Chapter 305: Chu Yun in Turmoil

"What should we do now? Should we go in?" the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King asked Xiao Yan.

Although it had once entered the Deep Abyss Gorge together with Xiao Yixian, Xiao Yan was undoubtedly the core of the team.

Xiao Yan paused for a moment when suddenly the voice of Heavenly Flame Zunzhe came from his storage ring: "Be careful—I just sensed a hint of Dou Zun spiritual pressure."

"Dou Zun?! Is there a Dou Zun attacking?!" Xiao Yan's heart jolted—could the earlier phenomenon have been caused by a Dou Zun?

"No, not a true Dou Zun—this must be the activation of a Dou Zun's ancestral inheritance. Something has triggered the inheritance site, but it hasn't appeared yet," said Heavenly Flame Zunzhe.

After hearing Heavenly Flame Zunzhe's words and pondering for a while, Xiao Yan slowly shook his head and said to Xiao Yixian and the others: "No, we're not in a hurry. Even without the toxic miasma, the Deep Abyss Gorge remains a deadly place. Let them go first and stir up the mud—this time, it's probably not that simple."

The toxic miasma was merely the first line of defense of the Deep Abyss Gorge—if the gorge had only contained toxic miasma, what difference would there be now that it had receded?

The Deep Abyss Gorge didn't just produce toxic medicines—it produced even more toxic creatures and poison ants. Just like when Zi Yan was in the Inner Court, obtaining Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures usually required battling the guardian beasts.

Since Xiao Yan had said this, no one objected. The once overcrowded Poisonous City had, in the blink of an eye, lost more than half its population—all rushing headlong toward the Deep Abyss Gorge.

Xiao Yan and his companions easily found lodging.

Gradually, more and more news about the Deep Abyss Gorge returned.

First, as Xiao Yan had suspected, the toxic miasma inside the gorge had indeed vanished—but the guardians of the Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures still remained, so many weaker Poison Masters suffered greatly, and numerous deaths occurred.

Moreover, there was no news of the Heavenly Flame or the Qinghun Youlan he cared about.

The news of the Deep Abyss Gorge's phenomenon—the disappearance of the toxic miasma—spread at lightning speed from Poisonous City to every major sect and even the Imperial Family of Chu Yun Empire, and within just a few days, the entire Chu Yun Empire had heard it, and even Jia Ma Empire had caught wind.

The news was simply too shocking—some Dou Wangs even used elixirs to hasten their journey, crossing mountains and rivers to deliver the news to their sects as fast as possible.

In fact, many sect masters and leaders of Chu Yun Empire were stunned by this news, even disturbing their clan's reclusive elders to relay the information to them.

Even those reclusive elders who had been hiding to break through to higher realms were shaken by this news.

"The toxic miasma in the valley has completely vanished?!" Upon hearing this, even renowned powerhouses of the Chu Yun Empire turned pale with shock.

"Since records began, the Deep Abyss Gorge has always had toxic miasma—it has always been a deadly place, where even Dou Zong could perish. What caused the toxic miasma to vanish?!" Suddenly, all the reclusive elders were stirred.

At this moment, countless speculations spread everywhere, rumors arose in every direction—every possible theory was floated, and many believed Chu Yun Empire was about to undergo a great upheaval.

Precisely because of this, many were filled with wild imaginings—even the Emperor of Chu Yun Empire felt something monumental was happening.

"Could the inheritance of Youdu Zunzhe be about to open?!" Upon hearing the news of the toxic miasma's complete disappearance, some ancient, near-dead elders speculated—these were beings who had lived for centuries.

These ancient ones knew that Poisonous City was named "Youdu" precisely because the legend was true: once, a Dou Zun had perished in the Deep Abyss Gorge, and that Dou Zun's title was Youdu!

"Could it be that Youdu Zunzhe's inheritance has finally begun seeking a successor—that's why the toxic miasma vanished?!"

This speculation was not held by just one or two people—many sect elders who knew the Deep Abyss Gorge concealed a Dou Zun's ancestral inheritance all thought the same.

With this speculation, countless Chu Yun Empire sect powerhouses became eager to act—they immediately dispatched large numbers of disciples to Poisonous City.

This was not surprising—a Dou Zun's ancestral inheritance! To anyone, it was an irresistible temptation—even the old generation powerhouses who had seen countless wonders could not resist such allure.

Remember, Xiao Yan's current pill alchemy skill and cultivation realm are so powerful partly because he obtained the inheritance of Yaozunzhe.

Even ignoring the contents of the Bone Flame Ring, just consider Heavenly Flame Zunzhe—if Heavenly Flame Zunzhe truly perished, then Xiao Yan, upon receiving his inheritance, would gain not only Earth-grade cultivation methods and Dou Techniques, but also the Origin Flame Seed of the Fallen Heart Flame.

Who wouldn't want such things?!

If one could enter the ancestral inheritance left by a Dou Zun, countless great fortunes awaited—who wouldn't desire legendary encounters and inheritances?

Within a short time, many young Poison Masters from Chu Yun Empire entered Poisonous City, all hoping to take a chance.

And on the fifth day after the toxic miasma vanished completely, someone discovered a Space Lock in one part of the gorge.

"A Space Lock?!"

"Yes! In one location within the gorge, someone found traces of spatial distortion—after investigation, it was confirmed to be a Space Lock seal cast by a Dou Zun!"

"Could it be… the legend is true?! This really is the death site of a Dou Zun! Could it be that this Dou Zun left behind an inheritance before dying?!"

Instantly, the news of the Dou Zun's inheritance spread throughout Poisonous City—and beyond.

"But the Space Lock cannot be entered—even several Dou Huangs working together couldn't break through. I heard the Poison Sect and Ten Thousand Scorpion Gate have already sent disciples to summon their sect's Dou Zong powerhouses!"

"Big news! A Sixth-Rank Alchemist went to the Space Lock—though he couldn't open it, he declared that inside was a great Secret Realm, one never before discovered!"

The Sixth-Rank Alchemist's discovery via Soul Force Perception spread quickly—inside the Space Lock wasn't just the Dou Zun's inheritance, but also a Secret Realm, a treasure land, one never found by anyone—how could this not shock everyone?

Within a short time, Poisonous City became even more bustling than at the beginning—countless young Poison Masters, dreaming of the Dou Zun's inheritance and seeking fortune in the Secret Realm, flooded into Poisonous City, and even many renowned sect heirs risked everything.

Among the Poison Masters entering Poisonous City, some were particularly remarkable powerhouses.

For example, Poison Guanyin—one clad in white robes, wearing a white veil, she stepped upon a white lotus and flew in; when this white figure appeared in Poisonous City, white petals fell gently around her, as sacred as Guanyin's procession.

But when one truly saw her face beneath the veil, one's scalp prickled—the veil concealed an ancient, dying old woman, half her face rotten with poison, pus and blood oozing out, disgustingly grotesque.

"Beware those white petals—they're highly toxic!" Seeing the petals scattered by Poison Guanyin, many Poison Masters who recognized her retreated in fear, their faces filled with caution.

In Chu Yun Empire, true powerhouses were not necessarily those with high cultivation realms—in Chu Yun Empire, being skilled in poison was true power.

Although Poison Guanyin possessed only Star Seven Dou Huang strength, rumors claimed she had once poisoned a Dou Zong!

"It's no surprise Poison Guanyin, such an ancient monster, has come—Scorpion Mountain, the master of the Ten Thousand Scorpion Gate, has come too, and even their mountain-guarding demon beast, the Four-Winged Heavenly Demon Scorpion, has been brought along," said a Poison Master who knew the situation.

"No way! Scorpion Mountain came?! Even the Four-Winged Heavenly Demon Scorpion?! This is going to be a massacre!" Hearing this, many were stunned.

Just as everyone was discussing the strongest force in Chu Yun Empire—the Ten Thousand Scorpion Gate—a voice laced with Dou Qi echoed throughout Poisonous City.

"So much commotion—I didn't arrive too late after all."

When the voice ended and the figure appeared, even more shock followed—a silhouette flashed from afar and stepped instantly into the sky above Poisonous City.

Walking on air—a Dou Zong powerhouse!

Upon closer look, they saw a short man standing in the sky above Poisonous City—about forty years old, but only one meter thirty tall.

This middle-aged man was much shorter than an average person, yet no one dared underestimate him because of his stature.

For he was the current Sect Master of the Poison Sect—Dugu Tiangao.

Though short, Dugu Tiangao's muscles bulged, his body immensely robust, as if filled with explosive power—his iron fists seemed capable of tearing apart anything.

Especially when his Dou Zong spiritual pressure erupted, everyone in Poisonous City held their breath, swallowed hard, and dared not utter a word.

"Sect Master Dugu Tiangao of the Poison Sect! Oh my god—the master of the Ten Thousand Scorpion Gate and the Sect Master of the Poison Sect have both arrived!" Seeing this short man, many Poison Masters gasped, their faces turning pale.

The leaders of Chu Yun Empire's two strongest sects had both come!

"Hehe, what great prestige, Du Gu Tian Gao! Those who don't know might think you've already reached Peak Dou Huang." With a thud, a massive scorpion lay across the street; Xie Shan stood atop the Four-Winged Heavenly Demon Scorpion, hands clasped behind his back, gazing coolly at the Poison Sect Sect Master.

Others feared him, but Xie Shan was not afraid. Though Xie Shan was merely a Peak Dou Huang, Du Gu Tian Gao was only a Dou Zong Yi Xing.

With himself and the Sixth Rank Demon Beast, the Four-Winged Heavenly Demon Scorpion, he had no fear of a Dou Zong Yi Xing.

"Hehe, Xie Shan, why are you alone?" Du Gu Tian Gao's eyes sharpened; his Dou Zong perception instantly swept over the Ten Thousand Scorpion Gate's encampment, and he asked slowly.

Xie Shan knew perfectly well what he was searching for, and sneered coldly: "Don't bother looking—our Ancestor didn't come."

Everyone knew the Ten Thousand Scorpion Gate had a long history; once, it produced a Supreme Elder named Xie Biyan, whose cultivation realm had long since reached Dou Zong—but he had vanished for many years, and no one knew whether he still lived.

Their gazes met, and instantly, they reached an understanding. Both were old foxes, both understood the tale of the fisherman benefiting from the conflict of others—they planned to first join forces to break the Space Lock, then decide their next move after entering the mysterious Secret Realm.

"Go! The Poison Sect and the Ten Thousand Scorpion Gate are joining forces to storm the Space Lock!"

"I heard it's not just these two factions—powerhouses like Poison Guanyin are also planning to unite and shatter the Space Lock. After all, saying anything without entering is just empty talk."

"Then what are we waiting for? Follow them. If they eat meat, we'll at least get some broth."

When word spread that the Poison Sect and the Ten Thousand Scorpion Gate planned to break the Space Lock, everyone rushed after the two major sects.

Normally, even a Dou Zong could not break a Space Lock set by a Dou Zun—but the Space Lock's energy was not eternal, and with so many powerhouses uniting, anything was possible.

Only Xiao Yan, this "foreigner," calmly sipped tea in the inn.

"Hey, Xiao Yan, how much longer are we waiting? Everyone's already gone." Zi Yan propped her arms on the chair, utterly bored—she wanted to hit someone.

Xiao Yan slowly sipped his hot tea, exhaled a wisp of white vapor, and said calmly: "Why the rush? I've seen that Space Lock—those Dou Huangs and Dou Zongs can't break it. Even if we all joined forces, it'd be hard."

"Ah, then what do we do? The thing you're looking for is inside, right?"

Xiao Yan refilled his teacup and said: "Wait. That Space Lock doesn't need to be broken—it'll open on its own in two days. Those fools are just inviting trouble."

Xiao Yan had never seen that Space Lock—but Heavenly Flame Zunzhe had.

Heavenly Flame Zunzhe, after all, was a Dou Zun, and understood Space Locks far better than Xiao Yan or Xiao Yixian. He quickly realized the Space Lock's power came from the toxic miasma that originally shrouded the gorge.

Now that the toxic miasma had vanished, the Space Lock would soon lose energy and disappear.

Heavenly Flame Zunzhe suspected the toxic miasma had been absorbed by the Secret Realm within the Space Lock—meaning something truly existed inside that Secret Realm.

The Deep Abyss Gorge's periodic reduction of toxic miasma was likely due to this same reason. Two days from now would be exactly the seventh day since Xiao Yan arrived at Youdu City—the usual time when the toxic miasma receded.

Xiao Yan gazed slowly into the distance and murmured: "The Heavenly Flame should be inside that Secret Realm. Perhaps what Xiao Yixian saw back then was the Heavenly Flame within the Space Lock. Toxic miasma… could the Heavenly Flame inside the Space Lock be that one?"

Youming Poison Flame, Heavenly Flame Ranking Second.

After millions of years of exposure to the sky-blocking toxic miasma of the Poison Marsh, the flame devoured endless toxic miasma, became a Spirit in a hundred years, took form in a thousand years, and when fully matured, its color turned greenish, like a ghostly fire moving through the toxic marsh.

With a click, Xiao Yixian entered from outside and said: "I've bought all the Medicinal Materials. Are you planning to perform Spirit Refining?"

Xiao Yan nodded and said: "Yes. If I'm not mistaken, the Heavenly Flame you and the Lion King saw back then was Youming Poison Flame. This Heavenly Flame differs from ordinary ones—I'll need to prepare Detoxification Pills and Anti-Toxin Pills to refine it."

"Fortunately, Youdu City has not only plenty of poison, but also abundant detoxifying substances—otherwise it'd be troublesome."

Youming Poison Flame itself was born from toxic miasma and carried extreme toxicity; even a speck of its flame would poison one instantly, making it nearly impossible to swallow or fuse! If Xiao Yan wanted to refine Youming Poison Flame, he first had to find a way to counteract its poison.

First chapter done. Another chapter coming later—progress was delayed due to some matters.

(End of Chapter)