Zhai Xing's steps faltered at her words, his expression twisting. Rage surged within, but he forcefully suppressed it and pressed on, continuing his clash against the Dou Sheng skeleton.
His mission this time was to capture and bring back this skeleton. He dared not slacken. After stabilizing himself, his figure once again shot forward, entangling with the Dou Sheng skeleton as a fierce battle erupted.
Xiao Yan and the others silently watched. For all his strength, even an expert like Zhai Xing was being suppressed, forced back time and again despite unleashing his full power.
"This is only a remnant spiritual imprint… if it were a complete Dou Sheng in the flesh, how terrifying would it be?"
Such a thought surfaced in the hearts of many presents. The skeleton's strength was enough to shake them.
Their gazes turned toward Yan Xiaoyu, Qing Xiu, Zhu Ling, and Qing Lin. Unlike them, the women of Moonlit Chaos Mansion remained calm and unruffled, as though this battle was nothing unusual. After all, their Mansion Master and Hall Masters were among the peak Dou Sheng experts of the continent.
"Compared to Teacher, Martial Uncles, and Martial Aunts, this skeleton is indeed lacking. Yet, I can sense that if this expert had still been alive, he could have challenged opponents one or two levels above his own…" Yan Xiaoyu's eyes narrowed slightly as she spoke in a composed, analytical tone.
"Unsurprising…" Qing Xiu smiled faintly. "They are simply too monstrous."
Zhu Ling gave a slight nod. "Especially our Mansion Master. Even now, I cannot understand how he managed to obtain so many Tian-Class Dou Techniques and Qi Methods…"
Yan Xiaoyu could only offer a dry smile. She too could not fathom how her master had come to possess countless Tian-Class treasures.
As the three exchanged words, the sound of rushing wind suddenly burst from within the blood-shrouded hall. A few figures shot out at lightning speed, their killing intent surging as they pounced straight at Zhai Xing.
Everyone's gaze flickered over, and they quickly recognized them—the incomplete human puppets that had not been completely destroyed earlier.
During the earlier fierce battle, those puppets had already slaughtered many experts. Though several had been reduced to dust under the combined attacks of the crowd, six still remained.
The moment they appeared together, Zhai Xing's expression darkened. Already suppressed by the Dou Sheng skeleton, his situation was precarious. With the addition of these six puppets, he would be fortunate to last ten exchanges before perishing on the spot.
"Bastards! Why are you all still standing there watching? Attack!"
Zhai Xing's furious roar shook the hall as his foot slammed against the void beneath him, his body retreating in a blur.
"Miss Yan Xiaoyu, Miss Zhu Ling, Miss Qing Xiu," the black-robed elder of the Heaven Demon Phoenix tribe suddenly called out, his voice low yet urgent. "The four of us should strike together and aid Old Ghost Zhai Xing in finishing off this Dou Sheng skeleton. What do you say?"
After Zhai Xing's desperate cry, even he understood they could no longer afford to stand idle. His gaze swept toward the three women. Zhu Ling and Qing Xiu had already reached the realm of 4-Star Dou Zun, while Yan Xiaoyu stood at 3-Star Dou Zun. Their strength was such that each could easily battle above their level. Thus, none were surprised at his choice.
"Fine," the three replied in unison.
Yet a cautious light flickered in their eyes. For a fleeting moment, they had caught a dark and greedy glint hidden within the elder's gaze. Though he tried to hide it, they did not miss it.
"They must have discovered something…" Qing Xiu's voice whispered across their minds.
"Be ready to call for Mistress Zi Yan," Zhu Ling transmitted.
"I know…" Yan Xiaoyu answered softly.
Yan Xiaoyu turned to Qing Lin, Xiao Yan, and the gathered experts. "These six human puppets will be left to all of you."
"Miss Yan Xiaoyu, rest assured. We will not allow these puppets to disturb your battle."
Though their legs trembled at the sight of the Dou Sheng skeleton, the many experts present could still deal with six puppets by relying on sheer numbers.
"Be careful," Xiao Yan whispered.
"I know. The rest of you must also stay alert. If the situation turns against you, retreat immediately. Do not concern yourselves with us—we will be fine," Yan Xiaoyu replied with a nod.
Xiao Yan answered with a nod of his own, raising the Heavy Xuan Ruler in his hand. Just then, Zhu Ling's calm voice echoed in his ears alone.
"During this battle, we will search for the place where the Tian-Class Dou Technique is hidden. Once we find it, we will inform you. When that time comes, you must take it away quietly, without attracting attention."
Xiao Yan's eyes widened slightly. He lifted his head, only to see Yan Xiaoyu and her companions prepare to charge toward the Dou Sheng skeleton. His heart stirred, a faint smile rising on his lips. He could feel their unspoken resolve—they were doing everything they could so that he might obtain the Tian-Class Dou Technique.
Exchanging glances with the black-robed elder, the three women and the old man rushed out together. Their figures soared like great birds cutting through the air, swiftly encircling the Dou Sheng skeleton alongside Zhai Xing.
The moment Yan Xiaoyu's group launched their attack, the rest of the experts in the hall also stirred into motion. Numerous figures surged forward, their combined Dou Qi exploding like a tide as they lured the six puppets away.
In the next instant, the vast crowd swarmed into the hall like a locust storm. The clash of Dou Qi and the roar of battle erupted once more, shaking the blood-fogged chamber.
Zhai Xing finally breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the black-robed elder, Yan Xiaoyu, Qing Xiu, and Zhu Ling rushing to his aid. His voice sank low and steady, "Everyone, attack together. Be wary of this thing's frightening speed!"
The others gave slight nods at his reminder. Though both the black-robed elder and Zhai Xing were seasoned figures who had experienced countless storms, neither dared to underestimate the three graceful women before them.
As the direct disciples of Xiao Hua, Mei Ling, and Wei Jie, their ability to battle far above their realm was unquestionable—those who dismissed them did so at their own peril.
"Strike together!" the black-robed elder of the Heaven Demon Phoenix tribe barked.
Even as his cry rang out, his arm trembled and a pair of blazing wings unfurled from his back. His speed surged to an astonishing degree. With a flash, his figure vanished and reappeared above the Dou Sheng skeleton's head. A fierce sweep of his sleeve followed, unleashing a cutting palm wind that howled downward toward the crimson bones.
At the same time, crimson-gold wings unfurled from Qing Xiu's back, their radiance filling the blood-drenched hall with a fleeting brilliance. Black-and-white flames surged forth from her slender figure, twisting together until they gathered into her palm. With a graceful motion, she condensed that terrifying flame into a longsword of stark contrast, its blade shimmering with yin and yang fire.
The weapon thrummed faintly in her grip, as if alive, before she lifted it and let her body flow forward like water.
Her strike descended in a graceful arc—elegant, yet carrying a power that could cleave mountains.
Clang!
The black-and-white longsword smashed against the Dou Sheng skeleton, sparks bursting wildly as the sound of metal on bone reverberated through the vast hall.
Seizing the opening, Yan Xiaoyu surged forward. Her spear spun in her hands, flames and lightning coiling around it like two enraged beasts. With a sharp thrust, she drove it down onto the skeletal frame.
Boom!
The violent force erupted outward, shaking the Dou Sheng skeleton's towering body. Its balance faltered for the first time, and its steps grew heavy.
Zhu Ling's eyes narrowed, a faint light glimmering within. The moment the skeleton staggered, she advanced without hesitation. Her jade-like palm blazed as violet-gold flames surged, condensing into the colossal form of a dragon's claw.
The claw roared to life, accompanied by the cries of countless phantom beasts, as she hurled it forth with unmatched ferocity.
Aang—!
The cries of twenty-four dragons split the heavens, shaking every corner of the blood-filled hall. The searing strike crashed into the skeleton's ribcage, sparks scattering like a shower of blazing meteors. The force was so immense that the blood-colored stain was stripped away, leaving a patch of bone as pristine and jade-white as newly carved crystal.
In that instant, Zhu Ling's sharp gaze caught sight of faint, mysterious characters etched across the jade-white ribs. Joy surged within her heart, and a faint smile curved her lips as she whispered, almost reverently,
"Tian-Class Dou Technique… So, this is where you were."
Her fleeting smile vanished in an instant. Violet-gold flames erupted within her eyes, and with a thunderous roar, that blazing power surged forth, engulfing her arms. In the blink of an eye, her slender hands had transformed into draconic claws wreathed in divine fire. Without hesitation, she struck out—her fists moving like lightning, each blow crashing heavily against the Dou Sheng skeleton's ribcage.
Boom! Boom!
Every strike carried terrifying heat. Under that searing temperature, the blood-stained scarlet hue that had clung stubbornly to the bones began to peel away, revealing the pristine white hidden beneath. The flames hissed and roared, devouring the blood-mist that lingered on the surface, until the ribcage gleamed faintly like jade.
"Three ribs… each carrying those mysterious inscriptions…"
A hidden thrill flashed in her eyes, gone so quickly it seemed an illusion. She knew with absolute certainty—those characters were not ordinary markings, but the imprint of a true Tian-Class Dou Technique.
But she did not dare linger. The danger of being discovered weighed heavily upon her. At once, she shifted her footing. Violet-gold fire blazed down her legs as they too transformed into dragon limbs, carrying her body in a swift retreat. She narrowly avoided a claw strike from the skeleton—its bony fingers slicing through the air like peerless blades, cold light flashing from their tips.
"Everyone, push harder! The skeleton can't hold out much longer!" Zhai Xing's hoarse cry rang out, joy flickering across his face as he watched the blood-red glow on the skeleton's body weaken.
The others acted as though they had not heard Zhai Xing's words. This skeleton was monstrously difficult to handle; its defenses bordered on the unnatural.
Despite the combined might of five experts, their relentless strikes failed to leave even the faintest crack. Were it not for the gradually fading scarlet hue on its bones—a faint sign that their efforts were not in vain—even they might have already lost all confidence.
Vast torrents of Dou Qi tore through the air like falling stars, colliding with the Dou Sheng skeleton in thunderous explosions. The force shook the great hall to its foundation, splitting the stone walls with cracks as thick as an arm.
Yet beneath this fierce onslaught, the scarlet glow clinging to its bones continued to fade. The crimson light in its hollow eyes flickered wildly, burning ever fiercer. Then—its body abruptly stilled.
Zhai Xing and the black-robed old man froze in shock. Ecstasy replaced hesitation, and they unleashed a storm of frenzied blows, determined to shatter it here and now.
But unease rippled through Zhu Ling, Yan Xiaoyu, and Qing Xiu. Their instincts screamed of danger. An elite Dou Sheng was too terrifying; even a lingering imprint of its will would never fall so easily.
"Withdraw—now!"
Their urgent voices transmitted like blades into the minds of Xiao Yan, Qing Lin, and the others. Startled, the two groups did not question further and immediately retreated with haste.
Roar!
The barrage of attacks erupted across the skeleton's body like a rain of fireworks. For a heartbeat it remained unmoving—then its head slowly lifted. From its hollow jaw escaped a voice, ancient, hoarse, and chilling, as if echoing across endless time…
"Great... Heaven... Creation... Palm!"
A hoarse, ancient voice, halting and broken, reverberated into the ears of Zhu Ling's group. The sound alone caused every strand of hair on their bodies to bristle upright.
A dreadful aura surged forth, spreading from the depths of their souls. It was the instinctive terror of facing death itself. Driven by that primal fear, the three of them spun around almost at the same instant.
Without a shred of hesitation, four radiant wings of different hues unfurled from Yan Xiaoyu's back, while violet-gold wings burst open behind Zhu Ling. With a desperate flap, the three of them pushed their speed to the extreme, fleeing into the distance.
"It's using a Dou Technique—withdraw at once!"
Even as the three retreated, Zhai Xing and the black-robed old man sensed the anomaly. Shock erupted across their faces. Without sparing another glance, the two also abandoned all composure and bolted, scurrying away like frightened rats.
Naturally, the sudden, miserable flight of those five instantly drew the attention of everyone within the great hall. Though none knew the exact cause, all understood that something dreadful was unfolding.
Panic surged like wildfire—figures clawed, stumbled, and rolled in their haste to retreat. In the blink of an eye, the grand hall descended once more into utter chaos.
Amidst the frenzy, the scarlet hue covering the Dou Sheng skeleton's body writhed as if alive, gathering rapidly toward its right hand.
In an instant, the entire palm was dyed a ghastly crimson, as though it had been steeped in blood for countless ages. The color was so dark and profound it seemed to seep into the heart, birthing a cold dread.
When the final trace of scarlet condensed onto its palm, a soybean-sized black dot quietly emerged in the center. That speck was a pure and absolute darkness—so deep that even a single glance stirred the illusion of one's soul being drawn into its abyss.
The Dou Sheng skeleton slowly raised its hand, then slammed it heavily against the unyielding floor of the hall.
Yet, no sound echoed. The instant the bone palm touched the ground, the supposedly indestructible stone vanished soundlessly, revealing the deep brown rock beneath.
Chi!
The surface melted away as a black light circle unfurled from the point of impact. It spread swiftly, devouring everything in its path.
Cries of alarm erupted. Pillars, stone tiles, walls—whatever the circle brushed against simply ceased to exist. No fragments, no dust remained. It was not broken, not shattered—it had truly vanished without a trace.
The sensation was like gazing into a black hole—mysterious, unfathomable, and utterly terrifying.
"Run, quickly!"
The dreadful sight made everyone's scalp tingle and their skin crawl. Especially when they saw the black light circle continuing to spread outward, their hearts clenched with terror, and their bodies instinctively scrambled back.
"Ah!"
Yet no matter how frantically they fled, the black light spread even faster. Worse still, from within its depths erupted a horrifying suction force. Those who were caught unprepared were yanked off their feet, dragged screaming through the air. The instant their bodies touched the black circle, they vanished without a trace—without even ashes left behind.
Miserable screams echoed one after another throughout the hall. Countless figures thrashed desperately in midair, struggling against the pull, but it was useless. One by one, they were dragged into the black circle and erased from existence.
Xiao Yan's figure turned into a silvery streak of lightning as he retreated with all his might. Yet his heart went numb at the chorus of miserable screams echoing behind him. There was no mistaking it—this was a Tian-Class Dou Technique!
Chi!
His explosive flight suddenly faltered. Xiao Yan's expression shifted drastically as he realized the suction force behind him had grown so terrifying it was already hindering his speed.
Before he could push himself to the very limit, a jade-white hand seized his own. Zhu Ling had appeared behind him, dragging him further away from the encroaching black light circle with a force that brooked no hesitation.
Xiao Yan did not dare let her shoulder the burden alone. Stabilizing himself mid-flight, he clenched his teeth until blood seeped between them. Prismatic flames of jade-gold flickered across his body, streaked with violet arcs and ocean-blue currents, as his speed surged once more to its utmost limit.
But the path ahead was no less harrowing. Human figures continued to be torn screaming from the air, their cries of despair echoing before vanishing into silence as the black circle devoured them whole. Each shriek was like the wail of a soul facing obliteration, sending a chill straight into the marrow of every survivor who heard it.
The black light circle was just like a death god after one's life. It swiftly spread from the large hall. The entire large hall was also completely annihilated at this moment...
"The suction force is becoming increasingly strong. We must escape. Otherwise, we will definitely be sucked into it." Xiao Yan suddenly clenched his teeth as he sensed the increasingly strong suction force from behind.
"Don't move!"
Zhu Ling shouted as her figure surged with violet-gold flame with dragon's might seeping out of it. Her hands move swiftly, forming numerous seals with an astonishing speed like a speed of light. Once complete, her voice rolled out like a roar of a dragon.
"Nine Heavens Dragonstride: First Step!"
She lifted her foot and violet-gold flames surged beneath her, coiling into the phantom of a dragon's claw. When it descended, the void itself cracked open, and her body vanished from where she stood. Even Xiao Yan, whom she is holding onto, disappeared along with her.
Arcs of fire blazed into being—each one a colossal dragon's silhouette, violet-gold scales glimmering like molten stars. She did not run, nor did she fly—she strode freely within the void. She only took one step and the two of them has charged out of the large hall at the last moment and miserably landed on a square.
Chi!
Everyone outside of the large hall were extremely frightened as they looked at the strange black light circle that spread within the hall. Fortunately, the latter had gradually halted when it had reached the edge of the square. Finally, it slowly disappeared in front of the gazes from the numerous survivors.
After the black light circle disappeared, a thousand feet large big deep hole appeared in front of everyone's gazes. At this moment, the spacious main hall... did not even have the least bit of dross remaining.
Gulp!
Everyone cannot help but swallowed a mouthful of saliva. Cold sweats forming and flowing down their forehead. There's no doubt that everyone had really sensed death earlier. It was likely that even if Zhai Xing and the others were to meet with the black light circle earlier, they would also definitely end up dying!
Xiao Yan inhaled a couple of deep breath. He suppressed the great storm within his heart as he turned to Zhu Ling and thanked her. Without her, it is quite difficult for him to escape from the black light.
His eyes swept across the area and was shocked that each one of the disciples and elders of Moonlit Chaos Mansion actually managed to survive. Even the elders of Falling Star Pavilion as well.
After which, he turned to Yan Xiaoyu and Qing Xiu. From the sincere appreciation within their eyes, he understood that the two of them has actually save them.
He was truly astounded and admired by the level of these three. Despite the danger, they didn't hesitate to save those belong in their sect and those who are allied with them.
Xiao Yan's eyes returned to the hall once more, paused on the midair within the large hall. A jade white skeleton was standing in the midair. The red glow within its eyes had completely disappeared at this moment. Clearly, the remnant spiritual imprint left behind by that elite Dou Sheng had also completely disappeared at this moment.
"Tian-Class Dou Technique is on the Dou Sheng's skeleton…"
Just he was being distracted by this, Zhu Ling whispered softly into his ears, informing him about the location of the ribs.
Xiao Yan's heart tremble as he heard Zhu Ling's soft voice beside him. He could feel the breath from her voice and the fragrance wafting from her. However, he has no interest in this as his heart surged with shocking heat as he listens to her words.
With that information, he could participate in the scramble for the Dou Sheng's skeleton that will happen later and take the three ribs without anyone noticing anything strange!
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