Kyoto.
The Shangguan family!
"Father! Are your injuries alright?"
Shangguan Yuan looked at the elder with a weak aura before him, filled with worry.
This elder was none other than Shangguan Cangyu, one of the elders of the Siming clan who had been injured by the black-robed elder before.
"Alas! My body is fine, I just need some time to recover!" Shangguan Cangyu recalled the battle with the black-robed elder, and a trace of lingering fear remained.
Even as martial gods, the gap between them was so vast.
Such a blow was more severe for Shangguan Cangyu than any physical injury.
"Father! After you and the others fought that mysterious black-robed elder, could you not guess his identity?"
Shangguan Yuan had always been curious about that mysterious powerful figure.
"No!" Shangguan Cangyu shook his head and sighed, "That person was too deeply hidden. He used a very strange ancient martial art, something none of us old guys had ever seen!"
"A strange ancient martial art?"
Shangguan Yuan was somewhat puzzled.
"That's right!" Shangguan Cangyu condensed a wisp of true qi in his palm and said, "During our fight, his moves weren't all that powerful! The fundamental reason we elders were defeated was because he could absorb our true qi."
The wisp of true qi in Shangguan Cangyu's hand at this moment was extremely thin, unlike what a supreme martial god would condense.
"This..."
Seeing this, Shangguan Yuan was stunned.
He had never encountered such a bizarre technique before.
But it wasn't Shangguan Cangyu's first time.
This method of absorbing true qi reminded him of a certain conflict.
However, these were not matters that ancient martial artists like Shangguan Yuan, who were still in the Martial Emperor realm, were privy to.
"Alright! Let's put the black-robed elder's identity aside for now!"
At this moment, Shangguan Cangyu's expression suddenly turned solemn, and he asked, "Are the things you told me earlier all true?"
Because Su Xin had directly destroyed the "Xiantian Yi Qi" at that time, it had caused the group of elders to be so enraged that they fainted.
Therefore, he didn't know what happened afterward.
But after hearing Shangguan Yuan's account, he almost fainted again.
Primordial Body?
Sky-Shaking Giant Hand?
And a mysterious young man?
These events were too fantastical and shocking, even for Shangguan Cangyu, who had lived for fifty to sixty years, it was a bit overwhelming.
It was truly terrifying!
"Father! These are things that I and the patriarchs of the other three families witnessed with our own eyes. There is no exaggeration!"
Even as he said this, Shangguan Yuan himself felt a sense of lingering fear recalling that scene.
At that moment, he truly understood how insignificant he was.
Martial Emperor! Martial God!
In the eyes of some people, they were no different from ordinary people.
If someone had told him this before, he would have thought they were crazy.
But now!
"Father! The Dark Clan is more terrifying than we imagined!"
Shangguan Yuan said powerlessly.
As for that mysterious young man, he didn't even dare to think about him.
Little did he know, the youth he feared was already walking towards them.
"The Dark Clan!"
Hearing these two words, Shangguan Cangyu also felt an immense weight.
At this moment, Shangguan Cangyu suddenly thought of something and inquired, "I recall the Dragon Clan mentioning the matter of Xi'er's marital status before. Could it be that they..."
Upon hearing this, Shangguan Yuan nodded, "That's right! Long Ming had indeed sent someone to speak with me. He intended to take Xi'er as his wife! Unfortunately..."
Unfortunately, she was already a corpse.
"Alas! It is indeed a pity!"
Shangguan Cangyu also sighed.
If Shangguan Xi'er could marry into the Dark Clan, their Shangguan family's status would undoubtedly rise.
"But it's good that she's dead!" After a moment of thought, Shangguan Yuan shook his head and said, "I investigated before. Long Ming is known for his lecherous nature and debauchery! If Xi'er had truly married him, she might not have had a good outcome!"
Hearing this, Shangguan Cangyu felt relieved.
While the family's advancement was important, his granddaughter's happiness was equally so.
"Alright! I'll leave the clan's affairs to you. I need to go into seclusion..."
Before Shangguan Cangyu could finish speaking, a clan member rushed in and said, "Patriarch! Someone wants to see Miss Xi'er!"
Hmm?
Upon hearing this, Shangguan Yuan frowned, displeased, "Isn't this a common occurrence? Why do you need to report it specifically?"
As the eldest daughter of the Shangguan clan, Shangguan Xi'er was admired by countless young talents in the capital.
Naturally, many people wanted to meet her every day.
Such matters should simply be turned away. There was no need to alarm him, the patriarch of the Shangguan clan.
"Pa-Patriarch! We turned him away! Bu-but... we couldn't get rid of him!" the clan member said with a mournful face. "Even the Martial Guards were dispatched, and they couldn't get rid of him!"
Martial Guards!
They were the protectors of the Shangguan clan, which included ancient martial artists in the Martial Ancestor realm.
"Even with the Martial Guards dispatched, they couldn't get rid of him?"
This time, even Shangguan Cangyu was a little surprised.
Couldn't get rid of him?
And couldn't defeat him?
What was his intention?
Shangguan Cangyu had never encountered such a person before.
After all, this was the Shangguan clan. Who dared to act presumptuously here?
"Fine! I want to see! What is the intention of such an arrogant fellow!"
At this moment, Shangguan Yuan waved his hand and prepared to go and see the person.
After a moment of contemplation, Shangguan Cangyu also followed.
He also wanted to see who this person was.
...
Outside the gates of the Shangguan clan, many people had already gathered.
In the center of these people was a young man.
Beside the young man lay several figures.
"Audacious villain, daring to cause trouble at the Shangguan clan, truly courting death!"
At this moment, a middle-aged man with a deep voice and a powerful aura strode towards Ye Ming.
When others saw this, they all made way for him.
"This... this is Feng Gao, one of the deputy commanders of the Martial Guards. I didn't expect even him to be alerted!"
"That kid is finished! Deputy Commander Gao is a Martial Ancestor!"
"Hmph! This is the Shangguan clan! Causing trouble here is equivalent to seeking death!"
"He even wants to see Miss Xi'er. Truly a toad wanting to eat swan meat!"
"Exactly!"
"..."
Ye Ming didn't pay much attention to the surrounding discussions.
If it weren't for Shangguan Xi'er's family, he would have already stormed in.
"I've said it many times. Just tell Xi'er that a young man calling himself 'Ming' is looking for her, and she will definitely come out to see me!"
Ye Ming said in a deep voice.
Xi'er!
Hearing this address, Feng Gao's expression turned cold, and he said with killing intent, "Miss Xi'er is a noble existence. How can you address her so casually!"
"Kid! This is your last chance. Immediately kneel and apologize for your previous actions! Otherwise, I will ensure you die without a complete corpse!"
The Martial Guards of the Shangguan clan were injured by someone at their doorstep. If this were to spread, how would the Shangguan clan maintain its standing in Kyoto?
As the deputy commander of the Martial Guards, he would never allow such a thing to happen.
Ye Ming's expression also became increasingly grim upon hearing this.
"You're forcing me!"