Junior sister, keep forbear for a while, I almost become invincible as soon!
Chapter 78: Ancestral Land of the Fire Tribe

Chapter 78: Chapter 78: Ancestral Land of the Fire Tribe

As a strong contender among the younger generation, her destiny was starkly different from Huo Yan’s. He was a legitimate prodigy of the Fire Tribe, whereas she was just a lucky woman among the masses who had become part of the tribe due to her talent. Thus, she didn’t possess the same power as Huo Yan.

At this moment, Jin Qiongyu was filled with indignation and, beyond that, an overwhelming sense of helplessness.

Chen Pingping is different, she thought. He can’t die here; he can’t become an enemy of the Fire Tribe. He absolutely mustn’t!

Jin Qiongyu took a deep breath, her gaze complicated, reflecting a deep disappointment towards Huo Yan.

From the shadows, seeing her protect the Human Clan cultivator so fiercely, Huo Yan’s anger boiled over. He turned and left, never seeing the disappointment in Jin Qiongyu’s eyes. Perhaps, from the moment he made that decision, it was destined that they would each walk different paths.

「Back at the mansion.」

Jin Qiongyu grabbed her maidservant and ran off, exclaiming, "The Fire Tribe is done for, completely done for! I can’t prevent this disaster, but the least I can do is warn them."

The maidservant was utterly stunned by her words. "Huh?" she managed, then asked, "But aren’t we doing perfectly fine?"

"No!" Jin Qiongyu said gravely. "I have the ability to see through things, as you know. I’ve said before... a great disaster is coming. I’ve considered every possibility, and now I understand. The key to this disaster is that Human Clan cultivator. My heart grows increasingly uneasy. Go and inform the Clan Leader now! I hope it’s not too late."

The maidservant departed in a daze.

Jin Qiongyu, however, did not return to her residence. Gazing towards the depths of the mountains, she chose a different path. She intended to bypass Huo Yan and enter the ancestral land.

But there was clearly not enough time... Chen Pingping had already entered the ancestral land, and the lurking powerhouses were eager to move, just waiting for Huo Yan’s order to rush out.

They were finally inside.

Earth Chicken sighed, recalling the past with a profound sense of helplessness. So close, it thought. It recalled that fateful time: someone had been bathing in Fairy Lake. It had accidentally disturbed them, which led to its tongue being cut out and a curse being laid upon it.

HEH! This time, it had returned.

Earth Chicken moved skillfully, leaping with a single bound into the lake.

Eight Treasures Chicken blinked and said, "The Ancient Bloodstone should be inside."

"What about the Earth Fire?" Pingping asked.

"Do you see the great mountain behind Fairy Lake?" Eight Treasures Chicken pointed ahead.

A mountain wrapped in flames stood there. The air itself was scorching, and terrifying fluctuations of power ravaged the space. The closer one got, the clearer this sensation became. It was as if a god of fire was cultivating there.

Chen Pingping’s eyes gleamed with excitement, ready to take action, when suddenly... Huo Yan stepped out. Pingping was startled, then instantly realized.

I’ve fallen into a trap, he thought. This person has been lying in wait all along, just for my arrival.

Eight Treasures Chicken’s eyes also widened in sudden panic.

"Human Clan, we meet again," Huo Yan spoke.

"AHAHAHA! Fellow Daoist..."

"Are you just ’passing by’ this time as well?" Huo Yan interrupted.

"If I said I was just passing by, would you believe me?" Pingping said sheepishly. "I just got lost by accident, and then I unintentionally ended up here, really... Excuse me, what place is this?"

"The ancestral land of my tribe," Huo Yan said coldly. "The origin of the Fire Tribe, the most powerful foundation and place of heritage for an Emperor Clan. Are you still just passing by?"

"..." Chen Pingping fell silent.

Huo Yan continued, "This time, how will you escape?" As soon as his voice fell, more than a hundred powerful cultivators stepped out. Their cultivation levels ranged from the Fourth to the Sixth Order, all possessing formidable strength.

The hundred cultivators quickly surrounded Chen Pingping, each emitting a chilling presence and a terrifying killing intention. They did not act rashly but waited for orders.

Huo Yan then said, "Do you want to know how you were exposed?"

???

Hearing this, was I exposed? Chen Pingping frowned. Wasn’t it just this fellow’s guess? Or the Fire Tribe’s vigilance?

HEH HEH! Huo Yan scoffed, "It seems you still don’t know her identity. Yes, the woman who has traveled with you for many days is a young genius of my clan. Her name is Jin Qiongyu."

What a clever ploy to sow discord, Chen Pingping thought. If Jin Qiongyu were here, she might have drawn her sword and declared, "You’re talking nonsense!"

But Chen Pingping believed it, a look of sudden realization dawning on his face. "No wonder that girl was acting strangely. So that’s the reason. Thank you for clearing up my confusion."

A misstep, a grave misstep, he lamented inwardly. To think I brought a young genius of the Emperor Clan with me and discussed so many plans in front of her. No wonder I failed!

Though ripples stirred in his heart, he remained relatively calm. Over the past few days, he hadn’t been idle; he had secretly gathered much information about the Emperor Clan, including their strength.

Their strongest experts were at the Seventh Order—two individuals. One had been in seclusion for many years, while the other was still recovering from serious injuries. There was a small number of Sixth Order experts, a majority at the Fifth Order, and the rest were Fourth Order or below.

Considering the Emperor Clan’s foundation, hidden cards, heritage, and overall strength, Chen Pingping judged that even though he was ensnared, he could still leave with ease. The only thing he was wary of was the Sacred Soldiers of the Emperor Clan.

The Four Great Imperial Clans and the Eighteen Royal Clans were different. Their most significant distinction, apart from their inherent strength and Bloodline Power, was their possession of Sacred Soldiers. If a powerful Sacred Soldier were revived, it could easily annihilate any of the Royal Clans.

Of course, despite his wariness, reviving a Sacred Soldier was not so easy. Moreover, they might not necessarily use it against him. There’s enough time for me to escape, he figured.

Chen Pingping glanced at Fairy Lake, his eyes shifting as he spoke, "I’ve heard that the Fire Tribe has two young geniuses. One is Jin Qiongyu, whom I have already met. Who might the other be?"

"Me!" Huo Yan declared.

OHO! Chen Pingping smiled. "No wonder your demeanor is so extraordinary and your appearance so commendable. It turns out to be Brother Huo Yan. My humblest apologies for not recognizing you sooner."

Huo Yan nodded. "There’s no need for you to stall for time. Underneath Fairy Lake, there are arrays and seals set by our clan’s experts. That Earth Chicken wanting to take the Ancient Bloodstone is merely dreaming."

Chen Pingping was unperturbed. "Maybe not."

Just as Huo Yan was about to retort... a strong surge of energy came from beneath Fairy Lake, and the tranquil surface of the water suddenly roiled with violent waves. A Water Dragon burst forth from below.

BOOM! With a thunderous crash, the array beneath the lake was actually broken.

Huo Yan’s expression stiffened.

Chen Pingping laughed. "You see? Arrays and such aren’t always that formidable."

"You lot, go down and slay it! This Young Master wants it dead here and now!" Huo Yan ordered, his face stern.

"Want to go down? Shouldn’t you ask me first?" Chen Pingping rolled his eyes, took a few steps forward, and blocked the path of those experts.

The opponents exchanged glances and immediately attacked.

But with Chen Pingping’s strength, slaughtering them was as easy as flipping his hand. A flash of sword light swept through, followed by anguished screams. Despite their powerful cultivation realms, they could hardly withstand a single sword strike from Chen Pingping.

The nearby Emperor Clan experts felt a chill of alarm.

Even Huo Yan’s expression, as he watched Chen Pingping, grew considerably graver. This Human Clan member is far from simple, he thought.