The Earth Clan was not close to the Da Yuan Clan, but compared to the great universe, this universe was still too small. Lan Xiaobu didn’t ask Hu Qian for any teleportation talismans; with the Seven Realm Stone at full speed, it took only a day to arrive outside the Earth Clan’s defensive array.
He used the Seven Realm Stone to signal to Hu Qian that if he misbehaved, Lan Xiaobu could return to the Beast Soul Clan at any time.
The Earth Clan’s defensive array was not only inactive but wide open.
Lan Xiaobu had expected the Earth Clan, upon learning of the Da Yuan Clan’s destruction, to mobilise their entire army. Having taken a day to travel, if the Earth Clan was unaware of the Da Yuan Clan’s fate, they wouldn’t deserve to be one of this universe’s major races.
To his surprise, instead of an army, he was greeted by a hundred bound Earth Clan cultivators and an Eighth Step Great Path powerhouse.
“May I ask if this is Friend Lan arriving? I am Jin Yigebao of the Earth Clan, at your service,” the Eighth Step cultivator said, stepping forward and bowing as the Seven Realm Stone approached.
Lan Xiaobu knew this was an attempt at reconciliation. He had come prepared to unleash a grand destruction technique, not inclined to engage in the slow slaughter like the Beast Soul Clan, nor did he have such distasteful habits.
“Indeed,” Lan Xiaobu replied, standing on the Seven Realm Stone without stowing it.
Jin Yigebao? A strange name, much like Zhu Fen of the Da Yuan Clan, whose third eye had regressed. This fellow seemed to have lost his third leg as well.
Did these alien races, upon reaching the Eighth Step, gradually take on human-like forms?
Hearing Lan Xiaobu’s response, Jin Yigebao said, “I’ve been in seclusion and was unaware that my Earth Clan dared to offend the human race. These hundred-plus individuals behind me acted against humans. I’ve captured them all for you to deal with, Brother Lan.”
Looking at Jin Yigebao’s submissive demeanor, Lan Xiaobu wondered if a single grand destruction technique would be the simplest solution.
Before he could decide, Jin Yigebao produced an altar, spat a stream of essence blood onto it, and declared loudly, “I, Jin Yigebao, swear on the survival of the Earth Clan: from this day, no Earth Clan member shall harm the human race or slaughter them without cause. If such acts occur, our clan’s powerhouses will capture and kill the perpetrators immediately. If our powerhouses learn of harm to humans and fail to stop or remedy it, the Earth Clan’s fortune will end, and our clan will perish, erased from the vast universe. Furthermore, the Earth Clan will ally with the human race and aid them to the fullest. This oath is bound by our clan’s fortune, with no falsehood!”
As Jin Yigebao’s oath resounded, thunder rumbled in agreement, merging with his essence blood into the altar.
With Lan Xiaobu’s keen perception, he could see the oath was genuine. Swearing on a clan’s fortune and survival was something he had never witnessed before.
He wasn’t one for slaughter, and since killing the Earth Clan offered no benefit to the human race—especially with their commitment to aid humans—there was no need for extermination.
Lan Xiaobu’s gaze settled on Jin Yigebao, and he said coolly, “I intended to wipe out your Earth Clan. Since you’ve sworn such an oath, I hope your clan honors it. For me, returning here takes little effort. If that time comes, I’ll destroy your clan before your fortune even fades.”
“Rest assured, Friend Lan, I, Jin Yigebao, guarantee such incidents will never happen again,” Jin Yigebao said. Without waiting for Lan Xiaobu to speak, he raised his hand and struck, killing all hundred-plus bound cultivators behind him, sparing none.
Lan Xiaobu said no more. The Seven Realm Stone traced a shadow line in the void and vanished instantly.
As the Seven Realm Stone disappeared, Jin Yigebao let out a long breath, wiping nonexistent sweat from his brow.
“Dao Ancestor, such an oath will make things difficult for our clan,” said an Earth Clan female cultivator, approaching alongside a shorter Earth Clan cultivator.
The shorter cultivator added, “Indeed, Dao Ancestor, he’s just one man. We could…”
Before he could finish, Jin Yigebao interrupted, “Heh, if you were in my position, the Earth Clan would already be extinct. As of today, there would be no Earth Clan in the vast universe.”
“Dao Ancestor…” the shorter cultivator protested, unconvinced.
Jin Yigebao said coldly, “When I heard Lan Xiaobu had crushed and gravely wounded Jie Ti, forcing him to flee, I thought I’d misheard…”
At the mention of Jie Ti’s defeat, the shorter cultivator’s face paled. Others might be dismissed, but Jie Ti? He was the supreme existence in this universe. With the Divine Position Gate, Jie Ti could erase the Earth Clan effortlessly. If Lan Xiaobu could wound Jie Ti, he could just as easily erase the Earth Clan.
“A day ago, Lan Xiaobu went to Renhuang City. The Da Yuan Clan’s Ding Yueyin led hundreds of thousands of cultivators to destroy it, only to be annihilated by Lan Xiaobu’s single severing divine technique. Besides killing Ding Yueyin and the Da Yuan Clan’s army, he also slew a Seventh Step Great Path Beast Soul Clan powerhouse and our clan’s co-protector…”
Though high-ranking, the two Earth Clan cultivators gasped at Jin Yigebao’s words.
“The co-protector was killed by him?” the female cultivator asked, her face ashen. She knew the co-protector’s strength, ranking among the top three in the Earth Clan.
Jin Yigebao’s tone grew colder, “You think that’s all? After wiping out the Da Yuan Clan’s invasion of Renhuang City, Lan Xiaobu, led by the Beast Soul Clan’s ancestor Hu Qian, went to the Da Yuan Clan. To save his clan, Hu Qian had his army slaughter the Da Yuan Clan. As of yesterday, the Da Yuan Clan no longer exists in this vast universe.”
“What about their ancestor Zhu Fen? Wasn’t he supposed to be incredibly strong?” the female cultivator asked in disbelief.
“Him? Incredibly strong? Heh, the ‘incredibly strong’ Zhu Fen didn’t last a single move against Lan Xiaobu. His body and soul were torn apart, and even his world was ripped open.”
Jin Yigebao glanced at the two, “Do you think I could defeat Zhu Fen? Or Hu Qian, or even Jie Ti? If I had handled this as you suggest, I’d already be dead, my world stripped. Friend Lan was generous to spare our clan.
“You two, immediately inform every Earth Clan member of my oath. From today, no actions against or hostility toward the human race will be tolerated.”
“Yes,” the two bowed and quickly retreated.
Jin Yigebao exhaled, feeling he had handled this perfectly. The brilliance wasn’t in the oath itself but its timing. Had he waited until Lan Xiaobu decided to destroy the Earth Clan, Lan Xiaobu likely wouldn’t have listened.
Without seeking any promises, he proactively swore on the clan’s survival, convincing Lan Xiaobu of his sincerity.
…
The Seven Realm Stone returned to the place where Lan Xiaobu had entered this vast universe, though the Divine Position Gate was now gone.
“Zi Yuan, I need some time to refine the Divine Position Gate and use it to leave this universe,” Lan Xiaobu said, calling Zi Yuan over.
Zi Yuan replied immediately, “The Divine Position Gate can certainly allow us to leave this universe easily, but the human race’s vast universe is dissolving. Returning now…”
Lan Xiaobu smiled, “I must return. I have friends there. Besides, while this universe seems stable now, who knows its future? After retrieving my friends, I plan to search for a new great thousand universe.”
Zi Yuan said eagerly, “Wherever you go, Brother Lan, I’ll follow. Whatever you command, I’ll do my utmost to fulfill.”
At the mention of a new great thousand universe, Zi Yuan’s body trembled with excitement. Though his cultivation wasn’t high, his knowledge was vast. He knew what it meant to join Lan Xiaobu in finding and entering a new universe first. It meant his future achievements would rival or surpass Hu Qian’s.
Lan Xiaobu nodded, “Guard the Seven Realm Stone here while I refine a few items.”
Besides the Divine Position Gate, Lan Xiaobu also wanted to refine the Star Core Planet.
This planet was a treasure, its weight equivalent to thousands of complete universes. Once refined and unleashed, even an Eighth Step Great Path cultivator might not withstand it. Combined with his divine dao principles, it would be a devastating weapon.
