51: The ruins are shrouded in mist, and the echoes of a celestial palace linger.

The wooden raft cut through the inky blue waves, speeding toward the outline of the land shrouded in hazy mist. As they drew closer, the scenery of the land gradually became clearer, yet it appeared even more bizarre.

It was not a vibrant oasis, but a boundless, desolate ruin. Broken walls and collapsed structures stood haphazardly on the gray, decaying land like the skeletons of giant beasts. The architectural style was ancient and strange, unlike any current school of thought in the Cultivation World. Thick, impenetrable gray mist flowed through the area, obscuring vision and blocking the probing of Divine Sense. They could only vaguely sense an aura of decay and desolation mixed with an indescribably ancient charm.

"This place... seems to be an Ancient Ruin?" Su Wanqing gazed at the ruins, a hint of surprise flashing in her clear, cold eyes. The Taiyin Youying Bloodline was especially sensitive to ancient auras, and she could sense that the age of these ruins far surpassed that of the Qinglan Sect or even the Misty Immortal Palace.

"The fog is so thick, Divine Sense can't penetrate it." Qu Feiyan narrowed her enchanting eyes, trying to extend her Divine Sense into the mist, but it was like a clay ox entering the sea, twisted and devoured by an unseen force. "It's probably not simple inside."

Gongsun Yu had just achieved a Breakthrough to the False Core, and was currently full of confidence. Gripping the thunder light silver ring, she was eager to try: "Big Brother Lin, should we go inside and take a look? Maybe we can find a clue to leave the Desolate Sea!"

Lin Xuan stood at the head of the raft. The immortal abode pivot token in his palm emitted a faint but continuous heat. The resonance and pull originated precisely from the depths of this fog-shrouded ruin. The words of Daoist Shoujing echoed in his mind—"The Misty Immortal Palace is not just the Demon Palace remnant."

It seemed highly likely that this was another fragment of the Immortal Palace, or perhaps the site where another Ancient Ruin, sharing the same origin as the Immortal Palace, had fallen.

"Opportunity and risk coexist." Lin Xuan’s gaze swept over the Three women, and he said solemnly, "This place is strange. The fog can isolate Divine Sense, so we must be extremely cautious. After we land, we will form a formation and advance together. Do not separate."

He controlled the wooden raft, avoiding several underwater reefs, and finally landed on a relatively gentle beach covered in black gravel.

Stepping onto solid ground, a cold, damp aura immediately spread up from their feet. The mist in the air carried a stale, musty smell, and when inhaled, it showed faint signs of obstructing the circulation of spiritual power.

"The mist is strange. Circulate your Cultivation Technique to resist it," Lin Xuan reminded them. At the same time, a faint golden light of vital Qi and blood appeared around him. The Nine Revolutions Golden Body Art circulated on its own, dispelling the foreign aura that had invaded his body.

Su Wanqing was protected by Moon Essence, its clear brilliance flowing, making it difficult for the mist to approach her. Qu Feiyan was surrounded by Alluring Light, which also repelled the mist. Gongsun Yu, meanwhile, activated her Thunder Spiritual Power. Fine electric snakes moved across her body, emitting faint crackling sounds, purifying the surroundings.

With Lin Xuan as the arrowhead, Su Wanqing and Qu Feiyan guarding the flanks, and Gongsun Yu bringing up the rear, the four formed a simple Four Symbols Formation and cautiously stepped into the dense fog.

Inside the mist, visibility was less than thirty meters. The ground beneath their feet was soft and muddy, mixed with broken tiles and the bones of unknown creatures. The surroundings were terrifyingly silent; even the sound of the waves was cut off, leaving only their faint footsteps and breathing echoing in the dense fog.

The outlines of the ruined buildings flickered in and out of view in the fog. The style was indeed somewhat similar to the Misty Immortal Palace, but older and more primal. Many stone pillars and walls were carved with strange, long-lost runes and totems, emitting faint light, seemingly maintaining some kind of Restriction that had long since failed.

"These runes... are somewhat similar to the 'Primeval Divine Script' recorded in an extremely ancient Incomplete Manual of my clan." Su Wanqing pointed to the carvings on a half-collapsed stone pillar, her clear, cold tone carrying a hint of uncertainty. "It is said to be writing far older than Ancient Immortal Script, containing fragments of the Law from the time the heavens and earth first opened."

Hearing this, Lin Xuan's heart stirred. He tried to activate the immortal abode pivot token to sense the runes.

Buzz!

The clear light of the cardinal edict gently rippled, creating an extremely faint resonance with the runes on the stone pillar! At the same time, a clearer, more direct sense of pull pointed toward the depths of the ruins!

"The direction is correct. Follow me." Lin Xuan’s spirits lifted, and he advanced, following the sensation.

As they went deeper, the surrounding mist seemed to thin out a bit, but the scene of the ruins became even more desolate and tragic. Huge traces of battle were visible everywhere—mountains sliced in half, glass-like ground that had melted and then solidified, and massive claw marks that plunged into the depths... It was as if, countless ages ago, this place had experienced a world-destroying war.

"Look over there!" Gongsun Yu suddenly pointed to a relatively open plaza ahead and to the left.

In the center of the plaza stood a relatively intact altar carved from some kind of white jade. The altar was ancient in style, somewhat similar to the Observation Array Platform in the Demon Palace, but larger in scale and emitting a more vast and ancient aura. And suspended above the altar, instead of being empty, was a basin-sized, rhomboid crystal fragment, covered in cracks and completely dull!

The fragment looked utterly unremarkable, but the immortal abode pivot token in Lin Xuan's palm instantly erupted with unprecedented heat and yearning upon seeing it! The intense resonance nearly burst out of his body!

Immortal Palace Core Fragment!

It truly is here!

However, just as the four people's attention was drawn to the fragment, an unexpected change occurred!

"Hiss—!"

A spine-chilling sound, like countless arthropods crawling, rang out from the dense fog in all directions! Immediately afterward, black shadows darted out of the mist like phantoms, surrounding the four of them!

They were grotesque demonic creatures shaped like spiders, but possessing eight pale human hands and heads that were the constantly twisting, weeping faces of women! Their aura was cold and viscous, and their strength ranged roughly from Peak Foundation Establishment to False Core Stage. Their sheer numbers were overwhelming, instantly blocking all escape routes!

"They are 'Weeping Woman Demon Spiders'! Their silk carries powerful mental curses and corrosive properties. Be careful not to get entangled!" Qu Feiyan's expression changed slightly, and she immediately warned them. At the same time, she formed Hand Seals, and the illusory image of a blood-red lotus appeared behind her.

Without further words, battle instantly erupted!

Dozens of Weeping Woman Demon Spiders simultaneously spat out viscous silk, shimmering with ominous gray light, covering the four like a net cast from heaven to earth! Before the silk even reached them, a mental fluctuation that caused vexation and despair had already assaulted them!

"Ice Seal, Thousand Miles!" Su Wanqing shouted softly. She swung her ice sword, and intensely cold Moon Essence erupted from her center, instantly freezing large sections of the incoming silk into ice crystals that fell rustling to the ground!

Lin Xuan's fists flashed with golden light. His Supreme Yang Qi and Blood were like a blazing furnace, and wherever his fist wind passed, the spider silk spontaneously ignited with faint golden flames, being scorched and purified! His figure moved like lightning, charging directly into the Demon Spider swarm, using both fists and feet. Every strike was incomparably fierce, shattering the Demon Spiders one by one!

Qu Feiyan’s figure flickered like a red phantom. She did not clash head-on with the Demon Spiders, but instead specifically targeted the organs or joints where the Demon Spiders ejected their silk, using her refined Alluring Essence Power for precise strikes and interference, making the Demon Spiders' attacks chaotic.

Gongsun Yu wielded the thunder light silver ring, and bolts of lightning danced like silver snakes. The Supreme Yang and Supreme Rigid Thunder Power had an additional countermeasure against these sinister demonic creatures; Demon Spiders struck by the lightning often stiffened up, or were instantly paralyzed and fell to the ground.

However, the number of Demon Spiders was simply too great, and they seemed endless, continuously surging out of the dense fog. Even more troubling, the silk they spat out landed on the ground and ruins, quickly corroding them and causing white smoke to sizzle, shrinking the space the group had to maneuver. The mental curse was also constantly stacking, affecting their minds.

"We can't get bogged down in a prolonged fight! We must get the fragment and leave as soon as possible!" Lin Xuan fought while sharply scanning the direction of the altar. Hovering around the altar were three exceptionally large Weeping Woman Demon Spiders whose aura had reached the Early Golden Core Stage. They were not participating in the surrounding attack but were guarding the rhomboid crystal fragment like sentinels!

Clearly, without dealing with these three leaders, they wouldn't be able to approach the fragment at all!

Lin Xuan’s mind raced. He transmitted a message to Su Wanqing and Qu Feiyan: "Help me contain these surrounding small fry, I will go deal with the three big ones!"

Before his voice faded, he violently shook off the Demon Spiders around him, his figure transforming into a golden arrow that shot straight toward the altar! The three Golden Core Demon Spiders immediately let out sharp screeches, waving their eight pale human hands and rushing forward with fierce, sinister winds!

The great battle instantly escalated around the altar!