Chapter 290. The Ancient Holy City
While Lin Feng and the others were in seclusion, the Central Continent remained as peaceful as ever. Although the confrontation between the two eight-star Dou Sheng powerhouses was terrifying, this news did not reach the Central Continent.
Even Lin Laoguai, the two-star Dou Sheng level Grand Elder of the Little Pill Tower, only informed them of the alliance with the Dragon Clan; after all, eight-star Dou Sheng was too far beyond his reach.
Of course, the Soul Palace, one of the opposing sides, seemed unchanged.
However, those who closely observed the Soul Palace would notice that it appeared to be shrinking its power.
But as time passed, the true powerhouses of the Dou Qi Continent were drawn to another major event about to begin. The coming
-of-age ceremony of the Ancient Clan, the strongest imperial clan on the Dou Qi Continent, was about to commence in a month.
Many imperial clans that considered the Dou Di bloodline paramount placed great importance on the Ancient Clan's coming-of-age ceremony, given the Ancient Clan's still very strong Dou Di bloodline.
More importantly, the Heavenly Curtain, a powerful treasure possessed by the ancient clans, will be opened after their coming-of-age ceremony.
The high-level energy core within the Heavenly Curtain, along with its time-doubling function, can greatly accelerate the cultivation speed of many imperial clans' prodigies.
If they are fortunate enough to receive a gift from an ancestor within the Heavenly Curtain, they might be able to quickly complete their accumulation of power at the Transcendent Dou Zun stage and leap directly into the Half-Saint realm!
However, the qualification to enter the Heavenly Curtain is only reserved for the eight great imperial clans—no, after the decline of the Xiao clan, only seven great imperial clans remain.
Ironically, the Xiao clan's quota wasn't removed; instead, it was inherited by the ancient clan, which had some friendship with Xiao Xuan.
Even their fighting techniques were preserved.
And the descendants of the Xiao clan, in the Xiao family within the Wutan City of the Jia Ma Empire in the northwest of the Dou Qi Continent, even the patriarch Xiao Zhan, seems to only cultivate a mid-level Xuan-rank technique.
It must be said that the ancient clans' protection of the Xiao clan was truly thorough, unwilling to even grant them a high-level Earth-rank or even Profound-rank cultivation technique.
It seemed they feared the Xiao family might suffer misfortune due to the high level of their technique!
This was somewhat ironic; if Xiao Xuan, residing in the Heavenly Curtain, knew this, the descendants of the ancient clans entering the Heavenly Curtain would likely experience an extremely terrifying "fortune."
While the Heavenly Curtain's quota didn't involve anything outside the Imperial Clan, the ancient clans' coming-of-age ceremony, besides those from the Imperial Clan, also invited other top experts from the Dou Di Continent.
The threshold for these experts was either a Half-Saint or a ninth-rank alchemist!
Of course, the arrogance of the Imperial Clan was no secret among the continent's top experts, so many would find excuses to go into seclusion before the Imperial Clan's coming-of-age ceremony began.
As far as Lin Feng knew, aside from the Medicine Clan's alchemy manual, experts outside the Imperial Clan generally wouldn't go to the Imperial Clan's small world.
"I didn't expect that even though news of my advancement to Half-Saint and Ninth-Rank Alchemist hadn't spread, I still received an invitation!"
A slightly wistful voice echoed from a grand hall atop a mountain, bathed in starlight.
"Teacher, what's this?"
Xiao Yan looked at the black jade invitation in his teacher's hand, a hint of doubt in his eyes. Having just emerged from seclusion, would anyone still invite his teacher at this time?
"It's an invitation from your little girlfriend!"
After Xiao Yan spoke, Yao Chen understood. This invitation was most likely sent by the girl out of consideration for his foolish disciple.
He was well aware of the arrogance of the Imperial Clan. Even if the Ancient Clan wasn't as obviously arrogant as the Medicine Clan, they wouldn't be taken seriously until he revealed his identity as a Medicine Saint.
In fact, given the strength of the Ancient Clan, they might even have a true Ninth-Rank Precious Pill Alchemist in their ranks.
"Xun'er,"
Xiao Yan murmured, a hint of longing in his eyes. Many years had passed since their separation at Canaan Academy.
Yao Chen glanced at his foolish disciple and handed him the invitation.
"In half a month, it will be the coming-of-age ceremony of the ancient clans. Many of the most outstanding geniuses of the ancient clans will participate, and your little girlfriend will be among them!"
"With this invitation, you can enter the ancient realm and reunite with your little girlfriend."
"This time, you will go by yourself. Your master will stay at the Starfall Pavilion to guard against attacks from the Soul Palace!"
After a pause, Yao Chen seemed to remember something and continued.
"Given your Senior Brother Lin Feng's performance at the Pill Gathering and his relationship with the Ancient Void Dragon Clan, he will likely receive an invitation from the Ancient Clan."
"If you encounter any difficulties at the Pill Gathering, you can ask him for help; after all, I have been of some assistance to him."
"Moreover, the Starfall Pavilion and the Pill Tower have now officially formed an alliance. If the younger generation of the Ancient Clan makes things difficult for you, he shouldn't stand idly by!"
"Making things difficult for the younger generation of the Ancient Clan? Teacher, what do you mean?"
Xiao Yan, who was immersed in the anticipation of reuniting with Xun'er, felt a flicker of doubt in his eyes upon hearing this. Aside from Ling Quan, he didn't seem to have much contact with the other members of the Ancient Clan.
With his current Seven-Star Dou Zun realm, even if Ling Quan possessed imperial blood, it wouldn't have any effect on him at this point, would it?
Seeing his confused disciple, Yao Chen shook his head but didn't answer, instead gazing at the starry sky above the Starfall Pavilion.
Seeing this, Xiao Yan could only suppress his doubts. Whatever the situation, he would deal with it as it came.
Moreover, with Senior Brother Lin Feng overseeing things, there shouldn't be too many problems.
Because Yao Chen disobeyed the arrest order, Xiao Yan lacked much training. Although, aside from Lin Feng, he remains one of the top geniuses in the Central Continent,
and even surpasses the original story by one or two stars in cultivation level,
his mental strength is somewhat lacking.
It can only be said that every action has its own destiny!
In this world ravaged by lightning, time and space have become nothingness, meaningless.
Under that terrifying destructive lightning, it seems no creature can survive, despite the astonishing power of creation that follows.
How many powerful beings in this world can withstand that terrifying lightning and witness that creation?
However, beneath the faintly visible black lightning, a naked figure sits cross-legged in the void.
The raging lightning struck his body, seemingly causing no harm whatsoever. Instead, he struggled in agony before being pulled into his body by an invisible hand.
The final result was that the terrifying aura emanating from the naked youth was noticeably stronger.
"Truly worthy of being called the Void Lightning Pool!"
The young man standing in the void slowly opened his mouth, spitting out a mouthful of lightning he hadn't yet digested, letting it disappear into the lightning pool.
He slowly rose, subtly taking out a set of magnificent clothes from his storage ring and putting them on. In an instant, his previous nakedness seemed to have been merely an illusion.
"I don't know how much time has passed, but with the Dragon Emperor's essence blood, the Black Demon Lightning refined by the Ancestor, and the power of this void lightning pool, I've finally reached the Half-Saint realm!"
"Even my soul has subtly changed!"
During this period of seclusion, after accidentally waking up, Lin Feng had a flash of inspiration and remembered the Great Sage Guiyuan's conjectures about the soul.
He boldly absorbed a wisp of lightning comparable to a Dou Zhe expert into the depths of his soul sea to temper his tangible soul, which emitted Yin energy.
After nearly three months of painful struggle, apart from the pain emanating from the depths of his soul, Lin Feng still hadn't made any progress.
Just as he was about to give up and focus on absorbing the lightning power to enhance his battle qi and physical body, the Black Demon Lightning, whose destructive power had been refined by the Profound Pill Ancestor, was finally completely absorbed by him.
At this moment, he finally felt the opportunity to enter the Half-Saint realm, and so he broke through in one go.
Whether it was because of the abundant energy, or because the energy Lin Feng refined was pure energy such as Pill Lightning or Dragon Emperor's essence blood,
Lin Feng did not spend too much time breaking through to the Half-Saint realm.
After he awoke, before he could even perceive the mysteries of the Half-Saint realm, his soul experienced a strange movement.
It was because the power of creation of the Black Demon Lightning had been absorbed by his tangible soul body, producing a miraculous change.
His soul body, which was originally entirely composed of Yin energy, now emitted a half-tenth of its heat.
Even his soul power had improved significantly as a result.
In his estimation, as long as 30% of the Yin energy in his soul was removed, he could enter the late stage of the Heavenly Realm; if all of it was removed, he might be able to enter the Great Perfection of the Heavenly Realm.
Further on, there lies the legendary Soul Emperor Realm!
Don't think it's simple. Just the Black Demon Lightning alone—how many in this world can dispel it?
And who dares to place their soul into that terrifying lightning? Even the Great Sage Guiyuan of yesteryear only had a guess.
If it weren't for the fortuitous encounter where Lin Feng obtained and refined the destructive power of the Black Demon Lightning, and mysteriously incorporated it into his soul upon advancing to Half-Saint,
this cultivation method would likely never have been discovered.
There are fewer than a hundred Heavenly Realm souls in the current Dou Qi Continent!
"I've taken another step closer to the true pinnacle of the Dou Qi Continent, at least, I've escaped the realm of ants!"
Lin Feng stared at his palm, seeing the bones beneath the crystalline flesh, and wisps of gold entered his vision.
Upon seeing that gold, Lin Feng could no longer contain his joy and burst into laughter.
After a long while, Lin Feng calmed his inner elation and assessed his own combat strength.
"My physical body is at the initial stage of the Half-Saint level, and my soul is at the mid-stage of the Heavenly Realm. My Five Elements Sealing Technique still needs further improvement to better showcase the divine essence of the Five Sacred Beasts."
"Furthermore, I've learned that the Great Creation Palm of the Creation Saint, when unleashed by my initial Half-Saint physical body with my battle qi, would severely injure even a high-level Half-Saint if they were careless!"
"And after removing half of the Yin Qi from my soul, the Soul Secret Technique of the Great Saint of Returning Origin will likely undergo astonishing changes."
"Perhaps, even a true Battle Saint would risk death from a sneak attack by my mid-stage Heavenly Realm Returning Origin Divine Needle."
"As for the Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame, even with the support of my extremely pure battle qi, it can at most threaten a wild Half-Saint like Elder Yao who has no lineage!"
Indeed, in Lin Feng's eyes, Yao Chen at the Half-Saint level is currently only a rogue cultivator without a lineage.
After all, he has no lineage from the Yao Clan and hasn't joined the Little Pill Tower.
No matter how outstanding Yao Chen's talent, those top-tier ancient relics are not for him to inherit.
Obtaining the Burning Blade Technique can only be described as paving the way for Xiao Yan!
"So, going all out is comparable to a high-level half-saint?"
Lin Feng nodded slightly, satisfied with the results of his seclusion, but not complacent.
If he remembered correctly, shortly after the Ancient Clan's coming-of-age ceremony, the Soul Clan would launch an attack on the Stone Clan, the weakest of the six clans.
Even though Void Devouring Flame had revealed that his injuries had healed, his nine-star Dou Sheng realm was still concealed. As for whether his soul had entered the Emperor Realm, Lin Feng didn't know.
To enter the Soul Emperor Realm, besides accumulating over time, the only way is through a vast surge of soul power.
"It seems I must implement that plan as soon as possible!"
A sense of urgency arose in Lin Feng's heart. Thinking of this, he looked at the Void Thunder Pool, seemingly scrutinizing something.
A few moments later, he disappeared into the depths of the Thunder Pool, returning to Dragon Island with Elder Qingshan, who had been waiting for an unknown amount of time.
"Greetings, Senior Zhugong!"
After returning to Dragon Island, Lin Feng intended to find Qinglin and the others, but Elder Qingshan seemed to have received some information and led Lin Feng towards the Dragon Clan's main hall.
Upon arriving at the hall, Lin Feng saw Cailin and the others who had been in seclusion for a long time. Inside the hall, Zhugong, a top expert on the continent, was looking at him with admiration.
"No need for formalities, Prince Consort!"
The slight dissatisfaction in Zhugong's heart vanished the moment he saw Lin Feng.
As a human, at less than fifty years old, he had already cultivated to the level of a half-saint, and his aura was even comparable to that of an ordinary high-level half-saint.
Such an achievement was unmatched even by the Dragon Emperor of yesteryear!
At the same time, he also possessed exceptional talent in alchemy. Based on his understanding of human alchemists, Lin Feng had probably already begun to approach the ninth rank!
After his soul power and battle qi realm were simultaneously satisfied, perhaps only one more alchemy attempt was needed to be called a Saint of Medicine!
This achievement is perfectly befitting of a dragon emperor. As for his many confidantes, they are not a big problem in Zhugong's eyes. In
the Dou Qi Continent, strength is paramount. As long as Lin Feng can get Princess Ziyan's approval, what does an old man like him care about anything else?
Moreover, Cailin and the others are also quite talented. Although they cannot compare to Ziyan, who is about to achieve the Dragon-Phoenix Body, they can still reach the Dou Sheng realm.
"Third Brother, let me handle the rest!"
At this moment, Lin Feng noticed that Zhu Yan, a powerful member of the Dragon Clan, was also in the hall.
Beside him, Zhu Ying opened his eyes. Seeing this scene, Lin Feng couldn't help but wonder if the Dragon Clan was about to make a big move.
Sure enough, what Zhu Yan said next confirmed Lin Feng's guess.
"Third Brother means to launch a counterattack against the Soul Clan!"
Zhu Yan's face was full of anger, and his aura was still fluctuating, as if he had suffered some injuries.
As for the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan and the Nine Netherworld Python Clan that came with him, they were now almost wiped out. Of course, both of them still had surviving clan leaders.
For Lin Feng now, they were still an insurmountable force. The gap between a Half-Saint and a Battle Saint was like an insurmountable chasm!
"Before His Majesty is rescued, the Dragon Clan cannot resist the Soul Clan. But we can make some plans regarding the Soul Clan's outer force, the Soul Hall!"
At this moment, Zhu Yan suddenly glanced at Lin Feng and continued.
"If we can seize the soul essence collected by the Soul Palace over the years, the Prince Consort's soul realm can surely be advanced to the Great Perfection of the Heavenly Realm!"
"Even, if the opportunity is sufficient, reaching the legendary Emperor Realm is highly possible!"
Zhu Gong nodded in agreement.
"However, before that, we need to unite with powerful clans like the Ancient Clan. Only with Gu Yuan, a powerful figure capable of resisting the Soul Emperor, can we stand firm and remain invincible!"
A sharp glint flashed in Zhu Gong's eyes as he gazed into the depths of the endless void.
"Unfortunately, I don't know where Second Brother and Eldest Brother have gone. Otherwise, why would we be in such a passive position!"
"Third Brother, what do you mean?"
Zhu Ying seemed to understand the implied meaning, his body trembling suddenly, his voice somewhat agitated.
"When we went to find His Majesty back then, my eldest and second brothers had already reached the level of eight-star Dou Sheng. My eldest brother had even touched the opportunity to become a nine-star Dou Sheng."
"Thousands of years is a long time for us dragons."
"With their talent, they must have already reached the nine-star level!"
"If my eldest and second brothers were to return, they would surely sweep across the continent, allowing the dragon clan's prestige to continue to resound throughout the Dou Qi Continent!"
Zhu Yan was filled with excitement, clearly feeling somewhat resentful about the current state of the dragon clan.
"If both my eldest and second brothers had reached the Nine-Star Dou Sheng realm, and with His Majesty's combined power from within and without, perhaps we could forcefully open that old man Tuoshe Ancient Emperor's cave!"
"At the very least, we could forcibly collect the Tuoshe Ancient Emperor's jade and rescue His Majesty!"
"I just wonder where they've gone. Even the Dragon Emperor's summons failed to bring them back?"
A hint of worry flashed across Zhugong's face. Even though dragons are the darlings of space, wandering the void for too long can still lead to them getting lost.
In the history of the dragon race, quite a few have gone astray!
"Leaving that aside for now, the most important things are: first, to unite with the Ancient Clan, take down the Soul Palace, the outer force of the Soul Clan, and kill that little grasshopper, Soul Extinction, to uphold the prestige of our Dragon Clan!"
"Second, while ensuring the foundation is secured, we must quickly raise Princess Ziyan's cultivation to the Ninth Revolution Dou Zun realm. At that time, she can begin consuming the Dragon Phoenix Origin Fruit and become a true Demonic Beast Supreme!"
"At that time, with its immense medicinal power, she can not only quickly break through the threshold of the Saint Realm, but also enter the Six-Star Dou Sheng realm in a short period of time!"
"With the Dragon Phoenix's talent, it will take at most a thousand years to achieve great success. At that time, we can forcibly open the Ancient Emperor's Cave and rescue His Majesty the Dragon Emperor!"
"If we can obtain the inheritance of the Ancient Emperor Tuoshe, we can even touch the long-lost imperial throne of the Dou Qi Continent!"
A black jade tablet appeared in Zhugong's hand. Half a month ago, the Ancient Clan sent it to the Dragon Clan through the Pill Tower.
"Now, I will personally go to the ancient clan to discuss the alliance!"
Only Lin Feng accompanied him. Cai Lin and the others were digesting the many benefits they had gained from Dragon Island, while Zi Yan entered the Dragon Tomb to begin the true inheritance of the Dragon Clan.
Once the inheritance was complete, it would be time to become a Dragon-Phoenix!
Meanwhile, somewhere on the Dou Qi Continent, in a little-known region, a black aura shrouded the sky and earth.
That aura was extremely malevolent, seemingly incompatible with the Dou Qi Continent!
In the center of this region, two endless dragons snaked and intertwined, seemingly forming a great formation, suppressing some terrifying evil entity.
"Brother, it seems to be the call of the royal bloodline. Could it be that something has happened to the Dragon Clan?"
A weak voice echoed across the dark earth. After an unknown amount of time, another voice responded.
"We have suppressed this place for far too long, depleting too much of our essence. We are powerless to reverse the situation."
"Perhaps, in a few hundred years, we will have to be completely transformed into stone statues to continue suppressing this evil being!" "
Even so, we cannot allow this being to emerge. If it survives its weakened period, with His Majesty not yet returned, I fear no one on the continent will be its match."
"Even if it costs us our essence, we must suppress it here forever!"
"I wonder what has become of Dragon Island. I never imagined that my final resting place would not be the Dragon Tomb or the endless void, but this unknown land!"
After a long while, a sigh rang out, seemingly in response, seemingly in lamentation.
Time flies, and several days have passed in the blink of an eye. During this time, under the combined doubles of many Dou Sheng on Dragon Island, Lin Feng quickly adapted to the combat of a Half-Saint level.
The answers given by Zhu Yan and others confirmed to him that his current combat strength was indeed no less than that of a mid-level Half-Saint of the Dragon Clan.
And if he were to face those high-level Half-Saints without inheritance, he would have a very high chance of victory.
With such strength, on this Dou Qi Continent, apart from the descendants of the Imperial Clan and a few major forces, Lin Feng could already roam freely.
Of course, if Lin Feng wanted to improve further, he had to make contact with these forces that had Dou Sheng as their leaders.
In the Eastern Region of Central Continent, many major forces had established themselves here, not because the region was rich in resources, but because they all belonged to a single major force—the Ancient Clan!
Recently, with the coming-of-age ceremony of the Supreme Emperor Ancient Clan of the Eastern Region approaching, the place had become extremely lively.
The coming-of-age ceremony was extremely important to the members of the Imperial Clan, not only because it could reveal whether the bloodline of the Imperial Clan was still strong, but also because it could demonstrate strength to the outside world.
For the younger generation of imperial clan prodigies, this was an excellent opportunity to prove themselves.
It not only determined their future status within the clan and the kind of training they would receive, but if their bloodline was high enough, they could even gain access to a certain region.
There, they could greatly save cultivation time, and if they performed exceptionally well, they could even receive the inheritance of their ancestors, achieving instant success.
With the power of the Candle Bow, even though Dragon Island was extremely far from the Eastern Region of the Central Plains, it would only take a few hours.
"Buzz!"
In the Ancient Sacred City, Lin Feng and the Candle Bow had just appeared on the plaza when they saw Chang Wei beating Lai Fu—no, Xiao Yan beating Ling Quan.
Powerful fighting techniques seemed to bombard them without regard for fighting spirit, and Ling Quan's face was grim as he barely managed to defend himself.
"Xiao Yan, how dare you offend my Black Annihilation Army! Once we enter the clan territory, you'll definitely see what happens!"
After using the first three seals of the Ancient Emperor Seal together again, barely managing to block the black ruler, Ling Quan's face darkened as he stepped aside.
Today is the ancient clan's coming-of-age ceremony. Even if the invitation in Xiao Yan's hand comes from the young lady, he can't simply obstruct him.
If he could win, that would be fine, but being defeated by a peer and still shamelessly blocking the way would undoubtedly be a disgrace to the imperial clan.
Such actions would affect his score in the upcoming coming-of-age ceremony, which would be extremely unwise!
However, Xiao Yan completely ignored Ling Quan's meaning and looked to the side with surprise, where Lin Feng was standing with his hands behind his back.
"Senior Brother Lin Feng!?"
"Junior Brother Xiao Yan, it's been a long time. You've made great progress!"
Looking at Xiao Yan in front of him, Lin Feng's eyes were also filled with a bit of surprise. He didn't expect that after losing the opportunity of the Dou Sheng bones and the Void Thunder Pool, Xiao Yan would actually make further progress.
Judging from his aura, he was only one step away from entering the eight-star Dou Zun realm.
This realm was even a notch higher than Cai Lin and the others. He wondered what kind of opportunity Xiao Yan had recently obtained.
"Thanks to my teacher, I entered an ancient ruin he knew about back then and obtained some treasures!"
Xiao Yan rubbed his nose, not hiding anything from Lin Feng.
"I see!"
Lin Feng nodded secretly. That made sense; after all, Yao Chen was the top alchemist in the Central Continent back then.
Over the years, it wasn't surprising that he knew about ruins useful to Dou Zun.
"Master Lin Feng!"
Just then, Ling Quan, who had recovered his strength, came over to greet Lin Feng.
Pill Competition champion, eighth-grade nine-color alchemist, the new generation's top alchemist on the continent, under fifty years old, a Transcendent Venerable.
These numerous titles and achievements were something Ling Quan had learned of even while on a mysterious mission.
Even as a member of the Imperial Clan, Ling Quan dared not offend such a powerful figure.
After all, his talent wasn't top-tier among the ancient clans, and his future achievements would at most reach the level of a half-saint.
Even if the prodigy before him didn't improve further, an eighth-grade, nine-colored alchemist would still deserve some respect from a half-saint. What
's even more terrifying is that when he was chosen to serve in the Ancient Sacred City, he received a warning from his clan elders.
Behind Lin Feng stood the supreme being of the demonic beast race—the Ancient Void Dragon Clan, and the dragon clan's powerhouses seemed to be returning recently.
Even the Soul Clan, only slightly weaker than the ancient clans, hadn't fared well against the dragons.
Therefore, he needed to be even more respectful!
"So it's Commander Ling Quan!"
Upon seeing the newcomer, Lin Feng recalled his time at Canaan Academy, smiled slightly, and nodded in acknowledgment.
"Commander Ling Quan, perhaps you and Junior Brother Xiao Yan have some misunderstandings, but please, for my sake, don't make things difficult for him within this ancient clan!"
Just then, Lin Feng seemed to remember something and suddenly said.
"This…"
Ling Quan didn't expect Lin Feng to speak up for Xiao Yan, and his face showed difficulty.
"Commander Lingquan, is there any difficulty?"
"Master Lin Feng, you are unaware!"
After being defeated by Xiao Yan, Lingquan knew he had absolutely no chance of competing again. Or rather, he always knew he had no chance of winning the young lady's heart.
He was simply annoyed that he had lost to Xiao Yan, a country bumpkin from the Northwest Continent, whose arrogance stemmed from the imperial clan.
"Miss's talent is exceptional, her beauty unparalleled. Many of the younger generation in the clan are fond of her, and some are even comparable to Master Lin Feng in terms of cultivation level!"
"If Miss's beloved is Master Lin Feng, that's fine too. He has great talent, a powerful background, and is a good match for the Ancient Clan."
"Xiao Yan, this country bumpkin, even if he can defeat me, he certainly has some skills, but he's nothing in the Ancient Clan!"
"You—"
Hearing himself called a country bumpkin, Xiao Yan was furious, and the black ruler reappeared, seemingly about to swing.
"That's the truth!"
Glancing at Xiao Yan, Ling Quan unconsciously moved closer to Lin Feng and continued,
"The Xiao Clan is not what it used to be. Moreover, even if you can defeat all the younger generation in the clan, if the elders disagree, you're powerless!"
"In this world, the strong ultimately rule, and the weak have no voice!"
After saying this, Ling Quan stopped talking and gestured for the two to enter the Ancient Sacred City.
As for Zhugong, upon arriving here, he received a mysterious telepathic message and, after saying goodbye to Lin Feng, had already departed.
Nodding to Lingquan, Lin Feng and Xiao Yan headed into the Ancient Sacred City.
Watching their retreating figures, Lingquan murmured, expressing her doubts.
"Even if they are outsiders, why did Miss choose Xiao Yan, this country bumpkin, instead of a top genius like Master Lin Feng?"
"Although, this guy is not bad..."
Lin Feng and Xiao Yan were destined not to hear Lingquan's words. Walking through the Ancient Sacred City, they couldn't help but be astonished by the prosperity of this ancient imperial city. It was
truly worthy of being a city built by the descendants of the Dou Di; even its subordinate forces and transit points were not much weaker than the symbol of the Pill Tower—Sacred Pill City!
More importantly, perhaps because the ancient clan's coming-of-age ceremony was approaching, countless powerful individuals were coming and going.
Among them, several auras, in Lin Feng's perception, were comparable to those of ordinary half-saints.
Of course, under the concealment of the Heavenly Realm's soul power, no one could detect Lin Feng's strength.
"Junior Brother Xiao Yan, do you still remember the flame I gave you after the Pill Gathering Competition?"
Just as Xiao Yan was shocked by the ancient clan's power and strategizing for the difficulties he encountered on this journey, Lin Feng's voice suddenly rang out, bringing him back to his senses.
"Senior Brother Lin Feng's help is something I will always remember and never forget!"
Xiao Yan clasped his hands in gratitude, thanking Lin Feng profusely.
That mysterious black flame was truly the most powerful strange fire he had ever seen in his life. Even after fusing many strange fires with his Burning Technique, its quality was still slightly inferior.
According to his and his teacher's speculation, this mysterious black flame was very likely the legendary Void Devouring Flame.
With the help of this powerful black flame, his progress was immense; not only his Dou Qi, but even his Burning Technique had been upgraded by a level.
If it weren't for the insufficient energy of this black flame, his Burning Technique might already be comparable to the Heavenly Rank!
"Now is the time for you to help your brother!"
"Please speak, Senior Brother!"
Although he didn't know how he could possibly help Lin Feng, Xiao Yan readily agreed. After all, Lin Feng's help to him since the Northwest Continent had been immense.
"Even if it comes at a price, I will help Senior Brother Lin Feng this time!"
"After the Ancient Clan's coming-of-age ceremony, the Ancient Clan will open a secret treasure—the Heavenly Curtain—that is kept by the Ancient Clan and shared by many imperial clans!"
"And your Xiao Clan, long ago, was one of those many imperial clans, the Xiao Clan. I'm sure you know something about it!"
"The Xiao Clan!?"
Xiao Yan was slightly excited. Ever since he obtained the Three Transformations of Heavenly Fire in the Burning Flame Valley and mastered it, he had felt some strange changes in himself.
Especially on his brow, some strange patterns had appeared.
His teacher said that this was a change that only descendants of Dou Di would experience, but unfortunately, even his teacher didn't know much about it.
Now, learning this secret from Lin Feng again, Xiao Yan couldn't help but be excited.
"I don't know much about this matter either. If you want to know, you should ask Xun'er!"
"Xun'er."
Xiao Yan murmured softly, looking towards the depths of the Ancient Sacred City, seemingly sensing the unusual nature of this trip.
"You will know these things when you meet. My request is to obtain a spot to enter the Heavenly Curtain."
"This will require your little girlfriend's help. Of course, the seniors of the Dragon Clan will also make requests. You just need to say that the spot belongs to the Xiao Clan!"
Lin Feng looked at the small world of the Ancient Clan. "Using the Xiao Clan's spot will not only shut up the other imperial clans, but with the help of Senior Zhugong, those old stubborns of the Ancient Clan won't hold on to it!"
"As for Xiao Yan's spot, Gu Yuan is considering Xiao Xuan deep in the Heavenly Curtain, so he probably won't withhold it!"
"Don't worry, Senior Brother Lin Feng, my Xiao Clan's spot is for you. Even if there's only one, it will be yours!"
Xiao Yan's expression was solemn. With his intelligence, even though Lin Feng didn't say it explicitly, he knew how difficult the matter was.
For example, why have the quotas belonging to the Xiao Clan been controlled by other clans for so many years?
However, without absolute strength, he wouldn't, and dared not, delve into these questions.
His confidence stemmed from Lin Feng's claim that the Dragon Clan would intervene. As for Xun'er's help, Xiao Yan was currently unaware of her exalted status within the ancient clans!
Within the Ancient Realm, atop a towering mountain, a figure in pale blue gazed ahead, her exquisite beauty seemingly overshadowing the surrounding scenery.
"Miss, Young Master Xiao Yan has arrived!"
"Brother Xiao Yan!"
The beautiful figure slowly turned, her serene face revealing an barely suppressed anticipation.
"Elder Ling, Brother Xiao Yan, is he... alright?"
Recalling the scene she had just witnessed, Ling Ying couldn't help but smile bitterly.
"Miss, Young Master Xiao Yan's strength is beyond what this old man can comprehend. Even with Commander Ling Quan, a one-star Dou Zun, going all out and combining the first three seals of the Ancient Emperor Seal, he was utterly powerless against Young Master Xiao Yan."
"In fact, Young Master Xiao Yan didn't even have to use any Dou Techniques!"
"Ling Quan, how dare he make things difficult for Brother Xiao Yan!"
However, this stunning figure only remembered that Ling Quan dared to challenge Xiao Yan, and her beautiful face was filled with icy coldness.
Seeing this, Ling Ying could only smile bitterly to herself; her young lady from the ancient clan had truly been completely captivated!
"Miss, Master Lin Feng, the champion of the Pill Gathering Competition, seems to have come with Young Master Xiao Yan!" As if remembering something, Ling Ying hesitated for a moment before revealing the news. "Lin Feng?" Recalling the scenes in the Northwest Continent and his achievements in the Central Plains, even she, as the young lady of the ancient clan, couldn't help but feel a sense of感慨 (gǎnkǎi
, a complex emotion encompassing admiration, regret, and a touch of melancholy). "Such a prodigy, and he's not from an imperial clan? It's unbelievable!" "Lin Feng and Brother Xiao Yan have a pretty good relationship. If he needs anything, as long as it's not excessive, we can satisfy him!" *Clap clap clap* In a tavern pavilion, Lin Feng and Xiao Yan stood to the side, watching the two Dou Zong fighting below, occasionally offering their comments, while sipping some of Lin Feng's own brewed spiritual tea—quite pleasant. Of course, only Lin Feng was truly content. After learning of the difficulties of this trip, Xiao Yan had spent a fortune inquiring about many powerful young members of the ancient clans. And after obtaining the information, his brow hadn't relaxed. Eight commanders, four grand commanders! Ling Quan, as the seventh commander, was already at the one-star Dou Zun realm, and above him were ten figures even stronger than him. Moreover, true geniuses are not simply separated by one or two stars. For example, the gap between him and his senior brother Lin Feng was enormous. Even though he was a high-level Dou Zun, he still couldn't sense Lin Feng's true strength. However, since the Pill Gathering, Lin Feng had demonstrated the combat power of a Transcendent Dou Zun. So much time had passed; he definitely wouldn't stagnate. "I wonder when I'll catch up to Senior Brother Lin Feng's level!" With the existence of the Burning Blade Technique, Xiao Yan had great confidence in his future. After Yao Chen's resurrection, he used his network of connections, offering eighth-grade and even ninth-grade pills as rewards to search for news of strange fires throughout the continent. Moreover, he had already achieved some results. If he hadn't come to the Ancient Clan this time, he might have already completed the refining and devouring of the new strange fire. "With Master's departure, given his level, as long as it's not one of the top five strange fires, it should be a piece of cake!" "As long as he cleanses this strange fire, perhaps the Burning Blade Technique can begin to touch the threshold of the Heavenly Rank!" (End of Chapter)
Chapter 291. Coming-of-Age Ceremony
Upstairs in the tavern, as Xiao Yan contemplated the future after absorbing the strange fire, his Burning Technique evolving into a Heaven-Rank technique, and his Dou Qi realm greatly increasing as a result, the
battle in the plaza gradually came to an end.
However, within this ancient holy city teeming with powerful figures, the contest between two mere six-star Dou Zongs was utterly insignificant.
"The next fighters are Yang Hao, the third commander of the Black Annihilation Army, and Xiao Yan, disciple of Yao Chen of the Starfall Pavilion!"
Just then, a loud shout rang out from the plaza, immediately attracting everyone's attention.
"Yao Chen? Could it be Yao Chen, the number one alchemist on the continent?"
"Hehe, the number one alchemist on the continent has changed hands!"
Someone remarked, and the scene immediately fell silent. Everyone present was well-informed and naturally knew about the prodigy who had emerged in the latest Pill Gathering—Lin Feng!
At less than fifty years old, or rather, in his early thirties, he had actually refined an eighth-grade, nine-colored pill in public, and even forcefully shattered the terrifying eighth-grade, nine-colored pill lightning without relying on external aids.
Such a person would be a top-tier genius even among imperial clans.
Even the extremely arrogant Medicine Clan fell silent after hearing about Lin Feng's age and alchemy skills.
They didn't utter a word of mockery after this Pill Gathering, which shows just how powerful Lin Feng's talent was!
"Master Lin Feng's affairs are not something we can discuss casually. However, as for Xiao Yan, hehe..."
The person didn't say the rest, but everyone understood the unspoken sarcasm.
As far as they knew, while Xiao Yan's talent wasn't weak, he dared to provoke the young lady of an ancient clan.
That was truly absurd!
And the power behind him was merely the Starfall Pavilion, with its strongest member being only Yao Chen!
Although the Medicine Venerable was powerful, he was still too insignificant in front of a behemoth like the Ancient Clan.
Today, there was certainly something to laugh about.
Thinking of this, everyone tacitly stopped their whispered conversations and looked at Yang Hao, who was clad in black armor, in the center of the arena. His face was full of arrogance.
"Junior Brother Xiao Yan, it seems that the people of the Ancient Clan are still too arrogant!"
Seeing Yang Hao's expression, not to mention Xiao Yan, even Lin Feng couldn't stand it.
It was true that these people from the Imperial Clan relied on their Dou Di bloodline to rapidly improve their cultivation level. Although they had a lot of practical experience to stabilize their cultivation level
, and they also had many top-level cultivation techniques and fighting skills, their combat experience was still somewhat superficial compared to rogue cultivators of the same level.
"Yes, relying on the Dou Di bloodline, they have only reached the five-star Dou Zun realm at such a young age. Today, I will shatter their arrogance!"
As soon as he finished speaking, a bolt of lightning flashed beside Lin Feng, and in less than a breath, Xiao Yan appeared on the plaza.
"The third commander of the ancient clan? I wonder what kind of abilities you possess!"
Seeing Xiao Yan's move, Yang Hao's pupils contracted slightly. He then swung his spear, pointing it directly at Xiao Yan, and coldly shouted.
"I'll show you my abilities soon enough. I also want to see what kind of despicable means you, a country bumpkin from the Northwest Continent, used to deceive the young lady's heart!"
"Today, I, Yang Hao, will expose your true colors, you country bumpkin!"
"Heavenly Fiend Shattering Claw!"
Yang Hao suddenly plunged his spear into the ground, then clenched his fist into a claw, fiercely grabbing at Xiao Yan.
Seeing the ferocious aura in his palm, Xiao Yan was not careless and shouted.
"High-level Yellow Rank Battle Skill - Fire Blowing Palm!"
A powerful flame appeared, accompanied by a strong hurricane, instantly causing Yang Hao's pupils to widen. He used the mysterious Dragon-Snake Steps to quickly retreat.
However, when he reacted, he was furious.
"Xiao Yan, how dare you use such a low-level Dou Technique to humiliate me! Even if Miss tries to stop me, I will cripple you today!"
A surge of immense rage welled up within Yang Hao, his eyes bloodshot. This high-level Yellow-rank Dou Technique was something he only used as a transitional technique when he first became a Dou Zhe.
"Emperor's Seal Technique!"
"Mountain-Splitting Seal!"
"Sea-Turning Seal!
" "Earth-Covering Seal!"
"Three Seals Combined!"
"Country bumpkin, you dare to anger this commander? I'll show you the terror of the Imperial Clan!"
Seeing Yang Hao's rapidly stacking hand seals, Xiao Yan didn't let his guard down. He had only used the Flame-Blowing Palm earlier because his cultivation level was far superior to Yang Hao's.
He had also cultivated the Emperor's Seal Technique and naturally knew the power of the three seals combined. Combined with Yang Hao's peak five-star Dou Zun cultivation, even he risked serious injury if he was careless.
"Flame-Dividing Wave-Eating Ruler!"
A familiar black ruler appeared in his palm, which he clenched slightly before wielding it rapidly.
Two Dou Zun powerhouses unleashed their full power, and the collision of their terrifying auras would have instantly reduced the plaza to dust had it not been specially reinforced.
Even so, the terrifying fluctuations caused the surrounding天地能量 (heaven and earth energy) to fluctuate violently.
Seeing this, the crowd around the plaza retreated to a distance.
"I thought Xiao Yan was only strong because of the name of the Medicine Venerable, but I didn't expect his strength to be so great!"
"Yes, Yang Hao's talent is extremely strong to become the third commander of the Black Annihilation Army, and Xiao Yan can actually contend with him!"
"It seems that this battle will be extremely exciting!"
"..."
"Lin Feng, what do you think of this battle?"
Just as everyone was discussing, a familiar old voice rang in Lin Feng's ears, and an old man appeared beside him.
"Dean!"
Mang Tianchi waved his hand and looked at the two people in the arena who were constantly gathering天地能量 (heaven and earth energy), a hint of interest flashing in his eyes.
"It's been a long time since I've seen a battle of this level!" "
Speaking of which, one of them is the Dean's student."
Just then, Lin Feng suddenly spoke up.
"Student, Lin Feng, what do you mean?"
Mang Tianchi was taken aback. Among the two students from Canaan Academy, one was a member of the Black Annihilation Army, so he was naturally excluded. Therefore, it could only be the other one.
"That's right, Junior Brother Xiao Yan and I both came from the Northwest Continent and also studied at Canaan Academy."
"Hahaha!"
Mang Tianchi suddenly laughed triumphantly, stroking his disheveled beard with delight.
"My casual act back then actually nurtured geniuses like you and Xiao Yan. It seems Canaan Academy is truly remarkable!"
Seeing Mang Tianchi's laughter, Lin Feng naturally wouldn't spoil the mood by saying that Xiao Yan's achievements today weren't actually that much related to Canaan Academy.
Or rather, not so much to Mang Tianchi!
"In that case, I'll have to protect this little fellow Xiao Yan during our upcoming trip to the Ancient Realm. The arrogance of the Imperial Clan is not something he can contend with!"
Mang Tianchi's expression turned serious. As a newcomer to the Thunder Clan, he naturally knew what kind of people the Imperial Clan members were.
"Boom!"
After a fierce collision, the result was unexpected. A figure shot out and crashed into the huge stone pillars surrounding the plaza.
By the time it landed, the stone pillar behind it was covered in cracks, showing just how immense the impact was.
"The Third Commander of the Black Annihilation Army has actually lost!"
Everyone stared blankly at Yang Hao, who lay motionless on the ground, seemingly unconscious from the heavy blow.
"Eighth Brother, aren't you coming to take me away? Are you going to let me continue to embarrass myself here?"
Just as everyone was in disbelief, a voice transmission suddenly appeared in the ears of the Eighth Commander of the Black Annihilation Army.
Although the Eighth Commander was speechless at his Third Brother's miraculous actions, he now knew the seriousness of the matter. If Yang Hao continued to lie there, further tarnishing the reputation of the Ancient Clan,
and if this matter reached the ears of the Commander-in-Chief, he would likely face dire consequences.
With this in mind, the Eighth Commander quickly appeared beside Yang Hao, glanced at Xiao Yan, and then quickly helped Yang Hao away.
As for uttering threats? He, the Eighth Commander, was their Third Brother. Discretion is the better part of valor. He was clearly no match for Xiao Yan, and it would be a loss to take a beating for nothing by being stubborn.
After the Black Annihilation Army members left, another wave of voice transmissions arose around the square, all expressing shock.
"Winning against the strong with the weak, plus the strange fire within him, isn't anything special!"
In a corner of the tavern, a middle-aged man said calmly.
"However, Xiao Yan, under the tutelage of a Medicine Venerable, has actually reached the peak of the Seven-Star Dou Zun at this age; his talent is not weak!" "
His soul power is also not weak; I heard he achieved quite good results in the Pill Tower Competition!"
"His strange fire is very peculiar!"
Just then, a clear, cold voice rang in everyone's ears, startling them.
"Huo Zhi."
Just then, Xiao Yan, who was about to return to the pavilion, suddenly felt the strange fire within his body flicker, emitting a strong sense of desire.
"What is this?"
"Pfft."
After a moment of surprise, Xiao Yan continued walking towards the pavilion, but couldn't help feeling curious about the figures with flame patterns on their foreheads.
Meanwhile, the aloof woman in the corner had a momentary fluctuation in her aura before quickly stabilizing.
"Huo Zhi, what's this?"
"That strange fire of Xiao Yan's is so strong, it seems much stronger than the Red Lotus Karmic Fire!"
The aloof woman named Huo Zhi slowly rose, dressed in a light red dress and wearing a mask, her figure extremely hot.
"What!?"
"Stronger than the Red Lotus Karmic Fire? That's the eighth-ranked strange fire!"
The others were somewhat incredulous, but Huo Zhi didn't reply, only a fighting spirit flashing in her eyes.
"I'll definitely settle this with you!"
"Hahahaha, you're not bad, kid!"
The moment Xiao Yan stepped onto the pavilion, a large hand slammed down on his shoulder with lightning speed.
To his shock, no matter how he dodged, he couldn't avoid it.
This scene instantly made Xiao Yan break out in a cold sweat. Could it be that the old guys of the ancient clan even interfered in the battles between their peers?
"You brat, stop hiding! I am Mang Tianchi, the Dean of Canaan Academy!"
After giving Xiao Yan a heavy pat on the shoulder, causing him to shake, Mang Tianchi stroked his beard and laughed heartily.
"Old man Gu Xun, this little fellow Xiao Yan is under my protection. You wouldn't want to make a move, would you?"
Mang Tianchi suddenly asked, pointing to a certain spot in the void, his tone full of laughter, seemingly very familiar with the newcomer.
"Mang Tianchi, you old rascal, I have no such intention!"
Seeing that he had been seen through, the old man called Gu Xun no longer concealed himself and appeared from the void, a wry smile on his face.
"Young friend Lin Feng!"
He first gestured to Lin Feng, then looked at Xiao Yan beside him, his expression serious.
"Young friend Xiao Yan, because of Miss, your journey ahead will be fraught with difficulties. If you haven't made up your mind, you should return to Starfall Pavilion now."
"Out of respect for the Medicine Venerable, the younger generation of the clan won't make things difficult for you!"
"Thank you for your kindness, Senior. However, since Xun'er has invited me here, I naturally won't back down!"
Xiao Yan clasped his hands in a fist salute, a surge of heroic spirit rising to the sky. Even with numerous hardships and dangers ahead, he wouldn't give up.
"Hahaha, Xiao Yan, you're not bad, I like you!"
Mang Tianchi slammed his fist heavily on Xiao Yan's shoulder again, his powerful body numbing half of Xiao Yan's body.
"Old Dean, could you please go easy on me?"
Xiao Yan's face was full of bitter smiles. If this continued, he would be half-paralyzed before even entering the Ancient Realm.
"Hahahaha."
"Since you're so confident, I'm looking forward to your performance!"
Watching Gu Xun leave, Mang Tianchi's expression turned serious. He glanced around and said,
"Xiao Yan, although the old guys of the Gu Clan won't make things difficult for you out of respect for someone in the Heavenly Curtain,"
"the younger generation of the Gu Clan is also very powerful. Unless you have Lin Feng's strength, you still need to take this seriously!"
Mang Tianchi glanced at Lin Feng beside him, his tone tinged with emotion. In his perception, Lin Feng was shrouded in mist.
Although he couldn't see Lin Feng's current strength, a top expert who had experienced countless battles wouldn't be wrong in his sense of danger.
Lin Feng gave him a feeling of death!
"Thank you for your concern, Elder Dean. Xiao Yan will definitely not let you down!"
"Hahaha, in that case, let's go to the Ancient Realm together!"
After Mang Tianchi and Lin Feng left, three figures clad in black robes slowly appeared in a corner of the pavilion.
"I didn't expect that old fellow Mang Tianchi to be with them!"
A slightly sinister voice rang out, and a chilling aura immediately swept over them.
"Lin Feng of the Pill Tower and Xiao Yan, a descendant of the Xiao Clan, their souls must be extremely good!"
"Hehehe."
Not long after, Lin Feng and his companions saw Elder Gu Xun again. After he finished explaining the rules of the Ancient Realm, a massive spatial gate opened.
"Everyone, please come in!"
Seeing this, Mang Tianchi didn't wait and directly led Lin Feng and Xiao Yan towards the spatial gate.
He nodded slightly as he passed by Gu Xun.
The young man beside Gu Xun, looking at Xiao Yan following behind Mang Tianchi, seemed to want to make a move, but ultimately gave up because of Mang Tianchi's concern.
"Xiao Yan, you'll be in for a surprise once we enter the Ancient Realm!"
Turning slightly to look at the young man beside Gu Xun, Xiao Yan merely smiled, opening his mouth to utter a few words.
"You,"
However, Xiao Yan had already disappeared into the spatial gate and could no longer hear the young man's voice transmission.
"Such abundant天地能量 (heaven and earth energy). If one were to cultivate here, it would probably reduce cultivation time by nearly half compared to the outside world. Aside from the Dou Di bloodline, this is probably why the Imperial Clan is so much stronger than those from the outside world!"
Xiao Yan lightly stroked the air in front of him, a look of感慨 (gan3kai3, a complex emotion encompassing both admiration and reflection).
"The Imperial Clan's strength is not simply due to this. The foundation of the Dou Di descendants is beyond your imagination!"
Clearly, Mang Tianchi was unaware of Xiao Yan's status as a descendant of the Xiao Clan.
However, that's not entirely wrong. The Xiao family these days hardly resembles an imperial clan anymore. Aside from Xiao Yan, they're merely rulers of a small city in the Northwest Continent.
"Yes, bloodline amplification, once it meets simple requirements, allows one to cultivate high-level techniques and combat skills, as well as numerous secret arts and realms."
"Take the Heavenly Canopy, for example. Not only is the energy of heaven and earth more concentrated within it, but it can even alter time. Those with sufficient talent can even receive the inheritance of their ancestors."
At this point, Lin Feng felt envious of these imperial clan members. If he were born into an imperial clan, even with an extremely rare bloodline, he would definitely be better off than Ling Quan and the others.
Xiao Yan, hearing Lin Feng mention the Heavenly Canopy several times, was also curious about it, but now wasn't the time to ask, so he suppressed his doubts.
Seeing the curiosity in Xiao Yan's eyes, Lin Feng smiled subtly. "Little brother, I'm destined to get one of the Heavenly Canopy slots. I'll need your help!"
"Boom!"
Just then, a muffled sound rang out, and ten massive warships appeared before everyone's eyes.
After everyone boarded the ship, Xiao Yan was still shocked by the Ancient Clan's profound strength. After all, being able to travel and traverse through the void far surpassed ordinary space passage ships. It
was practically a product of a different dimension!
"The space-traveling ship is naturally extraordinary!"
Just then, a figure in white robes slowly walked towards them, a lifelike flame on his forehead.
"Greetings, Senior Lei Clan, Master Lin Feng!"
The white-robed man gestured to Xiao Yan, then bowed slightly to Mang Tianchi and Lin Feng.
Both of them were figures worthy of his respect: a half-saint elder of the Lei Clan, a new generation giant of the Pill Tower, and an eighth-grade nine-colored alchemist.
"Huo Xuan, you're still the same as before, which doesn't suit the character of your Yan Clan!"
Upon seeing the white-robed man, Mang Tianchi stroked his beard and nodded slightly.
Among the many imperial clans, the Lei Clan and the Yan Clan had a good relationship. After all, they had to guard against the Soul Clan and the Ancient Clan, two imperial clans with nine-star Dou Sheng, so cooperation was naturally more common.
Seeing this, Huo Xuan simply smiled slightly; he was already familiar with Mang Tianchi's playful nature.
Next, Huo Xuan revealed the information he knew beyond Tian Mu's knowledge, while also reminding Xiao Yan to be wary of the Medicine Clan and the Soul Clan.
After Huo Xuan left, Gu Zhen, the Grand Commander of the Ancient Clan, arrived, but Lin Feng was somewhat impatient at this point.
Having reached the Half-Saint realm, he was already far beyond the scope of the younger generation, and chatting with them now would be of little value.
Moreover, most of these people were only interested in Xiao Yan's identity as a member of the Xiao clan and his relationship with the young lady of the Gu clan.
Therefore, after saying goodbye to the two, Lin Feng went to the deck of the warship ahead to admire the scenery of the Ancient Realm.
Half a day passed in the blink of an eye. With Mang Tianchi accompanying him, Xiao Yan was not troubled by the many young people of the Ancient clans as in the original story.
Of course, when the Ancient Clan's coming-of-age ceremony truly began, no one could stop the struggle among the younger generation.
After all, to truly reach the side of the young lady of the Ancient Clan, one must have the strength!
After Xiao Yan and Xiao Xun'er, or rather Gu Xun'er, left, Lin Feng, led by a maid, wandered around the Ancient Realm.
Leaving aside Xiao Yan and Gu Xun'er's long-awaited reunion, Lin Feng had only been sightseeing for half an hour when the maid, as if receiving a telepathic message, led him to a certain grand hall.
A figure sat on the right side of the head table, the long-absent Zhu Gong, clearly showing the ancient clan's great respect for him.
"Young friend Lin Feng, you've arrived!"
Upon seeing Lin Feng enter, the middle-aged man at the head of the table smiled slightly, yet Lin Feng felt a tremendous pressure.
Given Zhu Gong's cultivation level, within this vast ancient clan, only one person could sit above him.
And out of respect for the Eight-Star Dou Sheng and the Dragon Clan, the many figures within this hall...
Thinking of this, Lin Feng couldn't help but gasp slightly.
"Greetings, Senior!"
"Hahaha, young friend Lin Feng is indeed a peerless talent, having already entered the Half-Saint realm, and his soul power has even reached the mid-stage of the Heavenly Realm."
"He is also an eighth-grade nine-colored alchemist, no, it will probably be time to call him a Medicine Saint!"
"Truly an enviable talent! If young friend Lin Feng were a member of our Ancient Clan, how wonderful that would be."
The middle-aged man at the head of the table looked appreciative, and many white-haired elders stroked their beards, acknowledging Lin Feng's talent.
At the same time, a sense of closeness was subtly revealed, after all, Lin Feng was the son-in-law of the Dragon Clan, with an eight-star Dou Sheng, the Ancient Void Dragon, backing him up.
After many days of discussion, the Ancient Clan had decided to secretly form an alliance with the Dragon Clan, so the two sides were naturally very close at this moment.
"Young friend Lin Feng, let me introduce you!"
An elder in the seat slowly stood up and began to introduce Lin Feng, stating the identities of Gu Yuan and the others one by one.
However, even being a dragon prince consort isn't enough to warrant such treatment from the ancient clan, though Lin Feng's talent is undeniable.
With the joint cultivation of the Pill Tower and the Dragon Clan, becoming a ninth-grade Treasure Pill Master and a Dou Sheng powerhouse is inevitable.
Coupled with his connection to the Dragon Clan, he'll undoubtedly become a prominent figure in the future. This is a pre- arranged introduction.
"Young friend Lin Feng, regarding the Heavenly Curtain quota you mentioned, we have discussed it and agreed,"
the elder said after the introduction.
"We invited you here not only to get to know you, but also to ask you to take care of the younger generation of the ancient clan within the Heavenly Curtain."
"Senior Nanhai, rest assured, this junior will do my best!"
Lin Feng bowed slightly, and after asking a few perfunctory questions, Zhu Gong led Lin Feng away, leaving him bewildered.
Only after the two figures disappeared did the many elders in the hall speak one after another.
"Even within our ancient clan, this Dragon Clan's consort possesses exceptional talent!"
"Indeed, aside from Miss, I can't find a single junior who can compare!"
"It seems that the cultivation of the younger generation hasn't been emphasized enough in recent years."
Many white-haired elders sighed, suddenly realizing that their once-proud juniors were far weaker than someone from a non-imperial clan.
Intelligence indicated that Lin Feng clearly hailed from the barren Northwest Continent, a true grassroots figure.
Even with the Dragon Clan's training, he wasn't a true ancient dragon, lacking their innate talent. In this situation, he was far stronger than the clan's juniors with Dou Di bloodlines.
Clearly, the clan had become too complacent in recent years.
"These matters can be discussed later; the most important thing now is the Void Devouring Flame!"
At this moment, Gu Yuan, seated at the head of the hall, spoke, bringing the topic back to the main point.
"According to Zhu Gong, Void Devouring Flame is even stronger than him. If that's true, then the strength of the Soul Clan needs to be reassessed!"
"It seems that the injuries the Clan Chief inflicted on him thousands of years ago have fully healed, and he has even advanced further!"
An elder sitting below Gu Yuan spoke with a solemn expression.
"And that Soul Void Child has actually reached the Seven-Star Dou Sheng level. It seems that the Soul Clan has unknowingly accumulated considerable strength!"
"Clan Chief, should we really agree to what Zhu Gong said?"
"Hahaha, although the Soul Clan is powerful, my Ancient Clan is the number one imperial clan. Moreover, with the Dragon Clan's addition now, what can the Soul Clan do to me?"
Gu Yuan slowly stood up, waved his hand, and gazed into the distance, as if he saw his old rival, Soul Emperor.
"This can also be considered a warning to the Soul Clan!"
"Clan Chief's reputation is wise!"
On the path, Zhu Gong led the puzzled Lin Feng slowly along.
"Senior Zhugong, what is the meaning behind the Ancient Clan's actions?"
"Hahaha, nothing much. They just want to show intimacy, and also genuinely want you to protect the younger generation of the Ancient Clan within the Heavenly Curtain!"
Zhugong waved his hand slightly, stopping Lin Feng from asking any further questions.
"The alliance has been formed, and it's time for me to return to Dragon Island and begin planning my revenge against the Soul Clan."
"In the meantime, focus on improving yourself within the Ancient Clan. If you can advance to the Dou Sheng level, that would be even better!"
With that, Zhugong disappeared, leaving a bewildered Lin Feng standing there.
"I'm still too weak. Although Senior Zhugong has acknowledged my relationship with Ziyan, in his eyes, I'm still just a junior!"
Thinking of this, Lin Feng didn't lose heart. If the Dragon Clan's plan succeeded, he could make great progress and truly enter the Saint level in combat power.
Of course, during this trip to the ancient clans, he would also seize the opportunity presented by the Heavenly Curtain to make rapid progress in his Half-Saint realm!
In the blink of an eye, the ancient clans' coming-of-age ceremony arrived, and as a special guest, Lin Feng was naturally invited to the VIP seats early on.
However, after Mang Tianchi left, Xiao Yan seemed to still receive the same treatment as before.
Beside him, the young lady of the ancient clan looked coldly at Gu Qian and Gu Xu in front of her.
"Hahaha, how could you two good-for-nothings bully my student, Mang Tianchi!"
"Gentlemen, for my sake, please let Junior Brother Xiao Yan come over!"
An old man and a young man appeared one after another in front of the many Black Annihilation Army soldiers, making Xiao Yan's face light up with joy.
"Dean, Senior Brother Lin Feng!"
"Hahahaha, Xiao Yan, I never thought you could win the heart of the Gu Clan's young lady. You've really made this old man proud, hahahaha."
Mang Tianchi laughed, giving Xiao Yan's shoulder another heavy slap, causing Xiao Yan's face to show a bitter expression.
"Old Dean."
Seeing Mang Tianchi, this shameless old man, directly reveal her relationship with Brother Xiao Yan, Gu Xun'er was also a little shy.
"Dean, Junior Sister Xun'er also studied at the academy for a period of time!"
"Is that so?"
Mang Tianchi's smile froze, his face showing disbelief. He looked at Lin Feng with an expression that said, "Are you kidding me?", making everyone want to laugh.
"Greetings, Dean!"
Before Lin Feng could reply, Gu Xun'er bowed slightly to Mang Tianchi.
"Hahaha, my decision to establish Canaan Academy was truly a brilliant idea! It has yielded three of the continent's top geniuses!"
The group chattered amongst themselves, completely disregarding Gu Qian and his companion, a sight that enraged them.
Among them, Xiao Yan was clearly the easiest to manipulate, so Gu Qian shouted again,
"Xiao Yan, the VIP seats are not for you. For the sake of the young lady, I will let you off the hook. I hope you will leave!"
"You ignorant old fool, do you really want me to take action today?"
Seeing that the old man was still oblivious, Mang Tianchi's face showed anger, and he rolled up his sleeves, ready to attack.
"Gu Qian, Gu Xu, you two, step back!"
"Yes!"
Upon seeing the newcomer, Gu Qian and Gu Xu, regardless of their inner thoughts, could only bow and retreat.
"So it's you, old man! Years have passed, and you're still as robust as ever!"
Upon seeing the newcomer, Mang Tianchi laughed heartily, a stark contrast to his earlier angry expression. Clearly, their relationship was quite good.
"I'm sorry to have made you laugh at my juniors today!"
Tongxuan smiled slightly, stroking his beard.
"We can catch up later. My mission today is very demanding, and I dare not delay."
"Young friend Xiao Yan, please take your seat in the VIP section!"
With a slight gesture, Elder Tongxuan nodded to Gu Xun'er before returning to his place.
After Elder Tongxuan left, Lin Feng and Mang Tianchi also returned to the VIP section, leaving only Xiao Yan and Gu Xun'er, childhood sweethearts, behind.
At this juncture, the two didn't say much. Under the murderous gazes of many younger members of the Gu clan, they spent a brief moment of intimacy before returning to their respective seats. A short while later, an ancient bell rang out above the ancient mountain range, bringing everyone in the square back to their senses.
" The time has come! I hereby declare the coming-of-age ceremony officially begins!" The aged voice seemed to come from nowhere, even Lin Feng couldn't pinpoint its source. However, it sounded somewhat familiar. "So it's Senior Gu Nanhai!" Standing beside Lin Feng, Xiao Yan was utterly shocked. "This power... Senior Brother Lin Feng, could this be a true Dou Sheng?" Xiao Yan's shock was undisguised. The old man gave him a feeling even more unfathomable than his teacher. Only a true Dou Sheng could explain this. "That's right," Lin Feng stood with his hands behind his back, calmly looking at the three old men in the center of the square, "and they're not ordinary Dou Sheng!" "What!" Lin Feng didn't answer, because the ancient clan's coming-of-age ceremony, after many complicated procedures, had truly begun. "Lingquan, sixth-grade bloodline, bestowed with a golden clan mark!" "Thank you, Elder!" Lingquan knelt on one knee, respectfully clasped his hands, his face beaming with joy. Although he had only reached the sixth grade among the tenth-grade bloodlines, the Ancient Emperor had lived for many years, and the descendants of the Ancient Clan had become as numerous as blue silver grass by the roadside over the long course of time. To reach the sixth grade, and even be bestowed with a third-grade golden clan mark, meant that his future status within the clan would certainly not be low! Thousands of years later, there would be no more than ten people in the Ancient Clan who could surpass him. After the golden mark was completely engraved on Lingquan's forehead, Lingquan consciously withdrew. Lin Feng, sitting in the VIP seats, was somewhat puzzled. Of the Ancient Clan's four Grand Marshals and eight Commanders, why did they start with Lingquan, the seventh Commander? Where did the eighth Commander stand? Even Lin Feng had some respect for the eighth Commander's aura. The people of the Ancient Clan were indeed somewhat bad at judging people! Thinking of this, Lin Feng felt somewhat disappointed with the upcoming ceremony. After informing Xiao Yan, he closed his eyes to rest. Time gradually passed, and after Ling Quan, many commanders were bestowed with golden clan emblems one by one. When it came to Gu Zhen, the Grand Commander, some fluctuations occurred in the arena. "It's actually a purple-gold clan emblem!" Xiao Yan's surprised voice rang in his ears, and Lin Feng could also detect a hint of solemnity in it. After all, Gu Zhen's realm was similar to his own, both having reached the peak of the Seven-Star Dou Zun realm. Lin Feng slowly opened his eyes, not because of Gu Zhen, but because the next person to be bestowed with a clan emblem would bring him some amusement , relieving the boredom caused by the tedious ceremony. "Xiao Yan, do you dare to accept my challenge?" Sure enough, Gu Yao, who was next to be bestowed with a clan emblem, pointed his gaze directly at Xiao Yan after receiving the purple-gold clan emblem, and an icy, bone-chilling aura gradually spread throughout the arena.
"An eight-star Dou Zun, quite interesting. Today, I'll test the skills of this ancient clan's peer of the same realm!"
As soon as he finished speaking, a large black ruler appeared in Xiao Yan's palm. He squeezed it slightly and then hurled it directly into the center of the plaza, planting it heavily in front of Gu Yao.
Amidst the bewildered expressions of the surrounding guests, a flash of lightning appeared on the black ruler, looking down at the cold-faced Gu Yao.
"Today, I'll make you submit!"
"Hahahaha."
Gu Yao, who had never imagined being so underestimated, laughed heartily. Those in the Black Annihilation Army who knew the reason for his title as the Asura Commander all looked at Xiao Yan with pity.
"This guy is doomed today."
On the high platform, Lin Feng looked at the triumphant Xiao Yan and couldn't help but chuckle.
"I didn't expect this guy to have this side."
However, they were just two nobodies who hadn't even reached the Transcendent Realm. Even if Xiao Yan and Gu Yao both possessed secret techniques to significantly increase their strength at the Dou Zun Realm, it would still be a matter of one slap from Lin Feng.
Xiao Yan, on the other hand, truly lived up to his reputation as someone destined to become the Flame Emperor.
Even with Lin Feng taking away many of his opportunities and Yao Lao not being captured by the Soul Hall, thus lacking much training, he still broke through in battle, advancing to the Eight-Star Dou Zun Realm.
As for Gu Yao, true to the pride of the Imperial Clan, he didn't attack Xiao Yan during his breakthrough.
It was precisely because of this that after Xiao Yan defeated him, the two developed a mutual respect.
Lin Feng readily admitted defeat in this regard; he could only engage in verbal sparring with the beautiful fairy.
What Lin Feng considered a mere trick, however, made many members of the Imperial Clan look serious. Two Eight-Star Dou Zun, whose methods were not of the Imperial Clan's own, were enough to warrant their serious attention.
Especially the Medicine Clan, upon seeing Xiao Yan's Buddha's Fury Lotus, if it weren't for the fact that this was an ancient clan's coming-of-age ceremony, they would probably have captured Xiao Yan immediately.
Even if they couldn't obtain the method to wield multiple different flames, those few flames alone would greatly enhance the alchemy skills of the younger generation of the Medicine Clan.
Even the Flame Clan members were somewhat envious.
Before Xiao Yan appeared, there were only two beings in this world who could wield multiple different flames, and they were top experts on the continent, suppressing the rage of the flames with absolute strength.
But Xiao Yan's situation was clearly different; he seemed to have perfectly fused different different flames together.
"The following ceremony will be presided over by this old man!"
Just as everyone was secretly discussing Xiao Yan, a familiar figure appeared in the arena.
"Elder Tongxuan!"
Upon seeing the newcomer, the three elders nodded slightly and consciously stepped aside, their eyes revealing anticipation.
"Miss Xun'er, please come up!"
Tongxuan held the star chart in his hand and said gently, his tone also full of expectation.
"Miss Xun'er's bloodline ranking was extremely high in the previous tests. Years have passed, and she must have improved even further. I wonder what level she will reach?"
"Miss Xun'er is also the daughter of the clan leader, who is the strongest person on the continent, a peak nine-star Dou Sheng. His bloodline must be extraordinary."
The
crowd discussed animatedly. Even Lin Feng turned his gaze towards this spot; he was curious about the divine-grade bloodline.
"One, two, thirty, ten stars!!!"
The star chart lit up at an extremely fast speed. Even after reaching nine stars, the speed slowed slightly, but it still reached ten stars.
"A divine bloodline!"
"Hahaha, after many years, another divine bloodline has been born! May our Dou Di ancestor bless us!"
"A divine bloodline will surely lead to Dou Sheng, and may even hold the legendary Emperor's throne!"
"Haha, our ancient clan will surely continue to prosper!"
"..."
"Even my mid-stage Heaven Realm soul power felt a slight suppression? This divine bloodline is indeed quite extraordinary!"
Lin Feng sighed inwardly, "It's a pity I can't use it for research, otherwise my own bloodline might undergo some changes."
Lin Feng slowly raised his palm, looking through the flesh at the jade-like bones, the bone marrow within seemingly flashing with gold.
The pressure emanating from it seemed similar to the pressure of the divine bloodline just now, yet also significantly weaker.
Both in quality and quantity!
Chapter 292 So That's How It Is
"Master Lin Feng, the time has come!"
Inside the private courtyard prepared for Lin Feng by the ancient clan, they were researching the advantages of various cultivation techniques, integrating them into the Five Elements Technique, nurturing the hundred scriptures, and creating a unique cultivation technique adapted to the five elemental attributes.
Hearing the voice from outside the courtyard, they knew the Heavenly Curtain was about to open, so they dispersed the many little soul figures in their minds.
This was a method inherited from the Great Sage Guiyuan, which allowed them to simulate a physical body with their souls to experiment with their own innovations in soul power.
After being modified by Lin Feng, it could be used to try out the cultivation techniques he was gradually modifying. Although so far, it only made them more comfortable using the five attributes.
It would still take a long time before the true cultivation technique was released.
But even this small change, after advancing the cultivation technique by a small step, meant that Lin Feng's combat power, when using the same level of power, could rival more than ten Xiao Yans.
"The matter of the cultivation technique cannot be resolved in a short time. The most important thing now is the Heavenly Curtain!"
Without saying a word, Lin Feng, led by the ancient clan's attendant, arrived at the depths of the Ancient Sacred Mountain Range in less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.
If it weren't for the many forbidden areas in the Ancient Sacred Mountains that prevented the opening of spatial passages, Lin Feng would have arrived in the blink of an eye.
"Senior Brother Lin Feng."
When Lin Feng arrived, many of the younger generation from the imperial clans were already in place; it seemed he was the last to arrive.
"Junior Brother Xiao Yan, Junior Sister Xun'er."
Seeing Xiao Yan beckon, Lin Feng walked over. Beside them were many of the Ancient Clan's prodigies, including Gu Qingyang.
Although Lin Feng had taken one of their spots, the Ancient Clan's quota hadn't decreased; the four commanders plus Gu Zhen and Gu Xun'er made a total of six.
Clans like the Flame Clan and the Soul Clan didn't object. Xiao Yan explained that this was because the Spirit Clan, one of the major imperial clans, hadn't arrived for some reason. As the Ancient Clan
controlled the Heavenly Curtain, taking a few spots now seemed like a similar situation to taking spots from the Xiao Clan over the years.
"This must be Master Lin Feng. I am Gu Qingyang, I've long admired your name!"
After Lin Feng arrived, several of the Ancient Clan's prodigies stepped forward to greet him, their faces showing a hint of curiosity.
It was one thing for Xiao Yan to be on the same level as them, after all, he was a descendant of the Xiao clan. But Lin Feng was truly a rogue cultivator.
In the eyes of the imperial clans, all powerful individuals who weren't from the imperial clans could be considered rogue cultivators.
Even the Ancient Void Dragon clan, being different from humans, had vastly different cultivation methods.
Yet, under such circumstances, Lin Feng had grown to this level, far surpassing them in strength—it was truly unbelievable.
The many members of the imperial clans in the distance also turned their gazes towards the newly arrived Lin Feng, their emotions a mixture of fear, admiration, and resentment.
Just as Lin Feng was about to reply, an ancient and primal aura suddenly crashed down from the void.
"The Heavenly Curtain has opened!"
someone exclaimed, and as if fulfilling their words, a void rift suddenly split open above the ancient mountain range.
"Boom!"
A boundless spatial portal appeared, connecting to a world that, even before entering, was sensed by the energy aura emanating from it.
This journey would undoubtedly yield enormous gains!
"Everyone, the rules have been explained. I hope you have learned something!"
Elder Tongxuan stood before the massive spatial gate, smiling as he slowly parted the path.
"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"
As Elder Tongxuan's words fell, several figures from the Soul Clan shot out, clearly wary of the Ancient Clan.
Or perhaps, they had other plans!
After the Soul Clan members entered the Sky Curtain, the Flame Clan and others followed suit. Perhaps out of fear of the Ancient Clan, they entered without greeting Lin Feng and Xiao Yan.
"Master Lin Feng, please take care of my clan within the Sky Curtain!"
Just as Lin Feng was about to enter, Elder Tongxuan's voice reached his ears. He now knew Lin Feng had reached the Half-Saint realm and dared not presume to address him as "young friend.
" "Hmm!"
In Lin Feng's opinion, Xiao Yan had already reached the Eight-Star Dou Zun realm. With the power of his Fire Lotus, who in the Sky Curtain could rival him besides himself?
With the Ancient Clan in trouble, could Xiao Yan, as the Prince Consort, stand idly by?
However, having agreed to this, he didn't refuse. He tossed out several jade slips and flew towards the celestial canopy.
"If there's any danger after entering the celestial canopy, just crush the jade slips!"
Watching Lin Feng's figure disappear within the spatial gate, Gu Qingyang gestured to Xiao Yan and Gu Xun'er before the group entered together.
"Buzz."
Watching the spatial gate gradually disappear, Elder Tongxuan wanted to stroke his beard and sigh, but Mang Tianchi slapped him heavily on the shoulder.
"Old man, you're putting on airs again. Come drink with me~~"
"Three years, if fully utilized, with the help of the many high-level energy cores here, perhaps I can advance even further!"
Stepping out from the distorted spatial passage, feeling the dense, almost misty, energy of heaven and earth, Lin Feng murmured to himself.
"The best way is to get Xiao Xuan's help. In that case, we might be able to obtain a lot of energy cores
, even those at the Dou Sheng level." Since it is jointly controlled by many imperial clans, there must be Soul Clan energy bodies within this sky canopy. In fact, we might even need his help in cultivating the soul.
Moreover, Lin Feng vaguely guessed that the sky canopy might also hide the souls of other imperial clans besides the eight great imperial clans.
After all, if it weren't for the Imperial Emperor of the Ancient Puppet Sect, even if the bloodline gradually faded, the descendants of Dou Di who have survived to this day would definitely not be limited to these eight families.
"On Dragon Island, although there are Elder Qingshan and others as sparring partners, it's not a real battle. There's no feeling of dancing between life and death."
Lin Feng stood with his hands behind his back, his soul power emanating from his body, freely perceiving the world of this first level.
"Puff puff puff puff."
Several explosions rang out around him, and several energy cores, under Lin Feng's control, slowly floated in front of him.
However, looking at the energy core in front of him, Lin Feng showed a hint of disdain.
"It seems that this first layer is of no use to me at all!"
Lin Feng had been using the Dragon Emperor's blood essence or being bombarded by lightning snakes all the way here, and his energy was already extremely pure.
Let alone his peers, even true Dou Sheng experts wouldn't dare claim to surpass him in terms of refinement.
Realizing the first layer of the Heavenly Canopy wasn't providing any real tempering, Lin Feng didn't want to linger and flew straight towards the second layer.
Whether due to the rules of the Heavenly Canopy or the excessive concentration of energy, Lin Feng's spatial abilities were severely restricted, forcing him to fly.
Even suppressed by the Heavenly Canopy, a half-saint level expert's speed was still incredibly fast.
In just a few hours, the second layer, which would take Xiao Yan and the others four or five months to reach, appeared before Lin Feng. Without lingering, he continued flying deeper into the Heavenly Canopy.
Several more hours passed, and Lin Feng stopped before a vast energy barrier.
"Ancient Devouring Insects? So be it. Without these things, how can I demonstrate my strength?"
After some thought, Lin Feng decided to leave the Ancient Devouring Worm behind.
With a wave of his hand, the Fire Lotus Azure Lotus appeared beneath his feet. He then shot directly towards the ever-expanding energy barrier, and under the terrifying heat, a lotus-shaped passage several meters in diameter appeared.
In fact, because of the residual heat of the Azure Lotus's core fire, the Ancient Devouring Worm didn't dare to re-enter the hollow lotus passage for a moment.
As Lin Feng headed towards the third level, the many imperial clan prodigies and numerous soul entities who entered the celestial canopy were all terrified by the aura Lin Feng displayed.
"A Half-Saint!?"
Sensing the lingering aura in the sky, Xiao Yan's face was filled with shock. This aura was even stronger than the aura his teacher had released upon resurrection.
"I never imagined that Senior Brother Lin Feng had already achieved Half-Saint status, becoming a true powerhouse in this world!"
Gazing at the remaining traces in the sky, Xiao Yan, who had initially felt a bit proud after advancing to the Eight-Star Dou Zun realm, once again calmed his mind.
"Brother Xiao Yan, Xun'er believes you will reach this realm one day, and even become a true Dou Sheng!"
"Xun'er."
"Damn it, I didn't expect this guy to be so strong. The only thing to do now is to go find the ancestor immediately!"
In a corner of the first level of the Heavenly Eye, two figures clad in black robes exchanged a glance, their faces grim, and abandoned their original plan, rushing towards the depths of the Heavenly Curtain.
They showed no attachment to the numerous high-level energy entities they encountered along the way, without stopping.
However, even if Hun Ya and his companion flew at their full strength, it would still take at least three months to reach the third level.
Not to mention that between the second and third levels, there were ancient relics like the Ancient Devouring Insects, which not everyone possessed Lin Feng's strength.
This world did not have the bizarre Dou Qi Transformation Horse technique. By the time the two arrived at the third level, it was uncertain whether their ancestors from the Soul Clan would still exist.
"Unexpectedly, a guy without the bloodline of a Dou Di could actually reach the Half-Saint realm at such a young age, far surpassing us!"
"Yes, even compared to Brother Lei Dong, we barely noticed."
"Elder Mang seems to be on good terms with him; fortunately, he's not our enemy."
On the first level of the Heavenly Curtain, two tall figures stood like iron pillars, watching Lin Feng leave.
"I didn't expect him to be so powerful!"
Huo Xuan, dressed in white, had a flame symbol flickering between his brows, unable to conceal his inner astonishment.
Huo Zhi, still in her light red dress, remained silent, her gaze fixed on the remaining energy traces in the sky.
He could somewhat guess at the shock everyone felt towards Lin Feng, but he had no intention of paying any attention.
After passing through the energy barrier of the Ancient Devouring Insects, it didn't take him long to find his first sparring partner.
On a mountain peak hundreds of feet high, a blood-red figure sat cross-legged on a large rock, surrounded by a bloody killing intent that had not dissipated even after many years of death.
Before him lay a massive, ghost-headed blade—the very image of the Blood Blade Saint, a minor character with a significant role in the story.
"Intruder, retreat now, and I, the Saint, may spare your life!"
Perhaps due to prolonged silence, the Blood Blade Saint's voice was slightly hoarse, perfectly matching his overwhelming aura of bloodlust.
"Truly, picking on the weak!"
After entering the third level, Lin Feng no longer suppressed his aura with his soul power, his terrifying aura, comparable to a high-level Half-Saint, emanating unrestrainedly.
The Blood Blade Saint, naturally aware of his formidable nature, issued a warning instead of immediately attacking.
He had a premonition that if he attacked, Lin Feng's fate would likely be nothing more than a Half-Saint energy core!
"Make your move. If you can withstand a hundred moves from me, and then do me a favor, I may spare your life!"
Lin Feng slowly ascended the mountain peak, the Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame flowing gently from his body during the process.
Sometimes it transformed into a blue lotus, sometimes into flames, and sometimes even into a weapon resembling the Xuan Heavy Ruler.
"Insolence!"
"Haven't made a move in years, have the world forgotten the might of Blood Blade?"
Even if he harbored some fear of Lin Feng, how could the dignity of a Saint be trampled upon like this?
Blood Blade suddenly rose, unleashing his Ghost Head Greatsword, a blood-red blade aura hundreds of feet long instantly enveloping Lin Feng.
"Blood Blade Chaotic Wind Slash!"
Against an opponent of equal strength, the Blood Blade Saint naturally wouldn't be careless, launching a terrifying attack from the outset.
"Blue Lotus Burns the World!"
The Blue Lotus Earth Core Flame surrounding Lin Feng, receiving Lin Feng's command, instantly surged upwards, a blue lotus hundreds of feet long appearing before the blood-red blade aura, instantly melting it.
Flames are the nemesis of bloody killing intent, especially a strange creation of heaven and earth—a different kind of fire!
Seeing this, the Blood Blade Saint's expression turned grim, instantly gripping his blade with both hands, his energy aura burning wildly.
"The name of this Saint Blood Blade is not just empty boasting!"
"A single slash against the wind!"
A blood-red cloak appeared behind the Blood Blade Saint, billowing wildly in the invisible wind. His blood-red eyes narrowed to slits, focusing only on the enormous azure fire lotus.
"Kill!"
Endless killing intent erupted, shaking the heavens and earth. Even on the third level of the Heavenly Curtain, the Blood Blade Saint was a formidable figure.
And even in death, he maintained his half-saint realm, his combat power undeniably strong. Such a full-force attack was something even Lin Feng couldn't afford to underestimate.
The Soul Needle silently appeared, concealed within the enormous azure lotus. Once defeated, it would be silently unleashed, deciding the outcome in one fell swoop.
"Buzz!"
The terrifying collision produced almost no sound. The blade energy was instantly melted by the fiery azure lotus; only the violently fluctuating energy spoke of how terrifying the collision had been. The
Blood Blade Saint stood holding his sword in one hand, his cloak still billowing wildly behind him, but his pupils were now numb and empty with shock.
"Impossible, absolutely impossible,"
a murmur echoed across the hundred-foot-high mountain peak, representing the anguish in Blood Blade's heart.
"Thump, thump, thump,"
Lin Feng slowly walked towards him, his face filled with disappointment. Seeing this, Blood Blade staggered, his pupils contracting sharply.
Before Lin Feng could speak, he flung his blood-red cloak behind him, plunged his ghost-headed greatsword into the mountain peak, and knelt on one knee.
"Your Excellency, Blood Blade, I'm convinced!"
Lin Feng's eyebrows twitched involuntarily, a sudden realization dawning on him, as if he understood something.
"So that's why you've been able to survive in the Heavenly Curtain for so long?"