The Unyielding Dugu Clan

Mist of blood drifted. Hu Diewu had perished. Though peerless in beauty, unmatched under heaven, in the end she returned to the yellow earth.

Beyond the ancient village, the fleeing cultivators scattered. Xiao Chen stood alone between heaven and earth, silently gazing into the distance.

Killing Hu Diewu was a great enmity. The head of the Hu family would surely go mad—she was his most beloved youngest daughter. But Xiao Chen cared nothing for it. The two sides were already irreconcilable; a few more blood debts meant nothing to him.

Having passed through a deadly tribulation and now revived, Xiao Chen’s spirit and energy had climbed to a new peak. Every motion he made was in harmony with heaven and earth. This power stemmed from a deep opening of his own body’s treasure, elevating his strength across the board.

Standing within a stretch of sky, he seemed to command that small world. This was the embodiment of absolute power.

Xiao Chen swept his gaze in all directions. Everyone retreated. The people who had surrounded the ancient village were thoroughly routed. The means Xiao Chen had just displayed shattered their confidence—no one could contend with him.

Like a panicked herd of beasts, they fled, gradually disappearing into the distance. Between heaven and earth, there was only silence. Outside the village, it was empty.

Power was the ultimate truth. Many things needed no words. If one’s strength was sufficient, it was enough to overawe all.

Xiao Chen turned and walked back into the village. He stood quietly for a long time, reflecting on the subtleties of this transformation, gaining many ineffable insights.

The divinely transformed acupoints had begun to manifest unfathomable power. Within his sixty-one divinely transformed acupoints, life essence surged like a spring, opening a mysterious gate to the body’s treasure and releasing its ultimate potential. The fusion of these two forces had granted him such formidable combat strength.

Moreover, those sixty-one divine acupoints still blazed with brilliant light; the divine power had not been greatly depleted.

Perhaps it was time to fully divinize all the major acupoints of the body. Xiao Chen had a feeling that completely divinizing all three hundred and sixty-five primary acupoints might lead to something unimaginable. He had long been anticipating this.

He decided to travel far, taking the Yellow-Clay Altar with him, leaving the ancient village to seek opportunities to divinize the acupoints of his entire body.

He shook the snow-white fluffy ball Keke awake. The little thing stirred from its dreams, first mumbling drowsily for a while, then mischievously pinched Linglong and Tutu’s noses to wake them.

These three seemed to be natural nemeses; as soon as they woke, they took on the posture of a great battle.

“You can either go find Chiyou or continue sleeping here—choose for yourselves.”

Xiao Chen was about to travel far. Before leaving, he reminded the two rosy-cheeked little girls.

The two spirited little girls shook their heads vigorously; they did not want to sleep at all. Though their father had urged them to stay in a certain mysterious ancient village, their lively and restless natures could not bear spending every day in slumber.

“That snow-white fluff ball is no fun at all—it’s too mischievous. We’re going to travel around the Nine Provinces and never play with it again!”

“Yes, it’s too bad. It’s not nearly as pleasing to the eye as those handsome brothers. We want to tour all the mountains and rivers of the Nine Provinces and see every handsome brother under heaven!”

The two little girls, unable to do anything about Keke, desperately slandered it. The two plump little ones puffed up their cheeks and prepared to set off.

Xiao Chen could not help but smile. He found these two exquisitely carved, spirited little girls quite amusing. Truly, they were worthy of being the youngest daughters of the Yellow Emperor. He was not worried about their safety; surely the轩辕 Emperor, nearing the Ancestral God realm, had made arrangements.

When the snow-white beast heard that Xiao Chen was going on a long journey to find heavenly spirit essences to divinize his acupoints, it was so happy it nearly fainted. It rolled back and forth on the fragrant grass, chirping “Ya-ya” constantly in joy.

“How can we miss out on something so fun? We want to go too!” The two little girls’ eyes sparkled.

Unfortunately, Xiao Chen did not want to take them. Carrying Keke, he soared into the sky and departed.

The two little girls fumed: “Don’t think you can run! Even if you go to the ends of the earth, we can track you through that wretched little beast’s aura!”

Xiao Chen dared to leave the ancient village because of the Yellow-Clay Altar. This altar clearly could protect him. As for the others in the ancient village, there was no need to worry—he had gradually come to understand that the so-called primeval ancient village had a terrifying origin. Anyone with murderous intent who tried to damage it would be destroyed the moment they neared the village.

He stored the Yellow-Clay Altar and the divine lamp in his acupoint space and set out.

At this moment, Xiao Chen perhaps did not yet know that his name had shaken the world.

In the World of Immortality, he had already killed Half-Ancestors. Now, with the various mysterious legends spreading about the primeval ancient village, it was impossible for him not to be known.

Moreover, on this day, he alone had forced back all the cultivators besieging the ancient village, further making his name known throughout the world.

Xiao Chen, having passed through a deadly tribulation and awakened in an instant, possessed unfathomable mystic arts. He cleanly killed experts of the Sun Church, slaughtered the strong of the Tiger Clan, and personally slew the head of the Tiger Clan’s most beloved daughter. In a single day, the whole world knew of it, shaking the status of all kings among the younger generation.

Orioles sang, grass grew. Spring blossoms bloomed across the land, brimming with life, hope, and vitality.

His first stop after leaving the ancient village was Jinling City. He decided to learn about the state of the world in this prosperous ancient capital.

Having been in seclusion for half a year, Xiao Chen felt as if he had been divorced from society. Stepping back into the bustling world, everything seemed so vivid and fresh.

“Candied hawthorns…”

“Rolling donkey…”

“Dog-ignored buns…”

The cries of vendors filled the air.

Xiao Chen and Keke strolled through the ancient streets of Jinling. The snow-white beast ate until its mouth was greasy, chirping “Ya-ya” nonstop at the various delicacies, making Xiao Chen pack up five large bundles of its favorite treats.

Cultivation required multiple cycles of retreat and engagement with the world. Both made a cultivator’s state of mind vastly different, allowing one’s nature to undergo transformation.

Unlike ordinary people, Xiao Chen strolled casually through the crowded, prosperous streets, feeling extraordinarily relaxed.

“You-you-you… still dare to show up?”

A stammering voice sounded. Jin Sanyi appeared in Xiao Chen’s sight. Though the fellow had decent looks, he was extremely lecherous, his eyes lustfully fixed on the passing women.

“Why wouldn’t I dare?”

Xiao Chen laughed. Meeting this fellow by chance, he could inquire about many matters.

Sitting in a restaurant, Xiao Chen learned from Jin Sanyi about recent events. Many elders from the World of Immortality and the Cultivation World had finally been unable to hold back and had clashed several times. Now, famous mountains and great rivers across the land had owners, divided between people from the two worlds.

Hearing this news, Xiao Chen frowned. He was a native son of the Nine Provinces. Seeing this magnificent landscape occupied by people from two other worlds truly did not please him.

“Th-these old bastards sure moved fast. I-I-I didn’t get a single benefit!” Jin Sanyi complained, then looked around furtively and lowered his voice to Xiao Chen: “Next time you kill experts from the Tiger Clan, let me know—I’ll go collect the corpses.”

After talking for a long time, Xiao Chen was surprised to learn that in recent months, he had become the most talked-about figure. Though he had not taken a single step out of the ancient village, he was already recognized as one of the strongest young experts of the two worlds.

The so-called “two worlds” naturally referred to the Cultivation World and the World of Immortality. As for the Mortal World, it was directly overlooked. That was an irony in itself: being in the Mortal World, yet no one took the native cultivators of the Nine Provinces seriously.

“Ah! A-a-a-beauty!”

Seated by the window, Jin Sanyi stared straight at a woman on the street.

Xiao Chen looked out and showed a surprised expression. He saw an acquaintance—Dugu Jianmo, holding his daughter Shanshan, with A Bing by his side. The family was coming from the direction of the Confucius Temple. He had not expected them to have come to the Mortal World as well.

The lecherous Jin Sanyi ignored Dugu Jianmo entirely, his eyes fixed only on A Bing, staring straight at her.

Xiao Chen slapped the back of his head. “Can’t you show some decency? That’s Dugu Iron Nugget’s family!”

Jin Sanyi said, full of disappointment, “No wonder she looked familiar—it’s them, them, them. Strange, strange, why did I-I-I only just notice?”

“Your eyes are hooked—you directly ignore men. I think you’ll get your comeuppance sooner or later.” Xiao Chen laughed loudly, then noticed that the food on the table had nearly been swept clean by the little beast, which was eating with its head down. He rubbed its head. “Don’t be too greedy, or you’ll get fat again.”

The little beast grumbled discontentedly, showing no sign of stopping.

“Dugu Iron Nugget!” Jin Sanyi shouted from the window.

Dugu Jianmo’s family came up to the restaurant. Xiao Chen had the server replace the table with a fresh feast. “How did you end up in the Mortal World?”

“Dragged here by the elders of the clan.”

Dugu Jianmo’s character had not changed—he was still taciturn. A Bing explained everything in detail.

“Hello, Uncle. We meet again.” Shanshan looked obediently at Xiao Chen, then timidly pointed at Keke. “Can I touch it?”

The snow-white beast, in a proper manner, extended a small paw and patted her head. The whole table burst into laughter.

A Bing said worriedly, “Xiao Chen, your situation is grim. Are you not afraid of courting great trouble by showing yourself like this?”

Dugu Jianmo also showed a strange expression, looking at him with doubt.

Jin Sanyi, for once, was serious and spoke without stuttering: “The Half-Ancestor realm is unimaginable. We are still far from it. This is not yet our era.”

“I know what I’m doing. Don’t worry about me.” Xiao Chen raised his wine cup. “It’s rare to meet again. I toast you. After this cup, you should leave quickly. If someone sees you with me, there might be trouble.”

“Wh-what are you saying? A-am I the kind of person who fears death?” Seeing Shanshan look at him doubtfully, Jin Sanyi felt a surge of motivation. “I’m walking with a certain Dragon King. Those who want to move against me should first weigh themselves.”

“If they want to make a move against me, let them come. My iron sword has long been humming in eagerness.” Dugu Jianmo was very calm, but he gripped his iron sword tightly.

Hearing these words, Xiao Chen knew that Dugu Jianmo was still the same madman who lived for the sword.

At parting, little Shanshan secretly said to A Bing, “Mommy, Uncle Sanyi says little girls have three charms—soft voices, supple bodies…”

Dugu Jianmo grabbed his iron sword and chased after him. Jin Sanyi had already fled far away, vanishing without a trace.

Xiao Chen left with Keke, but his heart felt uneasy. He sensed something was about to happen. After meditating carefully, he pursued in the direction Dugu Jianmo had gone.

Outside Jinling City, in the desolate wilderness, blood mist drifted and corpses lay everywhere.

A tall, solitary figure stood in the middle of the field, his iron sword dripping with blood, making him appear exceptionally imposing. It was Dugu Jianmo. A Bing covered Shanshan’s eyes, holding her in her arms, standing not far away.

Xiao Chen was satisfied with his own spiritual perception—it could actually generate a warning, allowing him to foresee danger to others.

There were more than twenty corpses on the ground, all seemingly powerful cultivators. But judging by the fatal wounds, they had all been cleaved in a single stroke by Dugu Jianmo’s sword. One could imagine his dominance and terror.

Indeed, after falling in love, Dugu Jianmo had not weakened. On the contrary, his skill had advanced by leaps and bounds. His swordsmanship had surpassed the extreme of pure yang and steel, fusing yin and yang, and had broken into an entirely new realm.

A grand voice sounded across the wilderness: “A brat abandoned by the Dugu clan is actually so fierce. But you are fated to fall. We will use you to draw out Xiao Chen.”

Five middle-aged men appeared.

Xiao Chen understood instantly. After parting, he had immediately used the Eight Aspect Pole to leave. Clearly, these people had not caught up to him, so they came to surround Dugu Jianmo’s family.

Dugu Jianmo faced the five middle-aged men coldly and said, “No one knows who will fall yet.”

“Haha…” One of them laughed loudly. “On a normal day, you might have the power to fight us. But right now, your Nirvana realm cultivation has fluctuated to a low point—you are at the end of your strength. How can you not die?”

Not far away, A Bing’s face changed instantly. Although Shanshan’s eyes were covered, she still said in a delicate voice, “Father will never be defeated!”

The earth trembled slightly. Xiao Chen strolled over leisurely, a War Sword in his hand. He scanned the five men. “If you want me, you don’t need to resort to such base tactics.”

The five middle-aged men were startled. Feeling that their power seemed insufficient, they had not expected Xiao Chen to return.

“I will kill them.” Xiao Chen walked to the front of Dugu Jianmo.

“Good.” Dugu Jianmo stepped back without any false pretense. He had only recently entered the Nirvana realm, and his cultivation was indeed at a low ebb.

The five middle-aged men advanced, each summoning their Cultivation World magical artifacts.

Xiao Chen had Keke retreat to Dugu Jianmo’s family’s side in case of accidents. Then he walked forward step by step, seemingly unconcerned about the five.

“You…”

The five were shocked. They felt as if they were trapped in a quagmire. An oppressive pressure enveloped this space. An ominous premonition arose in their hearts.

“You are not like an ordinary Nirvana realm cultivator…” One of them looked at Xiao Chen with uncertainty.

“I transcend Nirvana and remain undefeated even against Deathless Longevity.” Xiao Chen’s words were calm, but his aura was exceptionally oppressive.

“Undefeated against a Deathless Longevity cultivator? Ridiculous!” One of them shouted, breaking free from the quagmire-like space and charging at Xiao Chen.

But immediately, his face was filled with terror. He was fixed to the ground, unable to move even a fraction. Xiao Chen took a single step of a hundred zhang, and the War Sword fell vertically, cleaving the man in two. Even his Nascent Soul could not escape. Blood spurted.

“How can this be?” The remaining four were greatly alarmed. A Deathless Longevity realm expert had been butchered with one blow—so simple, so fast. The battle felt utterly bizarre.

“Within ten zhang, all things are mere travelers, a hundred generations are but passing guests—all are under my control.” Xiao Chen sneered coldly. Taking a step of a hundred meters, he closed in on the four.

The battle was unavoidable.

But at that moment, an iron sword streaked across the air. A tall figure descended from the sky, his back to Xiao Chen. “I will kill them.”

“Fa… father…” Behind him, the ordinarily silent Dugu Jianmo showed rare emotion.

“Grandfather…” Shanshan, though her eyes were still covered, called out in her delicate voice, “Mother said you wouldn’t be heartless enough to drive us out of the Dugu clan.”

A single sword held off four Deathless Longevity realm cultivators. The cold light shot straight to the heavens.

In the dazzling radiance, in the murderous aura that pierced the sky, all the various magical artifacts of the Cultivation World were shattered. A great iron sword hung in the air.

After a brief, fierce battle, the Dugu elder alone slaughtered the four Deathless Longevity experts. Only then did he turn to face Xiao Chen. “You are quite impressive.”

With that, he walked toward Dugu Jianmo and his family. A spatial field surged out, carrying the three of them away in an instant.

“The Dugu clan is truly extraordinary!”

Xiao Chen sighed in admiration. But barely half a day later, he was shocked.

Dozens of men bearing great iron swords gathered in Jinling City that day. Their overwhelming pressure frightened many cultivators into fleeing.

Xiao Chen vaguely knew what was about to happen. In the World of Immortality, he had heard of this clan’s “splendid past.”

Sure enough, fifty men bearing great iron swords directly attacked Qixia Mountain outside Jinling City. Sword qi surged and clashed; the cold light of iron swords illuminated the entire city of Jinling.

Rocks flew through the air. Mountain peaks were cleaved off and sent flying into the clouds.

Qixia Mountain, like rotten wood, was hacked apart by them, leveled to the ground!

In an instant, the news shook the Nine Provinces.

That was a branch stronghold of the Shen Gong Sect, one of the ten great sects of the Cultivation World, and it had been shattered by the dozens of iron-sword bearers of the Dugu clan.

The Dugu lineage of the Southern Wastes in the World of Immortality—this was a low-key clan that no one dared to underestimate. If their descendants were openly and fairly killed during worldly training, they would not intervene. But if senior experts secretly ambushed and killed them, then what awaited was a storm of vengeance. In history, one clan had provoked the Dugu family in this way, and several dozen iron-sword bearers went to that clan, annihilating them overnight.

Such a monstrous clan was truly an anomaly in the World of Immortality.

Now, having returned to the Mortal World, they still followed this principle. If you tried to deal with their descendants in a despicable way, the only consequence was dozens of iron-sword bearers coming to kill you without mercy.

Though on the surface Dugu Jianmo seemed to have fallen out with his clan, it was clear that the Dugu family was a genuine anomaly—they did not allow outsiders to interfere in their family affairs.

“Holy crap! The Dugu clan is ridiculously strong! Qixia Mountain had many experts, yet they were wiped out in less than half an hour!”

“I &*#%@… That’s insane!”

“If I had a backing like that, who the hell would I be afraid of?”

“Damn, that’s too powerful—it leaves people speechless!”

The news spread across the world. Every cultivator was shocked, especially the younger generation—they were both envious and jealous.

Xiao Chen followed behind the dozens of iron-sword bearers and witnessed everything firsthand. He, too, found it quite speechless. He thought he was already quite domineering, but compared to the elders of the Dugu clan, he felt his own style was gentle.

Even the little beast Keke’s eyes went wide, stunned into silence.

Of course, things would not end there. The Shen Gong Sect was one of the ten great sects of the Cultivation World. Though their patriarch had not yet crossed over, the sect still had many powerful members.

The Shen Gong Sect’s main headquarters was located on Mount Tai. The sect’s experts were utterly furious, vowing to eradicate the Dugu clan.

Disciples of the younger generation, like Fang Tianqi, were even more indignant, all requesting to go out and find traces of the Dugu clan.

But once again, events defied everyone’s expectations. The dozens of iron-sword bearers took the initiative to appear and directly attacked Mount Tai.

The news spread, shocking the world. This clan was too domineering—their monstrous nature sent chills down the spine.

“The Shen Gong Sect is absolutely finished!”

“No way, right? The Shen Gong Sect is one of the ten great sects of the Cultivation World. Even if only some of their experts have entered the Mortal World, they can’t really lose, can they?”

“Lose? I tell you, the Shen Gong Sect will be completely wiped out!”

Cultivators across the world were discussing it. Those who knew the Dugu clan were certain that the Shen Gong Sect would be annihilated.

“I tell you, those dozens of iron swords are unstoppable. Don’t think that because Cultivation World people play with swords, they can compare to those ruthless bastards of the Dugu clan—that’s a joke. And I heard that Dugu Qiubai has returned to the Mortal World. If the Shen Gong Sect doesn’t have a Half-Ancestor step forward, there will be no miracle.”

At this moment, Xiao Chen followed behind the dozens of iron-sword bearers and arrived at Mount Tai as well.

“They’re going to wipe out all the Shen Gong Sect people; we’re going to plunder all their miraculous medicines!”

“Ya-ya!” Keke nodded vigorously in agreement.