Chapter 772

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Protagonist:

Xu Zhangqing

The night was dark as ink, a gale whipping sand and gravel into a howl outside the Zhuan Gu Zhong; dozens of black-robed figures stood solemnly before a massive black stone tablet, all of them members of the Huang Quan Alliance.

The leader was the Spiritual Mark Elder in charge of secret arts within the Alliance; his hands were withered, fingertips covered in dense old calluses, his identity, status, and prestige extremely high.

The Spiritual Mark Elder's voice was hoarse like a broken gong as he explained: "The Secret Realm Entrance of the Zhuan Gu Zhong requires Spiritual Marks of the same origin to activate."

Finishing his words, he stepped forward, a wisp of black light rising from the tip of his right index finger, slowly pressing against the stone tablet.

As his fingertip slid, a twisted, ancient Spiritual Mark like a snake gradually emerged.

It spread along the stone tablet; where it passed, the tablet's surface likewise rippled with black light.

Hum—

As the final stroke fell, the entire Spiritual Mark suddenly blazed bright; the black stone tablet trembled violently, and a twisted, illusory doorway boomed open.

Inside the doorway, a gloomy wind howled, carrying dense death qi and a rotting stench.

"Finally we get to see the Ancestor!"

"Silence! The Secret Realm is fraught with peril; the slightest carelessness will trigger a restriction!"

"Yes!"

The Spiritual Mark Elder admonished, and the crowd responded in unison.

Liu Xuan blended into the crowd, following in lockstep, his fingertips likewise flaring with black radiance.

He, as the nail Xu Zhangqing had driven into the Huang Quan Alliance, had already waited several decades.

Finally he had waited for this day, when he could make contact with the Huang Quan Alliance's core secrets.

The moment the group stepped through the doorway, a bone-piercing chill wrapped in heavy death qi rushed at them; Liu Xuan raised his eyes and his pupils abruptly contracted.

Before him lay a boundless expanse of yellow sand; faintly, coffins could be seen in the depths.

If an ordinary person entered, they would certainly be trapped in the yellow sand for a very long time.

But the Huang Quan Alliance people, because the Spiritual Mark Elder led the way, quickly penetrated deep inside.

Not long after, the crowd arrived at the Core Area.

Countless black coffins were stacked and interlocked; some stood upright like steles, some lay horizontal like stones, some were cracked and damaged, others perfectly intact.

Yet without exception, every coffin body was carved full of ancient Spiritual Marks, gleaming with an eerie luster.

The ground was littered with dense piles of skeletal remains, mostly those of human cultivators; among the bones grew many blackened mosses, emitting a putrid stench.

Besides death qi, the air was mixed with the smell of rotting coffins, making one retch.

A member's face turned pale, voice trembling: "This is the Zhuan Gu Zhong's Core Area?

There are actually this many burial companions!"

The Spiritual Mark Elder's gaze swept across the various coffins: "The coffin storing the Ancestor's true body is nearby; everyone search carefully."

Finishing, he strode toward the depths first; the Spiritual Mark on his fingertip glowed faintly, and the coffins blocking the way actually split to both sides on their own, revealing a narrow passage.

From this it could be seen that the Spiritual Marks he cultivated could barely manipulate the basic restrictions within the Secret Realm.

The crowd followed closely behind, treading carefully among the coffins.

Surrounding coffins trembled slightly, lids emitting "creak creak" sounds, as if they would open at any moment.

Some Spiritual Marks flashed with faint light, exuding a heart-palpitating pressure.

Liu Xuan paid attention to the surroundings while looking for a chance to send a message.

It was just a pity that the surrounding members watched each other too closely; he temporarily could find no opening.

Unknown how long they traversed, the coffins ahead gradually thinned, and then a circular empty space appeared before their eyes.

In the center of the empty space, the Spiritual Mark Ancestor's coffin should have been parked; at this moment it was empty, only a layer of thickly accumulated dust on the ground.

The Spiritual Mark Elder's voice suddenly rose, carrying unbelieving shock and rage: "What's going on?

Where is the Ancestor's coffin!"

A member asked: "Could it be we found the wrong place?"

"Impossible!"

The Spiritual Mark Elder roared fiercely, his body's killing intent surging, black robes flapping loudly: "The Spiritual Mark's perception is right here; therefore it absolutely cannot be wrong."

Liu Xuan blanked for a moment: "Looks like… no need to notify the Master."

To attract outside attention, the Huang Quan Alliance manufactured a pile of trouble.

Result: never expected, all efforts went to waste, even their lair got stolen!

……

……

At the same time, Longhu Immortal Sect, Discussion Hall.

Fenglong wore a purple-patterned Daoist robe, a jade belt at his waist, his bearing straight as a pine, standing just like that in the center of the grand hall.

Just now, he had taken first place in the Sect's "Nine Heavens Thunder Trial", enduring nine bolts of Zixiao Divine Thunder without being defeated.

Vice Sect Master Zhao Tianxiong sat on the Nine Dragons Throne, his gaze falling on him, full of praise and gratification: "Fenglong, you are a peerless genius unseen in the Longhu Immortal Sect for a thousand years.

The Sect has always distinguished rewards and punishments clearly; today we shall heavily reward you!"

Finishing, Zhao Tianxiong raised his hand and waved; a disciple carried a tray forward.

On the tray were placed four treasures emitting dense thunder-attribute qi, each flowing with light, spiritual energy pressing upon one.

Zhao Tianxiong pointed at the long sword on the far left of the tray and introduced: "This is the Zidian Fen Guang Sword, a Top-grade Spirit Tool, forged from Thousand-year Lightning Meteor Iron mixed with Extraterritorial Lightning Crystal.

This sword can independently draw down the thunder of heaven and earth, perfectly matching the 'Nine Heavens Thunder Art' you cultivate. When casting sword techniques, its power increases by fifty percent, and it can even sever ordinary magic tools!

Looking at it, Fenglong saw the sword body glowing with a faint purple radiance, covered in fine thunder patterns—clearly not ordinary.

Next, Zhao Tianxiong pointed to a suit of silver armor in the middle: "This is Thunder Pool Armor, also a top-grade spirit tool, woven from thunder rhinoceros skin mixed with thunder silk."

Covered all over with thunder pattern barriers, it can not only withstand a full-force strike from a Nascent Soul cultivator, but also absorb thunder attribute attacks and convert them into its own spiritual power.

For you, it is both a defensive weapon and an auxiliary tool!

Fenglong tried to sense it and found it resonated with his own spiritual power.

Finally, Zhao Tianxiong looked toward a black ring and a small silver flying boat on the right side of the tray: "This Thunder Storage Ring contains a thousand-zhang space, can nurture thunder-system treasures, and can even isolate spiritual power fluctuations and hide one's aura."

This Thunder Escape Flying Boat was crafted over three years by the sect's White Tiger Hall as a supreme treasure for travel; it can ride thunder to fly, with speed comparable to a Nascent Soul cultivator.

The boat body is also equipped with three layers of thunder pattern spiritual shields, capable of resisting fatal attacks.

Obviously, these four spirit tools were all custom-made for Fenglong; whether for attack, defense, storage, or travel, they are the finest among the finest.

From this, one can see how much the Longhu Immortal Sect values him.

Surprise flashed in Fenglong's eyes, and he immediately bowed: "Disciple will surely not disappoint the Immortal Sect's cultivation, and will serve the Immortal Sect for eternity!"

"Hahaha, good!"

Zhao Tianxiong clapped his hands and laughed heartily: "Besides these, I have also secured an opportunity for you."

Three days from now, the Thunder Pool Secret Realm will be opened!"

"Thunder Pool Secret Realm?"

Fenglong's heart stirred; he had seen it in the sect classics.

This secret realm is located in the Core Area of the Tianlei Mountain Range, an ancient thunder cultivator's holy ground of cultivation, filled within with thunder power refined to the extreme.

Not only do top-grade thunder-system spirit plants such as Thunder Spirit Grass, Thunder Tribulation Fruit, and Nine Heavens Thunder Lotus grow there, but it also hides the inheritance, magic tools, and magic treasures of ancient thunder cultivators.

It seems this is the Longhu Immortal Sect—especially the Vice Sect Master—paving the way for me!