Ancestor Sui Bian’s furious bellow arrived almost with the sound of impact as a giant mottled gourd flashed in front of Huang Zhong and took the fatal strike for him: “You old turtle—laying hands on my people while I am away. Seeking death!”

Seven earthen cones drove in all at once, leaving clear fractures across the gourd’s surface. Ancestor Sui Bian stared, heartbroken, and stroked the cracks—then, feeling a searing gaze on him, he remembered the nearly forgotten Huang Zhong. He gave a sheepish grin, whisked the gourd back into his sleeve, planted his fists on his hips, and laughed: “Old friend, I came to save you. Moved yet?”

Huang Zhong glanced left and right, his bloodless face showing doubt as he asked: “Just you?”

“Of course—”

Tu Zhen Yue’s laughter crashed over him as he cut in: “Sui Bian, I thought I would have to spend effort to find you, yet you walk in yourself. Heaven truly favors me.” If he caught Sui Bian, there would be no problem finding Yu Zhao. He could reclaim the Earth Clan’s storage bracelet and make his report to the Auspicious Palace—two birds with one stone.

Before he could finish, Ancestor Sui Bian exploded into a laughter even louder than his. The sound shook the air; Tu Zhen Yue and his people traded baffled looks.

Wiping imaginary tears from the corners of his eyes, Ancestor Sui Bian gazed at Tu Zhen Yue and said solemnly: “Old turtle, I advise you to take your men and get out now. You might yet keep your lives. Otherwise, when you behold the ancestor’s might later, do not blame the ancestor for not having warned you.”

Tu Zhen Yue’s face sank. Sui Bian had now called him old turtle twice. Enough was enough. He turned to the Metal Clan lord beside him and said: “Once I capture him, I will give him to you as a house servant. How about it? Foul mouth, but the face is decent.”

The Metal Clan lord smiled lightly and answered: “Excellent.”

Ancestor Sui Bian looked the Metal Clan lord over and clicked his tongue. Beautiful indeed, but what a poisonous beauty.

Inside the Light Screen, Tie Gu and the others went black in the face, aching to rush out and each land a punch on Ancestor Sui Bian. Tie Gu hammered the Light Screen and shouted: “Sui Bian! You idiot! If you were not coming, fine—but if you came and brought only yourself, what use are you? Did you come to die?”

Ancestor Sui Bian seemed not to hear a word of their griping. He stood there with a cheerful squint and even dug at his ear in boredom. Just as despair crept over the crowd, he spoke again, drawling: “Old turtle, have you decided? Will you withdraw?”

“Call me that again and I will smash every tooth out of your mouth!” Tu Zhen Yue roared back.

“Well, I gave you a chance and you did not take it. Do not blame anyone else.” Ancestor Sui Bian shrugged, then calmly crushed the jade talisman in his hand.

Light flared. A Spatial Rift, as if a heavenly chasm, split open between him and Tu Zhen Yue’s camp. The rift swelled, and a vast, mingled aura poured out. Tu Zhen Yue jolted, as if realizing too late; he flung out a hand to try to disrupt the rift—but his reaction came too late.

A first figure flashed out of the Spatial Rift, then a second, a third—one after another, cultivators streamed through the Spatial Passage and arrived in Four Seas City. In moments, a crowd stood massed behind Ancestor Sui Bian. They were fewer than those opposite them, but nearly every one was a powerhouse who could stand alone.

Tu Zhen Yue’s face shifted from shock to a dark scowl, then to something downright ugly. He could not fathom how one man had summoned so many people, plainly pulled from different places. He saw several old acquaintances, some he knew by face if not by name, and a few he had only met once in passing. Among them was Elder Qun Fang of the Lingyin Sect. There were even a few juniors from the Nangong and Bei Ming Clan who had come to join the fun.

For Huang Zhong and Tie Gu, who knew Ancestor Sui Bian best, this was beyond shocking. When Old Black Daoist caught Huang Zhong as he swayed, Huang Zhong even asked him to pinch him to make sure this was not a dream. Old Black Daoist, hearing such a request, naturally did not hold back and obliged with vigor; Huang Zhong bared his teeth in pain as tears spilled down his old cheeks.

The gazes of several patriarchs fell upon the high-level cultivators among the newcomers; but the younger scions—Feng Jiu Si, Huo Shao Yan, and the rest—had their eyes on Yu Zhao, who was cradled in the arms of a cool-faced woman. They stared wide-eyed, their looks running up and down her, uncertain whether this was Yu Zhao herself or her bloodline.

Sensing their unashamed stares, Yu Zhao started to jump down, but Xiu Yu senior would not let go and said: “Little Zhao, you are too small. Let your aunt hold you, lest some blind fool step on you.”

Yu Zhao fell silent: [Aunt, that last line was really unnecessary.]

Hundreds of cultivators stood in ranks behind Ancestor Sui Bian. None intentionally released their Oppressive Aura, yet the invisible pressure still bent heaven and earth; thunder rolled across the sky.

Guildmaster Chang Deng could not stop thanking his past self. Fortunately, for old times’ sake, he had brought several sect elders to lend aid. Otherwise, once Huang Zhong and the others survived this ordeal, his seat as guildmaster would not have been secure. More importantly, he had underestimated these people—the immense strength concealed behind them had never crossed his mind. From now on, their faction’s standing within the Seven Mists Realm would be unshakable.

Ancestor Sui Bian basked in the sight of the sour faces across from him, delighted. [The way I turned the tide just now was so handsome. It is a pity Qun Fang and Xiu Yu did not get to appreciate the ancestor’s heroics. Ah, miscalculation—I should have had someone record it. How can a moment this glorious not be preserved? What a pity. I wonder if I could send them back now and do it again.] The more he thought, the more annoyed he grew; he lifted his head and shot Tu Zhen Yue a vicious glare. [If not for this old turtle’s constant threats hurrying me along, would I have rushed in such a panic to haul every last reinforcement over? This is all his fault.]

He lifted one finger and hooked it toward the enemy, saying lazily: “Come over here.”

Those four simple words carried a strange, soul-shaking force. Tu Zhen Yue and his people stiffened, and a sudden urge to back away rose in their hearts.