All Present, the Seal Is Lifted
With the people from the Five Elements Sect and the Blazing Flame Valley gathered together, waiting for the seal of the light orb to completely disappear, the vast main hall was never silent for a moment.
Outside the main hall, the sound of wind breaking could be heard from time to time in the passageway. Auras of varying strengths, but all of them were sharp figures, like sharks that had smelled blood, continuously rushing from all parts of the ruins and eventually converging here.
As more and more powerful individuals and forces arrived, the atmosphere in the already oppressive hall, caused by the ten orbs of light and the Dou Saint remains, became even more tense and strained, like a fully drawn bowstring.
The crowd surged, yet strangely, there was little noise; only wary glances exchanged and an invisible tension permeated the air.
Everyone knows that while they can maintain a semblance of calm for now, once the seal is broken and the treasure is revealed, those "acquaintances" who were just smiling and greeting each other may suddenly launch a fatal attack without hesitation.
In this oppressive atmosphere of impending doom, Alliance and strategic maneuvering became inevitable. As a result, some forces that had some prior acquaintances, or trusted lone strongmen, began to quietly approach each other, secretly gathering and exchanging glances and whispers.
Because everyone understood that in this chaotic place where all sorts of Dragon Snake and powerful figures abounded, relying solely on one person's strength would likely prevent them from even touching the treasures before they were swallowed up by the surging crowd, or even die without knowing why.
"Hiss!"
The rapid whooshing sound of something flying through the air rang out again, and another group of people arrived.
Although more and more people gathered in the main hall, shoulder to shoulder, the suffocating silence remained.
This created a heavy, oppressive atmosphere, causing many with weaker mental fortitude to break out in a cold sweat.
This caused the Dou Qi within their bodies to be in an extremely active state, like a volcano about to erupt. The space around them was slightly distorted, and at the slightest disturbance, this accumulated power would be instantly drawn in, unleashing astonishing destructive force, and could also become the fuse that ignites chaos.
Lin Ming casually tucked his hands into his sleeves, his eyes slightly closed, seemingly oblivious to the tense atmosphere outside. However, his vast, ocean-like Soul Perception had already formed an invisible net, enveloping every corner of the entire hall, clearly reflecting any subtle energy fluctuations or changes in aura in his mind.
Suddenly, Lin Ming, without opening his closed eyes, subtly curved a smile at the corner of his lips and murmured, "They're here!"
As soon as Lin Ming finished speaking, the light at the entrance of the main hall dimmed, and another group of people rushed into the hall, looking travel-worn.
This group exuded a calm yet powerful aura, led by the refined and scholarly-looking Venerable Feng, who was none other than the Starfall Pavilion members. Beside Venerable Feng, the young man in black robes with a resolute face—who else could it be but Xiao Yan?
Xiao Yan's gaze swept across the entire area as swiftly as a hawk's, and when he saw the ten dazzling orbs of light and the Dou Saint remains on the stone seat, a look of shock and fervor flashed in his eyes.
Immediately, his gaze fell on Lin Ming, who was standing with Blazing Flame Valley. His eyes flickered slightly as he recalled his encounter in the Pill Hall, and a complex emotion welled up in his heart again. However, he did not show it on the surface, but simply nodded slightly in the direction of Lin Ming.
Lin Ming responded with a faint smile, as if nothing had happened.
With the arrival of the powerful Starfall Pavilion, the power dynamics within the main hall seem to have undergone a subtle shift.
However, before everyone could fully appreciate the change, a strange and shrill laugh, like the cry of an owl, seemed to come from all directions at once, transforming into invisible Sound Wave that abruptly echoed within the silent hall, penetrating everyone's ears.
"Heh heh, looks like it's not too late this time..."
The laughter contained a chilling, sinister Soul Fluctuation made people extremely uncomfortable, sending shivers down their spines.
Hearing that strange yet distinctive laugh, Lin Ming, who had been resting with his eyes closed, murmured to himself, "So they've finally arrived... Old Ghost Xing!"
The sharp Sound Wave spread throughout the massive main hall, carrying an unbridled arrogance that caused many powerful figures to slightly change their expressions and become serious.
They could clearly sense that the owner of this voice possessed exceptionally powerful strength, far surpassing that of ordinary Dou Venerate.
As everyone looked around in surprise and doubt, searching for the source of the sound, a sudden, violent whooshing sound came from the passageway outside the main hall.
Immediately, a thick, ink-like Black Mist surged in from outside the palace, swallowing up even the light in its path, carrying a sinister and chilling aura.
The Black Mist eventually gathered in the air above the main hall and slowly dissipated, revealing several figures shrouded in wide black robes, their bodies swirling with a sinister aura.
Their unique entrance, along with the eerie Soul Rune faintly visible on their black robes, immediately made most of the people present recognize their identities.
"They're actually from the Soul Hall?"
Upon seeing the newcomer, many people's hearts skipped a beat, and their brows furrowed tightly.
The Soul Hall's strength and modus operandi are well-known throughout the entire Dou Qi Continent, and they are infamous for their ruthlessness. If they were to intervene and seize the Heaven Tier Dou Technique, it would undoubtedly make the already chaotic and perilous situation even more complicated and dangerous.
In mid-air, the black-robed man at the head slowly lifted his hood, revealing an old and wrinkled face, but his eyes gleamed with a Ghost Fire light like will-o'-the-wisps. He was none other than the Soul Hall Venerable Elder, the Old Ghost Xing!
He looked down at the numerous powerful figures in the main hall below, and his eerie laughter rang out again. "Heh heh, it's quite lively indeed. I didn't expect this Ancient Ruins to attract so many living souls. If we guard this place, we'll probably make a fortune."
The Old Ghost's undisguised remark was filled with contempt and cruelty, treating the people below as prey, immediately causing many to show disgust and anger in their eyes.
The Soul Hall's practice of capturing souls is nothing new in the Middle Continent, and such behavior is naturally despised by the vast majority of righteous people.
However, due to the Soul Hall's unfathomable and terrifying strength, as well as its ruthless and vengeful nature, no one dared to stand up and confront them directly at this moment.
Moreover, many of the powerful figures present were well aware of the strength of the Old Ghost Xing Five-Star Dou Venerate.
Such strength, even across the entire continent, would place him near the top level of power, enough to crush most of the people present.
So even if his words offended people, those who were weaker could only dare to be angry but not speak out, suppressing their dissatisfaction in their hearts.
Lin Ming's gaze calmly swept over the group of Old Ghost Xing in mid-air, but a hint of coldness flashed deep in his eyes.
The appearance of the Soul Hall was within Lin Ming's expectations. After all, he was a transmigrator with Original Work Memory, so he had a precognitive understanding of these general events and the people involved.
The atmosphere inside the main hall became even more eerie and tense due to the arrival of the Soul Hall, like the calm before the storm.
Time ticked by, second by second, in this oppressive, heart-pounding wait.
The light emanating from those ten orbs had dimmed to an extreme, flickering like candles in the wind. The mysterious runes on them had also become indistinct, as if they might shatter completely at any moment.
"The seal is about to disappear!"
In this almost frozen wait, Lin Ming, who had been keeping his eyes slightly closed, suddenly opened them at a certain moment, a glint of light flashing in his eyes, and spoke softly.
Although his voice wasn't loud, it was like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, instantly breaking the silence and causing everyone around, whose nerves were on edge, to feel their hearts clench!
As Lin Ming's voice faded—
"Buzz!!!"
As if in response to his words, the ten orbs of light suspended in mid-air suddenly trembled violently!
Immediately, a blindingly bright light, like ten suns erupting simultaneously, swept out from within the ball of light!
Amidst this blindingly bright light, the scroll that was faintly visible within seemed to break free of its final restraints, transforming into streams of light of various colors, each carrying immense energy. From within the collapsing ball of light, like birds breaking free of their cages, they burst forth and shot in all directions from the main hall!
"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"
The moment the scroll was unfurled, the entire hall, which had been silent for so long, erupted into a frenzy, as if an ice block had been thrown into boiling oil! All the repression and restraint vanished in that instant!
"Rob it!"
"The Heaven Tier Dou Technique is mine!"
"Stop that red streak of light!"
A frenzied roar, howl, and shout instantly echoed throughout the hall. Countless figures, like locusts swarming across the land, their eyes bloodshot, unleashed their Dou Qi without reservation, their forms becoming afterimages as they recklessly rushed towards the scattered streams of light from the scrolls! The scene instantly spiraled out of control, descending into utter chaos!
However, at the very moment that the ten orbs of light exploded and the scrolls flew out—
"Click... click..."
Around the stone seat, the dozen or so Ash-colored Puppet that had been silent for countless years, like stone sculptures, suddenly began to crack with faint sounds.
Their eyes, which had been closed for millennia, suddenly opened in that instant!
There were no whites in the eyes, no pupils, only a hollow gray-white color!
But the instant this grayish-white color appeared, a chilling, pure, and extremely dense terrifying Killing Aura, like Fierce Beasts that had been sleeping for thousands of years awakening, emanated from the bodies of these dozen or so Puppet, instantly enveloping the entire space around the stone seat!
The Puppet has awakened!
A chaotic treasure hunt and the Guardian's ruthless slaughter erupt simultaneously at this moment!