Soul Devouring Ambush and Xiaohu's Breakthrough

The Soul Devouring Snakes' surprise attack caught them completely off guard. These ferocious beasts were pitch black, their scales shimmering with an eerie glow. Their movements were as swift as arrows, and in the blink of an eye, they had surrounded Chen Fan and his group in the center of the stone chamber. Black venom dripped from their mouths, hissing as it hit the ground. The stone bricks instantly corroded into small pits, revealing the potency of their poison.

"Quick, use the Fire Talismans! Soul Devouring Snakes are afraid of fire!" Li Mo reacted the fastest, hastily pulling out talismans from his storage bag. The moment spiritual energy was injected, flames bloomed in his hand like lotuses, and he hurled them towards the nearest Soul Devouring Snake. The other disciples followed suit, and for a time, the stone chamber was filled with firelight, the scorching heat causing some of the Soul Devouring Snakes to instinctively retreat.

But the number of Soul Devouring Snakes was simply too great, with over a hundred of them. The flames could only temporarily hold back the front ranks, while the snakes in the rear actually stepped over the corpses of their companions and continued their charge. Their mouths gaped open, revealing sharp fangs, and they lunged towards Lin Xiaohu—in their eyes, this young man with the weakest aura was the easiest point of breakthrough.

"Xiaohu, be careful!" Chen Fan's pupils constricted. He was currently entangled by three adult Soul Devouring Snakes. The scales of these snakes were as hard as iron, and ordinary True Qi attacks could only leave a white scratch. He wanted to break free and rescue Lin Xiaohu, but he was violently swept by a snake tail across his waist and abdomen, staggering back two steps with a trickle of blood at the corner of his mouth.

Lin Xiaohu looked at the lunging Soul Devouring Snakes, a flicker of fear in his eyes. But suddenly, the basic fist technique principles Chen Fan had taught him surfaced in his mind: "Guard the center to achieve harmony, use stillness to counter movement, the physical body is the shield, Blood Essence is the edge." He took a deep breath, formed his hands into fists, and the faint Bloodline Power within his body flowed along his meridians. Although he hadn't condensed True Energy yet, it carried the unique bravery of a young man.

"Hah!" Lin Xiaohu roared, following the movements of the fist technique, and punched towards the snakes' vulnerable seven-inch mark with both fists. Although this strike lacked the enhancement of True Qi, it was incredibly precise—he had long since memorized Chen Fan's "Weakness Identification" from previous battles.

"Bang!" His fist collided with the snake scales. Lin Xiaohu's arm went numb, but the Soul Devouring Snake was momentarily stunned by this sudden attack. Seizing the opportunity, he quickly sidestepped, dodging the snake's bite, and simultaneously kicked its abdomen. The Soul Devouring Snake cried out in pain, let out a sharp hiss, and turned to pounce again.

"Xiaohu, use the Body Tempering Pills I gave you!" Chen Fan's voice came from the front. Lin Xiaohu then remembered that Chen Fan had given him three Body Tempering Pills before they set out, saying they could temporarily enhance physical strength at critical moments. He quickly took out a pill and swallowed it. The pill dissolved instantly upon entering his mouth, and a warm medicinal power surged through his body. His previously numb arm regained its strength, and his Blood Essence circulation accelerated several times.

With the boost from the medicinal power, Lin Xiaohu's fist techniques became even more fluid. He no longer engaged in head-on clashes but used the stone pillars in the chamber to dodge flexibly. Each time, in the gaps between the Soul Devouring Snakes' attacks, he struck their weak points with his fists or toes. Although he couldn't kill the Soul Devouring Snakes, he successfully bought time and created an opportunity for Chen Fan.

Seeing Lin Xiaohu's performance, a hint of relief flashed in Chen Fan's eyes. Then, his gaze sharpened, and the True Energy within him surged madly, condensing into a thick golden armor around his body. He slammed his fist onto the ground, and the force of "Sky Shattering Fist: Earth Tremor" spread along the stone bricks. The ground shook violently, and the three Soul Devouring Snakes surrounding him had their scales ripped off by the shock, revealing bloody and mangled bodies.

"Li Mo, take the disciples and guard Xiaohu. I'll clear the path!" Chen Fan roared, his body charging into the snake swarm like a whirlwind. He struck out alternately with both fists, each punch landing precisely on the snakes' seven-inch mark or eyes. The pale golden True Qi acted like sharp blades, instantly tearing through their scales. Screams erupted one after another, black snake blood splattered all over the stone chamber floor, and the air was filled with a pungent smell of blood.

But the Soul Devouring Snakes seemed fearless, continuing to charge forward relentlessly. Chen Fan's arms grew sore from fighting, and nearly half of his True Energy was depleted, yet dozens of Soul Devouring Snakes were still lunging towards the Dragon Bone Flower on the stone platform—they not only wanted to attack everyone but also destroy the Dragon Bone Flower!

"Not good! Their target is the Dragon Bone Flower!" Chen Fan's heart tightened. He wanted to rush over to protect it but was entangled by five adult Soul Devouring Snakes. These snakes were far stronger than ordinary ones, their scales as hard as steel, and their venom even more potent. Chen Fan's True Qi attacks could barely break through their defenses.

Just then, Lin Xiaohu suddenly shouted, "Brother Fan! Look at the murals over there!"

Chen Fan followed Lin Xiaohu's gaze and saw a mural on the west side of the stone chamber depicting a martial artist holding a fire totem, repelling a group of snake-like ferocious beasts. Below the mural was a line of ancient seal script, which he had read in the "Martial Path Elixir Scripture"—a type of ancient martial rune that could ignite flames using Bloodline Power!

"Xiaohu, do you remember the Blood Essence circulation method I taught you? Draw the fire rune according to the pattern on the mural using your Blood Essence!" Chen Fan called out urgently. He knew that although Lin Xiaohu didn't have True Energy, with the medicinal power of the Body Tempering Pills and his recent training, his Blood Essence was sufficient to activate the rune.

Lin Xiaohu nodded, took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and recalled the rune's pattern on the mural, while simultaneously mobilizing the Blood Essence within his body and condensing it at his fingertips. He slowly opened his eyes, his fingertips glowing with a faint red halo, and drew the fire rune on the stone wall in front of him.

"Buzz!"

As the last stroke was completed, the rune suddenly lit up, and a red flame shot out from it, flying towards the snake swarm like a fire snake. Wherever the flames passed, the Soul Devouring Snakes let out shrill cries and were instantly burned to charcoal. This flame was different from the fire spells of immortal cultivators; it contained the Blood Essence power of the Martial Path and had a natural restraining effect on the Soul Devouring Snakes!

"It works! Everyone, follow the rune on the mural and ignite flames using your Blood Essence or spiritual energy!" Chen Fan shouted excitedly. Li Mo and the disciples, seeing this, quickly emulated Lin Xiaohu's actions. Although they didn't understand Martial Path Blood Essence, they could use spiritual energy to simulate the rune's trajectory. Soon, flames ignited from various parts of the stone chamber, enveloping the snake swarm like a net of fire.

The Soul Devouring Snakes scurried about in the flames but could never break through the fire net. Chen Fan seized the opportunity, his figure flashing as he charged into the snake swarm. His fists rained down like a storm, killing all the remaining Soul Devouring Snakes.

When the last Soul Devouring Snake fell, everyone breathed a sigh of relief and collapsed onto the ground. Lin Xiaohu lay directly on the floor, gasping for breath, but a smile of excitement spread across his face. "Brother Fan, I did it! I can fight too!"

Chen Fan walked to Lin Xiaohu's side, patted his shoulder, and his eyes were filled with relief. "You did very well, Xiaohu. You're no longer the child who could only hide behind me."

Li Mo also walked over and gave Lin Xiaohu a thumbs-up. "Brother Xiaohu, you were amazing just now! If you hadn't discovered the rune on the mural, we probably wouldn't have escaped today."

Lin Xiaohu smiled sheepishly, got up from the ground, and looked at the Dragon Bone Flower on the stone platform. "Brother Fan, let's pick the Dragon Bone Flower quickly. It's too dangerous here, let's leave as soon as possible."

Chen Fan nodded and walked to the stone platform. The Dragon Bone Flower emitted a faint purple spiritual light, its petals displaying patterns as clear as dragon bones. He carefully reached out his hand, intending to pick the Dragon Bone Flower, but the moment his fingertips touched a petal, the stone chamber suddenly began to shake violently. The Dragon Bone Flower on the platform bloomed, and a purple light shot out from its stamen, illuminating the entire stone chamber.

"What is this..." Chen Fan's heart tensed. He saw the purple light condense into an illusory figure in the air. The figure was a martial artist clad in golden armor, holding a long spear, his eyes sharp as an eagle's, exuding an aura of disdain for the world.

"I am the ancient Martial Immortal 'Blazing Spear' Zhao Lie. Those who have the affinity to pass through my ruins and slay the Soul Devouring Snakes have proven their steadfast martial heart," the phantom spoke, its voice echoing through the stone chamber like a great bell. "Your martial path, though lacking spiritual energy, can shake heaven and earth with your physical body, which is truly rare. Within my ruins, lies the 'Blazing Spear Art' I cultivated throughout my life and my insights into breaking through to the Martial Saint realm. If you can pass my trial, you may take them."

Before his voice faded, the spear in the phantom's hand suddenly shot out a golden beam of light, attacking Chen Fan. Chen Fan's heart tensed, and he quickly circulated his True Qi, clenching his fists, ready to meet the attack. He knew this was the trial of an ancient Martial Immortal; only by passing it could he obtain the inheritance, and only then could he use the inheritance and the Dragon Bone Flower to break through to the Martial Saint realm sooner!