Chapter 240 Dou Zun Remains, Turtle Spirit Earth Fire
Around the statue, there are stone platforms on which various ancient artifacts are displayed. Each of them is covered with a layer of light dust, and it is obvious that they have experienced a long time. Although these artifacts are simple, their exquisite craftsmanship and ancient charm are still hard to conceal in the dim light.
As their sight slowly moved, Xiao Ling and the others discovered a stone staircase behind the statue, which spiraled upward and disappeared into the darkness at the top of the hall. The stone steps were old and solid, and each step seemed to record the accumulation of years and the whispers of history.
Xiao Ling and his group walked closer with light steps. The stone steps made a slight echo under their feet, leading them to explore higher.
Looking at the end of the stairs, there is a high platform. On the platform, there is a jade bed carved from jadeite. The whole body of the jade bed exudes a faint chill, as if it contains the power of being frozen for thousands of years.
As Xiao Ling got closer to the platform, the four strange fires in his body suddenly produced slight fluctuations.
It feels like there is repulsion between the different fires, but at the same time there is an indescribable mutual attraction.
This unique resonance only occurs when there are multiple strange fires in the same space. Xiao Ling's heart moved, and it was very likely that there was another strange fire hidden nearby, and this strange fire was most likely the one they were looking for, the Turtle Spirit Earth Fire that the Turtle Spirit Venerable had subdued during his lifetime.
Thinking of this, a light flashed in Xiao Ling's eyes, as if he had already glimpsed the secret hidden in this ancient hall.
"It's actually the Ice Soul Cold Prison Jade, and it's such a big piece..." Behind them, Yao Lao's surprised voice suddenly sounded, breaking the silence in the hall.
"Teacher, what is the Ice Soul Cold Prison Jade?" Qing Lin asked curiously.
"That is an extremely cold jade, one of the few rare things in the world that can withstand the burning of strange fire." Yao Lao's voice was a little excited. He looked in the direction of Xiao Ling and continued, "If this kind of jade is made into a jade box or a jade jar, it can even store strange fire. And the bone spirit cold fire in my body also reacted just now. Xiao Ling, you should have noticed it too. I think the turtle spirit earth fire is not far ahead."
"Hiss..." Xiao Ling took a breath of cool air and became excited. He walked forward quickly and looked closely at the jade bed that was emitting cold air.
Everyone followed Xiao Ling's footsteps. The closer they got, the more they felt a bone-chilling chill, as if even the air was frozen by the cold.
Although Xiao Ling possesses a strange fire in his body and has a natural resistance to the cold, Xiao Yixian and the other companions are also people with high cultivation and can withstand the cold air emitted by Bingpo Hanyu Yuyi.
But Xiao Ling took everyone's comfort into consideration, and with a thought, he released the Sea Heart Flame in his body with his hands.
The appearance of the Sea Heart Flame was like a warm light in the deep sea, and the ripples like water waves slowly spread out, gradually dispelling the surrounding coldness. This warm current not only neutralized the coldness of the Ice Soul Cold Prison Jade, but also brought a touch of warmth to everyone present, making them feel more comfortable in this cold hall.
As the cold air dissipated, everyone focused more on the jade bed and the body of Master Gui Ling in front of them.
On the platform, the jade bed was crystal clear, emitting a faint blue light, and every line on it was clearly visible, like a masterpiece of nature. The cold air of the jade bed came into contact with the warm air around it, forming layers of thin frost and mist, making the entire platform look like a fairyland.
On the jade bed, a skeleton in a gray robe lay quietly. The skeleton was in a peaceful posture, with its hands folded on its chest, as if it was sleeping peacefully.
The gray robe has weathered, but it still covers the skeleton, maintaining its final dignity. In the dim light, the skeleton is particularly eye-catching, with no burial objects around it, only a sense of tranquility and peace that transcends the world.
Qing Lin stared at the skeleton on the jade bed, with a hint of awe in his tone, and said softly: "This must be the remains of the Turtle Spirit Master."
Her voice echoed throughout the hall, and everyone's eyes were focused on the grey-robed skeleton.
In the dim light, there seemed to be a faint halo surrounding the skeleton. It was a trace left by the passage of time and also the lingering sound of the Venerable's powerful cultivation during his lifetime.
Xiao Ling nodded, his expression solemn and serious: "It should be. The aura emanating from this skeleton is different from that of ordinary people. It must be the Reverend Turtle Spirit."
"Xiao Ling, go ahead and check it out. The Turtle Spirit Earth Fire should be inside that body." Yao Chen said, stroking his beard, with a hint of anticipation in his voice.
Xiao Ling nodded, took a deep breath, calmed himself down, and then walked forward slowly. His steps were steady and cautious, and every step was extremely careful, for fear of any unexpected situation.
As Xiao Ling got closer to the body of Turtle Spirit Venerable, an indescribable feeling rose in his heart. He could feel that the special fluctuations that echoed with the strange fire in his body were getting stronger and stronger, as if calling him.
However, at this moment, the body that had been motionless suddenly changed. A dark brown flame burst out from the eyes of the skeleton of Turtle Spirit. The light was deep and mysterious, carrying an ancient and powerful power.
Faced with this sudden change, Yao Chen and Yao Tianhuo immediately became alert and quickly stepped forward. Their eyes revealed vigilance, and they were ready to deal with possible dangers at any time.
This kind of sudden situation is often accompanied by unpredictable risks, and they must remain highly vigilant to ensure the safety of Xiao Ling and others.
In the sight of everyone, the body of the Turtle Spirit Earth Fire seemed to be awakened by some mysterious power. It slowly rose from the Ice Soul Cold Prison Jade Bed and floated into the air. Dark brown flames flickered in its empty eye sockets as it quietly stared at Xiao Ling and the others.
The appearance of this scene really made everyone present feel unprecedented shock.
Qinglin and Xiaoyixian stood close to each other, with alert expressions on their faces. Xiaoyixian began to gather poisonous gas in her hands, and was obviously ready to take action at any time. Qinglin waved her hand and summoned several snake monsters, which quickly surrounded them and formed a line of defense.
Zi Yan was also concentrating, she spread her fighting wings, lightly suspended in the air, her fists flashing purple light, ready to fight at any time. The whole scene was tense and solemn, everyone was preparing for a possible battle.
Xiao Ling seemed relatively calm. He gathered himself together, frowned slightly, and asked Yao Chen, "Old Yao, what's going on? Could this be the residual soul of the Turtle Spirit Master?"
His guess was not groundless. As we all know, the soul of a Dou Zun-level warrior is so strong that it is shocking. Take Yao Tianhuo for example. His soul can survive for a thousand years in the magma world. This is certainly due to the blessing of the soul by the Fallen Heart Flame. However, Yao Tianhuo can keep the soul from dispersing for so long, which also shows how durable the soul power of Dou Zun is.
Although the strange fire that Gui Ling mastered might not be as helpful to the soul as the Fallen Heart Flame, it should not be underestimated. Moreover, he was an eighth-grade alchemist, and his soul power was definitely much stronger than Yao Tian Fire. Perhaps, Gui Ling's soul had not dissipated yet.
Yao Chen carefully observed the situation in front of him, thought for a moment, and then responded: "This situation should not be a remnant soul. I speculate that this may be a mark of will left by the Turtle Spirit Venerable during his lifetime. He may have imposed some kind of restriction on the body, and once someone triggers a certain condition, the body will react."
Yao Tianhuo also nodded, expressing his agreement: "Brother Yao is right, this is more like a protection mechanism. When he was alive, the Reverend Gui Ling must not have wanted his body and strange fire to fall into the hands of unworthy people, so he left such a backup plan."
After hearing this, Xiao Ling felt relieved, but he knew that they had to be more cautious. He took a deep breath and said to the three women behind him, "Everyone stay alert and don't act rashly. We don't know how this will react, nor what kind of test it will bring."
The three women nodded one after another. They knew in their hearts that facing such an unknown situation, any reckless behavior might lead to unfavorable consequences for themselves.
At this moment, a white light suddenly burst out from the eyes of the Turtle Spirit Master who was floating in the air and shot towards Xiao Ling and the others.
All this happened too suddenly, without any warning. The light did not carry any murderous attack power, and did not alert several people at the first time. Even Yao Chen and Yao Tianhuo, who reacted the fastest, failed to react in time. The light cut through the air like lightning and shone directly on Xiao Yixian, Zi Yan, Qing Lin, and Xiao Ling. Everyone's heart tightened, and they instinctively wanted to dodge or fight back, but found that the light had already touched their bodies.
When several people reacted and were about to respond, the light disappeared as abruptly as it appeared. All that was left was the faint flickering light on each person's body, proving that the scene just now was not an illusion.
Xiao Yixian, Zi Yan and Qing Lin looked at each other and shook their heads, indicating that they were fine. Xiao Ling focused his mind and examined himself, but he also found nothing wrong.
Xiao Ling nodded slightly and confirmed everyone's condition, "We are all fine." There was a hint of relief in his voice.
Yao Chen, as the most knowledgeable person in the group, calmly analyzed, "This should be a procedure set up by the Gui Ling Venerable in advance, to conduct some form of inspection on you." His eyes flashed with wisdom, and he seemed to have his own understanding of this phenomenon. "Such means are not uncommon. Many powerful beings will set up various mechanisms in their ruins to ensure that only the right candidates can inherit their legacy."
After hearing Yao Chen's explanation, everyone understood the situation and breathed a sigh of relief.
However, just when they thought this was just a peaceful change, suddenly, a voice echoed in everyone's mind. This voice was deep and full of majesty, as if it had crossed the boundaries of time and space: "Young practitioners, I am the Reverend Gui Ling. The fact that you can get here shows that there is a special fate between us. I left this will behind in order to find a suitable successor."
"Although after investigation, I found that you are not my direct descendants, but that is not important. If you can pass the test I set and defeat me, I will pass on my strange fire and relics to you without hesitation. However, if you cannot prove your strength, then you will stay here forever, become a part of this palace, and sleep with it."
After hearing these words, Xiao Ling raised his eyebrows slightly, and a hint of interest flashed in his eyes. It seems that if he wants to obtain this Turtle Spirit Earth Fire and the remains of Turtle Spirit Venerable, he will first need to fight with the will of this Venerable.
At this moment, Yao Chen and Yao Tianhuo floated to Xiao Ling's side, both looking quite relaxed, as if they did not feel any sense of crisis about the current situation.
Yao Tianhuo asked, "Xiao Ling, do you need our help? It's not difficult for us to deal with a programmed will. If we get rid of that guy, we should be able to capture the Turtle Spirit Earth Fire easily."
After this period of recovery, Yao Tianhuo's soul strength has been significantly improved, enough to deal with the combat power of an average Dou Zong six-star. During the time he was with Xiao Ling, he had been enjoying Xiao Ling's care and resources. Now, Yao Tianhuo also hopes to show his value through his own strength, so that Xiao Ling will pay more attention to his affairs.
Hearing Yao Tianhuo's question, Xiao Ling did not answer directly, but planned to first investigate the current level of the body in front of him.
After some sensing, Xiao Ling has roughly figured out the strength of Turtle Spirit Venerable's will. Although it should not be underestimated, it has only reached the level of a high-level Dou Zong, about the level of eight or nine stars of Dou Zong.
For Xiao Ling, who has already tamed several kinds of strange fire and has many secret techniques at his disposal, he has enough confidence to deal with such an opponent.
So, Xiao Ling smiled slightly and replied: "Since it is a test, then I will try it myself. Facing the will of this venerable Dao is also a rare opportunity for training."
When hearing these words, Yao Tianhuo couldn't help but reveal a hint of loss in his eyes, while a gleam of approval flashed in Yao Chen's eyes.
"Then, let us support you here. You just need to go all out and don't worry about anything else." Yao Chen stroked his long beard gently, his tone revealing his firm support for Xiao Ling's decision. "If you encounter any accidents, I will also do my best and will not let you suffer any loss." After saying this, Yao Chen's originally kind eyes also flashed a sharp color.
Xiao Ling nodded, then stepped forward and walked towards the body of Turtle Spirit Master floating above the jade bed.
As he approached, the atmosphere in the hall gradually became solemn, and everyone could feel the upcoming contest.
Zi Yan, Xiao Yixiang and Qing Lin stepped aside, leaving enough space for the two to fight.
In the hall, a battle across time and space is about to begin.
As Xiao Ling's footsteps gradually approached, the air in the bronze hall seemed to solidify, and the heavy atmosphere made everyone's heartbeat become clearly audible.
He stood in the void, holding the Falling Divine Weapon tightly in his hand, the sharp tip of the spear flashing a cold light in the dim light. Xiao Ling's eyes were as calm as water. Facing the "Turtle Spirit Venerable" not far away, he spoke lightly, revealing a hint of calmness and confidence in his voice:
"Senior, since you have set a test, I, Xiao Ling, will accept it. Let me prove whether I am qualified to inherit the Turtle Spirit Earth Fire in your hand."
However, the "Turtle Spirit Venerable" on the opposite side did not seem to be moved by Xiao Ling's words. The dark brown flames in his empty eye sockets burned quietly without a ripple.
A moment later, a hoarse and majestic voice came from the immortal body, announcing the beginning of the test:
Since you are eager to prove yourself, then let me see your strength."
As soon as the words fell, the air in the hall seemed to be grasped by an invisible giant hand, and a heavy pressure as heavy as a mountain was released from the body of "Turtle Spirit Venerable", making it difficult for people to breathe. If a person with weaker cultivation faced this momentum, he would be oppressed and kneel to the ground in an instant.
Xiao Yixian and Zi Yan reacted quickly, each releasing a layer of Dou Qi barrier, like a transparent shield, blocking the surging momentum. Qing Lin was surrounded by a sixth-level shadow python, and was protected and not affected at all.
However, Yao Chen and Yao Tianhuo looked calm and composed in the face of this momentum, as if they were strolling in the garden, appearing to be unhurried.
Feeling the shocking strength of "Reverend Turtle Spirit", the three women couldn't help but worry for Xiao Ling.
Qing Lin walked to Yao Chen, his eyes flashing with curiosity and concern, and asked softly: "Teacher, the opponent is so strong, can the young master successfully pass this test?"
The other two also looked at him curiously. They knew that Xiao Ling's strength had reached the level of three-star Dou Zong, but facing the "Turtle Spirit Venerable" in front of them whose strength obviously surpassed the three-star Dou Zong, they couldn't help but feel a little worried.
Yao Chen smiled gently, a hint of deep meaning flashed across his eyes, his voice was calm and full of confidence: "Xiao Ling's strength is far beyond what you know. The hidden power in his body is enough to cope with this challenge. Believe in him, he will definitely pass the test smoothly."
Yao Tianhuo also added lightly: "Don't worry, if there is any accident, Brother Yao and I will take action in time. We will not let that kid get into trouble."
When the three girls heard this, the worries in their hearts gradually dissipated like clouds and mist, and were replaced by firm belief and trust in Xiao Ling.
With the burden lifted from their hearts, their attention once again focused on the tense confrontation between Xiao Ling and "Reverend Turtle Spirit".
The tense atmosphere in the air seemed to freeze into ice, and every breath could feel the breath of battle that was about to break out.
As the "Turtle Spirit Venerable" released his aura, the atmosphere in the entire hall became more tense. His aura was like a sword drawn from its sheath, sharp and unstoppable.
He raised his somewhat dry palm, and in his palm, a dark brown flame leaped up. The flame danced, emitting a heart-pounding high temperature, as if even the air could be ignited.
(End of this chapter)