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**
"Bang!"
No one knew how long it had been when, beneath a pile of shattered stones and rubble, an arm suddenly stretched out.
"Rattle rattle—"
After that dust-covered arm appeared, the man's other arm and head also twitched. A moment later, he finally struggled out from under the debris. Still somewhat dazed, he glanced around. After confirming there was no danger, he finally exhaled in relief.
Controlling his storage ring, he took out a healing pill and swallowed it, muttering with lingering fear, "Good thing that Gu Clan Dou Zun didn't notice I was still alive. Otherwise, I'd be finished."
After speaking, he looked at the empty surroundings and the vast field of rubble. For a moment, he felt completely lost.
"Crap, the souls!"
Suddenly, the purple-robed Dou Zun remembered the nearly two hundred thousand soul bodies stored in the branch hall he was responsible for.
His expression changed drastically as he shouted in panic. Before the words even fully left his mouth, he forced his heavily injured body to move. Stumbling and staggering, he rushed toward where the Soul-Locking Hall used to be.
However, when he arrived at the original location of the Soul-Locking Hall, his already pale face instantly turned completely bloodless.
"It's over. All the souls are gone… I'm dead for sure…"
Staring at the ruins before him, the purple-robed Dou Zun could no longer hold back. Tears began falling uncontrollably.
As a Vice Hall Master of one of the Earth Hall of Hall of Souls, he was fully aware of what kind of punishment awaited him once he reported back. With things looking like this… he would definitely die.
"Damn Gu Clan! You destroyed the branch hall I was guarding! This is all your fault!"
Thinking of that Gu Clan Dou Zun who had attacked them earlier, the vice hall master clenched his teeth, endless hatred boiling in his heart.
Then, as if something suddenly occurred to him, he muttered, "No, this is all the Gu Clan's fault… It's because of that Lady Xun'Er. She sent someone to deliberately wreck our branch hall."
Saying this, a glimmer of hope flashed across his face. His tone grew firm: "I need to go see First Tian Zun immediately and report everything. Since the Gu Clan dared to send a powerhouse to ambush us, he'll definitely understand my situation!"
With that, he ignored his injuries and turned into a streak of light, flying at full speed toward a higher-ranked Hall of Souls branch hall!
But what he didn't know was that, while he was ambushed, several other branch halls were also attacked. One of them was even personally guarded by Sixth Tian Zun. But the mysterious lightning-attribute Dou Zun who attacked was simply too powerful.
Even Sixth Tian Zun—whose strength had already stepped into One-Cjamge Dou Zun—had no choice but to avoid direct confrontation and flee his own hall. When the mysterious Dou Zun finally left and Sixth Tian Zun returned…
He found his entire branch hall flattened. All souls and all Protectors had vanished without a trace. As for the other assaulted branch halls, aside from the one in the Death Soul Mountain Range that managed to hold on…
The rest all shared the same ending: complete destruction, wiped from existence. This was a vast, barren plain. Sparse patches of green grass could be seen, but most of the land was a desolate, reddish-yellow.
High above in the sky, the occasional hawk or eagle circled past, leaving behind sharp, echoing cries. Yet, in this plain shrouded in the chaos of recent destruction, the space suddenly began to ripple.
The next moment, the sky above split open with a pitch-black tear. Right after, a few rather bedraggled figures shot out from within, then quickly sped toward the winding Sky Star Mountain Range in the distance.
"This Sky Star Mountain Range… it's been so many years since I last came here."Looking at the vast stretch of mountains, Yao Chen couldn't help letting out a sigh.
"You, back then after founding the Falling Star Pavilion, you immediately became a hands-off boss. I had to deal with everything myself. You have no idea how much trouble you dumped on me."
Hearing his sigh, Feng Xian turned toward Xiao Yan's ring and complained.
"Hehe."
Hearing that, Yao Chen let out an awkward laugh: "You know I'm not into that sort of thing. The only reason I built the Falling Star Pavilion back then was to… search for her."
Hearing this, Feng Zun Zhe could only shake his head helplessly. Then he waved his hand and continued leading everyone deeper into the mountain range.
The group flew across the endless mountains for nearly ten minutes before Feng Xian, who was leading them, finally slowed down and stopped. He then took out an ancient jade and tossed it forward.
In an instant, a strange stream of starlight spread out from within the jade. At the same time, the space before them began twisting, gradually forming into a spatial gate.
"Let's go."
Once the gate fully formed, Feng Zun Zhe spoke and quickly flew inside. Since all the Dou Zun present had been to the Falling Star Pavilion several times before, none of them were surprised by the sight.
They followed Feng Zun Zhe into the gate one after another. However, when Yao Chen was brought into the Falling Star Pavilion, his brows suddenly furrowed. Because the scene before him was very different from what he remembered.
Not only was the prosperity of one of the Four Pavilions completely gone, but the entire place was filled with a bleak, desolate atmosphere.
However, since there were others around, Yao Chen didn't ask anything, simply pressing his questions down for the moment. Meanwhile, the excited Feng Zun Zhe and Xiao Yan did not notice Yao Chen's change in mood at all.
Right now, they were still thrilled that the rescue had gone so smoothly. Feng Zun Zhe even announced his abdication the moment he returned, returning the Pavilion Master's seat back to Yao Chen.
The remaining disciples and elders of the Falling Star Pavilion were ecstatic upon hearing that the founder of the pavilion, the continent's number-one alchemist, Yao Zun Zhe, had returned.
With a peak eighth-tier alchemist joining them, their future days would certainly no longer be as miserable as before.
As for Yao Chen, all he could do was accept everything with a bitter smile.
After all, through everything he had experienced, he understood one truth clearly—unless one's strength was truly overpowering to the point of being untouchable, an individual would always be at a disadvantage when compared to a force.
Since that was the case, he had already made up his mind to properly manage the Falling Star Pavilion this time. After all, in terms of both intelligence networks and manpower, others far surpassed him.
If a real conflict broke out, lone wolves like them would suffer too much.
**
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