Leaving the Ancient Forest

After taking the two supreme remains into his Inner World, this Scarlet Plains, which once bore witness to Ancient Battle and nurtured the Dragon Phoenix fruits, was now empty and devoid of anything worth lingering over.

Lin Ming glanced around to make sure nothing was missed, then calmly said, "Let's go! This matter is settled, there are no more lingering concerns, it's time to leave."

Hearing Lin Ming's words, everyone nodded. The biggest goal here had been achieved, and they had even obtained ancient remains far exceeding their expectations. There was indeed no point in staying in this desolate plain any longer.

However, just as everyone was about to move and follow Lin Ming away, Lin Ming stopped again and slowly turned around.

At this moment, Lin Ming's gaze calmly swept over every member of the Five Elements Sect present— Zi Yan, Qing Lin, Xiong Zhan, Di Kong, and the others.

At this moment, Lin Ming's expression turned serious. Although his voice was not loud, it carried an undeniable authority and a chilling intensity, clearly reaching everyone's ears:

"Those of you present here today are the core of my Five Elements Sect, people I can entrust my life to. Therefore, I will speak frankly and without beating around the bush."

Lin Ming paused slightly, his gaze sweeping over Di Kong and the others who had joined later, like a sharp sword. His tone suddenly turned cold, like the north wind in the dead of winter:

"Regarding this plain, regarding the Dragon Phoenix Origin Fruit, regarding those two remains... anyone who dares to leak even a whisper of what happened here today, whether intentionally or unintentionally..."

Lin Ming's eyes flashed with a cold light as he said, word by word, "Then don't blame me, Lin Ming, for using the full strength of my sect, searching high and low, to ensure that the liar and his entire clan are wiped out, leaving not a single chicken or dog alive!"

This blood-soaked warning struck Di Kong and the others like a hammer blow, sending chills down their spines and making their hair stand on end!

They had no doubt about the truthfulness of Lin Ming's words, and they were well aware of the terrifying disaster that would be brought to the Five Elements Sect if this information were leaked!

Everyone knew perfectly well that Lin Ming's words were not primarily a warning to Zi Yan and Qing Lin.

Zi Yan is a beneficiary of the Dragon Phoenix Origin Fruit and Ancient Void Dragon, with a close relationship with Lin Ming; Qing Lin is someone Lin Ming regards as his own sister, the inheritor of the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils, and her loyalty is beyond question. As Zi Yan's "little brother," Xiong Zhan is naturally not a concern either.

This warning was clearly aimed at the elders and deacons who had joined the Five Elements Sect later! It was a reminder that since they had chosen the Five Elements Sect, they must be absolutely loyal and keep their mouths shut!

In an instant, Di Kong and the others felt a chill run down their spines. They quickly bowed, their voices trembling slightly, and rushed to swear an oath:

"Sect Master, please be wise! We are utterly loyal to the sect. What we have seen and heard today will remain a closely guarded secret, and we will never reveal a single word to anyone! If we disobey, may we be condemned by heaven and earth, and may our entire clan be exterminated!"

"Sect Master, rest assured, we know this matter concerns the survival of our sect, and we will certainly keep it a secret!"

Seeing the fearful yet resolute expressions of the crowd, the icy chill on Lin Ming's face slowly faded, replaced by a gentle smile.

Knowing the importance of using both kindness and severity, Lin Ming naturally wanted to offer a reward after giving Lin Ming a warning.

Lin Ming nodded slightly, his tone softening, and said, "Very good, I trust you all. After this trip to the ruins concludes and we return to the sect, everyone present today will receive corresponding promotions in their status, authority, and access to cultivation resources within the sect, based on their contributions. The Five Elements Sect will never mistreat any loyal disciple."

Upon hearing this, Di Kong and the others were stunned at first, then their faces lit up with uncontrollable excitement and elation!

A rise in status! A boost in resources! This is an irresistible temptation for any cultivator! The previous fear was instantly overshadowed by immense joy, and everyone bowed again, their voices filled with gratitude:

"Thank you for your generous gift, Sect Master!"

"We swear to be loyal to our Sect Master to the death! We swear to be loyal to the Five Elements Sect!"

Having used both kindness and severity to completely eliminate the internal threats, Lin Ming didn't linger any longer. With a wave of his sleeve, he said, "Let's go!"

Upon hearing this, Lin Ming took the lead, lightly touching the edge of the Altar with his toes. His figure, like a ghost, instantly appeared at the edge of the golden Beast Spirit Barrier in the distance.

Zi Yan, Qing Lin, and the others behind them immediately used their movement techniques to keep up.

Upon arriving at the barrier of light, Zi Yan was still somewhat weak, but opening the passage was no longer a problem. She stretched out her small hand, her fingertips swirling with Dragon Force, and once again drew a golden crack on the smooth barrier of light.

Seeing this, Lin Ming and the others did not hesitate. In a flash, they filed out through the crack and disappeared into the plain that was about to fall into complete silence.

Just after they left, the golden light barrier of the Beast Spirit Barrier rippled slightly, and the cracks quickly healed. However, upon closer inspection, it could be seen that the light of the barrier seemed to be slightly dimmer than before, and its flow was also slightly sluggish.

This Beast Spirit Barrier operates based on the residual energy from the remains of two supreme Magical Beasts.

Now that Lin Ming has taken away the remains of the Ancient Void Dragon and the Ancient Heavenly Phoenix, the core source that supported their existence has disappeared. It is clear that they cannot sustain themselves for long by relying only on the faint aura left in the plain soil and air.

Of course, this "cannot last long" does not mean that it will collapse within a few days.

The remaining energy within, while insufficient to sustain the ruins until their next reopening in an uncertain time, should be more than enough to last until the end of this exploration.

Once the ruins close and disappear back into the void, this plain and everything that happened within it will become a secret buried by time, never to be explored again.

Of course, Lin Ming had no time to speculate on how long the Beast Spirit Barrier could last.

Their figures passed through the crack, accompanied by a flash of golden light, and then reappeared out of thin air in that vast, ancient, and dangerous Ancient Forest.

As soon as they appeared, almost reflexively, their fighting Dou Qi surged, forming a defensive stance, and their sharp eyes scanned their surroundings.

After detecting no ambush or powerful Magical Beasts aura nearby, the group's tense nerves relaxed slightly, and they gradually withdrew their outward Dou Qi.

Returning to this familiar forest, I was immediately greeted by a cacophony of noise, so different from the deathly silence of the plains.

Although the view was obscured by dense trees, one could faintly hear the sounds of fierce battles, the roars of colliding energy, and the furious roars of some Magical Beasts coming from all directions of the forest.

Clearly, during the time they were inside the Beast Spirit Barrier, even more treasure hunters ventured into the depths of this forest, clashing with the powerful Magical Beasts that inhabited the area and vying for any potential treasures.

"The commotion here is getting louder, and the smell of blood will attract even more powerful beings. We shouldn't linger; let's leave this core area first. If we get entangled with those alerted giants, we'll be in for a lot of trouble."

Lin Ming quickly assessed the situation. After speaking, he didn't linger. With a swift movement, he transformed into a blurry black shadow and sped away, following the path he remembered from the beginning.

Zi Yan, Qing Lin, Xiong Zhan, and the others followed without hesitation, immediately using their movement techniques to keep up with Lin Ming's pace.

As he sped along, Lin Ming once again demonstrated his astonishingly efficient work style.

Wherever his gaze fell, he barely glanced at any medicinal herbs that still shimmered with spiritual light and were of sufficient age, or any minerals or rare trees containing special energy. With a thought, he would uproot them in large swaths, along with the spiritual soil beneath them, and pack them into his seemingly endless Inner World.

The skill, scope, and efficiency of their movements left Di Kong and the others following behind twitching in their eyes, once again deeply impressed by their Sect Master's "moving" ability.

This is even cleaner and more efficient than a locust swarm passing through!

This frenzied sweep continued until Lin Ming and his group returned to the area where they had previously obtained the Soul Infant Demonic Tree.

Looking ahead at that area... a truly "blank space"—the huge crater left by the disappearance of the lake, along with the island in the middle of the lake and the rare trees around it, all of which had been removed, leaving only bare soil devoid of anything, Lin Ming smacked his lips with a hint of reluctance, and was forced to stop this act of plundering.

There was nothing they could do; he had already "cleaned" the area clean beforehand, leaving not a single decent blade of grass behind, so there was no way to start cleaning it up.

"Let's go! Since it's all gone, let's go back the way we came." Lin Ming shrugged helplessly.

Everyone couldn't help but chuckle, and without further delay, they returned directly along the relatively "clean" path that Lin Ming had "cleared" for them.

Soon, they reappeared before the ancient Stone Door covered in moss that they had passed when they entered this Ancient Forest.

"Rumble..."

Before Lin Ming could step Stone Door, the rest of the Five Elements Sect members forcefully pushed the heavy Stone Door open again. Then, they filed out and tightly closed the Stone Door, sealing the now "barren" Ancient Forest back into place.

After emerging, the group stood in the spacious yet chaotic corridor. They glanced back at the tightly closed Stone Door, then looked at the corridor and the buildings on both sides that had been vandalized by treasure hunters and were now in Ruins. They couldn't help but shake their heads with bitter smiles.

"These guys are so barbaric when they're looting; they're practically tearing the house apart..."

Looking at the attics where even the doors and windows had been removed, Xiong Zhan muttered a complaint in a gruff voice, completely forgetting that his Sect Master's actions just now were a prime example of "extinction."

"Lin Ming, where are we going now?" Zi Yan turned to Lin Ming and asked.

After this period of recuperation, her breathing has improved considerably, and color has returned to her face.

After a moment's thought, Lin Ming scanned the intricate corridors, sensing the ancient and vast aura emanating from the depths of the main hall, and then spoke:

"Let's go further in. Most of these pavilions on the outer perimeter of the ruins are just scraps; the real core treasures should be stored in the central area of the main hall."

After speaking, Lin Ming looked up and carefully discerned the direction, which was the other end of the corridor, the direction with a more profound and ancient aura, and walked quickly towards it.

"Walk!"

Seeing this, Zi Yan, Qing Lin, and the others naturally had no objections and quickly followed.