"All elders of the诸国 (Zhū Guó) heed my command, protect the Protector of the Nation!"
The Great Elder's voice was icy, carrying a resolve for death. Now that it had come to this, how could he retreat?
Many elders nodded, unleashing their formidable auras. Even if they met a tragic end, they would not falter.
"Truly ignorant of the immensity of heaven and earth!"
Black and White Impermanence shook their heads. With a mere stomp of their feet, an invisible wave surged forth. Before the elders could react, they were violently flung away, utterly outmatched.
Witnessing this scene, Lu Fan fell into deeper despair. Though the elders had received the blessing of national fortune, boosting their strength, how could they achieve greater heights in such a short time?
"Eliminate them all to prevent future troubles!"
White Impermanence spoke, his eyes glinting coldly. As members of the幽灵殿 (Yōulíng Diàn), they would not tolerate such defiance.
Black Impermanence hesitated not, but as they moved to strike, two sword lights hurtled towards him with extreme ferocity.
With a flick of his hand, Black Impermanence unleashed a palm strike. Sword Thirteen and Sword Nine were sent flying, no match for him.
"Young Master, Young Master, are you alright!" Sword Nine, struggling to rise, approached Ye Thirteen.
Ye Thirteen's face was ashen, his life hanging by a thread. A slight jolt could prove fatal.
Gazing at their injured forms, Lu Fan was filled with despair. Before truly powerful experts, they were utterly insignificant, like mere ants.
"If anything happens to the Young Master, the Ye Clan will absolutely not let this go!" Sword Nine declared. "The clan elders are already en route. They will make you pay!"
"What a joke! If true experts were coming, they would have arrived long ago. Why wait until now!"
Black Impermanence roared with laughter, his expression indifferent. But then, his face instantly contorted: "Not good, it's the aura of a Saint!"
"Saint's aura?"
White Impermanence's face paled with panic. They were merely half-saints. If a true Battle Saint arrived, the two of them would be incapable of resisting.
"Could it be a Ye Clan expert?"
Hei Yu spoke, his eyes filled with worry. If it was indeed a Ye Clan expert, they dared not act rashly. If Ye Thirteen perished, they would have nowhere to escape.
"Let's go, this place is not safe!"
White Impermanence uttered, his form transforming into a gust of wind as if a mouse had spotted a cat. He knew all too well the immense power of a Saint; any carelessness would cost them their lives.
Black Impermanence and Hei Yu did not linger, fleeing the scene swiftly. Being locked onto by a Saint's aura was a terrifying prospect, and they had no desire to become fallen souls.
Seeing the幽灵殿 (Yōulíng Diàn) members depart, Lu Fan and the others finally relaxed. Though severely wounded, they could return to their peak with proper care.
Elder Ye San arrived late and, upon surveying the scene, looked filled with guilt. "I ate a bowl of noodles at a noodle shop, and it led to this situation. It's all my fault!"
"At a time like this, the Third Clan Elder still has the mood to eat noodles!"
Ye Thirteen forced a wry smile, utterly unable to move. Several of his bones were broken, and his face was extremely pale.
"Young Master, are you alright?" Elder Ye San asked, his voice laced with indignation. "They are too arrogant, acting so mercilessly, not even respecting our Ye Clan!" Sudancn.com
"I am fine, naturally!"
Ye Thirteen stated directly. "I only have a few broken bones. Upon returning to the Ye Clan, I will report to my father, saying that these injuries were all caused by the Third Clan Elder eating noodles!"
"That absolutely won't do, absolutely not!"
Elder Ye San quickly replied, "Young Master, rest assured, I will not let you suffer in vain. I will surely slay all those members of the幽灵殿 (Yōulíng Diàn) and seek justice for you!"
"If I do not see the heads of Black and White Impermanence within three days, I will certainly make this matter known!"
Ye Thirteen said coldly. "Third Clan Elder, your actions are too casual."
The Third Clan Elder looked embarrassed, unsure how to respond. "Since the Young Master has given me a strict order, I will absolutely follow your command and take down the heads of Black and White Impermanence within three days!"
Ye Thirteen nodded slightly, showing no mercy. Had Elder Ye San not arrived late, they would not have suffered such severe injuries, nor would they have reached this predicament.
"Sword Nine, take the Young Master back to the Ye Clan for recuperation!"
Elder Ye San commanded. "I will go and pursue Black and White Impermanence now. I want to see exactly where they get the audacity to treat the Young Master with such disrespect!"
Sword Nine nodded slightly, his face flushing with embarrassment. Black and White Impermanence had already fled, and finding them again would not be easy.
After Ye Thirteen and the others departed, Ye Thirteen looked at Lu Fan. "It seems I cannot spend this New Year with you all. I am severely injured now, and only the miraculous elixirs of the Ye Clan can help me recover!"
"It's alright!"
Lu Fan stated directly. "As long as you can recover quickly, that is enough. After all, we cannot forget the deep hatred of today's bloodshed. We will surely seek retribution!"
"Indeed, we will surely seek retribution!" Long Yi nodded, his dissatisfaction palpable.
Though Black and White Impermanence were powerful, with sufficient time, surpassing them would not be difficult.
After Ye Thirteen and the others left, Lu Fan and the rest sat cross-legged and meditated for a while before standing up. However, they were all severely wounded, appearing quite weak, as were the elders of the Dragon Dynasty.
"Great Elder, as the Chief Elder, you must consider your actions carefully!"
Lu Fan turned and said, "If it weren't for the arrival of the Ye Clan experts today, wouldn't we have all perished here? Where would the Dragon Dynasty stand then?"
"This..."
The Great Elder's face was flushed with embarrassment, and he didn't know how to respond. However, he never regretted his actions, even if Lu Fan blamed him.
"Your Majesty, we also bear responsibility for this matter!"
The Third Elder spoke. "After all, the situation was urgent, and as the ruler of the Dynasty, Your Majesty cannot afford any accidents."
"Since the establishment of the Dragon Dynasty, I have stated that I am only the acting Protector of the Nation!"
Lu Fan's expression was indifferent. "Once a suitable person is found, I can be replaced."
"Within the Dynasty, there can only be the Protector of the Nation!"
All the elders knelt and clasped their fists, their expressions solemn.
"Why are you doing this!" Lu Fan frowned. "It's not like I'm refusing the position. Get up quickly!"
The elders exchanged glances before slowly rising. As long as Lu Fan did not relinquish his position as Protector of the Nation, they would continue to follow him. Moreover, within the Dragon Country, besides Lu Fan, who else could bear the title of Protector of the Nation?
In the face of today's perilous situation, they never regretted their choices. As long as they could follow Lu Fan's footsteps, it was enough.