Chapter 499: Chapter 167: Yang Realm! Manifesting Divinity Before Others, Worshiping Fire Is Worshiping Me!

Zhenyan Xiong suddenly recalled the letter from a few months ago.

The letter said: Do you think the Divine Spirit punished me, making me bear a burden, or rewarded me, allowing me to digest it?

The two of them silently exchanged glances.

Li Yuan suddenly stepped forward. A vast amount of flames poured out from his pores, forming a Fire Domain around him, as if he...had become fire.

As a Clan Leader, no one understood "fire" better than Zhenyan Xiong.

And the fire before him was identical to that of his Zhenyan Clan.

"You..." Zhenyan Xiong looked at Li Yuan in disbelief, "You...you..."

He didn’t know what to say.

The Nine Flames Clan, one clan guards one flame.

And this man before him had become the tenth flame, a living flame.

"Do you want to fight?" Li Yuan asked from within the fire.

Zhenyan Xiong asked, "Who exactly are you?"

Li Yuan sighed and said, "I’ve mentioned before, the invasion of Great Zhou needs to be orchestrated by me...because the land you’re invading is my domain.

I hope both sides can coexist peacefully, because the Cloud Mountain Path is truly a barren place, whereas the colorful world of the Central Plains is indeed worth our invasion."

Zhenyan Xiong was silent for a moment, then said, "I saw the letter you sent, but they don’t believe it, and although our Zhenyan Clan is not weak, we aren’t the strongest among the Nine Flames Clan."

Li Yuan asked, "Which clan is the strongest?"

Zhenyan Xiong replied, "Tongrong, Xuefang."

Li Yuan asked again, "Where is Chen Shou?"

Zhenyan Xiong, though a clever barbarian, couldn’t withstand Li Yuan’s skipping style of questioning.

Li Yuan said, "According to the rules of my Zhenyan Clan, if a former Grand Elder returns, as long as they defeat the current one, they can become the Grand Elder again."

Zhenyan Xiong hesitated for a moment, then said, "Zhenyan Yuan, defeat me, and I will make you Clan Leader."

"Okay."

Li Yuan did not hesitate.

The two prepared for battle, pulling a distance between them.

Zhenyan Xiong grabbed a spear as thick as an arm from his back.

Li Yuan slowly drew out the Cyan Snake Blade, saying, "Please."

Zhenyan Xiong roared, stomping on the ground, shattering the city tower, along with the spot where Li Yuan stood.

Amidst the destruction, Zhenyan Xiong transformed into a fierce wind, with his spear whistling sharply like a tusk, stabbing towards Li Yuan.

Li Yuan suddenly smiled.

A disdainful smile.

At this moment, he had already adjusted his state of mind.

The barbarians would submit to the strong, so...humility was useless.

The masses of Cloud Mountain Path saw the Ice Barbarians like an unstoppable flood, like an insurmountable mountain.

Therefore, the Ice Barbarians saw him the same way.

The city tower beneath Li Yuan’s feet had shattered, but he was half-suspended in the air, pulling out the Cyan Snake Blade, but he did not strike, merely wiping it gently before casually sheathing it again.

If humility was useless, then let there be arrogance.

"You are not worthy for me to wield my blade,"

In a calm voice, Li Yuan reached out his hand, casually grabbing Zhenyan Xiong’s spear, and then directly snapped it.

The spear...broke in two.

Li Yuan tossed it aside, yawned, and said, "You are too weak."

Zhenyan Xiong: ...

"Once we return to the Zhenyan Clan, I will perform the fire-worship ceremony and bestow the position of Clan Leader to you.

You know that all ceremonies must be held before the fire to be acknowledged by the clan members."

Li Yuan impatiently said, "It’s unnecessary.

I am the fire, worshipping the fire is worshipping me.

Why bother seeking what is near and at hand?"

With those words, he began to ascend slowly, his arms spreading like wings, with flames emanating from his body, soaring upwards, seemingly a fire suspended in mid-air, illuminating the world below, allowing the already austere late autumn to bask once again in warm light.

Eighth Company Cities, all the commotion around the city walls quieted down.

Many barbarians rushed to the streets, looking at the flames suspended in mid-air, unable to believe their eyes.

They could not see Li Yuan’s face, but they recognized the fire.

But why was this fire, from the Eternal Night Permafrost, appearing here?

Some among them were clueless, but instinctive faith made them kneel and worship.

Li Yuan glanced at Zhenyan Xiong, wide-eyed on the wall, and said, "See, they will worship me."

Zhenyan Xiong remained silent for a long time, then knelt to the ground and deeply bowed to Li Yuan, yet immediately said, "I was wrong..."

"What wrong is there to be had?" A calm voice sounded.

Zhenyan Xiong said, "I shouldn’t bestow the position of Clan Leader to you, because...you shouldn’t be the Clan Leader; you should be...a god."

"Hmph..."

"Hahahahahaha!!!"

A rampant and arrogant laugh erupted from within the flames.

Those barbarians worshiping the fire in the street were suddenly shocked to discover someone within the fire.

One by one, they knelt down, yet looked up in disbelief, their necks stiff, their minds buzzing, unable to comprehend how someone could be inside the fire.

"A god?"

A voice, arrogant and domineering, emanated from the fire.

This voice was like that of a true god, instilling a sense of awe in the barbarians that came from their very bloodline, making them prostrate even further.

"If there were truly a god, would he disdain us?" 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

"If there were truly a god, and he disdained us, why should we obey?"

"Fire is not a gift from the Divine Spirit!"

"There are no gods in this world, only the Great Barbarian King..."

"Zhenyan Xiong, do you not understand?"

Li Yuan did not wish to instill the concept of a god in the barbarians, for what if another strong figure came and claimed to be a god? That would be making wedding clothes for someone else.

To become the Great Barbarian King, one must be powerful enough, must possess the Barbarian King’s Token, and must be a pure-blooded Ice Barbarian of at least three generations.

Of course, this third criterion was established after him, as this Barbarian King’s Token was personally forged by him...

Li Yuan’s idea was not the "Divine Spirit Religious System" but rather the "Barbarian King’s Token System."

"Great Barbarian King..."

Zhenyan Xiong murmured to himself.

For a moment, he gazed at the silhouette in the mid-air fire, his mind and spirit wavering.

And the fire continued to soar into the sky, like a fiery sun drawing ever closer to the earth, vying for brilliance with the blazing sun above.

And a voice like thunder rumbled and spread across the surroundings.

"People of the Zhenyan Clan, I am Zhenyan Yuan!

From this moment, the Eighth Company Cities belong to me.

Anyone who dares make a reckless move will die!"

These words were like a thunderbolt from the sky.

Numerous barbarians saw the person in the fire claim to be Zhenyan Yuan, and were all shocked. Recalling the incident from nearly two years ago, they seemed to understand, hurriedly abandoning what was beside them and rushing to the streets.

Li Yuan glanced around and saw Zhenyan Cang’er.

The barbarian who once tried to take advantage of his weakness now stood there in terror.

Li Yuan picked up the Cyan Snake Blade, and with one breath of several zhang of flame, the Cyan Snake Blade sliced through the air, dragging through the void...

Zhenyan Cang’er was directly cut in half, the severed wound consumed by fire.

He howled in anguish, struggling painfully, yet no one said a word.

In the hearts of these barbarians, a strong figure like Zhenyan Yuan was expected to be this way, fitting their impression of the powerful.

In that instant...

A barbarian suddenly shouted loudly.

"Zhenyan Yuan!"

And this cry was like a spark in oil, causing an explosion.

More voices shouted:

"Zhenyan Yuan!"

"Zhenyan Yuan!"

Soon, the voices changed to:

"Great Barbarian King!"

"Great Barbarian King, Zhenyan Yuan!"

Their muscular heads finally understood what they thought was true.

Zhenyan Yuan, once the Grand Elder Zhenyan, had returned!

He had become fire!

But he also proclaimed that there were no gods, only the Great Barbarian King.

Compared to a lofty god, the barbarians of the Zhenyan Clan seemed to prefer the title "Great Barbarian King."

And Zhenyan Yuan, this being who became fire, was naturally the Great Barbarian King.

The residents of Eighth Company Cities initially thought Divine Soldiers had descended to save them, but upon hearing the monsters excitedly shouting the name of the "Great Barbarian King," their faces turned pale...

Li Yuan, standing aloft, raised his hand to silence them, saying, "To become the Barbarian King, one must conquer the Nine Clans!

Children, tell me, where is the nearest clan to us!

Take me there!

Let me see, let me conquer!"

He suddenly waved both hands, and the flames around him scattered, forming a spherical ball of fiery fog high above, like there were two suns in the sky.

"See! Conquer!"

"See! Conquer!"

The barbarians of the Zhenyan Clan were utterly excited, each picking up their weapons, ready to follow Zhenyan Yuan into battle.

Zhenyan Xiong also felt his blood boiling, but after all, he wasn’t a fool whose brain was all muscle...

He looked at Zhenyan Yuan in the high flames, a deep reverence flashing in his eyes, and murmured to himself, "With such power, such means, if you are not the Great Barbarian King, then who is?"