Silence...
A silence so profound that even breathing seemed like a disturbance within the ancient palace.
The central hall of Baspina Speenzo Castle stood like a forgotten kingdom buried beneath endless ages. Towering stone pillars rose toward a ceiling hidden by darkness, each pillar carved with countless ancient runes that had long since lost their brilliance. Cracks spread across the weathered walls like scars left by time itself, while shattered statues of unknown warriors lay scattered across the floor.
Dust drifted through the air in slow spirals.
The entire hall was illuminated only by rows of ancient torches burning with pale blue flames. Their light was cold instead of warm, causing every shadow to stretch unnaturally across the ground.
At the end of the enormous hall stood a colossal bronze gate.
It was over thirty meters tall, engraved with four circles surrounding a mysterious symbol. Every line on its surface radiated an ancient aura that made one's heart tremble instinctively.
The gate...
It had remained sealed for countless years.
Now...
It had finally awakened.
A deep vibration echoed through the hall.
Rumble...
Tiny fragments of stone fell from the ceiling as the gate emitted a faint golden glow.
Alex slowly raised his head.
His sharp eagle-like eyes reflected the magnificent gate.
"So this... is the true inheritance..."
He could feel an invisible pressure pressing against his soul.
Whatever slept behind that gate...
...was beyond anything he had imagined.
Behind him...
Six cultivators stood in complete silence.
Their black robes carried the insignia of the Basi Dungeon Sect, and every one of them released a powerful Elemental Focusing aura.
The atmosphere instantly froze.
Neither side moved.
Neither side blinked.
Only the ancient flames continued flickering between them.
One man finally stepped forward.
He was tall, broad-shouldered, with countless scars crossing his face. His eyes burned with hatred, and the killing intent radiating from his body distorted the surrounding air.
His spear slowly descended toward the ground.
Clang.
The sound echoed throughout the hall.
"You..."
His cold voice resembled ice scraping against stone.
"So it really was you."
Alex frowned.
The man's face was unfamiliar.
"I don't know you."
A cruel smile appeared on the warrior's face.
"No..."
"But you know my brother."
His voice gradually became colder.
"Ban Luo."
Alex's pupils narrowed slightly.
Immediately...
The image of the warrior who had survived the battle against the Level Seven Python flashed through his mind.
The man whose storage ring he had taken.
The man who had died beneath the python's poisonous breath.
The scar-faced warrior gripped his spear tighter.
"My name..."
"...is Ban Zen."
"My younger brother entered these ruins carrying the future of our sect."
"He never returned."
His killing intent exploded like a volcanic eruption.
"You killed him."
Alex remained calm.
"I did not."
Ban Zen laughed.
It wasn't laughter.
It sounded more like an animal growling before tearing apart its prey.
"You expect me to believe that?"
"Our tracking formation followed my brother's storage ring."
"It led us..."
"...to you."
His spear pointed directly toward Alex's throat.
"It doesn't matter whether the python killed him."
"It doesn't matter who struck the final blow."
"You took what belonged to him."
"You walked away alive."
"My brother did not."
His eyes became bloodshot.
"Blood..."
"...must be repaid with blood."
An overwhelming killing aura erupted from his body.
BOOM!
The stone floor beneath his feet shattered instantly.
The surrounding warriors simultaneously released their cultivation.
Three late-stage Elemental Focusing cultivators stepped beside Ban Zen.
Behind them...
Two elderly men quietly watched everything.
Unlike Ban Zen...
Their expressions remained calm.
One possessed long silver hair tied behind his back.
His eyes were narrow and calculating.
This was...
Lhan Ze.
Standing beside him was another elder carrying countless formation flags around his waist.
Every movement of his fingers unconsciously formed mysterious seals.
His gaze never left Yi Zhau.
This was...
Ruen Flu.
Unlike the others...
Neither of them looked at Alex.
Their attention remained fixed upon the transparent soul floating beside him.
For the first time...
Ruen Flu spoke.
"So..."
"An Emperor Soul."
His voice carried unconcealed surprise.
"I never imagined such an existence would still remain in this world."
Lhan Ze narrowed his eyes.
"Interesting."
"Very interesting."
Yi Zhau slowly floated forward.
His translucent robes fluttered despite the complete absence of wind.
His expression remained as arrogant as ever.
"You two..."
"...have good eyesight."
"But that is all."
The surrounding spiritual energy suddenly became restless.
Even though Yi Zhau possessed no physical body...
The pressure radiating from his soul caused the ancient torches to flicker violently.
Ban Zen frowned.
"That ghost..."
"...is dangerous."
Yi Zhau folded his arms.
"Dangerous?"
He smiled faintly.
"If this Emperor still possessed even one percent of his former strength..."
"...none of you would remain alive long enough to finish that sentence."
Silence followed.
Even Ban Zen instinctively tightened his grip on his weapon.
Lhan Ze slowly stepped forward.
"I believe him."
Those simple words shocked every disciple.
"But..."
His gaze became sharp.
"He has no body."
"He cannot continuously withstand attacks infused with elemental energy."
"He is strong..."
"...but incomplete."
Yi Zhau's smile disappeared.
"You understand soul cultivation better than I expected."
Lhan Ze nodded.
"Our sect has hunted souls for hundreds of years."
"We know their strengths..."
"...and we know their weaknesses."
Alex quietly observed everything.
His breathing remained steady.
Although six opponents stood before them...
His mind had already begun calculating every possibility.
Their objective had never been defeating everyone.
The inheritance...
That was the true prize.
Yi Zhau suddenly spoke without turning around.
"Alex."
"Yes, Master."
"When I give the signal..."
"...run."
Alex immediately understood.
"You'll hold them back?"
Yi Zhau chuckled.
"Who else?"
"But Master..."
"There are six of them."
Yi Zhau laughed louder.
"So?"
"I have lived longer than their entire bloodlines."
"Go."
"Take whatever lies beyond these ruins."
"I'll deal with these insects."
Ban Zen suddenly roared.
"No one is leaving!"
His spear burst with blazing golden elemental energy.
BOOM!
He shot forward like a bolt of lightning.
At that exact moment—
"NOW!"
Yi Zhau's eyes flashed brilliantly.
His soul erupted with dazzling silver light.
A terrifying wave of soul pressure exploded outward.
BOOM!!
The entire hall shook violently.
Every warrior except Lhan Ze and Ruen Flu instinctively staggered backward.
Their souls trembled violently.
Alex moved.
Without the slightest hesitation...
He dashed toward the inheritance gate before suddenly changing direction.
Instead of entering through the main gate...
He rushed into one of the enormous side corridors leading deeper into the ruins.
"STOP HIM!"
Ban Zen roared furiously.
"I'll tear his limbs apart myself!"
Three warriors instantly followed him.
Their footsteps echoed like thunder throughout the corridor.
Dust exploded beneath their feet.
Ban Zen's spear spun violently.
Golden elemental energy condensed around its tip.
"Trying to escape?"
"Dream on!"
He thrust the spear.
Hundreds of golden spear phantoms instantly shot toward Alex's back.
The corridor exploded.
BOOM!
Stone walls shattered.
Massive cracks spread across the ancient passage.
Alex's pupils contracted.
Without slowing down...
He twisted his body unnaturally.
One spear phantom grazed past his shoulder.
Another narrowly missed his neck.
The remaining attacks smashed into the walls, causing enormous chunks of stone to collapse behind him.
Ban Zen sneered.
"You can dodge once."
"You can dodge twice."
"But eventually..."
"...you'll die."
Alex said nothing.
His breathing remained calm.
His feet lightly touched the ground before pushing forward once again.
Every movement was efficient.
Every dodge consumed the minimum possible energy.
His Heroic Eagle Eyes continuously analyzed every incoming attack.
Behind him...
The four warriors rapidly closed the distance.
Meanwhile...
Back inside the central hall...
Only three figures remained standing.
Yi Zhau.
Lhan Ze.
Ruen Flu.
Ancient blue flames danced around them.
No one moved.
Yet invisible pressure continued colliding in the air.
Finally...
Yi Zhau smiled.
"So..."
"The children have left."
His silver eyes slowly rose toward the two elders.
"Now..."
"...shall we begin?"
Chapter 19: The Inheritance War
The ancient corridor stretched endlessly before Alex.
Every step echoed through the silent ruins, bouncing from one weathered wall to another. Countless murals covered both sides of the passage. They depicted scenes of cultivators standing above mountains of corpses, gigantic beasts bowing beneath human feet, and mysterious palaces floating among the clouds.
Time had eroded the colors.
Yet the aura within those carvings remained intact.
It felt as though countless ancient eyes were silently watching every intruder who dared enter these forgotten ruins.
Behind Alex...
Four powerful auras rapidly approached.
Ban Zen's furious voice thundered through the corridor.
"Run as much as you like!"
"You cannot escape these ruins!"
Golden elemental energy erupted beneath his feet as his speed increased dramatically.
The three disciples behind him immediately spread apart, surrounding Alex from different directions.
Their movements were perfectly coordinated.
Years of fighting together had formed an unspoken understanding between them.
Alex glanced over his shoulder.
Four enemies.
All stronger than him.
If he chose to fight head-on...
Death was certain.
His only advantage...
His mind.
His Heroic Eagle Eyes calmly observed every movement, every breath, every fluctuation of elemental energy surrounding his enemies.
Ban Zen suddenly raised his spear.
Golden light condensed around its blade.
The surrounding spiritual energy began gathering rapidly.
"Thousand Piercing Spears!"
He swung forward.
Boom!
Dozens of brilliant spear projections shot toward Alex like a storm of falling stars.
The entire corridor trembled.
Alex narrowed his eyes.
Instead of retreating...
He accelerated.
His body twisted through the gaps between the incoming attacks with astonishing precision.
One spear passed beside his cheek.
Another tore a piece of cloth from his shoulder.
The remaining attacks struck the ancient walls.
Crack!
Massive stone fragments collapsed, sealing the corridor behind them.
The pursuing warriors leaped over the rubble without slowing down.
Ban Zen frowned.
"This brat..."
"He isn't dodging randomly."
"He's reading my attacks."
Alex remained silent.
Yi Zhau had taught him long ago.
Never waste words during battle.
The one who talks the most...
Usually dies first.
The corridor suddenly widened.
Ahead stood an enormous bronze gate covered with crimson inscriptions.
Unlike the inheritance gate in the central hall...
This gate was much smaller.
Ancient symbols glowed faintly across its surface.
At its center...
A single character remained perfectly preserved.
One.
Alex immediately understood.
"The First Room..."
His hand touched the ancient stone.
The gate trembled.
Rumble...
Dust poured from above.
The massive door slowly opened.
An unbearable wave of heat rushed outward like a roaring beast.
Even Ban Zen instinctively stopped.
"What..."
"...is inside?"
Without hesitation...
Alex rushed through the entrance.
The enormous gate began closing behind him.
Ban Zen roared.
"After him!"
The four cultivators burst through the narrowing gap just before the gate completely sealed itself.
Boom!
Silence returned.
Alex slowly lifted his head.
His pupils contracted.
Before him stretched an enormous underground chamber.
The ceiling disappeared into darkness hundreds of meters above.
Molten lava flowed across nearly the entire room like an endless crimson ocean.
Gigantic bubbles continuously burst upon its surface.
Every explosion sent blazing flames several meters into the air.
The surrounding temperature was terrifying.
Even the stones beneath Alex's feet glowed faintly red from the intense heat.
On the opposite side of the chamber...
Resting upon a tall stone platform...
A crystal pillar shone with dazzling light.
Within the transparent crystal floated a jade-colored medicinal pill.
Ancient golden patterns slowly revolved around it.
The surrounding elemental energy naturally flowed toward the crystal.
It was obvious.
That was the treasure hidden inside the first room.
Alex's breathing became slightly heavier.
"So this..."
"...is the inheritance."
Yi Zhau's earlier explanation resurfaced within his mind.
"Ruins are divided into four grades."
"Minor Ruins contain two to five rooms."
"Major Ruins contain six to ten."
"Great Ruins contain eleven to fifteen."
"And Great Heavenly Ruins possess sixteen to eighteen rooms."
"The more rooms..."
"...the greater the inheritance."
Alex looked around.
"This ruin has four rooms."
"So this is merely..."
"...a Minor Ruin."
Even so...
The pressure filling this chamber far exceeded anything he had experienced before.
Ban Zen's laughter echoed behind him.
"So that's your goal."
"The treasure."
He slowly spun his spear.
"Unfortunately..."
"You won't leave here alive."
The four warriors spread apart once more.
Alex glanced toward the crystal.
Then toward the endless lava.
There was only one narrow stone path extending several meters before disappearing completely.
Beyond that...
Nothing.
Only lava.
Ban Zen smirked.
"No path?"
"Looks like the ancient masters wished to test fate."
He thrust his spear toward Alex without hesitation.
Golden light erupted violently.
Alex immediately sidestepped.
The spear energy narrowly missed him.
Instead...
It crashed directly into the lava.
Boom!
The entire lava sea trembled violently.
Silence.
Then...
A deep vibration spread beneath the molten surface.
Bubble after bubble began appearing.
The calm lava suddenly churned like a raging ocean.
Ban Zen's expression changed.
"What..."
Crack...
Something broke beneath the lava.
A blackened skeletal hand slowly emerged from the molten surface.
Then another.
Then another.
Hundreds.
The lava exploded.
Hideous creatures climbed out one after another.
Their bodies appeared burned beyond recognition.
Molten rock covered their skin like natural armor.
Streams of lava continuously dripped from their bodies.
Their hollow eyes glowed with crimson flames.
The chamber instantly filled with horrifying roars.
One disciple swallowed nervously.
"What are these monsters?"
Alex frowned.
"They were sleeping beneath the lava..."
"And your attack awakened them."
Ban Zen clicked his tongue.
"It changes nothing."
One of the creatures suddenly leaped forward.
Its burning claws tore through the air.
Ban Zen reacted instantly.
His spear pierced directly through its skull.
Bang!
The creature's head exploded.
Yet...
Its body continued moving.
The headless monster grabbed Ban Zen's arm.
Another creature immediately lunged toward him.
"Damn it!"
Golden elemental energy erupted around Ban Zen.
Boom!
Both monsters shattered into pieces.
Before he could relax...
Ten more emerged.
The three disciples were instantly surrounded.
Their swords flashed repeatedly.
Fiery blood splashed across the ground.
Yet every fallen creature was replaced by two more.
Alex struck one monster with a water-infused fist.
Bang!
The creature was pushed backward.
Instead of dying...
It slowly climbed back to its feet.
"So physical attacks alone aren't enough..."
He quickly observed the battlefield.
These creatures weren't immortal.
But their bodies constantly absorbed lava energy.
Unless completely destroyed...
They would continue fighting.
Ban Zen roared as he unleashed another sweeping spear strike.
Golden light cut through dozens of monsters.
The opening lasted only a second.
More creatures immediately filled the gap.
Alex remained calm.
There had to be a way across.
His gaze shifted toward the lava itself.
Something...
Was strange.
The eruptions weren't random.
Several locations remained perfectly calm despite the violent waves surrounding them.
His Heroic Eagle Eyes focused.
The elemental flow became visible.
Beneath those calm areas...
Ancient runes faintly shimmered.
Alex's eyes widened.
"Not lava..."
"There's something beneath it."
He picked up a broken stone and threw it toward one of the calm spots.
Instead of sinking...
The stone stopped in midair.
It rested upon an invisible surface.
An invisible bridge.
A disciple noticed it immediately.
"Senior Brother!"
"There!"
Without thinking...
The disciple jumped toward the invisible platform.
His face filled with excitement.
"I found the pa—"
Before he could finish...
Alex appeared beside him.
Elemental energy surged into his right leg.
Water elemental power compressed until the muscles trembled under the pressure.
Body Manifestation.
First Stage.
His physical strength exploded.
Alex rotated his waist.
Every ounce of power gathered into a single kick.
Bang!
The disciple's eyes widened in disbelief.
His body flew backward uncontrollably.
"No—!"
He plunged directly into the lava.
The molten sea swallowed him instantly.
His desperate scream echoed only for a brief moment before disappearing forever.
A violent eruption burst upward.
Nothing remained.
Ban Zen's eyes instantly turned blood-red.
"You little bastard!"
Alex ignored the roar.
He had already landed on the invisible platform.
One step.
Then another.
His feet lightly tapped the hidden path as he rapidly advanced toward the crystal.
The remaining monsters could not reach him.
They continuously fell into the lava while attempting to leap toward the invisible bridge.
Ban Zen clenched his fists so tightly that blood trickled from his palms.
He had underestimated Alex once again.
And that mistake had already cost one more life.
Ban Zen's furious roar echoed throughout the lava chamber.
His eyes were filled with bloodlust as he watched Alex rapidly crossing the invisible path.
"You think killing another of my brothers will let you escape?"
"I'll carve your bones into this ruin!"
Golden elemental energy erupted from his body once again.
The surrounding lava creatures lunged toward him, but Ban Zen no longer held back.
His spear swept across the air.
Boom!
A crescent of golden light tore through dozens of creatures, reducing their molten bodies to shattered fragments. The blazing shockwave temporarily forced the monsters back, creating a narrow opening.
"Follow him!"
The remaining two disciples immediately leaped onto the invisible platform.
Unlike the first disciple, they carefully watched Alex's footsteps before landing.
Alex glanced behind him.
Three enemies remained.
The distance between them was shrinking.
He took another step onto the invisible platform.
The crystal was now only twenty meters away.
Suddenly—
Crack!
The invisible barrier beneath his foot trembled.
Ancient runes hidden beneath the lava flashed briefly before becoming dim again.
Alex's expression changed.
"So the bridge isn't permanent..."
"It consumes energy every time someone steps on it."
The entire invisible pathway began flickering.
Some sections remained solid.
Others slowly disappeared beneath the lava.
Ban Zen laughed coldly.
"Nowhere left to run."
He condensed elemental energy around his spear.
This time...
He did not aim at Alex.
Instead—
He attacked the invisible platform itself.
"Golden Mountain Breaker!"
The spear struck downward.
Boom!!
A violent explosion shook the chamber.
Ancient runes beneath the lava burst apart one after another.
Several sections of the invisible bridge vanished instantly.
Molten lava surged upward through the newly opened gaps.
Alex's eyes narrowed.
Without hesitation, he gathered elemental energy beneath his feet.
Water elemental power wrapped around his legs while the strength of the First Body Manifestation surged through his muscles.
He jumped.
His body crossed nearly ten meters through the scorching air before landing safely upon another remaining section of the bridge.
Behind him...
One disciple attempted the same leap.
His calculations were slightly off.
His foot landed where the platform had already disappeared.
"No!"
His body plunged downward.
The lava swallowed him before anyone could react.
Only a desperate scream remained.
Ban Zen's face darkened.
Another disciple...
Dead.
His hatred toward Alex deepened beyond reason.
"You..."
"I swear upon my bloodline..."
"...I will not allow you to leave these ruins alive."
Alex ignored him completely.
His attention remained fixed upon the crystal.
Every second wasted here increased the danger facing Yi Zhau.
He could not afford delay.
The crystal stood silently upon its stone pedestal.
Ancient inscriptions covered its transparent surface.
Within it floated a jade-colored pill surrounded by streams of pale silver light.
As Alex approached...
The surrounding spiritual energy became unusually gentle.
He could feel a strange resonance with his own elemental cultivation.
"It isn't rejecting me..."
"It wants a successor."
He slowly placed his hand against the crystal.
The entire chamber trembled.
Rumble...
The inscriptions awakened one after another.
Golden lines spread across the crystal like flowing rivers.
A calm ancient voice echoed directly inside Alex's mind.
"First Chamber Trial Completed."
"Inheritance Approved."
Crack...
Fine fractures appeared across the crystal.
Within moments...
The entire crystal shattered into countless shimmering fragments that floated through the air before dissolving into pure elemental energy.
The jade pill gently descended into Alex's palm.
It was warm.
Unlike ordinary medicinal pills, it possessed a heartbeat-like rhythm.
Thump...
Thump...
Alex carefully examined it.
Even without consuming it...
He could sense astonishing purity within its medicinal aura.
"This definitely isn't an ordinary pill."
Without hesitation, he placed it inside his storage ring.
The instant the pill disappeared—
The entire lava chamber began shaking violently.
The calm stone platform beneath Alex slowly descended.
Ancient gears hidden inside the ruin awakened after countless years.
Boom...
Boom...
Boom...
The walls started moving.
The invisible bridge collapsed section by section.
Lava surged upward like furious waves.
Ban Zen's expression changed.
"The room is collapsing!"
Alex immediately searched for another exit.
A stone gate slowly emerged from the opposite wall.
Its surface carried the symbol of the number Two.
"The second chamber..."
"So every room connects to the next."
He rushed toward the newly opened passage without looking back.
Ban Zen thrust his spear with all his strength.
A beam of golden light shot toward Alex's back.
Alex sensed the attack instantly.
He twisted sideways.
The beam narrowly missed him before striking the chamber wall.
The impact caused another violent collapse.
Massive boulders crashed into the lava.
Several molten creatures were crushed beneath the falling debris.
Alex seized the opportunity.
His figure disappeared through the stone gate.
Ban Zen arrived only a heartbeat later.
But the ancient gate was already closing.
"No!"
He slammed his spear against the door.
Boom!
The gate did not move even slightly.
Ancient runes glowed across its surface, sealing the chamber once again.
Ban Zen stood silently before the closed entrance.
His fists trembled.
His breathing became heavy.
For the third time...
Alex had escaped from right before his eyes.
The hatred burning within his heart grew even stronger.
Far away...
The echoes of violent explosions continued shaking the ancient ruins.
Yi Zhau was still fighting.
The violent tremors spread from the first chamber back into the central hall.
Ancient pillars cracked.
Dust drifted from the ceiling as countless runes engraved upon the stone walls flickered between light and darkness.
At the center of the hall...
Three figures remained locked in a deadly confrontation.
Yi Zhau floated several feet above the ground, his translucent robes dancing without wind. Silver soul energy continuously flowed around his body like a quiet river, yet every strand carried a pressure capable of shaking an ordinary cultivator's spirit.
Opposite him...
Lhan Ze slowly lowered his dagger.
Beside him, Ruen Flu's fingers moved at astonishing speed.
One formation seal after another appeared around him before flying toward different corners of the hall.
Each seal disappeared into the ancient floor.
Yi Zhau's eyes narrowed.
"So..."
"You're preparing a formation."
Ruen Flu smiled faintly.
"An Emperor Soul is difficult to kill."
"But even the strongest soul..."
"...can be imprisoned."
Dozens of crimson formation flags shot from his sleeves.
Each flag embedded itself into the stone floor with perfect precision.
Boom!
The hall shook violently.
A network of glowing lines spread across the ground like countless blood vessels.
Lhan Ze did not attack.
He simply stood there, calmly observing Yi Zhau.
His purpose was obvious.
Buy time.
Yi Zhau understood immediately.
"If I allow that formation to complete..."
"...Alex will have no chance of escaping."
He raised one hand.
Silver soul power gathered within his palm.
The surrounding space distorted.
"Soul Shackles."
Bang!
Dozens of translucent chains burst from the void, racing toward Ruen Flu from every direction.
Ruen Flu's expression changed.
"So fast!"
Before the chains could reach him—
Lhan Ze moved.
His dagger flashed once.
A crescent of blue elemental energy sliced across the hall.
Crack!
Half of the soul chains shattered instantly.
The remaining chains were intercepted by countless formation barriers summoned by Ruen Flu.
Explosions echoed continuously.
Silver soul energy and crimson formation light collided like two opposing worlds.
Yi Zhau's expression remained calm.
"You defend well."
Lhan Ze smiled.
"I only need a few more moments."
Ruen Flu continued weaving hand seals.
One...
Ten...
Thirty...
The number increased without pause.
Each completed seal strengthened the formation hidden beneath the floor.
The crimson glow became brighter.
The air itself started growing heavier.
Yi Zhau quietly sighed.
"I had hoped not to use this."
He slowly closed his eyes.
The silver aura surrounding him completely disappeared.
The hall suddenly became silent.
Even Lhan Ze frowned.
"What is he doing?"
Before anyone could react—
Yi Zhau opened his eyes.
Two silver stars shone within his pupils.
An overwhelming spiritual pressure exploded outward.
Soul Manifestation Art—
Soul Shock!
Boom!
An invisible wave swept across the entire hall.
Unlike elemental attacks...
This strike ignored the body completely.
It directly struck the soul.
Ruen Flu's hands froze in midair.
His pupils instantly lost focus.
The formation seals suspended motionless before him.
His consciousness had been forcibly frozen.
Three seconds.
Only three seconds.
But for experts...
Three seconds decided life and death.
Yi Zhau's eyes flashed.
"Exactly as I expected."
His figure vanished.
He appeared directly before Ruen Flu.
Soul energy gathered around his fist.
The surrounding space trembled as countless silver cracks spread through the air.
Lhan Ze's face changed drastically.
"Ruen Flu!"
He rushed forward.
Too late.
Yi Zhau's fist slowly moved.
There was no dazzling light.
No overwhelming explosion.
Only absolute silence.
"Soul Shattering Punch."
His fist landed upon Ruen Flu's chest.
Tap.
Such a gentle sound...
Almost like a finger touching water.
For a brief moment...
Nothing happened.
Then—
Crack...
The sound came from within Ruen Flu himself.
His eyes widened.
His body remained perfectly unharmed.
His robes were untouched.
Not even a single drop of blood appeared.
Yet...
Inside his body...
His soul began breaking apart.
Fine silver cracks spread across his spiritual body.
"No..."
"This..."
"...is impossible..."
His voice became weaker.
The cracks multiplied.
His spiritual aura collapsed.
The countless formation seals floating around him shattered into fragments of light.
One after another.
Boom...
Boom...
Boom...
Every unfinished formation across the hall exploded simultaneously.
Ruen Flu slowly lowered his head.
His eyes had already lost all life.
"My soul..."
"...has..."
Before he could finish speaking...
His soul completely disintegrated.
Countless silver particles drifted into the air before disappearing forever.
His body collapsed heavily onto the ancient floor.
Silence.
The entire hall became deathly quiet.
Even the ancient flames flickering along the walls seemed to freeze.
Lhan Ze stared at his fallen companion.
For several long breaths...
He said nothing.
Then...
He slowly laughed.
A low...
Cold...
Almost terrifying laugh.
"So..."
"You killed him."
He bent down and picked up Ruen Flu's storage ring.
Then his gaze slowly rose toward Yi Zhau.
"You truly deserve the title..."
"...Ancient Ghost Emperor."
Yi Zhau breathed slightly heavier than before.
Using Soul Shock together with Soul Shattering Punch had consumed a considerable amount of his remaining soul power.
He knew it.
Lhan Ze knew it too.
The elder slowly raised the black dagger in his hand.
Its surface was covered with mysterious crimson patterns.
"This dagger..."
"...was forged specifically for souls."
Yi Zhau's eyes narrowed.
Without warning—
Lhan Ze stabbed the dagger into the ground.
Boom!!
The entire hall exploded with crimson light.
Every formation seal Ruen Flu had placed earlier suddenly awakened.
Although incomplete...
They had not disappeared.
Instead...
The dagger connected every remaining fragment together.
Ancient crimson energy surged through the broken formation paths.
One fragment...
Ten fragments...
A hundred fragments...
All merged into one enormous formation.
The floor split apart.
Countless glowing symbols rose into the air.
Crimson mist spread throughout the hall like flowing blood.
At the very center of the formation...
Streams of red light gathered from every direction.
They rotated faster and faster.
Compressing endlessly.
Finally—
A blood-red sphere the size of a human head slowly appeared.
It hovered silently above the ground.
Yet the pressure it released distorted the surrounding space.
The blue flames along the walls instantly turned crimson.
The entire hall was swallowed by an ominous red glow.
Lhan Ze looked at Yi Zhau with an indifferent smile.
"This..."
"...is the Scarlet Soul-Sealing Formation."
"I spent decades improving it."
"It may not kill an Emperor Soul..."
"But it is more than enough..."
"...to imprison one who has already lost his physical body."
The crimson sphere pulsed once.
A terrifying wave spread throughout the ruins.
Far away...
Inside the passage leading toward the second chamber...
Alex suddenly stopped.
His chest tightened.
An overwhelming pressure washed over him from behind.
He slowly turned his head.
Even from such a great distance...
He could see a crimson light illuminating the entire ancient ruin.
His expression became grave.
"Master..."
Something had happened.