"NOT GOOD!"
Invisible Thunder Lotus detonated before Lan Ancestor and Lan Khon's bulging eyes.
Lan elders' faces turned funeral-grey. Death itself calling.
Yet, change!
A withered, ancient hand emerged from the void, radiating boundless power. Layer upon layer of ice sealed the entire explosion, saving every elder.
Sudden intervention darkened Lan An's face.
Lan Clan cheered like dawn after darkness. Bing Phach exhaled: "Finally…"
"Little friend Lan, give this Emperor face, spare Lan Clan?"
A low voice echoed. A figure stepped from the spatial rift, staring solely at Lan An.
Imperial robes of highest nobility, aged visage, yet eyes blazed like galaxies. Silver hair and beard danced in wind, aura perfectly restrained.
"Greetings, Retired Emperor!" Lan Khon endured wounds, retreating from Lan An's strike, bowing deeply.
"Long live Retired Emperor!" Bing Phach and all Ice Profound Guards knelt.
Lan An remained calm. Late Body Integration, highest authority in Ice Profound Empire.
Retired Emperor ignored others, eyes fixed on Lan An.
Lan Clan, one of three pillars. Losing them weakened the Empire. Unacceptable to high-levels.
Bing Phach knew this, hence confidence. Hoped Father would come. Instead, recently unsecluded Retired Emperor. Even Father unqualified against Rear Palace head?
Bing Phach felt deep powerlessness. Why Bing Dung so lucky? Why not my backer? He calculated everything, spent half his savings to push Lan Khon to Complete Void Refining, securing Lan Clan.
Without those resources, Lan Khon wouldn't breakthrough so fast. Lan Clan originally weakest among three.
Bing Phach thought himself frontrunner for Crown Prince.
Yet…
Seeing silence, Retired Emperor persisted: "Little friend, you came to propose marriage. Killing intent ruins joy. Lan Khanh's life taken, spare Lan Clan?"
Under countless gazes, Lan An shook head: "No. Had they surrendered Lan Khanh initially, different story. I said destroy, I destroy! Else where's my dignity? Leave enemies alive to curse me daily? Foolish!"
Destroying Eighth Grade for dignity, combined with Peerless Under Heaven aura, awed all.
"This Emperor guarantees on Ice Profound's name, Lan Clan won't trouble you!" Retired Emperor promised.
"Haha, look at their eyes wanting to devour me!" Lan An pointed at raging Lan Clan: "Even if they don't act, daily curses shorten my life. Destroy, clean!"
"Lan An…you!" Lan Khon twisted in hatred, wishing strength to crush.
Lan Clan glared murderously.
"See? Was I wrong?" Lan An smiled.
"What if this Emperor refuses?" Retired Emperor turned hard, voice icy.
Bing Phach thrilled, hoped Empire flips, capture Bing Lan Xi and Bing Dung as hostages, force Rear Palace peace. Echoed: "Lan Clan, loyal Eighth Grade! Cannot destroy on whim!"
Lan An ignored, asked calmly: "Protecting Lan Clan, your personal will or entire Empire's?"
Retired Emperor's face shifted, countering: "If personal?"
"Sorry, you can't stop me." Lan An shrugged.
Instantly, scorching wave melted one-third city's snow. Void birthed flaming elder, descending respectfully behind Lan An.
"Late Body Integration?" Retired Emperor paled, such power could ravage Empire.
"You're Fire Mountain of Fire Nether Sect…" Retired Emperor inhaled, situation grave. Lan An dead-set; even this trump card out.
"This old man no longer Fire Nether, merely Young Master's servant!" Fire Mountain smiled leisurely: "Heard Ice Profound's Emperor Royal Ice Scripture formidable. This old man longs to test!"
"Lan An, must you exterminate?" Retired Emperor's heart retreated. Two Late Body Integration war over one clan? Unworthy. Future son-in-law, benefits unimaginable.
Initially underestimated Lan An's resolve. Now, scales tipped.
"Exterminate? I only touched Lan Clan, not one Imperial hair. True extermination, Bing Phach and Guards already dead!" Lan An sneered.
Seeing Retired Emperor waver, added: "Destroy one Eighth Grade, future I gift Ice Profound stronger ones, even multiple. Seventh Grade powers pledging Bing Dung, such chance!"
City buzzed. Many Seventh Grade powers stirred.
Retired Emperor closed eyes, figure faded into void, leaving command: "Lan Khon, no longer Prime Minister. Lan Clan-Lan An feud, settle yourselves. No Imperial interference, or severe punishment!"
"NO!!!!!!!!"
Lan Khon and Ancestor roared skyward, wails tearing heavens.
Ice Profound City, oppressive silence. Powers large and small dared not speak. Today, an illustrious clan erased.
Cause: spoiled descendant's arrogance, attempted murder over rivalry.
Bing Phach ashen, ordered Ice Profound Guards full retreat. Obeyed Retired Emperor.
"Little beast, I'll die with you!" Lan Ancestor maddened, spiritual force maxed, charged Lan An.
Fire Power blocked first, repelled.
"HAHAHA, Lan Clan devoted generations to Imperial Family, this reward? Open your eyes! HAHAHA!" Lan Khon laughed insanely, last attempt to sow discord.
"Lan Clan, foolishly backed wrong side, indulged descendant's evil, offended untouchable, nearly dragged Empire to war, yet dare bark?" Two voices countered.
"Duong Quoc, Vu Ha, you beasts, same fate soon!" Lan Khon raged at speakers.
"Lan Clan talks too much, clean up." Lan An told Fire Mountain, outcome set, no need dirty hands.
Fire Mountain nodded, Nether Flame Destroying Rivers and Mountains condensed overhead.
Lan An turned calmly, departed.
Behind, sea of fire engulfed Lan Clan. No screams escaped. Late Body Integration, always thorough.
"Young Master, Main Quest Overlord's Beginning nears completion!" Kim Nhi on shoulder sighed.
Even she admitted, Young Master's growth speed monstrous, path utterly unique.
Most Reputation Points spent on women, himself barely used.
Yet genuine love, made them his most trusted aids on overlord path.
"Day Master and I return from training, quest complete!" Lan An confidently said, rewards unknown, highly anticipated.
"Still Curing Kun Ming Yue and Conquering Thuy Tich Quan quests!" Kim Nhi reminded.
"Ming Yue, I'll cure. Ji Quan… sigh, fate." Lan An exhaled.
…
"Brother-in-law, cheers!"
Prince Mansion, Bing Dung respectfully poured Lan An wine, face fawning, no trace of Fourth Prince valor.
Lan An sipped, eyes never on Bing Dung, instead deep on plain-faced youth beside.
Chen Jiang, you hid deep!"
Only now understood, Bing Lan Xi's approach orchestrated by this rascal.
Advisor Chen, Chen Jiang, once followed Lan An in Spirit Martial City. Now Fourth Prince's strategist.
Insane plot, Third Princess using honey trap on then-nameless youth. Only Chen Jiang dared.
Seeing him, Lan An stunned. Back then, even Qin Mengying suspected nothing. Life's greatest acting.
Chen Jiang smiled bitterly, pondered, sincerely: "Then, I saw your boundless potential. Knew you'd shake the world. Never expected this fast, growth beyond all prediction!"
Lan An's heaven-defying deeds worldwide, Chen Jiang most shocked. His vision, proven.
"Speak, true identity? How'd my brother-in-law hire such strategist?" Lan An snorted, still displeased at past deception.
"Advisor Chen, from Heavenly Secret Palace. My mother once befriended Chen's mother. Used that favor to invite him!" Bing Lan Xi explained.
"Heavenly Secret Palace?" Lan An's eyes darkened.
"Don't look like that! Ji Shaohuang's crimes against sisters Ji Nha, Ji Bing, nothing to do with me! Palace Lord declared, Ji Shaohuang bears alone. Heavenly Secret Palace won't intervene. Don't hate whole Palace!" Chen Jiang hastily clarified, saw Lan An's hostility.
Entire Palace knew sisters' harm.
"Oh? I settle with Ji Shaohuang, Palace stays out?" Lan An smirked.
Ji Shaohuang, more hated than Lan Khanh. Dared covet his treasures.
"Correct! But his master won't watch disciple die. Won't act openly, but covert aid inevitable." Chen Jiang nodded.
"Your Palace status?"
"Mother, former disciple of Palace Lord! Died, so my standing low." Chen Jiang sighed, deflected, eyes burning: "But knowing Young Master, my status will skyrocket!"
"I'm that valuable?" Lan An scoffed. Heavenly Secret Palace, pure Soul Cultivators, methods unfathomably eerie. Ordinary Ninth Grade, not enough to kill.
"Don't underestimate, You are Heavenly Dao's Son!" Chen Jiang worshipped.
Spurt…
Lan An sprayed wine…
…