102: Altar Battle, Bloodline Resonance

Inside the temple, it was vast and oppressive.

The dilapidated dome cast mottled light and shadows, gigantic stone pillars were toppled and broken, and the ground was littered with the bones of unknown giant beasts and fragments of rusted weapons.

The air was filled with an ancient, unmoving silence and desolation.

However, amidst this dead silence, the altar in the deepest part of the temple, still emitting a milky-white pillar of light, was like a lighthouse in the night, attracting the gaze of all intruders.

Xiao Chen, Han Yue, Qiu Ji, and other Pill Tower disciples, along with Soul Annihilation Life, Heavenly Nether Sect Saint Son, Ice Talisman, and others from hostile forces, appeared almost simultaneously at the edge of the altar plaza.

The plaza was vast, paved with a dark golden metal, and inscribed with incomprehensible ancient runes.

The altar was located in the center of the plaza, about a hundred zhang tall, and entirely crystalline like jade.

Suspended above it were three of the most dazzling Saint Spirit light clusters, within which vague outlines of scrolls, medicinal pills, or some kind of crystal could be seen, emitting energy fluctuations that made everyone present's heart race!

That was the greatest opportunity in the Fallen Saint Space this time!

However, no one acted rashly.

Because around the altar, a layer of pale golden energy barrier, visible to the naked eye, enveloped it.

The barrier shimmered with flowing light, emitting a heart-palpitating pressure, its strength far exceeding the external barrier!

What was even more unsettling was that below the altar, nine skeletons sat cross-legged, clad in tattered armor and wielding giant axes!

These skeletons' eye sockets flickered with eerie blue soul flames, and their auras had all reached the Peak Eight-star Dou Zong level!

They guarded the altar in silence, like the most loyal sentinels.

“Nine Peak Dou Zong skeleton guards... and this barrier...” Heavenly Nether Sect Saint Son, the Saint Son of the Heavenly Nether Sect, looked grim.

“It seems getting the opportunity won’t be easy.”

Soul Annihilation Life’s gaze swept coldly over the altar, finally landing on Xiao Chen, a cruel arc forming at the corner of his mouth: “Opportunity is important, but clearing out the small fries is an even more pressing matter.”

Before he finished speaking, a surge of death qi erupted from his body, locking onto Xiao Chen!

“Soul Annihilation Life, you want to fight here?” Han Yue’s pretty face was frosty, and her moon-white Dou Qi (Fighting Skill) circulated as she and Qiu Ji and others instantly formed a battle formation, protecting Junior Brother Xiao in the center.

“Hmph, mere juniors from the Pill Tower, do you think you’re worthy of contending with my Soul Hall?” Soul Annihilation Life scoffed with disdain.

Behind him, several Soul Hall Elders stepped forward simultaneously, their powerful auras merging into one, like dark clouds pressing down!

The forces from Ice River Valley and Heavenly Nether Sect also stirred, clearly intending to take advantage of the chaos.

The situation instantly became tense, with a major battle on the verge of breaking out!

Just at this critical moment, another anomaly occurred!

Above the altar, the milky-white pillar of light suddenly fluctuated violently!

Within the light pillar, the ancient will that had once tempted Junior Brother Xiao, resonated again, but this time, it was no longer directed solely at Junior Brother Xiao, but transformed into a grand voice, echoing throughout the entire plaza:

“To obtain the inheritance, one must pass three trials: the first is the ‘Trial of Strength,’ to defeat the guards; the second is the ‘Questioning of the Heart,’ to face one’s true self; the third is the ‘Harmony of Fate,’ a bloodline resonance!

Those who pass shall receive the Sacred Spirit baptism and glimpse the supreme Dao!”

As the voice faded, the pale golden barrier around the altar subtly rippled, revealing nine entrances, each corresponding to one of the nine skeleton guards.

At the same time, an invisible force of rules enveloped the plaza, seemingly restricting large-scale brawls and guiding the competition towards one-on-one challenges.

“Trial of Strength? Defeat the guards?” Soul Annihilation Life’s eyes narrowed slightly, and he snorted coldly, “Mere dead things, daring to block my path? I’ll go first!”

His figure moved, transforming into a black light, and he charged directly towards the nearest skeleton guard!

The soul flame in that skeleton guard’s eye sockets flared violently, and it raised its giant axe, bringing it down on Soul Annihilation Life with the force to split mountains and crack stones!

The axe wind was sharp, causing ripples in the space itself!

“Netherworld Devour!” Soul Annihilation Life did not dodge, a pitch-black vortex appearing in his palm, which directly swallowed the axe glow!

At the same time, his other hand, swift as lightning, pointed a finger at the skeleton guard’s glabella!

“Crack!” The skeleton guard’s skull instantly covered with cracks, its soul flame flickered violently, and its movements froze.

Soul Annihilation Life waved his sleeve, and a powerful surge of death qi shattered it into dust!

One-shotting a Peak Eight-star Dou Zong skeleton guard!

The terrifying strength displayed by Soul Annihilation Life made everyone present gasp in cold air!

“So strong!” Qiu Ji’s expression was solemn.

Han Yue also tightened her grip on her sword hilt.

Seeing this, Heavenly Nether Sect Saint Son, Ice Talisman, and others no longer hesitated, each choosing an opponent and charging towards the other skeleton guards.

Intense battles instantly erupted around the altar.

Xiao Chen’s gaze swept across the battlefield, but he did not rush to act.

His Spirit Realm Soul carefully probed the skeleton guards, especially the giant axes in their hands and their fighting styles.

He vaguely felt that the fighting style of these guards had some peculiar connection with his comprehended Heaven Opening Axe Intent.

“Junior Brother Xiao, we...” Han Yue looked at Junior Brother Xiao.

“I’ll go try first.” Junior Brother Xiao said in a deep voice, stepping towards the last unchallenged skeleton guard.

This guard seemed taller than the other eight, its bones a faint golden color, and the giant axe in its hand was even more ancient and heavy.

Seeing Junior Brother Xiao move, Soul Annihilation Life, Heavenly Nether Sect Saint Son, and the others, though fiercely battling the guards, all cast subtle glances at him, filled with scrutiny and killing intent.

Xiao Chen held his breath and concentrated, stopping ten zhang away from the skeleton guard.

The soul flame in the guard’s eye sockets flickered, locking onto Junior Brother Xiao, and a heavy battle intent pressed down.

Without unnecessary words, the guard raised its giant axe, delivering a simple yet profoundly meaningful vertical chop that tore through the air, aiming directly at his head!

Before the axe arrived, the will to sever everything already made Junior Brother Xiao’s skin tingle!

“Good!” Xiao Chen’s eyes gleamed brightly.

He did not use any fancy Dou Technique, but instead condensed his Spirit Realm Soul and Seven-Star Dou Zong Dou Qi (Fighting Skill), unleashing an equally powerful hand chop!

This chop contained his entire understanding of the Heaven Opening Axe Intent—creation, severance, order, and fortune!

“Clang—!”

The hand chop and the giant axe’s phantom collided, emitting a resounding clang of metal on metal!

A wave of air exploded from their center!

Xiao Chen’s body shook violently, and he retreated three steps, his arm numb.

The skeleton guard, too, rattled with bones and took a step back!

An even match!

“What?! He actually took the skeleton guard’s full-power attack head-on?!”

“And with a hand chop against a giant axe?!”

Those watching from afar were all aghast!

Even a trace of surprise flashed in Soul Annihilation Life’s eyes.

Xiao Chen, however, was ecstatic!

At the moment of collision, he clearly felt that the skeleton guard’s axe intent contained a trace of true battle axe intent that was of the same origin as his, yet more ancient and purer!

This guard was very likely related to the ancient Xiao Clan!

“Again!” Xiao Chen’s battle intent surged, and he attacked proactively!

He treated this skeleton guard as the best whetstone, constantly clashing with it using his Heaven Opening Axe Intent!

With each collision, he gained new insights into the axe intent, the illusory battle axe in his sea of consciousness became increasingly solid, and the ancient patterns on the axe body became clearer!

“Boom boom boom!”

The intense confrontation lasted for nearly a hundred rounds!

Xiao Chen sustained several injuries, but his eyes grew brighter and brighter!

Finally, at a certain moment, inspiration struck him, and he unleashed an axe intent imbued with the artistic conception of “creation and new life,” skillfully deflecting the guard’s giant axe, and the axe aura condensed on his fingertip struck an energy node on its chest!

“Break!”

The skeleton guard’s movements froze, the soul flame in its eye sockets slowly extinguished, and its massive body collapsed with a crash, turning into a pile of broken bones.

A golden saint spirit mark, even more brilliant than those of the other guards, floated up and landed in Junior Brother Xiao’s hand.

As the mark entered his hand, a warm, pure energy surged into his body, rapidly restoring his depleted strength and making his soul even more transparent.

“Passed!” The grand voice from the altar resonated, and the entrance barrier corresponding to Junior Brother Xiao disappeared.

Xiao Chen took a deep breath, suppressing the excitement in his heart, and stepped into the passage.

Han Yue, Qiu Ji, and the others, seeing this, also went all out, and after a bitter struggle, each defeated their opponents and entered the passage.

Soul Annihilation Life, Heavenly Nether Sect Saint Son, Ice Talisman, and the others naturally passed with ease.

The nine individuals successively stepped into the altar area, and the passage barriers behind them closed again.

Above the altar, the milky-white pillar of light became even more dazzling, and the three Sacred Spirit light clusters were within reach, emitting an alluring glow.

But everyone knew that the real test had just begun.

“The second trial, the Questioning of the Heart, begins!” The grand voice sounded again.

In an instant, the scenery around the nine changed, and each fell into an independent illusion!

The illusion directly targeted the deepest fears, desires, and obsessions of their hearts!

Before Xiao Chen’s eyes, the scene twisted, as if returning to the night the Xiao Family in Wutan City was annihilated, with flames soaring into the sky and his loved ones tragically dying...

Immediately after, the image of Old Yao’s figure dissipating appeared...

Then came his own mediocre and uneventful life in his previous incarnation...

Finally, there was Soul Annihilation Life’s ferocious face and the endless pursuit of the Soul Hall...

All kinds of illusions, like a tide, pounded his mind, trying to shake his Dao heart and lure him into despair.

“It’s all an illusion! My Dao heart is indestructible!” Xiao Chen’s Spirit Realm Soul firmly held onto his true self, the clan mark between his eyebrows flashing with golden light, annihilating all illusions!

His eyes were clear, his steps firm, as he walked step by step towards the top of the altar.

The other eight, however, displayed various reactions.

Some showed painful struggle, some had confused eyes, and some even let out mad roars.

Those with weak willpower might suffer mental collapse in this trial!

Ultimately, only five successfully broke free from the illusion and ascended to the top of the altar.

They were Xiao Chen, Soul Annihilation Life, Heavenly Nether Sect Saint Son, Ice Talisman, and... Han Yue, who had passed with her firm sword heart!

At the top of the altar, the source of the milky-white pillar of light was a huge pool, filled with a milky-white liquid that exuded vast life essence and soul energy!

This was the Sacred Spirit Pool!

Above the pool, the three Sacred Spirit light clusters floated.

“The third trial, Harmony of Fate, bloodline resonance!

Let your blood drip into the pool!” The grand voice issued the final command.

Soul Annihilation Life, Heavenly Nether Sect Saint Son, and Ice Talisman did not hesitate, forcing out drops of their vital blood and letting them fall into the pool.

The pool water rippled slightly, but there was no significant reaction.

Han Yue also dripped her blood, and the pool water created a faint ripple.

It was Xiao Chen’s turn.

He took a deep breath, pricked his fingertip, and a drop of Xiao Clan bloodline, imbued with a faint golden luster, fell.

“Buzz—!!!”

The moment the blood touched the pool water, an anomaly suddenly occurred!

The entire Sacred Spirit Pool boiled violently!

The milky-white pool water seemed to come alive, rushing madly towards Junior Brother Xiao’s drop of blood!

The altar vibrated intensely, and the pillar of light shot up into the sky, becoming even thicker and more dazzling!

A primordial, ancient, and majestic will awakened from the bottom of the pool, enveloping the entire altar!

“Xiao Clan bloodline! It’s the direct bloodline of the Xiao Clan!” The grand voice was filled with excitement and shock, “Waiting for ten thousand years, it has finally arrived!”

The faces of Soul Annihilation Life, Heavenly Nether Sect Saint Son, and Ice Talisman instantly changed drastically!

Their gazes towards Junior Brother Xiao were filled with incredulous horror and towering killing intent!

Xiao Chen was bathed in the vast energy and ancient will, feeling his bloodline boiling and his soul sublimating!

He felt that something in the depths of the altar was calling to him, connected to his bloodline!

The opportunity was right before his eyes!

But danger also descended simultaneously!

Soul Annihilation Life and the other two would never let him smoothly accept the inheritance!

The final decisive battle was about to erupt by the Sacred Spirit Pool!