96: Seven Star Dou Zong, bloody battle to break through

Above the secluded valley, death energy and golden light fiercely collided, erupting in deafening roars!

Xiao Chen had broken through to Seven-Star Dou Zong, his aura surged, and the faint golden Dou Qi around him was like raging flames, forcing back the chilling Styx death energy by a full three parts!

He wielded the crimson battle-axe phantom formed from a fragment of the heaven burning furnace, and each chop contained the newly comprehended "Heaven Opening Axe Intent" of the "Heaven Opening Creation Slash", incomparably sharp, and even carried a trace of the endlessly regenerating power of creation, which had an extremely strong suppressive effect on the Soul Hall's death energy!

"Little bastard! Even if you broke through in battle, you're only a Seven-Star Dou Zong! How can you contend against this Venerable One's projection!" The Soul Hall Heavenly Venerable's projection was both shocked and enraged.

He formed hand seals, and death energy surged, transforming into a ferocious phantom of a Nine Nether Soul Devouring Python, which opened its enormous maw and lunged towards Xiao Chen!

"Heaven Opening Axe Intent, Soul Splitting!"

Xiao Chen's eyes were sharp; he did not dodge or evade.

The battle-axe phantom grew explosively in the wind, carrying the will to cleave souls, and fiercely struck the head of the Soul Devouring Python!

"Screech!"

Where the axe light passed, the Soul Devouring Python let out a mournful wail, its massive body split in two, and then it collapsed with a roar!

The violent energy impact caused large sections of the surrounding cliffs to crumble!

"Pfft!" The Heavenly Venerable's projection's figure swayed, clearly having suffered a backlash.

He looked at Xiao Chen in disbelief; the latter's growth rate and mastery of intent completely exceeded his expectations.

"This child must not be allowed to live!"

A ruthless glint flashed in his eyes, and the projection's body suddenly ignited, transforming into an extremely condensed Nether Death Ray (Netherworld Death Ray), moving at extreme speed, shooting directly towards Xiao Chen's glabella!

This was an attack that consumed the projection's origin, its power comparable to a full-strength strike from a low-tier Dou Zun!

"Be careful!" Mo Linglin, who had just woken up below, cried out in alarm.

Xiao Chen's pupils contracted; this strike brought him a fatal threat!

He roared, injecting all his Seven-Star Dou Zong Dou Qi, Spirit Realm Soul power, and that faint trace of Origin Qi into the fragment of the heaven burning furnace!

"heaven burning furnace, protect my true spirit! Shield of Creation, condense!"

The fragment glowed brightly, transforming into an ancient, crimson-gold shield.

On the shield's surface, faint golden creation patterns flowed, emanating an unyielding and resilient aura!

"Boom—!!!"

The Netherworld Death Ray slammed fiercely into the Shield of Creation!

A terrifying energy storm swept out, causing the entire valley floor to crack and dust to soar into the sky!

The shield vibrated violently, cracks spreading across it, but it ultimately did not shatter!

Xiao Chen was sent flying by the enormous impact, spitting out blood, but his eyes grew even sharper!

"He blocked it! He actually blocked the Heavenly Venerable's projection's desperate strike!" Mo Linglin's beautiful eyes were filled with shock.

"How is this possible?!" The Heavenly Venerable's projection let out an unwilling roar, his figure becoming extremely dim, almost on the verge of dissipating.

He stared intently at Xiao Chen, his voice venomous: "Xiao Clan remnant! The Soul Hall will never let you go! Just wait, your soul will eventually belong to the Soul Hall!"

Before his words finished, the projection finally couldn't hold on and completely dissipated into the air.

Xiao Chen landed heavily, kneeling on one knee, gasping for breath, his face as pale as paper.

Although he had blocked the fatal blow, he had also expended a tremendous amount of energy and was severely injured.

He quickly took out and consumed a pill to stabilize his injuries.

"Xiao... Senior, are you alright?" Mo Linglin struggled to move forward, asking with concern, her eyes filled with gratitude and awe.

"I'm fine, let's go! This place is not suitable for staying long!" Xiao Chen forced a breath, pulled Mo Linglin up, and without bothering to clean up the battlefield, immediately used his movement technique to speed out of the Black Wind Mountain Range.

He knew that with the Soul Hall projection destroyed, the main body would surely sense it, and a greater pursuit would soon arrive.

Less than an incense stick's time after they left, the space above the secluded valley twisted, and two even more terrifying figures descended.

These were two other Soul Hall heavenly venerate projections who had rushed over after receiving the news!

They looked at the chaotic battlefield and the dissipated aura of their colleague, their faces so gloomy that water could drip from them.

"Useless! You couldn't even take down a junior Seven-Star Dou Zong!"

"Chase! He's severely injured and can't run far! Notify all branch halls in the Northern Region to seal all exits! He must not be allowed to escape back to the Pill Domain!"

A full-scale pursuit sweeping across the Northern Region thus began!

Xiao Chen, with Mo Linglin, fled desperately through the Black Wind Mountain Range.

With his soul perception fully open, he avoided waves of Soul Hall scouts, specifically choosing steep and secluded paths.

During this time, he encountered several more interceptions from small Soul Hall teams, all of whom he forcibly cut down with his Seven-Star Dou Zong strength and newly comprehended axe intent, but his injuries also worsened as a result.

Three days later, the two finally reached the edge of the Black Wind Mountain Range, and the outline of Tianbei City could already be seen in the distance.

As long as they entered Tianbei City and used the teleportation array within the city, they could quickly return to the Pill Domain.

However, just as they were about to rush out of the last canyon in the mountain range, an extremely intense, bloodthirsty killing aura, like a tangible entity, enveloped the entire canyon exit!

Outside the canyon, a large group of people stood in a dense mass.

Leading them was an old man dressed in a scarlet robe, with a withered face and eyes as cold as a venomous snake.

His aura had surprisingly reached the Peak Eight-star Dou Zong!

Behind him stood dozens of fierce cultivators, radiating murderous intent, the weakest of whom were Peak Dou Huangs, and there were even several low-tier Dou Zongs.

On their robes, all these people had a symbol of a surging blood river embroidered!

"Styx Alliance, Blood River Hall!" Mo Linglin's face instantly turned pale, her voice trembling, "The one leading them is the Vice Hall Master of the Blood River Hall, Old Man Ming Xue! He is a famous killing god in the Northern Region, with extremely cruel methods!"

Xiao Chen's eyes were cold, and his heart sank to the bottom.

There were wolves in front and tigers behind!

The Soul Hall's pursuit had not yet been shaken off, and now the Styx Alliance's top killers had blocked their path!

Moreover, this Elder Ming Xue's strength far surpassed that of the previous Styx Ghost Assassin, and was even not much weaker than that heavenly venerate projection!

"Heheheh... Boy, you've made this old man wait quite a while." Elder Ming Xue let out an owl-like laugh, his scarlet tongue licking his lips, "Killing so many of our Styx Alliance members and even destroying a heavenly venerate projection, you truly have great audacity!

However, your life ends here.

Hand over the seven-colored spirit nurturing lotus and your soul obediently, and this old man can give you a quick death."

Xiao Chen shielded Mo Linglin behind him, took a deep breath, and suppressed the churning qi and blood.

He knew this was a true battle of life and death, with no retreat!

"If you want my life, let's see if you have the ability!" Battle intent burned in Xiao Chen's eyes, and his Seven-Star Dou Zong aura erupted without reservation, the crimson-gold battle-axe phantom once again condensing in his hand!

"Stubborn fool! Blood River Grand Array, rise!" Elder Ming Xue sneered, waving his sleeve!

The dozens of Styx Alliance cultivators behind him simultaneously formed hand seals, and vast crimson Dou Qi surged out, intertwining in the air to form a surging blood river, sealing off the entire canyon exit!

Within the blood river, vengeful souls howled, emitting terrifying auras that corroded Dou Qi and defiled souls!

"Kill!" Elder Ming Xue was the first to attack, his withered palm striking out, a massive crimson palm print tearing through the air, bringing with it a bloody wind and rain, directly covering Xiao Chen!

Before the palm print even arrived, the dense, bloody death energy had already made Xiao Chen's breathing catch!

"Heaven Opening Creation Slash, Blood Break!"

Xiao Chen roared, swinging his battle-axe, and the faint golden axe aura surged explosively in the wind, colliding head-on with the crimson palm print!

"Boom!"

Energy exploded, and airwaves surged!

Xiao Chen's body shook violently, he retreated three steps, a sweetness rose in his throat, and he forcibly swallowed the surging blood.

The opponent was, after all, a Peak Eight-star Dou Zong, a huge gap in cultivation!

"Form the array, wear him down!" Elder Ming Xue coldly ordered.

The Blood River Grand Array activated, and countless blood arrows and blood blades shot out from the blood river, assailing Xiao Chen like a torrential rain!

At the same time, Elder Ming Xue's figure merged into the blood river, launching sneak attacks like a ghost!

Xiao Chen fell into a bitter struggle!

He had to both resist the incessant attacks of the Blood River Grand Array and guard against Elder Ming Xue's fatal sneak attacks, all while dividing his attention to protect Mo Linglin behind him!

The situation was precarious!

"Pfft!" A blood blade pierced through his Dou Qi defense, leaving a bone-deep wound on his left shoulder, and death energy fiercely corroded it!

"This won't do!" Xiao Chen's eyes hardened, and he made a desperate decision!

He no longer defended passively, but instead actively charged towards the core of the Blood River Grand Array!

"heaven burning furnace, devour for me!"

He summoned the fragment, pointed the furnace mouth at the blood river, and unleashed a terrifying suction force, actually beginning to forcibly devour the blood river's energy!

Although this blood river energy was defiled and violent, and would cause backlash, he couldn't care less at this moment!

"Seeking death!" Seeing this, Elder Ming Xue seized the opportunity to emerge from the blood river and pointed a finger at Xiao Chen's back!

Crimson light condensed on his fingertip, containing a sure-kill strike!

Just at this critical moment, a clear and cold shout suddenly came from the sky:

"Styx Alliance scum, daring to touch someone from my Pill Tower, you seek death!"

A brilliant, moon-white sword light, like the Milky Way descending from the nine heavens, instantly tore through the Blood River Grand Array, accurately striking towards Elder Ming Xue!

"Senior Sister Han Yue!" Mo Linglin cried out in surprise.

Xiao Chen looked up and saw Han Xue stepping on air above, holding her Autumn Water longsword, with moon essence swirling around her body, her aura having surprisingly also reached Seven-Star Dou Zong!

Behind her, several other powerful auras were rapidly approaching, clearly indicating that the Pill Tower's reinforcements had arrived!

In a desperate situation, reinforcements descended from the heavens!