Mirror Dream Tree-V.4.160. Ancient God Clan
Lou Yuan and Shui Yinlan walk out of the Karma Clan building.
They have posted a task—delivering a letter to Merin—and paid the required fee.
With fate set in motion, they step onto the streets of the Karma Clan.
As they walk, Lou Yuan speaks, “Since we’re here, we might as well refine our Dao Weapons.”
Shui Yinlan glances at the surrounding stalls, each one displaying rare materials meant for refinement.
“I’ve refined my Dao Weapon before,” she says, “but I need to re-refine it to Saint Rank.”
Her gaze fixes on a stall selling Crystal Ice Scales.
A Saint Rank material—hard as any saint metal, yet ice by nature.
“I need to buy materials for re-refinement,” she adds.
They exchange a brief look and come to a decision together.
“Let’s separate and meet here later,” Lou Yuan says.
They walk off in opposite directions.
Shui Yinlan heads down a street lined with stalls selling Water, Ice, and Yin attribute materials.
Lou Yuan turns toward another avenue, where Star attribute materials dominate the displays.
As he examines Star Gold ore at one stall, he overhears a low conversation behind him.
Two members of the Shadow Fiend Race are speaking.
“I heard the Young Lord will attend the execution at Yunqi City,” one says.
“It’ll be held by the Spirit Dragon Race.”
The other snorts.
“Of course. Everyone wants to see it. They’re executing the human demon’s lover and daughter.”
The first nods.
“It’s retribution for the slaughter of Jinji City. He killed others’ loved ones without mercy. Now his loved ones will die.”
The second agrees.
“It would be better if the human demon himself were executed,” the first adds.
Lou Yuan lifts a piece of star ore, weighing it in his palm.
“He’ll come,” the second Shadow Fiend says suddenly.
The first scoffs.
“Why would a demon care about his lover and daughter?”
“He’s not a demon anymore,” the second replies.
“I heard he let a demon take over his body just to cultivate.”
Their voices fade as they walk away.
Lou Yuan’s expression remains unchanged.
He selects a piece of star ore that suits him and leaves the stall.
Days pass.
After gathering all the materials he needs, Lou Yuan returns to the street where he separated from Shui Yinlan.
When he sees her, he asks,
“Did you get all the materials?”
Shui Yinlan nods.
“What about you?”
“I got what I needed as well,” Lou Yuan replies.
“Shall we go down and refine our weapons?”
A trace of hesitation flickers across Shui Yinlan’s face.
The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, the violation.
After a brief pause, she says, “Let’s go.”
She turns toward the gate leading out of the city.
Lou Yuan notices the hesitation and asks, “Is there something else you want to do?”
She stops, then turns back.
“I’ve always wanted to eat at Fire Feast Pavilion.”
Lou Yuan murmurs the name.
Fire Feast Pavilion—an ancient force from the wild eras, when races did not merely battle each other but devoured one another.
It was founded by Feast Supreme, who developed a way of consuming other races where taste and benefit were both refined.
As civilisation advanced, the Pavilion changed, now serving dishes made from races without inherent wisdom.
He has wanted to try it himself.
“Then let’s go,” he says.
They walk together through the streets, passing towering buildings and flowing crowds, until a massive pavilion of dark-red stone and burning runes appears before them.
Flames curl along its roof, restrained and elegant rather than violent.
They step inside.
Warmth washes over them, mixed with rich aromas that stir both hunger and spirit.
A waiter guides them to a table and hands them menus.
They scan the list—Void Ant Egg Fry, Star-Beast Tenderloin, Dragon-Fish Stew, Yin-Pearl Soup.
They place their orders.
A moment of silence follows.
Lou Yuan breaks it gently.
“Sister Yinlan… are you alright?”
She looks at him.
“Why wouldn’t I be?”
He hesitates.
“I know you like Senior Brother Yu Feng. The news must have hit you hard.”
Shui Yinlan exhales softly.
“I don’t mind him having a lover. Who doesn’t have more than one?”
“A mortal emperor can have hundreds. Why not cultivators who are stronger and live longer?”
Lou Yuan nods.
She is right.
He himself has no lover yet, but his thoughts drift to the Saintess of the Holy Fire Sect and the Sixth Princess of the Void Mermaid Clan.
He plans to propose after the turmoil ends—after a new Supreme rises.
Shui Yinlan continues quietly,
“I’m hurt because he never considered me.”
Before the conversation can deepen, the dishes arrive.
Steam rises, carrying flavours so rich they overwhelm thought.
The first bite sends warmth through their bodies, pleasure unlike anything they have tasted before.
Energy from the food seeps into their Saint Essence, refining it naturally, smoothly.
For a time, they forget everything else.
Later, as they head toward the exit, they collide with a group descending the stairs in haste.
An Ancient God Clan cultivator snarls, “Human scum, don’t you watch where you’re going?”
Lou Yuan’s gaze hardens as he replies calmly, “A betrayer speaks loudly.”
The atmosphere shifts.
Everyone knows the truth—one of the ten human Supremes, the Ancient God Supreme, betrayed the human race and fled with his clan, birthing the Ancient God Clan’s rise.
The Ancient Divine cultivator bristles, fury flaring as if someone has stepped on his tail.
“What did you say?”
“Are you courting death?”
Lou Yuan does not retreat.
“A betrayer should be called a betrayer,” he says.
“And don’t think you’ll always stand above us—when the human race returns, even if others forget, our ancestors will not let betrayers live.”
Essence surges from the Ancient Divine group, pressure rolling outward.
Before it erupts, city guards descend, their voices sharp.
“No fighting inside the city,” they command.
“If you want to fight, take it outside.”
The Ancient God Clan members snort coldly and turn away.
Lou Yuan and Shui Yinlan leave as well.
When they are far from the city, high above the clouds, space suddenly seals.
Figures emerge from all directions.
The Ancient God Clan surrounds them.
Killing intent floods the sky.
Without words, the battle breaks out.
Essence detonates across the sky as the Ancient God Clan attacks first.
Shui Yinlan is immediately locked by a Great Saint cultivator.
Icy divine light crashes down on her as the enemy presses forward without restraint.
She retreats half a step, raising layers of water and ice to block the assault.
Each clash sends shockwaves through her body.
She is only at the Saint realm.
No matter how refined her foundation, she is not a heaven-defying genius capable of crossing such a vast gap.
Under continuous pressure, her breathing tightens.
—
Lou Yuan steps forward alone.
Four Great Saints surround him.
Star-energy surges as they attack together, divine laws overlapping in an attempt to crush him instantly.
Lou Yuan raises his hand.
The Qinglong Formation Dao unfolds.
Starlight flows like a living current around his body, forming an invisible dragon coil.
Every incoming attack bends, weakens, or slides past him.
One Great Saint swings down with overwhelming force.
Lou Yuan meets it head-on.
A single punch shatters the attack and sends the Ancient Divine cultivator flying, blood spraying through the air.
Another attack from behind.
The Law of Gravity shifts.
The attacker’s movement distorts, his strike missing entirely as Lou Yuan turns and strikes again.
Bones crack.
A third unleashes a divine technique, flooding the space with blazing light.
Lou Yuan’s star-energy condenses.
Strength forms the frame.
The attack collapses inward, devoured by his Dao before it can reach him.
Only one remains uninjured.
Fear flickers across the Ancient Divine’s face.
Lou Yuan does not pursue it immediately.
He glances sideways.
Shui Yinlan staggers as her opponent’s strike breaks through her outer defence, frost shattering around her.
“Senior Sister Yinlan,” Lou Yuan shouts, voice cutting through the chaos,
“focus on defence. I’ll help you once I’m done here.”
She grits her teeth and nods, reinforcing her barriers, abandoning offence entirely.
Lou Yuan turns back.
The remaining Great Saints attack in desperation.
It changes nothing.
Starlight flashes.
In moments, two are slain outright.
The last is crippled, Dao collapsing as Lou Yuan crushes his core with a calm, decisive strike.
Four Great Saints fall.
Lou Yuan does not pause.
He vanishes in a flash of star-energy, reappearing beside Shui Yinlan.
The pressure around her disappears.
Her opponent turns, horror dawning—
—and Lou Yuan’s palm descends.
The Great Saint’s defence shatters.
Blood sprays across the sky as his body falls, lifeless.
Silence returns.
The clouds slowly settle.
Lou Yuan steadies his breath and looks at Shui Yinlan.
“Are you hurt?”
.
!
V.4.160. Ancient God Clan
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