65: Ruins of the World

Ruins of the Fallen, on the edge of the Demon Burial Valley.

Xiao Chen concealed himself behind a massive weathered rock, his aura merging with the surrounding environment.

His Spirit Realm Great Perfection soul perception, like an invisible tide, quietly enveloped the entrance to the canyon ahead, which was shrouded in dense demonic energy.

Inside the valley, strange rocks jutted out, and the ruins of collapsed ancient buildings were faintly visible.

A heart-palpitating pressure and chaotic energy fluctuations permeated the air.

According to the incomplete diagram, clues to the "Ancient Emperor's Cave Mansion" were likely hidden deep within the Demon Burial Valley.

However, at this moment, the Demon Burial Valley was not peaceful.

Near the valley entrance, several groups of people were visibly confronting each other, the atmosphere tense.

One side consisted of members of the Soul Hall, whom Xiao Chen had previously encountered.

They were led by the Five-Star Dou Zong Venerable Gu You, and their numbers had increased significantly to seven or eight people.

Among them was even an old man with an obscure aura, dressed in dark gold soul robes, who stood at the back as if in meditation, giving Xiao Chen immense pressure.

He was likely a high-level Dou Zong, possibly even someone with one foot in the Dou Zun realm!

The other side comprised three or four cultivators in white sword robes.

Leading them was the Woman in White Robes, whom Xiao Chen had secretly assisted before.

She looked pale at the moment, her injuries clearly not yet healed, but her eyes were still as sharp as swords.

She stood shoulder to shoulder with a middle-aged man beside her, whose aura was even more formidable and who carried an ancient sword on his back.

The middle-aged man had a simple, ancient face, and sword light seemed to flash in his eyes when he opened and closed them.

His cultivation had astonishingly reached the Seven-Star Dou Zong level!

The small sword emblem embroidered on their robes indicated their identity – the Heavenly Sword Pavilion!

This was a sect famous for its sword dao in the Central Plains.

Although not as powerful as the Pill Tower or the Soul Hall, it had deep foundations, and its disciples possessed extremely strong combat power.

The third group was more peculiar, consisting of only two people, an old man and a young man.

The old man was hunched over, holding a withered wooden staff, appearing to be on his last legs.

However, Xiao Chen's soul perception detected a dangerous aura from him, like a bottomless abyss.

The young man had lively eyes and curiously observed the two confronting parties, his cultivation at the Dou Huang level.

They were simply dressed, without any sect markings, yet they could remain calm amidst the confrontation of the two forces, clearly indicating they were extraordinary.

Besides these three more obvious groups, Xiao Chen also sensed several extremely subtle auras hidden in the shadows further away.

Their strength was not to be underestimated, and they were clearly planning to reap benefits from the conflict.

"It seems the news of the Ancient Emperor's Cave Mansion has leaked," Xiao Chen thought to himself.

The situation was even more complicated than he had anticipated.

Before the valley entrance, the two confronting parties were engaged in a verbal skirmish.

"Jian Wuchen, if you know what's good for you, hand over that incomplete diagram!

Otherwise, the seed of your Heavenly Sword Pavilion will likely perish in this Ruined Realm today!" Venerable Gu You threatened sinisterly, his gaze sweeping over the Woman in White Robes with undisguised killing intent.

The middle-aged man named Jian Wuchen snorted coldly, his voice like the ringing of a sword: "Gu You, how can something belonging to my Heavenly Sword Pavilion be handed over just because you say so?

If you want the incomplete diagram, come and take it with your own ability!"

The ancient sword on his back trembled slightly, and a sharp sword intent soared into the sky, forcing back some of the surrounding demonic energy.

"Hmph, refusing a toast only to drink a forfeit!" Venerable Gu You's eyes turned cold, and he was about to wave his hand to order his subordinates to attack.

Just then, the old man in dark gold soul robes, who had been meditating with his eyes closed, slowly opened them.

His gaze, like two cold bolts of lightning, swept towards Jian Wuchen: "Jian Wuchen, I'll give you one last chance.

Hand over the incomplete diagram, take your people, and you can preserve your lives."

His voice was hoarse and low, but it carried an undeniable authority.

Jian Wuchen's expression became solemn, clearly wary of this old man, but he still straightened his back: "Hun Qianmo, your Soul Hall's reach is too long!

My Heavenly Sword Pavilion will never give up on this Ancient Emperor's Cave Mansion!"

"Since that's the case, then… all of you shall remain here," Hun Qianmo said indifferently, and the space around him subtly twisted.

A terrifying soul pressure, like a tide, surged towards the Heavenly Sword Pavilion members!

A great battle was on the verge of breaking out!

In the shadows, Xiao Chen's eyes flickered.

The Heavenly Sword Pavilion also possessed half of a incomplete diagram?

It seemed that to find the Ancient Emperor's Cave Mansion, all the incomplete diagrams had to be collected.

The Soul Hall was powerful; if they succeeded, the consequences would be unimaginable.

For both public and private reasons, he could not stand by and watch the Heavenly Sword Pavilion be annihilated.

But how to intervene?

Appearing directly would undoubtedly make him a target for all.

He scanned the peculiar old man and young man, and also sensed the hidden auras in the distance, a plan forming in his mind.

Just as Hun Qianmo's soul pressure was about to engulf the Heavenly Sword Pavilion members, a sudden change occurred!

"Whoosh!"

An extremely condensed, invisible soul thorn, containing two contradictory auras of scorching heat and extreme cold, appeared out of thin air.

It did not shoot at anyone, but accurately struck a seemingly ordinary boulder to the side of the Soul Hall members!

"Boom!"

The boulder exploded with a roar, and amidst the flying debris, an extremely pure Yin Sha demonic essence hidden within suddenly erupted.

Like water thrown into a pot of boiling oil, it instantly triggered the already chaotic energy field at the entrance of the Demon Burial Valley!

Buzz—!

The demonic energy at the entire valley entrance boiled, and space vibrated.

Several previously hidden spatial rifts suddenly appeared and expanded, and violent energy currents swept out, indiscriminately attacking everyone present!

"Careful!"

"What's going on?!"

The sudden change caught everyone off guard.

The Soul Hall members bore the brunt, forced to divert their attention to resist the energy currents and the tearing of spatial rifts, their offensive immediately stalled.

The Heavenly Sword Pavilion members also hastily defended, but their pressure was greatly reduced.

"Who is it?!" Venerable Gu You was both shocked and enraged, his soul power frantically sweeping around, but he could not find a trace of the attacker.

The aura of that soul thorn was too bizarre, flashing and gone, making it impossible to pinpoint.

Xiao Chen's lips curved slightly in the dark.

His previous strike was not to harm anyone, but to "test the waters," cleverly detonating a hidden energy node in this area to create chaos.

When he made his move, he also deliberately simulated a trace of a certain ancient flame aura he had felt from the fragment of the heaven burning furnace, to confuse the senses.

Amidst the chaos, a glint of light flashed in the turbid eyes of the peculiar old man who had been observing, and he thoughtfully glanced in the direction where Xiao Chen was hidden.

The young man, meanwhile, exclaimed excitedly in a low voice: "Grandpa, there's a good show to watch!"

Taking advantage of the confusion, Xiao Chen transmitted a subtle soul message to Jian Wuchen and the Woman in White Robes: "Southeast, three li away, there's a temporarily safe spot.

You can avoid the immediate danger there and make plans."

Jian Wuchen and the Woman in White Robes were startled upon hearing this, instantly realizing it was the person who had secretly helped them just now.

Jian Wuchen made a decisive decision, letting out a low shout: "Go!"

Sword light enveloped his disciples, transforming into a streak of light, and they fled rapidly in the direction Xiao Chen indicated.

"Trying to run?!" Hun Qianmo snorted coldly, striking out with a palm.

A massive black palm print pierced through the energy currents and pursued them.

However, affected by the chaotic energy field, the palm print's power was considerably weakened.

Seeing this, Xiao Chen secretly acted again.

The fragment of the heaven burning furnace subtly rotated, and he remotely "refined" the black palm print from a distance!

The energy at the edge of the palm print immediately showed a trace of unstable disintegration.

It was this subtle difference that allowed Jian Wuchen to narrowly escape the palm print's lock with his group, disappearing into the depths of the ruins.

"Bastard!" Hun Qianmo's face was grim; he clearly felt that a master was secretly interfering, yet he couldn't find any evidence.

His icy gaze swept across the scene, lingering for a moment especially on the old man and young man and the directions of several hidden auras: "No matter who it is, anyone who dares to oppose my Soul Hall will pay the price!

Enter the valley! Find the cave mansion first!"

The Soul Hall members suppressed their anger and, led by Hun Qianmo, cautiously began to enter the Demon Burial Valley.

The other forces, seeing this, also used their respective methods and quietly followed.

Xiao Chen did not immediately follow.

He remained in place, carefully sensing the reactions of the peculiar old man and the several hidden auras when he had secretly made his move.

He knew that he had attracted the attention of certain beings.

The upcoming journey into the Demon Burial Valley would be a true den of dragons and a tiger's lair; he would not only have to face the threat of the Soul Hall but also be wary of these mysterious onlookers.

"Ancient Emperor's Cave Mansion… I hope what's inside is worth this risk."

Xiao Chen took a deep breath, his figure slowly dissipating into the shadows, following like a ghost.

The real struggle was just beginning.