Chapter Seventeen: Xiao Xuan Returns, Reporting to the Supreme Divine Hall for Judgment

“Is that all? The footage only captured this much?”
“The culprit is a Xiao from a hundred thousand years ago...”
“What does that mean?”
“Xiao? Could the person who killed the Ninth Ancestor have the surname Xiao?”

The onlookers, seeing the blurry scene, were just as puzzled. The Ninth Ancestor's words seemed to hint at something, yet nothing was clearly explained.

Why didn’t the Ninth Ancestor state it plainly and decisively? Even if a surname was left behind, it was of little use—there are countless people surnamed Xiao in the Celestial Profound Continent. This clue was nearly meaningless.

The Wu family would never recklessly slaughter innocents just because of a surname, nor would they kill every person named Xiao throughout the continent to avenge the Ninth Ancestor.

As confusion spread among them, a muffled sound suddenly came. Everyone turned toward the source and saw Wu Xuan had somehow fallen from his seat, his body trembling as he muttered softly.

“A Xiao from a hundred thousand years ago... could it be him?”
“Could that person have returned, and come back from the Abyss?”
“Impossible, absolutely impossible. No Great Emperor could survive a hundred thousand years!”

Wu Xuan muttered repeatedly, seeming to have lost his mind.

The members of the Wu family exchanged glances, momentarily forgetting to support Wu Xuan. They felt that the once imposing Eighth Ancestor was now deeply shaken—as if the unfinished words of the Ninth Ancestor, Wu Kun, contained some indescribable power.

Silence reigned in the Wu family ancestral hall.

The clan leader and elders found it hard to believe Wu Xuan’s shocked reaction. What secret was hidden in Wu Kun’s ambiguous last words that could cause such a loss of composure in the Eighth Ancestor?

“Eighth Ancestor, are you all right?” The clan leader finally mustered courage and stepped forward to support Wu Xuan.

---

With the help of others, Wu Xuan steadied himself, but his heart was tumultuous. Wu Kun’s dying words conjured an impossible possibility—the Great Emperor Xiao Xuan from a hundred thousand years ago.

Wu Xuan had personally lived through Xiao Xuan’s era and knew of his formidable reputation. Before becoming emperor, Xiao Xuan dared to catch the Emperor’s weapon barehanded, and as a quasi-emperor, he fought fiercely against Great Emperor adversaries.

In comparison, Wu Xuan was an insignificant figure, even a mere ant before Xiao Xuan. When Xiao Xuan ascended to emperor, Wu Xuan was still just a cultivator in the Dragon Transformation Realm, unworthy even of tying Xiao Xuan’s shoes.

But how could the Great Emperor Xiao Xuan have lived for a hundred thousand years? Great Emperors’ lifespans at most span thirty to fifty thousand years. Xiao Xuan was already an emperor a hundred thousand years ago—how could he still be alive?

Wu Xuan’s heart filled with doubt and fear. The reason he himself had survived this long was, first, he had not yet attained true emperor status, only quasi-emperor power; second, the Wu family had the aid of the Divine Source, whose seal enabled long periods of suspended animation.

But as a Great Emperor, Xiao Xuan’s Divine Source could not be sealed, so surviving in the same manner was impossible.

“This is impossible, absolutely impossible. No Great Emperor can survive a hundred thousand years without self-severing...” Wu Xuan murmured, his mind in turmoil.

He knew he had to report this immediately to the higher-ups of the Supreme Divine Sanctuary.

After all, Xiao Xuan was no ordinary Great Emperor but a legendary figure in the Celestial Profound Continent’s history a hundred thousand years ago.

Before ascending to emperor, Xiao Xuan could single-handedly resist emperor weapons, suppress extreme sacred spirits, and even alien ancient sovereigns with his quasi-emperor strength. After becoming emperor, he quickly surpassed other Great Emperors, unrivaled across the Nine Heavens and Ten Lands.

Even the ancient imperial clans had to bow their noble heads before him. Had it not been for the invasion from alien realms, Xiao Xuan might have become a legend of the Celestial Profound Continent.

Wu Xuan knew that Xiao Xuan once made a pact with the imperial clans: he would guard the Abyss to resist alien forces, while the imperial clans would care for the Xiao family. But over the past hundred thousand years, nearly all imperial clans, including the Wu family, had broken that oath. If Xiao Xuan truly returned, would he hold the imperial clans accountable?

The thought made cold sweat break out on Wu Xuan’s forehead. He could no longer hesitate. Regardless of the truth, he must swiftly notify the Supreme Divine Sanctuary.

Rising, Wu Xuan ignored the astonished gazes of his kin and hurried to a secret, ancient, forbidden hall deep within the Wu family’s domain.

This was the true core of the Wu family, unknown even to many elders. The hall was empty except for an ancient bronze cauldron.

Upon the cauldron lay several brownish ancient talismans.

Wu Xuan lit one of the talismans and knelt, solemnly calling out, “Descendants of the Wu family, urgent matter to report to the Supreme Divine Sanctuary.”

As the talisman burned, smoke within the hall formed a translucent vision of an ancient grand hall’s interior, where old imperial crowns were displayed, each exuding the weight of ages.

Seeing the crowns, Wu Xuan’s eyes brimmed with reverence. The Supreme Divine Sanctuary was the highest alliance of numerous ancient imperial clans across the Celestial Profound Continent, existing for ages. Each crown represented a Great Emperor, the true sovereigns within the Sanctuary.

The grand hall, named the Supreme Divine Sanctuary, was where these Great Emperors convened. No one knew its exact location or how many Great Emperors dwelled within.

---

As Wu Xuan called out, the Supreme Divine Sanctuary seemed to respond. An overwhelming presence descended, and beneath one crown appeared a figure shrouded in chaotic mist, revealing only a pair of merciless eyes gazing down at the kneeling Wu Xuan.

“What is the matter?”

The voice was loud yet tinged with coldness, causing Wu Xuan’s heart to tremble as he bowed his head.

“Greetings, Your Majesty!”

Wu Xuan bowed deeply and reported the unexpected demise of Wu Kun and Tuoba Tao, along with the vague words left by Wu Kun before his death, to the Sanctuary’s leaders.

After the report, silence enveloped the ancient hall. Long moments passed before the majestic voice spoke again.

“I am aware of this matter.”

Wu Xuan’s heart pounded anxiously. Was there no further instruction? He dared to look up, but the figure beneath the crown remained cloaked in mist, its expression unreadable.

“Even if Xiao Xuan returns, there is no need to worry. A hundred thousand years have passed; his era has long since ended.”

The figure seemed to sense Wu Xuan’s unease, its indifferent voice sounding once more.

As the words fell, the vision of the Supreme Divine Sanctuary vanished without a trace.

Wu Xuan was stunned. Did the titans of the Supreme Divine Sanctuary truly not regard Xiao Xuan as a threat?

He recalled the changes on the Celestial Profound Continent over the past hundred thousand years—many new Great Emperors had emerged, and perhaps some still lived.

Within the Supreme Divine Sanctuary sat several Great Emperors, and naturally, they would not fear Xiao Xuan.

With these thoughts, Wu Xuan’s mood gradually calmed.

Since the Supreme Divine Sanctuary had already made its judgment, he need not worry further.

No doubt, if Xiao Xuan did return to the Celestial Profound Continent, there would be powerful figures from the Sanctuary ready to suppress him!