78: Deep in the ancient tomb, the remains of the Xiao clan

The moment they stepped into the entrance of the ancient tomb, a bone-chilling cold, mixed with a scent of decay, assailed them, as if they had instantly fallen from the mortal world into the netherworld. The passage was pitch black, and they couldn't see their hands in front of their faces; even the light seemed to have been swallowed by some power. Xiao Chen's Spirit Realm Great Perfection soul perception fully extended, like invisible tendrils, cautiously reaching forward to probe for danger.

The passage wasn't straight down but winding and tortuous. The stone walls were covered with slippery green moss and some dark red lichen, emitting a faint fishy(fishy/gamey) smell. Underfoot were uneven stone steps, bearing the marks of time. The air was filled with a heart-palpitating pressure; the deeper they went, the stronger this pressure became, as if a slumbering behemoth was breathing.

"Be careful, the air here is poisonous and can corrode Dou Qi," Han Yue reminded softly. A thin halo of moon-white Dou Qi formed around her body, isolating the cold, poisonous air. Lin Xiuyai and Xiao Chen also circulated their Dou Qi to protect themselves.

The three advanced slowly in a triangular formation. Xiao Chen's soul perception acted like the most sensitive radar, constantly feeding back information about the terrain and energy fluctuations ahead.

"Ten zhang to the left, there's a trap, with abnormal energy fluctuations." Xiao Chen suddenly stopped, pointing to the seemingly flat stone wall on the left. Lin Xiuyai flicked his finger, and a streak of green Dou Qi shot out. The moment it touched the stone wall, the wall suddenly concave(concaved/sank in), firing dozens of poisoned crossbow bolts that moved like lightning!

"Condense!" Han Yue pointed her sword, and her Moon Splendor Sword Qi arrived first, forming an ice wall in front of the crossbow bolts, freezing and blocking them all.

"There's a fork in the path on the right. The path with stronger energy fluctuations also has a heavier death aura," Xiao Chen continued to guide. He felt that the aura of death emanating from that path produced an extremely faint resonance with his own bloodline. Although full of danger, his intuition told him that was the key.

They chose the dangerous path. The passage became narrower, and the surrounding stone walls began to show some blurry murals, depicting scenes of ancient ancestors sacrificing, hunting, and battling massive fierce beasts. The style was rough and ancient, filled with a primordial aura. In the murals, a burly figure holding a giant axe occasionally appeared. Although blurry, the clan mark on Xiao Chen's brow faintly warmed.

"These murals... are extremely ancient, probably far beyond any historical records we know of." Lin Xiuyai carefully observed the murals, his expression solemn.

Suddenly, a strong sense of crisis emanated from Xiao Chen's soul perception!

"Stop!"

He let out a low shout, and the three instantly halted. They saw that the ground of the passage ahead was covered with countless fine black threads, almost blending with the darkness. A chilling energy flowed through the threads; once touched, it would undoubtedly trigger a terrifying attack.

"It's 'Soul Corroding Silk,' specialized in harming the soul, and Dou Qi defense is largely ineffective against it." Han Yue recognized the item, her pretty face slightly cold.

Xiao Chen's eyes narrowed slightly. His Spirit Realm Soul power was highly concentrated, transforming into countless soul tendrils thinner than hair, carefully coiling around the Soul Corroding Silk, perceiving its energy nodes and operational patterns. A moment later, a sharp glint flashed in his eyes.

"Follow me. There can be no slightest error in your foot placement."

He took the first step, his figure like a ghost, weaving through the dense Soul Corroding Silk. Each step landed precisely in the gaps between the energy nodes. Han Yue and Lin Xiuyai followed closely, holding their breath, not daring to be careless in the slightest. They passed through this death zone without incident.

The deeper they went, the wider the passage became. Finally, the three arrived in a massive underground stone cavern. Some glowing gems were embedded in the cavern's ceiling, providing faint light. In the center of the cavern was a dilapidated altar, and on the altar, a skeleton sat cross-legged!

The skeleton was pale gold all over, and even after countless years, it still exuded a faint pressure. On its bones, some profound runes were faintly visible. The skeleton's posture was like it was performing some ancient ritual, with its hands clasped on its knees and its head slightly bowed. Most strikingly, on the skeleton's brow, there was a clear battle-axe imprint, strikingly similar to Xiao Chen's clan mark. Although dim, it still exuded an indomitable fighting spirit!

"This is... the remains of a Xiao Clan ancestor!" Xiao Chen's heart trembled violently, and the resonance deep within his bloodline became incredibly clear! He could feel the extremely faint, yet incredibly pure, bloodline power remaining within the skeleton!

In front of the skeleton, three items were placed: a dust-covered black scroll, a rusty bronze ring, and the blade portion of a dark red giant axe, broken into two pieces, yet still exuding a sharp aura!

"It seems we've found the core of the ancient tomb." Lin Xiuyai took a deep breath, his gaze burning as he looked at the three items, especially the broken axe. He could feel the terrifying power contained within it.

Han Yue, however, was more cautious, sweeping her soul power around: "The energy field here is extremely strange. These remains and items seem to be protected by a powerful restriction."

Xiao Chen suppressed the excitement in his heart, carefully probing the area around the altar with his soul perception. Sure enough, on the ground around the altar, an extremely complex formation was carved, mostly dim now. The center of the formation was connected to the remains, emitting a power of isolation and protection. But the formation's energy was about to run out, already at its last gasp.

"The formation's energy is almost depleted, but its last power is still not to be underestimated," Xiao Chen said in a deep voice. "We need to work together to approach the remains without triggering its final counterattack."

Just as the three were about to try and break the formation and retrieve the relics, another anomaly occurred!

"Hehehe... Truly, I searched high and low, only to find it effortlessly! Xiao Clan remnants, and this ancient tomb, today they shall all belong to my Soul Hall!"

An eerie laugh suddenly echoed in the stone cavern! At the entrance of the passage they came from, space twisted, and three black-robed figures slowly emerged! The leader's aura was as vast as the sea, far exceeding the One-Eyed Strong Man from before. He was none other than an Eight-star Dou Zong-level Soul Hall Elder! The two behind him were also Five-Star Dou Zong-level Soul Emissary!

"Soul Hall! They actually followed us here!" Lin Xiuyai's face changed drastically.

Han Yue instantly drew her sword, and moon-white Dou Qi soared into the sky, illuminating the stone cavern slightly.

Xiao Chen's eyes were icy cold. His soul perception had long detected the pursuers, but he hadn't expected them to be so patient, only appearing once they found the core. It seemed the Soul Hall's target, from the very beginning, was him, and this ancient tomb possibly related to the Xiao Clan!

"How did you find this place?" Xiao Chen asked coldly, secretly circulating his Dou Qi and soul power at full capacity, preparing for a desperate fight. Facing an Eight-star Dou Zong, the gap was too great!

The Soul Hall Elder chuckled sinisterly: "Boy, the Xiao Clan blood flowing in your veins is like a bright lamp in the dark. My Soul Hall has secret methods for tracking. I originally intended to use that fool Liu Qing to get rid of you, but I didn't expect you to be so resilient and even find this good place. Well, it saves us the trouble of searching."

His gaze greedily swept over the skeleton and items on the altar, especially the axe blade: "I didn't expect a Dou Zun Peak expert of the Xiao Clan to be buried here! This broken axe must be part of the 'Blood Axe' that was famous across the continent back then, right? Hehe, Heaven truly helps me!"

"Dream on!" Xiao Chen roared, knowing there was no room for negotiation, and launched his attack first! His Spirit Realm Soul power transformed into an invisible tidal wave, combined with his nascent spatial distortion power, and a condensed "Soul Emperor Finger" stabbed directly at the Soul Hall Elder's brow! At the same time, he transmitted a message to Han Yue and Lin Xiuyai: "I'll hold him off, you two try to break the formation and retrieve the items, then find an opportunity to break through!"

"An ant dares to shake a tree?" The Soul Hall Elder scoffed, waving his sleeve. A black soul vortex appeared, easily devouring Xiao Chen's soul finger wind. He flicked his finger, and a black light shot towards Xiao Chen, moving at an incredible speed!

"Be careful!" Han Yue cried out, her sword light falling like moonlight, trying to intercept the black light. Lin Xiuyai also attacked simultaneously, his green vines transforming into a giant net to cover the Soul Hall Elder.

But the power of an Eight-star Dou Zong was too terrifying! The black light easily penetrated the sword light and vine net, heading straight for Xiao Chen's heart! Xiao Chen pushed his spatial distortion power to the limit, and his body sharply shifted!

"Hiss!"

The black light grazed his shoulder, drawing a trail of blood. A chilling death aura instantly invaded his body, causing his blood and Qi to churn, and his face turned pale!

"Worthless." The Soul Hall Elder sneered, about to strike again to completely finish Xiao Chen.

Just then, a sudden change occurred!

On the altar, the pale golden skeleton, seemingly stimulated by the invading Soul Hall death aura and the intense energy collision, had its battle-axe imprint on its brow suddenly light up with an almost imperceptible golden glow! Immediately after, the nearly depleted guardian formation, like a dying flame, erupted with its last burst of light!

"Buzz—!"

A pale golden light barrier instantly enveloped the entire altar, separating Xiao Chen and his companions from the Soul Hall Elder and his Soul Emissary! On the light barrier, countless profound runes flowed, emitting a powerful repulsive force!

"Hmm? A death struggle!" The Soul Hall Elder frowned, slamming a fist onto the light barrier! The light barrier vibrated violently, cracks spreading, but it didn't immediately shatter. The formation's final energy actually temporarily blocked the attack of an Eight-star Dou Zong!

"Quick!" Xiao Chen endured his injuries, shouting to Han Yue and Lin Xiuyai. This was their only chance!

Han Yue and Lin Xiuyai understood, fully attacking the energy nodes connected to the remains inside the light barrier, trying to dismantle the formation from within and retrieve the relics.

Xiao Chen then turned to face the Soul Hall Elder and the two Soul Emissary, who were glaring from outside the light barrier, his eyes resolute. He had to buy time for Han Yue and the others!

"heaven burning furnace, appear!" He summoned the fragment, which floated above his head, and a crimson light curtain descended, providing full defense. His soul power was raised to its peak, ready to face a storm of attacks.

Inside the stone cavern, the situation was critically dangerous! There was an ancient formation about to break from within, and powerful enemies surrounded them from without. Could Xiao Chen hold out under the attack of an Eight-star Dou Zong until Han Yue and the others succeeded? What secrets did the Xiao Clan remains and mysterious items on the altar hide? On the brink of life and death, the answers were about to be revealed...

The Soul Hall Elder laughed sinisterly, then his expression turned cold. "You think a mere fragment of a heaven burning furnace can stop me? You're overestimating yourself!"