The task of extracting the Dragon-Phoenix Origin Fruit proved far smoother than Yan Xiaoyu's group had imagined. The reason lay in the token Zi Yan had entrusted to them, which not only contained the method of extraction but also allowed her to project a spiritual body to assist them.
By releasing her Dragon-Phoenix aura, Zi Yan completely suppressed the remnant spirit of the fallen Ancient Heaven Phoenix, preventing it from summoning its descendants or revealing the fruit's existence.
Though startled by Zi Yan's sudden appearance in spiritual form, Yan Xiaoyu finally understood her earlier words. The "extraction method" within the token was, in truth, Zi Yan's own means of manifesting here to suppress the Ancient Heaven Phoenix.
Once everything was settled, they departed from the space formed by the ancient clash between the Ancient Void Dragon and the Ancient Heaven Phoenix.
Upon exiting, Yan Xiaoyu immediately signaled for the others to regroup. Soon, they withdrew from the forest and returned to the entrance through which they had come. From the appearance of the disciples, it was clear many had reaped great harvests, yet the absence of several faces cast a heavy gloom upon the group.
"The ancient remains truly are a place of deadly peril…" Qing Xiu shook her head. Even with her usual mischievous nature, she could not help but feel a weight in her chest upon learning that some had fallen.
Knowing there was no need to linger any longer, they turned and made their way toward the main hall—where the greatest treasures of this ancient place would surely be kept.
"One of the elders who once investigated this ruin left behind a rough map of the ancient remains. I'll lead the way…" Qing Lin said softly as the group set their sights on the main hall.
…
The complexity of the ancient remains far exceeded their expectations. After traveling through winding corridors that twisted like a vast maze, a stifling sense of disorientation pressed upon them. It was only after nearly ten minutes of such endless turns that the scenery ahead finally changed.
The passage widened, and before long, an enormous ancient hall loomed into view.
This grand hall was cast in a bronze-yellow hue, its surface darkened by the passage of countless years. From every weathered stone slab emanated an ancient aura, heavy with vicissitudes, as though silent echoes of a bygone era still lingered within.
The hall itself was vast beyond imagination—those who stood inside seemed no more than ants beneath its towering space. At its center floated ten enormous clusters of light, suspended high in midair. Within the dazzling radiance of those spheres, faint silhouettes of scrolls could be seen.
The hearts of many disciples pounded fiercely at the sight. Could these be the legendary Tian-Class Dou Techniques?
Yet among them, only Yan Xiaoyu, Zhu Ling, Qing Xiu, and Qing Lin remained calm. Having journeyed through the perils of this ruin, they knew well the cunning of its owner.
The true Tian-Class Dou Technique might not lie within those luminous clusters at all. More likely, they were nothing but bait—a glittering distraction meant to mislead the unworthy, while the true inheritance lay hidden elsewhere.
Their gazes swept across the ten radiant light clusters, each one exuding a mysterious and oppressive aura. Suddenly, their eyes froze upon the very center of the hall.
There, seated upon a stone chair, was a jade-white skeleton. Its hands were folded into a profound seal, its posture dignified even in death.
"The skeleton of a Dou Sheng expert…"
The lips of Yan Xiaoyu, Zhu Ling, Qing Xiu, and Qing Lin slightly parted as they stared at it.
Their own masters were Dou Sheng elites—peerless figures who stood at the very peak of the Dou Qi Continent. Because of this, they were not overwhelmed by the suffocating pressure that radiated from those ancient bones. Yet this was the first time they had ever laid eyes upon the remains of such an existence.
No matter how composed they tried to appear, a trace of awe and fascination stirred within their hearts.
"Seems the time has yet to arrive…" Qing Lin murmured, her gaze fixed on the still-intact light barrier surrounding the skeleton. Yet beneath her voice lingered another feeling—she could sense the barrier's strength gradually waning.
"Then we wait. There is no need for haste. Our true goal, the Dragon-Phoenix Origin Fruit, has already been secured before the Heaven Demon Phoenix could even sense it," Zhu Ling said calmly, her tone steady as still water.
Yan Xiaoyu exchanged a meaningful glance with Qing Xiu. Both nodded before swiftly giving their orders: the disciples were to rest, recover their Dou Qi, and prepare themselves. For the next clash would surely be fiercer and more chaotic than anything they had faced so far.
…
Several hours later, the once-empty ancient hall grew heavy with presence. One after another, figures descended into its vast expanse, their auras strong enough to stir the very air.
Among them were the Yan Xiaoyu's group, the Heaven Demon Phoenix's group, the Profound Xuan Sect's groups. Even Bing He, the Valley Chief of Ice River Valley, leading his faction into the hall.
Unlike the story, Bing He held no direct enmity with Xiao Yan, nor did he dare provoke Moonlit Chaos Mansion.
Though he had once coveted the Little Fairy Doctor after uncovering the truth of her physique, he ultimately did not act. She was one of Xiao Hua's lovers, and Bing He was no fool. To indulge his desire at the cost of offending Moonlit Chaos Mansion was nothing less than courting his own death.
Ice River Valley might be counted among the first-rate factions of the Central Plains, yet in the face of Moonlit Chaos Mansion—the undisputed overlord of this land—the difference was as vast as that between a firefly and the moon. No comparison could be drawn, and no contest could exist.
Yan Xiaoyu, Zhu Ling, Qing Xiu, and Qing Lin sat cross-legged with their eyes closed. Though they drew many gazes—some hostile, some wary, others merely curious—none were unexpected.
As the direct disciples of Moonlit Chaos Mansion, such attention was inevitable. They ignored the stares, keeping their focus sharp only for signs of sneak attacks or hidden techniques that might erupt during the chaos to come.
Not long after, a sharp whistling of wind echoed through the hall. A group of figures appeared near its center, their arrival immediately drawing countless eyes—cautious, hostile, or even faintly respectful.
"Seems Xiao Yan and his Falling Star Pavilion have arrived…" Yan Xiaoyu slowly opened her eyes, her gaze settling on the newly arrived group.
"But…it looks like they clashed with the Heaven Demon Phoenix tribe, judging from those glares." Qing Lin lifted her eyes, noting the dark, solemn expressions directed at Xiao Yan.
"Indeed. And it seems they suffered heavy losses…" Zhu Ling murmured, her attention lingering on the bitterness flickering within Feng Qing Er's eyes.
"Hehe… just wait until they learn of the Dragon-Phoenix Origin Fruit. They'll likely cough blood on the spot." Qing Xiu whispered with a mischievous grin. Her words were heard only by her companions, who could not help but stifle their laughter behind their hands.
Xiao Yan, however, ignored the sharp glares from Feng Qing Er and her group. His attention had already shifted toward the dozens of motionless puppets. His eyes grew solemn as he recalled the puppets Xiao Hua once gifted to Cai Lin. The aura these carried was no weaker than that of a Dou Zun.
Though silent now, it was clear they were not lifeless. Once activated, these puppets would erupt with frightening strength. One could easily imagine the ruthless slaughter they would unleash. Even if the gathered experts managed to suppress them, the losses would undoubtedly be immense.
After exchanging a few words with those around him, Xiao Yan's gaze swept across the hall. Suddenly, a faint smile surfaced on his face. He cupped his hands toward a certain direction.
Following his line of sight, many elders turned their heads and saw Yan Xiaoyu's group approaching. At once, their expressions grew solemn, and they greeted with respect.
"Hehe… Xiao Yan, you've arrived at just the right time. Had you come earlier, you would have known how stifling this place can be…" Yan Xiaoyu smiled lightly, her hand covering her lips as a soft laugh escaped. Her elegant bearing, coupled with her heroic air, caused more than a few young cultivators to glance her way with admiration.
Xiao Yan returned her smile, laughing softly. He too could feel the tense and suffocating atmosphere of the hall. Each faction eyed the other with hidden vigilance, their restraint forming an oppressive pressure.
"The seal is weakening," Zhu Ling spoke calmly as her eyes swept across the faint barrier. "It will not last much longer."
"Miss Zhu Ling, why would there be ten of them?" Xiao Yan asked with a smile. Among all the groups present, his bond with the Moonlit Chaos Mansion was closest—after all, Xiao Hua was his cousin, and Xiao Yan had long regarded him as an elder brother.
"I believe only one is the true Tian-class Dou Technique," Zhu Ling replied with a soft smile. "The rest are nothing but forgeries."
"Oh? Nine false, one real…" Xiao Yan's heart stirred. His eyes shifted toward the ten radiant light clusters suspended in midair, surprise flickering within them. This ancient ruin truly brimmed with schemes—even at the very end, such a deception had been laid. To discern the genuine Tian-class Dou Technique among them would not be a simple task.
"Hehe… but who ever said the real one must be among those ten?" Qing Xiu giggled softly, her voice like a whisper carried by the wind.
"It is not, Miss Qing Xiu? Then where could it be?" Xiao Yan's heart quivered at her words. His true aim in this ancient ruin was the Tian-class Dou Technique—how could he not be eager to learn its true location?
He knew well that the Moonlit Chaos Mansion had no desire for such techniques. In that mansion, Tian-class Dou Techniques and Qi Methods were not rare; yet cultivating them required conditions so demanding that few could ever truly master them.
Even so, the mere abundance of such treasures already spoke volumes of their unfathomable foundation.
Their position as the silent overlord of the Central Plains—despite their disinterest in worldly status—was something no faction dared underestimate.
But Qing Xiu offered no reply. Instead, her charming eyes shifted toward a certain direction, a faint and cryptic smile curving her lips.
Xiao Yan followed her gaze—and instantly froze. His line of sight fell upon a stone chair, and seated upon it was a flawless jade-white skeleton.
A tremor coursed through his eyes as he whispered, voice low and shaken, "A Dou Sheng's skeleton… Could it be that the Tian-class Dou Technique lies within the remains of that Dou Sheng expert?"
"That's right. It is there." Zhu Ling nodded, her tone calm yet solemn. "We arrived too early before the others and had the chance to probe deeper. That Dou Sheng expert's skeleton… is still alive."
"What?!"
Xiao Yan's pupils contracted violently. The elders behind him stiffened, their faces paling as their gazes instinctively shifted to the skeleton. Within their eyes, a rare trace of fear surfaced.
"Technically, it is not truly alive—only a spiritual imprint left behind by a Dou Sheng expert. It does not contain the full strength of a Dou Sheng," Zhu Ling clarified softly.
"Even so, since it stems from a Dou Sheng, we must not underestimate it. Otherwise, the price will be unbearable."
Xiao Yan and the elders swallowed hard at her words. Though they had never witnessed the true power of a Dou Sheng, they understood well enough—anything left by such an existence was not something they could treat lightly.
Xiao Yan quickly realized the grim truth: anyone who sought the Tian-class Dou Technique would first have to cross blades with this Dou Sheng's skeleton. Unless the various factions united, none would gain anything here—only corpses would be left behind.
"Moreover," Yan Xiaoyu added calmly, her gaze steady, "there will certainly be a protective formation guarding that skeleton. Once disturbed, it will awaken the imprint. It would be wiser to let others test its wrath first. We should conserve our strength and prepare for that moment."
Xiao Yan exchanged glances with the elders, then slowly nodded. They had no choice but to hold their ground for now, saving their energy for when the true battle began.
But suddenly, the expressions of Xiao Yan, Yan Xiaoyu, Zhu Ling, and Qing Xiu shifted. Their gazes snapped toward a distant corner of the hall, eyes narrowing as a cold, murderous light flickered within.
A strange laughter rang out—sharp, eerie, echoing as though near and far at once. The sound transformed into a sonic wave, reverberating across the vast hall.
"Tsk tsk… looks like I am not late this time."
At that voice, killing intent surged from the four of them. Their faces hardened, for the aura that accompanied that laughter was all too familiar.
"Hall of Souls…!"
…
The sharp voice spread throughout the grand hall, stirring unrest among the gathered experts. Faces darkened, some stiffening as they sensed the terrifying strength hidden within the one who had arrived.
While everyone was still reeling in surprise, a rushing wind suddenly echoed through the vast hall. In the next instant, black fog surged in from every direction outside, flooding the space before converging high above. The fog churned and twisted before scattering apart, revealing several figures within.
That unique method of arrival made countless hearts sink at once.
"Hall of Souls…!"
A heavy silence spread. The faces of many experts stiffened, their hearts pounding violently. Everyone across the Central Plains knew of the Hall of Souls' terrifying might. If they sought to seize the Tian-class Dou Technique, the situation—already chaotic—would spiral into something far worse.
Yet it wasn't just the arrival of the Hall of Souls that caused such unease. Countless gazes shifted toward Yan Xiaoyu's group. Sure enough, their expressions carried a killing intent so sharp it seemed to cut through the very air.
None in the Central Plains were ignorant of the blood feud between Moonlit Chaos Mansion and the Hall of Souls, nor their deep-rooted enmity with the Hun Clan. Over the years, Moonlit Chaos Mansion had annihilated countless Hall of Souls branches across the continent, driving them into the shadows.
As for the Hun Clan, the Mansion Master himself, alongside the five Hall Masters of Moonlit Chaos Mansion, had long declared open hunt upon them—slaughtering any they encountered without mercy.
This wasn't surprising to anyone. After all, it was the Hall of Souls and the Hun Clan who first waged war. Moonlit Chaos Mansion's retaliation was nothing less than a clear message—they were no soft persimmon to be trampled upon.
Still, the Hall of Souls and Hun Clan had not remained idle. Their revenge had been waged from the darkness. In recent years, Moonlit Chaos Mansion had suffered repeated ambushes. Disciples and elders had been slain, fallen to shadowy hands.
Since then, whenever members of the Hun Clan or Hall of Souls crossed paths with Moonlit Chaos Mansion, a deadly clash was inevitable. More often than not, however, the former left in bitter defeat.
And now—here, within this ancient hall—the presence of the Central Plains' current overlord and its former overlord meant only one thing: the storm that followed would shake even these ancient ruins.
From within the black fog, a gray-white robed old man slowly emerged. His shriveled face was twisted by a cold, sinister smile that deepened as his figure hovered above the hall, radiating a chilling aura.
"Old Ghost Zhai Xing…"
Yan Xiaoyu, Zhu Ling, and Qing Xiu's expressions darkened at once. They instantly recognized him—the very same wretch who had joined the Hall of Souls' ambush against their Mansion Master during the battle with the Wind-Lightning Pavilion.
Though he had been crushed in the end by Little Fairy Doctor, losing an entire arm to her, several disciples and elders of Moonlit Chaos Mansion had perished at his hands. Their blood debt had yet to be repaid.
Old Ghost Zhai Xing's sunken eyes swept across the vast hall as he let out a strange, grating laugh.
"Tsk, tsk… how lively. I did not expect these remains to draw so many flies. If we wait here to harvest souls, I imagine the yield will be… most plentiful."
The words were like poison, seeping into the ears of all present. Instantly, disgust and killing intent flickered in many eyes. The Hall of Souls' infamous practice of capturing souls was no secret across the Central Plains—it was a vile act long despised.
But despite the seething hatred, no one dared to move. The strength of the Hall of Souls was too dreadful.
If not for the suppressive presence of Moonlit Chaos Mansion keeping them in check, the Hall of Souls would have long acted with even greater arrogance, spreading their darkness unchecked.
"With one arm missing, shouldn't your title be changed from Old Ghost Zhai Xing to Crippled Ghost Zhai Xing?"
A cold, delicate laugh suddenly rang out, echoing across the vast hall. The tone dripped with disdain, mocking the gray-robed elder's loss while carrying the elegance of someone who did not take him seriously in the slightest.
The sinister smile on Zhai Xing's face froze. It vanished in an instant, replaced by a surge of killing intent so dense it chilled the air. His gaze swept the hall like a blade before locking onto the source of the voice.
When his eyes landed on the one who dared mock him, his pupils contracted sharply. Then, with a roar filled with murderous rage, his voice boomed throughout the entire hall.
"Moonlit Chaos Mansion?! To think you actually come here! Why?! Why are you here?!"
The roar caused countless gazes to swivel. One after another, eyes landed upon the elegant figure with long, flowing emerald hair.
Qing Xiu met his glare with a smile of pure mockery. Her voice was light, almost casual, but every syllable was laced with disdain sharp enough to cut.
"Do we need to explain ourselves to the likes of you? If we truly announced our reasons, would the pack of mangy old dogs from your Hall of Souls still dare to stand here before us?"
Her words struck like a whip, and the veins on Zhai Xing's face darkened as fury twisted his expression.
"Bastard! Today, this old man will tear your flesh, shatter your soul, and let your screams appease my hatred! I will use your blood to wash away the disgrace dealt by that wretched Heavenly Poison Woman, who robbed me of an arm and nearly destroyed my life!"
Zhai Xing's eyes instantly turned blood-red, the image of his arm being blasted apart by Little Fairy Doctor's Abyssal Calamity Ghostflame flashing before his mind. Though the grievous injuries from that battle had long since healed, the losses he suffered remained etched into his very body.
Because of the Abyssal Calamity Ghostflame's sinister nature, his severed arm could never be regrown. Worse still, his veins, muscles, and bones were saturated with deadly poison and miasma. If not for the Hall Chief personally suppressing the toxins within him, he would have long since become a living corpse, writhing in agony each passing month.
Even so, the poison and miasma had already fulfilled their purpose, leaving a fatal flaw within him. No matter how he trained, his strength could no longer advance—his path of cultivation had been crippled beyond repair.
Immediately, powerful auras erupted from Qing Xiu, Yan Xiaoyu, and Zhu Ling as they stepped forward in unison. Their eyes turned icy as they fixed their glares upon Zhai Xing, their voices cold and brimming with murderous intent.
"Since you wish for death, we will gladly grant it to you, old dog!"
The temperature within the grand hall surged as their auras swept outward, filling the atmosphere with oppressive heat.
Zhai Xing, who had been rushing forward, abruptly froze midair with a sharp sound. Under the burning pressure, fragments of reason returned to his mind.
He could not even defeat one of them, let alone face all three. In the past, he had once stirred trouble with Lan Haoran, only to retreat in humiliation after sacrificing numerous Protectors and even two Honorable Elders.
Among all those present, none knew better than he the terrifying might of the Mansion Master's direct disciples and those of the five Hall Masters. Thus, the instant he laid eyes upon these direct disciples of Moonlit Chaos Mansion, his heart instinctively tightened with dread.
Moreover, he carried a mission personally entrusted to him by the Hall Chief on this trip to the remains. Should anything go wrong, the punishment awaiting him would be severe beyond measure…
Just as this thought crossed his mind, a wild and violent fluctuation erupted, sweeping across the entire hall. Countless gazes immediately turned toward the ten clusters of light, which were growing increasingly dim.
Realizing that this was not the time to act recklessly, Zhai Xing swiftly withdrew, bracing himself for the chaos that was about to unfold.
"The seal is about to vanish!"
Xiao Yan's expression turned grave as his low voice rang out.
No sooner had his words fallen than the ten light clusters began to tremble violently. In the next instant, an overwhelming brilliance erupted. Within that blazing radiance, the scrolls sealed inside transformed into countless rays of light, shooting outward in every direction!
The hall instantly boiled over as the scrolls surged forth!
At the same time, the stone statue puppets surrounding the stone table—slumbering for countless years—abruptly opened their tightly shut eyes. A suffocating killing intent swept forth in that very moment!
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