"Found it—the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well!"
Sikong Zhen looked down at the Ice and Fire Spring Water below, a blazing gleam flashing in his eyes.
However, the Immortal Herbs that should have been growing beside the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well had long since vanished without a trace.
"Hmph, just as the City Lord expected, the Immortal Herbs have already been moved away in advance. But they were never the purpose of my journey."
Sikong Zhen flashed to the spring's edge like lightning. Feeling the pure energy contained within the water, he nodded in satisfaction and murmured:
"It truly lives up to its reputation! Its ultimate dual forces, mutually generating and restraining one another, are an unparalleled treasure for tempering the body and increasing one's strength!"
"Lightning is yang, thunder is yin. The Blazing Yang Spring can amplify lightning's tyranny, while the Cold Extreme Yin Spring can cleanse the violence within thunder! They will allow me to advance even further!"
As his words fell, Sikong Zhen activated his Soul Power and sent the Fusion Space Cube in his hand toward the very center of the spring.
"Buzz—"
The instant it touched the spring water, the Fusion Space Cube radiated a holy light, compressing and drawing the water into itself.
As the spring water was continuously absorbed, the water level of the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well gradually fell...
When the final trace of spring water was drawn into the Fusion Space Cube, Sikong Zhen suddenly sucked with his palm, and the cube streaked back into his hand like a swallow returning to its nest.
When he lowered his head to look at the bottom of the spring again, he saw that beneath the damp soil, dense dual energies of ultimate ice and fire were faintly but endlessly seeping out.
"This must be the origin power leaking from the corpses of the Ice and Fire Dragon Kings, buried ten thousand zhang beneath the ground."
"After countless years, they still release such immense energy. No wonder the City Lord valued this place so highly."
"Today, I shall bring it back to Chang'an together with the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well's spring water!"
After murmuring in amazement, Sikong Zhen abruptly condensed the power of lightning in his right palm and repeatedly struck the soil at the bottom of the spring.
Boom, boom, boom—
Under the relentless bombardment of lightning, layer after layer of soil shattered, and the depth increased at a visible rate...
However, even as one of the continent's strongest experts, Sikong Zhen would still need a great deal of time to excavate to a depth of ten thousand zhang.
Meanwhile, the various forces that had immediately set out to search for the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well had also arrived at the outskirts of Sunset Forest at almost the same time.
Aside from Spirit Hall, the Heaven Dou Imperial Family, Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, and Clear Sky Sect were all located east or north of Sunset Forest.
Thus, the four major forces happened to encounter one another northeast of Sunset Forest!
The Heaven Dou Imperial Family was led by Xue Qinghe and Ge Long, with three hundred elite Soul Masters.
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was led by Ning Fengzhi and Bone Douluo, with over a hundred elite sect disciples.
The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan was led by Yu Yuanzhen and the Fourth Elder, with over a hundred elite sect disciples.
Compared with the other forces, the Clear Sky Sect appeared rather shabby, with only Tang Xiao and the Seventh Elder present.
"..."
As the four sides met, the atmosphere was awkward and wary for a moment.
Now that they had all brought large groups here, what else could they be doing besides seeking treasure after being drawn in by the Sky Screen?
Everyone understood this, but no one was willing to be the first to say it aloud. They merely formed a delicate standoff where they stood.
"Sect Master Ning, Sect Master Yu, Sect Master Tang."
In the end, Xue Qinghe, as the crown prince of the Heaven Dou Empire, was the first to speak, breaking the frozen atmosphere.
Although Ning Fengzhi was her teacher, they were outside and before the representatives of various forces, so she naturally had to use formal forms of address.
"Your Highness, the Crown Prince."
Ning Fengzhi, Yu Yuanzhen, and Tang Xiao responded almost simultaneously.
The Upper Three Sects did not belong to the Heaven Dou Empire, but they were all within its borders. No matter what, they had to give it some face.
"Hahaha, are you all here to search for the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well as well?"
Xue Qinghe strode forward and asked.
Marshal Ge Long followed closely behind, protecting her.
"Yes. I didn't expect everyone to come. Even Sect Master Tang is here."
Ning Fengzhi, who had close ties with the Heaven Dou Imperial Family, stepped forward with a smile on his refined face.
"Heh heh..."
Yu Yuanzhen and Tang Xiao had almost no dealings with the Heaven Dou Imperial Family, but they could not make things hostile at this moment. Reluctantly, they both stepped forward with cold smiles.
The representatives of the four forces thus gathered together in an awkward, stiff cluster.
Xue Qinghe swept her gaze over the three sect masters and suggested with a smile:
"Since we have all come for the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well, why not cooperate and search together? Once we find it, we can all have a share."
Ning Fengzhi naturally had no objection and chimed in:
"My Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect is willing to cooperate. It is better than fighting one another, damaging our relations, and letting outsiders take advantage of us."
There was no need to think about who those "outsiders" were. He was referring to Spirit Hall.
Hearing this, even the unwilling Yu Yuanzhen and Tang Xiao nodded.
"Fine, then we shall cooperate. Once we find the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well, we can discuss how to divide the rewards! We trust in Your Highness's fairness."
Xue Qinghe smiled.
"Then let us quickly discuss a search plan."
As she spoke, she took out a map and began discussing it with the three sect masters.
Time was of the essence. Before long, they finalized their plan and headed toward the forest's interior.
Xue Qinghe remained unhurried, firmly believing that Spirit Hall would arrive first and that they would merely be running alongside them.
Just as Qian Renxue had expected, Spirit Hall had indeed arrived first.
The elite force of over a hundred Soul Emperors led by Yue Guan and Gui Mei had already entered the forest's interior directly from the south.
"What is this? A poison formation?!"
The group's path was blocked by a thick green poisonous miasma, and Gui Mei frowned tightly.
Yue Guan, who had pursued Dugu Bo for many years, immediately cried out in alarm:
"This... this poison definitely belongs to Old Poison Freak! Why would he set up a poison formation here?!"
Gui Mei exchanged a glance with him. They instantly guessed something and spoke in unison:
"The Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well is inside! Could it be that Old Poison Freak has already gotten his hands on it?"
Yue Guan said urgently:
"We need to hurry. Old Gui, give the order for everyone to stand guard around the perimeter. Give me half an incense stick's time to develop an antidote to break the formation and destroy this poison formation."
While the various forces in Sunset Forest were searching feverishly for treasure.
The Sky Screen did not stop its "show," remaining beneath the expectant gazes of the world.
Rumble—
A resonant hum suddenly exploded from the Sky Screen.
It was not ordinary thunder, but a tremor that seemed to come from the depths of the cosmos.
The sound swept across the entire Douluo Plane. Whether human or soul beast, all raised their heads and looked upward.
The restless tension in every living being's heart was pushed to its peak as they awaited the Sky Screen's announcement.
Finally, just as the emotions of all beings surged and even their breathing nearly stopped.
The hum in the sky gradually subsided, replaced by an even more breath-stopping change.
The words on the Sky Screen began to shift and reorganize. Golden light flickered as the old words dissolved and new ones emerged.
At last, they formed a clear and dazzling line of text, locking the gazes of all living beings upon it:
[Power Ranking, Fifth Place: Slaughter City...]
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