Su Chen combined his Three Great Cosmic Treasures with the Zhan Cang Sword Array, overwhelming the Di Family's ultimate moves and annihilating Di Kuang, Di You, and Di Ge. Di Jie, however, escaped using the spatial treasure, the Heavens-Earth Shuttle, just as Su Chen planned to destroy him as well. With their Human Lord Realm cultivators decimated, Di Jie retreated to seek the ancestor's aid.
The cave's interior arrangements were exceedingly basic, lacking even tables or chairs, shrouded in dimness, much like any ordinary, unoccupied cavern.
As he advanced deeper.
Di Jie bowed deeply toward the elder seated on a straw mat at the cave's remote end.
The elder was ancient.
From a distance, the elder appeared as if long deceased, his entire form reduced to mere skin and bones, his skin etched with patterns and wrinkles. The elder raised his head, fixing his gaze upon Di Jie, his eyes deeply sunken, with minimal black remaining, almost entirely white.
"Old Ancestor, the Di Family is finished," Di Jie once again knelt on the ground, his voice filled with lament as he uttered these words.
"To plot against the Divine Martial Continent and covet the Moon Spirit Stone was, in itself, a grave error. While the Moon Spirit Stone possesses value, it is but a minor advantage. To extinguish the lives of tens of billions and trillions of martial cultivators within a plane for such a trifle is an action that ought not to have been taken," the old man stated indifferently.
Di Jie wished to retort but found himself unable to speak.
"Di Jie, this old man is aware that in your heart, the martial cultivators of the Divine Martial Continent barely register as human lives; they are akin to ants among ants," the old man continued. "However, amidst those ants, an individual like that young child emerged. And it is at the hands of that young child that the Di Family will meet its end."
Di Jie remained silent.
The old man proceeded, "For these tens of millions of years, the Di Family has enjoyed an exceedingly smooth journey. Upon arriving in the Minor Thousand Worlds, with no rivals save for the Imperial Academy, your arrogance grew unchecked. The incident on the Divine Martial Continent was of little consequence; as you perceived it, the lives of ants are not lives, trillions of martial cultivators... Thus, this old man did not intervene. Yet, your most significant blunder was failing to eradicate the root, to nip it in the bud. Ultimately, your miscalculation regarding the Divine Martial Continent proved disastrous, all because of that young child. A mere child could frustrate even you, Di Jie. In such a circumstance, you remain so arrogant, not even knowing the child’s full name? Not even bothering to eliminate the child swiftly? Di Jie, your arrogance has brought ruin upon the entire Di Family."
"Old Ancestor, I was wrong, Old Ancestor..." Di Jie continued to kowtow, indeed! He had been far too arrogant!
Had he not been so conceited, back when Su Chen disrupted affairs on the Divine Martial Continent, dispatching someone to eliminate Su Chen would have been effortless. The current predicament would never have arisen.
"Di Jie, tell this old man, how do you now intend to deal with that young child?" the old man fixed his gaze on Di Jie; a faint glimmer of light suddenly appeared in his sunken, aged eyes.
Di Jie choked up.
How to handle it now?
Di Jie was no longer capable of matching Su Chen.
Therefore, in Di Jie’s estimation, only the venerable Old Ancestor of the entire Di Family possessed the might to contend with Su Chen. He had come to kowtow, to plead, and to weep bitterly, solely for the purpose of having the Old Ancestor emerge and vanquish Su Chen.
Was there truly no other recourse?
"Are you requesting this old man to take action?" the old man discerned Di Jie’s thoughts, a flicker of disappointment crossing his extremely aged, skull-like face. "Di Jie, as the head of a family, a sharp mind is more crucial than mere strength."
"Please impart your wisdom, Old Ancestor," Di Jie bowed his head deeply.
"This old man resides in the Half-Step Divine Master realm, Di Jie. Are you truly confident that I possess absolute certainty?" the old man inquired, his voice gaining a solemn tone.
"This..." Di Jie faltered. Su Chen's Zhan Cang Sword Array, especially after its amplification by the three Supreme Treasures, was terrifyingly potent; he had experienced its might firsthand. He was certain that the sword array could effortlessly dispatch a Ninth Level Peak Martial Cultivator.
And though the Old Ancestor was a Half-Step Divine Master, fundamentally, it was still the Ninth Level of the Human Lord Realm, albeit one cultivated over eons. Furthermore, the Old Ancestor was nearing the end of his natural lifespan; his actual combat prowess might slightly trail behind his nominal realm. Could he genuinely contend against that accursed wretch’s formidable sword array?
It remained uncertain.
Di Jie truly could not be sure.
Di Jie’s countenance grew increasingly pallid.
His entire body began to tremble.
Upon careful consideration, he was consumed by genuine terror!!!
Could it be that even the Old Ancestor stood powerless against that wretch?
"Moreover," the old man continued, "should this old man take action, my aura would be exposed, and the Di Family would soon face pursuit from that other formidable family."
Di Jie's breath hitched; he recalled that previously, in a moment of lost control near the upstream section of the Mother River, he had employed the Emperor's Heavenly Punishment!
It was possible that this other family already knew the Di Family's hidden sanctuary.
Di Jie’s heart twisted with bitter regret; the use of the Emperor's Heavenly Punishment had likely exposed the Di Family, and yet it failed to eliminate Su Chen as intended.
It was a complete loss!
Naturally, Di Jie dared not voice this. If he were to inform the Old Ancestor that he had already unleashed the Emperor's Heavenly Punishment near the upper reaches of the Mother River, the Old Ancestor, in his fury, might strike him down then and there.
"Old Ancestor, are we truly going to let that scoundrel go? He possesses all the treasures from the Emperor’s Treasure Abyss! Given time, he will grow immensely powerful. The Di Family already struggles to deal with him; in time, he... he could simply exhale and the Di Family would cease to exist." Di Jie was in utter despair. Since the Old Ancestor could not personally intervene, who else could possibly handle Su Chen?
"Di Jie, the old man said, use your brain!" The old man sighed, displaying his disappointment. "To deal with a martial cultivator, you don't always need to act yourself, nor is it always necessary to be stronger than him."
"Please enlighten me, Old Ancestor."
"Firstly. In a little over a month, it will be the wedding day of Fei Jin and the Young Master of the Hu Family. When the Hu Family arrives, mention that brat to them; the Hu Family members will likely assist you. It's improbable that a mere youth under five hundred years old could be so formidable now without holding some secrets. The Hu Family will undoubtedly be interested in the secrets that child possesses," the old man stated slowly.
Di Jie's spirits lifted.
Indeed!
Though the Di Family had been ruined by Su Chen, there was still the formidable Hu Family!
The Hu Family far surpassed the Di Family in strength.
In the eyes of the Hu Family, Su Chen was insignificant.
However, Di Jie soon felt a pang of anxiety once more. "Old Ancestor, but the Hu Family members won't arrive at the Di Family for at least another month. In this intervening period, should we just leave that scoundrel unchecked? What if, within this month, that wretch achieves supreme power, leaves the Mother River of his own accord, and annihilates the Di Family beforehand?"
"Precisely, Di Jie, you are finally putting your brain to use." The old man nodded with satisfaction. "You are correct; relying solely on the Hu Family is too uncertain. Therefore, there is a second method. Detonate the Mother River!!!"
