Blood Battle Valley of the Sky Sacrifice Mountains, the main hall of the Four Divine Beast clans.
When Lin Lei followed the Second Elder into the great hall, there were already quite a few people inside. Lin Lei glanced around — "Including me, forty-two elders." Of course, as time went on, more elders continued to file in one by one.
"Lin Lei." Gawei, who had a relatively close personal relationship with Lin Lei, walked over. "The clan leaders have finally bowed their heads."
Lin Lei was taken aback. "Gawei, what do you mean?"
Gawei let out a low sigh. "A month ago, our Four Divine Beast families suffered another devastating blow. The clan leaders probably couldn't hold on any longer, which is why we're having this meeting. Perhaps even the clan leaders are wavering, so they're letting the elders discuss it. As long as the elders pass the resolution, then…"
Lin Lei understood.
Once the meeting passed, the Four Divine Beast families would most likely choose to hunker down within the Sky Sacrifice Mountains and stop venturing out. Although doing so would preserve the strength of the Four Divine Beast families, the reputation built over countless years would be severely damaged.
Countless clan members valued the family's honor above their own lives. The four clan leaders were finding it hard to decide.
"Suffered another devastating blow a month ago? What happened?" Lin Lei asked urgently.
"You really don't keep up with anything!" Gawei shook his head. "A month ago, our Four Divine Beast families lost three more elders. One of them was from our Azure Dragon clan. Adding in the losses from over twenty years ago… now, among the Azure Dragon clan, we only have fifteen elders who truly possess the strength of Seven-Star Demons."
Lin Lei's heart sank heavily.
"Rumble~~~" The doors of the main divine hall slammed shut with a thunderous boom.
Lin Lei was startled back to attention. Gawei whispered, "All the elders have arrived. The four clan leaders should be coming out soon." Lin Lei carefully counted — there were now fifty-three elders in the hall, including the Grand Elder and the others.
Four figures emerged one after another from a side chamber and ascended to the dais of the great hall, seating themselves in a row. They were the four clan leaders, led by Gaisleisen.
The hall fell silent at once.
Gaisleisen and the other three clan leaders swept their gazes over the assembly below. They exchanged glances, and in the end it was Gaisleisen who spoke. His deep, resonant voice echoed throughout the hall: "Everyone, you've all been summoned here today. I'm sure you already have some idea of what this is about!"
The moment these words were spoken, everyone felt a heavy weight in their hearts. Lin Lei, too, felt a wave of sorrow wash over him.
There was no turning back!
"Since the death of our four ancestors, our Four Divine Beast families have suffered blow after blow. Fortunately, with the help of the Lord of the Blue Mist Mansion, we were able to make our stand here in the Sky Sacrifice Mountains. Otherwise, our families would have been wiped out completely over ten thousand years ago."
Below the dais, silence reigned.
"Over these ten thousand years, our elders have one after another gone to their deaths without fear, fighting our enemies for the glory of the family. Ten thousand years ago, our Four Divine Beast families had over two hundred elders in total! And today, only fifty-three remain! In just a mere ten thousand years, we've lost nearly two hundred elders! Two hundred!" Gaisleisen's eyes glistened with unshed tears.
The elders below recalled the many who had perished over the years, and sorrow filled every heart.
Lin Lei, too, remembered the members of his Thirteenth Squad who had fallen, and the lonely figure of Elder Suorhaus after he had lost his most powerful divine clone.
For the sake of the family, too many elders had sacrificed their strongest divine clones. They had once been Seven-Star Demons, standing tall above the world. But after losing their most powerful divine clones, they had perhaps been reduced to ordinary Highgods.
"I, along with the other three clan leaders, have been thinking all these years about how long we can hold on," Gaisleisen said in a low voice. "Especially these past few hundred years — those eight great families have been acting like madmen, willing to perish together if it means killing our elders. At this rate, after another few hundred years, the Four Divine Beast families will barely have any elders left."
The Vermilion Bird clan leader spoke up as well: "That's right. Especially a month ago, we lost three more elders! The four of us clan leaders discussed it carefully… if this continues, we can hold on for at most a few hundred more years."
The White Tiger clan leader said coldly: "Even if we keep going like this, it's just sending you all to your deaths. What's the point?"
The Black Tortoise clan leader added in a deep voice: "So we thought it would be better to preserve some of our elite. After all, reaching the rank of Seven-Star Demon elder is not something that comes easily."
Gaisleisen spoke with resolute force: "The four of us clan leaders are of one mind — we will no longer fight against the eight great families. All clan members will withdraw into the Sky Sacrifice Mountains to rest and rebuild!"
The group of elders below was stunned.
They had thought the clan leaders would put it to them for discussion and a vote. Instead, the decision was simply announced.
"Clan Leader!"
"Clan Leader!"
Immediately, many elders grew agitated.
"Clan Leader!" A anxious voice rang out. A cold, silver-haired young man looked up at the four clan leaders above. "Are we really going to surrender like this? Just admit defeat?"
Lin Lei glanced at the silver-haired young man — this was Elder Bru, the genius elder of the Azure Dragon clan.
"I suppose you could call it admitting defeat," Gaisleisen said, his former vigor entirely gone.
"Bru." The Vermilion Bird clan leader looked down at him. "Even if we keep fighting, how much longer can our Four Divine Beast families last with the forces we have? Do you want us to lose all fifty-three of our remaining elders?"
Bru's gaze remained unwavering.
"Four clan leaders!" Bru lifted his chin slightly. "I, Bru, have surrendered before in my life — but that was because I was too weak. Ever since I reached the Seven-Star Demon level, I have never surrendered. What are those eight great families, anyway? When our Four Divine Beast families were at their peak, they wouldn't dare breathe a word of defiance. But now — hmph! Asking me, Bru, to bow my head to them? Impossible!"
"Bru!" Gaisleisen's voice was pained.
In their hearts, all of them hated the eight great families and looked down on them. Submitting to them — proud as they were, it was something they could never accept. But Gaisleisen and the others were thinking of the family's survival.
"Clan Leader, I understand your difficult position. But I'm just one person — I would rather go out and fight… and die on the battlefield! Once I'm dead, there will be no Seven-Star Demon Bru left in this Hell, only an ordinary Highgod Bru. And when that time comes, even if I wanted to fight, I wouldn't have the strength." Bru said with a faint smile.
Lin Lei felt a jolt run through him upon hearing this.