Xiao Yan’s gaze froze on the ivory-white rib, and his mind was in turmoil due to a shocking thought. “Those ten scrolls were all decoys. The real treasure was actually on this skeleton. No wonder that Star-Plucking Old Ghost insisted on making a move; he knew the treasure was hidden on this skeleton.”
In that instant, Xiao Yan’s thoughts raced, and he finally understood why the ever-cautious Star-Plucking Old Ghost would risk his life to battle with this Dou Sage’s skeleton.
“Heh, what a cunning old ghost,” Xiao Yan sneered in his heart. The light in his eyes quickly dimmed, and the purple-brown flames reappeared on his palm. He struck out several times in a lightning-fast manner, each blow landing fiercely on the ribs of the Dou Sage’s skeleton. Under such intense heat, the scarlet color on the bones rapidly dissipated. A quick glance revealed that not every bone had those strange inscriptions; only the few ribs on the torso bore them.
“There are three ribs with these inscriptions…” A barely detectable excitement flickered in Xiao Yan’s eyes. He was now certain that the writing on those three ribs must be an authentic Heavenly Rank Dou Technique!
After confirming the situation, Xiao Yan did not dare to linger, fearing others might notice as well. The silver light on his feet flashed, and he narrowly avoided the sharp, knife-like finger of the skeleton.
“Everyone, give it your all, this skeleton is about to be defeated,” Star-Plucking Old Ghost shouted, a trace of joy flashing across his face as he saw the scarlet color fading from the skeleton’s body.
No one else seemed to hear him. This skeleton was extremely troublesome, its resistance could only be described as monstrous. Despite their many combined attacks, the seemingly fragile bones showed no signs of breaking. If not for the gradually fading scarlet indicating their strikes were having some effect, they might have lost all hope.
*Boom! Boom! Boom!*
The vast Dou Qi, like shooting stars, ripped through the air and exploded heavily on the Dou Sage’s skeleton. The terrifying power cracked open even the incredibly hard hall floor, leaving deep, hand-width fissures.
Under the relentless assault of the five, the scarlet color on the skeletal Dou Sage faded, but the red glow in its eye sockets intensified. At one moment, its body suddenly froze.
Seeing the sudden stillness of the Dou Sage’s skeleton, the Star-Plucking Old Ghost and the others were stunned, then seized the opportunity to unleash a torrent of attacks. As Xiao Yan launched his attack, he felt a growing unease. A Dou Sage was too powerful; even a residual soul imprint wouldn’t be so easily dealt with…
“Quickly, leave the hall!” Flashes of thought raced through Xiao Yan’s mind. He turned abruptly, sending a telepathic message to Little Healer Immortal and the others. Those who received the message were momentarily shocked, but without time to question, they began to retreat rapidly.
*Roar!*
The ferocious attacks exploded like fireworks on the surface of the skeletal Dou Sage, pausing for a moment before its head jerked up. A faint, ancient, and hoarse voice emerged, as if from distant antiquity…
“Great… Heavenly… Creation… Palm!”
The intermittent, hoarse, and ancient voice made Xiao Yan’s hair stand on end. An intense sense of danger welled up from the depths of his soul. Driven by fear, Xiao Yan turned and fled, a flash of silver on his feet as he desperately dashed away.
“It’s using a Dou Technique, fall back!” As Xiao Yan turned and ran, Tang Zhen and the others also noticed something amiss, their faces filling with horror. With a shriek, they scrambled to flee.
“Damn it…” Seeing Tang Zhen and the others escape, the Star-Plucking Old Ghost’s face turned grim, and he cursed. But his own retreat was anything but slow, as he flashed out a hundred meters in an instant.
The sudden, hurried escape of Xiao Yan and the others caught everyone’s attention. Though unsure what was happening, they knew it was serious trouble and hurriedly retreated, causing the entire hall to erupt into chaos.
Amidst the chaos, the scarlet color on the Dou Sage skeleton seemed to come alive, converging on its palm. In an instant, its right hand became as if it had been soaked in blood for eons, dark and chilling.
*Roar!*
When the last vestige of crimson gathered in its right palm, a small black dot, as large as a soybean, appeared in its palm. The dot was pure black, seeming to devour the soul of anyone who looked at it.
As the black dot appeared, the Dou Sage’s right palm rose, and with a heavy smash, it struck the ground. The stone slab under the skeleton’s hand vanished, revealing a deep brown rock below.
*Puff!*
As the floor disappeared, a black light circle emerged from the slab and spread rapidly, causing panic among the crowd. Everything within the expanding black ring, whether stone or pillar, vanished instantly, completely disappearing, no trace left behind. It was as if a black hole, mysterious and terrifying.
“Run!” The horrific scene made everyone’s hair stand on end. Seeing the black ring continue to expand, their hearts contracted, and they fled as fast as they could.
“Aah!” They moved fast, but the black ring expanded faster, exuding an immensely terrifying suction. Some unprepared experts were forcibly drawn backward, vanishing without a trace upon contact with the black ring. Terrified screams echoed continuously within the hall, figures struggling in mid-air yet powerless against the suction, ultimately being dragged into the black ring and annihilated.
Hearing the continuous screams, Xiao Yan felt his scalp tingle. This Dou Technique was definitely of the Heavenly Rank!
*Puff!*
The rushing figure suddenly faltered, Xiao Yan’s face changing as the suction increased, interfering with his speed. Gritting his teeth, Xiao Yan pushed his speed to the limit, the purple-brown flames enveloping him. In front of him, figures were flung backward, their cries sending shivers down his spine.
The black ring spread like a death god, swiftly engulfing the entire hall. Feeling the increasing suction, Xiao Yan gritted his teeth and forced a turn.
“Flame Splitting Wave!”
“Mountain Splitting Seal! Sea Turning Seal…”
Vicious attacks erupted from Xiao Yan’s hands, propelling him backward. But these attacks dissipated upon contact with the expanding black ring, unable to stop it for even a moment.
“Three Thousand Lightning Illusion Body!”
Xiao Yan’s hand seals changed, and a soul avatar appeared, kicking himself powerfully on the shoulder. With this push, Xiao Yan shot out of the hall, landing heavily on the square outside, while the avatar disintegrated on contact with the black ring.
“Oh!” The black-robed elder, not far behind Xiao Yan, let out a sharp cry, his body transforming into a Heaven Demon Phoenix, wings flapping as he broke free from the suction and fled, crashing into the corridor outside.
As Huan Xuan fought, Tang Zhen, Ice River Venerable, the Star-Plucking Old Ghost, and the others also gave it their all, pushing their speeds to the limit, finally bursting out of the hall and landing awkwardly on the square.
Outside the hall, everyone was still shaken, staring at the spreading black ring. Fortunately, it halted at the edge of the square, gradually disappearing.
As the black ring vanished, a massive, hundreds-of-zhang-wide pit appeared where the grand hall once stood.
*Gulp!*
Xiao Yan swallowed, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead. He had truly felt the touch of death. Even the Star-Plucking Old Ghost and the others would have been doomed if hit by that black ring.
Taking a few deep breaths to calm his turbulent emotions, Xiao Yan’s gaze fixed on the midair above the massive pit. There, a hanging, ivory-white skeleton, its red eye glows fully dissipated, indicated the complete erasure of the Dou Sage’s residual soul.
“Heavenly Rank Dou Technique…” Xiao Yan’s eyes locked on the skeletal remains, a blazing intensity in his gaze.
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