The massive ancient stone doors were slowly pushed open. An ancient presence, sealed away for ten thousand years, rushed out, mingled with dense, icy soul power, and instantly enveloped Lin Chen and his three companions.
The ruins were vast and imposing, their crumbling walls engraved with mysterious runes. At their center stood a towering Ancient Altar, with the fourth Emperor Grass Shard floating above its peak. Its emerald light pierced the gloom, resonating wildly with the three shards inside Lin Chen until the entire ruin began to tremble.
At that moment, Spirit Hall soul masters already crowded around the altar. Their tightly packed ranks surrounded it completely, the interwoven radiance of their soul rings lending them a terrifying presence.
Four black-robed Titled Douluos stood in the four directions, each radiating earth-shaking pressure from nine soul rings. They locked onto Sword Douluo, encircling him. And standing directly before the altar, looking down upon everyone from above, was Bibi Dong herself, clad in golden papal robes, with an uncanny black aura roiling around her!
Her blood-red eyes were cold and bloodthirsty. Her gaze settled on Lin Chen with undisguised greed and killing intent. Boundless soul power surged around her, and the pressure of her twin martial souls swept across the chamber, nearly freezing the very air within the ruins.
"Lin Chen, you came after all." Bibi Dong spoke in a cold, hoarse voice, arrogant with the certainty that everything lay within her grasp. "I've been waiting here for a long time. From the Far North to the South Sea, I allowed you to gather three shards along the way, all so you would willingly step into this death trap today and let me pocket every Emperor Grass Shard at once!"
She had laid out the entire scheme long ago. Time and again,