Twelve Stone Statues of the Divine Temple

The breath that kept Shi Mengying hanging on was the boundless hatred in her heart.

Just then, a gentle breeze suddenly stirred around, creating gaps in the tree shadows above Shi Mengying's head.

A few rays of moonlight poured onto Shi Mengying, surprisingly restoring a good portion of her strength.

In reality, Shi Mengying wasn't worried at all about being killed by Gu Chen.

As long as she had a single breath left, she could heal herself in a very short amount of time.

This was because she was a treasured pearl of the Phoenix Clan, with the Phoenix Bloodline flowing through her veins.

Phoenixes, as Spirit Beasts born at the dawn of creation, inherently possessed the power of being Immortal and Undying.

After all, Phoenix Nirvana, Rebirth in Flames, was more than just a simple folk legend.

However, after only a short while, Shi Mengying felt her internal organs had already recovered, and she could sit up directly.

Not far away, a ball of light surging with majestic spiritual energy still faintly floated above the broken tree stump.

That was the entrance to the Lingxu Secret Realm. Staring at that ball of light, Shi Mengying's gaze turned even colder.

Shi Mengying recalled her previous life. At first, she had no idea of her true identity.

She thought she was just a homeless waif with no parents.

Later, she was saved by Gu Chen, who told her she had talent for cultivation, and she embarked on the path of cultivation.

But Gu Chen never told Shi Mengying her true identity, and even frequently made Shi Mengying bleed.

Recalling it now, Shi Mengying's hatred for Gu Chen was enough to swallow the entire East Desolation Commandery!

"Gu Chen, you lied to me so terribly in the last life."

"Using my blood to improve your own cultivation, what a brilliant scheme!"

"Because of you, I didn't even get to see my clansmen one last time."

"All of this is because of you!"

"Gu Chen, I will definitely make you pay!"

Shi Mengying's eyes were filled with overwhelming hatred.

Because of the Phoenix Bloodline, the injuries within her body had mostly healed.

Although she wasn't back to her peak condition, normal activities were not a problem.

However, Shi Mengying couldn't help but feel puzzled.

Why couldn't she defeat Gu Chen just now?

According to her memories of the previous life, Gu Chen's cultivation should have only been at the Body Tempering Realm at this time.

But since her rebirth, Shi Mengying, relying on the foundation of her Phoenix Bloodline, had broken through to the Innate Realm in just a few days.

Normally, Gu Chen should not have been her opponent.

Standing before the entrance to the Lingxu Secret Realm, recalling the scene of their battle, Shi Mengying was still utterly perplexed.

After a long period of contemplation, she muttered to herself, "It must have been that I was too careless at the beginning."

"Next time I go all out, I will definitely be able to kill Gu Chen!"

With this thought, Shi Mengying's delicate face, illuminated by the moonlight, appeared even more cold and murderous.

If events unfolded according to the timeline of her previous life, Shi Mengying would have met Gu Chen for the first time a long time after he left the Lingxu Secret Realm, at a dilapidated market in the East Desolation Commandery.

However, since she carried the memories of her past life, Shi Mengying naturally couldn't wait that long.

She knew that after her rebirth, Gu Chen would definitely come to the Lingxu Secret Realm to search for treasures to improve his cultivation, which was why Shi Mengying had come to this place in advance to wait for Gu Chen!

Thinking of this, Shi Mengying slowly raised her right hand and gently touched the floating ball of light in front of her.

In an instant, Shi Mengying vanished from her spot, and the entire forest returned to silence.

Meanwhile, on the other side, Gu Chen stood within the Lingxu Secret Realm, gazing at the ruined walls and broken stones before him, lost in thought.

The Lingxu Secret Realm was actually the ancient ruins of an ancient divine temple.

Just standing here, Gu Chen could feel that the concentration of spiritual energy was completely different from the outside.

If the spiritual energy outside was like a trickling stream.

Then the spiritual energy here was a vast, surging ocean!

It was a pity that living people couldn't stay in the Lingxu Secret Realm for too long.

And they only had one chance to enter the Lingxu Secret Realm in their lifetime.

No matter if you were a Great Luo Golden Immortal or some Immortal Emperor or Demonic Venerable, anyone who violated the rules would suffer the punishment of the endless Heavenly Dao.

If it weren't for these rules and restrictions, Gu Chen couldn't even imagine if he could stay in such a place forever.

Perhaps in less than a month, his cultivation would directly reach the state it was in his previous life.

He might even surpass his previous life!

Gu Chen had originally thought that since he had come once in his previous life, he might not be able to enter again.

As a result of being reborn, he could even refresh the mark the Lingxu Secret Realm had placed on him.

Realizing he could cultivate in the Lingxu Secret Realm again, Gu Chen couldn't help but smirk.

Passing the dilapidated stone pillars in front of the great hall, Gu Chen stood directly before a stone gate.

Although it was called a stone gate, this mountain gate was easily hundreds of meters tall!

Standing beneath the stone gate, Gu Chen was as insignificant as a tiny ant.

In his previous life, Gu Chen and Gu Youwei had spent considerable effort to open this stone gate.

But now, the situation was different from before.

Gu Chen felt as if he had a cheat sheet in his mind, knowing the entire Lingxu Secret Realm like the back of his hand.

Gu Chen gently placed his right hand on the stone gate. After arranging the chaotic totems back into place, the stone gate before him rumbled open.

"As expected, it's just like before."

After confirming that the Lingxu Secret Realm hadn't changed at all, Gu Chen confidently strode deeper into it.

However, after only a few steps, Gu Chen's footsteps suddenly halted.

Whoosh!

The next second, a poisoned arrow whizzed past Gu Chen's nose!

Gu Chen knew these traps like the back of his hand. It was as if he were in his own home, easily navigating the corridor of traps before him.

The corridor of traps was nothing, though. What Gu Chen was about to face was the first true trial of the Lingxu Secret Realm.

When Gu Chen reached the end of the corridor, he stopped. In just a few seconds, the wall in front of him collapsed, revealing a vast, empty hall.

"Alright, I'll play along with you one more time."

Gu Chen's lips curved into a slight smile, his entire being brimming with potent combat energy.

Then, Gu Chen stepped into the hall.

Instantly, the hall seemed to sense something amiss, and the very ground began to tremble violently.

The twelve stone statues, which had been quietly arranged around the hall, seemed to come alive in an instant, their gazes falling upon Gu Chen.

The surroundings were eerily silent, so much so that Gu Chen could clearly hear his own heartbeat.

Being stared at by twelve colossal stone statues was an utterly bizarre feeling.