Chapter 488

With a thunderous boom, the terrifying speed of a Two-Star Dou Zun struck in the blink of an eye—the golden puppet unleashed a punch that shattered space inch by inch; beneath this punch, the entire square's light seemed twisted and dimmed, and countless people were terrified into soul-shattering panic.

The entire Guang Chang trembled; when they finally regained their senses, they saw that this devastating punch had been caught bare-handed by Xiao Yan—his left hand behind his back, only his right palm blocking the blow effortlessly, as if the punch were utterly insignificant in his grasp.

It was as if it were not the punch of a Two-Star Dou Zun, but a child's punch.

"Five-Star Dou Zun?!"

"How is this possible!"

For a moment, whether Lei Zunzhe, Huang Xuan of the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan, or Tang Zhen, all stared in stunned silence, the entire scene utterly still.

Xiao Yan had concealed his true strength with Soul Force—they had no idea his power had already reached Five-Star Dou Zun, matching the strength of men like Huang Xuan and Tang Zhen!

"Pity—if there were ten Tian Yao Kui, this would've been a massive windfall." Xiao Yan merely smiled faintly; he hadn't even used Dou Qi, relying solely on his physical strength to block it.

His current physical strength rivaled that of an Ancient Dragon just entering Eight Rank—this single puppet was nothing.

His palm clamped down like a prison, gripping the puppet's fist tightly; no matter how hard it strained, it could not break free. With a hum, Xiao Yan's eyes sharpened, releasing a surge of Soul Force—his Heavenly Realm Soul power instantly invaded the puppet's core, overwriting the soul seals of all ten puppets and making them his own.

With a flick of his hand, all the puppets were sealed into his storage ring.

"He's already subdued all the puppets so quickly?"

What shocked everyone was not that Xiao Yan had subdued ten Dou Zong Peak puppets—but his Five-Star Dou Zun power!

"This kid has reached Five-Star Dou Zun!" Hua Jin, acting Sect Master of the Hua Sect beside Yun Yun, flashed a look of surprise in her beautiful eyes.

Hua Jin glared at Yun Yun with a hint of anger, sneering: "Hmph, you claimed you had no interest in the Hua Sect Master's position—yet you've already laid your groundwork. This Five-Star Dou Zun is your lover, isn't he?"

Hearing Hua Jin's words, Yun Yun's cheeks flushed red: "No."

She didn't elaborate on what "no" meant.

"Five-Star Dou Zun? My beloved is a Six-Star Dou Zun—when we fight, I'll cut you down with my sword. Let's go!" Hua Jin cast one last glance at Xiao Yan standing in the Guang Chang, then flew deeper with her two Elders, leaving Yun Yun alone.

After all, Xiao Yan had already subdued the puppets—the great door behind him naturally opened, and countless others had already rushed into the deeper halls seeking Treasures.

"You're not seriously planning to face a Four-Star Dou Zun and a Six-Star Dou Zun alone, are you?" Xiao Yan didn't rush into the deepest depths; the only things in the entire Ruins worth his attention were perhaps two or three items—these prizes wouldn't be easy to find.

Besides, entering too early would do him no good—he needed to lag behind others.

Seeing Xiao Yan slowly approach, Yun Yun was momentarily flustered, her heart fluttering like a startled deer; seeing Nalan Yanran also watching her, Yun Yun raised her hand and said: "Stay there."

Xiao Yan hovered in midair, gazing at Yun Yun before him. Her eyes darted away, stammering: "I-I didn't mean to go alone."

"You can't even lie." Xiao Yan scoffed. "Fine, fine, fine—you say you didn't plan to? Then it's fine for me to help you, right?"

Yun Yun froze, about to speak, but Xiao Yan cut her off.

"Moreover, according to the Yan Alliance Covenant, any member under external pressure or attack must be defended jointly by all other members—surely you haven't forgotten?" Xiao Yan smiled warmly.

"I—"

Xiao Yan spread his hands, looking pitifully: "Alas, if the Sect Master of Yun Lan Sect—one of the Four Great Founding Factions of the Yan Alliance—refuses to uphold the Covenant, and the Covenant loses its credibility, the Yan Alliance might collapse, leaving countless Yun Lan Sect disciples homeless and destitute. How tragic."

In terms of sophistry, Yun Yun was no match for Xiao Yan; within a few sentences, he silenced her completely, leaving her speechless.

Yun Yun finally gave him a helpless glare and said: "Do as you please."

Xiao Yan immediately smiled: "Then come with us."

Yun Yun glanced at Nalan Yanran, then looked toward Xiao Yixian, who stood calmly atop the Little Lion King, quiet and serene as always; as expected, she shook her head: "I'll go alone. Don't worry—I won't compete for the Heavenly Rank Dou Technique. I'm only searching for Elixirs and Treasures suitable for Yanran. I won't overreach."

Xiao Yan wasn't surprised at all—Yun Yun always put others before herself. She likely felt guilty that Nalan Yanran had followed her without gaining any opportunities, which was why she agreed to come to this Ancient Ruins—to find opportunities for Yanran.

"Master… Yanran will follow you." Nalan Yanran flew over and said.

"No, Yanran, follow Xiao Yan—he's stronger." Yun Yun shook her head.

As Nalan Yanran's Master, how could she not see certain things?

"Fine. But one condition—you take these puppets with you." Xiao Yan waved his hand, revealing eleven puppets, including Xing Tian.

With the Sealing Array, they'd rival a Four-Star Dou Zun—perfect for guarding Yun Yun's safety here.

Seeing the eleven puppets, Yun Yun's heart warmed, and she reluctantly agreed, then flew swiftly through the door, leaving behind only a lingering fragrance.

The entire Guang Chang now held only Xiao Yan's group still outside the door.

Watching Yun Yun's retreating figure, Xiao Yan could only sigh—she was simply this kind of person, not pretending or feigning self-sacrifice, but genuinely, truly this way.

"I thought you'd have killed Hua Jin outright." Tian Huo Zunzhe knew Xiao Yan's strength well—given Hua Sect's single Four-Star Dou Zun and two Five-Star Dou Zun, Xiao Yan could've easily slain Hua Jin.

"Master Tian Huo, you're joking—that's a Hua Sect elder. Since we made a wager, we should honor it. The Hua Sect is still one of the Two Sects; for Yun Yun to become Sect Master is actually a good thing." Xiao Yan smiled faintly—if Yun Yun became Hua Sect Master, it would benefit the Yan Alliance.

It seemed he truly needed to pay the Hua Sect a visit.

"Let's go." Xiao Yan waved his hand; the Little Lion King carried everyone into the door.

Xiao Yan's group moved fast, vanishing into the Stone Gate in the blink of an eye, then slowed slightly, staring in astonishment at the scene before them.

Before Xiao Yan and the others stood a colossal hall, dwarfing even the tallest figures within—when they looked around, they saw numerous deep corridors branching off the walls, stretching endlessly into unknown depths.

"This hall seems divided into many zones," Hai Bodong frowned, studying the corridors leading to different areas.

Xiao Yan's Soul Force Perception swept through, then he smiled knowingly, pointing to one corridor: "We take this one."

Everyone turned to stare at Xiao Yan; Nalan Yanran asked: "Do you know which way to go?"

"No." Xiao Yan shrugged and grinned. "But someone's going to lead us."

Everyone was baffled, unsure what he meant—but trusting him, they followed without objection.

The corridors of the great hall were extremely wide; the group flew through them like small birds, passing other treasure-seekers along the way—but Xiao Yan's group ignored them.

Along the corridors' sides, occasional towering pavilions appeared, where crowds surged like bandits, ransacking them down to the foundations; though crude, some lucky souls found Cultivation Methods and Dou Techniques—though rarely above Earth-Rank Low-Level. Even so, those who found such Treasures drew intense, envious glances.

Those below Dou Zun level typically scavenged these scraps, never setting their sights on Saint-level legacies.

The Little Lion King followed Xiao Yan's guidance for about ten minutes, finally arriving before a massive Stone Gate.

The Stone Gate was ancient, covered in thick green moss, its color whispering of vanished centuries; though still sealed, Xiao Yan knew someone had already entered inside.

It had been deliberately closed—and sealed with a Spiritual Energy Sealing Array.

"This must be it. Those fools have some skill—there's a faint scent of Medicinal Material here." Xiao Yan smiled, waving his hand—his Heavenly Realm Soul effortlessly dismantled the Sealing Array.

"These Medicinal Materials are fresh," Xiao Yixian sniffed, her beautiful eyes gleaming with excitement.

Slowly pushing open the Stone Gate, with a low rumbling sound, the thick, moss-covered stone door gradually swung open, and a thick, ancient medicinal fragrance—long buried for countless years—surged forth, instantly invigorating everyone's spirits.

Breathing in this scent, Xiao Yan's eyes flickered with delight; he increased his strength and fully pushed the stone door open.

The instant the stone door opened, blinding, dazzling light erupted from within, causing Xiao Yan and the others to squint and swiftly step back two paces, their Dou Qi already swirling rapidly through their bodies, ready to act at any moment.

The light gradually faded, and everyone opened their eyes again—then all drew in a sharp breath.

Behind the stone door was not the stone chamber they had imagined, but a forest—a primordial forest entirely composed of rare medicinal materials!

"Wow!" Even Xiao Yixian, usually so composed, couldn't help but cry out at the sight revealed through the narrow crack, her beautiful eyes filled with shock.

"Incredible—all priceless medicinal materials," even Nalan Yanran, not an Alchemist, understood the significance of what lay beyond the stone door.

Not to mention Xiao Yan, an Alchemist—he knew this was nothing less than a treasure vault.

"This life… was worth saving," Xiao Yan murmured.

"Look over there—something's there!"

"Hurry! Something valuable found over there!"

Instantly, Xiao Yan's actions drew attention; those along the corridor all flew inward.

Sensing others approaching, Xiao Yan's gaze sharpened. The moment he opened this gate, everything inside belonged to him!

"Hmph!" Xiao Yan activated his Dou Qi, unleashing the Ancient Dragon Roar—a cold snort like thunder rolling across the sky, shaking the entire corridor.

Puff! Puff! Puff!! Several Dou Huang and Dou Zong nearby spat blood, staring at Xiao Yan in shock. Just a single cold snort had such terrifying power!

"This site was discovered by the Yan Alliance—any intruder dies!" Xiao Yan threw a flag of the Yan Alliance into the ground; it writhed with the spiritual pressure of a Five-Star Dou Zun.

Utterly tyrannical!

Such actions were not uncommon; many factions, upon discovering a treasure site, did the same. Unless you possessed strength to rival theirs, most lone cultivators and small sects would simply avoid it and continue searching elsewhere.

Seeing Xiao Yan's move, many lone cultivators gritted their teeth—but had no recourse, for all had witnessed his power just moments ago.

Five-Star Dou Zun—that was among the absolute strongest.

Outside, they had already noticed several corridors; top-tier factions like the Nine Underworld Earth Snake Clan and the Burning Flame Valley had tacitly split them one per group, avoiding conflict—effectively dividing the Ruins among themselves before competing for the Sage Emperor's legacy.

After intimidating everyone, Xiao Yan's group entered inside, and with a thud, shut the door behind them.

"Damn it! I just smelled a medicinal fragrance—there must be tons of medicinal materials inside!"

"What's the use? That's the Yan Alliance—do you want to fight them?"

"Forget it. Xiao Yan is the Pill Gathering Champion; him taking medicinal materials is normal. They're useless to us anyway. As long as he doesn't compete with us for Cultivation Methods or Dou Techniques or Magic Cores, we're lucky. Let's keep searching for Cultivation Methods and Dou Techniques."

Xiao Yan didn't go too far—he passed by pavilions holding Cultivation Methods and Dou Techniques, and small halls storing weapons, even refusing to enter. He ate his meat but left some broth for others.

But if you tried to steal his meat, you were finished.

Once inside, Xiao Yan was stunned—this Ancient Medicinal Forest was even more astonishing than the Wanyao Mountain Range of the Dan Realm.

When Xiong Zhan had gathered every top-tier medicinal material from the Wanyao Mountain Range to form a Medicinal Materials Plaza, it was nothing compared to this—just a single hair of a bull!

"The Heavenly Energy here is extremely dense. This hall sits atop the Hai Gu Shan Mai, absorbing all the Earth Vein energy and channeling it here," Xiao Yixian observed the forest, quickly realizing it resembled her Small Valley.

The only difference: her Small Valley was naturally formed, while this Ancient Medicinal Forest had been artificially constructed by redirecting Earth Vein energy to create this unique environment.

Seeing Xiao Yixian's envious expression, Xiao Yan smiled and said, "Don't worry—I'll pack it all up for you later."

"Huh?" Xiao Yixian's beautiful eyes widened—how could you even pack this?

Undoubtedly, Xiao Yixian, detached from worldly affairs, had no idea Xiao Yan had once packed away a Little World.

Xiao Yan grinned mischievously, deliberately keeping silent about how he'd pack it, earning him a glare from Xiao Yixian.

Xiao Yan swept his Soul Force across the area, detecting traces of Spiritual Souls—but he didn't rush, for he sensed the owner was still moving, meaning they hadn't reached their destination yet.

The Yuan Gu Sen Lin was vast; even with Xiao Yan's speed, after nearly ten minutes of traversing, they still hadn't reached its end—evidencing the staggering scale of the ancient Saint's handiwork.

Along the way, they'd found many fine items, but none were valuable enough to make Xiao Yan salivate. After all, everything here was his—he had no need to hurry.

"Huh? Soul Infant Demon Tree?" Xiao Yan suddenly spotted a peculiar fruit tree.

A lake roughly ten zhang across, its waters unnaturally clear, yet utterly depthless. At its center floated a small patch of land, like a tiny island, upon which stood a strangely shaped tree.

The tree's entire body was gray-silver; its branches twisted like vines, curving into an odd arc. From afar, the plant's posture resembled a heavily pregnant woman; within the thick, branching "belly," golden light shimmered and spilled out.

"This must be the crown jewel of this Ancient Medicinal Forest," Heavenly Flame Zunzhe exclaimed in astonishment. This wasn't just a single plant—it was a fruit tree!

Such a Supreme Treasure would require a thousand years to nurture, demanding immense Heavenly Earth Essence Qi and Soul Power.

After traveling so long, this Soul Infant Demon Tree was the most precious thing they'd found.

"There's a Seven Rank Peak Jiao Dragon beneath it."

No sooner had Xiao Yan spoken than the calm lake erupted into towering waves. Before them, a massive shadow surged upward—then with a splash, it burst from the water, its enormous eyes glowing with ferocity as they swept the area.

Seeing the Jiao Dragon emerge, Heavenly Flame Zunzhe's eyes widened. "Tongtian Jiao! These dragons were thought extinct—never expected one to be here."

Xiao Yan nodded. Though the Tongtian Jiao's bloodline was inferior to the Grand Void Ancient Dragon, it was far stronger than the Deep Sea Jiao Beasts of the Jia Ma Royal Family.

"Let's secure the Soul Infant Demon Tree first—before the Tongtian Jiao destroys it."

Just as Xiao Yan prepared to instantly kill the Tongtian Jiao, Hai Bodong suddenly said, "Heh, if that's the case, let this old man handle it."

Before Xiao Yan and the others' stunned gazes, Hai Bodong stood with his hands behind his back—suddenly, a staircase of ice descended from the Sky; the temperature of the entire space plummeted, and ice flowers began to drift down.

Hai Bodong stepped down slowly, his icy gaze fixed on the Tongtian Jiao below. "It's been a long time since I've felt so refreshed."

(End of Chapter)