100: Holy Spirit Seal, Axe Transformation

Deep within the ruins of a dilapidated palace, Xiao Chen and his three companions found a relatively intact stone chamber. They set up a simple concealment array and took a short break. Although the previous skirmish was brief, it was extremely dangerous. Everyone had consumed a significant amount of Dou Qi, and Ye Chong and Lin Xiuyai had even sustained some minor injuries.

Xiao Chen took out the two glistening white saint spirit marks and handed one to Han Yue: "Senior Sister Han, this item seems beneficial for soul cultivation. Let's refine it first to recover our condition."

Han Yue didn't refuse. She accepted the mark, sat cross-legged, and began absorbing the energy within it as her moon-white Dou Qi circulated. Ye Chong and Lin Xiuyai, meanwhile, were responsible for keeping watch.

Holding the saint spirit mark, Xiao Chen's Spirit Realm Soul power slowly probed into it. The mark felt warm and cool in his hand. Its interior wasn't merely pure Dou Qi energy, but a special energy that was even more refined, ancient, and imbued with a certain indomitable battle intent. As this energy entered his body, it rapidly integrated into his limbs and bones, nourishing his meridians and flesh. A cool sensation also rushed directly into his Sea of Consciousness, making his soul feel an unprecedented sense of comfort and condensation.

"What peculiar energy... It seems capable of purifying soul impurities and strengthening the origin!" Xiao Chen was secretly astonished. He didn't dare to be negligent, fully activating the Myriad Souls Returning Flow Art to guide this energy in tempering his soul. At the same time, the ethereal "Heaven Opening Axe Intent" battle-axe in his Sea of Consciousness also seemed to be nourished, becoming more solid, and the faint golden light flowing along its edge became even more brilliant.

An hour later, Xiao Chen slowly opened his eyes, which gleamed brightly, and he looked full of vigor. Not only had his consumed Dou Qi and soul power fully recovered, but he also felt that his soul origin had grown slightly, and his perception of the surrounding energy was even more acute. More importantly, his comprehension of the Heaven Opening Axe Intent seemed to have deepened by another layer, and the artistic conception of "splitting heaven and earth, establishing order" became clearer.

"This saint spirit mark is indeed a good thing!" Xiao Chen was delighted. If he could acquire a large quantity of them, it would greatly benefit his soul cultivation and comprehension of artistic conceptions.

Han Yue also woke up at the same time, a hint of rosiness on her usually cold face, clearly having gained much. "Junior Brother Xiao, the energy in this mark is pure, far surpassing ordinary pills. It seems that the core of the competition in this Fallen Saint Space is to contend for this item."

Xiao Chen nodded, his gaze sweeping over the dim and desolate world outside the stone chamber: "This place is fraught with danger; fighting alone is definitely not a good strategy. We must quickly rendezvous with other fellow disciples."

The four discussed briefly and decided to head in the direction where they had previously sensed the signal fluctuations of Pill Tower disciples. Leaving the stone chamber, they became even more cautious, with their soul perception fully activated, avoiding areas with chaotic energy, suspected spatial rifts, or lingering restrictions.

Along the way, they encountered several waves of scattered Underworld Beast (monsters formed by the condensation of dead energy unique to the Fallen Saint Space) attacks, which were easily resolved. They also discovered several dilapidated ruins, but unfortunately, they had long since been plundered.

Half a day later, intense energy fluctuations and familiar Dou Qi auras came from ahead!

"It's the Pill Tower's combined attack formation!" Ye Chong exclaimed in surprise.

The group accelerated, passing through a collapsed palace complex, and their vision suddenly opened up. On a relatively flat plaza, more than ten Pill Tower disciples were forming a profound array, fiercely battling dozens of giant bone demons with hideous forms and auras comparable to the Peak Dou Zong! Leading them was another core genius of the Pill Tower, Qiu Ji! He was already a Peak Six-Star Dou Zong, controlling a massive flame puppet, entangled with the most powerful bone demon leader. However, he was clearly at a disadvantage, and the formation was on the verge of collapse.

"Senior Brother Qiu!" Han Yue cried out, her moon-white sword light slashing out like a bolt of silk, instantly sending a bone demon flying!

Xiao Chen, without a word, shot into the battle like a bolt of lightning! He didn't directly attack the bone demons but instantly enveloped the entire field with his Spirit Realm Soul power, precisely capturing the weak points in the formation's operation and the gaps in the bone demons' attacks!

"Qian Kun reverses, Xun position complements Li! Zhen palace exerts force, Kan water assists!" Xiao Chen's soul transmission instantly reached the ears of every Pill Tower disciple!

Qiu Ji and the others, who were struggling to hold on, were surprised but instinctively followed Xiao Chen's guidance, slightly adjusting the formation's operation and Dou Qi output!

Buzz—!

The formation's light, which was on the verge of collapse, suddenly brightened, and its power surged! Each attack, as if possessing a soul, precisely struck the bone demons' joints and energy cores! In an instant, several bone demons were shattered!

"Such exquisite formation control!" Qiu Ji was both surprised and delighted, looking at Xiao Chen with shock. He considered his understanding of formations to be among the best of his generation, but compared to Xiao Chen's inspired command just now, it was like heaven and earth!

Xiao Chen didn't stop. He locked onto the strongest bone demon leader, a fierce glint flashing in his eyes! Heaven Opening Axe Intent condensed in his palm, and he appeared behind the bone demon leader like a ghost, silently striking a hand blade at the energy node connecting its neck bone!

"Crack!"

A crisp sound of bone cracking rang out! The bone demon leader's massive body suddenly stiffened, the soul fire in its eye sockets flickered violently, and then it crashed down, turning into a pile of shattered bones!

With the leader dead, the remaining bone demons immediately lost their command and became chaotic. The Pill Tower disciples' morale soared, and they worked together to encircle and quickly eliminate the remaining bone demons.

After the battle, everyone gathered. Qiu Ji stepped forward and solemnly cupped his hands to Xiao Chen: "Junior Brother Xiao, thank you for your assistance! If not for your timely guidance just now, we would have been in danger!"

"Senior Brother Qiu, you're too kind. It's only right for fellow disciples to help each other," Xiao Chen returned the gesture. After this battle, his prestige among the Pill Tower disciples grew even higher, and even the proud Qiu Ji was sincerely convinced by him.

After the rendezvous, the team's strength greatly increased, now numbering nearly twenty people. Xiao Chen, with his strongest soul power, naturally became the temporary leader. He assigned tasks: disciples skilled in perception were responsible for vigilance and scouting, those skilled in formations set up temporary camps, and those skilled in alchemy refined healing pills, all in an orderly fashion.

During the rest period, Xiao Chen shared the information he had previously obtained about the saint spirit marks and the movements of the Soul Hall, reminding everyone to be extremely careful.

"Junior Brother Xiao, look over there!" A disciple responsible for vigilance suddenly pointed to the distant sky.

Everyone looked up and saw a thick milky-white pillar of light soaring into the sky from the distant, dim horizon. Within the light pillar, a broken but magnificent phantom of a divine temple could vaguely be seen floating! An ancient aura, infinitely more pure and vast than ordinary saint spirit marks, made their souls tremble even from a great distance!

"Is that... the source of the saint spirit mark? Or... a greater opportunity?" Han Yue's beautiful eyes sparkled.

Qiu Ji said in a deep voice: "Such an anomaly will definitely attract various forces! A fierce struggle will likely erupt there!"

Xiao Chen looked intently in the direction of the light pillar, a strong yearning coming from the depths of his soul. He felt that something extremely important to him was there!

"Opportunity and risk coexist," Xiao Chen said in a deep voice, "We must go! But we cannot act rashly. First, we will rest until we are in optimal condition, then cautiously advance towards the light pillar, collecting as many saint spirit marks as possible along the way to enhance our strength."

Everyone agreed without objection, seizing the time to meditate.

Xiao Chen sat cross-legged on a broken stele, holding the newly acquired saint spirit marks, and once again immersed himself in cultivation. As more of the mark's energy integrated, the "Heaven Opening Axe Intent" battle-axe in his Sea of Consciousness underwent subtle changes. On the axe body, some blurry ancient patterns began to emerge, as if recording the epic of creation. Within the axe intent, the artistic conceptions of "ordering" and "creation" became increasingly clear, even faintly touching upon a superficial understanding of the law of time—not controlling time, but imbuing his attacks with a hint of the profound meaning of "inevitable causality" and "severing the future"!

"The Heaven Opening Axe Intent seems to be evolving towards a higher level..." Xiao Chen realized. This Fallen Saint Space was indeed his blessed land!

However, just as he was deeply immersed in comprehension, an extremely subtle, yet infinitely tempting and ancient thought, like a thread, silently entwined itself around his soul.

"Young descendant of the Xiao Clan... come to the divine temple... here you will find everything you desire... power, truth, and even... the hope of resurrecting the deceased..."

Xiao Chen suddenly opened his eyes, a cold light bursting forth! His soul power erupted, shattering the strange thought!"

"Who?!" he sharply questioned, scanning his surroundings vigilantly, but finding nothing.

"Junior Brother Xiao, what's wrong?" Han Yue and the others were startled and gathered around.

Xiao Chen's expression was solemn as he recounted his recent encounter.

"Soul transmission? Temptation?" Qiu Ji frowned deeply, "Could it be some lingering ancient remnant soul? Or is it... a trap?"

Xiao Chen remained silent for a moment, then looked at the distant phantom of the divine temple, his eyes profound: "There's a high probability it's a trap. But... it could also be an opportunity. Regardless, we must go to that divine temple."

He knew that the road ahead was destined to be filled with thorns and schemes. But the path of a strong person was inherently like sailing against the current; only by facing difficulties head-on could one reach the peak! The shadow of the Soul Hall and the ancient summons would all meet their final clash within that divine temple!