Chapter 572: Betraying Her Own Family; Made Preparations Accordingly

As the group from the Hidden An Clan arrived at Kun Mountain, An Xi's expression soured when she noticed An Yan's striking presence. After she settled things in Kun Mountain, she was going to return home and demand An Yan to return her the True Blood of the Hidden Celestial.

In the past, she never took An Yan seriously despite being aware of the facade she put up. Her carelessness this time had allowed An Yan to steal something incredibly valuable from her, rendering all her previous efforts futile.

"Sister..." While An Xi was still lost in her gloomy thoughts, An Yan had appeared before her. A sweet and enchanting smile adorned her beautiful face as she greeted An Xi warmly. Outsiders who were unaware of their true relationship would have thought that they were sisters who shared a strong bond with each other.

"You brat, you really caught me off guard this time." An Xi quickly composed herself and spoke in a neutral tone, but not without a hint of arrogance. She maintained her dignified status and refrained from engaging in a public argument with An Yan. As someone with ample resources and time, she knew there were better ways to handle the situation.

"Many thanks to your generosity, my dear sister. Without your assistance, obtaining it would have been a great challenge." An Yan's innocent smile revealed a charming set of dimples on her cheeks, but her words were laced with deadly motives. An Xi's face immediately darkened, as she never anticipated her sister would have the audacity to taunt her in front of their clan members.

"You're still too naive. Are you flaunting because you truly think that you've won by snatching it away? How amusing. We'll continue this, only if you can survive the challenges of Kun Mountain." An Xi sneered and gave her a disdainful look. As onlookers observed the tense exchange, they wisely remained silent to avoid getting involved in the internal conflict within the An Clan.

"I think you have misunderstood me, sister." An Yan suddenly giggled, as if she had just heard the funniest joke.

"What do you mean?" An Xi frowned.

"I didn't come to Kun Mountain for you," An Yan said with a disdainful smirk.

While she was speaking, a stir arose in the vicinity, drawing the attention of the True Daoists from various Forces in the sky. A group of figures were approaching, led by none other than the Gu Changge.

"Young Master Gu..." An Yan's face lit up with excitement as she eagerly made her way toward Gu Changge, seemingly unaware of the extremely unpleasant expression on An Xi's face.

"Damn it! When did she become so close to Gu Changge...?"

As An Yan hastened toward Gu Changge, An Xi couldn't shake off the ominous feeling that crept up on her when she connected An Yan's relationship with the man and the True Blood of the Hidden Celestial she had stolen from her. It appeared that her journey to Kun Mountain might not go as smoothly as she had initially anticipated.

"Jiang Chen..." Niu Tian, who had been quietly trailing behind An Xi and the others, also caught sight of Jiang Chen, who was being guarded by Gu Changge's men. He was greatly relieved to see that Jiang Chen was unharmed, suspecting that Xiao Ruoyin must have played a part in this.

"Greetings, Young Master Gu." An Yan eagerly approached Gu Changge and respectfully greeted him. She had diligently kept in mind the task that Gu Changge had entrusted to her. Now that she had successfully obtained the True Blood of the Hidden Celestial, she had passed his test and proven her worth.

"Looks like you have obtained the True Blood of the Hidden Celestial?" Gu Changge did not expect to see An Yan here but he remained unfazed. He viewed her as a mere pawn, one he could easily discard. If she could demonstrate her value, he would be willing to assist her. On the other hand, if she failed, he saw no reason to waste his time on her.

"Of course, I didn't let you down." An Yan nodded with a smile of relief on her face. She presented a bronze box adorned with glowing ancient runes to Gu Changge.

"The True Blood of the Hidden Celestial is sealed in it. You can count on me to retrieve the remaining blood from the An Clan." Her eyes sparkled with hope as if seeking for Gu Changge's praise.

Gu Changge merely glanced at the bronze box before him with a smile, showing no interest in opening it. He knew that An Yan would never dare to deceive him. "Good work."

"An Yan actually gave it to Gu Changge!?" An Xi watched their exchange from a close distance, her eyes turning red and her jaw clenched tightly. That was one of the only three remaining drops of the Hidden Celestial's True Blood left in the An Clan.

Should Niu Tian successfully absorb that drop of True Blood, he would swiftly regain some of the splendor of their Prime Ancestor. With his help, she would undoubtedly be able to secure her position as the head of the An Clan.

"When did that girl develop such a strong bond with Gu Changge, to the point where she is willingly give it to an outsider... To think that she would betray her own Clan just to please Gu Changge!" An Xi's Grand Uncle wore an equally grim expression.

As per the An Clan's rules, An Yan was indeed entitled to make her own decision regarding the True Blood of Hidden Celestial that she had obtained. No one could stop her even if she chose to dispose of it. Nevertheless, seeing her using it to gain favor with Gu Changge left a bitter taste in the mouths of many members from the An Clan.

Shortly after, many cultivators had gathered outside Kun Mountain. Crowds were seen forming all around the mountain. Following their deliberation, various Forces initiated their assault on the mountain.

*Buzz!!* Dao Artifacts floated in the sky, emanating a terrifying divine radiance as they stirred from their slumber. The energies they emitted were overwhelming, leaving most cultivators breathless. A furnace covered in magnificent red flames rose into the sky like a sun, its radiance searing and intense. It released red clouds as it charged toward Kun Mountain!

The remaining Dao Artifacts also stirred to life, accompanied by Chaos Qi. Their unparalleled radiance illuminated the surroundings and the Sound of the Great Dao reverberated.

*Boom!!!* The space ruptured with a violent force, creating a crack that spanned thousands of kilometres. The gusts of wind that escaped were fierce enough to reduce most average cultivators to dust. This aftermath was beyond anything Sacred Emperor Realm experts could handle, causing a wave of fear to ripple through the creatures inhabiting the ancient cities near Kun Mountain, souls were on the verge of freezing in terror.

"The Ancient Beings from the various Forces are opening up a path, we shall follow behind them." One of the Sect Masters gestured with a commanding wave of his hand, and led his disciples and Elders behind him. They transformed into a brilliant light and entered the mountain that was shrouded in thick fog. The people of other Forces proceeded to follow suit, but each ventured in a different direction.

The terrain of Kun Mountain was intricate and perilous, yet it also held numerous opportunities. With the presence of Dao Artifacts paving the way for them, the usual intimidating aura shrouding Kun Mountain was significantly diminished, hence increasing the likelihood of encountering a stroke of luck.

Many young prodigies shared the same notion. Since they were forced to enter Kun Mountain by Gu Changge, they might as well try to reap greater rewards while safeguarding their lives.

"Let's go this way." People from the Hidden An Clan and War Immortal Mansion walked together, the two True Daoists looked at each other, and then went in from another direction. An Xi and the Young War Immortal cast a wary glance at Gu Changge, who was standing not far away from them. Both of them felt uneasy to see that he hadn't taken any action yet and appeared to be observing. Even so, they refused to believe that Gu Changge would have the audacity to attack them, when there were two True Daoists in their presence.

"We'll go this way." When most of the people had faded into the distance, Gu Changge stopped observing and started carefully studying the terrain of Kun Mountain. In the end, he didn't follow An Xi's group but instead chose to forge ahead on a less travelled path.

The Ji Family trailed behind him, with Jiang Chen under close watch to prevent any chance of escape.

"Father, I was able to hear the plea for help from our Prime Ancestor thanks to Jiang Chen. As the Successor of a Divine Source Master, he's definitely an invaluable asset in our efforts to rescue our Prime Ancestor." Ji Chuyue remained deeply concerned for Jiang Chen's safety. She feared that her family might choose to burn bridges rather than cross them, so she persisted in defending him.

Meanwhile, Ji Hao, the Head of the Ji Family, was already familiar with Jiang Chen. He recalled how Ji Yaoxing and Ji Chuyue nearly secured the Tower of World Domination with Jiang Chen's aid back on the Purple Mountains.

He shook his head and let out a sigh. "Do not worry, Chuyue. Your father understands the value of gratitude and I have never forgotten the kindness Jiang Chen has shown to the Ji Family. If we are able to rescue our Prime Ancestor, he will surely be handsomely rewarded."

Ji Hao was not a fool either. He knew that Jiang Chen was still a valuable asset, so he had to make promises in order to entice him. However, it didn't change the fact that Jiang Chen had offended Gu Changge, and the Ji Family wasn't going to risk the safety of their family to defend him. In any case, he would decide how to deal with Jiang Chen after they rescued their Prime Ancestor.

The light in Ji Chuyue's eyes dimmed as she sensed that her father was brushing her off. She could only pray that Gu Changge would honour his promise and release Jiang Chen once everything was settled.

*Rumble!!* Over the next few days, a big commotion erupted here. An unstoppable force rose up into the heavens, illuminating the sky for millions of kilometres. Supreme experts clashed in a fierce battle against the energy of arrays found in Kun Mountain. The sheer intensity of the conflict was overwhelming.

In the end, the chaotic energy dissipated and scattered in all directions, leaving behind a landscape of utter confusion and disarray. The Dao Artifact plummeted from the sky, as if a fragment of the world had crumbled away. The impact was felt far and wide, sending shockwaves throughout the universe and causing stars to crumble in its wake.

Witnesses even reported a terrifying blood-red storm that blocked out the sun. The earth trembled as ancient and majestic creatures like the True Dragon, the Celestial Phoenix, the Black Tortoise, the Vermilion Bird, the Qiongqi; all awakened in the storm.

They stood tall and proud, their roars echoed throughout the land as they engaged in a fierce battle against the True Daoists. The vibrant colours of their blood painted the sky, creating a breathtaking sight. Many cultivators were unable to withstand their auras, and silently exploded as a result, vanishing from the world forever without a trace.

The rescue mission of the Ji Family's Prime Ancestor had attracted a lot of attention in the Upper Realm. As various Forces launched their attacks, countless cultivators from all corners of the Upper Realm turned their gaze toward this event, eagerly following every development from millions of kilometres away. If the Ji Family managed to rescue their Prime Ancestor, it would undoubtedly have a significant impact on the current state of affairs in the Upper Realm.

The magnitude of this movement was so immense that it had left countless in a state of disbelief, and it would not be an overstatement to say that it has gained world-wide recognition.

Forces that had crossed the Ji Family in the past naturally prayed they would not succeed in rescuing their Prime Ancestor, and instead hoped for the complete annihilation of all groups that ventured into Kun Mountain.

As the news of Kun Mountain incident spread throughout the Upper World, the Eternal Overcast continued to ravage the land, this time, with even greater intensity. Its momentum was akin to the unstoppable force of the water bursting through its dam. The repercussions were felt far and wide, with daily life in the Upper Realm greatly disrupted and impacted.

This time, many cultivators were astounded to witness the emergence of more normal living beings, akin to the Humans, dwelling in the Eternal Overcast. Those of the older generation who were very knowledgeable about the Eternal Overcast immediately surmised this was likely the Eternal Overcast Royal Family's emergence.

Throughout history, the Eternal Overcast Royal Family had only appeared a handful of times, making their presence all the more significant. Their appearance had instilled a sense of crisis in many Forces. They could only hope that the Prime Ancestor of the Ji Family would be successfully rescued so that he could quell the looming crisis.

The terrain of Kun Mountain was intricate, Mountains appeared in scattered patches, and the mist added a mystical ambiance to the area. The landscape was filled with ancient trees, vines, and spirit grass but none of the cultivators dared to touch them.

Someone attempted to pick a spirit grass that had been in existence for over a million years earlier, but he was reduced into a pile of pus and blood in just the blink of an eye, leaving all witnesses bewildered and perplexed. Even the young prodigies who were protected by experts refrained from acting recklessly at this moment.

*Buzz!!* The sky trembled and the void was torn asunder. A terrifying aura emerged, suffocating everyone. A magnificent cauldron condensed from golden runes soared through the air. It released a powerful black and yellow aura, and crushed a hazy monstrous creature.

Gu Changge remained unfazed after effortlessly eliminating a hazy figure with the strength of the First Order Quasi-Nirvana Realm.

An old True Daoist from the Ji Family nervously commented, "Those were manifested from the regrets of cultivators who once traversed Kun Mountain and perished within its depths. Their prowess was even more terrifying than when they were still alive and at their peak."

This was the third day since they ventured into Kun Mountain. Despite facing numerous challenges along the way, they were able to overcome them, albeit at the cost of many lives. Jiang Chen somewhat played his role as the Fortuitous One, and his assistance significantly reduced casualties in the Ji Family. As a result, members of the Ji Family started treating Jiang Chen more kindly.

"I'm afraid there is still some distance between this place and the heart of Kun Mountain." Gu Changge's eyes held a peculiar glint as he spoke. With a gentle shake of his head and a wave of his hand, the golden cauldron in the sky exploded into a dazzling display of runes, dispersing the thick fog in the area.

Although Jiang Chen had been guiding them and dispelling the strange arrays they came across over the past few days, Gu Changge was actually leading the Ji Family toward a specific direction.

To avoid alarming anyone, he patiently waited for the Young War Immortal, An Xi, and their group to depart before picking a different route to enter the mountain. Once inside, he sensed Niu Tian's presence and steadily made his way toward him.

The Fruit of Knowledge Gu Changge gave to Niu Tian when he escaped from the ancient battleship was not as simple as it seemed. After all, Gu Changge had anticipated such a situation and made preparations accordingly. In his perception, Niu Tian and his companions were within close proximity.

Kun Mountain was covered by arrays, and the energy in the area was so chaotic that it was difficult for even True Daoists to perceive their surroundings. As a result, everyone who entered this place became disoriented and had to carefully navigate through the depths.