A gathering storm!

After a long silence, Qing Ming's voice rang out again. "I don't know the specifics either, but there's an extremely faint fluctuation coming from the direction they mentioned. It feels somewhat familiar."

"Could it be..." Jiang Yun was even more surprised now. Anything that felt familiar to Qing Ming could hardly be a product of the Dou Qi Continent.

"No, I'm not certain yet. It could also be some extraordinary natural treasure." Qing Ming slowly shook his head, curiosity appearing on his face for the first time. To think there was a treasure on the Dou Qi Continent that could stir his senses.

Jiang Yun still hesitated. Although the treasure there might offer an incredible opportunity, opportunity and danger went hand in hand. That place had already become the eye of the storm sweeping the Black-Corner Region. Who knew what old monsters it would flush out?

He and Zi Yan were still far too weak on their own.

"I've recovered some strength recently. I can guarantee that no Dou Zong will pose a threat to you." Seeing Jiang Yun's hesitation, Qing Ming gave him another dose of reassurance.

Sure enough, Jiang Yun felt a little more at ease upon hearing that. Although they would still have to deal with Dou Emperors themselves, an Ancient Void Dragon at the peak of the fifth rank, combined with his own trump cards, would be enough to keep them both safe against anyone in the Dou Huang Realm.

Having made up his mind, Jiang Yun turned to the dispirited Zi Yan beside him. "Zi Yan, let's go take a look too!"

Zi Yan's eyes immediately lit up. "Xiao Yun, you changed your mind!"

"We'll be facing Dou Emperors, perhaps even Dou Zongs. Aren't you afraid?"

"Don't worry, Xiao Yun! With me around, you'll definitely be safe!" Zi Yan patted her chest and declared confidently.

"All right!" Jiang Yun nodded with a soft chuckle, then spoke seriously to Zi Yan. "You'll have to carry me there. Remember to hide our tracks carefully. A Da Dou Shi's strength is still far too meager."

"Leave it to me!" Seeing how solemn Jiang Yun was, Zi Yan nodded seriously as well, her little face full of determination.

"Don't let me down!" After giving Zi Yan a reassuring look, Jiang Yun took out a jade bottle. It still gave off a faint glow, and a peculiar fragrance wafted from its mouth. Inside was the earth core body tempering milk they had just obtained.

He had originally intended to return to the Inner Academy and prepare it properly before using it to break through to Dou Ling. Now, however, he had no time to waste. He could only resort to the crudest method.

Just like Zi Yan, Jiang Yun drained the earth core body tempering milk from the jade bottle in a single gulp.

In an instant, terrifying energy erupted inside him. The power of the earth, condensed over countless years, surged through his limbs and every part of his body, leaving Jiang Yun tingling and itchy all over, as though ants were crawling across his skin.

The influx of energy was so immense that Jiang Yun even felt his skin begin to swell painfully, but it remained within what he could endure.

Pain and itching were all Jiang Yun felt at that moment, but neither hindered him much. The Crimson Fire Treasure Mirror circulated madly within him, absorbing the violent medicinal power.

As Jiang Yun circulated his cultivation technique and began absorbing the medicinal power, he could finally spare some attention to speak to Zi Yan beside him. "Let's go!"

"Mm!" Zi Yan nodded solemnly, then carried Jiang Yun toward the Black-Corner Region Great Plains at high speed, taking care to remain hidden.

Rumble!

At a certain moment, a tremendous roar suddenly erupted across the Black-Corner Region Great Plains. Countless people who had come upon hearing the news turned toward the sound. Not far away, a pillar of light dozens of meters wide shot into the sky, piercing the clouds.

Space twisted violently, releasing a rushing sound like flowing water. As that sound spread, the fluctuations in that stretch of space grew increasingly fierce.

"It's here! The Dou Zun Secret Realm has emerged!" A figure concealed beneath a black robe cried out excitedly, watching intently.

"The Dou Zun Inheritance is right before me. No one's getting in the way of my path!" A burly man wreathed in blood-red killing intent swept a cold gaze over those around him.

Before long, a howling gale mingled with energy fluctuations swept down from the sky, making countless people sway under its force.

On an inconspicuous little hill, a small figure held another equally small figure in her arms and muttered a curse. "Damn bastard. Even dead, you can't give us any peace. You call yourself a Dou Zun with that pathetic use of Spatial Force?"

She curled her lips disdainfully, thoroughly annoyed. After all, the energy storm was buffeting her from side to side!

The storm gradually subsided. Looking again, they saw hazy shadows on what had originally been flat ground, looming like rising mountain ranges, flickering in and out of sight.

Yet upon closer inspection, the land still seemed perfectly level. Those supposed shadows existed in another realm, separated by an endless void, and were only now manifesting.

Had Jiang Yun been awake, he would certainly have cursed aloud. What kind of bogus information was this?!

This was clearly a self-contained realm. On the Dou Qi Continent, only a Dou Sheng could carve out a small world within the void. These were plainly Dou Saint Ruins.

Suddenly, more than a dozen figures appeared in the eastern sky. Not far behind them, several larger black dots also flickered into view.

"Hahaha! These Dou Zun Ruins are destined to belong to my Blood Sect!" The figures rapidly grew larger, and a chilling laugh, carried by Dou Qi, resounded across the land.

A dozen or so figures suddenly flashed into view, bringing a thick reek of blood. Their leader stared at the newly emerged space with burning eyes.

"That's the Blood Sect's sect master, Fan Lao!" Countless people stared at the dozen figures overhead, their pupils abruptly contracting. After a moment, their throats bobbed as they swallowed.

"Hehehe... Fan Lao, you can't swallow these Dou Zun Ruins all by yourself!" A seductive voice rang out. A beautiful, voluptuous woman in revealing clothes covered her mouth and giggled at Fan Lao.

The woman had a sizzling figure, and a bewitching black poppy flower was tattooed on her cheek near her ear. Beautiful though it was, it carried a deadly poison.

"Hmph. No need to trouble yourself over that, Gate Master Su!" Fan Lao's expression darkened when he saw her. Like him, she was a Dou Emperor-the master of the Rakshasa Gate in the Black-Corner Region. Her strength could not be underestimated.

Her arrival also meant those troublesome fellows would soon be here.

Su Mei's appearance drew most people's gazes. Lechers were the last thing the Black-Corner Region lacked. She was both powerful and utterly alluring, so it was understandable that the old perverts present could not keep their eyes in check.

"Tch."

"What's so special about that shameless vixen?!"

There was, however, one exception. Zi Yan looked at the scantily clad Su Mei and curled her lips disdainfully, even covering Jiang Yun's closed eyes while she was at it.

"Heh, we brothers are rather interested in these Dou Zun Ruins too!"

Just then, another strange laugh rang out. Space rippled, and two figures, one gold and one silver, appeared in the sky like phantoms.

One wore golden robes, the other silver. Their faces were almost completely identical, both with white hair and white beards, their features seemingly cast from the same mold.

"The Gold and Silver Elders!"

Fan Lao's and Su Mei's expressions changed at the sight of them. These two were beyond their ability to handle. The twin brothers were both Peak Dou Emperors, and together, they stood a considerable chance even against a Dou Zong.

"Greetings, seniors!" Neither dared put on airs before the Gold and Silver Elders.

"Friends, since you're already here, why not show yourselves?" The Gold and Silver Elders ignored them and instead called out loudly toward the sky.

"The Dou Zun Ruins are bound to be fraught with danger. We would be better off joining forces!"

"Hahaha! The Gold Silver Elders speak wisely. Everyone should be a little more open, lest we spoil the harmony!"

Just as the Gold and Silver Elders finished speaking, laughter came from afar, followed by several figures flashing toward them.

At their head was an old man in yellow robes. Several enormous golden pythons were embroidered on those robes, reflecting a faint sheen beneath the sunlight. They seemed alive, emanating a peculiar pressure.

The old man's eyes remained smiling, yet neither those out in the open nor those hiding in the shadows dared underestimate him. He was Mo Tianxing, the sect master of the Black Emperor Sect.

A genuine Dou Zong expert.

These supposed Dou Zun Ruins had flushed out the Black-Corner Region's first Dou Zong.

Mo Tianxing's appearance immediately stirred a considerable commotion, and startled cries rang out throughout the area.

"Is that really Mo Tianxing, the Black Emperor Sect's sect master?"

"I heard Mo Tianxing advanced to Dou Zong more than a decade ago and has been in seclusion ever since. I never thought these Dou Zun Ruins would draw him here too."

Mo Tianxing's words carried far more weight than those of the Gold and Silver Elders. The moment he spoke, more than a dozen formidable figures slowly emerged, including another expert who likewise stood upon the empty air.

Among them were Yuan Yi, the master of the Eight Gates; Fang Yan, the Great Elder of Demon Flame Valley; Medicine Emperor Han Feng; Elder Ying Shan; and other Dou Emperor and Dou Zong experts.

The rest included "minor players" such as the Yao Brothers, who were merely Dou Wang experts.

"Hehe, I never imagined so many experts would gather here today. This truly is a grand occasion for our Black-Corner Region. We should work together to explore these ruins." Dressed in an alchemist's robe, Han Feng spoke with a gentle smile and a soft chuckle.

Everyone present would show Han Feng some respect. After all, he was the only Sixth-grade Alchemist in the Black-Corner Region, making him an exceptionally valuable figure.

Who knew when they might need to ask him for a favor?

"The Medicine Emperor is absolutely right. The Dou Zun Secret Realm is bound to be filled with danger. Only by working together can we reap the greatest rewards!" Mo Tianxing said, smiling at everyone.

"Absolutely, absolutely!"

"Sect Master Mo is right!"

Everyone echoed Mo Tianxing's proposal. Whatever little schemes they harbored in their hearts, the verbal agreement was settled first.

Boom!

At the far end of the land, the Space Seal grew increasingly unstable. The surrounding space began to churn violently, until it surged toward them like roaring white waves-a magnificent sight.

Towering waves filled everything with white, heaving and crashing until the entire world thundered. The violence of the spectacle was breathtaking.

Fortunately, this place lay within the Black-Corner Region Great Plains, where black storms raged everywhere, weakening the spatial fluctuations. Ordinary people would not come here either. Otherwise, these ruins would have attracted far more than this crowd.

The Northwest Continent would probably have boiled into utter chaos by then.

Now, even those who received the news would not have time to make it here.

Rumble!

With one final thunderous roar, everyone suddenly felt as though heaven and earth had split apart. The vast white spatial ripples came to a halt, replaced by a pitch-black, rotating passage more than ten meters wide.

"Is that the spatial passage into the secret realm?!" Someone in the crowd could not help crying out.

At those words, everyone's breathing quickened.

Creating an independent secret realm required at least a Dou Zun's strength. There had to be treasures inside.

"Everyone, the secret realm is open. We'll go on ahead!" The Gold and Silver Elders moved first. Two streaks of light, one gold and one silver, flashed straight toward the passage.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Unwilling to fall behind, more than a dozen figures followed closely. Though they had been all "harmony" moments earlier, they now scrambled to be first.

Only Han Feng trailed leisurely behind the others. Just as he entered, he turned and glanced at an inconspicuous little hill.

"Strange!"

Muttering under his breath, he plunged into the passage as well.

Once all the important figures had entered, someone suddenly let out a low roar.

"Charge!"

The entire area instantly erupted into motion. Countless figures swept across the sky, blotting it out before swarming into the pitch-black passage like locusts.

Behind the little hill.

Jiang Yun wrapped an arm around Zi Yan and enveloped them both in his soul power, making not a sound.

"Whew..." After seeing Han Feng enter, Zi Yan let out a long breath and said with lingering fear, "That was close! We almost got discovered!"

She turned toward Jiang Yun, her face full of delight. "Xiao Yun, you broke through!"

"Mm. Two-Star Dou Ling. That'll do!" Jiang Yun released Zi Yan and nodded with a smile.

Zi Yan had let a trace of her aura slip out in her impatience. Fortunately, Jiang Yun had awakened in time to conceal them both. Otherwise, that "Medicine Emperor" might well have noticed something.

It was not yet time to reveal themselves to everyone.

"Then let's hurry inside! If we're late, they'll snatch all the good stuff!" Zi Yan anxiously pulled Jiang Yun along, reaching the entrance to the passage in the blink of an eye.

As Jiang Yun entered the spatial passage, a wave of dizziness washed over him. By the time he adjusted, he found himself in another world.

Darkness spread across the ground and stretched to the edge of his vision. Even the sky seemed to have grown terribly dim, filling him with an oppressive weight.

This too was a dark wasteland. From its distant reaches, piercing roars rang out from time to time. There was no vitality in those cries, only killing intent in its purest form.

Crack!

A fissure suddenly split the sky above the wasteland, which had lain silent for so long. Two streaks of light shot out, breaking the desolate stillness of this world.

"This aura..." The moment she landed, Zi Yan knitted her brows, a flash of disgust crossing her eyes. "What a revolting aura!"