Five Elements Form the Core

At this critical moment, Powder Bone at Zhang Tie's side suddenly erupted with dazzling blood-red light.

Its arms flung open, and the bones throughout its body cracked with a teeth-grinding sound. Countless Blood Runes surged out from deep within its skeleton, instantly forming a blood-red barrier thirty feet across that completely enveloped Zhang Tie.

This barrier differed from ordinary defensive spells. Its surface constantly twisted and writhed, as though living creatures were moving within it, radiating a savage aura that made hearts tremble.

Ancestor Ming Yan's Netherworld Ghost Fire and Fu Sheng Ancestor's ice talisman struck the barrier almost simultaneously. Yet the blood light merely surged, and the two attacks, powerful enough to split mountains and sever rivers, vanished like clay oxen sinking into the sea after raising only ripples.

Before the two could change techniques, two savage blood-red skulls suddenly bulged from the barrier's surface. Their jaws opened, spitting out two blood-red spheres condensed to the extreme. Though only fist-sized, they carried an aura of destruction, and even the air hissed with corrosion wherever they passed.

At such close range, there was no room to evade.

Ancestor Ming Yan's pupils contracted sharply. His withered fingers rapidly formed hand seals within his sleeve, and a short ruler, purple-black from end to end, flew out from between his brows.

The ruler expanded in the wind. The Netherworld Ghost Fire rising from its surface condensed into tangible violet crystal flames, instantly splitting into thousands of ruler shadows that interwove before him into an impenetrable wall of flame.

Fu Sheng Ancestor appeared somewhat calmer, though a trace of gravity flashed through his eyes.

He held two fingers together like a blade and slashed through the air. A white talisman, as warm and lustrous as jade, appeared from nothing. With a flick of his