Evil Aura?

"Was this evil aura?" Jiang Yun carefully examined the wisp of black gas in his hand. The moment he touched it, he felt both affinity and resistance within his body.

The affinity came from his own ability to absorb it for cultivation, while the resistance was an instinctive reaction from the Dou Qi of the Dou Qi Continent.

"Someone from the Evil Clan has been here!" Jiang Yun was startled. No sooner had Qing Ming sensed a familiar presence than he had encountered it himself.

That meant the Dou Qi Continent really had suffered an invasion by the Outer Realm Evil Clan, or perhaps a great battle had once erupted here. He had heard that Dou Di had once emerged in an endless stream on the Dou Qi Continent, only to mysteriously disappear together before ancient times.

A clear thread took shape in Jiang Yun's mind. Perhaps they had not ascended to the Great Thousand World, but had died in battle?

"There are still good things here. This wasn't what felt extraordinary to me just now." At that moment, Qing Ming's voice rang out in Jiang Yun's mind.

"It wasn't?" Jiang Yun was puzzled. Had some treasure been left behind here?

"Xiao Yun-"

Just then, Zi Yan's anxious voice reached him. Jiang Yun's gaze flashed like lightning as he executed the Mystic Steps and swiftly retreated. At the same time, white flames appeared in his palm, rapidly coalescing into a lifelike little white tiger.

Boom! A deafening explosion rang out. A huge crater appeared where Jiang Yun had just stood, and a terrifying force swept outward, splitting a crack through the ground.

Beneath that crack, a hideous demon monster, pitch-black and covered in sharp black spikes, revealed its enormous blood-red eyes.

"You asked for death!"

A sharp, feminine shout rang out. A figure appeared before Jiang Yun like a phantom, then punched out swiftly, unleashing a blast of invisible force.

Bang!

The earth collapsed beneath Zi Yan's punch. At the bottom of the crater, the monster lay completely motionless.

Seeing that Zi Yan had dealt with the enemy, Jiang Yun slowly dispersed the white tiger in his palm. He was about to thank her when she launched into a furious scolding.

"Xiao Yun, what's wrong with you? Before we came in, you kept telling me to be careful, careful, and even more careful, yet you got distracted yourself! If I hadn't warned you, you would've been hurt."

Jiang Yun looked at Zi Yan gently. Although he would not have been injured even without her warning, he heard the anxiety in her voice and did not argue. Instead, he repeatedly promised it would not happen again.

"Honestly... you're always like this. What would you do without me?"

In the end, Zi Yan sighed helplessly and shook her head.

"All right, enough teasing. Let's hurry, or someone really will take all the good stuff!"

The two set off again. Not far ahead lay a small mountain range, filled with tall trees Jiang Yun had never seen before.

Through the haze, they could make out the tallest peak at the center of the range. Another pillar of light, identical to the one outside, stood there.

That should be the center of the ruins. Judging from the powerful auras emanating from it, the Dou Wang and Dou Emperors had all gone there.

That made sense. After traveling this far, Jiang Yun had all but confirmed that this was an ancient battlefield. Demonic energy filled every corner; it would be a miracle if natural treasures could grow here.

Their only option now was to try their luck at the center of the ruins.

"Xiao Yun, isn't something happening up ahead?" While they were flying, Zi Yan suddenly looked into the distance with her large eyes and asked curiously.

"Mm."

Jiang Yun nodded. He had sensed it at the same time: several powerful auras were intertwining far ahead. A peculiar fluctuation seemed to be spreading among them, carrying a faint trace of vigorous vitality.

"Be careful."

Jiang Yun turned to remind Zi Yan. At the same time, he quietly extended his soul power around them both, suppressing their auras.

Whoosh-

The two streaked across the sky like rainbow light. Before long, they gradually came to a stop, staring at the scene before them in astonishment.

An enormous mountain stood across the landscape like a giant. More importantly, six massive corpses stood silently upon it.

Their postures were rather strange. After some thought, Jiang Yun realized that the six figures had ended up this way after killing one another in a savage battle.

At the center of their remains grew an enormous pitch-black tree. Six emerald-green fruits hung from its branches, radiating rings of green light. Their rich aura of life made their extraordinary nature unmistakable.

Bang, bang, bang!

Deafening blasts echoed through the air as three figures fought fiercely high above. They were Su Mei, Yuan Yi, and Fan Lao, while their subordinates were nowhere to be seen.

"Xiao Yun, what are those fruits?" Zi Yan swallowed and leaned toward Jiang Yun's ear, asking in a whisper.

"They're Life-and-Death Profound Fruits. Even in places rich in death energy, there's only a one-in-a-thousand chance of them growing. They can be used to refine sixth-grade Life Force Pills and seventh-grade Life Returning Pills," Jiang Yun explained softly, secretly considering how to fish in these troubled waters and get his hands on the fruits.

Mm... I can't miss those corpses either. Corpses capable of nurturing Life-and-Death Profound Fruits had belonged to at least Dou Zun in life. Moreover, unless Jiang Yun's senses were mistaken, one of those corpses belonged to someone from the Evil Clan.

"Little Yun!" By the time Zi Yan finished listening, she could barely stop herself from drooling. What she wanted to say was written plainly in the look she gave him.

"I'll hold them off in a moment. You take the Life-and-Death Profound Fruits and those corpses," Jiang Yun instructed her softly.

"No! You're only a Dou Ling. You're too weak. Let me hold them off instead!" Zi Yan immediately rejected his plan. How could Jiang Yun, a Dou Ling, possibly restrain Dou Emperors?

"Trust me!" Jiang Yun offered no further explanation, only those firm words: trust me!

"All right!" Zi Yan knew this was no time for hesitation and nodded reluctantly. "But if I see you start losing, I'll definitely come save you. Then neither of us will get away. So, Xiao Yun, for both our sakes, don't lie to me, okay?"

A confident smile rested on Jiang Yun's face. After several years of cultivating in this world, it was time to test his limits.

Suddenly, Zi Yan noticed a change in Jiang Yun's presence. He seemed to have become part of the world itself. Relying on perception alone, one could not detect him even if he stood right in front of them.

That was indeed what had happened. At this moment, the outside world seemed to have been stripped away from Jiang Yun's vision. No disturbance could reach him. His mind held only the paths tracing out obscure, intricate array diagrams.

This was none other than the Spirit Array Path of the Great Thousand World. Jiang Yun had dabbled in arrays while he was with the Evil Spirit Clan, but his cultivation had left him no opportunity to experiment.

Only after coming to the Dou Qi Continent had he gradually begun studying them. Fortunately, his talent was good. He could now construct level four spirit arrays and had even touched upon the heart array state. This was his confidence in facing Dou Emperors.

With the aid of the heart array state, shining spirit seals soon filled the space around Jiang Yun-nearly a hundred of them!

Meanwhile, the three combatants remained completely unaware!

Bang!

After driving Yuan Yi back with a claw strike, Fan Lao turned to evade Su Mei's attack. Anger surged in him, and he said coldly, "Su Mei, Yuan Yi, if we keep this up, we won't settle anything anytime soon. By then, the opportunities inside and the Dou Zun Inheritance will have nothing to do with us."

At these words, Su Mei and Yuan Yi began weighing their options. In the end, the Dou Zun inheritance was more enticing, and both nodded in agreement.

"You're right, Fan Lao. There are plenty of good things inside. We can't waste time here."

"There happen to be six Life-and-Death Profound Fruits here. We can take two each."

"Agreed!"

"Fine!"

The three reached a temporary agreement. Failure to endure a small slight could ruin a grand plan. Since none could claim the treasure alone, the best outcome was to divide it equally and settle their differences later.

"I'm afraid you won't be getting your wish!" Just then, a calm voice rang out. Along with it, the hundred spirit seals previously formed around Jiang Yun quietly appeared in the space surrounding the three.

"Not good!"

Their expressions changed instantly. Though they did not know what these things were, the intense threat they posed was unmistakable. They immediately employed their movement techniques and shot toward Jiang Yun.

"Little bastard, you dare ambush me!" As he flew, Fan Lao's expression turned sinister, the killing intent in his eyes almost tangible.

"You've got a death wish! A mere Dou Ling dares ambush three Dou Emperors?" Yuan Yi sneered as well. World energy gathered in his palm, slowly forming an enormous Three-Headed Hound.

"Hehehe, little brother, you've made your big sister very unhappy!" Su Mei laughed coquettishly, but her movements were no slower. In several flashes, she closed the distance.

"Don't you think it's a little late to react now?" Facing the assault of three Dou Emperors, Jiang Yun remained as calm as still water. He raised his hand, and the final spirit seal fell into place.

"I created this Four Symbols Grand Array with inspiration from the Four Symbols Seal. Please, give it a try!"

"Four Symbols Grand Array, White Tiger Killing Array!"

Hum-

As his final syllable fell, the space behind Jiang Yun suddenly erupted with brilliant white light. The light expanded and contracted, then transformed into an incredibly complex white array diagram beneath their stunned gazes.

Roar-

An aura of clashing blades and slaughter spread through the air. Within it, an enormous white tiger slowly approached the three, exuding a terrifying baleful aura that sent chills down their spines.

The moment the white tiger appeared, it released several golden slashes of light, intercepting all three attacks.

Rumble-

Violent Dou Qi surged wildly across the sky. Yet when the energy storm dissipated, all three sets of pupils contracted. The enormous white tiger protecting Jiang Yun had not suffered the slightest damage.

Jiang Yun's hand, however, trembled slightly as he steadied the grand array. That tiny movement revealed the strain his body was under.

Although a level four spirit array could wield the power of a Dou Emperor, and could even trap one to death with advance preparation, there were three Dou Emperors here. His own strength was still far too weak.

The drain on Jiang Yun was enormous. Had the Crimson Fire Treasure Mirror not proved so effective, he would already have been wrung dry.

At that very moment, a pale-purple figure silently plucked a Life-and-Death Profound Fruit.

"Heh... I don't know where you got this array, but trapping Dou Emperors with a Dou Ling's strength must take quite a toll, doesn't it?" Fan Lao stared grimly at the enormous white tiger overhead, then gave Jiang Yun a sinister smile.

"Boy, I'll admit you've got guts. You dare attack three Dou Emperors with some unknown array? Now let me show you that these crooked tricks can't stop a Dou Emperor."

"Blood Soul Great Handprint!"

Fan Lao roared furiously. A powerful surge of crimson Dou Qi burst forth, and icy blood-colored Dou Qi rapidly condensed over his palm.

Hiss!

Bloody light swept across the sky, condensing into a blood-colored palm a hundred zhang wide as it descended.

"White Tiger Annihilation Strike!"

Facing a Dou Emperor's full-powered attack, Jiang Yun rapidly formed seals with both hands. White flames immediately began burning over the white tiger's body. Against Fan Lao's cold, blood-attributed Dou Qi, the supremely yang and unyielding Heavenly Flames were the ideal choice.

Roar-

The enormous flaming white tiger carried a heaven-shaking blaze of white light as it tore through the sky at astonishing speed, charging straight toward Fan Lao.

Light and flame swirled within the white tiger's mouth. The entire world seemed to gradually dim as the Dou Qi between heaven and earth surged toward it from every direction.

Boom!

The sky itself seemed to tremble for an instant. Two enormous forces collided: a white pillar of light and a blood-colored palm print, entwining and annihilating one another.

"You bastard, do you think we don't exist?" Yuan Yi shouted angrily and formed seals with both hands, sending a massive attack crashing toward the white tiger.

"Hehe, little brother, you've really made your big sister angry this time!" Su Mei gave a cold, alluring smile and lashed out with a long whip. In an instant, whip shadows filled the sky, battering his array until it teetered on the brink of collapse.

Watching the grand array begin to fracture under their combined attacks, Jiang Yun's eyes flashed like lightning. His hand seals changed, and the energy between heaven and earth suddenly grew turbulent.

"Not good!"

"Explode!" At Jiang Yun's sharp command, the grand array abruptly shattered. The terrifying energy blast even broke apart the enormous mountain below.

"Little bastard, where do you think you're going?" Furious shouts rang out as three bedraggled figures burst from the energy vortex and shot toward Jiang Yun. Each stared at him with murderous eyes, like beasts ready to devour their prey.

"Until we meet again, you three!"

Jiang Yun chuckled. A spatial rift suddenly tore open behind him, and he stepped into it without hesitation. In the blink of an eye, he vanished, leaving the rift hanging silently before the three as it awaited the world's natural repair.

"Spatial Teleportation!!!"