Chapter 1189: Colorful Scales Leave the Pass

The Corpse‑Burial Mountain Range, a relatively famous perilous place on the Zhongzhou Continent, lies at the junction of the two southwestern regions of Zhongzhou.

It is said that, because countless wars in ancient times caused many to fall here, the place is saturated with heavy Yin energy.

The worst part is that within that dense Yin, thick corpse vapors are mixed in, capable of corroding the living's vital Qi.

Consequently, under normal circumstances, the Corpse‑Burial Mountain Range is almost impossible to find any human presence.

After all, no one would stay in this life‑shortening place without cause.

At the center of the Corpse‑Burial Mountain Range lies a vast expanse of black earth.

Perhaps because of the abundance of corpses, the ground occasionally reveals patches of pale white, unmistakably broken bones, exuding an eerie chill.

In the heart of this vast area, a massive black palace towers, resembling an ancient beast that once crawled among the mountains, suffused with a grim, terrifying aura.

Although this region houses the massive structure, its interior is unusually silent, like an abandoned unfinished building, casting a bizarre atmosphere over the palace's surroundings that sends a chill down one's spine.

But unlike before, today the Corpse‑Burial Mountain Range is bustling.

Above the Yin‑shrouded sky, Battle Qi remnants of various colors spread and intertwine, forming a breathtaking tableau.

Yet beneath this seemingly beautiful tableau lies a deadly danger.

"Xiao Yan, you bastard, don't go overboard. If you don't retreat now, do you believe I'll summon a strong clan member to kill you immediately!"

Amid the spreading Battle Qi remnants, on a battlefield somewhere, a gaunt figure as withered as bone crouches; now two ghostly flames flicker oddly in his eye sockets, staring intently at the man opposite, while his desiccated, tree‑like face is filled with terror.

As the words fell, the elder turned his gaze to the woman beside the opposite man and said, "Gu Xun'er, does your Gu Clan intend to wage an all‑out war against my Soul Clan?"

"Hehe, so only your Soul Clan may send members to partake in certain matters, while my Gu Clan is forbidden to do the same?"

Hearing that, Gu Xun'er sneered, delivering a disdainful cold laugh: "Only the state officials may set fires, but the common folk may not light lamps. Great Celestial Venerable, your Soul Clan has such a big face!"

"You"

Hearing the former's mockery, the Great Celestial Venerable was momentarily at a loss for words.

"Hmph!"

But quickly, the Great Celestial Venerable's complexion turned slightly cold, and a hidden seal formed in his palm.

"Chich!"

As soon as the seal formed, the unprepared Xiao Yan's surrounding space suddenly surged with waves, and a multitude of eerie white shadows silently appeared within his eyes.

When those white shadows emerged, the void around him instantly transformed into countless sharp white bones, which then, lightning‑fast, thrust at Xiao Yan's body.

Confronted by the lightning‑fast white bone spikes, Xiao Yan's face instantly showed a flash of astonishment.

Fortunately, although his strength is inferior to the Great Celestial Venerable's, his perception of his surroundings is decent, so he sensed something amiss when the space changed.

"Hmph, Great Celestial Venerable, when facing me, keep your petty tricks a bit more restrained."

Just as Xiao Yan was about to dodge the bone spikes, Gu Xun'er beside him flicked her sleeve, and a vigorous golden flame erupted from within her body.

The terrifying temperature released by the fourth‑ranked Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame on the anomalous fire ranking instantly melted the bone spikes surrounding Xiao Yan.

"Bone Emperor Splits Heaven!"

Seeing the bone spikes fail to wound Xiao Yan, the Great Celestial Venerable of the Soul Hall's face turned unusually cold, and a murderous low roar suddenly erupted from his mouth.

As he spoke, the space above Xiao Yan's head abruptly began rapid, unannounced fluctuations.

In the blink of an eye, a massive bone sword emanating a strange aura tore open space from the void and slammed down toward Xiao Yan at breakneck speed.

"Whoosh!"

Simultaneously with the sword's slash, a bizarre wave radiated from the blade, lightning‑fast, sweeping toward Xiao Yan.

"This is a Soul Attack."

Feeling the odd wave, Xiao Yan was slightly startled, never expecting the Great Celestial Venerable to know Soul Attacks!

However, at this moment, although he tried to stop it, it was clearly too late, for the Soul wave moved far too quickly.

Facing this, Xiao Yan knew he could no longer evade the Great Celestial Venerable's Soul Attack, yet he would not simply await death.

So amid the crackling thunder, Xiao Yan thrust out a powerful punch; the punch carried no Battle Qi ripple, but as he threw it, his forehead's Soul Power poured out in full.

The invisible Soul Fist Wind rode along Xiao Yan's fist, soaring forward, and in the next instant collided in mid‑air with the bone sword's Soul wave.

"Boom!"

When they met, though there was no dazzling Battle Qi aftershock scattering everywhere, a deafening, thunderous roar echoed across the sky.

Simultaneously, an invisible wave rapidly expanded, causing the surrounding space to suddenly collapse, forming a black void hundreds of zhang in size.

Nevertheless, although Xiao Yan, being an alchemist, has his Soul Power advanced to the Early Heavenly Realm, the Great Celestial Venerable of the Soul Hall is the Soul Clan's third‑ranked figure dispatched to manage the Soul Hall.

With the Soul Clan's myriad strange methods, his Soul Realm is not weak at all, reaching the Mid Heavenly Realm.

Thus, when their Soul Powers collided, the Early Heavenly Realm Xiao Yan quickly fell, and a greatly weakened Soul Power swept through his mind.

"Ah!"

The next moment, Xiao Yan let out a howl, spitting a mouthful of blood, and his body was flung a hundred zhang away in an instant.

At this moment, Xiao Yan felt an unusually intense pain in his head for reasons unknown.

The pain far exceeds, by hundreds of times, the backlash he suffered when the Vice Hall Master of the Soul Hall forced him to use the Fire Lotus technique during a siege.

"Bastard, that bone sword's got a problem!"

In the haze of pain, a sudden thought sprang into Xiao Yan's mind.

After all, he's not foolish; he quickly sensed something was off.

As for the Great Celestial Venerable, upon seeing Xiao Yan wounded by his own Soul wave, his battle‑hardened experience prompted him to seize the opportunity, flash his form, and appear high above the massive white bone sword spanning hundreds of zhang.

Simultaneously, black mist surged violently from his palm, rapidly coalescing above him into a gigantic dark hand that seized the white bone sword's hilt.

"Die, Xiao Yan!"

He then let out a cold shout; propelled by the Great Celestial Venerable of the Soul Hall's force, the bone sword ripped through space at breakneck speed, arriving above Xiao Yan in an instant, its tip bearing a terrifyingly sharp wave that thrust down at him!

Hearing the cold shout, Xiao Yan could no longer mind the throbbing pain and quickly looked upward.

The next moment, the massive pale‑white bone sword's eye‑like focus rapidly widened.

"Damn, such a strong soul wave; that bone blade can wound the soul. If I hadn't been pierced by it, I'd surely have my soul scattered!"

His breath a little languid, he stared at the forest‑white bone blade still falling from the sky, and an alarm rang in his heart.

But the wounded him could not react in time, only watching helplessly as the huge white bone blade tore through the space along its path, stabbing wildly toward him.

"Xiao Yan, this bone blade of mine was forged from the bones of ten thousand people, and thereafter countless souls were sacrificed to it; anyone pierced by its blade wind will suffer the torment of ten thousand souls devouring the body. I shall see after you are struck by my bone blade whether you can still stay alive and hopping!"

The Great Celestial Venerable, while thrusting the bone blade downward with all his might, grinned grimly and said, "Today I take it to claim your life; that at least means I hold you in some regard."

"Brother Xiao Yan!"

Beside him, Gu Xun'er, seeing her beloved brother Xiao Yan struck fiercely by the Soul Hall Great Celestial Venerable's bone blade, couldn't help but let out a sharp cry.

At the same time, she glared at the Soul Hall Great Celestial Venerable whose smile grew ever broader, her pretty face turning a deep iron‑blue as she shouted, "Bastard, daring to hurt Brother Xiao Yan, you will die here today!"

Mid‑sentence, the other's smooth forehead suddenly erupted with an ancient seven‑colored pattern.

In the next instant, Gu Xun'er's power surged through several ranks, directly reaching the Two‑star Peak level.

Upon advancing, the other's two delicate fingers quickly overlapped like a blossoming lotus, forming a complex and intricate seal.

As the seal in her hand shifted, brilliant golden flames erupted from Gu Xun'er like a new sun on the horizon, spreading across the heavens.

As the golden flames surged, the whole sky seemed ignited by that golden blaze.

"Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Formation!"

Summoning the Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame, the jade‑handed native from his hometown again fashioned a series of strange seals.

Accompanied by his cold, sharp shout, the golden flames coiling around her suddenly writhed at extreme speed.

In an instant, a dozen golden fire pillars shot down from the sky; as the fire curtains extended, they linked together like a towering cylindrical fire array that spanned heaven and earth, trapping the Great Celestial Venerable aloft within.

"Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame"

Sensing the sudden golden fire array surrounding him, the Great Celestial Venerable's expression grew solemn.

This Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame ranks fourth on the Exotic Flame List, second only to the elusive Pure Lotus Demonic Fire of the divine dragon and the Void Lord of his own clan.

Although this exotic flame cannot match the world‑shattering power of the Pure Lotus Demonic Fire or the Void Lord, in ancient times it was a renowned, formidable flame across the continent.

Most importantly, its burning power is simply overwhelming.

If the Void Lord of their clan devours everything, and the third‑ranked Pure Lotus Demonic Fire purifies everything, then the Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame burns everything!

Though this ability seems weak compared to the second and third ranked flames on the exotic flame list, for him as a Two‑star Dou Saint it is extremely hard to contend with.

Realizing this, the Great Celestial Venerable did not hesitate and abandoned his plan to kill Xiao Yan.

Immediately after, he dispersed the massive hand that hovered the bone blade in the air, his figure flashing as he landed swiftly atop the bone blade.

When the other's stance steadied, the bone blade beneath his feet immediately rippled with waves.

At the same time, the Great Celestial Venerable's body slowly merged into the bone blade.

"Human‑blade fusion." Seeing this scene, Gu Xun'er in the distance couldn't help but furrow her brows slightly.

"Xiao Yan, wait for me; my Soul Clan will not let you go so easily!"

The massive forest‑white bone blade hung across the void; on its blade, the Great Celestial Venerable's withered face suddenly appeared, his gaze fiercely fixed on Xiao Yan, while countless fine blood‑like veins spread slowly over the blade, dense as human vessels.

But as soon as the words left his mouth, the Great Celestial Venerable disregarded his mighty image; the imperial blade quivered and instantly the bone blade vanished.

Yet the next moment, Gu Xun'er beside him, whose flawless pretty face suddenly changed expression, shouted, "He broke through my formation and fled!"

"What?"

Hearing this, Xiao Yan's expression shifted sharply; he hadn't expected that old man to be so cunning, even breaking through the formation Gu Xun'er set with the Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame!

However, after her shock, Gu Xun'er quickly added, "That old man only used his extreme speed, slipping past me to break my Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Formation. Though he escaped, he must have been heavily scorched by my Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame; even if he survived, he is at least seriously wounded."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan's complexion improved considerably; regardless, this time he had also severely injured the Soul Hall's third‑ranked figure.

Surely, within a short time, the Great Celestial Venerable will be unable to cause trouble.

Realizing this, Xiao Yan ceased further entanglement, then looked toward the massive black building below and said slowly, "Since that's the case, we won't bother him any longer; let's first deal with what's inside this Hall. After all, I'm curious about the difference between the Soul Hall's Tiangang Hall and the Earth‑evil Hall."

As he spoke, Xiao Yan thought of the tantalizing souls and origins, and a flash of heat sparked in his eyes.

Since becoming a Dou Saint, he has felt his growth rate plummet dramatically.

Even his previously respected Alchemist title became invalid because he hadn't advanced to the Ninth Rank.

Now, thanks to Gu Xun'er's help, having seized the Soul Hall's Tiangang Sub‑Hall, which ranks third on the Zhongzhou Continent, can he not be excited?

When his words ended, a smear of blood appeared at the corner of his mouth as he sprinted toward the great hall below, smashing through its roof and vanishing inside.

Gu Xun'er saw this scene, her pink lips slightly lifted; although she could rarely aid her brother Xiao Yan in other matters.

Yet in combat she could still lend a small hand.

However, recalling that her clan, because of her previous actions, intentionally began grooming Gu Qingyang toward the position of Young Clan Leader, her dark eyebrows twitched slightly.

These old clods are indeed excessive.

Nevertheless, this brings a benefit: those old fools now hardly oppose her affairs with her brother Xiao Yan.

During this period, her father summoned her several times, telling her of the elders' disappointment, turning the family's prior expectations into bubbles.

But she cared not for any of that; as long as she could be with Xiao Yan, she cared for nothing else.

The old fools' disappointment in her perfectly suited her wishes.

Even so, she felt some regret; had she known there was such an easy path, she should have taken it earlier!

However, as those old clods gradually placed hope on Gu Qingyang, the resources she could obtain suddenly dropped by thirty to forty percent.

Even the remaining portion is still granted because of her father Gu Yuan and her talent, hoping she might still aid the clan later.

Otherwise, the cultivation resources she could obtain would be even scarcer!

However, regarding the troubles of Gu Xun'er and Xiao Yan, Lin Feng on the other side knew nothing.

When he flew across the distant void and returned to Dragon Island, he immediately set off, without pause, to find his wife.

His arrival this time seemed extremely fortuitous, for when he, following the scent of the Six Women, found a pavilion atop a mountain peak, he discovered that the six women were not in seclusion but gathered together, chatting and laughing.

"Ying'er, you…"

When Lin Feng landed beside the few women just as they were about to speak, his gaze swept over and saw a face of peerless beauty that could bring ruin to the nation.

Immediately, Lin Feng's gaze swiftly moved downward, scanning over the coldly beautiful woman with a hint of allure, her extremely voluptuous figure hidden by the purple silk robe, an absolutely beautiful woman.

The next moment, Lin Feng excitedly exclaimed, "Cai Lin, you've left seclusion!"

While speaking, Lin Feng quickly came to Cai Lin's side, picked her up, then sat at one side of the pavilion, and placed the beauty in his arms onto his thigh.

"I just came out of seclusion not long ago; I didn't see you at home afterward, and after hearing from Zhao Ran that you might be here, I came over."

Sensing his excitement, Cai Lin's allure-filled cheek gradually showed a hint of a smile, like a blooming peony, charming and moving, beautiful to the point of being heart-stopping.

However, Lin Feng sensed an extremely dangerous signal from her "gentle" smile.

Especially when Cai Lin uttered the two words "Zhao Ran", that killing intent slowly seeped out, making Lin Feng, who was close by, involuntarily tremble a bit.

"Hehe, that's fine, fortunately Cai Lin you didn't get lost, that's fine."

Sensing his gaze turning murderous, Lin Feng's mouth twitched and he gave an awkward laugh.

And the other six women, seeing Lin Feng frightened into babbling, all covered their mouths and chuckled.

This man, if he's not careful, will go out and fool around with respectable women.

This time Cai Lin comes out of seclusion, let's see how he deals with it.

While Lin Feng gave an awkward laugh, his mind was frantically thinking of ways to divert Cai Lin's gaze.

Finally, he immediately wrapped his arms around Cai Lin's soft yet elastic waist, astonishedly gazing at her nearby beautiful face, and said: "Cai Lin, I never expected that after a few months of seclusion, your strength would undergo an earth-shaking change. In my view as your husband, your strength has probably already surpassed mine, hehe."

As he spoke, Lin Feng's hand began to become dishonest, quickly slipping through the gap into Cai Lin's silk robe.

Next, a hand suddenly appeared on Cai Lin's thigh.

"Be honest, no matter how you try to divert my attention, it's useless; with your current soul power, how could you not notice my six-star late-stage strength?"

Suddenly having a finger intrude, Cai Lin immediately pulled out Lin Feng's hand, then fiercely said: "This matter with Zhao Ran has already happened; plus she helped me bring Zhao'er for so long, I won't pursue it with you. But if you dare to secretly fool around with other women again, I won't let it go!"

While warning her man, Cai Lin also didn't forget to extend her slender hand and pinch his waist hard.

However, when she saw Lin Feng's slightly moist middle finger, her pretty face involuntarily flushed a bit red.

As for the other six women, having been developed by Lin Feng for so long, they naturally knew what just happened, and they gave their men an annoyed glance.

This guy really has no decency.

Hiss

And Lin Feng, who was suddenly attacked, although it didn't hurt much, still pretended to be in pain by sucking in a breath, then pursed his lips and said: "Cai Lin, you're really ruthless, you've ruined my kidney; I don't see how you'll be happy in the future."

However, in his heart he was happy that Cai Lin could so easily agree to this.

At the same time, he secretly resolved to be more careful next time.

Although beautiful women can make his body and mind comfortable, if these wives cause trouble, it becomes a worry.

"Huh?"

Upon hearing that, Cai Lin's charming pretty face immediately showed a hint of shame and anger.

This guy is really hateful, just bullying her!

"Um, I was just talking nonsense."

Seeing his good Cai Lin angry, Lin Feng immediately gave in.

After all, having just gotten through the crisis with Zhao Ran, Lin Feng didn't want to provoke Cai Lin's anger again.

As soon as his words fell, he changed the topic, looking at the other three beauties of the Dan Tower, Qing Lin, Xiao Yixian, Yun Yun, and the six women, saying: "It seems you've all taken the previous pills, and your strength has increased considerably."

While speaking, Lin Feng's gaze swept over his six wives.

Now the three beauties of the Dan Tower and Qing Lin have strength at the three-star peak Dou Saint; as for Yun Yun, because she consumed an extra drop of demon saint essence blood, she is now a four-star Dou Saint cultivator.

And Xiao Yixian, her strength has reached the four-star mid Dou Saint; aside from Cai Lin, who relies on bloodline power to cheat, she is the strongest among the women.

Thinking of this, Lin Feng couldn't help but smile with satisfaction: "It seems my efforts during this period haven't been in vain; although our Lin family's strength can't compare to the powerful ancient clans Lei, Yan, Gu, and Hun, it's truly not weaker than those of the Yao and Shi clans."

Speaking of this, his heart also surged with a sense of grandeur.

Even though I don't have Gu Xun'er's so-called once-in-a-millennium top-tier Dou Emperor bloodline, through over a decade of effort I have, by various means, turned my small home into one of the continent's top powers.

Excluding other allies, the strongest person in their household is merely a seven-star mid Dou Saint, Feng'er.

In terms of Dou Qi realm, perhaps it's a bit lower than the Yao clan chief, but relying on what Feng'er obtained from the Tian Huang clan chief and her own Dragon-Phoenix Physique, the Yao clan chief might not necessarily win when they meet.

As for Cai Lin, although he hasn't asked yet, just from her six-star late Dou Saint strength alone, she's already enough to slaughter anyone in the Yao clan except the clan chief.

And the strength of the three beauties of the Dan Tower, Qing Lin, Xiao Xian, Yun Yun, and the women is not to be underestimated.

Especially Xiao Yixian and Qing Lin, the two women, due to their special physiques, are much more troublesome than other Dou Saints of the same rank.

Moreover, both women have undergone a hundred cycles of reincarnation, during which they have researched their physiques for tens of thousands of years!

Unless it's in the Yao clan's Yao Realm, encountering Lin Feng and them would likely result in an immediate "gg".

And such achievements, Lin Feng could even proudly pat his own chest and say.

I today have far surpassed anyone on the continent of similar age, including the ancient clan's miss, Gu Xun'er!

And at this moment, who could have imagined that the lowliest porter of Wutan City would one day be able to stand on the same level as those ancient forces that have been passed down for tens of thousands of years and compete?

I'm afraid even Lin Feng himself back then couldn't have predicted that he could reach this height so quickly!

However, the very beginning of all this might have been just a volume of the lowest-quality Mysterious Tier low-level fighting technique in the Xiao Family market of Wutan City.

Of course, being able to trigger such major events, even changing the course of the entire Dou Qi continent.

And being able to cause such things, perhaps it's also because he mastered the peak of this Mysterious Tier low-level fighting technique. (End of chapter)