7: Chapter 7: The Ruins Are About to Open! All Races Have Assembled!

North of the Central Plains, the Ancient Ruins.

This ruin was hidden deep within the oldest desolate mountain range on the continent. Within a thousand miles, there was no sign of human life. Only broken walls and ruins, eroded by the passage of time, poked out from the wild grass, silently telling of the glory from ten thousand years ago. The sky was grey, and heavy clouds pressed down so low that even birds dared not approach this area.

A spatial crack tore open without warning on the perimeter of the ruins. Hun Feng walked out from the crack first, his black robe rustling. Yao Yao followed closely behind, the silver bells on her ankles ringing crisply in the silence of the wilderness. Soul Mie Sheng walked at the very back with his hands behind his back. The aura of this Hall Master of the Soul Hall was perfectly concealed, yet every step he took caused the ground beneath his feet to sink slightly. Hun Qinger had changed into a relatively low-key ink-colored combat outfit, her face covered by a thin veil. She had suppressed her aura to the level of a Four-Star Dou Sheng—keeping her true strength as a mid-stage Seven-Star Dou Sheng tightly hidden. Behind her followed the Deputy Hall Master of the Hall of Souls, a late-stage Three-Star Dou Sheng, his expression cold and stern, saying nothing.

"This place is even more eerie than the Corpse Burial Mountain Range," Yao Yao looked around, a hint of disdain in her peach-blossom eyes. "There isn't even a bird; it's deathly still."

"It would be abnormal if the Ancient Ruins were filled with birdsong and fragrant flowers." Hun Feng's gaze fell on the shimmering, restrictive light deep within the ruins. That was the spatial seal left behind by the ancients, and also the direction of the remnant map. The corners of his mouth curled slightly. "It seems we haven't arrived too late; the restriction hasn't been opened yet."

Soul Mie Sheng raised his eyes to look at the horizon, his tone indifferent. "The people from the Gu Clan have already arrived. There are also the Medicine Clan, the Yan Clan, and the Lei Clan—quite a few people have come."

Yao Yao tilted her head to look at Hun Feng and lowered her voice. "Young Master, will the people from the Sky Mansion Alliance come too? That guy, Xiao Yan—"

"He is already here." Hun Feng's gaze crossed layers of broken walls and landed on a half-collapsed ancient palace ruin in the distance. A figure he was all too familiar with stood there—wearing a black cloak, with the xuan heavy ruler slung diagonally across his back. Although his complexion still bore the pallor of someone recovering from a serious illness, his spine remained straight. Who else could it be but Xiao Yan? Beside him were Yao Chen, Zi Yan, and a woman in green clothes with a calm aura.

Hun Feng's gaze paused on the woman in green. He thought to himself that Qing Lin had also come; Xiao Yan's team configuration was quite complete. However, what truly surprised him was the speed of Xiao Yan's recovery—the backlash from four types of exotic flames combined with soul injuries would have kept a normal Dou Sheng bedridden for at least three months. Yet, he was able to travel such a long distance in half a month; the recovery power of the Dou Di Bloodline was indeed not to be underestimated.

"Young Master, should we go over and say hello first?" Yao Yao smiled sweetly, gently flicking the bone whip in her hand. The silver bell sound was crisp and pleasant, but those who knew her well knew this girl's hands were itching for a fight.

"No rush." Hun Feng withdrew his gaze, his peripheral vision sweeping across the various banners in front of the ancient palace ruins, his mind already rapidly calculating the strength of each party. The Gu Clan had sent Gu Nanhai and Gu Qingyang, plus Xun'er—his gaze involuntarily lingered on that elegant, lotus-like figure for a moment, thinking to himself that Gu Xun'er had indeed come, and she was even three parts more beautiful in person than described in the original work. He temporarily suppressed these thoughts and scanned the lineups of the various clans. There were several Four-Star Dou Sheng present. Although the lineup his Hun Clan brought was strong enough, it was not the time to reveal all his trump cards too early. "Let's watch the show first. Between the Medicine Clan and the Sky Mansion Alliance, there is plenty of good drama to see."

Before his voice had even faded, arguments had already erupted from the direction of the ancient palace ruins.

The Medicine Clan had arrived. The leader was the Medicine Clan elder, Yao Wangui, a cultivator at the early stage of a Four-Star Dou Sheng, his Alchemist robes trimmed with gold. He was followed by seven or eight young disciples of the Medicine Clan, each of them looking down their noses, their nostrils almost pointing to the sky. The most conspicuous person among the Medicine Clan was the white-robed young man leading them—Yao Tian, an early-stage One-Star Dou Sheng, the number one genius of the contemporary Medicine Clan. He had stepped into the Dou Sheng realm before the age of thirty; such talent was rare even in the entire Central Plains.

At this moment, Yao Tian was standing in front of the ancient palace ruins, arms crossed, looking down at Yao Chen and Xiao Yan not far away. A hint of undisguised mockery hung on the corners of his mouth, the expression like that of a high-and-mighty young master scrutinizing a beggar on the roadside. Upon seeing this, Xiao Yan's brow furrowed imperceptibly, but considering Yao Chen's presence, he did not flare up for the time being.

"Yo, isn't this Uncle Yao Chen?" Yao Tian's voice was neither too loud nor too soft, just enough for everyone from all the surrounding forces to hear clearly. "The dignified former candidate for the Medicine Clan leader, one of the Dan Ta Three Giants back in the day, how have you fallen to the point of making a living by hanging around with a junior?"

Yao Chen's expression darkened slightly, but he did not speak. Xiao Yan gripped the xuan heavy ruler tightly.

Seeing that he didn't speak, Yao Tian became even more aggressive. He took two steps out of the crowd, his gaze sweeping back and forth over Yao Chen, and sneered. "Back then, when you were betrayed by Han Feng, your physical body was destroyed, and your soul was imprisoned by the Hall of Souls for decades, did the Medicine Clan ever treat you poorly? It was you who were incompetent, insisting on mingling with a bunch of lowly rogue cultivators and degrading yourself. Now, you've even dragged a bunch of ragtag people to form some 'Sky Mansion Alliance,' attempting to oppose the Hall of Souls—if you ask me, you've disgraced the Medicine Clan's reputation completely."

"Yao Tian, keep your mouth clean." Xiao Yan's voice turned cold, and the xuan heavy ruler was already slightly lifted half an inch.

"Did I say something wrong?" Yao Tian spread his hands, looking at the Medicine Clan disciples behind him with an innocent face, drawing a round of mocking laughter. "Xiao Yan, right? The Young Pavilion Master of the Starfall Pavilion, the Deputy Alliance Master of the Sky Mansion Alliance, what a grand title. But how did I hear that you were beaten like a dog in the Corpse Burial Mountain Range? You couldn't even keep a single Sea Heart Flame and were whipped by a little girl from the Hun Clan until your Buddha's Fury Fire Lotus exploded—with just this much ability, you dare to come and fight for the Purification Lotus Demon Flame?"

Xiao Yan did not speak, but his eyes had changed.

That was the look he had when facing Yao Yao in the Corpse Burial Mountain Range—calm, focused, without any unnecessary emotions, only pure killing intent concentrated deep in his pupils. Yao Tian obviously didn't know what kind of minefield he had stepped on and was still smugly waiting to see Xiao Yan's angry reaction. But he was destined to be disappointed; Xiao Yan was not the type of person to be provoked into a rage; he was the type of person to take direct action.

The xuan heavy ruler suddenly unsheathed.

The huge black ruler was like black lightning, sweeping out with a dull, thunderous sound of breaking wind. Before Yao Tian's smile could even fade, the ground beneath his feet was cracked inch by inch by a terrifying gravitational force. His pupils shrank violently. In his haste, he formed hand seals, and a turquoise medicinal fire barrier formed in front of him—but Xiao Yan's ruler momentum did not pause at all. The Green Lotus Core Flame and Bone Chilling Flame erupted from the ruler simultaneously, the green and white flames intertwining into a fire dragon, slamming fiercely into the medicinal fire barrier.

With a loud bang, the barrier shattered upon impact. Yao Tian was sent flying like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily into the crumbling wall of the ancient palace behind him, punching a huge hole in the already rickety stone wall. Rubble and dust fell, burying half his body. His white robe was stained with blood, and his left arm hung limply at an unnatural angle—it was clearly broken.

Yao Wangui's face turned livid, and he took a step forward, about to strike. But Xiao Yan was faster than him; the xuan heavy ruler was already pressed against Yao Tian's throat, the Three Thousand Burning Flame lingering on the ruler's surface, sizzling against the skin of his throat. Yao Tian's face turned ghastly pale—he realized he couldn't move at all. The aura of four types of exotic flames simultaneously locked his meridians; as long as Xiao Yan had a thought, even his soul would be burned into nothingness.

"You just said—beaten like a dog?" Xiao Yan's voice was very soft, but every word sounded as if it had been fished out of an ice cellar. "Then do you want to try how many moves you can withstand in front of me?"

Yao Tian's lips trembled, but he didn't dare utter a single word. The high-and-mighty arrogance he had displayed was shattered completely under this one strike, leaving only undisguised fear.

Yao Wangui finally made his move. He flashed forward, the pressure of a Four-Star Dou Sheng erupting, and struck a palm toward Xiao Yan's shoulder. The palm wind carried the rich power of medicinal fire, and a bitter medicinal smell permeated the air. Xiao Yan dodged to the side, retracted the xuan heavy ruler to block, and with a loud bang, took Yao Wangui's palm head-on. His figure retreated several steps, his web between thumb and forefinger slightly numbed, but there was no trace of fear on his face.

"That's enough." Yao Chen finally spoke. His voice was still weak, but his tone carried an unquestionable majesty. He slowly stepped forward, looking at Yao Wangui calmly. "Elder Yao Wangui, a spar between juniors should stop at a point. Yao Tian spoke rudely first, and it is reasonable for my disciple to teach him a lesson. If you want to continue fighting—although I am injured, I am more than capable of exchanging a few moves with you."

Yao Wangui's old face changed uncertainly for a few moments, and finally, he snorted coldly, withdrew his palm, and fished Yao Tian out of the pile of rubble. Yao Tian clutched his broken arm, giving Xiao Yan a resentful glare, but upon seeing Xiao Yan's calm eyes, he swallowed the second half of his harsh words and retreated behind Yao Wangui in a dispirited manner.

Hun Feng watched this scene from afar, the smile on his lips deepening. He tilted his head and whispered to Yao Yao, "Xiao Yan is this fierce even before his injuries are healed; it would be troublesome if he were fully recovered."

"No matter how fierce, it's useless," Yao Yao played with her bone whip, a cold light flashing in her peach-blossom eyes. "I could blow up his Buddha's Fury Fire Lotus last time, and I can do it again next time."

"Don't underestimate him. He didn't use his full strength today; he didn't even use the Great Creation Palm. But it wasn't without gains—look at how he blocked Yao Wangui's blow just now, his scapula retracted by half an inch; his meridians haven't fully recovered." Hun Feng narrowed his eyes. "To recover to eighty percent of his combat power in half a month, the Dou Di Bloodline is indeed monstrous."

Just at this moment, someone shouted, "The people from the Hun Clan have also arrived!" Everyone's gaze turned in unison toward Hun Feng's group.

For a moment, the forces that were originally hostile to each other seemed to have found a common target. Gu Nanhai led the Gu Clan members from the west side, swept a glance at Hun Feng, and snorted coldly without speaking. The elders of the Yan Clan and the Lei Clan also brought their clansmen to surround them from the north and south, their eyes full of vigilance and hostility when looking at the Hun Clan. The Hun Clan's notoriety was too loud in the Central Plains. Although the Sky Mansion Alliance had taken the initiative to attack in the battle of the Corpse Burial Mountain Range, no force was willing to stand on the same front as the Hun Clan.

Seeing this, Hun Feng laughed instead. He looked around, his clear voice neither too loud nor too soft, just enough to spread throughout the ruins. "Everyone, the restriction of the ruins hasn't been opened, and the demon flame hasn't been born yet. Isn't it too early to huddle together to exclude others? Everyone is here to find the demon flame, and the opportunity won't run away—instead of staring at each other here, why not work together to break the restriction first, and then enter to compete based on ability? What do you think?"

Gu Nanhai was silent for a moment. Although reluctant, he could not deny that what Hun Feng said was the truth. If the restriction was not broken, no one would be able to get the remnant map. He said coldly, "The Hun Clan's Young Master has a silver tongue. Since we are here, let's follow the rules—compete based on ability, and don't play any tricks."

"Elder Gu, rest assured, the Hun Clan has always followed the rules." Hun Feng's smile remained unchanged, but his gaze crossed over Gu Nanhai and landed on the beautiful figure behind him.

Gu Xun'er stood quietly in the Gu Clan's team, dressed in green like a lotus, her features picturesque, her temperament elegant and refined. Her gaze was always on Xiao Yan, her clear, water-like eyes filled with gentle concern and the joy of seeing him safe and sound. Xiao Yan seemed to sense it and turned back. The two met eyes and smiled slightly, silence speaking volumes.

Hun Feng saw this clearly from the side, feeling an inexplicable sense of displeasure. In his previous life, when reading the novel, he was a fan of the Xiao Xun Er CP. Now that he had become the Young Master of the Hun Clan, seeing this childhood sweetheart pair being all lovey-dovey, it didn't feel right—why should Xiao Yan get all the good things? In terms of looks, he considered himself no less; in terms of background, he was the Young Master of the Hun Clan; in terms of cultivation, he was currently one rank higher than Xiao Yan. Why did all the beauties belong to Xiao Yan?

"Is that Gu Xun'er?" Yao Yao followed his gaze, a meaningful light flashing in her peach-blossom eyes. "She is indeed beautiful. Young Master, you wouldn't be—"

"What are you thinking?" Hun Feng withdrew his gaze with a straight face. "I was thinking about how to negotiate the remnant map with the Gu Clan."

Yao Yao curled her lips, obviously not believing a word of it. But she didn't continue to ask, instead casting her gaze to the opposite side. Feng Qing'er stood in the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan's team, a faint arrogance on her delicate, jade-carved face. Seeing Yao Yao looking over, she snorted coldly and turned her gaze away. Yao Yao laughed at her appearance and whispered to Hun Feng, "Young Master, that Feng Qing'er is only a One-Star Dou Zun and ran here to join the fun. Is the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan treating this operation as an outing? And that Qing Lin over there—the possessor of the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils, an early-stage One-Star Dou Sheng, that's interesting."

Hun Feng followed her gaze one by one, involuntarily cursing Xiao Yan a few more times in his heart. However, he quickly withdrew his gaze because he noticed two faint auras in the crowd secretly observing the Hun Clan's camp—one from the back of the Gu Clan's team, and the other from the deeper forest further away. He calmly suppressed the vigilance in his heart, his face still wearing that light and breezy smile.

"Everyone," Hun Feng broke the silence first, gesturing with his chin toward the restriction in front of the ancient palace ruins, his tone still calm and unhurried. "Since everyone has arrived, why not break the restriction first? No matter how deep the remnant map is hidden, we have to go inside to get it. As for who can get it—each according to their ability, how about it?"

Gu Nanhai snorted coldly but did not object. Although Yao Wangui's face was still ugly, he had to nod. The elders of the Yan Clan and the Lei Clan looked at each other and nodded. The elder of the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan was silent for a moment and also expressed agreement.

A short-lived alliance was thus reached. A group of powerful individuals who were wary of each other temporarily put down their weapons in the face of the temptation of the remnant map and walked together toward the ancient restriction that had been silent for thousands of years. Hun Feng walked at the outermost edge, with Yao Yao following closely by his side, lowering her voice to ask, "Young Master, the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan only sent one Four-Star Dou Sheng, do they deserve to compete with us?"

"A Four-Star is only on the surface; who knows if they have hidden lines in their clan." Hun Feng swept a glance at Feng Qing'er's proud little face and suddenly lowered his voice. "But did you notice Feng Qing'er? This little girl is indeed good-looking, both proud and delicate. No wonder in the original work—"

He realized he had slipped up halfway through his sentence and quickly coughed twice to cover it up. Yao Yao didn't care, just rolled her eyes at him with her peach-blossom eyes. "Young Master, you seem to be looking at beauties a bit too much today."

"Appreciation, purely appreciation." Hun Feng quickened his pace with a straight face.

Behind him, Soul Mie Sheng walked with his hands behind his back, remaining silent throughout. Meanwhile, Hun Qinger's ice-blue eyes scanned everyone present from under her veil, as if she were evaluating a group of insignificant pawns.