56: Join forces against the enemy!

The shadow of death was cold and suffocating, like the pressure of a ten-thousand-fathom deep sea, squeezing Lin Chen's consciousness into a blur. The Soul Prison Chains descending from the sky, carrying the power of the Formation and the wails of countless resentful Souls, had already touched his hair, threatening to tear his Soul apart and grind his Physical Body into dust the next moment!

Just as his consciousness was about to completely sink—

The strange Stele Jade, obtained from the yellow springs stele and silent until now, suddenly erupted with an unprecedented heat! This heat was not the blazing intensity of fire, but a deep, ancient warmth, as if originating from the core of the earth! Simultaneously, a faint yet incredibly resilient emerald green light, filled with vibrant life, burst forth from the Stele Jade, instantly enveloping Lin Chen!

The appearance of this light was so abrupt, jarringly out of place with the surrounding dead, cold battlefield! It was not dazzling, yet it carried an ineffable sense of profoundness and protection, like an eternally existing bedrock, remaining unshaken regardless of the storms.

Buzz—!

The thick, black Soul Prison Chains heavily slammed onto the emerald green light barrier!

There was no earth-shattering explosion, only an extremely dull thud, like striking ten-thousand-year-old Profound Iron!

Hiss, hiss, hiss!

A grating sound rang out. The Soul Prison Chains, condensed from countless resentful Souls and capable of easily suppressing and killing a Dou Huang, seemed to encounter their nemesis the moment they touched the emerald green light. The resentful Souls on the surface let out incomparably shrill screams, rapidly melting and disintegrating like ice meeting the sun! The cold, sinister energy contained within the chains was also quickly neutralized and purified by the strange vitality and profound power within the emerald green light!

In the blink of an eye, a large section of the terrifying Soul Prison Chains' front end was forcibly purified and dissolved! Its power was reduced to less than one-tenth!

The remaining chain energy still heavily slammed into Lin Chen.

"Pfft!" Lin Chen violently spat out fresh blood again. His body was like a target struck by a heavy hammer; multiple bones were fractured, internal organs shifted, and his injuries worsened, causing him to be smashed deep into the ground.

But! He survived!

That fatal blow was forcibly withstood for the most part by the light of the mysterious Stele Jade!

"What?!" "What is that thing?!" High in the sky, Yao Chen and the two Hall of Souls Elder Zuns, who were locked in intense battle, simultaneously showed looks of disbelief! They could all sense that the emerald green light contained a vastly different yet extremely high-level power that could actually counteract the Hall of Souls' sinister Soul Energy?!

Yao Chen, especially, being knowledgeable, felt immense shock in his heart: "That aura... ancient, desolate, imbued with vitality... it actually has a hint of... the Ancestral Earth Vein?! Just how many secrets does this young man possess?!"

The two Hall of Souls Elder Zuns were both shocked and furious, and wanted to activate the Formation attack again, but how could Yao Chen give them the chance?

"Good job, kid! Well done!" Yao Chen's spirits lifted. He laughed heartily, and his Bone Chilling Flame offensive became even more ferocious, completely suppressing the two Elder Zuns who were slightly distracted due to shock. "Xiao Yan, now's the time!"

Down below, Xiao Yan was equally shocked by the sudden turn of events, but felt more of the ecstasy of surviving a disaster and an unspeakable gratitude! He saw clearly that if the mysterious light hadn't blocked that fatal blow, the benefactor who helped them would surely have died! And the figure of that benefactor... although blurry, he vaguely felt it was familiar... Hearing Yao Chen's call now, he suppressed the doubts in his heart and roared, "Flame Splitting Tsunami Ruler!"

The giant ruler, carrying immense Strange Flame energy, forcefully pushed back the opponent who was slightly flustered due to the Formation's backlash. His figure transformed into a streak of lightning, rushing without hesitation towards the gap in the light barrier in the southeast—the opening Lin Chen had risked his life to Breakthrough earlier, which hadn't completely closed yet!

"Dream on!" The heavily injured Elder Zun tried to block him, but Yao Chen slapped him flying again with a pale white Flame Palm from a distance.

Whoosh!

Xiao Yan's figure successfully rushed out of the light barrier Seal!

"Teacher!" After rushing out, Xiao Yan immediately turned back and shouted anxiously.

"Go!" Yao Chen's Soul body suddenly feigned a move, forcing back the two Elder Zuns, and then transformed into a streak of light, instantly submerging into the black ring in Xiao Yan's hand. Continuous intense fighting had severely depleted his Soul Power, and he needed immediate rest.

Xiao Yan glanced at the chaotic battlefield inside the light barrier, especially the direction where Lin Chen had fallen. A complex and determined look flashed in his eyes. He stomped his foot, executing the Three Thousand Lightning Movement to the extreme, and fled towards the distant mountains and forests without looking back, his speed astonishing.

"Chase!" The two Hall of Souls Elder Zuns were enraged. They immediately gave the order, and a portion of the Hall of Souls experts immediately pursued the direction Xiao Yan fled, while the two of them landed grimly at the edge of the deep pit Lin Chen had created.

At this moment, Lin Chen at the bottom of the pit had fallen into a semi-comatose state due to severe injuries and exhaustion, his breath extremely weak. The emerald green light emitted by the Stele Jade had long since retracted, returning to its original simple and unadorned appearance, resting quietly on his chest. Only a faint, imperceptible residual warmth proved that everything that had just happened was not an illusion.

"What exactly was that light just now?" One Elder Zun looked at the dying Lin Chen at the bottom of the pit with suspicious eyes, not immediately making a move. "Being able to withstand a blow from the Soul Prison Chains... it's definitely not ordinary! This kid's Cultivation Technique is strange, and he possesses a unique treasure. We must take him back and interrogate him thoroughly!" The other Elder Zun's eyes flashed with greed and malice, and he reached out to grab Lin Chen.

However, just as his palm was about to touch Lin Chen—

Another unexpected change occurred!

Inside Lin Chen's body, the Shadow Erosion Dou Qi backlash, which he had been forcibly suppressing, suddenly lost control due to its master's severe injuries, coma, and the stimulation of the external Dou Zong aura, and erupted violently!

Dark Dou Qi, containing dense Death Qi and shadows, surged out of his body like ink. With the sinister characteristic of devouring all vitality, it spontaneously formed a defensive barrier, not only blocking the Elder Zun's hand but even attempting to devour the vitality on his hand!

"Hmm? What bizarre Dou Qi!" The Elder Zun was caught off guard, and his palm felt a slight burn from the black Qi. Although he instantly dispersed it with his powerful Dou Qi, his expression changed, and he retracted his hand.

"This power... seems somewhat similar to our Hall's secret technique, yet completely different, more pure and... overbearing?" The other Elder Zun frowned, carefully sensing the dissipating Shadow Erosion Dou Qi. "His ability to infiltrate the Death Qi environment earlier is probably related to this. This child must not be kept alive, but he must also not be easily killed. His Cultivation Technique and the secrets he holds are of immense value!"

The two looked at each other, seeing solemnity and greed in the other's eyes.

"First, Seal him and take him away! Once we capture Xiao Yan and Yao Chen, we'll hand them all over to the Celestial Venerable for disposal!" One Elder Zun took out a black cloth bag covered in runes. The mouth of the bag opened, and a suction force enveloped Lin Chen.

However, at this very moment—

In the distant sky, an extremely powerful and overbearing aura was rapidly approaching at an astonishing speed! That aura was scorching and wild, filled with unquestionable majesty!

"It's the direction of the Inner Academy! That old fellow Su Qian is rushing over!" The faces of the two Hall of Souls Elder Zuns immediately became extremely ugly. Their operation was meant to be secret, mobilizing three Elder Zuns and a large number of personnel, setting up a Grand Formation to achieve a quick victory. Unexpectedly, not only did they fail, but they also dragged it out for so long that they finally attracted the top expert of the Jia Nan Academy!

Su Qian is a Peak Dou Zong expert, definitely not someone they could fight in their current state!

"It's too late! Go!" The two made a decisive choice, no longer caring about capturing Lin Chen. Their figures shot into the sky, transforming into two streaks of black light, and rapidly fled in the opposite direction from Xiao Yan's escape. At the same time, they sent a signal, ordering all Hall of Souls members to retreat immediately.

Almost the second after they left, an aged figure appeared above the battlefield as if teleporting—it was Grand Elder Su Qian. He looked grimly at the ravaged mountains and the fleeing Hall of Souls personnel, then glanced at the dying Lin Chen in the deep pit (he didn't recognize Lin Chen). Frowning deeply, he finally let out a cold snort and first chased in the direction Xiao Yan fled, prioritizing his safety.

The chaotic battlefield finally returned to temporary silence.

Only Lin Chen, covered in blood and of unknown fate, remained in the deep pit.

Who knows how much time passed, perhaps one day, perhaps two days.

Lin Chen struggled to wake up amidst a bout of violent coughing. Every breath pulled at the tearing pain throughout his body. He found himself still lying at the bottom of the deep pit. The surroundings were silent, with only the strong smell of blood and the lingering energy fluctuations narrating the previous brutality.

He was still alive.

He struggled to examine his internal state; the situation was extremely dire. Multiple Meridians were fractured, his Dou Qi was nearly exhausted, and the most troublesome part was that the backlash, due to the previous eruption and loss of control, had penetrated deep into his bones, constantly eroding his already weak vitality. If not for the enhanced Soul Power from the earth core soul marrow stubbornly holding on, and the faint, warm vitality occasionally emanating from the Stele Jade on his chest sustaining his life, he would likely have died long ago.

He had to treat his injuries immediately!

He struggled, trying to retrieve a Medicinal Pill from his storage ring, but found it incredibly difficult even to move a single finger.

Just as he was on the verge of despair—

Shaa shaa shaa... faint footsteps approached from a distance and stopped at the edge of the deep pit.

Lin Chen's heart tightened. He desperately gathered a shred of vigilance and struggled to look up.

What greeted his eyes was a young face filled with concern and exhaustion—it was Xiao Yan, who had returned! He had clearly gone through a fierce battle as well; his robes were torn, and his aura was unstable, but his eyes were exceptionally bright.

"It really is you... Brother Lin Chen." Xiao Yan looked at the horrific state of Lin Chen at the bottom of the pit, his eyes filled with complex gratitude and shock. After shaking off the pursuers, he couldn't rest easy about the benefactor who had risked his life to save them. He pleaded with Grand Elder Su Qian to help search, and he himself returned using his memory.

"Thank you... for saving my life!" Xiao Yan jumped down into the deep pit, his tone extremely solemn and utterly sincere. He knew clearly that if not for Lin Chen's life-risking action, he and his Teacher would likely have met a tragic end today.

Lin Chen opened his mouth but couldn't utter any sound; only blood foam spilled from the corner of his lips.

"Don't speak, treat your injuries first!" Xiao Yan immediately squatted down. Without hesitation, he took out several jade bottles from his storage ring, carefully fed the best healing Medicinal Pills into Lin Chen's mouth, and used pure Dou Qi to help him dissolve the medicinal effect.

The gentle medicinal power spread, temporarily stabilizing Lin Chen's deteriorating injuries.

Xiao Yan frowned deeply, looking at the chaotic, strange Dou Qi in Lin Chen's body, filled with silent backlash. He attempted to input his own Dou Qi to help guide it, but found that his Strange Flame Dou Qi clashed with the opponent's Dark Shadow Fighting Energy, which might worsen the injuries instead.

"Your Dou Qi..." Xiao Yan pondered for a moment, a look of determination flashing in his eyes. He extended his finger, and an extremely tiny wisp of flame, like a cyan sprite, slowly emerged on his fingertip.

Wind Fury Dragon Flame! (Note: Based on previously provided information, it is assumed Xiao Yan possesses multiple Strange Flames at this time.)

Although it was only a wisp of sub-fire, the immense vitality and purification power it contained had a certain restraining effect on Death Qi.

"Brother Lin Chen, I don't know if this can help you, but this is the only method I can think of right now. It might be painful; hold on!" Xiao Yan said solemnly, carefully guiding the wisp of cyan flame into Lin Chen's body.

The Strange Flame entering his body was like a hot iron plunging into an ice cave! The intense pain caused Lin Chen's body to suddenly tense up, but he clenched his teeth tightly and made no sound. The power of the Wind Fury Dragon Flame fiercely clashed with the silent power of the Shadow Erosion Dou Qi, bringing extreme agony, but it did, to some extent, burn and purify some of the bone-deep backlash power, bringing a faint thread of vitality.

The process was agonizing and slow.

After a long time, the energy of that wisp of Wind Fury Dragon Flame sub-fire was exhausted and slowly dissipated. Although Lin Chen's condition was still terrible, the maggot-like backlash power was temporarily suppressed and stopped worsening.

Xiao Yan sighed in relief and wiped the sweat from his forehead. Clearly, manipulating a Strange Flame to treat someone's injuries was extremely draining for him.

He looked at Lin Chen, whose face was still deathly pale but whose eyes had regained a trace of clarity. He solemnly cupped his fist and said, "Brother Lin Chen, great kindness needs no words of thanks! If not for your life-risking assistance this time, my Teacher and I would have been in grave danger! Xiao Yan will never forget this favor!"

He paused, took out a jade slip and a small jade bottle from his storage ring, and handed them to Lin Chen: "This jade slip contains a wisp of my Soul imprint and Strange Flame sub-fire aura. If you encounter danger, crush the jade slip, and I will sense it. I will do everything in my power, even if it means death! This bottle contains several 'Soul-Fusing Blood Pills,' which have miraculous effects on treating severe injuries. Perhaps they will be useful to you."

Lin Chen was slightly moved as he looked at the genuine gratitude and unreserved trust in Xiao Yan's eyes. He nodded with difficulty and accepted the jade slip and jade bottle. At this moment, the gap between the two, which had been caused by mutual testing and reservation, seemed to largely dissipate. A peculiar bond, based on shared life and death, quietly formed.

"It's not safe to stay here for long; the Hall of Souls people might return. I need to get back to the Academy quickly, Brother Lin Chen, you..." Xiao Yan looked at him worriedly.

Lin Chen indicated with his eyes that he was fine and that Xiao Yan should leave first. His current state was extremely poor, and following Xiao Yan would only be a burden.

Xiao Yan understood this logic, gritted his teeth, and said, "Alright! Please take care of yourself! Once I've handled the Academy matters, I will definitely come looking for you!"

Having said that, he no longer hesitated, turned around, and quickly left.

In the deep pit, only Lin Chen remained once more.

Holding the warm jade slip and jade bottle, and sensing the temporarily suppressed backlash and his still severe injuries, a flicker of flame ignited in his eyes.

He survived... and gained Xiao Yan's genuine friendship and promise.

The risk was worth taking!

He no longer delayed, struggled to swallow the Soul-Fusing Blood Pill, and began to treat his injuries with all his might.

The road ahead is still full of thorns, but the fire of hope has already been ignited.

("