Chapter 745 Leaving the Sky Curtain

The western side of the third level of the Heavenly Tomb is not as majestic as the core area, but is full of jagged rocks and withered ancient trees.

Dark brown moss covered the inky rocks, gleaming damply in the dim light. Several ancient trees, their bare branches reaching towards the sky like ghostly claws, stood for countless years. Occasionally, a few curled, scorched leaves would hang from the branches, falling with a rustling sound as they landed on the scattered stones.

The air in the mountains was stagnant and oppressive, and even the flowing wind carried faint residual energy waves, bringing a bone-chilling cold when it brushed against the skin.

Two disheveled figures were speeding along the ground, their robes covered in dust and dark bloodstains, and their hair was disheveled and stuck to their faces.

Their fighting spirit surged hastily beneath their feet, each rise and fall sending up large shards of gravel, yet they dared not pause for even a moment. The man on the left kept glancing back, his pupils dilated with fear, and he was panting heavily.

Although the man on the right was gritting his teeth and trying to hold on, his slightly trembling fingertips and rapid breathing still betrayed the panic in his heart.

The two figures fleeing in panic were none other than Soul Clan disciples Soul Cliff and Soul Li, who had infiltrated the Heavenly Tomb for training.

From the moment they entered the Heavenly Tomb, the two harbored ulterior motives. They already knew that the third level of the Heavenly Tomb contained the energy bodies of Dou Sheng, formed from the souls of the ancestors of the Soul Clan. Therefore, they planned to find these energy bodies first and use their power to surround and kill Xiao Ling of the Xiao Clan and Gu Qingyang of the Gu Clan, so as to eliminate potential threats to the Soul Clan.

Initially, their plans went smoothly.

Thanks to the Soul Clan's secret perception of the energy trajectory of the Heavenly Tomb, Soul Cliff and Soul Li were the first to arrive at the third level and successfully made contact with the several sleeping Soul Clan Battle Saint energy bodies.

Just when they were about to set up a killing trap, an unexpected turn of events occurred. At that time, Xiao Ling was heading to the deepest part of the Heavenly Tomb to search for Xiao Xuan. His incredibly sharp soul perception had already detected the spies that Soul Cliff and Soul Perception had set up along the way. He immediately bypassed the area where the Soul Clan had laid an ambush, causing the two's first ambush plan to completely fail.

Unwilling to accept defeat, Soul Cliff and Soul Li turned their attention to Gu Qingyang and his group.

They seized the opportunity and launched a sudden attack with their Dou Sheng energy bodies, thinking they could succeed in one fell swoop. However, they did not expect that Xun'er had already learned about the situation through the secret techniques of the ancient clan and also informed Xiao Xuan of the news at the same time.

Xiao Xuan had always abhorred the despicable acts of the Soul Clan. Upon hearing the news, he rushed over instantly and shattered the Dou Sheng energy body with a mere wave of his hand, leaving no room for maneuver.

Afterwards, he personally inspected the third level of the Heavenly Tomb, sweeping away all the energy bodies left behind by the Soul Clan, completely severing their hopes.

As for Hunya and Hunli, these two "ants" who were only at the Dou Zun realm, Xiao Xuan didn't take them seriously at all. For a nine-star Dou Sheng who had once stood at the pinnacle of the continent, crushing them was just a piece of cake. However, this "disdain" actually saved their lives, allowing them to escape in the chaos.

However, with the opening of the Heavenly Tomb approaching, Xiao Ling and Xun'er finally had some free time after finishing their business in the core area.

When Xiao Ling learned about Hun Ya and Hun Li's conspiracy and escape route from Xun'er, a murderous intent arose in his heart. He originally wanted to avenge Xun'er, not to mention that he had an irreconcilable feud with the Hun Clan, and the two of them had previously taken the initiative to cause him trouble.

Now that he is in the Heavenly Tomb, even if he eliminates these two, he will not leave any concrete evidence to cause trouble for himself. How could Xiao Ling let go of this excellent opportunity and allow these two troublemakers to escape from the Heavenly Tomb safely?

Thus, the chase in the mountains west of the Heavenly Tomb became inevitable.

"Damn it! Xiao Ling is clearly toying with us! How infuriating! It's all that old scoundrel Xiao Xuan's fault! If he hadn't ruined our plans, how dare Xiao Ling humiliate me like this!"

Hun Li's voice was urgent and trembling, full of resentment. Before he could finish speaking, he suddenly tripped over a crevice in the rocks and staggered forward, almost falling directly onto the ground covered with gravel.

Hunya, standing beside him, remained silent, his teeth clenched, his face ashen, his breathing intermittent. Only his clenched fists and tireless legs kept him running forward.

Just as the two staggered past a grove of withered trees, a blinding golden light suddenly flashed behind them, so fast that it was almost just a blur.

The golden figure was surrounded by a faint golden aura of battle qi. With his toes lightly touching the bare branches of the withered tree, he followed closely behind as if walking on the wind. It was Xiao Ling who had caught up.

He neither deliberately accelerated his approach nor rushed to intercept them. He simply maintained a distance that was neither too close nor too far, his gaze indifferently fixed on the disheveled backs of the two people in front of him. His posture was truly like a cat playing with a mouse, slowly wearing down the other party's remaining strength.

Xiao Ling's gaze swept over the increasingly unsteady figures of the two ahead, his brows furrowing slightly, and a very soft murmur escaped his throat.

"It looks like these two are about to give up too. There's no need to waste time here. The Heavenly Tomb is about to close, and we still need to see Xiao Yan and give him the power of our ancestor's bloodline... Let's just get rid of these two good-for-nothings as soon as possible."

As soon as he finished speaking, he slammed his foot on the steep mountainside beside him, and as the loose rocks tumbled down, his pale golden battle aura suddenly solidified.

The next second, his figure transformed into a dazzling golden afterimage, shooting towards Hun Ya and Hun Li. This speed was several times faster than when he was strolling leisurely before, and even the air was torn apart with a slight sharp sound.

Hunya and Hunli suddenly felt a sense of oppression coming from behind them. The familiar golden battle aura suddenly approached. The two of them tensed up and subconsciously looked back. They saw that the golden figure had transformed into a streak of light and was shooting towards them at a speed that was several times closer than before!
"Oh no! He's accelerating!" Hun Li's voice changed in shock. He was terrified, his fighting spirit surging wildly beneath his feet. He wished he had more legs so he could run forward for his life.

Hunya, unable to catch his breath, grew increasingly pale as he used his last bit of strength to activate his battle qi, attempting to create distance.

But their desperate struggle was utterly insignificant compared to Xiao Ling's golden light.

In the blink of an eye, the golden figure had caught up with the two of them, and the scorching heat emanating from its battle aura clearly landed on their backs.

Seeing that he couldn't dodge, Hunya's eyes flashed with a fierce glint. He spun around and raised his hand, flicking his sleeve. Three chains emanating a thick black aura suddenly shot out from his sleeve, their surfaces still wrapped in wisps of gray mist. They drew three strange arcs in the air and attacked Xiao Ling behind him.

The black aura exuded a chilling coldness that sent shivers down one's spine. As the chains swayed, faint hissing sounds could be heard. Even more eerie was the powerful soul fluctuation that lingered around them, clearly crafted from countless remnant souls. If one were to be entangled by these chains, one's soul would likely be torn to pieces on the spot.

At the same time, Hun Li gritted his teeth and turned around, quickly forming a strange hand seal with his hands, and shouted in a low voice: "Soul Devour!" As soon as he finished speaking, the black aura around him surged, and dozens of blurry soul bodies rushed out from the black aura. Those soul bodies had distorted faces and were full of ferocity. As soon as they appeared, they pounced on Xiao Ling. Wherever they passed, even the air seemed to be stained with a layer of gloom.

Faced with the two desperately unleashing their evil methods, Xiao Ling's lips curled into a faint sneer. His eyes remained unmoved, and with a slight glare, a surging gust of wind suddenly spread out from his body. Pale golden battle qi surged like waves, even causing the surrounding air to vibrate with a muffled hum.

The three chains, shrouded in black energy, melted away as quickly as ice and snow meeting fire the moment they touched the wave of battle energy. The black energy was instantly dispersed, and the chains themselves broke into pieces, falling to the ground without even leaving behind a trace of the roar of a remnant soul.

The ferocious souls that rushed towards them were torn into countless tiny black fragments the instant the strong wind swept through, leaving them no room to struggle before they vanished into the air in the blink of an eye.

In the blink of an eye, the methods the two used with their last ounce of strength were completely and effortlessly defeated by Xiao Ling.

Before Hunya and Hunli could recover from the shock of their desperate counterattack being easily defeated, a golden figure suddenly appeared before them. In an instant, Xiao Ling had already closed in.

"Xiao Ling! You can't kill me! I am a member of the Soul Clan! If you dare to lay a hand on me, I guarantee you will never leave the Soul Clan!"

Hun Li suddenly mustered his last bit of strength, his eyes widening violently. His eyeballs were bloodshot from extreme fear, and his voice was hoarse like a broken gong. Every word was filled with the panic of impending death and a threat that was all bluster and no substance.

At this moment, he had completely lost all his previous scheming and composure. The fear of his life hanging by a thread completely shattered his psychological defenses. The so-called threat was nothing more than a powerless roar in despair, and even he himself seemed hollow.

But Xiao Ling seemed not to hear these hysterical words. The next moment, the blue light in his azure pupils suddenly intensified, like two solidified dark blue flames. A powerful spiritual force as deep as the ocean overflowed without any concealment. Under Xiao Ling's precise control, it transformed into two invisible and strange fluctuations, which directly entered the consciousness seas of Soul Cliff and Soul Experience.

"Om-"

The two felt a violent dizziness, the scene before their eyes instantly distorted, and countless sharp screams seemed to ring in their ears. Their souls in their sea of ​​consciousness felt as if they were being gripped tightly by an invisible hand, and they didn't even have time to have a thought of resistance.

In a fleeting moment of disorientation, their bodies seemed to have all their strength drained away, collapsing straight to the ground, unable even to lift their eyelids, and completely losing consciousness.

Seeing that the two had completely fainted, Xiao Ling twitched his fingertips, and two faint points of crimson light quietly appeared.

With a flick of his finger, two sparks shot out like nimble snakes, precisely piercing the backs of Soul Cliff and Soul Li, leaving not a trace on their bodies. They appeared completely calm, as if he had simply brushed away two specks of dust.

Only Xiao Ling knew that those two points of light were "fire seeds" he had condensed from the essence of the strange fire, hidden deep within the meridians of the two people, like two time bombs. As long as the time came, or if Xiao Ling gave the order in advance, the fire seeds would detonate instantly. At that time, not only would their fighting spirit be burned to ashes, but their souls would also be reduced to ashes in the strange fire.

After doing all this, Xiao Ling's lips curled into a very faint smile, his tone carrying a hint of cold mockery, and he said softly, "I hope the 'good dreams' I've prepared for you will make your days from now on more comfortable."

As he finished speaking, the coldness in his eyes faded away, and he turned his gaze from the two people on the ground to the distant mountain peak.

There, a graceful figure dressed in green stood quietly. A gentle breeze stirred her skirt, and even the dim light seemed to soften because of her. It was Xun'er, who had been waiting there all along.

Upon seeing that figure, Xiao Ling's eyes instantly softened, and the curve of his lips was tinged with genuine warmth.

He slightly bent his body, and golden battle aura shone brightly around him once more, transforming into a streak of light as he sped towards the graceful figure in green at the mountain peak. His speed was astonishing, yet it carried an almost imperceptible urgency, as if he only wanted to return to her side as soon as possible...

……

Time slips away like sand through your fingers.

Three years within the Heavenly Tomb are but half a year in the outside world. In the blink of an eye, the day the Heavenly Tomb reopens has finally arrived as scheduled.

Above the continuous, lush mountain range, the clouds and mist were dispersed by an invisible force, and dozens of figures hovered in mid-air, their eyes fixed intently on the constantly distorting space in front of them.

That was the entrance connecting the Heavenly Tomb to the outside world. At this moment, the spatial barrier was rippling faintly, as if it were preparing for its imminent opening.

"Elder Tongxuan, in your opinion, today should be the day when the three-year period for the Heavenly Tomb ends and it is opened?" On the eastern side of the sky, a middle-aged man dressed in Qing clan clothing asked the old man in gray-brown robes beside him respectfully.

His brows furrowed with barely concealed urgency, and his gaze frequently swept across the distorted space, clearly concerned for the clan members who had entered the Heavenly Tomb for training.

The old man, known as Elder Tongxuan, slowly nodded, his voice carrying the weight of years: "Yes, the spatial fluctuations have reached their peak. In less than half an hour, the entrance will be completely stable."

Although his tone was calm, there was a hint of tension hidden in his eyes as he stared into the distorted space.

He was well aware of the dangers within the Heavenly Tomb, which contained not only powerful high-level energy entities but also unknown energy turbulence.

The young disciples sent by the ancient clan this time are all pillars of the clan that are being cultivated by the clan. One of them is a divine bloodline that has reappeared in the ancient clan after a thousand years. If any of them were to make a mistake, it would undoubtedly be a huge loss for the ancient clan.

Not far away, another ancient clan elder, with white hair and beard, stroked his long beard, his gaze sweeping over the various expressions on the faces of the people around him. He smiled and spoke to ease the atmosphere.
"Speaking of which, all the disciples from various clans who entered the Heavenly Tomb this time are exceptionally talented. I wonder who has made the most progress after these three years of training? Is it our clan's Miss Xun'er, or those two from the Xiao clan?"

Upon hearing this, several elders around him echoed his sentiments, their eyes filled with anticipation. One elder shook his head, his tone tinged with regret: "The matter of trials has always depended on opportunity and character. Who will emerge victorious depends on their own destiny."

As they spoke, the distorted spatial fluctuations ahead intensified, a faint halo emanating from the spatial rifts, and even the surrounding天地能量 (heaven and earth energy) began to surge. The Heavenly Tomb was about to open. (End of Chapter)