Southeast Continent

Just as he plucked the spiritual fruit, a black shadow shot out from beside him. Its entire body was emerald green as it bit toward Zhang Tian's hand. Though the snake was small, one glance showed it was lethally venomous.

Whoosh. The Phoenix Cry Sword turned into a streak of light and severed the little green snake's head. Its body twitched a few times before falling still.

Zhang Tian calmly examined the fruit tree growing from the cliff face. Unfortunately, after he picked the Blood Dragon Fruit, it slowly withered and shrank.

"Blood Dragon Fruit doesn't grow on the Northwest Continent." Zhang Tian sighed, a trace of worry appearing on his face. He did not know what else to say.

He landed beside Yun Yun in two steps and forced a smile at her.

"This is a little troublesome. I don't know whether I'll be able to break this space once I reach the Dou Zong realm."

Though he said so, it was only to comfort Yun Yun. He knew that if this space had no exit, then even if he truly broke it apart, it would be useless.

After breaking through to the Dou Zong realm, he would indeed possess the power to shatter this space, with combat strength comparable to a Dou Zun. However, he would not possess a Dou Zun's ability to tear through space and create a spatial passage.

Faced with the vast torrent of space, rashly entering it would mean having no idea where they might be teleported.

Yun Yun clearly did not yet understand the severity of the situation. She only felt particularly speechless, as though nothing good ever happened when she followed Zhang Tian out.

They had just encountered two Dou Emperors blocking their path in the godforsaken Tagor Desert, and now that they had finally been about to return home, someone had stopped them again.

"Let's go. We haven't reached the end yet. We need to see what's at the end of the valley." He scattered the wild thoughts in his mind. For now, they could only take things one step at a time.

"Even without a road, we'll have to forge one."

Hearing those words, Yun Yun understood a little more and could not help growing somber.

Forging a path was easier said than done.

"There's light ahead. That's a spatial passage." Seeing the half-meter-wide slit of light ahead, Zhang Tian was delighted by the glow shining from within.

Sure enough, there had to be a passage here. Otherwise, that old ghost could not have been inside a sealed space.

"Heaven never blocks every path." Yun Yun held Qing Lin's little hand. Controlling so many snake-type magical beasts along the way had left her somewhat exhausted, but her small face was still full of excitement.

"I'll go through first. Follow immediately. Don't get separated." Though logically, a spatial passage should only lead to one destination, Zhang Tian still felt slightly uneasy.

"Mm, all right." Yun Yun nodded and smiled sweetly.

"Qing Lin, you need to follow too. Yun Yun, keep an eye on her." With that, Zhang Tian took the lead and slipped into the spatial passage.

The moment he emerged from the spatial passage, he found himself in a valley. The mountains were green, the waters clear, and the trees lush. Springs tinkled melodiously, while white deer played and white cranes danced through the air.

"Who are you?" A pretty young woman shouted. Her lovely eyes were filled with vigilance as a Dou Qi armor gradually covered her body.

"A Great Dou Shi?" Zhang Tian was somewhat surprised. It was not her realm that surprised him, but her youth. She looked no older than eighteen or nineteen, yet she was already a Four-Star Great Dou Shi.

"Senior Sister!"

"Miss Fu!"

Several more young disciples and several guards around twenty years old rushed over. They held weapons in their hands and watched Zhang Tian warily.

Zhang Tian raised a brow. It seemed they had stumbled into someone else's sect. Still, he did not take this group seriously. Even the guard captain at the front was merely a Dou Ling.

But why had Yun Yun not followed yet? A sense of unease rose within Zhang Tian. He had no idea where the two of them might have been teleported.

Pff. No sooner had he thought of Yun Yun than she leaped out of the spatial rift behind him. Little Qing Lin immediately covered her mouth and vomited, while Yun Yun's pretty face was also deathly pale.

"Is this... motion sickness?" Zhang Tian relaxed at the sight, but could not help complaining inwardly.

What kind of lousy spatial passage is this? It even has a time delay. Has it fallen into disrepair from age?

"Why have you trespassed into the forbidden grounds of my Shang Qing Spring Sect?" Seeing two more companions appear, the leading woman's expression darkened further.

"Forbidden grounds?" Yun Yun raised her head and looked at Zhang Tian in confusion.

"Maybe we came out in the wrong place. Or perhaps that valley space was their forbidden ground. That old ghost was quite capable. No, it should be that this space was originally connected to the Gama Empire, and then that old ghost set his sights on us." Zhang Tian gave a brief explanation.

"We were merely passing through your territory and have no intention of causing conflict. May this young lady allow us to leave?" Zhang Tian said to the leading woman, then tossed over a bottle of fourth-tier pills.

"Pah! You trash dogs who trespassed into the forbidden grounds still dare to bargain?" A sharp-featured, mean-looking woman stepped forward and knocked the jade bottle straight to the ground. It shattered, revealing the crystalline, jade-like pills within.

At the sight of the pills, the group fell into an eerie silence. Their breathing grew hurried, and their eyes filled with greed. To them, fourth-tier pills were incomparably precious treasures, let alone more than a dozen of them. Even the woman who had knocked over the jade bottle could not help regretting it.

But her eyes shifted. Since these three intended to swallow their anger, perhaps they could extort even more from them. Only Senior Sister Fu's expression turned ugly as a bad feeling rose in her heart. Would someone who carried a bottle of fourth-tier pills yet discarded them so casually really be simple?

"The Shang Qing Spring Sect should be the strongest force nearby, or perhaps in this empire... Would the Yun Lan Sect be like this too?" Zhang Tian's expression immediately darkened.

Yun Yun's expression was not very pleasant either, but after hesitating at Zhang Tian's question, she still answered.

"If someone trespassed into the Yun Lan Sect's forbidden grounds, those guard disciples would most likely act the same way."

Yun Yun felt deeply uncomfortable, even ashamed. In the past, she had thought the Yun Lan Sect imposing, a symbol of prosperity and strength. Yet after experiencing this for herself today, she discovered it was truly infuriating.

Being on the receiving end felt terrible.

"Drive them out." Zhang Tian lowered his eyes slightly, preventing Yun Yun from seeing his expression. Then, a powerful aura surged into the heavens.

"This...!" Feeling that powerful aura, quite a few people were thrown back and fell heavily.

"A Dou Emperor!" The young disciples were in a miserable state, struggling to climb from the ground as if they were bearing immense pressure.

"Heavens, we actually threatened a Dou Emperor!" The sharp-tongued woman from earlier trembled all over while the others cried out in alarm.

An Emperor could not be humiliated.

Yun Yun's pretty face turned cold as Dou Qi wings slowly emerged behind her. She drew a green longsword in her hand.

"May I ask which Dou Emperor has come as a guest to the Shang Qing Spring Sect? Please do not make things difficult for our junior disciples." A vast voice rang out, and a giant hand erased the enormous wind blade Yun Yun had slashed out.

"The Enforcement Elder!" The disciples and guards of the Shang Qing Spring Sect wore expressions of elated relief.

"Master." Xue Qingfu hurriedly bowed to the newcomer as well.

A middle-aged man approached at an unhurried pace. His aura was restrained rather than released, yet it was incomparably solid.

"I am Gongsun Yuwen of the Shang Qing Spring Sect. Please forgive the many offenses of these juniors." Gongsun Yuwen cupped his hands. Hidden within his sleeve, a small wound on his palm was bleeding.

Clearly, Yun Yun's attack had not been so easy to receive. He had suffered a minor injury in his haste.

"A Five-Star Dou Huang!" Yun Yun grew solemn as well, lifting her longsword with a vigilant expression.

"We merely passed through your territory and have no other intentions." Yun Yun tried to speak with Gongsun Yuwen.

Gongsun Yuwen glanced at Yun Yun and was not particularly willing to fight either. The impact on the Shang Qing Spring Sect would be too great. If three Dou Emperors fought, then unless the sect master intervened, the Shang Qing Spring Sect would likely be destroyed.

"If that is the case, Fu'er, prepare tea." Gongsun Yuwen also wished to turn hostility into friendship. If the three truly were only passing through, there was no reason not to let them go. They might even be able to befriend two Dou Emperors.

What made Gongsun Yuwen frown was that although he had given the order, Xue Qingfu still stood in place, biting her lip in confliction.

"Fu'er, did you not hear your master?" Gongsun Yuwen could not help hardening his tone. Was she not making a fool of him before outsiders?

"Enforcement Elder, you must not!" The leading guard captain and the mean-looking woman shouted nearly at the same time. They exchanged a glance, as though it gave them both courage.

The woman took a deep breath and said to Gongsun Yuwen.

"These three entered our Shang Qing Spring Sect's forbidden grounds. Enforcement Elder, you must not allow them to leave!"

Gongsun Yuwen's expression changed. Beneath his broad robes, his hand clenched tightly as he almost instantly circulated his Dou Qi.

"The forbidden grounds of the Shang Qing Spring Sect are where our ancestor rests. Since you three entered, you must give an explanation today, no matter what."

Seeing Gongsun Yuwen's unyielding attitude, Yun Yun gritted her silver teeth. She knew they would likely have to fight this time, and could not help turning her gaze toward Zhang Tian.

"Since that is the case, then please enlighten me, sir." The Dragon Yin Halberd appeared in his hand. The aura of an Eight-Star Dou Huang firmly suppressed Gongsun Yuwen's Five-Star Dou Huang strength, while Yun Yun also gathered her power, ready to strike.

The auras of the three Dou Emperors soared into the sky, changing the color of wind and clouds as countless drifting clouds were torn apart.

Within the Shang Qing Spring Sect, the First Elder, Second Elder, Third Elder, Teaching Elder, and others all opened their eyes. They exchanged glances and could see the gravity in one another's eyes.

"That is the direction of the forbidden grounds, along with Yuwen's aura. I fear something major has happened." The First Elder's long brows drooped, but his eyes shone brightly. As a Seven-Star Dou Emperor, he had lived for several centuries.

"We should hurry over and help. After all, the other side has two Dou Emperors." The Third Elder was a large, middle-aged man with a fiery temperament. The moment he heard this, he anxiously prepared to offer assistance.

"Third Brother is right. The sect master is in seclusion. We must capture these intruders." The calm and composed Second Elder also opened his eyes, which were filled with wisdom.

"Then let us all go together."

Five streaks of light shot out of the Shang Qing Spring Sect and sped toward the forbidden grounds.

Meanwhile, at the forbidden grounds, Gongsun Yuwen, with only the strength of a Five-Star Dou Huang, was beaten until he vomited blood by Zhang Tian. Every collision between the Dragon Yin Halberd and Gongsun Yuwen's heavy saber split the web between his thumb and forefinger, leaving both arms numb.

The Dragon Yin Halberd smashed down again and again. The long saber in Gongsun Yuwen's hand gradually bent, until one strike from the halberd struck half his body and sent him crashing to the ground, coughing blood.

Hiss! The Shang Qing Spring Sect disciples all sucked in cold breaths. Their normally imposing Enforcement Elder had been beaten by this young man until he vomited blood and lost his fighting strength. The aftermath of each clash between them could have killed everyone here. Such was the terrifying might of a Dou Emperor.

With a sweep of the Dragon Yin Halberd, a fissure dozens of meters long appeared in the forbidden valley of the Shang Qing Spring Sect. Half the mountainside had been sliced open. Every move made the crowd feel as though they faced heavenly might beyond all resistance.

Just as the Dragon Yin Halberd was about to pierce Gongsun Yuwen's heart, a strange, door-panel-sized heavy saber firmly blocked it.

The Dragon Yin Halberd continued advancing toward Gongsun Yuwen's chest and had even pierced through his clothing. The Third Elder's face flushed bright red as he exerted all his strength to hold the halberd back.

"Ah!" A burst of intense pain made the Third Elder scream. One arm flew into the air, effortlessly severed by the Phoenix Cry Sword.

The Phoenix Cry Sword was as swift as lightning. Before the Third Elder even realized it, he had lost an arm. Yet he forced out a furious roar and, with one arm, violently knocked the Dragon Yin Halberd away.

"Third Brother!"

"Third Brother!"

"Third Brother, are you all right?"

"Everyone, be careful!"

Four streaks of light arrived belatedly, landing beside Gongsun Yuwen and the Third Elder. Three people went to help Gongsun Yuwen and the Third Elder up, while the First Elder kept his guard firmly fixed on Zhang Tian and Yun Yun.

A gale churned in the First Elder's hand. Empowered by wind-attributed Dou Qi and his cultivation method, a gigantic tornado rose in an instant, countless wind blades capable of slicing gold and stone raging within it.

The Second Elder's weapon was unusual. He produced a black-and-white chessboard, and chess pieces continuously fell before flying at Zhang Tian like cannonballs. Every piece carried the suppressive weight of a thousand jun, descending like small mountains.

Quick Spear Technique. In an instant, the Dragon Yin Halberd created afterimages in Zhang Tian's hands. The massive tornado and the chess pieces filling the sky were instantly shattered, turning into dispersed Dou Qi.

A hundred thrusts in an instant, carrying power nearly equal to a mid-grade Profound-tier Dou Technique, immediately broke the First Elder and Second Elder's coordinated attack, forged through many years of mutual understanding.

Flames flickered around the Teaching Elder's fists, and fire filled the sky as the temperature soared. A huge fireball exploded, then transformed into a fire dragon that coiled toward Zhang Tian.

"Competing with me in fire? What a joke." Zhang Tian snorted coldly. The Flame Emperor Mantra circulated madly, and even the Strange Fire Plaza trembled slightly. The Azure Lotus Core Flame instantly transformed into a fire lotus dozens of meters wide, swallowing both the fire dragon and the Teaching Elder.

Pff. With a loud explosion, the Teaching Elder burst out from the fire lotus, his clothes in tatters and blood spilling from his mouth. Had he been even a moment later, he would likely have been reduced to ashes.

The Third Elder's eyes were bloodshot as he charged at Zhang Tian with the strange, door-panel-like heavy saber in hand. Only about one chi at the tip of the massive blade had an edge; the rest was blunt. A heavy sword without an edge possessed great skill without embellishment. In the Third Elder's hands, it was unpredictable, capable of both attack and defense.

However, after repeated clashes, the tip of the Dragon Yin Halberd continuously struck the strange heavy saber. Within three exchanges, it had landed over a hundred blows, and faint cracks had appeared across the blade.

The Third Elder could not help panting heavily. With every clash, the saber in his hand grew heavier, becoming increasingly difficult to wield.

If this continued, he would sooner or later be pierced through by a single thrust.

No Life! A saber stroke that allowed no life—an incomparably profound saber technique of the Shang Qing Spring Sect. It was said that the second sect master had obtained this mysterious Dou Technique after entering a forbidden ground. It was a low-grade Earth-tier technique.

That nearly life-risking strike did not even touch the corner of Zhang Tian's clothes, but it bought the Third Elder time to catch his breath. He immediately withdrew and opened the distance.