Four stone skeletal guards marched in from four directions, their steps shaking the earth and mountains. Baleful energy condensed into tangible black mist, filling the entire underground cavern.
They possessed no intelligence, only the instinct to destroy all intruders.
Mo Yuan's gaze was sharp as an eagle's as he assessed the situation in an instant. I can't fight them head-on. I have to use my speed and the Thunder Dragon Evil-Slaying Spear's sharpness to defeat them one by one!
"Ghost Shadow Footwork!"
His figure blurred into an afterimage, evading the frontal chop of one guard's massive axe and flashing around to its side and rear. The Thunder Dragon Evil-Slaying Spear let out a deep dragon's roar, and lightning flared at its tip!
"Dragon Snake Eight Styles—Venomous Dragon Pierces the Heart!"
Man and spear became one, transforming into a spiraling streak of lightning that shot straight for the energy core at the connection point on the guard's back—the weakness he had instantly discerned through his Primordial Comprehension!
"Pfft!"
The spear tip, infused with heavenly thunder and dragon baleful qi, sliced through the guard's hard stone shell as easily as a hot knife through butter, accurately piercing the pulsing dark-red energy core within!
"Roar!" The guard released an unwilling bellow. Its body stiffened instantly, the red light in its eyes went out, and it crashed to the ground, becoming a heap of shattered stones and dry bones.
Having succeeded with one blow, Mo Yuan did not pause. His feet moved in an abstruse pattern as he dodged another guard's descending stone hammer. His spear swept back, lightning lashing out like a whip and striking the third guard's knee joint!
"Crack!" The hard stone leg shattered at once, and the guard lost its balance and dropped to its knees.
But the fourth guard had already closed in. Its enormous skeletal palm descended straight toward his head with a foul gust of wind! There was nowhere to evade!
"Good!" Mo Yuan's fighting spirit surged. Rather than dodge, he pushed the Divine Dragon Body Refining Art to its limit. His blood and qi roared like a dragon as power flooded both arms, and the Thunder Dragon Evil-Slaying Spear thrust upward in a ferocious "Dragon Raises Its Head"!
"Boom!"
Spear and palm collided, sending shockwaves rolling outward! Mo Yuan's body sank slightly, and the rock beneath his feet cracked, but he still firmly withstood the overwhelmingly powerful strike! Lightning crawled across the skeletal palm, scorching it until it hissed.
"Break!" Mo Yuan shouted, violently twisting and lifting his spear. The immense force within it actually sent the guard flying, smashing it heavily against the cavern wall!
At that moment, the guard with the broken leg was still struggling. Mo Yuan moved like lightning, his spear like a dragon. With a "Thunderclap Pierce," he struck, and lightning instantly pierced the energy core within its skull.
In the blink of an eye, two of the four had fallen, one had been sent flying, and only the final intact guard remained.
Seemingly sensing the deaths of its companions, that guard let out a savage roar. The baleful energy around its body condensed, and its frame swelled several sizes as it crazily swung its giant axe, each strike carrying the force of a thousand pounds!
"The last gasp of a spent force!" Mo Yuan snorted. Spiritual power surged through his body as he poured it all into the Thunder Dragon Evil-Slaying Spear. The phantom thunder dragon around the spear abruptly became distinct, letting out a deafening roar!
"Thunder Dragon... Shatters the Heavens!"
He leaped into the air, merging with his spear and transforming into the phantom of a gigantic lightning dragon baring its fangs and claws. Carrying a destructive aura that could tear apart all things, he charged toward the frenzied guard!
This was his strongest strike, fusing his own power, the might of his artifact, and his unwavering will into one!
"Rumble—!!!"
Thunder exploded, and light illuminated the entire underground cavern! Guard and axe alike were completely swallowed by the berserk power of the thunder dragon, instantly reduced to dust!
The aftermath of the explosion battered the altar. The black chains binding the dragon soul shook violently, their light flickering erratically.
Mo Yuan landed and breathed lightly. The consecutive high-intensity bursts had drained him considerably. But he did not dare stop and immediately rushed toward the central altar.
"Human... quickly... destroy... the core..." The dragon soul's weak yet urgent mental pulse came again. Its gaze fell upon a dark-red crystal at the top of the altar that was continuously extracting its power.
Mo Yuan understood. With lingering lightning still crackling around it, the Thunder Dragon Evil-Slaying Spear stabbed viciously toward the crystal!
"Clang!"
A crisp sound rang out. The crystal was exceptionally tough and did not shatter from the strike. Instead, it erupted with a powerful rebounding force.
At the same time, the altar's defensive formation fully activated. Countless runes lit up, forming a barrier around the crystal, while a powerful suction force tried to tear away Mo Yuan's spiritual power and soul!
"Hmph! A final struggle!" Mo Yuan sensed the strangeness of the altar's evil formation, but his will was resolute. Protected by Innate Spiritual Energy, he was unaffected by the tug on his soul.
He activated the Earth Vein Dragon Seeking Art and instantly found several key nodes connecting the formation to the earth veins.
"Break for me!"
He no longer attacked the core crystal. Instead, his spear shot out like the wind, striking several energy nodes in the altar's foundation with incomparable precision!
"Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!"
The nodes were destroyed by the spear's evil-breaking thunder power. The altar's glow rapidly dimmed, and the protective barrier shattered along with it.
Finally, Mo Yuan gathered all his strength and thrust his spear at the dark-red crystal once more!
"Shatter!"
This time, without energy to support it, the crystal could no longer withstand the attack. With a "crack," it exploded!
"Roar—!!!"
The instant the crystal shattered, the imprisoned dragon soul released an earth-shaking roar of liberation.
Its enormous soul body struggled violently, and with their energy supply gone, the black chains snapped apart inch by inch!
The dragon soul had broken free! It spiraled upward. Though its soul body remained illusory, the majesty and power originating from ancient times slowly began to recover.
Its enormous dragon eyes looked at Mo Yuan, filled with gratitude.
"Thank you... young friend... for saving my life... I am the remnant soul of the Thunderglory Dragon King, guardian of the dragon veins here... I was plotted against and sealed by an evil sect..." The dragon soul's mental pulse had grown much steadier.
"Senior, there is no need for such courtesy. This junior is Mo Yuan, and I only came upon this by chance." Mo Yuan cupped his fists. "This is not a place to linger. The Black Fiend Sect has likely noticed."
"Indeed!" A fierce gleam flashed through the Thunderglory Dragon King's remnant soul. **"They extracted my power to carry out an act that defies the heavens.
Young friend, my strength has yet to recover, and I cannot fight for long. But I can lend you a hand! Relax your mind and accept the blessing of my dragon power!"**
With that, the Dragon King's remnant soul exhaled a source of pure Dragon Essence, which merged into Mo Yuan's body! At the same time, a method for drawing upon Earth Vein Dragon Qi and using simple dragon clan divine abilities entered Mo Yuan's mind.
Mo Yuan felt a vast yet gentle power instantly fill every part of his body. His cultivation bottleneck loosened at once, and he broke through directly to the sixth level of Qi Refining.
Furthermore, his physical body was tempered further, and his perception of lightning power became several times clearer.
More importantly, he felt incomparably connected to the land beneath his feet, as though he could draw upon a portion of the earth vein's power!
"Not good! The underground seal has been broken! Get down there, now!" The Red Robe Elder's furious roar and the disorderly sounds of footsteps faintly echoed from above.
Mo Yuan's gaze sharpened. Gripping the Thunder Dragon Evil-Slaying Spear, he felt the surging Dragon Essence within him and the resonance of the earth veins, and a powerful confidence rose in his heart.
"Senior, let's fight our way up!"
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