Chapter 174: The Ruins!
Among the three, Zhu Mu was the strongest—an early-stage nine-star Dou Sheng, and also the eldest of the three. After Zhu Kun returned, he had continuously called out to the three of them. Yet Zhu Mu had never responded. Zhu Kun was already prepared for the worst.
Zhu Wu had the highest talent among the three. Whether he lived or died was also unknown.
And Zhu Ming was the youngest of the three. Back then, he had been an early-stage eight-star Dou Sheng. After leaving, he had even broken through to nine stars at present. It was only a pity that his forced breakthrough back then had damaged his foundation, leading to his current state.
Just as he thought he would pass away in meditation within the void, Zhu Kun's summons had made his long-dormant heart beat fiercely once more.
He was also the only one among the three great elders to have returned to Dragon Island.
"Good. If Your Majesty does not permit me to die, then I shall not die. I have yet to see Your Majesty come out—how could I die so easily?" Zhu Ming looked at Zhu Kun with a face full of earnestness and laughed.
Both of them knew perfectly well that for Zhu Ming's injuries, even a ninth-tier Treasure Pill would have barely any effect. It would likely take a ninth-tier Mystic Pill to be of any use.
As for a ninth-tier Golden Pill, neither of them even considered it. No Golden Pill Grandmaster had appeared on the continent for several thousand years.
The surviving Golden Pill formulas were likely only still preserved in the Yao clan's inheritance—making it difficult beyond all difficulty.
As for whether Jiang Yun could become a Mystic Pill Grandmaster before Zhu Ming's time ran out—even Zhu Kun had no confidence.
Still, Zhu Kun nodded and gave the other a serious look. For a moment, silence descended upon the great hall.
The Beast Domain was said to have a hundred thousand great mountains, but this was merely a figure of speech. If one truly counted, the number of mountain ranges in this domain certainly far exceeded a hundred thousand.
These mountain ranges stretched to remote distances beyond the reach of human power. The passage of time had also left countless treasures within these endless mountains, simply waiting for those fated to come and unearth them.
The Skeletal Mountain Range of the Beast Domain was of no small renown within the domain. This mountain range possessed an ocean of bones that made one's heart quail and shudder. Countless magical beast skeletons had been cast aside here. As the years passed, these beast bones would gradually release some of the strange beast power they contained.
This energy was of no use to humans, but to magical beasts, it was a rather fine supplement. As a result, this Skeletal Mountain Range had become a gathering place beloved by many magical beasts.
Gazing at the endless, unbroken expanse of bones before her, Xiao Yi Xian was somewhat shocked. She could not help but turn and ask Jiang Yun.
"Jiang Yun, what are we doing here?"
"I was browsing ancient texts. There is a Dou Sheng ruin here. So today, we've come to hunt for treasure!" Jiang Yun gazed at the distant bones. Hearing her question, he turned his head and looked at Xiao Yi Xian with a face full of ease.
"A Dou Sheng ruin!" Xiao Yi Xian's beautiful eyes widened slightly. She looked at Jiang Yun in surprise.
Watching the astonished Xiao Yi Xian, Jiang Yun smiled. A flash of purple intent flickered and vanished within his eyes. The vast and mighty soul power of the Heaven Realm spread outward in all directions, sensing the various spatial nodes in the surroundings.
Over the next few days, Jiang Yun led Xiao Yi Xian in a thorough, sweeping search throughout the Skeletal Mountain Range. Later, Zhu Feng also joined in.
Very soon, Jiang Yun and the two others halted at a corner of the Skeletal Mountain Range.
"Finally found it!" Jiang Yun gazed at the void before him. An unusual fluctuation flickered through his eyes.
"It's right here?" Xiao Yi Xian also looked curiously at the environment ahead. Beneath the azure-blue sky lay a massive valley. Within it, the bones were visibly far more numerous than elsewhere.
Magical beast skeletons of bizarre shapes were casually discarded throughout the valley, piled up high. One could well imagine the terrifying number of magical beasts that had died here.
Within the void, even with the soul Xiao Yi Xian had only recently advanced to the Spirit Realm, she was completely unable to perceive anything out of the ordinary. At a single glance, the azure sky seemed spotlessly clean, the heavens clear and transparent.
Although she had discovered nothing unusual, Xiao Yi Xian trusted Jiang Yun unconditionally. She turned her head and asked quietly, "Shall we enter now?"
"In a moment, I will open the ruins..." In Jiang Yun's eyes, the void ahead concealed an enormous small world. Chaotic void turbulence streamed and swirled all around. An ordinary person would find it virtually impossible to detect.
"Xiao Yun! Treasure-hunting—and you didn't wait for me?!" Just then, a voice—dignified, yet carrying a trace of displeasure—rang out behind the two of them.
The two turned around in surprise. A rift had suddenly split open in the void behind them. A familiar, purple, graceful figure stepped out from within.
"This subordinate pays respects to the Princess!" Zhu Feng looked seriously at the emerging Zi Yan and cupped his fists.
"Zi Yan..." Seeing Zi Yan, Xiao Yi Xian covered her mouth in delighted surprise.
And in Jiang Yun's eyes, an intense look of joy and surprise similarly flashed. Then, he spread his arms wide and gazed at her tenderly.
"Hmph—don't think you can just brush this matter aside like that! Let me tell you—it's not enough! Not nearly enough!" Even as she spoke, Zi Yan's body was exceedingly honest. She charged fiercely straight into Jiang Yun's arms. Her two long, powerful legs clamped tightly around Jiang Yun's waist as she greedily drank in the scent on his body and murmured,
"I missed you so much!"
A soft, tender look also flickered across Jiang Yun's face. He tightened his arms around the girl in his embrace.
Beside them, Xiao Yi Xian watched this scene with a gentle smile. Deep within the depths of her eyes, a faint, almost imperceptible trace of envy flickered—but there was not the slightest hint of jealousy.
A long while later, Zi Yan reluctantly pulled away from Jiang Yun's embrace. Violet intent swirled within her eyes as she looked at the void ahead, as if she could see something tangible. "This ruin is hidden quite deep indeed. However, it already has many structural problems. Under the strain, its intersection with reality is becoming more and more obvious. If we hadn't come, it would have revealed itself to the world within ten years!"
As she spoke, Zi Yan turned her head and grinned at Jiang Yun. "Leave it to me! This is the perfect chance for you to see my current strength!"
"In that case, I'll happily be lazy!" Jiang Yun smiled and tousled the top of Zi Yan's head, his face full of tender warmth.
Nodding, Zi Yan stepped forward lightly, her figure swaying gracefully. Taking a light breath, her expression gradually grew solemn. In a deep voice, she said, "I'm going to make my move now."
As her voice fell, Zi Yan let out a low shout. Endless violet radiance burst forth from her body. Under the illumination of this violet light, the originally clear and transparent void actually began to change bit by bit, rippling with wave after wave of fluctuation.
A faintly discernible heavenly curtain, like an enormous doorway, slowly revealed itself from within the void, appearing before everyone's eyes.
A heavy, boundless, ancient aura rushed forth to meet them!
Zi Yan's expression was grave. She tapped her finger lightly. An intangible spatial fluctuation rippled outward. Instantly, a fine, hair-thin crack appeared in the void ahead. Spatial storms raged forth, whipping Zi Yan's violet hair into a wild, unrestrained dance.
"Open!"
Accompanied by a light shout from Zi Yan, the violet light on her body blazed brightly. That originally minuscule crack abruptly expanded until it was large enough for a person to pass through.
Seeing this, Zi Yan hurriedly shouted, "Xiao Yun! Xiao Yi Xian! Get in, quickly!"
Hearing Zi Yan's call, Jiang Yun looked toward Zhu Feng beside him. Before he could even speak, Zhu Feng said, "This space is already on the verge of collapse. It cannot withstand the body of a Dou Sheng. I will remain outside and help the Young Master stabilize the void, and conceal the situation here."
"Please, Young Master and Princess, exercise extra caution inside. If things become untenable, activate the dragon seal. Your subordinate will immediately strike, shatter the space, and rescue the Young Master and Princess!"
"Good!"
Hearing this, Jiang Yun did not waste any more words. Pulling Xiao Yi Xian along, he immediately flashed forward, transforming into a blur as they rushed into the rift.
After Jiang Yun and Xiao Yi Xian had entered, Zi Yan nodded toward Zhu Feng and also darted into the spatial rift.
Then, without Zi Yan maintaining it, this spatial rift began to gradually close and heal.
However, it seemed that the premature, forceful opening of the ruins had made the space here even more unstable. That void doorway, like a heavenly curtain, did not fade back into concealment.
Seeing this, Zhu Feng praised aloud, "Princess Zi Yan's talent is truly fearsome. Under the leadership of the two Dragon Emperors, our clan will surely step back into its pinnacle!"
In the next instant, he swept his great hand outward. The void ahead immediately churned violently. The space stabilized once more, and that void doorway, which had seemed ready to emerge at any moment, once again concealed itself.
After doing all this, Zhu Feng swept a glance around. His figure slowly dimmed until it vanished completely.
At this moment, Jiang Yun and the other two had encountered a spatial storm the very moment they entered. Fortunately, Jiang Yun and his companions were no ordinary folk. The spatial storm—capable of tearing Dou Zongs apart and leaving Dou Zuns battered and disheveled—did not pose a serious problem for them.
In the end, the three arrived safely within the ruins. The moment they entered, the surrounding space suddenly turned a blazing crimson. The stone beneath their feet slowly split open. Scorching, bubbling crimson magma spewed forth from within.
At the same time, enchanting, brilliant blue pillars of fire abruptly erupted from all directions.
"Careful—"
Zi Yan and Xiao Yi Xian reacted swiftly. With loud shouts, the Dou Qi within their bodies surged as they made to form protective barriers.
But Jiang Yun's reaction was even faster. A white flame barrier instantly took shape, enveloping all three of them within it.
These blue flames were indeed extraordinary, but they still could not overcome Jiang Yun's Undying Sacred Flame. The flame barrier Jiang Yun had formed rendered the blue flames utterly useless.
"Ahead seems to be a passageway!" Just then, Xiao Yi Xian pointed ahead and said quietly.
There stretched a deep, long, pitch-black passageway. All four sides were formed from pitch-black stone. And to one side of the passageway flowed a river of magma.
The three exchanged a glance and entered the fire passage together. The temperature around them instantly multiplied dozens of times. The hard, crimson rock all around was baked a glowing, fiery red. The scorching magma below continuously sprayed upward like a fountain.
The magma contained searing-hot gravel, which, at this moment, possessed considerable lethal force. A single moment of carelessness could result in severe injury.
However, none of this posed any difficulty for Jiang Yun. With the Undying Sacred Flame protecting their bodies, neither the blue flames nor the magma could draw near the three of them.
"This fire passage is a smokescreen. The real passage is below!" After walking a certain distance, Jiang Yun suddenly halted. Pointing at the magma below, he spoke.
"I believe you!" Xiao Yi Xian and Zi Yan looked at the scorching magma below. Without the slightest hesitation, they looked at Jiang Yun and said.
Jiang Yun chuckled lightly and nodded. Then, taking one in each hand, he pulled Zi Yan and Xiao Yi Xian as he leapt out of the fire passage and plunged straight down toward the magma below.
Although the magma was blisteringly hot, to the three of them, it posed not the slightest difficulty. After sinking for about a minute, the ground suddenly gave way beneath their feet. They finally landed on a cold stone floor.
At this moment, the three stood on solid ground. Above their heads hung the scorching magma, twisted and coiled like giant serpents suspended overhead.
"Zi Yan, next is up to you!" Retracting his gaze, Jiang Yun looked at Zi Yan beside him and smiled.
"Leave it to me!" Hearing this, Zi Yan immediately spoke with keen enthusiasm. When it came to hunting for heavenly treasures and earthly rarities, she was more than happy to take the initiative.
Seeing this, Jiang Yun and Xiao Yi Xian exchanged a smile. The three of them immediately transformed into blurs as they shot toward the distant plaza.
At the end of the plaza, Jiang Yun and the other two halted their steps. Ahead stood an exceedingly heavy and thick stone door. And before the stone door, ten figures, ramrod-straight as spears, had stood there unmoving for what seemed like ten thousand years.
These ten figures were all puppets. Their skin was a dazzling silver. Their eyes were hollow, their faces expressionless, like ancient corpses.
"Are these puppets?" Gazing at the distant Heavenly Demon Puppets, Zi Yan looked at Jiang Yun beside her with some uncertainty.
"These are Heavenly Demon Puppets. Remember the Mo Yan Valley?" Jiang Yun said, looking at the puppets ahead.
"Oh—that thing! No wonder they looked somewhat familiar!" The moment Jiang Yun reminded her, Zi Yan immediately recalled. Among the spoils from the Mo Yan Valley had been the method for refining Heavenly Demon Puppets.
But the two of them had advanced in cultivation far too quickly, and so they had never bothered to refine such a lackluster, chicken-rib item.
"They're all just Dou Zong and Dou Zun puppets. Don't waste time on them." Watching Zi Yan, who now remembered, Jiang Yun smiled and continued walking forward.
And as the three drew near, the twelve Earth Demon Puppets—originally like silver-white sculptures—immediately lit up with dazzling white light.
In the next instant, an enormous white tiger descended from the heavens. Before these Heavenly Demon Puppets could even make a move, in the blink of an eye, they were reduced to scattered wreckage across the ground.
As the puppets vanished, the bronze great door ahead, with grinding, creaking sounds, opened a crack. Then, it gradually widened.
An ancient, boundless aura, as if from distant antiquity, spread forth from within the great door.
"I smell the scent of treasure!" Just then, Zi Yan's pretty nose twitched slightly. Her eyes blazed. She spoke with a face full of excitement.
Then, under Zi Yan's lead, the three swiftly shot toward a passageway to the left of the great hall.
Along the way, there were still a few rooms. But Jiang Yun did not intend to waste any time. The most valuable item here was at their destination. The other things were utterly worthless in Jiang Yun's eyes.
After flying through the passageway for about ten minutes, the three finally halted before an exceptionally ancient stone door.
The stone door was covered in creeping moss. The deep, dark green color gave one a palpable sense of the fleeting, passing years.
Zi Yan gazed at the stone door ahead. Licking her alluring red lips, she secretly rubbed her hands together. "It's right here. I can already smell the faint fragrance of medicinal ingredients. I wonder what ancient medicinal ingredients taste like?"