94: Prison in the valley, an axe breaks the Styx

Deep within the Black Wind Mountain Range, the miasma grew denser, and the light dimmed, as if twilight had arrived early.

Xiao Chen concealed all his aura, his figure like a ghost, weaving through the shadows of ancient towering trees.

He clutched the map he had retrieved from the leader of the Styx Ghost Assassins, his Spirit Realm Soul perception extending like invisible tendrils, cautiously probing ahead.

According to the map, Mo Linglin was imprisoned in a natural cave at the deepest part of the secluded valley.

The terrain there was treacherous and difficult to attack, and the energy fluctuations were unusually chaotic, clearly indicating that concealing and defensive formations had been artificially set up.

The closer he got to his destination, the more potent the Styx death aura in the air became, mixed with a faint, elusive Soul Hall-specific Soul Impact.

Xiao Chen's vigilance intensified.

The enemy had deployed heavy forces here, not merely to imprison Mo Linglin, but rather as a meticulously planned trap, waiting for him, the 'big fish,' to take the bait.

“Knowing there are tigers on the mountain, yet still heading for the tiger mountain,” Xiao Chen's eyes gleamed with a cold light, “I want to see what you can do to me!”

He did not force his way in directly but instead circled to a cliff on the side and rear of the cave, observing carefully from above.

His Spirit Realm Great Perfection soul power quietly permeated downwards, and the scene outside the cave gradually became clear.

The cave entrance was concealed behind a curtain of vines.

On either side of the entrance, two guards dressed in Styx Alliance attire lurked, their auras both at the peak of Dou Huang.

At the entrance, a faint black light membrane was set up, emitting cold energy fluctuations, clearly a warning and defensive formation.

Inside the cave, his soul perception was greatly obstructed, only vaguely sensing several auras of varying strengths.

One aura was weak, carrying a faint lotus fragrance, which should be Mo Linglin.

The other auras were at least low-star Dou Zong, with one aura being obscure and profound, giving him a subtle sense of threat.

It was likely a high-tier Dou Zong, perhaps even an elder-level figure of the Styx Alliance!

“As expected, there’s an ambush,” Xiao Chen sneered inwardly.

A high-tier Dou Zong, several low-star Dou Zong, plus the assistance of formations—this lineup was enough to besiege and kill an ordinary Seven-star or even Eight-star Dou Zong!

To deal with a junior who was ostensibly a Six-Star Dou Zong, the Soul Hall and Styx Alliance had truly spared no expense.

“A frontal assault is unwise; I must outsmart them,” Xiao Chen pondered for a moment, a plan already forming in his mind.

He needed to create chaos, lure the snake out of its hole, and ideally, eliminate the most threatening high-tier Dou Zong first.

His gaze swept over the steep cliff face above the cave, his eyes flashing with brilliance.

He had it!

Xiao Chen moved silently to one side of the cliff face, finding a spot where the rock structure was relatively fragile.

He pressed his hands against the rock wall, his Spirit Realm Soul power highly condensed, not to forcibly destroy it, but like the most precise carving knife, to penetrate into the structural fissures within the rock.

“Heaven Opening Axe Intent, Vibrate!”

He whispered in his heart, embedding an extremely refined trace of “Heaven Opening Axe Intent” within the soul fluctuations, sending it deep into the rock layer.

This axe intent was not for cleaving, but to induce resonance!

It was like throwing a pebble into a calm lake; the ripples would spread out.

“Buzz…”

An extremely subtle, yet destructively frequent vibration, centered on Xiao Chen's palm, silently transmitted along the rock layer's veins towards the rock layer at the top of the cave.

This vibration was imperceptible to ordinary people, but for powerhouses with keen souls, it was like an alarm bell in the night!

Inside the cave, a gaunt old man (Styx Alliance elder, early Eight-star Dou Zong) sitting cross-legged in the deepest part, shrouded in black mist, suddenly opened his eyes, a hint of surprise flashing within them.

“Hmm? Earth vein vibration? No! It’s artificial soul resonance! Someone is causing trouble outside!” He abruptly stood up, his cold gaze sweeping towards the cave entrance, “It seems that little mouse has arrived.

He actually wants to use such petty tricks to lure us out? Humph, too naive!”

He did not act immediately but instead transmitted a soul message to the other Dou Zong inside the cave: “Strengthen defenses, activate all formations! No one is to act without my command! I want to see what tricks he can pull!”

Outside the cave, Xiao Chen sensed the changes in the aura inside, especially that the high-tier Dou Zong had not been lured out but had instead strengthened the defenses, and he thought to himself, “As expected, he’s cunning.”

But he was not discouraged; the second phase of his plan was immediately launched.

His figure flickered, disappearing from his original spot like a wisp of smoke, and in the next moment, he appeared in the dense forest on the other side of the cave entrance.

“Illusionary Dream Realm, Night of a Hundred Ghosts!”

Xiao Chen’s soul power erupted, instantly creating a lifelike illusion in the open space in front of the cave entrance!

Within the illusion, a chilling wind howled, and countless hideous ghost figures crawled out from underground, emitting mournful wails, rushing towards the cave entrance!

At the same time, he also simulated several soul fluctuations of varying strengths, mixing them in, as if several people were attacking simultaneously!

“Enemy attack!”

“So many ghosts!”

The cave guards were instantly aghast.

Although they knew it might be an illusion, the lifelike Soul Impact still shook their minds, and they instinctively activated the formation to attack!

The black light membrane violently fluctuated, shooting out dozens of arrows condensed from Styx death aura into the illusion, but they were like mud oxen entering the sea!

Inside the cave, the Styx Alliance elder frowned deeply: “Soul illusion? He does have some tricks.

However, to think of breaking the formation with just illusions? Wishful thinking!” He remained still, ordering his subordinates to stabilize the formation.

However, just as everyone inside the cave had their attention drawn by the frontal illusion, another anomaly occurred!

At the top of the cave, the rock layer where Xiao Chen had previously embedded the soul resonance finally could no longer withstand the continuous destructive frequency, and with a “crack,” a huge fissure opened!

Immediately after, countless shattered rocks poured down like a torrential rain, smashing fiercely onto the formation light membrane at the cave entrance!

“Boom!”

The shattered rocks impacted the light membrane, emitting a dull roar!

Although they failed to break through the formation, the immense impact force and continuous bombardment caused the formation light membrane to sway violently, and its energy consumption rapidly increased!

More importantly, the collapse of the top completely shattered the tranquility inside the cave!

“Not good! He’s up there!” The Styx Alliance elder’s face changed, and he finally couldn’t sit still!

If he allowed the opponent to destroy the cave roof, the entire cave could collapse!

“You all guard the entrance! I’ll go up and kill that rat!” The elder roared, his figure transforming into a black smoke, directly breaking through the top rock layer from within the cave, soaring into the sky!

The moment he rushed out of the cave roof, Xiao Chen, who had been waiting for a long time, erupted with killing intent in his eyes!

“I’ve been waiting for you! Heaven Opening Axe Intent, Soul Breaking!”

Xiao Chen’s long-prepared strike suddenly erupted!

He pointed his fingers like a blade, pouring all his Spirit Realm Soul power and the profound Dou Qi of a Six-Star Dou Zong into the newly comprehended “Heaven Opening Axe Intent,” transforming it into an extremely condensed, invisible, and formless soul axe aura that contained the power to sever souls, spanning space, and directly striking the Styx Alliance elder’s glabella and Sea of Consciousness!

This strike was fast! Accurate! Ruthless! Without any warning! It was also the strongest soul attack Xiao Chen could currently unleash!

The Styx Alliance elder had just rushed out of the cave entrance and hadn’t had time to clearly see his enemy when he felt a fatal crisis descend!

He was horrified, frantically activating his soul defense, and a pitch-black Styx Soul Shield instantly condensed!

“Screech!”

The soul axe aura and the Styx Soul Shield collided fiercely!

There was no earth-shattering sound, only a soft rip like tearing cloth!

The Styx Soul Shield, in front of the axe aura containing the true meaning of “Heaven Opening,” was actually like paper, easily torn apart!

The axe aura’s momentum did not diminish, and it fiercely cleaved into the depths of his Sea of Consciousness!

“Ah—!”

The Styx Alliance elder let out an extremely shrill scream, bleeding from his seven orifices, clutching his head, and falling from mid-air!

His soul suffered severe damage; although he did not die immediately, he had completely lost his fighting ability!

“Elder!”

The other Styx Alliance members inside the cave heard the scream and immediately fell into chaos!

“Now’s the time!”

Xiao Chen’s figure was like lightning, directly rushing into the cave through the broken opening in the roof!

The light inside the cave was dim, but Xiao Chen’s soul perception swept across, instantly locking onto Mo Linglin, who was imprisoned in an iron cage in the corner, her face pale, and the several panicked low-star Dou Zong.

“Die!”

Xiao Chen wasted no words, executing the Illusory Spirit Steps to its extreme, his figure leaving trails of afterimages in the narrow cave!

He pointed his fingers continuously, and each Soul Breaking Finger, infused with Soul Impact, was like a death god’s invitation, accurately shooting towards the several Styx Alliance Dou Zong!

“Puff! Puff! Puff!”

The power gap was immense, and with their leader severely injured and leaderless, the several low-star Dou Zong had no time to react before their foreheads or hearts were pierced by the finger winds, instantly dying!

The entire battle, from Xiao Chen causing the collapse, to severely injuring the elder, and then rushing into the cave to deal with the minor enemies, took only a mere ten breaths of time!

It was breathtakingly fast!

Xiao Chen arrived in front of the iron cage, his Dou Qi flickering at his fingertips, easily severing the steel chains.

“Miss Mo, it’s alright now,” Xiao Chen supported the weak Mo Linglin, handing her a pill.

Mo Linglin looked at the unfamiliar face (Xiao Chen’s disguise) in front of her, then at the corpses on the ground and the unconscious elder, her beautiful eyes filled with shock and gratitude: “Thank you, senior, for saving my life!”

“This place is not suitable for long stays; let’s go quickly!” Xiao Chen put away the seven-colored spirit nurturing lotus, which had been carefully preserved, and left with Mo Linglin, quickly exiting through the opening in the cave roof.

However, just as they had rushed out of the cave and were preparing to flee, a cold pressure, ten or even a hundred times more terrifying than that of the Styx Alliance elder, suddenly enveloped the entire secluded valley like a celestial curtain!

“Hehehe… Kid, you really didn’t disappoint this Heavenly Venerable.”

The void twisted, and a phantom figure, shrouded in dense death aura and whose face could not be seen, slowly emerged.

Its aura was so powerful that the surrounding air solidified, and space itself trembled!

A Soul Hall Heavenly Venerable Projection! And, it was even more solid and terrifying than the one encountered in the Star Realm!

Xiao Chen’s face instantly became extremely solemn!

The true killing move, it turned out, was here!