Wu Yun's eyes shimmered with excitement.
Through his spiritual vision, he saw a vast underground palace buried beneath the Creation Monument. Inside, countless Pure Yuan Pills were piled high like mountains, and in the air floated tens of thousands of precious Nirvana Pills, glowing faintly with divine brilliance.
This… was the true inheritance of the ancient sect that once ruled this land.
But that wasn't all.
A massive creature loomed within the palace depths. It was coiled protectively around the treasures—an enormous beast known as Zhengni, a rare and ancient guardian beast assigned to protect sect legacies.
Beside the treasure trove, an eerie presence sat in stillness.
A gray-white skeleton, cross-legged atop a faded stone throne, radiated an oppressive ancient aura. Though unmoving, Wu Yun felt a suffocating wave of danger from it—as if one wrong step could awaken a slumbering god of war.
Nirvana Pills were unimaginably valuable. Even experts in the Nirvana Realm found them difficult to accumulate. Super sects in the Eastern Xuan Region might hold a few dozen at most—but this place had thousands. It was no exaggeration to say this discovery could shake the entire continent.
Suddenly—
Boom!
The square above the underground palace cracked apart. A blood-red beam of energy surged into the sky.
Shhh!
Wherever the light touched, cultivators were shredded into pieces. Screams of terror and agony echoed across the plaza.
From the crimson light emerged a towering monster—a beast over a hundred feet long. Its blood-red scales gleamed like forged steel, and its serpentine body twisted through the air like a dragon. Two colossal blood-colored wings stretched from its back, each flap stirring the air like a typhoon.
"ROAR!"
The beast let out a thunderous howl. Several nearby experts clutched their ears in agony as blood gushed from their ruptured eardrums.
"A Blood Bat Dragon…" Ling Qingzhu's eyes narrowed.
"A… dragon?" Lin Qingtan's expression shifted with alarm.
"It's not a true dragon, but it carries pure dragon blood. To reach the underground palace, we'll need to deal with it," Ling Qingzhu explained.
But before anyone could make a move, a raspy voice echoed through the chaos.
"Stand down, you vile beast."
A solitary figure approached calmly—an old man with black pupils.
The Blood Bat Dragon stopped mid-roar.
The old man raised his hand and gently stroked the beast's scaled head. The monster, moments ago a rampaging hurricane of death, now closed its eyes peacefully, like a tame kitten.
It was him—the black-eyed old man. The former leader of the ancient sect.
Buzz!
Suddenly, the skeleton sitting on the throne in the underground palace emitted a dazzling red glow. The energy cut through the void and shot into the sky. The skeleton floated mid-air, locking eyes with the old man.
"Mas… ter…" the skeletal figure whispered hoarsely.
"Disciple," the old man replied solemnly. "It's been a long time."
"You're alive? No… you died long ago…"
More energy surged toward the skeleton. Light gathered around it, bathing it in rainbow-colored brilliance.
Before the stunned crowd, white flesh began growing over bone.
Veins. Muscles. Skin.
Three minutes later, a middle-aged man stood before the old master, appearing around forty years old. His aura was restrained, but dangerously profound.
"This… this is why I was resurrected," the old master said with a faint smile. He turned and bowed respectfully in mid-air to Ye Feng. "Thank you."
Ye Feng gave a simple nod.
"Disciple," the elder said, "these young ones are his people. They need Nirvana Pills. Let them take what they need."
"Yes, Master," the younger man replied without hesitation.
Wu Yun, Chi Hao, Huang Pujing, and both Wang Yans turned their gazes toward Ye Feng.
"Go ahead," Ye Feng said calmly.
With his approval, the five disciples rushed into the underground palace to collect Nirvana Pills.
Ling Qingzhu, Ying Huanhuan, and Lin Qingtan had already broken through to the Nirvana Realm. They didn't need the pills, so they remained behind, watching quietly.
Many other cultivators tried to follow—hoping to seize a few pills for themselves.
But the old master and his newly revived disciple blocked the entrance.
"This is the inheritance of our sect," the black-eyed elder said coldly. "It will not be plundered."
Those who attempted to argue found themselves overwhelmed by an invisible pressure. One glare from the old man sent fear crawling down their spines.
After a short while, Wu Yun and the others returned, each carrying a storage ring filled with Nirvana Pills. Their eyes sparkled with excitement.
"We're ready," Wu Yun said.
Ye Feng nodded.
With a wave of his hand, space itself distorted. A ripple spread out, and in the blink of an eye, the entire group vanished.
They reappeared in a familiar place—Linjia Mountain, thousands of miles away.
"This training journey ends here," Ye Feng said.
The disciples bowed in unison.
"Master," Lin Langtian stepped forward, "the Hundred Dynasties War is about to begin. Should we participate?"
Ye Feng's expression didn't change. "What do you think?"
On the Tianxuan Continent, once every twenty years, a massive event would shake the Eastern Xuan Region—the Hundred Dynasties War.
This grand competition was organized by the major super sects. All dynasties, large or small, were invited to send their strongest young elites. It was both a proving ground and a recruitment process. Those who impressed the sects could earn a place among them, while their dynasties would rise in status.
But the war was brutal.
The site was an ancient ruin, full of danger and opportunity. Only the best survived—and the low-ranked dynasties rarely had a chance. Their martial resources were lacking, and their combat experience was weak. It was nearly impossible for them to outperform the elite heirs of the top dynasties.
"I want to win honor for my family," Lin Langtian said firmly.
"I'll go too," said Wang Yan.
"I don't care about rewards or joining a sect," Wu Yun added. "I just want the challenge. Something about this war makes my blood burn."
Ye Feng gave them a look, then smiled slightly.
"Then go. If that's what you desire, I won't stop you."
"Yes, Master!"
The disciples bowed again and turned to leave, their eyes full of determination.
After they left, Lin Qingtan remained beside Ye Feng.
She noticed the slight shadow in his expression.
"Master… what's wrong?"
Ye Feng exhaled lightly. "I miss Xiao Wu and the others."
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