Chapter 415: Gu Qingyang, the Opening of the Rock Demon Realm

Chapter 415: Gu Qingyang, the Opening of the Rock Demon Realm

Xiao Ze kept his thoughts to himself, not sharing them with Xun'er. After all, it was uncertain if they would even encounter Hun Yu. Considering divine bloodline holders alone, the Hun Clan's bloodline heritage was indeed impressive. Among the ancient clans, only the still-strong Gu Clan had managed to produce another divine bloodline holder after a millennium, and even then, there was only one.

In contrast, this generation of the Hun Clan had already produced two divine bloodline holders: Hun Yu and Hun Feng. Both were strong contenders for the next leader of the Hun Clan. The Devouring Flame had consumed the leader of the Devouring Spirit Clan, leveraging their abilities to continually strengthen the Hun Clan's Dou Di bloodline. Over time, the Hun Clan had grown even more powerful, producing two divine bloodline holders in this generation. Divine bloodline holders were said to have the potential to reach high-star Dou Saint levels in the future.

As the Hun Clan's bloodline grew stronger, the cost was the quiet extinction of several ancient clans. The Hun Clan's history, as described in the original work, was the oldest, having used the Devouring Flame's abilities to secretly eliminate many ancient clans, absorbing their bloodlines to extend their own. The Stone Clan that Xiao Ze currently found himself in was one such ancient clan that had been devoured.

Xun'er noticed Xiao Ze deep in thought but did not disturb him, standing quietly before him. When Xiao Ze snapped out of his thoughts, he saw Xun'er looking at him earnestly.

"Is there something on my face?" Xiao Ze asked with a smile, gently touching Xun'er's hair, which was incredibly soft.

"Xun'er rarely sees Brother Xiao Ze lost in thought like this," Xun'er said softly, smiling and enjoying Xiao Ze's touch.

Suddenly, all five people in the hall sensed a presence and turned towards the door, where several powerful auras were approaching.

"Brother Xiao Ze, those are my clan members. I'll go meet them," Xun'er said as she walked to the door. With a wave of her hand, the stone door slowly opened, revealing several figures.

The leading man wore a light blue robe, had a handsome face, and exuded a scholarly and peaceful aura. Gu Qingyang, upon seeing Xun'er, paused for a moment when he noticed Xiao Ze standing not far behind her, quickly masking his surprise. Gu Qingyang was strong, and after Xun'er returned to the Gu Clan, he had interacted with her. Although Xun'er politely addressed him as Brother Qingyang, Gu Qingyang sensed a certain coldness from her, despite her smile.

Knowing his place, Gu Qingyang respected the boundaries Xun'er set, understanding that she was the clan leader's daughter, the true pride and jewel of the Gu Clan. Accepting this, he maintained a cordial relationship with her. However, he was surprised to see Xun'er with a strange man during this trip.

"Xun'er, I heard you arrived at the Stone Clan. The Rock Demon Realm opens in three days. Do you want us to explore it together?" Gu Qingyang asked, his eyes carrying a hint of hope. As the commander of the Gu Clan, they had to ensure Xun'er's safety, especially since Tongxuan could not enter the Rock Demon Realm.

"No need, Brother Qingyang. My friends here will accompany me into the Rock Demon Realm as guest elders. I trust their strength," Xun'er replied with a smile, shaking her head. This was her decision, and she wouldn't change it based on Gu Qingyang's suggestion.

The silver-robed man behind Gu Qingyang glanced around the hall, raising an eyebrow. His eyes widened in surprise as he saw that everyone in the hall was a high-star Dou Zun, and he couldn't discern Xiao Ze's strength at all. Such a situation usually meant either the person had a secret method or treasure to conceal their strength, or their strength was far superior, capable of perfectly hiding their aura. Gu Qingyang realized this too.

"Since your friends are strong, we won't insist. If you need help, just ask," Gu Qingyang said with a smile. "By the way, Hun Yu from the Hun Clan, a divine bloodline holder, is also here. He's powerful. If you encounter him in the Rock Demon Realm and can't win, don't be reckless."

Xun'er nodded with a smile. "Thank you for the reminder, Brother Qingyang. I'll keep it in mind."

Before leaving, Gu Qingyang and his group cast a long look at Xiao Ze. After they left, Xun'er closed the door with a wave of her hand.

"Brother Xiao Ze, we've been traveling constantly. Let's take a good rest," Xun'er suggested.

Elsewhere, Gu Qingyang walked with the silver-robed man and a burly man. The silver-robed man chuckled, "I didn't expect Xun'er to make such powerful, talented friends quietly."

"Indeed. Xun'er's friends are very young but already high-star Dou Zuns. Their talents are exceptional, no less than ours," Gu Qingyang sighed. "That man's strength is even more formidable. I feel like I might not be his match in a real fight."

The burly man and the silver-robed man were surprised but recalled their own inability to gauge Xiao Ze's strength and felt more understanding.

"Haha, it's a good thing we didn't bring Gu Yao along. If he saw a man in Xun'er's hall, he'd probably challenge him immediately," the silver-robed man laughed.

"That would truly be self-defeating," Gu Qingyang shook his head as they returned to the Gu Clan's palace.

Three days passed quickly. Under the guidance of the Stone Clan's elders, everyone gathered at a ring-shaped mountain range. Xiao Ze noted that the massive ring-shaped mountain range was filled with numerous seal marks. Inside the mountain range stood countless towering stone pillars, some of which were severely damaged, revealing a deep red core.

As Xiao Ze observed the stone pillars, a peculiar stone chime resonated through the air.

"Thank you all for traveling so far to participate in the Rock Demon Hunt. Without further ado, let's open the Rock Demon Realm!" A Stone Clan elder's voice boomed. He unleashed a vast spatial force, striking the center of the ring-shaped mountain range, causing the space to twist and contort into a massive, hundreds-of-meters-tall portal.

The Rock Demon Realm had opened!