Above the starry sky, another ninety-eight Seals descended.
The eldest was furious. It opened its mouth and swallowed Huo just as Huo tried to ambush Ancestor Mountain.
Ancestor Mountain gasped for breath as the mottled colors on its body steadily faded to gray.
Fourth Brother and Fifth Brother watched sorrowfully. He was their ancestor—and their father.
Ancestor Mountain suddenly leaped up and struck a distant streak of blue light with one palm. The blue streak was Lan Meng, who was fleeing inside the Blue Hanging Coffin. From far away, Ancestor Mountain shattered the coffin with a single blow.
That strike made Lan Meng realize just how great the gap was. It shouldn't have come. It shouldn't have listened to that thing and come here to kill this old monster. This was a true old monster.
Ancestor Mountain was about to strike a second time when a scream drew its attention elsewhere.
In the distance, the eldest's mouth was torn open, yet it was forcing something down.
Ancestor Mountain shouted, "Open your mouth!"
The eldest clenched its teeth and refused.
Ancestor Mountain slapped it hard, sending it flying. Its mouth finally opened, revealing Huo inside.
Huo had completely changed. Before, turbulent air should have covered its body, but now the air churned like liquid. It looked as though it were immersed in boiling water. Its huge eyes had turned white and unfocused, yet remained fixed on Ancestor Mountain. Ancestor Mountain nodded. "I knew you had this trick. You're using your death as the price to skip up another level in life. I saw this trick when we fought your Black Enlightenment Civilization back then, too. What a shame. The strongest among you in that era couldn't break through to a hundred Seals. Even death couldn't get them there."
"But it made