"Uh... what the hell is going on?"
Xiao Yan covered his throbbing head with one hand and slowly rose to his feet. Only after the pain faded did he raise his head and look around in confusion.
He was still inside the cavern. There was the endless stone bridge, the massive pitch-black Stone Pillars, and the enormous Suspended Coffin carved from White Crystal floating in midair.
However, Xiao Yi Xian, who had been unconscious earlier, and Liuli, who had clearly been beside him, had both vanished.
At that moment, an aged voice suddenly came from behind him, as though calling out to him. "Young man..."
"Who's there?!"
Xiao Yan spun around warily and raised his hand to summon the Mysterious Heavy Ruler against the enemy, only to find his fingers empty. Even the Pitch-black Ring where Old Yao resided had disappeared!
Xiao Yan immediately sensed something was wrong. Fortunately, he could still mobilize the Heavenly Flames and Dou Qi within his body, so he was not entirely defenseless in the face of danger.
When he narrowed his eyes and looked into the distance, he spotted an illusory old man wrapped in drifting White Mist on a section of the stone bridge.
Seeing that Xiao Yan had noticed him, the old man revealed a kind and amiable smile. Stroking his white beard, which hung all the way to his toes, he said, "Little brother, there is no need to be so hostile. I am merely a Remnant Soul. I cannot harm you."
Xiao Yan glanced back at the Suspended Coffin behind him, then coldly asked, "Is your body inside?"
The old man paused briefly before chuckling. "Hehehe, little brother, you are indeed clever. That is indeed my body, though after several thousand years, it has long rotted into a puddle of