Before the Holy Envoy could finish investigating, the space on the other side suddenly distorted, and a tall, imposing figure materialized out of thin air.
The Holy Envoy's face went pale with shock. The eight of them had clearly sealed off the area within a ten-mile radius—not a single person, not even a mosquito, should have been able to fly in. Beyond that, thirty-two Demon Kings patrolled the outer fifty miles, blocking everything layer by layer. So how had someone just waltzed in?
And judging by that aura, the intruder was a human!
Unacceptable!
The Holy Envoy's shock quickly turned to fury. In his haste, he bellowed, "What shameless thief dares trespass into the forbidden grounds? Surrender your life!"
As his words left his mouth, he shot forward like a rainbow, wreathed in surging demonic energy, and while still airborne, slammed his palm downward. This was the full-force strike of a Third-Order Emperor Realm powerhouse consumed by rage—the power behind it was anything but ordinary.
Yang Kai stood rooted in place, feeling every bone in his body crack and pop. It was the first time he truly experienced the terrifying might of a Third-Order Emperor Realm cultivator.
He didn't panic, though. He simply watched the charging demon with cold eyes, and at just the right moment, flicked his hand.
Whoosh whoosh whoosh...
As if divine soldiers descended from the heavens, the Stone Spirit Clan made their spectacular entrance, led by the Stone Spirit Elder.
However, there was no trace of the Wood Spirit Clan. The hundred or so Wood Spirit members had vanished somewhere, which left Yang Kai deeply suspicious.
"ROAR..."
A furious roar shook heaven and earth in an instant. Xiao Xiao took a small step forward, his half-human-sized frame suddenly expanding with a series of thunderous cracks. In the blink of an eye, he transformed into a stone giant standing three zhang tall, clad in thick stone armor that looked as solid as an impregnable fortress, seemingly capable of withstanding even world-ending attacks.
The Heaven-Shaking Pillar slung over his shoulder simultaneously grew longer and thicker, and he swung it in a sweeping arc at the incoming Holy Envoy.
The sound of wind and thunder erupted. The force of this single strike actually moved heaven and earth.
The charging Holy Envoy was completely thrown off. Moments ago, upon seeing Yang Kai alone, he had charged in without hesitation, intending to kill him on the spot and eliminate any future threat. Who could have guessed that in the blink of an eye, a crowd of stone people would materialize before him?
There was no time to react. Xiao Xiao's staff was already crashing down.
To the Holy Envoy's credit, he managed to halt his momentum in the nick of time. His demonic energy erupted in full, forming a protective barrier around his body. He crossed both arms in front of his chest.
BOOM...
The Heaven-Shaking Pillar hammered down, and the Holy Envoy felt a force beyond imagination slam into him head-on. His demonic barrier shattered, both arms cracked, and his body was sent tumbling backward uncontrollably.
Still airborne, he spat out a mouthful of blood and flew back several hundred zhang before barely managing to stabilize himself.
The terrifying strength of the Stone Spirit Clan was exactly that savage. Even a Holy Envoy whose power rivaled the Third-Order Emperor Realm would suffer greatly after taking a direct hit.
"Stone... Spirits!" The Holy Envoy's eyes turned crimson red in an instant. Though he had taken a hard blow, the injury was merely minor—nothing serious. If anything, it only stoked his killing intent to a raging blaze.
Whoosh whoosh whoosh...
Figures drawn by the commotion flew in from every direction, taking positions on either side of the Holy Envoy. Including the one who had attacked earlier, there were now eight in total.
These were the Eight Holy Envoys who served the Four Great Sacred Spirits.
All eight demon powerhouses undoubtedly recognized the Stone Spirit Clan. After all, when the Four Great Sacred Spirits had previously attempted to subdue the Stone Spirit Clan, these envoys had served as intermediaries, passing messages back and forth. They had crossed paths more than once.
One of the envoys—a burly figure with a tiger's back and a bear's waist—glanced ahead and narrowed his eyes. He let out a cold snort. "Elder, what exactly are you and your people intending?"
The Stone Spirit Clan stood near the Blood Gate, the Elder at the forefront. He planted his staff on the ground and spoke in a deep, resonant voice: "Our clan's future lies here. What do you think this old man intends?"
The envoy's gaze turned icy. "Elder, don't dig your own grave. You know full well the consequences of angering the Four Sacred Spirits. The Stone Spirit Clan's numbers are few—I'm sure you don't want your entire race exterminated over this."
The Elder chuckled softly, reaching up to stroke his stone beard. "Our clan's members are born of heaven and earth's fortune. To destroy us, the will of heaven itself would have to descend. I'm afraid no one else has the means to accomplish that!"
Another envoy gritted his teeth and said, "We have orders to guard this place and allow no one to approach. Is the Elder trying to make things difficult for us?"
The Elder replied mildly, "I wouldn't call it difficult. If you gentlemen could simply turn a blind eye, the Stone Spirit Clan would be eternally grateful."
"Delusional!" the previously injured envoy roared. "Trespassing in the forbidden grounds of the Blood Gate—today, you will all die, without exception!"
The Elder let out a long, unhurried sigh. "The Blood Gate's transformation is a golden opportunity for the ancient land's inhabitants to reclaim their ancestors' glory. So long as we can break the seal of the Blood Gate and enter it, there is a chance to obtain the essence of the Sacred Spirits. You eight have served beside the Four Sacred Spirits for years—you surely know something of the Blood Gate's secrets. Rather than fighting my clan to the death here, why not join forces? Together, we can share the power within the Blood Gate. Would that not be far more wonderful?"
"Well, I must say I never expected the Elder to be such a silver-tongued negotiator. You've taught me something today." The injured envoy snorted coldly, his face twisted with mockery.
The Elder said, "Today, my Stone Spirit Clan has mobilized in full. The secrets of the Blood Gate are ours by right. Anyone who dares stand in the way of our clan's future will be killed without mercy! I suggest you eight think long and carefully."