a threat emerges

The fall of a member of the opposing clans by Shun was no longer a rare occurrence after the clan's guards joined the battle, rendering the numerical difference redundant. Low-level cultivators were dropping dead like flies, leaving the Uzumaki clan grounds strewn with bodies, none of which had red hair. Shun swiftly rejoined the main battle, hastening the loss of the other clan's main force by thinning their numbers. The elders of the opposing clans were basically alone, and their stress levels were visibly rising. Fortunately, the others didn't join the battle against them; instead, they opted to stand at the sides and watch intently.

Rioto skillfully held his ground against three elders, leveraging his peak cultivation inheritance and adept techniques. Unlike most clan members, he enjoyed unrestricted access to the Uzumaki clan's Library, Vault, and the secret techniques they harbored. Utilizing these advantages, he deftly maneuvered around the three experienced cultivators, each of whom was nearing the pinnacle of power in the lower world

[Kilda Zuhzho POV]

I, the most promising and esteemed elder of the Zuzhou clan, am feeling hopeless. The Shen clan, one of the clans in our own, wasn't the weakest but the most vulnerable when we sought expansion. To diminish them, we placed a curse and poisoned their clan head. As a result, we systematically tarnished their reputation through humiliation and ridicule, making them the weakest clan in the latest generation. Their heirs exhibited lackluster talent, except for the child of the clan head. In hindsight, we should've eliminated him earlier.

As the time for their clan head's demise approached, an unforeseen event transpired. A phenomenon of magnitudes beyond my comprehension unfolded over them, causing me great unease. In response, we attacked, only to find that they were protected by the heavenly dao itself. My fear intensified.

Now, surveying the aftermath, my initial fear proved justified. Despite garnering the support of most clans leading the city, my children and grandchildren were on the brink of death, and my clan members were obliterated. Even if, by some miracle, we emerged victorious, we had lost everything. We couldn't even claim the title of a clan anymore. The only option left seemed to be joining a sect or kingdom as lowly protectors, mistrusted and only deemed reliable through the signing of a slave contract.

The realization of this grim future fueled my fear's transformation into seething anger. I glared at the boy casually playing around with my brother and me, and then at the old man who was supposed to be dead, consumed by the green flames of the River Styx. Instead, he was engaged in battle with three elders at peak core nurturing, reducing them to the level of foundation establishment children wielding high-ranking techniques without control.

[normal pov]

In the midst of employing evasive tactics and delivering strategic blows to the two elders, the male and female elders launched another assault, claws outstretched. Swiftly, I utilized the adamantium chains, wrapping them around my hands to grasp both of their outstretched claws without sustaining any damage. With a quick spin of my torso and arms, I released them, sending the elders flying backward once more.

Following this, instead of launching another attack, the female elder merely glared at me with intense hatred. Her gaze then shifted to Rioto, prompting me to do the same. Observing him, I noticed he fought effortlessly, displaying the prowess of a Golden Core Realm expert, whether experienced or not. Turning my attention back to the female elder, she seemed to have resigned herself with a sigh. It left me feeling uneasy.

My instincts were on point as she began to convulse, and I quickly grasped the dire situation. She was invoking her 8th-tier bloodline, a desperate act involving the sacrifice of her life and soul to ascend to the 8th tier. This was more than just bad – it was catastrophic. In the hierarchy of beast tiers ranging from 1 to 9, tier 8 represented power akin to mortal ascension-level beings. Such a transformation had the potential not only to obliterate the clan but the entirety of the lower realm.

Reacting swiftly, I rushed towards her, extending the adamantium chains to restrain her. However, the chains rebounded, and I found myself unable to get any closer due to the overwhelming amount of spiritual energy being released. The woman began to undergo a horrifying transformation, her skin bubbling and morphing. Shockingly, the male elder cut his own wrist, and his blood was drawn towards her, followed by the blood of the deceased Zuzhou clan members on the ground, all flowing towards her in an instant.

The blood coalesced into a sizable bubble enveloping her. A collective horror gripped everyone as the volume of blood diminished, revealing a large snake coiled into a ball. Its green scales were accented with a purple hue along the edges, and it possessed slitted eyes that opened like those of a reptile. In an instant, an unprecedented surge of spiritual energy burst forth. The clan grounds' barrier automatically activated, crackling along with the ground beneath as it quaked.

In response, the heavens cracked open once more, revealing the omnipresent eyeball. Chains shot out from its edges, attempting to wrap around the serpent, but they strained thin under the serpent's power. Despite this, the chains seemed to have a suppressing effect, gradually weakening the energy the snake was releasing. The clan members and elders were forcefully blown back, and the once serene town now lay in ruins.

[sorry for the pacing but I officially hate writing these fights, they annoy me I hope to get the town over with]