29: The fire devouring valley, the technique begins to emerge

Deep within the Poisonous Miasma Valley, the Aura of decay and death hung like viscous liquid, heavily pressing down on every inch of space. Lin Chen, like the most patient gecko, clung to the cold, slippery rock face's shadows. The shadow-leaping ability granted by Limitless Steps allowed him to move through this perilous environment with ease, each movement leaving only almost imperceptible shadow ripples, like water blending into deeper pools. He followed the sinister Auras belonging to the Myriad Scorpion Gate, like a persistent shadow, yet maintaining absolute stealth.

Ahead, the Myriad Scorpion Gate's group of five—one Battle King Elder, Elder Scorpion Mountain, and four Battle Masters—cautiously navigated between poisonous vines and muddy swamps. The leading Elder's gaze was sinister, and in his hand, he held a fire-seeking scorpion, its body entirely green, continuously emitting faint hissing sounds.

"Hiss, hiss..." The fire-seeking scorpion's tail stinger anxiously pointed towards a certain direction deep within the miasma!

"The Aura of a Heavenly Flame! It's truly here!" Elder Elder Scorpion Mountain's eyes blazed with greed. "Hurry up! While that Cloud Mist Sect woman is distracted, snatch the Heavenly Flame and leave! Move quickly!"

Just as they were about to pass through an area overgrown with massive, rotting tree roots, a sudden change occurred!

"Boom—!"

Above their heads, a giant rock, eroded and precarious due to the miasma, suddenly collapsed! It brought with it immense force and dense poisonous miasma, crashing down hard! It wasn't a natural collapse; rather, Lin Chen, lurking in the shadows, had silently shattered a crucial support point with Shadow Calamity Finger!

"Watch out!" Elder Elder Scorpion Mountain roared. His Battle King Aura erupted, and he thrust a palm upwards. His potent poison-attribute Dou Qi transformed into a giant green palm, meeting the falling rock!

"Pfft!" The boulder shattered under the poisonous palm, but within the shattered rock were numerous disturbed, hair-thin Corrupted Bone Poison Stingers! These venomous insects, stimulated by the poisonous Dou Qi, instantly turned berserk, forming a black and red cloud of poison. They emitted a scalp-tingling hum as they furiously swarmed towards the Myriad Scorpion Gate members!

"Damn it! It's Corrupted Bone Bees!" A Dou Master cried out in alarm, waving his weapon to block, but the poison stingers were too numerous and too fast!

"Ah—!" A scream rang out. A Dou Master was instantly engulfed by the poisonous bees. His exposed skin visibly blackened and festered at a rate visible to the naked eye, transforming into a skeleton emitting black Qi in the blink of an eye! Even his Soul fluctuations were eroded and dissipated by the potent poison!

Chaos! Deadly chaos!

In this moment of chaos, a ghostly shadow, even more deadly and silent than the Corrupted Bone Bee swarm, shot out from the shadows of the gnarled, rotting tree roots like a venomous snake emerging from its hole! Its target was the Myriad Scorpion Gate Dou Master, whose mind was deeply shaken by his companion's tragic death and whose movements had slowed slightly!

Shadow Calamity Finger: Soul Devour!

At Lin Chen's fingertip, a faint glow, compressed to the extreme and flickering with annihilating arcs, moved like a ghost, precisely striking the Dou Master's vital spot at his back!

"Chh!"

A soft sound, like a red-hot branding iron plunged into ice.

There was no earth-shattering explosion. The Dou Master's body suddenly stiffened, and the vitality in his eyes instantly extinguished. A pure poison-attribute Dou Qi Origin and life essence were forcibly stripped and siphoned away by the terrifying annihilation and devouring power contained within Shadow Calamity Finger! His body rapidly shriveled like a deflated leather bag, transforming into a mummified corpse covered in eerie black frost! A wisp of unwilling residual Soul resentment had just escaped when it was greedily devoured and decomposed by the Shadow Erosion Dou Qi circulating around Lin Chen, like a shark smelling blood, turning into nourishment for his Soul!

Having succeeded with one strike, Lin Chen did not linger! Using Limitless Steps, his figure, like ink blending into shadow, instantly vanished from his original spot, leaving only a faint afterimage and the rapidly consumed remnants of Soul essence lingering in the air!

"Bastard! Who is it?!" Elder Elder Scorpion Mountain was a mixture of shock and fury. He slapped away the remaining bee swarm, then slammed his poisonous palm fiercely onto the spot where Lin Chen had vanished, shattering the rotting tree roots and rocks there! Yet, he couldn't even touch the enemy's shadow! This elusive, one-hit-kill method sent a chill down his spine!

"Elder! Be careful! This method... it's very similar to the mysterious person who ambushed Sect Master Yun Shan, as reported by the Cloud Mist Sect!" Another Dou Master's face was pale, his voice tinged with fear.

"A cowardly rat hiding his head and tail!" Elder Elder Scorpion Mountain's beard and hair bristled with rage. His Soul perception frantically scanned the surroundings, but he only sensed the dense poisonous miasma, the deathly silence, and... a faint, almost imperceptible chill that seemed capable of devouring Souls! His greed was replaced by shock and fury. He sternly ordered, "Form the Myriad Poison Array! Defend back-to-back! That rat must be nearby!"

The remaining three Battle Masters—one had been killed, another died from the poisonous bees—forced down their fear and quickly gathered around Elder Elder Scorpion Mountain. Their Dou Qi connected, and poisonous mist churned, forming a green poisonous Qi barrier as they vigilantly surveyed the mist-shrouded surroundings.

At this moment, Lin Chen had already used the chaos and shadows to stealthily move behind a giant rock covered in poisonous vines, dozens of meters away. He breathed slightly. Forcibly activating Shadow Calamity Finger to instantly kill a Dou Master, and then using Limitless Steps for extreme evasion, had consumed a considerable amount of his energy. He introspected, observing the pure poison-attribute Dou Qi and Soul remnants he had devoured being rapidly refined and purified by the source core fragment within his Dantian, transforming into nourishment for his Shadow Erosion Dou Qi. His consumption was quickly replenished, even causing the thirty-eight drops of ink-jade starlight-like Dou Qi liquid to solidify a bit more.

"A Battle King leading the team, a tortoise-shell formation... engaging them head-on is unwise." A cold calculation flashed in Lin Chen's eyes. Like the most cunning hunter, he patiently lurked in the shadows. His Shadow Erosion Dou Qi circulated at full power, greedily absorbing the dense miasma, Death Qi, and the negative emotions of shock and fear emanating from the Myriad Scorpion Gate members. He silently recovered and benefited from the environment and the enemy's emotions, while also waiting for a new Opportunity. At the same time, he submerged a part of his mind into his Sea of Consciousness, continuing to deduce and perfect his own Dou Techniques. He needed stronger explosive power to tear open the defense led by the Battle King.

During this brief stalemate and Lin Chen's "wool-gathering" recovery, his Hall of Souls imprint perception network, which covered the entire valley, detected intense energy fluctuations from the direction of Yun Yun's cave!

From the direction of the cave:

A vast, ancient, bone-white flame—Bone Chilling Flame—carrying endless majesty and purifying power, suddenly erupted! The icy, biting flame swept through the cave, instantly freezing and purifying the pervasive poisonous miasma! Immediately after, a Green Lotus Core Flame, though weak, was incredibly condensed and carried an Aura of incinerating all things. It rose, complementing the bone-white flame, dispelling large swathes of poisonous mist from deep within the valley!

"Teacher?!" Xiao Yan's voice, filled with joyful surprise and a choked sob, came from within the cave!

"Senior Yao Chen... you've awakened?!" Yun Yun's voice was filled with the relief of excitement and deep exhaustion.

Yao Chen had awakened!

Almost at the same moment Yao Chen awakened and the Bone Chilling Flame erupted!

"Buzz—!"

The ink-jade colored Hall of Souls imprint on Lin Chen's left wrist, like ice thrown into boiling oil, suddenly erupted with unprecedented heat and dazzling ghostly light! A strong sense of attraction and resonance, originating from a higher-grade Soul of the same Origin, like an invisible tide, fiercely pointed towards the cave! Deep within the imprint, the Hall of Souls secret technique runes, which originated from Protector Wu's Origin and had been refined and absorbed by Lin Chen, began to flash and combine uncontrollably! A vast, profound information torrent, carrying the Concept of Soul binding and devouring, like an awakened ancient memory, violently impacted the gate of Lin Chen's Sea of Consciousness along the connection between the imprint and his Soul!

"Ugh!" Lin Chen grunted, feeling as if his Soul was about to explode from this sudden information torrent! He forcibly stabilized his mind, his eyes bursting with incredible brilliance!

This information flow was not a complete Cultivation Technique or Dou Technique; it was more like a key, or a fragmented map index! Its core pointed to a certain area deep within the imprint, sealed by layers, where a vast Legacy related to Soul devouring and binding seemed to slumber! But the Seal of this Legacy was extremely powerful. With Lin Chen's current Soul Power and control over the imprint, he could only feel the terrifying pressure and temptation emanating from a corner of the iceberg; he couldn't even touch the core!

The imprint's anomaly was not an attack, but rather a... primal guidance and craving generated after being stimulated by a supreme, same-Origin Soul power! The moment it sensed Yao Chen's vast and pure Soul Origin (which was a great tonic for the Hall of Souls) and a rare item like the Bone Chilling Flame, certain secrets deep within the imprint, originating from a higher level (likely even beyond Protector Wu's reach), were triggered! The words "Dark Shadow Soul Binding Art" vaguely appeared in his mind.

"Higher-level Legacy... key..." Lin Chen suppressed the shock and craving in his heart, quickly collecting his thoughts. Now was not the time for deep investigation! This sudden imprint anomaly, while bringing future possibilities, was also like a torch in the dark, instantly exposing a trace of his Soul fluctuations!

Indeed!

"The direction of the cave! And that direction! There are strong Soul fluctuations!" Elder Elder Scorpion Mountain keenly captured the anomaly in the cave and the trace of Lin Chen's Aura that had leaked due to the imprint anomaly. A fierce light flashed in his eyes. "Never mind! Leave that rat to those behind us! First, snatch the Heavenly Flame! Storm the cave!" He no longer worried about Lin Chen in the shadows. His Battle King Aura erupted without reservation, transforming into a green poisonous rainbow, carrying a pungent stench, and charging directly towards the cave entrance! He wanted to use a thunderous assault to force Yun Yun and the newly awakened, weakened Yao Chen out!

The remaining three Dou Masters also immediately spread out, their bodies enveloped in churning poisonous mist, blending with the miasma in the valley. Like three green poisonous snakes, they used the terrain for cover, rapidly pouncing towards the sides of the cave, attempting to bypass the frontal battlefield to capture Xiao Yan!

Inside the cave, Yao Chen's ethereal figure floated in front of Xiao Yan, Bone Chilling Flame swirling around him. His Aura, though strong, felt unstable. He looked solemnly at the cave entrance: "Yun Yun, powerful enemies are attacking—one Battle King, three Dou Masters! Protect Xiao Yan!"

Yun Yun gritted her silver teeth, her wind-attribute Dou Qi circulating at full power as she guarded in front of Xiao Yan. The longsword left by Nalan Yanran hummed, its tip pointing outside the cave, her eyes filled with determination! Xiao Yan struggled to get up, but Yao Chen forcibly held him down with Soul Power: "Boy, don't cause trouble! Hurry and recover!"

A great battle was on the verge of breaking out!

At this moment, as everyone's attention was drawn to the cave, and Elder Elder Scorpion Mountain charged towards the main entrance of the cave, and the three Dou Masters dispersed to pounce on the flanks!

Lin Chen moved! His target was not the cave, nor was it Elder Elder Scorpion Mountain, but the three dispersed Myriad Scorpion Gate Dou Masters who were attempting to flank and ambush Xiao Yan! Especially one of them, whose Aura was the most unstable and whose position was the most isolated due to the tragic death of his companion earlier!

"Now!" Lin Chen roared in his heart, his eyes bursting with ghostly light! Limitless Steps was pushed to its extreme, and his figure shot out from the shadows like a ghost, moving so fast that it left a faint black afterimage! In the instant Elder Elder Scorpion Mountain's poisonous palm was about to strike the cave's Restriction, and Yun Yun and Yao Chen were fully engaged in defense, Lin Chen appeared behind the isolated Dou Master as if teleporting!

That Dou Master felt a chill in his back, and a deadly cold instantly enveloped his entire body! He turned back in horror, only to see a pair of eyes as cold as a Nine Nether chilling pool, and a finger flickering with annihilating ghostly light!

Shadow Calamity Finger: Soul Devour!

This time, Lin Chen's target was not just the Dou Qi Origin, but also the opponent's Soul!

"Pfft!"

His fingertip effortlessly pierced through the hastily condensed protective poisonous mist and Dou Qi armor, accurately striking the opponent's back! The terrifying annihilation power instantly destroyed his vitality, while the devouring instinct of Shadow Erosion Dou Qi, like a gluttonous maw, frantically devoured his remaining Dou Qi, vitality, and his Soul Origin, which was filled with fear and unwillingness!

Another Dou Master became nourishment for Lin Chen's growth! The entire process happened in a flash, so fast that the other two Dou Masters pouncing on the flanks didn't even react!

"Bastard!!" Elder Elder Scorpion Mountain's poisonous palm was blocked by the cave's Restriction, which Yun Yun and Yao Chen had jointly activated. The Rebound force made his blood churn, and the corner of his eye caught sight of another subordinate instantly dying, infuriating him to the point of smoke coming out of his seven orifices! He suddenly turned, and with a furious palm strike, he attacked Lin Chen! A towering green poisonous wave erupted!

Lin Chen finished devouring, feeling the surging power within him. Facing the Battle King's enraged strike, not only did his eyes show no fear, but they burned with even more fervent Battle Intent and... calculation!

Instead of retreating, he advanced, his figure sliding sideways against the poisonous wave like a ghost! The subtlety of Limitless Steps was utilized to its extreme, as he narrowly grazed the edge of the poisonous wave! At the same time, he flicked his right finger, and a tiny but condensed wisp of Shadow Erosion Dou Qi, like a poisonous bee's stinger, silently shot towards another Dou Master who was pouncing towards the side of the cave not far away! He didn't aim to kill, only to interfere!

That Dou Master was startled by the sudden attack, and his body momentarily stiffened!

And Lin Chen, using the shockwave of the poisonous wave and his own speed, shot out like an arrow from a bowstring, fiercely pouncing towards the last Dou Master, who was also the closest to the side entrance of the cave! His goal was to create greater chaos, completely bog down the Myriad Scorpion Gate's forces, and at the same time... reap the maximum combat benefits!

"Stop him!" Elder Elder Scorpion Mountain roared, wanting to pursue Lin Chen, but was forced back by a sharp wind blade that Yun Yun seized the Opportunity to unleash from within the cave!

In the dark Poisonous Miasma Valley, battle cries shook the heavens! The light of Bone Chilling Flame and Green Lotus Core Flame flickered at the cave entrance. Yun Yun's sword Qi and Elder Elder Scorpion Mountain's poisonous palm fiercely collided, poisonous mist and wind blades intertwined! And Lin Chen, like a slippery poisonous snake, moved along the edge of the chaotic battlefield. Each strike was precise and ruthless, devouring the life and power of the Myriad Scorpion Gate Dou Masters, refining his own Shadow Erosion Dou Qi to become even more pure and condensed. His Realm as a Five-Star Dou Master rapidly solidified in actual combat and through devouring, steadily advancing towards the Peak!

He was like a deadly reaper hidden in the shadows of the battlefield, silently gathering his share of "nourishment" on the stage where Yun Yun, Yao Chen, and the main forces of the Myriad Scorpion Gate were fiercely battling. He patiently waited for the opportune moment to seize a greater Opportunity. And the scorching Hall of Souls imprint on his wrist, as well as the Legacy clues stirred deep within the imprint, were like a lighthouse in the darkness, guiding him towards a future path that was both more dangerous and more powerful.