Chapter 543

"Alright, then we rest for one day. Remember, if you encounter a danger you can't handle, immediately use the Jade Slip to leave the Manhuang Ancient Domain." Xiao Yan nodded, his expression grave as he spoke to everyone.

This was a very serious matter; even without obtaining the Bodhi Heart or Bodhi Seed, with Xiao Yan's Pill Alchemy skills, he could merely pay a price to acquire a Bodhi Seed—there was no need to risk his life. Becoming a Sage Emperor was merely a matter of time for Xiao Yan now.

Hearing Xiao Yan's solemn words, everyone nodded. Hai Bodong probably never dreamed he'd one day compete with the supreme elites of Zhong Zhou for the Bodhi Ancient Tree!

It was truly unbelievable!

Early the next morning, outside Man Huang Zhen, countless figures gathered densely; the clamor merged into a massive wave of sound, spreading far and wide.

Xiao Yan's group stood at the rear, gazing at the front where over a thousand people thronged; they couldn't help but whistle and shake their heads. Subtly scanning with Heavenly Realm Soul Force, they discovered no fewer than three hundred Dou Zun experts!

"This is insane—how many Dou Zuns has this gathered?"

Not only did Xiao Yan chuckle bitterly and shake his head, even Cai Lin was astonished. This was their first time seeing such a massive gathering of experts. This number truly seemed to have drawn nearly all the Dou Zuns from Zhong Zhou!

And this was merely one major contingent—other powerhouses had entered from other directions. More importantly, Xiao Yan's group had yet to spot any members of the Dou Emperor Family.

One could imagine how many Dou Zuns this Bodhi Ancient Tree had attracted!

Yet most of these Dou Zuns were below Three Star; true great factions likely had their own methods.

One couldn't blame them for their greed—after all, the original Bodhi Sage Emperor had obtained the Bodhi Heart while only a Two Star Dou Zun. Naturally, many hoped to become the next Bodhi Sage Emperor.

Not far ahead of this vast crowd lay an ancient forest steeped in primordial energy; towering trees hundreds of zhang tall stood like giants, their canopies blotting out the sun, making it hard for even daylight to pierce through. Gazing inward, the forest's depths were shrouded in heart-stopping darkness, from which occasional ferocious beast roars echoed—each one sending chills down the spine.

If one were deceived by this seemingly vibrant forest, the cost would be blood—the true wilderness of the Manhuang Ancient Domain lay beyond.

Xiao Yan frowned, his expression grave as he said solemnly: "Why hasn't the Flower Sect arrived yet?"

Seeing Xiao Yan's worried expression, Cai Lin shot him a cold glance. He felt awkward, rubbing his nose as he explained: "Ahahaha, after all, the Flower Sect is our Yan Alliance's ally, and with their support, we'd be safer."

Beside him, Qing Lin covered her mouth and smiled sweetly: "Young Master Yan, every time you're guilty, you rub your nose."

!?

Xiao Yan's hand froze mid-rub. He laughed awkwardly, then pinched Qing Lin's cheeks: "Qing Lin, you've gotten bold—daring to tease your Young Master now?"

Qing Lin, cheeks pinched, said: "Sorry, Young Master."

After a brief playful interlude eased the tension, Xiao Yan released his hands and handed a Soul Jade Slip to Nalan Yanran: "The Jing Ling Bai Hu has unique perception abilities—keep an eye out for your master's Soul Force."

Although Xiao Yan possessed stronger Soul Force Perception, special realms like the Manhuang Ancient Domain and Heaven Eye Mountain Range suppress Soul Force Perception—only special Spiritual Beasts like the Jing Ling Bai Hu can sense the natural world.

"Mm." Nalan Yanran nodded. With her strength, she might not aid in battle, but she sensed Xiao Yan had brought her not just to help find resources, but to grant her opportunities to elevate her cultivation.

"Don't worry—you won't die. I'll be watching you."

Nalan Yanran froze. Though she knew Xiao Yan didn't mean what she thought, her cheeks still flushed red. She hurriedly said: "Hmph! Who needs your protection? I can protect myself!"

Soon, the massive crowd began to stir—it seemed some had grown impatient and were preparing to charge in.

Boom—

Thousands stepped simultaneously upon the void; the entire ground and air trembled violently. Amidst roaring shouts, countless figures shot forward with a hiss, rushing impatiently into the silent ancient realm.

Watching the terrifying commotion, Xiao Yan shook his head. After waiting roughly fifteen minutes, Xiao Yan's group finally began entering.

"Let's move—everyone be careful!"

As his words ended, Xiao Yan tapped the ground with his toe, instantly becoming a dark shadow leading the way, flashing like lightning into the ancient forest. Behind him, Cai Lin, Xiao Yixian, and others followed closely.

The moment Xiao Yan's figure plunged into the ancient forest, the light abruptly dimmed. The stench of decaying leaves wafted from all directions.

Inside the forest, Xiao Yan paused briefly, glancing at scattered groups nearby. He had no intention of speaking with them, so he tapped a tree trunk and shot forward again.

Xiao Yan's group moved swiftly; in less than ten minutes, they advanced nearly ten li. Along the way, no unusual incidents occurred—even the occasional one or two feral beasts brimming with ferocity were swarmed by crowds and cut to pulp in an instant.

Yet despite the smooth progress, Xiao Yan grew increasingly wary—he and Xiao Yixian had both entered the Manhuang Ancient Domain before; this place was never this peaceful.

Cai Lin and the others also understood the danger of the Manhuang Ancient Domain—the calmer it seemed, the more dangerous it was. Gradually, they all grew alert. Under this vigilance, they moved farther and farther from the domain's edge.

"Be careful—I sense toxic miasma forming around us." Xiao Yixian's eyes suddenly sharpened as she scanned the surroundings. Her sensitivity to poison was the keenest; the moment trace poison entered the air, she detected it.

"Don't leave my Heavenly Flame poison circle—within it, you needn't fear these toxic barriers." Xiao Yixian smiled faintly, blowing gently—a thin, pale emerald flame ring drifted around them.

The instant the flame ring appeared, a crackling sound erupted.

"Are these Poison Ants?" Hai Bodong blinked, then stared intently at the toxic miasma—but saw no trace of insects. Yet from the sound of the Heavenly Flame burning, the miasma wasn't gas—it consisted of countless microscopic Poison Ants.

"These Poison Ants are extremely tiny. They float through the forest. What those people inhale are these hundreds of millions of microscopically small creatures, each inherently carrying lethal poison. Once inhaled, they trigger fatal poisoning." Xiao Yixian explained slowly.

Hearing Xiao Yixian's explanation, Heavenly Flame Zunzhe and others paled. If these were Poison Ants, ordinary Detoxification Pills would be useless.

"Just these Poison Ants in the Manhuang Ancient Domain are enough to kill many. This domain truly lives up to its name."

Xiao Yan sighed. These Poison Ants could poison many. Had Xiao Yixian not detected them, their bodies might have accumulated them—when their numbers reached a terrifying threshold, the unleashed toxicity would become a nightmare.

As Xiao Yan's group pressed deeper into the primordial forest, more and more screams echoed—likely the agonized cries of those who hadn't realized they'd inhaled Poison Ants and were now dying.

"The toxic miasma is thinning—looks like we're nearly through this zone." Cai Lin said, observing the clearer surroundings.

"Hurry—certainly the great factions of Zhong Zhou know about these toxic barriers. They've likely already entered the central Manhuang Ancient Domain. Falling behind will be troublesome." Hearing this, everyone nodded, tapped the ground, and shot forward like arrows released from bows, swiftly piercing through the toxic miasma.

Cai Lin's perception was correct. As the group advanced deeper, the toxic miasma grew thinner until, finally, it vanished entirely.

After bursting through the toxic miasma, Xiao Yan's group leapt onto a nearby boulder. From this height, they scanned ahead—and saw before them a chasm hundreds of zhang wide. The abyss was extremely deep, swirling with toxic vapors, its bottom invisible. Looking upward, beyond the chasm stretched an endless mountain range, peaks towering ten thousand ren high, coiled like colossal dragons. An ancient, primordial aura radiated from them, filling the heavens and earth.

There—was the true Manhuang Ancient Domain!

Gazing at the distant mountains, Xiao Yan exhaled slowly, his eyes gradually filling with gravity. The real test was about to begin.

The Ancient Treasure Pavilion's three factions needed to draw in numerous experts precisely to distract the ancient Fierce Beasts within the Manhuang Ancient Domain. These ancient beasts, mostly lacking in intelligence, killed anyone they saw and frequently launched beast surges.

"These Fierce Beasts have been isolated since ancient times, their power terrifyingly strong. Though their brutality limits their wisdom compared to equivalent-level Demonic Beasts, their explosive strength surpasses even Demonic Beasts." Xiao Yan had personally endured the relentless tenacity of these Fierce Beasts—ordinary Demonic Beasts would flee if outmatched, but Fierce Beasts in the Manhuang Ancient Domain, even Fifth Rank ones, would charge straight at you, utterly fearless.

He clenched his palm—and a bead tinged with emerald hue appeared in his hand: the Bodhi Seed, precipitated from the Puti Huati Yan. Though this Bodhi Seed was inherently flawed, it maintained a faint connection to the Bodhi Ancient Tree, like a compass guiding Xiao Yan toward a general direction.

"This way."

Stowing the Bodhi Seed, Xiao Yan made no further pause. He tapped the boulder, leaping upward like a great roc, then stepped across Space, racing swiftly toward the far side of the chasm. Behind him, Cai Lin and Xiao Yixian followed closely.

Though the chasm spanned hundreds of zhang, Xiao Yan's group crossed it in the blink of an eye. Yet the moment they stepped onto the other side, a chorus of beast roars erupted from the ground. Instantly, several dark shadows, reeking of nauseating stench, shot toward Xiao Yan in midair like lightning.

Facing these ambushes, Xiao Yan's group showed no change in expression. Qing Lin's eyes flashed emerald—those venomous snakes froze as if petrified, motionless until Xiao Yan's group had passed far enough for her Qi San Hua Tong's ability to deactivate.

After entering the true Manhuang Ancient Domain, Xiao Yan's group encountered other teams, but none knew each other, and no further communication occurred. The Fierce Beasts they met along the way were never overly powerful—the strongest encountered were only Seventh Rank—so their progress remained smooth.

Wuuu! Suddenly, the Jing Ling Bai Hu in Nalan Yanran's arms let out a low whimper.

In the Manhuang Ancient Domain, there is a special ancient aura that suppresses Soul Perception even at the Heavenly Soul Initial Stage, making it impossible to sense distant places—but the Jing Ling Bai Hu, as a special beast, is unaffected by natural forces, just as it was in the Heaven Eye Mountain Range.

Hearing the cry of the Jing Ling Bai Hu, Nalan Yanran abruptly stopped, her eyes darkening with gravity as she said: "Xiao Yan, the Jing Ling Bai Hu senses the Master's location—and it seems she is in battle."

!!

Xiao Yan's heart sank instantly, a cold glint flashing in his eyes; the kind woman who had once saved him had always held a certain place in his heart—undoubtedly, when he founded the Yan Alliance, besides protecting his family, he had also intended to aid Yun Yun.

"Lead the way."

"Mm." Nalan Yanran nodded firmly, clutching the Jing Ling Bai Hu as she sprinted off in another direction, her expression filled with worry.

Amidst the ancient aura-laden Shan Mai, several figures flashed through the air like lightning, faintly betraying signs of disarray.

Each figure lightly tapped a branch, then shot forward—by their attire, they were clearly the Huazong group.

The leader wore a long white robe; as she flew, the hem fluttered, radiating an indescribable nobility and grace—her exquisite face added considerable beauty to the entire wilderness.

Such a face could belong to no one but Yun Yun, who had become the Sect Master of Huazong.

"These bastards from the Tianming Sect took advantage of our battle with the Fierce Beasts to ambush us—causing Elder Qinghua to perish under the Fierce Beasts' paws! If we return alive, we will mobilize the entire sect to fight Tianming Sect to the death!" Behind Yun Yun, an elderly woman with a pale face spat out furiously, blood still clinging to her lips—clearly, she had just endured a fierce battle.

(End of Chapter)