The elder, known as Li Jiang, had been the commander of the Imperial Guard Army of the royal family and had always stayed by the side of the elder emperor of the Huangluo Clan.

A hundred years ago, as the elder emperor went into seclusion, Li Jiang followed and served as protector. The place they chose for the seclusion was the cave Huangluo Junlin had just emerged from.

The elder emperor's seclusion aimed to break through to the Saint Realm, a matter of utmost importance.

However, just as he was on the verge of the breakthrough, the elder emperor suddenly felt his soul trembling. A Black Mist Serpent appeared, intending to devour his soul and take over his body.

The elder emperor resisted fiercely, and Li Jiang also used his Soul Power to assist the elder emperor.

But the Black Mist Serpent was simply too strong, beyond what the two of them could withstand. Just as they were about to falter, Jiang Wuqing appeared.

Jiang Wuqing took action, expelled the Black Mist Serpent from the elder emperor's body, and killed it. By that time, the elder emperor was on his deathbed, and Li Jiang had sustained serious injuries.

At that point, through deduction, the three of them discovered that the Huangluo Clan had been infiltrated by the Soul Devouring Group without knowing when, and many in the family had been afflicted with Soul Devour seeds.

Upon realizing this, both the elder emperor and Li Jiang were horrified to no end!

Pausing here, Li Jiang's face was filled with sorrow, and he heaved a deep sigh, "The elder emperor had no choice but to leave a testament. For the greater good, he asked Jiang Wuqing, the predecessor, to help eradicate the Huangluo Clan, even if it meant relegating the Huangluo Clan to history. He would not allow the entire clan to fall under the control of the Eight-Headed Serpent!"

"Later, it happened just as recorded. The Dragon Descendant gathered various martial arts forces to annihilate our family and yet, in the final moments, left a bloodline for our family!" Huangluo Junlin took over the conversation:

"Back then, for fear of angering the Dragon Descendant and leading him to completely destroy our clan, although we knew it was the Dragon Descendant who demolished our family, we endured it. Moreover, this matter was kept only within the direct lineage, not to be told to collateral branches or the Imperial Guard Army, awaiting a chance for revenge in the future!"

"But we have harbored hatred for a hundred years, even our ancestors shared this grudge, only to find that our hatred was a grave mistake! If not for the Dragon Descendant's mercy and our ancestor's vigilance in guarding this place, not letting anyone enter the cave to discover the past events, our clan might have long been regarded as remnants of the Soul Devouring Group and eradicated!"

"Dad! How, how do you know all this?!" Leng Ming looked at Huangluo Junlin with disbelief.

Huangluo Junlin glanced at Leng Ming, his voice bitter, "Do you know who is in the cave?"

"Who?"

Leng Ming asked anxiously, with Pu Liang and others holding their breath, intently staring into Huangluo Junlin's eyes.

They seemed to have guessed something but were afraid to believe it.

"In the cave lies our ancestor, the true elder of the Huangluo Clan, the elder emperor of those days!"

Huangluo Junlin said excitedly, "He didn't die, he never died. He has been contending with the Soul Devour seed within his body, tormented by it for a hundred years, but he never gave up!"

"What?!"

"The elder emperor of old?!"

"Our true ancestor of the Huangluo Clan?!"

Pu Liang and the others were dumbstruck, looking incredulously toward the wall in the north, their whole bodies shaking uncontrollably.

"Yes, it's our ancestor, our ancestor himself told me these things. Otherwise, after hating Li Jiang, our ancestor, for decades, how could I possibly believe him so easily!" Huangluo Junlin nodded emphatically.

Thump!

Huangluo Junlin suddenly knelt in front of Li Jiang, heavily kowtowed, his eyes brimming with tears, and said full of apology, "Elder Li Jiang, I'm sorry, we've wronged you!"

Thump! Thump!

"Elder Li Jiang, I'm sorry, so sorry!"

"Elder, I apologize!"

Pu Liang, Cha Long, and Leng Ming all knelt before Li Jiang, regretfully calling out.

"Stand up!"

Li Jiang gently waved his hand and a force of Qi helped Pu Liang and the others to their feet.

Li Tianchong glanced at Pu Liang and the others, then said emotionlessly, "Grandfather has always known of your resentment towards him. That's why, back then, he had us leave this place to live in seclusion in the Li family valley. He was worried you would not be able to suppress your resentment and would take action against us, thus leading to unnecessary strife!"

Pu Liang and the others trembled, shocked as they stared at Li Tianchong.

Thud!

Li Tianchong lowered his body and knelt before Li Jiang, tears streaming down his face as he cried out in anguish, "Grandfather! The Li family is gone! The Li family is no more!"

Li Jiang's body shook and his eyes widened in alarm as he urgently asked, "What did you say? What happened to the Li family?"

"Grandfather, the Soul Devouring Group, the Soul Devouring Group has infiltrated our Li family. That year…" Li Tianchong spoke of the events from a year ago and the battle that had just occurred.

"Ah! The Soul Devouring Group! I, Li Jiang, am irreconcilable with you!" A pained howl erupted from Li Jiang.

Buzz Buzz Buzz!

Boom! Boom!

A terrifying aura suddenly burst forth from Li Jiang's body, causing his white hair to fly wildly, and where his long hair passed, there was the piercing sound of air exploding!

Buzz!

At the same time, another majestic aura emanated from the northern wall of the great hall, enveloping the entire hall and trapping Li Jiang's aura within.

Buzz!

The expression of the Supreme Long Huang changed, and with one leap, he was in front of everyone, unleashing his full aura to protect them from Li Jiang's oppressive force.

"Li Commander, it is we, the Huangluo Clan, who have wronged you!" An ancient voice called out.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The wall on the northern side of the great hall moved again, and a figure shrouded in black mist emerged from within.

"Unfilial descendant Jun Lin pays respects to the great ancestor!" Huangluo Junlin's expression changed and he immediately knelt to the ground.

Thud! Thud!

"Unfilial descendant Pu Liang…"

"Unfilial…"

Pu Liang and the others trembled, kneeling down together and calling out excitedly.

"Li Commander, I am sorry!" The figure in the black mist bowed deeply to Li Jiang.

Li Jiang quickly retracted his aura, stood up, and was about to kneel in return to the figure in the black mist.

"Li Commander, there is no need for such formalities!" The figure in the black mist reached out to steady Li Jiang.

The tense atmosphere in the great hall subsided, and the contrite voice of the figure in the black mist sounded, "If it weren't for Li Commander, who had been protecting me here all this time, always guarding the Huangluo Clan, the Li family would not have perished. Li Commander, the Huangluo Clan owes you greatly!"

"Your Majesty, please don't say that. Guarding you, guarding the Huangluo Clan, is my, Li Jiang's, duty!" Li Jiang shook his head slightly and spoke with a face full of deep sorrow.

Jiang Chen, watching the two elders, felt a complicated mix of emotions.

One was a servant loyal to the core, suffering the resentment of the descendants of the one he guarded for a full century without a word of complaint, even as his own family was destroyed by enemies, never once blaming those he swore to protect.

Such loyalty is witnessed by heaven and earth!

And the other, in order not to be controlled by the Eight-Headed Serpent, was willing to risk the annihilation of his entire clan to resist to the very end.

Such perseverance was truly admirable!

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