushed red, and her eyes filled with anger. The young man, however, burst into laughter. âTake now, for instance. You might be my senior in name, but in my eyes, youâre Huan Shaoyouâs woman! If anyone dares say anything, Iâll kill them!â
The woman tried to push the purple-haired youthâs arm away, only for him to hug her even tighter. In the end, she gave up the struggle, pursed her lips, and said helplessly, âIf this goes badly and the clanâs old-timers find out about it, theyâllâŠâ
Before she could finish, she quivered as if sheâd been struck by lightning and suddenly wrested herself from the young manâs embrace. She glared at him. âYou little scoundrel! What do you think youâre groping?â
The young man looked at the butt concealed beneath her phoenix robes without the slightest restraint. He laughed, âIf you try and use those old timers to lecture me again, I wonât just grope you; Iâll smack your ass so hard, youâll have four butt cheeks instead of two!â
The woman spat, and her cheeks flushed rosy pink.
The treasure ship had already flown into Nine Tripod Cityâs airspace, provoking widespread uproar.
âWhose ship is that? They dare fly in Nine Tripod City?â
âMy heavens! Itâs been thousands of years since someone last dared to fly over Nine Tripod City. The offender was a Spiritual Manifestation cultivator, and he thought his cultivation so lofty and deep that he could disregard the cityâs rules. In the end, he barged into the city, only for the Nine Tripod Suppression Barrier Formation to destroy him! No one has dared imitate him since, but now⊠Someone is actually disregarding the rules and flying directly over the city!?â
âWhich faction does that treasure ship belong to? Donât tell me they donât know Nine Tripod Cityâs rules?â
âIt isnât that they donât know the rules; theyâre simply disregarding them!â
The entire city was in uproar as countless cultivators gazed up at the enormous treasure ship in shock.
Startled cries rang out throughout the city streets.
âThatâs the Huan Familyâs Thousand Demon Treasure Ship!â Gu Canging was dining in a restaurant when he suddenly shot to his feet. âThe strongest faction of demonic cultivators on the Azure Continent has actually shown up tooâŠâ
The Huan Family, a clan of demons!
Thirty thousand years ago, this demonic faction struck awe into the hearts of the populace. Other factions viewed them with terror and dread.
They were the greatest faction of demonic cultivators in the world; even Sikong Baoâs Heavenly Annihilation Demonic Gate was a level inferior to the Huan Family.
The Huan Familyâs strength originated in their ancient bloodline. Rumor had it that they were a branch of a lineage of primordial demonic gods. Direct-line descendents of the Huan Family practically all had Heavenly Demon True Blood. Their talent was terrifying, and each was more heaven-defying than the one before.
Back in the day, of the Azure Continentâs Nine Emperors, the Huan Familyâs Demonic Emperor of Divine Avarice was solidly in the top three. His heinous and demonic prestige dazzled the ten directions.
âIt seems the Demonic Huan Family never fully fled the Azure Continent; they left behind a portion of their clansmen who endured the thirty thousand years of the Prohibition of Ancient Darkness just like the Gu Family,â said the old woman with youthful features sitting beside Gu Cangning.
âEven the Huan Family has re-emerged⊠Thirty thousand years ago, following the onset of the Prohibition of Ancient Darkness, numerous clans and orthodoxies fled the continent, but⊠Iâm starting to wonder how many of them really left, and how many left a portion of their forces behind as the Huan Family did. How many endured these thirty thousand years of suppressionâŠ?â
Gu Cangning let out a deep sigh.
The situation in Nine Tripod City was getting increasingly treacherous and turbulent.
Early, Zeng Pu, a monster of the ancient era and suspected descendent of the Profound Bone Demon Emperor, had appeared.
Now, even experts of the Demonic Huan Family were here. Of course Gu Cangning was surprised!
âThe Profound Bone Demon Emperor had an overbearing nature, but he was straightforward and upright. The people looked up to him. The Demonic Huan Family is different. They, too, are overbearing, but they act without restraint, flouting principle and disregarding the rules. Theyâre terrifying,â said the old woman. âTake now, for instance. Who else could disregard the imperial clanâs rules and invade Nine Tripod Cityâs airspace as the Huan Family has done?â
âŠ
âA little imp of the Demonic Huan Family?â The gray-robed Zeng Pu sat in the teashop. He suddenly looked up, surprise arising on his handsome face. âThey actually dared barge directly into Nine Tripod Cityâs airspace? The descendants of the Huan Family really are frenzied and reckless. Iâm actually rather eager to see how the imperial family responds.â
âŠ
The major powers scattered throughout the city all sensed the disturbance and looked up at the Thousand Demon Treasure Ship, one after another. Each had their own thoughts.
Numerous monsters of the ancient era mixed into the populace reacted in much the same way as Zeng Pu. They wanted to see whether or not the Xia Emperor dared to act against the Huan Family.
âŠ
Azurecloud Court.
Su Yi leaned back into his wicker chair and sprawled out beside the lotus pond. When he saw the treasure ship appear in the distant skies, he couldnât help but feel a bit surprised. âIsnât flying forbidden in Nine Tripod City?â
The middle-aged man beside him frowned. âOf course.â
Early that morning, he and Weng Jiu visited to request further guidance about repairing the Nine Tripod Suppression Barrier Formation.
Although Su Yi had already given them means of repairing it, to their embarrassment, they didnât understand some of the secret arts and formation-placing methods describedâŠ
Even the formation grandmasters they summoned could only just barely comprehend a portion of them.
Helpless, they had no choice but to request Su Yiâs guidance in person.
Whoâd have thought that something like this would happen so shortly after they arrived at Azurecloud Court? They had only just explained the purpose of their visit, and Su Yi had yet to answer any of their questions.
âMy lord, thatâs the Demonic Huan Familyâs Thousand Demon Treasure Ship!â A solemn look appeared on Weng Jiuâs face. âIf Iâm not mistaken, that ship belongs to Huan Shaoyou. Heâs a monster of the ancient era whose powers are not yet known.â
âThe Demonic Huan FamilyâŠ.â The middle-aged man furrowed his brow. âDo they think this is still the Azure Continent of thirty thousand years ago?â
Although the middle-aged man didnât say anything out loud, Su Yi keenly picked up on the nigh-imperceptible traces of dread in his voice. It was obvious that the Demonic Huan family was no ordinary faction!
He asked with great interest, âOnce a rule is broken, re-establishing it is difficult. What do you plan to do?â
On impulse, the middle-aged man said, âFellow Daoist, what would you do in this situation?â
Su Yi laughed. âIf you ask me, thereâs no need to be polite whatsoever, nor is there any need to negotiate face-to-face. Iâd just use the Nine Tripod Suppression Barrier Formation to blast them away.â
The middle-aged manâs eyelids twitched.
Weng Jiuâs expression shifted dramatically. âHow could that possibly be a good idea? That wouldnât just cast aside all pretenses of cordiality with the Huan Family; it would deplete what remains of the formationâs power. Itâs extremely unwise.â
âThey dared barge into your airspace. Thereâs only two possible reasons for that. Either they donât fear death, or they think you wouldnât dare to use the Nine Tripod Suppression Barrier against them. Either way, they clearly donât take you seriously. In that case, why worry about âpretenses of cordiality?ââ Su Yi shook his head. âOf course, if youâre really afraid of them, youâre welcome to just grin and bear it.â
The middle-aged man laughed. âOlâ Jiu, go circulate the formation. Do as Fellow Daoist Su says and send them flying!â
Weng Jiu froze, seemingly in disbelief.
âBe quick about it!â The middle-aged manâs eyes flashed with cold light.
Weng Jiu soared into the sky, not daring to delay any further.
When Su Yi saw this, he couldnât help but look at the middle-aged man. âIf this ends in disaster, you canât hold me accountable.â
The middle-aged man let out a hearty laugh. âAll I ask is that you help me repair the formation. Thereâs no need to concern yourself about the rest.â
âOh,â said Su Yi. He said no more. He just took out another moon clam and tossed it into the lotus pond to feed the fish.
âŠ
Meanwhile, up in the sky, the purple-robed young man stood with his hands behind his back. He said disdainfully, âSee, Aunt Wen? Weâve already crossed more than half of Nine Tripod City, but the imperial family has made no attempt to stop us. I said it, didnât I? Others might have to follow the cityâs rules, but our Huan Family is above the rules! We can simply trample them beneath our feet!â
His tone was rife with domineering, frenzied pride.
The woman in the phoenix robe had eyes like limpid pools. She smiled faintly. âWhen we reach Mount Heavenbristle, the emperor will surely hold you accountable.â
âHahaha, even if the olâ Xia Emperor were angrier, what could he do about it?â The purple-haired youth couldnât help but throw back his head and laugh.
But as soon as he said this, the booming of a restrictionâs energy fluctuations reverberated throughout Nine Tripod City.
The young manâs laughter came to an abrupt halt, as if he were a duck and someone had just seized him by the neck.