Repelling Soul Tian Di, Heading to the Artifact Emperor's Inheritance Site

Lin Yang gave Soul Tian Di no time to think and directly unleashed the Saint Sun Heavenly Flame Transformation, bringing his cultivation level on par with Soul Tian Di's.

The Immortal King phantom on the left suddenly opened its eyes and raised a finger, unleashing the Sacred Sun Fire Emperor Finger that Lin Yang had mastered toward Soul Tian Di.

With the Immortal King phantom's enhancement, the Fire Emperor Finger's power had already reached the Half-Emperor level.

Soul Tian Di shuddered violently. He had no time to marvel at Lin Yang and hurriedly activated the Immortal King phantom on his right, using the Heavenly Soul Shield fighting skill to protect himself.

The Fire Emperor Finger struck the Heavenly Soul Shield. The two attacks were evenly matched, but the surrounding space had already turned into a void as countless spatial currents swept forth.

The spatial currents battered Lin Yang, Gu Yuan, and Soul Tian Di, yet none of the three cared, allowing the currents to lash against them.

After blocking the attack, Soul Tian Di immediately counterattacked. Activating the Immortal King phantom on his left, he unleashed the Netherworld Soul-Severing Claw at Lin Yang.

Lin Yang had not cultivated any defensive fighting skills. He activated the Immortal King phantom on his left again and sent an Ancient Dragon Sky-Splitting Claw toward Soul Tian Di.

This was a high-grade Heaven-tier fighting skill that had automatically awakened within the power of his Void Ancient Dragon bloodline after he broke through to the late Nine-Star stage.

The two claw marks collided and exploded with a deafening boom, countless pillars of energy blasting in every direction.

Soul Tian Di activated his Immortal King phantom to defend himself.

Lin Yang, meanwhile, directly transformed into his Void Ancient Dragon beast form and used an ordinary Dou Qi shield to withstand the blast head-on.

As the energy ripples dispersed, solemnity flashed through both Lin Yang's and Soul Tian Di's eyes.

"Lin Yang, I never expected you to have a system too! I should have realized it long ago. But if I cannot take you down today, then I will destroy the Ancient Realm. Let's see whether you can protect those dogs of the Ancient Clan."

As Soul Tian Di's words fell, the two Immortal King phantoms abruptly expanded, becoming colossal phantom Dharma bodies thousands of zhang tall.

Attacks condensed simultaneously in the palms of the two Immortal Kings, aimed straight at the center of the Ancient Realm.

It was Soul Tian Di's signature Heaven-tier fighting skill, the Hell Nether Palm.

Lin Yang's heart jolted at the sight. He hurriedly brought out the Mountains and Rivers State Map.

The scroll flew into the sky and unfurled with a thunderous roar, turning into a massive painting thousands of zhang long.

An incomparably terrifying power of space surged from within, transforming into golden light that enveloped the entire Ancient Realm.

Soul Tian Di shuddered. "What is that thing?!"

Before he could react, the entire Ancient Realm was directly drawn into the painting by the golden light.

Lin Yang raised a hand, and the Mountains and Rivers State Map fell into his palm.

At that moment, Soul Tian Di's attack descended. However, the Ancient Realm had already become nothing more than a stretch of empty ground, and not a single person had been harmed.

Soul Tian Di's face was filled with shock. "Lin Yang! I truly never expected you to possess such a treasure. I concede this time. Just wait—when I break through to the Half-Emperor realm, I will return for revenge."

The instant his voice fell, Soul Tian Di tore open space and left the skies above the Ancient Realm without looking back.

Lin Yang could not keep Soul Tian Di from leaving, so he did not pursue him.

Gu Yuan finally let out a heavy breath and came to Lin Yang's side, his face filled with shock and complicated emotions as he asked,

"Lin Yang, y-you also have Soul Tian Di's treasure?! And that Mountains and Rivers State Map can actually take in the entire Ancient Realm. Where did you get it?"

Lin Yang smiled faintly and did not explain. "Clan Chief Gu Yuan, I cannot tell you that. But I will stand or fall with the Ancient Clan. You can rest assured of that."

Hearing this, Gu Yuan gave a dry cough and stopped pressing the matter. He spoke again, "Lin Yang, since you have already taken in the Ancient Realm, keep it with you from now on. I will follow you as well."

Lin Yang nodded. "Mm, it is better to keep it with me. It is just that the Dou Qi within the Mountains and Rivers State Map is not as rich as it is in the Ancient Realm. As long as the Ancient Clan members do not mind."

Gu Yuan hurriedly waved his hand. "Not at all. Soul Tian Di's strength has increased greatly now. If the Ancient Clan does not hide by your side, we will be wiped out sooner or later."

Lin Yang nodded slightly and said no more about it. "All right then, Clan Chief Gu. Since you are going to follow me, I will not hide it from you. I have a map to the Artifact Emperor's inheritance. I originally planned to go alone, but now you can come with me and see what opportunities are inside. Still, I estimate there will only be artifact inheritances within, likely no pills or anything of that sort. If we are lucky, there may even be Origin Qi!"

Gu Yuan's heart shook. "What?! The Artifact Emperor's inheritance? Lin Yang, you actually possess something so heaven-defying."

Gu Yuan stood there in a daze for quite a while before speaking again.

"Lin Yang, you truly are astonishing. Since you are willing to take me along, I will definitely help you pass the inheritance trials and obtain the inheritance. When the time comes, you can eat the meat. I will be satisfied with a sip of the soup."

Lin Yang smiled faintly and waved a hand. "Clan Chief Gu, I am not that stingy. If there are artifacts inside that suit you, take them."

Gu Yuan smiled in relief. "Good. Little Friend Lin is truly generous."

"All right, let us go. The location marked on the map is on Black Dragon Island in the center of the North Sea. The map only shows vague terrain, so we will need to search carefully for the exact location," Lin Yang said.

"Good, let us go."

The two no longer lingered. Lin Yang put away the Mountains and Rivers State Map and the Immortal King's Corpse Shroud, then tore through space and headed for Black Dragon Island.

One day later, Black Dragon Island.

This island lay in the center of the North Sea and was the territory of the North Sea's Black Dragon Venerable.

Most of the island's inhabitants were ocean magical beasts that had taken human form, with only a small number of human alchemists present.

At the center of Black Dragon Island stood a Sky City that rose straight into the clouds.

It had been forged by Black Dragon Venerable from the corpses of countless sea clan coral creatures.

Its strength was sufficient to withstand the attacks of a Dou Zong powerhouse.

Lin Yang and Gu Yuan appeared above the Sky City.

The aura of the two crashed down upon Black Dragon Island, and every living being on the island instantly stopped breathing.

Within the Sky City, Black Dragon Venerable shuddered. He sensed an overbearing dragon aura mixed with powerful flames, as well as the aura of a human so lofty he could not hope to reach.

With such mighty figures descending at the same time, Black Dragon Venerable knew without thinking that the secret within the Black Dragon Mountains had likely been discovered.

Within the Black Dragon Mountains was an independent space, but it was protected by an extremely powerful restriction. Even ordinary Dou Saints would likely have no way to open it.

Black Dragon Venerable had always strictly forbidden the residents of Black Dragon Island from approaching that part of the Black Dragon Mountains.

Yet he had never expected that, after inheriting Black Dragon Island for hundreds of years without its secret ever being exposed, uninvited guests would arrive today.

And they were existences he could only look up to.

Black Dragon Venerable did not dare ignore them. He swiftly flashed above the Sky City and faced Lin Yang and Gu Yuan.

Black Dragon Venerable stood in the air, briefly sizing up the two. "This one is Black Dragon Venerable, ruler of this land. May I ask what brings the two seniors here?" he said hurriedly, cupping his fists.

He did not state it outright, harboring a trace of wishful hope that perhaps the two had merely come sightseeing.

Lin Yang did not waste words and directly took out the map. "Can you recognize the location on this map?"

Black Dragon Venerable swept his gaze over it, and his heart instantly sank. They really had come for that space.

But he did not dare conceal the truth. These two were far too terrifying; one misstep could bring disaster upon the entire Black Dragon Island.

If he revealed the location now, perhaps the two would even reward him with a medicinal pill or something similar.

Black Dragon Venerable hurriedly pointed at the tallest mountain in the Black Dragon Mountains. "My lord, it is inside that mountain."

Lin Yang looked over and spread out his perception, but he detected nothing unusual. Still, it was an Artifact Emperor-level restriction, so it naturally would not be easy to sense.

Lin Yang looked at Black Dragon Venerable. "Good. Once I find that treasure ground, you will be handsomely rewarded when I emerge."

Black Dragon Venerable was slightly delighted. "Black Dragon thanks you, my lord."

Lin Yang said no more. Exchanging a glance with Gu Yuan, the two flew toward the highest point of the Black Dragon Mountains.

However, at that very moment, Soul Tian Di suddenly descended from the void above Black Dragon Island, concealing his aura.

Not long ago, his system had issued another mission: head to Black Dragon Island and seize Lin Yang's Artifact Emperor inheritance. Upon completion, the reward would be the Nine Nether Reincarnation Map.