Lord of Devourment

"Kid, follow me first. This Stone Talisman Space is extremely complex, and most of the things in it are sealed off. Don't go barging around."

Little Marten said softly, then led the way. Lin Dong followed behind, constantly weaving through this dark space, and couldn't help but ask curiously.

"That place where the Ancient Soul sleeps—it isn't sealed?"

"If it were sealed, why would I bother taking you there?"

Little Marten rolled his eyes at that. But after saying this, he suddenly fell silent. Lin Dong looked over curiously and saw Little Marten hesitate for a moment before speaking up.

"I don't think it's that this mysterious Stone Talisman doesn't want to seal it—it's more like it can't seal that Ancient Soul. Come to think of it, the reason my demonic spirit managed to escape back then was because a single breath from that Ancient Soul bought me a moment's time."

"Hiss!"

Lin Dong sharply sucked in a breath of cold air. A single breath could hold back the experts who were chasing Little Marten. That meant the Ancient Soul's strength in life must have been even more terrifying, right?

At the very least, it surpassed Little Marten's power. Could it be... a Nirvana Realm expert?

But then, Lin Dong couldn't help feeling worried. Could he really awaken such an ancient powerhouse?

"But... can I really wake them up?"

"Let's try first. That ancient expert's strength is far beyond mine. Even if they have no power left, they'll definitely have a way to help you deal with that measly Lesser Perfection of the Yuan Dan Realm little thing."

Little Marten waved a paw lightly. After walking for quite a while, he finally stopped.

Lin Dong stared curiously at the patch of dim darkness before him, but saw nothing. Instead, the Ancient Vortex Talisman Seal inside his Numinous Palace began to tremble slowly.

Steadying his mind, Lin Dong turned to Little Marten beside him and asked curiously.

"Little Marten, where is it? I don't see anything at all?"

"Kid, look with your heart. That dark vortex in front of you—that's where that ancient expert's soul sleeps. Back then, if not for his breath saving Lord Marten, even I wouldn't have found it."

Little Marten spoke softly. Lin Dong listened and peered intently into the darkness, but still found nothing.

After a moment's hesitation, feeling the strange fluctuations from the Ancient Vortex Talisman Seal, Lin Dong gritted his teeth and directly summoned it.

When Little Marten saw Lin Dong summon his Life Spirit Talisman, he was startled at first, then couldn't help mocking him.

"Kid, don't tell me you're thinking of using your Life Spirit Talisman to awaken that ancient expert?"

But no sooner had Little Marten's mockery faded than his expression froze. Lin Dong's Ancient Vortex Talisman Seal had begun to change.

The moment that Ancient Vortex Talisman Seal appeared, Lin Dong was shocked to find he had lost control of his Life Spirit Talisman.

Then, the runes on the Ancient Vortex Talisman Seal began to twist. Under Lin Dong and Little Marten's stunned gazes, they transformed into a small vortex.

"This..."

Lin Dong was taken aback. He had seen this vortex once before, when he fought Gu Ying. That vortex had devoured Gu Ying's Spiritual Power, which was how Lin Dong had been lucky enough to win and kill him.

After the vortex appeared, it slowly drifted toward the massive black vortex. Then, Lin Dong felt an incredibly powerful suction force emanating from the black vortex before him.

Meanwhile, outside, at the Lin Family Manor, everyone in the Lin family was roused.

Vast surges of natural energy were forming a massive tornado in the sky, and at its very base was Lin Dong's room.

"Father, it's Dong'er's room. What do we do?"

Lin Xiao spoke in a deep voice, his eyes carrying a hint of amazement. This surge of energy was even more terrifying than when Lin Zhentian had broken through to the Lesser Yuan Dan Realm.

Lin Zhentian's expression was also strange. Logically, with Lin Dong's strength, he shouldn't be able to cause such a massive disturbance in natural energy. This commotion was even more fearsome than breaking through to the Primal Core Realm Great Perfection, wasn't it?

"First, have people stand guard and seal off the news. Also, don't disturb Dong'er, understand?"

"Yes, Father. I'll arrange it immediately."

Lin Xiao acknowledged and went down to handle the arrangements himself.

Back in the Stone Talisman Space, Lin Dong and Little Marten both stared in shock at the gradually brightening space. A massive black vortex was spinning rapidly, and torrents of energy were pouring into it from the outside world.

That vortex was like an insatiable beast. Even as terrifying waves of natural energy flooded into it like a tide, there was no sign of it slowing down.

"Hiss! This thing... could it be the Devouring Ancestral Talisman?"

Little Marten stared at the enormous black vortex, feeling the terrifying Devouring Power emanating from within, and couldn't help asking curiously.

Lin Dong was stunned again, fully displaying his country-bumpkin ignorance.

"Little Marten, what's the Devouring Ancestral Talisman? From the name, it sounds like another type of Life Spirit Talisman that talisman masters cultivate?"

"What do you mean 'what's that'? Kid, show some respect. That's one of the Eight Great Ancestral Talismans, famous throughout heaven and earth. Every Ancestral Talisman master is a world-shaking super powerhouse."

Little Marten's eyes held a trace of longing. In this world, who didn't yearn to obtain an Ancestral Talisman?

"Ancestral Talisman? That powerful?"

Lin Dong was startled. Only eight Ancestral Talismans existed in all the world—they must be incredibly mighty existences. Then his gaze fell back on the black vortex, and he asked curiously.

"So that means this ancient expert before us was the master of the Devouring Ancestral Talisman?"

"Probably. And you, kid, are lucky too. That Life Spirit Talisman of yours is likely a talisman copied from the Devouring Ancestral Talisman, which is why it can activate this Devouring..."

Little Marten suddenly stopped mid-sentence. Lin Dong looked at him curiously and saw that the usually proud and arrogant Little Marten now had his eyes wide open, his marten mouth hanging agape as he stared at the black vortex.

Lin Dong moved closer and asked softly.

"Little Marten, what's wrong?"

"Surely not... it can't be that lord, can it!"

Little Marten did not answer Lin Dong, only muttering softly to himself, a hint of reverence in his eyes.

This only piqued Lin Dong's curiosity further, and he reached out to poke Little Marten, asking again.

"Little Marten, who is it?"

Gulp. Little Marten swallowed hard, his eyes still thick with shock, as if he had yet to come back to his senses. He spoke as though talking to himself.

"If I'm not mistaken, this should be one of the famed Eight Ancient Lords—the first master of the Devouring Ancestral Talisman, the Lord of Devourment!"