Chapter 603: What Goes Around, Comes Around

Chapter 603: Chapter 603: What Goes Around, Comes Around

He nodded. ’It seems the Ancestor knows about the Tomb of the Gods too.’

"Ao’Er, do not ask about the Tomb of the Gods again."

"Ancestor, why is that?"

Hearing the Ancestor’s words, Long Ao’s heart skipped a beat. It seemed he was starting to understand.

"Ao’Er, let me put it this way: the Tomb of the Gods is not something you can get involved in. Even the Long Clan has to tread carefully. Otherwise, after all these years, it would have been occupied long ago."

’So that’s how it is.’

Long Ao had always been curious. Why had the Tomb of the Gods remained undiscovered for so many years? Was he really just that lucky? And on top of that, a Divine Spirit from the Long Clan was inside.

He believed that with the Long Clan’s power, they should have found the Tomb of the Gods long ago. So why hadn’t the Long Clan made a move?

Until this moment, Long Ao finally understood the real reason.

Although the Ancestor hadn’t said it outright, the meaning behind his words was clear: a supreme power was watching over the Tomb of the Gods.

That being the case, Long Ao didn’t dwell on it any longer. He chatted with Long Batian for a while longer before getting up and leaving the cave.

As for his grandfather, the Ancestor had just said he would need at least another month to complete his Refinement of the Divine Dao Inheritance. By then, his grandfather would be a Great Emperor Martial Artist.

What did this mean?

His grandfather’s breakthrough would make him the Long Family’s first true Great Emperor Martial Artist.

Long Ao returned to the family estate and immediately went to find his parents and Ao Xue. He had been missing for three months; he was sure everyone in the Long Family had been worried sick.

News of Long Ao’s sudden return spread like wildfire. In just a single day, it had traveled throughout all of Kyushu, even reaching the ears of the Four Great Forces in the Kyushu Spirit Realm.

At first, the Four Great Forces refused to believe it. Without exception, all four dispatched their people to the Celestial State to verify the news of Long Ao’s return.

The Four Great Forces found it hard to believe. Long Ao had supposedly died in the Beast Tide, so how could he just return to his family unharmed? ’Could it be he really didn’t die?’

Sure enough.

The men dispatched by the Four Great Forces soon returned to report, confirming that Long Ao was not dead and had indeed returned to the Long Family.

At that moment, the Four Great Forces were utterly shocked. No one could believe that Long Ao was not only alive but had brazenly returned.

Although they didn’t truly see Long Ao as a threat, he was still a nuisance. If he decided to seek revenge and started lashing out like a rabid dog, the Four Great Forces could suffer heavy losses.

Long Ao’s return threw the Four Great Forces into complete disarray.

「Kyushu Spirit Realm, the Long Clan’s Great Hall.」

"Patriarch, Long Ao is indeed alive. He is currently with the Long Family. How should we respond?"

Waving his hand dismissively, Long Mowen seemed to pay Long Ao no mind. "So what if he’s not dead?" he said, his voice flat. "We were able to kill him once. We can kill him again."

"Patriarch, Long Ao survived a great catastrophe. I fear he harbors malicious intent. If he launches a sneak attack, it will be difficult for us to counter."

Long Mowen nodded in agreement. "That’s true. It seems we’ll have to plan this out carefully. Ever since the Beast Tide invaded and nearly destroyed Kyushu, our relationships with the other three forces have become as incompatible as fire and water. Uniting the Four Great Forces to deal with Long Ao together won’t be so simple anymore."

"Patriarch, Long Ao’s return seems... too quiet. Given his old personality, he would have stormed over here by now. But now..."

For some reason, Long Yan had an ominous feeling, as if something was about to happen. It was for this very reason that he wanted to eliminate Long Ao in one fell swoop and remove this threat for good.

"Grand Elder, you seem troubled. Given our relationship, you can speak freely."

"Patriarch, about Long Ao’s sudden return... for some reason, I have a feeling he’s extremely dangerous. If we let him continue to grow stronger, he’ll eventually become a grave threat to us. It’s better to take decisive action now than to deal with endless trouble later."

Long Mowen was surprised to hear this. In all the years he had known him, Long Yan had never acted this way.

Long Mowen said nothing. The great hall fell silent as both men contemplated the same matter.

「Kyushu Spirit Realm, within the Imperial City.」

Duan Kai and Duan He, who had also received the news, wore expressions as grim as could be. They too had never expected Long Ao to return safely. They couldn’t fathom how he could have survived being swallowed by the Beast Tide. ’What in the world happened?’

"Father, now that Long Ao is back, he will certainly come for revenge. How should we prepare?"

Duan Kai and Duan He were clearly wary of Long Ao. He had repeatedly inflicted heavy losses on the Four Great Forces and even survived the Beast Tide. That alone proved he was anything but simple.

As the saying goes, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

"He who strikes first gains the upper hand."

"Father, if we act alone, any losses we suffer will only benefit the other three forces."

Duan Kai was well aware of his son’s concerns. He thought for a moment before saying, "The solution is simple. We’ll send out all the great families and Sects recently recruited by the Imperial City. Not only can we use them to test the waters, but we can also gauge the reactions of the other three great forces."

Duan He was curious. He didn’t understand what his father was getting at.

"Do as I say."

Seeing no other choice, Duan He gave a helpless shrug, then immediately stood up and left.

「Kyushu Spirit Realm, Piaomiao Palace.」

Feng Wuyi and Liu Boming had also received the news. Of the Four Great Forces, Piaomiao Palace and the Imperial City probably hated Long Ao the most. The story of how Long Ao had wreaked havoc in Piaomiao Palace and escaped unharmed had spread throughout Kyushu. It was because of that incident that Piaomiao Palace had lost all face.

They had thought Long Ao was dead, but neither Feng Wuyi nor Liu Boming had expected his safe return.

Like everyone else, the two of them couldn’t figure out how Long Ao had survived the Beast Tide. Moreover, he had only reappeared after a full three months. No one knew what had happened to him during that time.

Feng Wuyi and Liu Boming said nothing, but they could both see the vicious glint in each other’s eyes. The moment they heard of Long Ao’s return, they had made their decision. This time, no matter what it took, they would kill him and eliminate this threat for good.

However, the two of them were no fools; they certainly wouldn’t act personally. As if by some unspoken agreement, all Four Great Forces simultaneously dispatched the Sects and families under their command to probe the situation first.

The Four Great Forces were stirring, ready to make a move. Long Ao had already heard the news, but he paid them no mind. Having returned safely, he had already made up his mind: even if the Four Great Forces didn’t come for him, he would go for them.

What goes around, comes around.