15: The resonance of the Dao seed breaks through the illusion, and the sect leader personally comes to the rescue in dire straits.

The entrance to the Ruins was not an artificial passage as imagined, but a distorted spatial vortex. Stepping into it, the surrounding scenery instantly blurred and stretched, bizarre and colorful. An ancient, vast, yet righteous pressure permeated the air, resonating mysteriously with the faint Purple Heaven Dao Rhyme within Lu Qingxuan's body.

After a brief sensation of dizziness, the two landed on solid ground, and the scene before them suddenly opened up.

This was a massive underground space, with a high-hanging dome embedded with countless self-luminous strange crystals, like stars in the night sky, casting a cold glow. Underfoot were smooth green stone bricks, extending into the distance. Giant stone pillars, requiring several people to embrace, stood tall, carved with intricate cloud patterns and thunder beast motifs. Though countless years had passed, their former grandeur and majesty could still be felt.

The air was filled with pure Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi, several times denser than outside, but within this Spiritual Qi, there was an unsettling cold Evil Qi, disrupting the original serenity of the place. In the distance, the roar of Spiritual Qi collisions and shouts faintly echoed.

"This is the Purple Heaven Ruins..." Su Linger's beautiful eyes held shock and a hint of familiarity, as if returning to an old home. "Father once said that this place was where our Purple Heaven Sect Ancestral Master achieved enlightenment, containing the fundamental Legacy of the School. But for some unknown reason, it was later sealed away."

Lu Qingxuan nodded slightly, his [Pupil of Discernment] activated, golden-purple light flowing in his eyes as he scanned the massive underground space. In his vision, the place was covered with countless subtle energy Veins, forming a vast and complex Formation Restriction System. Many areas had obscure energy flow, even appearing broken and blocked, clearly ancient and damaged.

And the lingering Evil Qi of the Black Fiend Cult, like filthy ink, defiled this pure and sacred place.

"Stay close to me. This place is filled with Restrictions. Although damaged, it is still dangerous," Lu Qingxuan reminded, simultaneously activating the Purple Heaven Dao Rhyme within his body. The Dao Rhyme trembled slightly, emitting a unique fluctuation that subtly resonated with some dormant Formation Veins in the surrounding environment, allowing him to perceive potential dangers in advance.

The two proceeded cautiously along the bluestone avenue. Along the way, they saw traces of battle: broken Magical Artifacts, scorched earth, and scattered corpses of Black Fiend Cult Disciples, indicating that fierce clashes had already erupted here before them.

The deeper they went, the denser the cold Evil Qi became, and opposing it was an increasingly clear and majestic purple Qi emanating from the core of the Ruins.

Suddenly, a violent roar and a burst of intense energy fluctuations came from around the corner of the passage ahead.

"Stop them! Do not let them approach the Dao Altar!"

Lu Qingxuan's eyes narrowed, and he quietly approached with Su Linger. Beyond the corner was a more spacious hall, where a chaotic battle was currently unfolding.

Seven or eight Cultivators dressed in Purple Heaven Sect robes were backed against a stone altar emitting a faint purple glow, desperately resisting the encirclement of dozens of Black Fiend Cult Disciples. Leading the Purple Heaven Sect group was a refined-looking middle-aged man, whose mouth was currently bleeding and whose aura was chaotic. His cultivation was clearly at the Late Golden Core Stage! The purple longsword in his hand unleashed streaks of thunderous Sword Qi, barely fending off the fierce attacks of two Black Fiend Cult Elders of the same rank.

The moment Su Linger saw the middle-aged man, her eyes immediately reddened, and she cried out, "Father!"

That middle-aged man was none other than Su Mu, the current Sect Head of the Purple Heaven Sect and Su Linger's father!

"Ling'er?!" Su Mu's mind shook upon hearing the cry, and the momentum of his sword involuntarily slowed, almost allowing his opponent to exploit a weakness. He looked in disbelief at his daughter, who had appeared at the passage entrance, and the profound-aura green-robed youth beside her.

"Sect Head, be careful!" An Elder beside him hastily blocked an attack for him.

"Tsk tsk, Sect Head Su, it seems your precious daughter has come to see you off!" A Black Fiend Cult Elder attacking Su Mu sneered, his offensive becoming even more ruthless.

"Ling'er, leave quickly! This place is dangerous!" Su Mu shouted anxiously, both shocked and worried. He hadn't expected his daughter to appear here at this time.

Lu Qingxuan's gaze swept across the battlefield, instantly understanding the situation. The remaining forces of the Purple Heaven Sect were besieged here, barely holding on by relying on the purple-glowing altar, but they were at the end of their rope. And that altar was a core node of the entire Ruins' Formation, from which the Purple Heaven Dao Rhyme was most concentrated.

"Ling'er, stay here and don't move."

Lu Qingxuan commanded, and his figure instantly transformed into a phantom shadow. [Phantom Shadow Void Breaking Escape] was unleashed, and he cut into the battlefield like a ghost!

His target was clear: the two Black Fiend Cult Late Golden Core Stage Elders who were attacking Su Mu!

The two Elders were attacking with all their might, trying to take down Su Mu as quickly as possible, when they suddenly felt a fierce wind from behind. Alarm bells rang in their hearts, and they turned to defend without thinking.

One person conjured a black banner, which expanded in the wind to a size of ten feet, with ten thousand souls wailing on its surface and Evil Qi surging, meeting Lu Qingxuan.

The other's palms turned inky black, carrying a corrosive stench, and struck towards Lu Qingxuan's chest.

"Courting death!"

Lu Qingxuan's eyes were cold; he didn't even use Chaos Sword Qi. He struck out with both fists. His left fist print was ancient, containing the immense power of the [Primary Desolate Ancient Sacred Body] and the sharpness of the [Indestructible Battle Aura]; his right fist, however, drew upon a trace of Purple Heaven Dao Rhyme within his body, and a faint, noble purple glow appeared on its edge.

"Boom! Crack!"

The left fist violently collided with the black banner! That black banner, which could withstand a full-strength attack from a Late Golden Core Stage Cultivator, was actually dented and torn by the force of the punch, as if it were made of paper! The fierce ghosts within the banner let out shrill screams and instantly dissipated by more than half!

The right fist clashed with the inky black palm print! That palm power, capable of corroding gold and iron, upon contact with the faint purple fist glow, rapidly melted and disintegrated like ice and snow meeting spring sunshine! The fist force drove straight through, heavily impacting the Elder's chest!

"Pfft!"

The two Late Golden Core Stage Elders, almost simultaneously, were sent flying back, spitting blood, as if struck by a primeval beast. They crashed into distant stone pillars, their bones broken, their auras instantly withered, clearly beyond saving.

Instant kill! Another instant kill!

And it was with pure Physical Body strength, combined with a trace of Dao Rhyme, to directly crush two Late Golden Core Stage Cultivators!

This scene made the entire chaotic battlefield instantly fall silent!

Both the Black Fiend Cult Disciples and the Purple Heaven Sect members stared dumbfounded at the green-robed youth who had suddenly appeared, like a God of War.

Su Mu's pupils constricted even further. He asked himself if he could have so easily instantly killed two opponents of the same rank, even at his peak! Who was this youth? Why did he come with Ling'er? His strength was terrifying!

"Kill him!" The remaining Black Fiend Cult Disciples recovered from their shock. Someone shouted, and they all turned their spears, various evil Spells, poisonous techniques, and Evil Qi surging towards Lu Qingxuan like a tide.

Lu Qingxuan's expression remained unchanged. His figure flickered through the crowd, [Following Like a Shadow] and [Phantom Shadow Void Breaking Escape] used alternately, as if strolling in a courtyard. Whether with fist or finger, palm or leg, every strike he made resulted in the death of a Black Fiend Cult Disciple. He did not use large-scale Spells, but his efficiency was terrifyingly high. Wherever he passed, people were sent sprawling; there was no opponent he couldn't defeat in a single exchange.

He even had leisure to spare, his mind subtly moving, copying the entries from those Black Fiend Cult Disciples.

[Basic Evil Qi Application] (Green) N, [Poison Palm] (White) N... Although of low quality, they were numerous, and accumulating them would make for good Fusion materials.

In just a few dozen breaths, dozens of Black Fiend Cult Disciples, including several Early Golden Core stage deacons, were swept away by Lu Qingxuan alone! In the hall, only a mess remained, and the frightened Purple Heaven Sect members.

Su Linger rushed over at this moment, throwing herself into Su Mu's arms: "Father! Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, I'm fine, Father is fine." Su Mu held his daughter tightly, but his gaze remained fixed on Lu Qingxuan, who stood with his hands withdrawn, his aura as stable as ever, filled with gratitude and awe. "Ling'er, this is..."

"Father, this is Holy Son of the Grand Void, Senior Brother Lu Qingxuan! Thanks to Senior Brother Lu's protection all the way, I was able to return here! Senior Brother Lu also repelled Old Man Dry Bones outside just now!" Su Linger quickly introduced, her tone filled with undisguised admiration.

"Holy Son of the Grand Void?!" Su Mu and the surviving Purple Heaven Sect Elders were all shaken upon hearing this. They immediately stepped forward and bowed deeply to Lu Qingxuan, "Many thanks for the Saint's life-saving grace! Su Mu (we) are eternally grateful!"

Grand Void Holy Land, that was a colossal power they had to look up to! For its Saint to personally come and save them, this favor was truly immense!

"Sect Head Su, there's no need for such formality. Junior Sister Ling'er and I are acquainted; lending a hand is simply what I should do," Lu Qingxuan said calmly, offering a slight gesture of support.

Su Mu felt even more emotional, secretly thinking that his daughter had such good Luck. He dared not delay and quickly said, "Saint, this place is not suitable for long stays! The Black Fiend Cult Master might arrive at any moment! We must quickly enter the core Dao Altar. Perhaps with the Ancestral Master's remaining power, there is still a glimmer of hope!"

He pointed to the altar behind them, which emitted a faint purple glow. In the center of the altar was a groove, its shape consistent with the core of the ancient fluctuation Lu Qingxuan sensed.

"Dao Altar?" Lu Qingxuan's gaze fell on the altar. He could feel that the Purple Heaven Dao Rhyme within his body resonated most strongly with this place.

"Exactly!" Su Mu explained, "This is the Zixiao Dao Altar. According to the Ancestral Master's preserved information, only those with Purple Heaven Dao Rhyme can truly activate it and obtain the Ancestral Master's ultimate Legacy—the Purple Heaven Dao Seed! The Black Fiend Cult's main purpose in besieging our Purple Heaven Sect is this Dao Seed! Old Man Dry Bones tried to force it open multiple times before, but failed each time. Instead, he suffered backlash from the Dao Altar, which gave us a chance to breathe."

Lu Qingxuan understood in his heart; it seemed the wisp of Dao Rhyme he obtained was the key.

He no longer hesitated and stepped towards the Zixiao Dao Altar. The closer he got, the stronger the sense of calling became.

However, just as he was about to step onto the Dao Altar's steps—

"Boom!!!"

An indescribable terrifying pressure, as if the entire firmament had collapsed, suddenly descended upon the entire underground space! Evil Qi, ten or a hundred times stronger than Old Man Dry Bones', surged like a tangible black tide from the direction of the Ruins' entrance!

Space twisted, the earth trembled, and the glowing crystals flickered erratically.

A cold, furious voice, filled with endless killing intent, like a chilling wind from the Nine Nether, swept through everyone's Divine Soul:

"Killing my Cult members, injuring my Vice Cult Master... All of you shall die!"

The Black Fiend Cult Master had arrived in person! And the aura he exuded had actually reached the Middle Stage Nascent Soul!

Desperation instantly descended!

Su Mu and the others turned pale. Under this pressure, even breathing became difficult. A Middle Stage Nascent Soul Cultivator was an insurmountable existence for them!

Lu Qingxuan's eyes also instantly became extremely solemn. The Nine Revolutions Chaos Golden Core within his body furiously circulated, resisting this overwhelming pressure. He felt an unprecedented sense of crisis.

The Black Fiend Cult Master's figure had not yet appeared, but his destructive aura had already locked onto the entire Dao Altar area.

At this moment, the bronze fragment, which had been silent within Lu Qingxuan's chest, suddenly vibrated slightly. The [Dao Pattern Seal] (Gold) entry on it emitted a faint, imperceptible, obscure fluctuation.

At the same time, the System light screen in his Sea of Consciousness also flickered slightly, seemingly stimulated by something.