Just as Lin Ming, at the Magma Depths, used his surging strength to fight the Half Sage Flame Lizard head-on, and calmly used the Space Power to escape far away.
Hundreds of millions of miles away, in the northern part of the Central Region of the Central Plains, the area that originally belonged to the Ice River Valley but has now changed hands to the Five Elements Sect is now shrouded in a suffocating Killing intent.
Outside the sect, the mountains, which were originally full of Spirit Qi and shrouded in clouds and mist, were now filled with an inescapable black mist. The mist was cold and piercing, carrying a chilling aura that eroded the soul.
The sky was covered with dark clouds, not formed naturally, but gathered from a vast amount of dark Dou Qi, blotting out the sun and making it seem as if the end of the world had arrived.
The Five Elements Sect is on high alert!
This powerful enemy was not the Ancient Void Dragon Clan, who might have come due to a misunderstanding, but a colossal entity that struck fear into the hearts of all in the Middle Continent — the Soul Hall!
The trigger for everything stemmed from the Ancient Ruins battle that shook the Middle Continent several months ago.
Within those ruins, Lin Ming, the Sect Master of the Five Elements Sect, and Old Ghost Xing, the Soul Hall Venerable Elder, clashed fiercely over a priceless Dou Saint remains.
In the end, Lin Ming not only successfully repelled the Old Ghost Xing, but also used the power of his Puppet to tear off one of the Old Ghost Xing's arms, forcing him to flee in a sorry state. The coveted Dou Saint remains naturally fell into Lin Ming's hands.
The humiliation of losing an arm and the hatred of having his treasure stolen—how could the Old Ghost Xing swallow this insult? After fleeing back to the Soul Hall, he immediately embellished the story and reported it to the authorities.
Enraged, the Soul Hall leadership, after careful planning, dispatched a formidable and terrifying Soul Hall Expeditionary Force to the Five Elements Sect. Their aim was to swiftly eliminate this newly emerging force, which had repeatedly challenged the Soul Hall's authority, along with its Sect Master Lin Ming, and to reclaim the Dou Saint remains and all the secrets within them!
At this moment, above the black clouds suspended above the Five Elements Sect's mountain gate, figures exuded a chilling aura.
The leader, dressed in a gray robe, had his face shrouded in shadow, except for his eyes, which resembled two deep vortexes that seemed capable of devouring one's soul.
The aura emanating from him had already surpassed the realm of Dou Venerate, stepping into the Half-Saint Realm that countless people dream of!
He was the leader of this operation, the Third Heavenly Venerate of Soul Hall! A top expert who had just broken through to the Half Sage level and emerged from seclusion to take charge of this operation!
Slightly behind the Third Heavenly Venerate stood two equally cold and powerful figures. One was elusive, like a ghost, none other than Ninth Heavenly Venerate Mo Yu of Soul Hall, whose strength was at the late stage of the Eight-Star Dou Venerate; the other was imposing, with cruel eyes, none other than the Eighth Heavenly Venerate Qiu Di, whose strength had reached the peak of the Eight-Star Dou Venerate.
Besides these, there were three figures dressed in the robes of the Soul Hall Heavenly Venerate. One of them had an empty left sleeve and a face full of resentment. He was none other than the Old Ghost Xing, who had suffered a great loss at Lin Ming's hands and possessed the cultivation of Five-Star Dou Venerate! The other two Heavenly Venerate also had auras between Five Stars and Six-Star Dou Venerate.
And this was not all the people from the Soul Hall. Behind them were no less than ten ordinary Soul Hall Venerable Elder with cultivation levels ranging from one to Four Stars, as well as dozens of Soul Hall Protector with chilling auras at the Dou Zong level!
With such a lineup—one Half Sage, two Eight-Star Dou Venerate, three Five Stars and Six-Star Dou Venerate, plus nearly a dozen low-level Dou Venerate and a large number of Dou Zong —it is a terrifying force capable of sweeping away the vast majority of first-class forces in the Middle Continent!
This time, the Soul Hall is clearly determined to crush the Five Elements Sect, this hidden danger, with absolute power!
Meanwhile, on the other hand, the atmosphere at the Five Elements Sect was extremely heavy, as if a huge boulder was pressing on everyone's hearts.
The massive Sect Protecting Array, shimmering with multicolored light, had already firmly guarded the core area of the sect like an eggshell. Above the light barrier, energy flowed rapidly like ripples in water, emitting a low hum, clearly operating beyond its capacity to resist the overwhelming, chilling pressure from the outside world.
Within the light barrier, the vast sect square, as well as the surrounding mountain paths, halls, and corridors, were densely packed with disciples of the Five Elements Sect.
Most of them were dressed in uniform clothing with five colors of Five-Element Rotation. At this moment, however, they were all pale-faced, gripping their weapons tightly, their knuckles white from the force.
Some of the younger disciples, who had only recently begun their training, were even trembling slightly involuntarily, their eyes filled with an instinctive fear of the dark figures in the sky.
The pervasive black mist and the oppressive aura of Half Sage, like cold, venomous snakes, coiled around their nerves.
However, amidst this fear, there was also a sense of resolute determination and tragic grandeur. They looked up at the several upright figures above the mountain gate. Although their Sect Master was not there, the Vice Sect Master, the Great Elder, and the other elders stood facing the enemy, demonstrating the sect's unyielding spirit.
No one retreated, no one cried out; only the heavy breathing and the faint sound of weapons rubbing against armor intertwined, creating a tragic silence.
A core disciple standing at the front of the line suddenly plunged his longsword into the ground, knelt on one knee, and roared in a hoarse but resolute voice, "I swear to live and die with the sect!"
The voice was like a pebble thrown into a still lake, instantly triggering a chain reaction. More and more disciples joined in the shouts. The initial waves of sound were chaotic, but they gradually coalesced into a torrent that, though still somewhat immature, was full of fervent spirit. "We swear to live and die with our sect!"
Compared to the numerous Five Elements Sect disciples within the formation, only a handful of people were able to stand outside this Sect Protecting Array, confronting the powerful figures of the Soul Hall from afar. They were the Five Elements Sect's last line of defense.
Standing at the very front was none other than the Five Elements Sect's Pillar of the Sea besides Lin Ming — the Great Elder of Five Elements Sect, the Heavenly Flame Venerate Elder Yao, who possessed the cultivation of Peak Nine-Revolution Dou Venerate.
His white robes fluttered under the oppressive aura of the other party, but his figure remained as immovable as a mountain rooted in the void. His ancient face was now filled with unprecedented solemnity, and his eyes were sharp as lightning, fixed on the Third Heavenly Venerate who led the other party.
At this moment, Elder Yao unleashed his Peak Nine-Revolution Dou Venerate without reservation, colliding fiercely with the Half Sage pressure of the Third Heavenly Venerate Venerables in the air, producing an invisible hissing sound, attempting to relieve even the slightest pressure on the sect disciples behind him.
To the left of Elder Yao, Xiao Yi Xian, dressed in a pale white dress, resembled Snow Lotus blooming in the biting cold wind.
Her exquisitely beautiful face was covered with a layer of frost, and in her slender hands, a chilling gray Calamity Poison Gas was faintly visible, causing the surrounding air to distort slightly due to this power.
Although Xiao Yi Xian only possesses the strength of Six-Star Dou Venerate, her reputation for the Woeful Poison Body, especially the Woeful Poison Body which has been the only one to be controlled throughout history, is enough to make any opponent, including that Ninth Heavenly Venerate, cast a wary glance at her.
To Xiao Yi Xian's left stood Xiong Zhan, a burly man as imposing as an iron tower. His eyes were bloodshot, and thick white breaths billowed from his nostrils. The bloodline of the Ancient Dragon Bear aroused his ferocity under this pressure. His two giant, fan-like hands clenched tightly, making a creaking sound, as if he wanted to rush forward and fight the enemy immediately.
Mo Ying, the three -Three-Star Dou Venerate elder of the Five Elements Sect standing next to Xiong Zhan, had a similarly solemn expression, but his eyes were unusually calm as he constantly scanned the Soul Hall's lineup, seemingly searching for any possible weaknesses.
To Elder Yao's right, Qing Lin pursed her lips, her Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils no longer clear as before, but filled with vigilance and coldness. At the same time, as the three flowers in Qing Lin's eyes spun slightly, several more figures appeared.
Ming Yu's cold figure quietly appeared, his aura as Four-Star Dou Venerate Peak Nether Python; the massive body of the Nine Profound Nether Python coiled up, its eerie light shimmering; the Clan Leader of the Earth Tiger Clan and the Silver Moon Wolf Clan stood on either side, their deep tiger roars and wolf howls remaining silent, yet adding to the chilling atmosphere.
The appearance of these powerful Magical Beasts finally made the Five Elements Sect's momentum seem less weak, but anyone with discerning eyes knew that it still couldn't bridge the huge gap in strength.
At this moment, Qing Lin clearly sensed several powerful auras from the opposing camp, which made the Magical Beasts under her control somewhat restless.
Among them, the Nine Profound Nether Python was the most formidable. Upon hearing this, Qing Lin's eyes flashed, and he forcibly calmed it down.
The atmosphere between the two sides became tense, as if the air itself had frozen.
However, at that very moment, the voice of the Third Heavenly Venerate of Soul Hall, as indifferent as ten thousand years of ice, rang out again, each word like a heavy hammer, striking the hearts of everyone in the Five Elements Sect:
"Hand over the Dou Saint remains obtained from the Ancient Ruins, as well as Lin Ming, the villain who injured my Soul Hall Venerable Elder. I, the Heavenly Venerate Venerable, can spare the lives of everyone in your Five Elements Sect. Now, withdraw."
The Third Heavenly Venerate of Soul Hall deliberately paused, and a tangible Killing Intent suddenly erupted from their abyss-like eyes, crashing against the Five-Colored Light Shield like a cold tide. This caused the entire shield to ripple violently, its light flickering and emitting a teeth-grinding creaking sound, as if it were about to shatter at any moment.
"Otherwise..."
The voice of the Third Heavenly Venerate suddenly rose, containing the terrifying pressure of Half Sage, booming like Nine Heavens Thunderclap:
"Today, I will wipe out your Five Elements Sect, leaving not a single one alive, and erase you from the Middle Continent forever!"
The four words, "Not a single chicken or dog will be spared," were like a death sentence, carrying endless coldness and cruelty. They instantly pierced through the light barrier and clearly entered the ears of every disciple of the Five Elements Sect.
These words caused many young disciples to tremble violently, their faces drained of color, and some female disciples couldn't help but cover their mouths, their eyes filled with despairing tears. Even some deacons and ordinary elders felt a chill run down their spines.
However, Elder Yao, who was standing at the very front, suddenly took a step forward, his white beard and hair standing on end, and his aura as Peak Nine-Revolution Dou Venerate erupted like a volcano, forcefully withstanding the overwhelming Killing Intent.
At this moment, Elder Yao laughed in extreme anger, his voice like a booming bell, resounding through the heavens:
"Hahaha! What a Soul Hall! What a ruthless annihilation! You want bones, you want my sect Sect Master? Then come and get them with your skills! You want to destroy my Five Elements Sect? You'll have to see if you have the teeth! The Five Elements Sect has no cowards!"
"There are no cowards!"
Behind them, Xiao Yi Xian, Qing Lin, Xiong Zhan, Ming Yu Mo Ying, and even the controlled Magical Beasts like Mingyu roared in unison, unleashing a powerful aura. Although it still couldn't compare to the Soul Hall camp, their fearless and all-consuming spirit soared into the sky!
Within the Sect Protecting Array, all the disciples seemed to be infected by this aura. Their initial fear was replaced by a surge of fighting spirit, and the deafening roars coalesced into a torrent of unwavering will.
"War! War! War!"
An aura of chilling menace soared straight into the sky!
A fierce battle, a clash of overwhelming odds and a matter of life and death, is about to erupt!