77: Fierce battle in front of the ancient tomb

At the cliff top of Burial Soul Valley, the atmosphere instantly became tense! Over a dozen ruthless individuals surrounded Xiao Chen and his two companions, radiating murderous intent. The One-Eyed Strong Man, leading them, unleashed his Five-Star Dou Zong (Fighter Rank) pressure without reservation, attempting to intimidate the three.

"A genius from Jia Nan Academy? Hmph, I kill geniuses!" The One-Eyed Strong Man sneered, waving his large hand. "Attack! Kill the men, keep the women!"

In an instant, various colored Dou Qi (Battle Energy) burst forth, with flashes of blades and swords, and imprints of fists and palms, raining down on Xiao Chen and his two companions like a violent storm! The four Dou Zong (Fighter Rank) especially targeted Xiao Chen, with two fierce Dou Qi (Battle Energy) attacks and a sinister Soul Impact heading straight for him!

"Form a formation!" Lin Xiuyai reacted incredibly fast, letting out a low shout. He formed hand seals, and a surging green Dou Qi (Battle Energy) instantly erected a continuously flowing wooden barrier around the three. Exceptionally tough, it blocked the first wave of attacks entirely. The barrier fluctuated violently but did not break.

Han Yue's eyes were cold. The ancient sword on her back unsheathed with a 'clang,' its blade like autumn water. A clear, moon-white sword energy swept out like a bolt of silk! Moon Splitting Slash! Where the sword energy passed, the air froze. Two peak Dou Huang (Battle Emperor) mercenaries, who were at the very front, were instantly frozen by the sword energy and then shattered into ice shards!

Xiao Chen was even more direct. Facing the frontal attacks of two One-star Dou Zong and a sneak Soul Impact from a Two-Star Dou Zong, he neither dodged nor avoided. His Spirit Realm Great Perfection soul power erupted!

"Soul Emperor Bell, suppress!"

A solid, ancient giant bell phantom enveloped him, directly enduring the two Dou Qi (Battle Energy) attacks, emitting a dull roar. The bell's shadow rippled but remained unmoving! At the same time, the clan mark on his brow flashed with golden light, and an even more condensed "Startling God Stab" came from behind, meeting the Soul Impact!

"Pfft!"

The Two-Star Dou Zong who launched the sneak attack groaned as if struck by a heavy blow, his face pale, his soul injured! He looked at Xiao Chen in disbelief; the opponent's soul power far exceeded his imagination!

"I'll cripple you first!" Xiao Chen's eyes were sharp. With a movement of his Illusory Spirit Steps, his figure appeared like a ghost in front of the injured Two-Star Dou Zong. The mighty Dou Qi (Battle Energy) of a Three-Star Dou Zong condensed on his fist, and he unleashed a straightforward punch! The punch tore through the air, carrying an unstoppable momentum!

"How dare a junior!" The Two-Star Dou Zong was both shocked and enraged. In haste, he overlapped his palms, and Dou Qi (Battle Energy) surged, attempting to block.

"Bang!"

Fist and palm met, and energy burst forth! The Two-Star Dou Zong felt an overwhelming force surge through him, his arms aching intensely, his bones groaning under the strain. He flew backward like a kite with a broken string, spitting blood, and crashed heavily against the cliff wall, losing all combat ability.

In a single exchange, a Two-Star Dou Zong was crippled! This scene astonished the other attackers!

"This guy is tough! Let's all go at him, kill this brat first!" The One-Eyed Strong Man was both shocked and enraged. He no longer cared about capturing Han Yue alive and personally lunged at Xiao Chen. A ghost-head saber, the size of a door panel, descended with a piercing sound, like Splitting Sky, its full force unleashed! A full-power strike from a Five-Star Dou Zong (Fighter Rank) was astonishingly powerful!

At the same time, the other two Dou Zong (Fighter Rank) and the remaining several Dou Huang (Battle Emperor) also launched fierce attacks at Xiao Chen, attempting to overwhelm him.

"Xiao Chen, be careful!" Seeing this, Lin Xiuyai and Han Yue immediately went all out to assist. Lin Xiuyai pointed his sword continuously, and countless green vines appeared out of thin air, coiling around the Dou Huang (Battle Emperor), slowing their offensive. Han Yue, on the other hand, divided her sword light, like moonlight scattering, precisely intercepting the attack of another Dou Zong (Fighter Rank).

But the One-Eyed Strong Man's ghost-head saber still descended unstoppably towards Xiao Chen's head!

Facing this killing blow, a cold glint flashed in Xiao Chen's eyes. He had just broken through to Three-Star Dou Zong and needed a hearty battle to solidify his cultivation and test his use of the Power of Space!

"Good timing!"

He let out a low shout, not retreating but advancing! His Spirit Realm Soul was pushed to its limit, and the surrounding space rippled subtly, twisting! The trajectory of the ghost-head saber, as it approached Xiao Chen, was subtly deflected by an invisible force by about an inch! It was this inch of difference that caused the blade to graze Xiao Chen's body and strike the ground, leaving a deep gash!

"What?!" The One-Eyed Strong Man's saber missed, causing him to lose his balance and reveal a huge opening!

"Soul Breaking Finger!"

Xiao Chen seized this fleeting opportunity. He pointed his fingers like a sword, his soul power and Dou Qi (Battle Energy) highly condensed at his fingertip, transforming into an invisible yet tangible finger wind. It was as fast as lightning, striking directly at the One-Eyed Strong Man's glabella and Sea of Consciousness! This finger strike contained all his understanding of soul attacks, specializing in breaking through soul defenses!

"Not good!" The One-Eyed Strong Man felt a fatal crisis and frantically activated his soul power for defense. But in such haste, how could he block Xiao Chen's prepared strike?

"Hiss!"

The finger wind was like a hot knife cutting through oil, instantly piercing his soul defense! The One-Eyed Strong Man let out a tragic scream, blood flowing from his seven orifices. He clutched his head and staggered backward, his eyes unfocused, his soul severely wounded! Although not dead, his combat power was less than one-tenth of what it was!

With their leader instantly severely wounded, the remaining rabble immediately panicked. Lin Xiuyai and Han Yue seized the opportunity to launch a fierce assault. Sword energy and vines crisscrossed, and in a short while, they either killed or routed the remaining enemies.

The battle began suddenly and ended even faster. On the cliff top, only Xiao Chen and his two companions remained standing, along with a scene of disarray and groaning wounded.

Xiao Chen was slightly out of breath, but his eyes were bright. The battle just now, especially the clever use of the Power of Space to evade a fatal blow and successfully counterattack, made him more adept at controlling his own power. His Three-Star Dou Zong cultivation was completely stable, and his soul power became even more refined.

Lin Xiuyai and Han Yue looked at Xiao Chen with eyes full of admiration. They knew Xiao Chen's soul power was strong, but they hadn't expected it to be so strong that he could severely wound a Five-Star Dou Zong (Fighter Rank) by overcoming a two-star difference! This level of strength, among the younger generation in the Inner Academy, could probably rank in the top five!

"It seems we all underestimated you," Lin Xiuyai said with a smile, his tone filled with admiration.

Han Yue also nodded slightly, a hint of surprise flashing in her cold eyes.

Xiao Chen smiled, saying nothing more. He walked over to the One-Eyed Strong Man, who was paralyzed on the ground with a wounded soul, and squatted down. His soul power invaded the man's Sea of Consciousness, forcibly extracting memory fragments. A moment later, he stood up with a somber expression.

"How is it? Who instigated this?" Lin Xiuyai asked.

A cold light flickered in Xiao Chen's eyes: "It was Liu Qing. He posted a bounty through the mercenary guild in the Black-Corner Region, wanting my life. As for that black-robed Dou Zong (Fighter Rank)..." He paused, his tone grave, "His memories are very vague, but they vaguely point to an organization called 'Soul Hall.'"

"Soul Hall?!" Lin Xiuyai and Han Yue both changed color simultaneously. As top geniuses of the Inner Academy, they had naturally heard of this mysterious and terrifying dark organization.

"Liu Qing actually dared to collude with Soul Hall?" Han Yue's tone was icy, tinged with anger.

"Not necessarily collusion; it might just be that he was used," Xiao Chen calmly analyzed. "Soul Hall probably took advantage of Liu Qing's bounty to deal with me. It seems my troubles are bigger than I imagined."

The three fell silent for a moment, all turning their gaze towards the deep, eerie entrance of the ancient tomb. The external enemies were gone, but the real danger, they feared, lay within the ancient tomb.

"Do we still go in?" Lin Xiuyai asked.

Xiao Chen looked at the dark entrance, and deep within his soul, the faint pulsation from his bloodline seemed a little clearer. He took a deep breath and said firmly, "Yes! Since we've come this far, how can we return empty-handed? Moreover, I feel like something inside is calling to me."

Han Yue and Lin Xiuyai exchanged glances, both seeing the determination in each other's eyes.

"Alright! Then let's brave this dragon's den and tiger's lair!" Lin Xiuyai said with great spirit.

Han Yue also nodded: "Proceed with caution."

The three rested briefly, taking pills to restore their Dou Qi (Battle Energy). Then, without further hesitation, with Xiao Chen's soul perception leading the way and Lin Xiuyai and Han Yue providing support, they stepped into the bottomless entrance of the ancient tomb, their figures quickly swallowed by the darkness.

Within the ancient tomb, what awaited them? Unknown dangers, or... the opportunities left by the Xiao Clan ancestors?