Chapter 270: Gossip

Returning to Melon’s residence in high spirits, Rod found the place unusually peaceful today. The setting sun cast a rosy glow over the land, and a gentle breeze brought a cool sensation.

Melon was surprised to see Rod back, his gaze filled with confusion and complexity, which made Rod feel uneasy. Naturally, Melon immediately noticed the change in Rod’s weapon, a problem that also gave Rod a headache.

Not only Melon but also Sognar and Lilith knew that the long sword Rod had been wielding was originally the Dark Dragon. With such a drastic change now, what would they think?

Rod could only say that he had uncovered the seal of the Dark Dragon at a certain place the previous day, causing it to transform into its current form. As for whether they would believe it, well, he himself did.

“Hey, Rod, did you see that thunderstorm last night? You were in that direction—did you notice anything?” Rubio seemed more concerned about the thunderstorm and hurriedly asked Rod.

Melon, still staring at Rod with doubt, found his explanation a bit far-fetched. With no other explanation, he could only reluctantly believe it. After all, the Dark Dragon was a precious sword, and no one would give it up. No one knew what would happen when the seal was broken, as no one had witnessed it firsthand—those who had tried had died.

Even in death, Melon couldn’t imagine what had happened to Rod the previous day, and the matter remained unresolved in his confusion.

“Mm, I saw it. It was extremely powerful. I was hit by its energy waves and was thrown hundreds of miles away before I could stabilize. It was very dangerous. Any news?” Knowing that it had caused a huge stir the previous day, Rod pretended not to know and asked.

“Damn, it was really powerful. It’s a shame we didn’t see that warrior. That was a thunderstorm at the Yang Xuan realm level—seems even stronger than those. I really don’t know who could have done such a thing!” Learning that Rod wasn’t aware either, Rubio murmured in disappointment, wondering if so many powerful warriors were hidden in the forest he had lived in for centuries without his knowledge.

Melon was one of them, and the other one was even more powerful, never revealing any signs of existence. It was truly unimaginable.

“A Thunder Calamity at the Yang Xuan Realm?!” Hearing Rubio’s words, Rod’s heart skipped a beat. He was shocked and took a deep breath in surprise. He never expected Xuan Yuan to have summoned such a powerful Thunder Calamity. Realizing he could still stand here, he could only be secretly grateful—his fate wasn’t sealed, after all. It was just good luck for him.

“You have no idea how chaotic Dark Moon City was yesterday. Everyone was paying close attention to what was happening there. I guess a large number of strong fighters have already rushed there. It won’t be peaceful there for a while. We just don’t know if that strong fighter will show up!” After expressing his thoughts, Rubio continued, saying that in this world where strength reigned supreme, such a powerful individual was respected by everyone. He represented heaven, the goal that all people pursued, and the target that all warriors aimed to emulate.

“Alright, they probably won’t be able to find out much. Those who are meant to appear will show up eventually. If they don’t, no one can find them. Let’s get ready. We should set off tomorrow!” Melon remained quiet. He knew more about these matters. If it really was a reclusive expert, then no one could find his whereabouts if he didn’t want to be found. If he were a member of a certain family or faction, having such a strong fighter would surely be made public to boost the family’s status! If he were from one of the Four Great Families, the emergence of such a strong fighter would instantly elevate that family to the undisputed number one. If he wasn’t from the Four Great Families but belonged to a smaller family, having such a member would allow that family to rightfully become the sixth family, standing alongside the Four Great Families. No one would object or disagree—someone at the Yang Xuan Realm indeed had such merit.

After giving some instructions, Melon went down to prepare for the journey the next day. As for Rubio, under Melon’s scolding, he had no choice but to slunk away to train. Rod also decided to go out and move around a bit. His strength had improved greatly, and he needed to hone it and adapt, otherwise he’d be like a beggar holding gold.

With his divine-level mastery, his seventh layer of physical cultivation, along with his powerful mental and soul forces, as well as his strange combat energy and combat energy core, all these made up Rod’s current capabilities. He believed he should be invincible at the divine level. If there were any opponents, they might only be a few freaks like Zi Yang. Unbeknownst to him, he was the greatest freak of all.

The next day, the group set off in a grand procession toward Ice City. The Netherworld would open in thirteen days, and this journey was of utmost importance to Rod. All his efforts had been aimed at this day, so it was inevitable that they felt a sense of anticipation and excitement as they left.

The journey would take about eight days to reach Ice City, which was located at the southernmost tip, the sacred land of the demon race. After leaving that place and embarking on the journey, Rod gradually learned about the events that had taken place recently. As expected, there were only two hot topics. The first was the appearance of thunder disasters, and the disappearance of the mysterious powerful figure sparked much speculation. Many people wondered if this powerful being from the Yangxuan realm might be a magical beast—if so, it would be terrifying.

The second topic was related to the Purple-Winged Thunder Eagle and the Nash family. Since Rod returned to Melon’s residence, he had been largely isolated from the outside world and knew little about what was happening outside. Hearing news about them now came as a great shock. Within just a few days of his return, the Nash family had been completely destroyed by the dragon race and the Black Phoenix clan, becoming a source of darkness in history. It was sad to think about such a large family being ruined in this way. As the saying goes, one wrong step can lead to total loss—this seemed to apply to them. It was closely related to him, and if they hadn’t been so arrogant, they would still be a renowned family in Dark Moon City.

Even the Purple-Winged Thunder Eagle had perished, which was the most surprising thing for Rod. Not only Rod but also Rubio and Melon were surprised. It seemed the dragon race and the Black Phoenix clan had really gone all out this time. Although the Purple-Winged Thunder Eagle was considered the sixth family, people were unsure of its true strength. But as one of the top second-tier families, it deserved its status—such a family was far beyond the Nash family’s comparison, with countless powerful members. How could it have been destroyed so easily?

Upon further investigation, it turned out that the dragon race and the Black Phoenix clan had devoted all their strength to attacking them. After destroying the Nash family, they turned their attention to suppressing the Purple-Winged Thunder Eagle. Under intense pressure, the Purple-Winged Thunder Eagle retreated to its core territory to resist. Their allies, the Mi Jiao clan, were occupied by the Scorpion King clan and unable to help. Even the pro-war faction wasn’t truly willing to assist, and the opposition and neutral factions also prevented them from intervening. After all, it was best for the demon race not to get involved in matters between magical beast families. Even allies who brought nothing but trouble were disregarded by the demon race’s pro-war faction.

Under such circumstances, it was truly a case of “when the tree falls, the monkeys scatter.” Even the affiliated families of the Purple-Winged Thunder Eagle turned against them one after another. The isolated Purple-Winged Thunder Eagle clan was in a desperate situation. The Dragon Clan and the Black Phoenix Clan sent a large number of strong fighters, and in just half a month, they nearly destroyed the Purple-Winged Thunder Eagle clan. A month later, the remaining members were already vulnerable. One and a half months earlier, less than twenty members of the Purple-Winged Thunder Eagle defended their clan to the end. Finally, the pro-war faction and the Mi Jiao Clan could no longer stand by. At the clan’s pleas and requests for help, they stepped in and gave the Purple-Winged Thunder Eagle a chance! The Dragon Clan and the Black Phoenix Clan didn’t want to immediately break ties with the pro-war faction and the Mi Jiao Clan, so they proposed only one condition: dissolve the Purple-Winged Thunder Eagle clan, making it cease to exist from then on. Although the members of the Purple-Winged Thunder Eagle were furious at such a demand, they had nothing to say. Dissolving the clan meant the complete destruction of their lineage. Though unwilling, they had no choice. With the mediation of the Demon Clan, the Purple-Winged Thunder Eagle reluctantly accepted this outcome, disbanded their clan, and the remaining twenty-some people joined the pro-war faction and were incorporated into Water Screen City. It could be said that the biggest winner in this battle was the Demon Clan, which effortlessly gained twenty capable members—a sure profit. After the declaration of the Purple-Winged Thunder Eagle’s demise, the Dragon Clan and the Black Phoenix Clan finally stopped their fierce attacks and returned to normal. This incident was widely discussed, with various versions circulating. Some said they acted for one person—Rod, as he was the illegitimate son of the Dragon Clan and the Black Phoenix Clan. Others claimed the two clans had allied themselves with Rod; Lucy from the Black Phoenix Clan and Lilith from the Dragon Clan were both supposed to become his wives! Naturally, they stepped in to defend Rod when he was bullied. There were also other theories… In any case, though there were countless versions, all revolved around one person: Rod. Indeed, two clans with a deep enmity toward him were destroyed this time, and their connections to him were intricate—undeniable. Yet, he could only smile bitterly at others’ claims. When had he become an illegitimate child? When had there been any marriage alliances? One must admit that people’s imagination is rich and terrifying.

On the fifth day, after five days of travel, the group had finally covered most of the distance. At this pace, they would reach Ice City in another two days. As they approached, the roads grew increasingly busy. It was already late, so the group stopped to rest in a small town ahead—a town named York Town. That day, countless warriors and members of various factions from all directions gathered here on their way to Ice City. It was a bustling scene!