Lan Xiaobu did not stop Jie Ti from fleeing. If he had, the Cosmic Mill could have intercepted him, though it would only have shattered Jie Ti’s physical body further. Completely eliminating Jie Ti was simply not feasible.
For Jie Ti, even severe damage to his body was manageable. With top-tier treasures like the Chaos Rule Essence, a shattered body was no major issue for him.
Thus, Lan Xiaobu chose not to activate the Cosmic Mill, keeping it in reserve for Hu Qian, who had not yet fled.
No matter how powerful Jie Ti was, he would not stay in this universe indefinitely. Hu Qian, however, was one of this universe’s dominant figures.
Seeing Lan Xiaobu truly defeat Jie Ti, Zi Yuan clenched his fists in excitement. He knew Lan Xiaobu was strong, but he hadn’t expected him to overpower Jie Ti to such an extent. In all his years of cultivation, the strongest cultivator Zi Yuan had ever seen was Jie Ti. Lan Xiaobu’s ability to suppress him meant he was destined to be a cosmic overlord, or at least one of them. Having been suppressed in the Divine Position Gate for so many years, Zi Yuan understood far more than others. He knew how crucial it was to follow a powerful figure in the vast universe.
If Zi Yuan was merely excited, Mi Ji was utterly stunned. Despite the Divine Position Gate deceiving them, he was well aware of its immense power.
The Divine Position Gate could integrate divine position principles into the Heavenly Street, leading everyone to believe that crossing it would grant them a position. This meant the Gate was on par with, or even surpassed, the vast universe itself.
The Gate belonged to Jie Ti, a fact Mi Ji had vaguely pieced together after arriving at Renhuang City. Jie Ti was an unrivalled powerhouse; no one he targeted could escape.
Yet such a figure had his Divine Position Gate stolen right in front of him by Lan Xiaobu and was forced to flee, gravely wounded.
Though the Divine Position Gate was used by Jie Ti to lure human cultivators into this universe to their deaths, it genuinely possessed the ability to lock divine positions. While Mi Ji had never interacted with the Gate, his years of experience allowed him to deduce this much. He resolved to follow Lan Xiaobu and not miss this opportunity. Back when the Divine Position Gate released false divine position principles, who didn’t believe them? Yet Lan Xiaobu had walked away without hesitation, clearly aware from the start that the Gate’s divine positions were flawed.
“Friend Lan, your divine prowess is truly beyond my reach,” Hu Qian said, stepping forward and bowing to Lan Xiaobu.
Lan Xiaobu replied coolly, “You’re from the Beast Soul Clan?”
“Indeed. The Beast Soul Clan is a mixed lot and has offended many human cultivators over the years. As the clan’s Dao Ancestor, I bear undeniable responsibility,” Hu Qian said, keeping his posture low.
Lan Xiaobu said, “Responsibility or not, that’s in the past, and I don’t care. I intend to wipe out your Beast Soul Clan. Dust to dust, earth to earth, no room for debate.”
Hu Qian’s expression darkened. He knew Lan Xiaobu’s words were sincere, not a hint of falsehood. With the skill Lan Xiaobu had just shown in repelling Jie Ti, and possibly having taken the Divine Position Gate, who could stop him from annihilating the Beast Soul Clan? The only one in the clan capable of facing Lan Xiaobu was Hu Qian himself. He knew his own limits well, and Lan Xiaobu could easily crush him. While Jie Ti might escape from Lan Xiaobu, Hu Qian likely had no chance.
He was certain the Cosmic Mill, still locking this space without being activated, was not useless against Jie Ti but was reserved for him.
Moreover, Lan Xiaobu had that arrow, so terrifying that if its intent locked onto him, Hu Qian was sure he could not evade it.
Taking a deep breath, Hu Qian knew resisting would only hasten the Beast Soul Clan’s destruction. He had to compromise.
“Friend Lan, the deed is done. What must the Beast Soul Clan do for you to spare us? If we can do it, I guarantee we won’t refuse,” Hu Qian said, almost exhausting his strength to speak.
If it was truly impossible, he would have to fight to the death. Lan Xiaobu’s gaze settled on Hu Qian, and after a brief pause, he said, “It’s not impossible for the Beast Soul Clan to survive, but there are two conditions. If you can meet them, I’ll spare your clan.”
“Please, Friend Lan, state them,” Hu Qian said, a spark of hope igniting.
Lan Xiaobu said, “First, the Da Yuan Clan sent hundreds of thousands of troops to destroy Renhuang City. Of course, I wiped them out.”
He paused, not continuing, to see if Hu Qian was perceptive. If Hu Qian pretended ignorance, Lan Xiaobu had no patience for further talk.
He would destroy the Beast Soul Clan, then the Da Yuan Clan. Whether the human race could survive here was their own matter; he wasn’t their nursemaid.
If Hu Qian was perceptive, all the better. If the Beast Soul Clan clashed with the Da Yuan Clan, the human race’s chances of surviving here would increase.
The human race’s greatest strength lay in navigating schemes and infighting. They thrived in contentious environments. If this universe were a monolithic bloc, the human race would struggle to survive.
Hu Qian clearly understood Lan Xiaobu’s meaning. Without hesitation, he said, “If Friend Lan can help block the Da Yuan Clan’s top powerhouses, the Beast Soul Clan can destroy them.”
Lan Xiaobu nodded, “Good, you’re perceptive. The second condition is that all Beast Soul Clan members who have possessed human bodies must step forward. I’ll eliminate them.”
“Agreed,” Hu Qian responded almost instantly.
No one understood better than he that while possessing human bodies allowed the Beast Soul Clan to rapidly increase their cultivation, it wasn’t the optimal path. The best path was his own: achieving the Eighth Step of the Great Path through a dao-derived body.
Otherwise, the soul and body would never fully align, and even reaching the Seventh Step of the Great Path would result in an empty shell. This was why the Beast Soul Clan’s Seventh Step cultivators were inferior to those of the Da Yuan Clan or the Earth Clan. Possession could only reach the Seventh Step, never the Eighth.
Of course, without Lan Xiaobu’s interference, possessing humans would naturally be the more, the better. Reaching the Seventh Step was already a great achievement.
Not everyone could reach the Eighth Step. If the Beast Soul Clan were filled with Seventh Step cultivators, what other race could compete with them?
“Friend Hu, you’re a sensible man. In that case, wait a moment,” Lan Xiaobu said.
Turning to the numerous human cultivators behind him, he said, “Renhuang City has been destroyed, but the Da Yuan Clan and Earth Clan will soon vanish from here. Those who wish to venture in this universe can leave now. I’ll return here in time, and if there are any issues, I’ll stand up for you.”
Returning here was unlikely, but Lan Xiaobu said this for Hu Qian’s benefit. “Thank you, Lord Lan!” The human cultivators bowed in gratitude and dispersed.
If possible, they would prefer to return to the human race’s vast universe, but that was improbable. The human universe was undergoing dissolution, and returning now would mean certain death.
In no time, Renhuang City was left with just over ten thousand people, mostly from the Longevity Sacred Dao City. Wherever Lan Xiaobu went, they would follow.
“Brother Lan, I have nowhere else to go and wish to follow you,” Mi Ji said, stepping forward to bow.
Once, his cultivation had far surpassed Lan Xiaobu’s. Now, Lan Xiaobu’s cultivation far surpassed his. The gap between them then was as vast as it was now, if not greater. Lan Xiaobu laughed, “Friend Mi Ji, if you’re willing to join me, you’re most welcome.”
With that, Lan Xiaobu stowed the Cosmic Mill and brought out the Seven Realm Stone. “Those who wish to follow me, please board the Seven Realm Stone.”
The remaining people didn’t hesitate, stepping onto the Seven Realm Stone. Even with ten thousand aboard, the stone remained as vast as ever.
Once everyone was on, Lan Xiaobu turned to Hu Qian, “Friend Hu, let’s go. We’ll destroy the Da Yuan Clan now.”
“Very well, Friend Lan, follow me. I’ll lead the way,” Hu Qian said without hesitation, simultaneously sending out a message.
The Da Yuan Clan was the second most powerful race in this vast universe, after the Beast Soul Clan. While they had fewer Seventh Step cultivators than the Beast Soul Clan, they also had an Eighth Step powerhouse.
As the second strongest race, the Da Yuan Clan occupied the region with the densest cosmic energy and the most complete cosmic rules.
When Lan Xiaobu, led by Hu Qian, arrived at the outskirts of the Da Yuan Clan’s domain, the clan had clearly received word. Nearly ten million Da Yuan Clan cultivators, led by their Dao Ancestor, stood outside their domain’s protective array.
