31: Chapter 31 Resentment Awakens, False Flames Devour Souls

At the instant the soul power storm erupted, time seemed to stretch and freeze.

The ink-black Xuanming True Water was no longer silent, dead water; it transformed into a roaring, furious dragon, rushing skyward while carrying an extreme, soul-freezing chill!

The massive skeleton of the ancient flood dragons remnant was no longer a cold, inanimate object; every bone was humming and trembling. Deep blue patterns erupted with blinding light, as if a giant beast that had slept for eons was being forcibly awakened, emitting a silent, painful roar.

The chaotic flow of soul power, intertwined with pale white and deep blue, acted like billions of cold bone-scraping blades, crazily cutting and eroding everything in the space!

"Roar—!!!"

You Lan, bearing the brunt, let out a shrill, sorrowful cry.

Its massive body was violently flung away by the soul power storm, crashing heavily against the cave wall. Large swaths of deep blue scales peeled off, and fresh blood sprayed wildly.

This was not merely a physical impact; it was a terrifying suppression and erosion originating from the source of its bloodline!

The resentment and madness belonging to the "Scale Lord" contained within that soul power storm caused far greater harm to it, a descendant linked by blood, than to outsiders.

It curled up in a corner, its aura rapidly withering, its vertical pupils filled with pain and fear stemming from the depths of its soul.

Xiao Yi Xian was further away, but her gray-purple poison barrier was as fragile as paper in front of the soul power storm, shattering instantly!

The bone-chilling soul power, mixed with mad resentment, struck her body and soul directly!

She groaned, her face turning paper-white, and blood seeped from her seven orifices simultaneously.

The poison power within her body, which had been tempered into a slightly peaceful state by the Xuanming True Water, was like oil dumped into a pot with a giant stone, instantly erupting again!

Moreover, this time, the eruption was mixed with negative emotions brought by the soul power resentment—despair, unwillingness, violence, madness—these emotions acted like poison, resonating with the insidious nature of her own poison power, causing her mind to waver and hallucinations to fill her vision!

"Guard your mind! Circulate the Poison Scripture!" Lin Yan's sharp shout exploded like thunder on the edge of Xiao Yi Xian's consciousness being swallowed by resentment.

He was not having an easy time either; it felt as if his soul was being pierced by countless ice awls, his head splitting with pain.

But having been baptized by the will of the earth vein, his soul was naturally resilient, and with the Seed Flame of Void Devouring Flame guarding his core, he could barely maintain clarity.

He stared fixedly at the "purifying erosion fire seed" in his hand, which had cracked patterns, flickered with light, and pulsed like a pale, beating heart.

It was this thing! It was not a simple inheritance token or key, but a "soul bomb" that sealed the strongest resentment and unwillingness from the moment the ancient "Scale Lord" fell!

The ancient soul scale was an identity token, while this fire seed was likely a "Revenge Seed" left by that existence to exact revenge or execute some extreme contingency!

When it came into contact with the soul power imprint of the remnant of the same origin, it immediately triggered a chain reaction!

"System! Analyze the core of the current soul power storm and the state of the purifying erosion fire seed! Find a suppression or guidance plan!"

Lin Yan shouted in his mind, while forcibly urging his almost-frozen Dou Qi to deploy a thin shield in front of him, fused with the aura of the Green Lotus Core Flame and the Fallen Heart Flame, to resist the most direct soul power impact.

But this shield was swaying in the storm, in imminent danger.

[Warning! A super high-intensity composite soul power storm has formed! The core is a collection of residual resentment after the fall of a top-tier powerhouse of the ancient Hun Clan (Ancestor of Ten Thousand Scales), fused with part of the remnant soul of the ancient flood dragons remnant and the extreme yin power of the Xuanming True Water! Possesses strong soul erosion, consciousness pollution, and energy freezing characteristics!]

[purifying erosion fire seed (seal damaged): The source of the 'Purifying Soul Flame' sealed inside is resonating with the resentment core and is releasing uncontrollably, exacerbating the storm. The structure of the fire seed itself is extremely unstable and may collapse completely at any time, triggering a wider range of soul annihilation explosions!]

[Emergency plan deduction... Searching for available countermeasures for the host...]

[Plan 1: Use the Seed Flame of Void Devouring Flame to fully devour the resentment soul power at the core of the storm. Advantage: Void Swallowing Flame has strong restraint and devouring properties against soul power and negative energy. Disadvantage: The total amount of resentment soul power is massive and its essence is extremely high; although the host's seed flame is strengthened, it is still insufficient to swallow it completely. Forcing it may lead to the seed flame overloading and backfiring on the host's soul. Success rate: about 30%. Risk: Extremely high.]

[Plan 2: Use the 'ancient soul scale' as a medium to attempt to communicate with and appease the relatively peaceful inheritance soul power in the remnant, countering the resentment soul power. Advantage: Same origin, may produce guidance or differentiation effects. Disadvantage: Resentment soul power occupies absolute dominance; the success rate of appeasement is low, and it may invite disaster. Success rate: Less than 10%.]

[Plan 3: Detonate a portion of the Xuanming True Water essence to forcibly freeze and purify part of the resentment soul power with its extreme yin and purifying power, creating an escape window. Advantage: Can instantly create chaos and buy time. Disadvantage: Consumes precious resources and may intensify energy conflicts, leading to unpredictable consequences. Success rate: about 40%.]

Three plans, each more risky than the last, and none with a high success rate.

But there was no time to hesitate! The storm was expanding rapidly, Xiao Yi Xian was almost unable to hold on, You Lan was dying, and the cave was shaking violently, ready to collapse completely at any moment!

"Gambling on it! Plan 1 as the main, Plan 3 as backup!" Lin Yan's eyes turned sharp.

The Void Swallowing Flame was his strongest trump card and the only thing that could possibly "eat" this resentment soul power!

He no longer suppressed the desire of the pitch-black flame within his body.

With a thought, the strengthened Seed Flame of Void Devouring Flame, like a fierce beast breaking free from its shackles, surged wildly from his palm!

It was no longer a tiny flame but transformed into a stream of ink-black fire that seemed capable of devouring light, actively meeting the soul power storm intertwined with pale white and deep blue that was sweeping over!

The devouring began!

The moment the pitch-black flame touched the soul power storm, there was no explosion, no loud noise, only a hair-raising sound of "dissolution."

Wherever the Void Swallowing Flame passed, the violent resentment soul power was like snow meeting boiling oil, rapidly decomposed, devoured, and turned into the purest soul power essence, merging into the pitch-black flame!

The pitch-black flame became more solid and profound at a speed visible to the naked eye, and the sense of "emptiness" and "devouring" it emitted became increasingly terrifying.

It worked!

But as the system predicted, the total amount of resentment soul power was too massive, and its essence was too high!

The speed at which the Seed Flame of Void Devouring Flame devoured it could not keep up with the speed at which the storm swept and regenerated!

Moreover, the negative emotions contained in the resentment—madness, violence, unwillingness—began to counter-attack Lin Yan's soul during the devouring process!

Countless broken, chaotic, despair-filled, and murderous fragments of images forcibly flooded into his mind—the collapse of a giant shadow covering the sky, blood-stained scales falling like rain, the grim laughter of traitors, unwilling roars...

"Ugh, ah—!" Lin Yan hugged his head and roared, his whites instantly bloodshot, blood spilling from the corners of his mouth.

It felt as if his soul was being torn by countless hands; the negative emotions were almost drowning him!

The Seed Flame of Void Devouring Flame also became somewhat restless and unstable, and the devouring efficiency began to decline.

"Lin Yan!" Xiao Yi Xian, seeing Lin Yan's pain, endured the dual pain of her own soul erosion and poison power eruption and urged the poison power she had just refined a trace of Xuanming True Water into, which carried a hint of calm characteristics.

It transformed into several gray-blue (fused with poison power and True Water characteristics) silk threads, winding toward Lin Yan's body, trying to help him share and purify some of the invading negative soul power.

But this was just a drop in the bucket.

"Master... use the scale... approach the remnant... broken horn..." Just then, You Lan's weak but clear spiritual fluctuation came through.

It struggled to lift its massive head, looking at a small, complex rune mark intertwined with deep blue and pale white that was flashing violently at the broken horn of the ancient flood dragons remnant's head.

"That place... is where the ancestor received the initial blessing from the Scale Lord... and also the key node... that seals the core resentment... the scale... resonance..."

Hearing this, Lin Yan suddenly looked at the ancient soul scales in his hand!

That's right! The ancient soul scale was a "Scale Lord" token, and the mark on the broken horn of the remnant was where the "blessing" and "seal" were!

Using the ancient soul scale of the same origin to contact that node might produce unexpected changes!

Enduring the soul-tearing pain, he used his right hand to control the Void Swallowing Flame to continue devouring and resisting the frontal storm, while his left hand grabbed an ancient soul scale, infused his remaining Dou Qi and a trace of Void Swallowing Flame aura into it, and with all his strength, threw it fiercely toward the rune mark at the broken horn of the remnant!

The ancient soul scale turned into a streak of black light, accurately hitting the flickering rune!

"Hum—!!!"

The expected explosion did not happen.

The ancient soul scale, like a drop of water merging into the ocean, silently stuck to the rune.

The next moment, the entire head of the remnant shook violently!

The pale and deep blue light that was flashing violently and full of resentment suddenly froze for an instant!

Immediately after, the dark gold patterns on the ancient soul scale and the deep blue patterns on the remnant's bones lit up and resonated at an unprecedentedly harmonious frequency!

A relatively peaceful, ancient soul power fluctuation, carrying faint sadness and attachment, was awakened from the depths of the remnant, like a trickling stream, beginning to counter and dilute the violent resentment soul power!

Although this peaceful soul power was far less powerful than the resentment soul power, the moment it appeared, the "unity" of the entire soul power storm was broken!

It was like a diversion appearing in a raging flood.

The pressure on the Seed Flame of Void Devouring Flame dropped sharply, and the devouring efficiency skyrocketed!

The pitch-black flame shone brightly, devouring the divided resentment soul power even more crazily!

At the same time, the ancient soul scale stuck to the rune seemed to become a temporary "stabilizer" and "filter."

A portion of relatively pure soul power and information fragments, containing no crazy resentment, began to feed back into Lin Yan's mind through the ancient soul scale.

These messages were more fragmented but lacked those maddening negative emotions:

"...nine keys... Gate of Return to Ruins... scattered in all directions... gather them all... can summon... return... or... end..."

"...Traitor... inside the Hun Clan... black mist... devouring the same clan... achieving oneself..."

"...My scales... fire... water... wind... thunder... earth... light... dark... poison... space... time... nine scales nine keys..."

"...Latecomer... if you get my scale... be cautious... afraid it is... a trap..."

The information was fragmented, but it caused Lin Yan's mind to shake violently!

nine keys? Gate of Return to Ruins? A traitor within the Hun Clan? Nine attribute scales (keys)?

This game of chess was bigger and more complex than he imagined!

The fall of that "Ancestor of Ten Thousand Scales" seemed to involve internal strife within the Hun Clan, and the contingency he left behind (including this purifying erosion fire seed and possible other keys) was not only a tool for revenge but might itself be a huge... trap for latecomers?

Just as Lin Yan was digesting this astonishing information, and the Void Swallowing Flame was taking the opportunity to devour wantonly, and the storm was gradually showing signs of being controlled—

"Crack!"

A clear cracking sound rang out!

The "purifying erosion fire seed" in Lin Yan's hand had its surface cracks suddenly expand, spreading to the entire crystal!

The pale "Purifying Soul Flame" flame inside suddenly shrank and then erupted violently!

It was not an explosion, but transformed into a pale, extremely condensed beam of soul power, ignoring the Void Swallowing Flame that was devouring and the soul power storm that was calming down.

It seemed to possess its own will, instantly penetrating space, and struck Lin Yan's glabella fiercely!

"Lin Yan!!!" Xiao Yi Xian let out a heart-wrenching exclamation.

Lin Yan only felt a soul power that was cold to the extreme, yet carried a strange burning sensation, like the sharpest ice awl, piercing deep into the depths of his soul!

An ancient consciousness, full of endless resentment, madness, but also a trace of strange relief, exploded in his soul:

"Latecomer... inherit my 'purifying erosion'... accept my karma... find all nine keys... open the Return to Ruins... at that time... you will know everything... or... become the firewood for my return... Hahaha..."

The consciousness dissipated, but that pale soul power, like a maggot on the tarsal bone, was deeply branded on the origin of Lin Yan's soul.

Together with the "Heart-Burning Seal" on the left and right, they formed two distinct but equally dangerous marks!

At the same time, a massive and pure, yet abnormally cold soul power origin poured into Lin Yan's soul along with this consciousness, causing his soul power to skyrocket instantly, but also bringing bursts of cold pain and a heavy burden.

The purifying erosion fire seed... had completely disappeared.

Or rather, it had "chosen" Lin Yan as a new carrier and... executor (or sacrifice) in this way?

The soul power storm lost most of its power because one of its cores, the "Purifying Soul Flame," had transferred.

Under the devouring of the Void Swallowing Flame and the appeasement of the peaceful soul power guided by the ancient soul scale, it rapidly weakened and dissipated.

The Xuanming True Water pool gradually returned to calm, and the light of the ancient flood dragons remnant also dimmed, as if it had exhausted its last strength.

The cave was a mess, but the crisis seemed... temporarily resolved?

Lin Yan staggered back a few steps and was supported by Xiao Yi Xian.

His face was pale, and at his glabella, a pale flame pattern flickered, emitting a cold soul power fluctuation.

He felt that his soul power had indeed become much stronger, but his control over soul power had become unusually awkward, and there was an lingering coldness and heaviness, as if his soul was burdened with an iceberg.

Xiao Yi Xian looked at the mark on his glabella with worry, and then looked at the ancient soul scale in her own hand (she had also taken one before) that had become scalding hot and was vibrating slightly.

You Lan struggled to lift its head, and the look in its eyes as it gazed at Lin Yan was filled with even more complex awe and... a trace of undisguised fear.

The cave's shaking stopped, but Lin Yan knew that the real trouble had just begun.

He had gained powerful soul power but also accepted a terrifying karma.

The secret of the "Nine Keys Return to Ruins," the possibility of the "Scale Lord's" return, and the shadows within the Hun Clan were like invisible shackles placed upon him.

And this new, cold "Pure Corrosion Soul Seal" on his glabella, facing the hot "Heart-Burning Seal" on his back, seemed to indicate that he had been swept into the center of a huge vortex of two different eras and two different existences, and could no longer escape.