117: Blood Sea Pagoda

The skeleton boat left the protective range of Skeleton Demon City and truly entered the territory of the Abyss of Sunken Souls.

The scenery here was different from the outer Blood Sea Domain. The color of the blood sea became even deeper, almost inky black, and as viscous ascolloid, making the resistance to travel on it several times greater. The sky was no longer dark red, but a depressing, leaden gray, as if ink could drip at any moment. The blurred 'Underworld Moon' projection, emitting a cold glow, hung high above, and its light, far from dispelling the darkness, made everything appear even more eerie and sinister.

The resentment and killing intent in the air intensified more than tenfold, like an invisible tide, continuously impacting everyone's mental shields. Whispers, cries, and roars directly resounded in the depths of their souls. Those with weaker cultivation or mental vulnerabilities were easily eroded by it, falling into madness.

"It's so uncomfortable..." Linglong's face was pale. Even with You Ye assisting her to stabilize her mind, her Seven Emotions Demonic Sound was greatly disturbed here, as if countless voices were competing with her for control of emotions. "Guard your heart! Circulate the Clear Heart Art!" Kong Ming chanted Buddhist scriptures loudly, and the golden Pure World Buddhist Light illuminated a small area of the sea like a lighthouse, desperately purifying the negative energy. Data on Su Yuan's screen flickered wildly: "Environmental negative energy index exceeds 300%! Divine Sense detection range compressed to less than a hundred miles! Energy turbulence intensity is extremely high, predicting frequent energy storms!" Chu Xinghe manipulated the bone boat's formation, its light flickering: "The formation's load is immense! Energy consumption speed is three times that of the outside! Immortal crystals need to be replenished constantly!"

Even Lin Xuan felt a trace of pressure and had to devote more mental energy to circulate his Primal Chaos power to resist the erosion of the environment. Only Lin Yingluo seemed completely unaffected, still curiously leaning over the side of the boat, looking at the inky black seawater, occasionally trying to reach out and grab something, only to be quickly pulled back by Lin Xuan.

The ghost army sent by Nether Skull Ghost King, led by an early-stage Immortal Monarch expert known as General Chi Hai, was thriving here, even somewhat enjoying absorbing the surrounding Yin Sha qi. Its ghost soldiers also appeared much calmer, silently guarding the bone boat, vigilantly watching the blood sea.

"General Chi Hai, according to the map, how far are we from the first resource point, 'Rotten Leaf Bone Forest'?" Lin Xuan asked. General Chi Hai emitted a hoarse voice: "Replying to Temple Master Lin, at the current speed, it will take about half a day. The Rotten Leaf Bone Forest is a special area formed by the accumulation of countless ancient shipwrecks and giant skeletons. Affected by the Underworld Moon projection, a type of 'Yin Bone Moss' grows there, which is excellent for refining Yin-attribute elixirs and nourishing soul bodies, but it also harbors a large number of 'Soul-Eating Jellyfish' and 'Bone Demons,' requiring careful handling."

Just as he spoke, the blood sea ahead suddenly churned violently! Gurgle gurgle! Giant bubbles emerged one after another, followed by dozens of translucent, massive jellyfish-like monsters, entirely composed of foul blood and shattered souls, waving countless tentacles, rising from the seabed! They had no eyes, only a huge, constantly opening and closing mouth that sucked with a soul-devouring pull!

"It's a swarm of Soul-Eating Jellyfish! Prepare for battle!" General Chi Hai roared sharply, and its ghost soldiers immediately formed a formation, emitting a cold ghostly aura to resist the jellyfish's suction.

These Soul-Eating Jellyfish individually possessed strength roughly at the True Immortal to Heavenly Immortal level, but their numbers were vast, and their combined soul-sucking power was quite troublesome.

"I'll go!" Qing Xuan stepped forward, and the Light of Life Purification spread like a tide. That vibrant light was like potent poison to these monsters composed purely of negative energy! Sizzle sizzle sizzle! The Soul-Eating Jellyfish swept by the Pure World Light immediately emitted green smoke, let out silent wails, became ethereal, and their movements slowed considerably. "Well done!" Mo Sha roared, his Ancient Demon True Body manifesting. He directly leaped off the bone boat, charged into the jellyfish swarm, and swung his fists like a pile driver, pulverizing the weakened jellyfish one by one into a sky full of blood mist! Jin Bao and A Zi also spewed dragon breath and lightning from the air, performing area-of-effect clearing. The other disciples were responsible for cleaning up any stragglers.

With Qing Xuan's purification and Mo Sha's brute force leading the way, this swarm of jellyfish was quickly cleared, leaving behind only some pure soul power fragments and a material called 'Soul Condensing Beads,' which were collected by the disciples.

General Chi Hai watched the Star Palace disciples' efficient and coordinated teamwork, especially Qing Xuan's highly targeted purification ability, and a strange glint flashed in its eyes. These living beings indeed had some tricks.

After this brief interlude, the bone boat continued its journey. Along the way, they encountered several more waves of attacks: giant decaying crocodiles lurking in the blood mud, strange sea anemones that could shoot bone spines, and swarms of blood shadow bats as fast as lightning. However, with everyone prepared and working together, they overcame these dangers without incident, and even harvested many materials unique to the Blood Sea Domain.

Half a day later, a huge shadow appeared ahead. It was a 'forest' formed by countless colossal, decaying shipwrecks and pale white giant skeletons. The ships' masts were like dead trees, shattered sails like drooping vines, and massive ribs intertwined, forming bizarre arches and caves. The entire bone forest was covered with a thick layer of dark green moss that emitted a faint phosphorescent glow – that was the 'Yin Bone Moss.'

"Rotten Leaf Bone Forest has arrived. Everyone be careful; Bone Demons usually lurk deep within the skeletons," General Chi Hai reminded.

The bone boat slowly entered the bone forest, and the light immediately became even dimmer. Only the phosphorescence emitted by the Yin Bone Moss and the pale light beams cast by the Underworld Moon outlined the jagged, terrifying shadows. The surroundings were eerily silent, with only the gurgling of flowing blood and the subtle sound of bones rubbing.

The disciples spread out, carefully collecting the Yin Bone Moss. This moss contained pure Yin-attribute energy and a trace of Underworld Moon power, which had miraculous effects on cultivating Yin-attribute techniques or refining the soul.

However, just as the collection was halfway through, a sudden change occurred!

Crack! Crack! The giant skeletons around them suddenly shook violently! Immediately after, grotesque 'Bone Demons,' pieced together from various bones, crawled out of the bone piles! Their eye sockets burned with eerie green soul fire, emitting a grating sound, and they lunged at everyone!

The strength of these Bone Demons varied; the weaker ones were only at the Tribulation Transcension level, while the stronger ones even reached the peak of Heavenly Immortal! And their numbers were immense, as if they were endless!

"Form a defensive array!" Yun Qingyao calmly commanded, and her Ice Soul Sword Qi crisscrossed, instantly freezing large numbers of Bone Demons. Leng Yuechan's Nirvana Sword Intent targeted the powerful Bone Demons. Ye Chen's figure was like a phantom, specifically destroying the Bone Demons' soul fire cores.

The battle erupted instantly!

Lin Xuan did not act. He floated in mid-air, vigilantly sensing his surroundings. He always felt that the appearance of these Bone Demons seemed a bit too concentrated? As if being driven or controlled by something?

Just then, he frowned and suddenly looked in a certain direction deep within the bone forest!

There, an extremely subtle, yet somewhat familiar and repulsive aura, flashed by!

Asura Clan? And... the aura of that old dog Xuan Gu? Why were they here? And it seemed... they were setting something up?

"Su Yuan! Scan for energy anomalies deep within the bone forest!" Lin Xuan immediately transmitted.

Upon hearing this, Su Yuan immediately mobilized all computing power, focusing his scan on that area. Soon, his expression changed slightly: "Master! High-intensity spatial shielding and stealth formation fluctuations detected! There are multiple Asura Clan energy signatures inside, and... an Immortal power fluctuation highly matching Xuan Gu! They seem to be setting up a... large-scale spatial confinement and attack composite formation! The target is... us!"

There was indeed an ambush!

A cold glint flashed in Lin Xuan's eyes! It seemed Xuan Gu and Blood Butcher Prince were still harboring malicious intentions, actually ambushing them here in advance, intending to use the environment of the bone forest and the harassment of the Bone Demons to wipe them all out!

"Everyone pay attention! There's an ambush! Gather around me! Prepare to break through!" Lin Xuan's voice resounded like thunder in everyone's minds!

Upon hearing this, the disciples immediately abandoned their collection, repelled the Bone Demons in front of them, and quickly gathered around Lin Xuan.

"General Chi Hai! You..." Lin Xuan looked at the ghost army, only to find that General Chi Hai and its ghost soldiers had, at some unknown point, quietly retreated to the edge of the battle, adopting a wait-and-see stance! A strange smile even appeared on General Chi Hai's face!

"Nether Skull Ghost King..." Lin Xuan understood instantly! This old ghost! The so-called cooperation and intelligence were nothing but a trap! He had probably colluded with Xuan Gu or the Asura Clan long ago, deliberately leading them into the ambush! The purpose was very likely to force out Yingluo's power or trap them, to facilitate his subsequent actions!

"What a Nether Skull old ghost!" Lin Xuan was so enraged he laughed instead.

Just then! Buzz—!!! A huge, dark red light curtain suddenly rose from all around the bone forest, instantly enveloping the entire Rotten Leaf Bone Forest! On the light curtain, countless Asura runes and Immortal Dao restrictions intertwined and flickered, emitting powerful spatial confinement force and destructive energy fluctuations!

At the same time, countless powerful auras erupted from the stealth formation! Blood Butcher Prince, wielding a giant axe, appeared with a sinister grin! Immortal Monarch Xuan Gu, accompanied by several of his trusted Immortal Monarchs, appeared in another direction, their faces filled with the smug smiles of a successful conspiracy! Even more chilling was that beside Blood Butcher Prince stood a blurry figure, seemingly composed of countless wailing souls, an eerie existence whose aura was even slightly stronger than Blood Butcher Prince's, reaching the peak of Immortal Monarch! It was Soul-Devouring Demon Monarch, a powerful subordinate of Soul-Devouring Demon Lord, who was cooperating with Blood Butcher!

And outside the light curtain, General Chi Hai and its ghost soldiers watched coldly, clearly already aware of the inside story.

"Little thief Lin Xuan! Let's see where you run this time!" Immortal Monarch Xuan Gu's voice was sharp, "This 'Blood Prison Rakshasa Array' was specially prepared for you! Even if you have heaven-defying abilities, you won't escape today!"

Blood Butcher Prince roared even louder: "And that little monster! Hand her over! Otherwise, today we will refine all of you into blood slaves!"

Soul-Devouring Demon Monarch let out a chilling, hissing laugh: "Fresh, powerful living souls... delicious..."

Facing powerful enemies in front, betrayed by 'allies' behind, trapped in a deadly array! The situation instantly deteriorated to the extreme!

The hearts of all Star Palace disciples sank, but having experienced a breakthrough in a desperate situation before, their eyes, though solemn, held no despair. Instead, an even fiercer fighting spirit ignited within them!

Lin Xuan handed Lin Yingluo, who was in his arms, to Yun Qingyao, motioning for them to protect her well. He slowly ascended into the air, the bronze battle axe in his hand emitting a low hum, and Primal Chaos Demonic Essence surged within his body like boiling magma.

His cold gaze swept over Xuan Gu, Blood Butcher, and Soul-Devouring Demon Monarch, finally landing on General Chi Hai, who was watching coldly from outside the light curtain.

"Do you think you can take advantage of me, Lin Xuan, like this?" His voice was calm, yet carried a chilling intensity that made people's hearts palpitate.

"Very well." "Today, I'll let you see..." "What it means to truly..." "A Demon Lord's wrath, a blood sea of slaughter!"