Chapter 774 Seeing Yunyun Again

The crimson palm print, carrying the force to scorch the heavens and split the earth, sizzled as it passed through the air, and the thick, tangible smell of blood permeated the air, intertwining with the chilling atmosphere of the secret room, adding to the chilling ferocity.

Before the palm print even reached him, the overwhelming pressure caused the patterns on the surrounding stone pillars to flicker violently, and the clanging of chains to pause.

Faced with this deadly attack that could severely injure an ordinary Dou Zun, Xiao Ling remained calm, as if what was rushing towards him was not a fatal attack, but merely a gentle breeze.

He slowly raised his right hand, which had been behind his back, his index finger slightly bent, and a wisp of pale golden battle aura swirled around his fingertip. It was as fine as a needle, yet it exuded a majestic aura that looked down upon the world.

"laugh--"

A soft sound, like metal striking metal, yet carrying a sharpness that pierced the heart. Xiao Ling flicked his finger, and the wisp of pale golden battle qi transformed into a stream of light, precisely striking the core of the blood-red palm print.

A bizarre scene suddenly unfolded!
The once unstoppable blood-red palm print suddenly stopped in mid-air the moment it was touched by the fingertip, as if it had been frozen in place.

The surging crimson battle aura on the palm print instantly solidified, the sizzling burning sound stopped abruptly, and the rich bloody smell seemed to be dispelled by an invisible force. Only the solidified palm print trembled slightly in the void, as if resisting some irreversible ending.

The ruthless smile on Blood River Celestial Venerable's face froze, his pupils suddenly contracted to the size of pinpoints, his turbid eyes were filled with disbelief and horror, his mouth was slightly open, but he could not utter a sound.

He stared intently at the blood-red palm print suspended in mid-air, his eyes filled with confusion and fear. That was his ultimate killing blow, which he had gathered without reservation. How could it be frozen so easily?

Just as Blood River Celestial Venerable was trembling violently, Xiao Ling slightly twirled his fingertip.

"Oh!"

With a soft sound, the solidified blood-red palm print instantly disintegrated, turning into countless tiny blood-red light particles that drifted slowly through the void like dazzling fireworks, eventually disappearing without a trace, leaving not even the slightest trace of battle aura behind.

Xiao Ling slowly withdrew his fingers, his azure robe fluttering without wind, and the calm yet powerful aura around him grew even stronger.

He looked down at the dumbfounded Blood River Celestial Venerable below, a faint smile curving his lips. There was no warmth in that smile, only utter contempt for such an attack, as if he had merely flicked a speck of dust off his clothes.

Witnessing the bloody palm print turn to ashes at Xiao Ling's fingertips, Blood River Celestial Venerable's heart felt as if it were being gripped by an invisible giant hand, and he suddenly felt a chill run down his spine and straight to the top of his head.

The intelligence report clearly stated that Xiao Ling could only defeat ordinary nine-star Dou Zun, but the effortless skill he displayed was something no ordinary Dou Zun could possess. A single finger sealed the fatal palm print, a flick of the finger shattered a full-force attack—this strength far exceeded his understanding of the Dou Zun realm; it was terrifying! He had likely already touched the threshold of a Half-Saint, and perhaps even had the confidence to contend with a true Half-Saint!

Blood River Celestial Venerable was by no means a fool. After a brief moment of shock, his survival instinct made him instantly realize that he was no match for the ferocious god before him!
But he was not completely desperate. A fierce glint flashed in his eyes, and he clenched his fists tightly, shouting in a low voice, "A sea of ​​blood flows!"

hum-

A surge of powerful crimson battle aura erupted from his body, transforming into a turbulent sea of ​​blood behind him. Amidst the rolling waves, countless ferocious soul shadows roared and struggled within the sea of ​​blood. The rich stench of blood intertwined with the chilling soul power, forming a terrifying aura that devoured everything, and fiercely pounced towards Xiao Ling atop the stone pillar.

This Blood Sea is his trump card fighting technique, ranked as high-level Earth Rank, containing a strange power that corrodes bones and devours souls. Even if it cannot seriously injure Xiao Ling, it should be enough to stop him for a moment!

At the same time, Blood River Celestial Venerable gathered his powerful battle qi in his throat, his neck veins bulging, and was about to roar loudly to call on Ancient Nether Saint to come and help. As long as that high-level half-saint arrived, even if Xiao Ling was strong, he would be nothing more than a turtle in a jar, and taking him down would be as easy as turning his hand!

The fighting spirit had just begun to take shape in his throat, and before it could even be transformed into a cry for help, Blood River Celestial Venerable suddenly felt a blur before his eyes, and the surging of the surrounding sea of ​​blood and the howling of the soul shadows vanished in an instant.

An extreme chill swept over my neck, followed by an excruciating pain!

He subconsciously looked down, and the scene reflected in his pupils made his blood almost freeze. The surging sea of ​​blood that was enough to devour a Dou Zun was suddenly torn apart by an invisible force, like a rushing river being cut off by a sharp sword. The blood waves that split to the left and right crashed into the stone walls of the secret chamber with a piercing roar, splashing up blood mist all over the sky, but not even Xiao Ling's clothes were touched.

The azure figure that had been standing atop the stone pillar now appeared before him like a ghost!
Xiao Ling's body was enveloped in a faint golden aura that formed a soft halo. With one hand gripping his neck like an iron clamp, he tightened his grip slightly and lifted this peak first-stage Dou Zun expert off the ground.

Blood River Celestial Venerable's feet thrashed helplessly in the void. The excruciating pain in his throat prevented him from even breathing. The cry for help he had prepared was completely choked in his throat, leaving him only with a hoarse, dying struggle.

He could clearly feel the immense power emanating from Xiao Ling's palm. That power seemed ordinary, yet it was as irresistible as the pressure of heaven and earth, tightly imprisoning the fighting spirit within his body, leaving him unable to resist in the slightest.

Xiao Ling looked down at him, his deep eyes devoid of any emotion, as if he were not holding a Dou Zun powerhouse, but merely an insignificant dead object.

That utter indifference chilled Blood River Celestial Venerable to the bone more than any fierce killing intent. He finally understood that he was no different from an ant in front of the other party.

As Blood River Celestial Venerable's neck was being strangled, amidst the excruciating pain of suffocation, a thunderbolt suddenly flashed through his mind: the Xiao Ling before him was neither a Dou Zun nor a Half-Saint!

"Cough... Damn it... You're actually... a Battle Saint..."

He mustered his last bit of strength and squeezed out a weak, hoarse sob from his throat. The sound was so faint that it would have been swallowed up by the deathly silence of the secret room if Xiao Ling hadn't been so close.

His tone was filled with extreme shock and resentment, as if it had overturned all his understanding of the common knowledge of fighting spirit cultivation.

"Hehe, you're quite clever; you guessed the answer."

Xiao Ling raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement flashing in his previously indifferent eyes. His tone was casual, yet carried an air of complete control, “Unfortunately, there’s no reward.”

Before he finished speaking, a surge of powerful battle qi suddenly erupted from his palm!
That force, like surging magma, brutally invaded the Blood River Celestial Venerable's body through the five fingers gripping his neck. Wherever it passed, meridians were severed, and his heart was instantly crushed into dust.

Blood River Celestial Venerable's pupils suddenly dilated, his last bit of life force rapidly fading from his eyes, and even the strength to struggle completely dissipated.

Immediately afterwards, a powerful suction force emanated from Xiao Ling's palm, like a whale swallowing a siphon, directly pulling the Blood River Celestial Venerable's soul from his broken physical body.

The soul was filled with extreme terror, its mouth wide open as if it wanted to roar and cry for help, but before it could even utter a single syllable, Xiao Ling casually tossed it away, and it turned into a stream of light and was put into his sleeve, becoming his possession.

After dealing with Blood River Celestial Venerable, Xiao Ling casually tossed his corpse to the ground with a dull thud.

He brushed off non-existent dust from his palms, then turned his gaze to the Heavenly Fire Venerable and the Starfall Pavilion members who were chained to the stone pillar. His tone softened somewhat: "I apologize for keeping you all waiting." Seeing Xiao Ling effortlessly defeat the arrogant Blood River Heavenly Venerable, the Starfall Pavilion members, who had previously looked dejected, instantly erupted in uncontrollable excitement and elation!
Although their hands and feet were still bound by chains, they couldn't help but struggle, their eyes shining with the light of relief after surviving a disaster, and the pent-up frustration and despair of the past few days were swept away.

The torture they had suffered at the hands of the Soul Palace in recent days, the corrosive soul power, and the fear of death all turned into excitement at surviving the ordeal. Many people's eyes reddened and their breathing became rapid.

"Great! We are saved!"

"Young Master is too strong! That old ghost Blood River is like an ant being crushed in his hands!"

"Finally, I can leave this hellhole. Those bastards from the Soul Hall have tortured me terribly!"

Low cheers and sighs filled the secret room. Everyone's face was filled with a relieved smile, and their eyes were full of respect and gratitude as they looked at Xiao Ling.

Among them, the one who looked the most disheveled was none other than Venerable Tianhuo, who had received "special attention" from the Soul Palace.

His temples were covered in disheveled white hair, dried blood still clung to the corners of his mouth, his clothes were tattered, and his exposed skin bore black spots from the erosion of soul power, clearly indicating that he had suffered greatly during his imprisonment.

But at this moment, a relieved smile couldn't help but bloom on his wrinkled old face, and his cloudy eyes shone with the relief of surviving a disaster and his praise for Xiao Ling.

"Haha... Xiao Ling!" He laughed heartily, his voice weak but unable to hide his joy. "I knew you would come, kid! I didn't expect you to be here so soon!"

"Senior Tianhuo, I'm sorry you've suffered so much."

Xiao Ling nodded slightly to the crowd, his tone calm yet undeniably firm, "Don't worry, with me here, I will never let you suffer any more harm."

Before he finished speaking, he leaped down like a streak of light, landing steadily in front of the stone pillar that bound the people.

With a slight flick of his fingertips, several condensed, silvery streams of battle qi suddenly shot out, carrying a sharp yet precise force, slashing precisely at the dark soul locks on everyone's hands and feet like unsheathed blades.

"Dang! Dang! Dang!"

The crisp sound of metal clashing rang out one after another. The soul lock, which was powerful enough to imprison a Dou Zun expert and was surrounded by bone-corroding soul power, was as vulnerable as rotten wood under the slash of the Dou Qi.

Amidst the crashing sounds of shattering, the soul locks broke one after another, and the black soul power at the broken points receded like a tide, no longer able to erode everyone's meridians.

With the restraints removed, the Starfall Pavilion members, including Venerable Heavenly Fire, were finally able to break free of their shackles and stagger back to the ground.

They moved their stiff hands and feet, feeling the fighting spirit gradually returning to its flow within their bodies, their faces filled with even stronger excitement and relief.

"Thank you so much, Young Master, for saving us!"

The members of the Starfall Pavilion, now freed from their shackles, bowed deeply, their voices filled with gratitude for surviving the ordeal and heartfelt reverence.

The days of imprisonment and torture had left them physically and mentally exhausted. Now, looking at Xiao Ling, who seemed like a savior, everyone's eyes were filled with reverence.

Xiao Ling's gaze slowly swept over the figures of the crowd, comparing the faces in front of him with the list of Starfall Pavilion members he had collected before. His brows furrowed almost imperceptibly. The two people on the list had now disappeared without a trace.

Without needing to ask further, a moment's thought was enough to know that his two fellow disciples had likely already fallen victim to the Soul Hall's treachery. Xiao Ling sighed inwardly, a chilling killing intent flashing in his eyes. This blood debt owed by the Soul Hall would be repaid tenfold today.

"You don't have to be polite."

He raised his hand and waved, a gentle yet irresistible surge of battle aura flowing through him, helping each of the bowing crowd to their feet. His voice was deep and resonant.

"This was a premeditated scheme by the Soul Palace against me, setting up this trap to lure me in. This matter started because of me, but you all have suffered an undeserved disaster."

"Two fellow disciples even lost their lives because of this, and I feel guilty about it. I will provide you all with sufficient cultivation resources as compensation in the future. As for the relatives of those two fellow disciples, I will also make proper arrangements for them, provide them with sufficient cultivation resources, and ensure their lifelong peace."

Upon hearing this, the initial joy of escaping their predicament vanished almost instantly, replaced by a somber expression and an unconcealable sadness.

Thinking of his companions who had trained and fought alongside him in the past, now separated by life and death, the atmosphere in the secret room became heavy.

“Xiao Ling, your fight with Venerable Blood River just now caused quite a commotion. When we were brought in, I noticed that there were still quite a few Soul Palace Venerables guarding outside the secret chamber. What should we do next? If they notice the commotion, it might cause trouble.”

At this moment, a soft and melodious female voice suddenly rang out, breaking the tense atmosphere in the secret room.

Xiao Ling looked in the direction of the sound and saw Yun Yun looking up at him with a slightly worried gaze.

Her appearance at this moment inevitably carried a hint of dishevelment. Her moon-white Starfall Pavilion uniform was stained with dust and faint bloodstains, and there were tears at the edges. A few strands of her once neatly combed black hair were scattered and stuck to her fair cheeks, which only made her skin look even whiter than snow.

Even in this situation, her elegant and refined temperament remained undiminished. Her willow-leaf eyebrows were slightly furrowed, her eyes held a hint of worry, her long eyelashes trembled gently, and her lips were slightly pale from days of suffering, yet they still could not conceal her breathtaking beauty.

Her delicate and graceful appearance perfectly suited her current situation without losing her inherent charm.

As soon as Yun Yun finished speaking, everyone suddenly came to their senses. At this moment, they were still in the underground secret chamber of the Earthly Fiend Hall and had not completely escaped danger. The minions of the Soul Hall were still scattered throughout the hall, and they could be surrounded if they were not careful.

Xiao Ling nodded slightly to Yun Yun, his tone calm and steady, carrying a reassuring certainty.
“Yun Yun, you’re right. But don’t worry, I’ve already set up a spatial barrier to completely isolate the secret chamber from any movement. Even if the outside world is right next to us, they won’t be able to detect anything unusual.”

He raised his hand and waved, a faint spatial power swirling around his fingertips, causing subtle ripples in the void: "Next, I will directly open a spatial passage to send you away from Fallen Soul Cliff. This place is dangerous and should not be lingered in. We will discuss the follow-up matters in detail when we return to the pavilion." (End of this chapter)