NOVPUBThe Eight Desolation Fire Dragon likely does not have an assured chance of victory.
The tribal chief, originating from the Qing Emperor Clan, was an existence akin to the left and right arms of the Ancient Human Emperor. If a fierce battle were to take place, both the Eight Desolation Fire Dragon and the chief would likely suffer grave injuries.
Lu Changsheng contemplated the strength comparison between the two sides.
The Eight Desolation Fire Dragon could hold off the tribal chief, but Lu Changsheng and his group would have to contend with the remaining natives. If they fought to the death, both sides would suffer significant casualties.
It would be better to cooperate with the Eight Desolation Fire Dragon to put pressure on the tribal chief.
Thus, Lu Changsheng stepped forward and said, "We can swear that, as long as we leave this place, we will never reveal its location to anyone."
The tribal chief cast a cold glance at Lu Changsheng. "Deceit and trickery—your words are untrustworthy."
Lu Changsheng had already prepared his response. "What you are worried about is merely this ancient star's location being exposed to more people, disrupting the mission entrusted to you by the Qing Emperor. But unfortunately, the Ancient Helian Clan and the Ancient Huangfu Clan have already escaped. Even if we do not speak of this, they will spread the word."
"The group of people you have trapped are ancestors of the Ancient Su Clan. Now the Ancient Su Clan and these two families are mortal enemies. If you release them, they will seek revenge against the two clans. In turn, the two clans would have no time to concern themselves with your affairs."
Lu Changsheng's reasoning made the tribal chief tremble slightly.
What Lu Changsheng said made sense, and he had even deduced the tribal chief's true motives for wanting them dead—to ensure that no more cultivators came here to explore and potentially disrupt the Qing Emperor's arrangements.
They had been exiled to this ancient star by the Qing Emperor's tribe to guard his plans as an act of penance.
Even if they killed Lu Changsheng and his group, they couldn't stop the Ancient Helian Clan and the Ancient Huangfu Clan from spreading this information. It would be better to let Lu Changsheng's group leave and deflect attention toward the two clans.
The most critical factor was that the Eight Desolation Fire Dragon stood on Lu Changsheng's side.
If a battle were to break out, the Qing Emperor Clan would face severe casualties.
The Qing Emperor Clan already had very few members left.
As the current tribal chief, he had to consider the tribe's interests.
"I can just kill you all and then go hunt down that other group," the tribal chief said.
The tribal chief had not been completely persuaded and still desired to eliminate everyone who knew the secret of this star.
"Wait."
Lu Changsheng felt a headache coming on. This guy was truly stubborn. Who knew what kind of orders the Qing Emperor had given him, for him to rigidly uphold his mission across such a vast span of time.
Lu Changsheng took out the Qing Emperor Manuscript he had received as a system reward.
Previously, Lu Changsheng had no idea about the origins of the natives. But after learning from the Eight Desolation Fire Dragon that they were ancient criminals exiled here for their grave sins, he devised a strategy.
When the Qing Emperor Clan members saw the Qing Emperor's authentic manuscript, their expressions changed one by one.
The tribal chief looked incredulous. "How do you have His Majesty's handwriting?"
"I have a deep karmic connection with the Qing Emperor. If you care for the Qing Emperor's legacy, then release them," Lu Changsheng replied.
He truly hadn't lied to this group of natives.
His direct disciple, Lu Qinglian, had inherited the Qing Emperor's legacy within the Qing Emperor's Mausoleum. Claiming a connection with the Qing Emperor wasn't a fabricated story—it was factual.
The tribal chief's expression shifted repeatedly before finally compromising. "I can release them. But you must promise never to return here again. Otherwise, dire consequences will occur."
"Dire consequences?"
Lu Changsheng and his group suspected that the Qing Emperor Clan was still hiding some secrets.
"You need not know too much. I trust no one to keep their mouths shut completely," the tribal chief said.
With that, the tribal chief dispelled his hostility. He led his people as well as Lu Changsheng's group to the location where the Ancient Su Clan ancestors were trapped.
"You, brat, are indeed both brave and cunning. But even without fighting, I've completed one of your conditions," the Eight Desolation Fire Dragon remarked.
The Eight Desolation Fire Dragon, surprisingly, felt a bit pleased to achieve one of Lu Changsheng's objectives without needing to fight.
Wait a second… It's clear I'm the one being exploited by Lu Changsheng, so why am I feeling triumphant? the dragon thought.
Lu Changsheng rolled his eyes. The Eight Desolation Fire Dragon had clearly gained an advantage.
If they had truly fought fiercely with the Qing Emperor Clan's experts, the Eight Desolation Fire Dragon would have certainly been injured. Being able to rescue the trapped Su Clan ancestors without lifting a claw—this outcome clearly benefited the dragon greatly.
The Ancient Su Clan ancestors were trapped in the center of the ancient star, sealed by an Ancient Peculiar Formation of the Qing Emperor Clan. The formation spanned a radius of eighty thousand miles and held them firmly in captivity.
The Ancient Peculiar Formation drew from the entire star's world energy to reinforce its boundaries, thoroughly trapping the Su Clan ancestors. Even their combined internal strikes against the formation had failed to break through.
The Qing Emperor Clan intended to use the Ancient Peculiar Formation to completely refine the trapped Su Clan ancestors, leaving them desperate. They launched full-force assaults on the formation, even resorting to secret techniques, sending out messages for Su Yun to bring reinforcements promptly.
The Qing Emperor Clan had momentarily loosened control of the formation while pursuing the intruders to the ancient star, allowing the Su Clan ancestors to catch a brief reprieve.
Attempting to seize the opportunity, the Su Clan ancestors tried to crack the formation again but to no avail.
"The Ancient Peculiar Formation is rooted in this entire ancient star's world energy. By attacking the formation, we're effectively opposing the star's energy itself. Breaking it from the inside is nigh impossible," one ancestor admitted.
"It seems we're doomed. It's only a matter of time before they refine us to ashes," another said.
"Why did they suddenly leave? Could it be that Su Yun and Su Xiaoqi brought reinforcements to rescue us?"
"At this point, I'd rather they not risk themselves. If they die in vain, our Su Clan would truly meet its end," an ancestor sighed.
A wave of defeatist sentiment spread among the Su Clan ancestors.
They had tried for a million years to break the formation, all in vain.
Su Yun's previous rescue attempts had also ended in failure, costing the lives of many experts she had brought along. Since then, no one had dared to answer her calls for help.
The Su Clan ancestors had resigned themselves to their fate. If death was inevitable, so be it.
In their midst, the leading elder had a hale and sprightly manner despite his years, with a forehead full and radiant, unbecoming of someone in the twilight of life.
"If I, Su Wudi, had just a little more time, I could have fully comprehended my own Dao. This formation could also be cracked. But time...time is the one thing I lack," Su Wudi lamented.
"Ancestor, perhaps this is fate. Our Ancient Su Clan once stood at its zenith, but in the great war of antiquity, we lost so many experts. And now, this calamity... Could it be that the heavens wish to extinguish us?"
A refined man in purple robes spoke softly, his words weighed down by repeated misfortunes befalling their family.
Qi Destiny, such an elusive and mystical thing.
"Husband, look!"
Suddenly, a woman among the Su Clan ancestors called the attention of the man in purple robes.
The man followed her gaze and widened his eyes. "Yun'er! Xiaoqi?"
"Our reinforcements have finally arrived!"
Originally resigned to their deaths, the Su Clan ancestors were filled with hope upon seeing Su Yun and Su Xiaoqi leading a contingent of experts approaching the formation via sword flight. This unexpected salvation rekindled their spirits!
After being trapped for a million years, they finally saw a chance for liberation!
"Wait, the Qing Emperor Clan is with them?"
The Su Clan ancestors were momentarily stunned.
The Qing Emperor Clan, who had been bent on refining them with nothing but malice, now appeared to coexist peacefully with Su Yun and Su Xiaoqi. It almost seemed as if some agreement had been reached between the two sides.
"That person looks like Li Lingfei of Guanghan Palace," the man in purple noted, his tone carrying a mix of surprise and curiosity.
Among the Su Clan ancestors, these ancient great powers had interacted before during the Ancient Times.
"Who would've thought that Su Yun could actually enlist someone from Guanghan Palace? Remarkable," one elder said.
"That girl Yun'er has truly gone through tremendous effort to sustain the family and still manage to come rescue us old fools. How shameful. I think Yun'er should officially take over as Family Head. She has the talent and the ability," another chimed in.
The group of Su Clan ancestors murmured among themselves, expressing both embarrassment and admiration.
To think that they, senior members of the clan, had to be saved by a descendant—it was truly disgraceful.
With a wave of his hand, the tribal chief ordered the Qing Emperor Clan to dismantle the Ancient Peculiar Formation imprisoning the Su Clan ancestors.
"At last, I, Su Wudi, am free!"
The Su Clan's founding ancestor let out a long howl, his voice carrying an overwhelming force as fierce shockwaves spread out in all directions.
