261: Chapter 261: The Era of Great Struggle

"Are you sure you didn't go in?"

City Lord Li Qingge suddenly asked again, his gaze scanning back and forth between Xiao Ran and Li Changsheng.

He felt like something was fishy.

Given the talent of these two, it would be difficult for them not to fight for resources!

Xiao Ran immediately shook his head upon hearing this.

"No, the place where I landed was too far away. By the time I arrived, the entrance was already closed."

"Me too, I was trapped while exploring a Secret Realm."

Several other Human Race Cultivators also chimed in with their agreement.

They indeed hadn't entered; they had waited outside for several days and never managed to enter the Moon Secret Realm at all.

What they said was the truth, and what Xiao Ran and Li Changsheng said was also the "truth."

They simply omitted a few key details.

City Lord Li Qingge didn't ask further questions.

He turned around and looked toward the Yao Race's side.

On the other side, Clan Leader Shi Tianba was also questioning those few members of the Yao Race.

His massive figure landed before that young Golden Lion; his golden mane covered half the sky like a golden cloud.

His eyes were like two golden lanterns as he stared at the young lion, his gaze filled with anger, sorrow, and anxiety.

"Where is Haokong? Where are the other Yao? Why are you the only ones who came out?"

Clan Leader Shi Tianba's voice was low, like muffled thunder rolling across the wilderness, every word carrying suppressed fury.

The young Golden Lion, Shi Yunkong, was trembling all over, his four legs shaking. His golden mane looked like chicken feathers soaked by rain, clinging to his body in clumps.

He stammered, "Clan Chief... their Soul Lamps have gone out... all of them..."

His voice was intermittent, like a patient who could stop breathing at any moment.

Clan Leader Shi Tianba's pupils contracted sharply.

A Soul Lamp going out meant death.

His son, Shi Haokong, was dead?

The most outstanding Genius of the Golden Lion Clan had died just like that?

Clan Leader Shi Tianba was incredulous at first, then his eyes filled with rage and grief.

His golden mane bristled, and Demonic Qi surged into the sky.

The surrounding Yao Beasts retreated one after another, not daring to approach.

"How did he die? Who killed him?"

Clan Leader Shi Tianba's voice sounded like metal grinding, sharp and ear-piercing, making the surrounding air tremble.

The young Golden Lion shook his head, tears streaming down.

"I... I don't know."

"We didn't go in and were all waiting outside. Suddenly, the Soul Lamps went out, one after another... all of them..."

He lay prostrate on the ground, not daring to lift his head.

Ancient ruins have strong isolation properties, so only the Soul Lamps inside could display life signs.

Clan Leader Shi Tianba had no way to verify the truth at this moment.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

When he opened them again, the grief in his eyes had vanished, replaced by a cold killing intent.

That gaze was like two golden blades looking straight at the Human Race, as if he wanted to cut down every living person on their side.

"City Lord Li Qingge, my son is dead."

"What about your Human Race prodigies? Are they all dead too? How come some of you are still alive?"

His voice carried questioning and suspicion, every word sounding like a verdict of guilt.

City Lord Li Qingge glanced at him and said indifferently,

"My people haven't come out either. The ones who did are right here in front of you."

"Furthermore, if you use that questioning tone with me again, I don't mind killing you here."

City Lord Li Qingge was also very unhappy; not a single one of his own descendants had returned.

Right at that moment,

Another anomaly occurred in the direction of the ruins.

The golden pillar of light in the sky had not yet disappeared.

It grew brighter and more intense, finally exploding and transforming into countless golden runes that fell like rain at the entrance of the ruins.

The runes landed on the ground and sank into the surface without kicking up a speck of dust, as if they had seeped into the stone.

Then,

A massive light screen rose from the ground, enveloping the entire entrance of the ruins within it.

Ancient runes flowed upon the light screen, emitting a heart-palpitating aura.

That aura was ancient, powerful, and profound, as if it came from a primordial era tens of thousands of years ago.

"What is that?"

No one could answer.

Everyone stared at the golden light screen, not daring to even blink.

Seeing this, City Lord Li Qingge immediately stepped forward, reached out, and touched the light screen.

The light screen did not repel him; instead, it sucked in a sliver of his spiritual power as if welcoming him.

He closed his eyes and sensed for a moment.

His Divine Sense penetrated the light screen and entered the interior of the ruins.

He sensed the space within the ruins twisting, restructuring, and expanding, as if someone were reweaving this world.

At the same time, he sensed countless powerful auras.

Those were the lingering thoughts left by the great experts who had fallen ten thousand years ago, all of which were now awakening.

He sensed an indescribable power surging deep within the ruins, as if something were calling out to him.

City Lord Li Qingge snapped his eyes open, his gaze filled with shock.

"The ruins' Restriction... has disappeared."

His voice carried a hint of irrepressible excitement, and his fingers were trembling slightly.

Clan Leader Shi Tianba also stepped forward and touched the light screen with his claw.

He sensed the same thing—the Restriction had vanished.

The Restriction that had limited the cultivation level of entrants for ten thousand years had completely disappeared.

A flash of wild joy crossed his vertical pupils.

What did this mean?

It meant that entering the ruins no longer required a restricted Realm; Void Refinement Stage and Body Integration Stage Cultivators could all go in.

The entire field broke into an uproar.

"For ten thousand years, there has always been a Restriction in the ruins, limiting entry to Cultivators below the Void Refinement Stage."

City Lord Li Qingge's voice carried a hint of irrepressible excitement, and his eyes were glowing like two stars.

He seemed to have forgotten the sorrowful news of his descendants not coming out just now.

Because the ruins' Restrictions had disappeared, anyone could enter now.

What was inside?

There were Legacies, Magic Treasures, and Spirit Medicines left from the great war ten thousand years ago, as well as the relics of countless great experts.

Most importantly—

City Lord Li Qingge's gaze became profound, as if penetrating the light screen to see the deepest part of the ruins.

"Legend has it that deep within the ruins lies an Opportunity for the Body Integration Stage to Breakthrough to the Mahayana Stage."

"For ten thousand years, countless Body Integration Stage experts wanted to enter and search for it, but they were all blocked outside by the Restriction."

"Now, the Restriction has disappeared."

On the other side.

Clan Leader Shi Tianba's eyes also lit up, the shadow of the light screen reflected in his golden vertical pupils.

The Mahayana Stage—that was a Realm that didn't exist in the entire Northern Border.

If he could obtain that Opportunity and Breakthrough to the Mahayana Stage, the Golden Lion Clan could become the Dominator of the Yao Race and even counterattack the Sword Qi Great Wall to reclaim the lands that had been sealed for ten thousand years.

His blood was boiling, and his mane was burning.

"Send word back to the clan! Summon all clansmen above the Void Refinement Stage to come immediately! Do not delay for a single moment!"

Clan Leader Shi Tianba roared at Elder She Gu behind him, his voice carrying an irresistible command.

At the same time, City Lord Li Qingge had already utilized a great Divine Ability to send a message.

Now, the era of great contention had begun.