103: Ancient Wilderness Realm, Ancient Serpent Altar

In the far south of the continent, the Savage Ancient Domain.

This was an ancient land seemingly forgotten by time. Towering ancient trees blotted out the sun, vines were as thick as a child's arm, and the air was filled with a primal, wild aura. Spiritual Qi was so abundant it felt congealed, yet it was also more violent than the outside world, mixed with various miasmas, poisonous fogs, and a faint, ethereal Savage Ancient Domain pressure.

Space twisted, and two streaks of light stumbled out of the Void Realm, landing on a slippery, moss-covered giant rock. It was Li Ao and Medusa, who had traveled an immense distance through the Pill Tower's secret teleportation array.

Li Ao stabilized himself, his bronze-colored skin glowing faintly in the dim light. He quickly scanned his surroundings, his Soul perception spreading out like mercury, wary of potential dangers. Medusa's Soul body floated beside him, a seven-colored halo naturally circulating, isolating the faint poisonous miasma and Savage Ancient Domain malevolence attempting to encroach, her purple eyes sharply observing this unfamiliar world.

"This is the Savage Ancient Domain," Li Ao said in a deep voice, taking a deep breath and feeling the wild energy in the air, so different from the Central Plains. In his hand, he held a Jade Slip, the map of the Savage Ancient Domain given by Elder Xuan Yi. It marked several areas where blood essence demon fruit were suspected to appear, but all were located deep within the Ancient Domain, fraught with danger.

"The energy is very violent, suppressing my Soul body somewhat, but still bearable," Medusa said coldly, sensing her own state. "We need to find the blood essence demon fruit quickly; this place is not suitable for a long stay."

She could feel that deep within this Ancient Domain, there were several auras that made even her current state feel a chill, a feeling that no ordinary Dou Zun could possess.

The two did not delay. Following the map's guidance, they chose a direction, their figures transforming into two blurry shadows, silently merging into the boundless, dense primeval jungle.

The thousand illusions breath hiding talisman had already been activated, an invisible fluctuation enveloping the two, perfectly concealing their Qi. Unless the Heavenly Venerate of the Hall of Souls personally scanned inch by inch with Divine Sense, it would be very difficult to discover them.

The dangers of the Savage Ancient Domain far exceeded imagination.

After traveling only a hundred li, they encountered a group of sixth-tier Demonic Beasts, "Poisonous Saliva Crocodiles," residing in a swamp. The venom they spat could corrode the Protective Aura of a Dou Zong. Immediately after, they stumbled into a peculiar "Soul-Confusing Flower Sea," where countless hallucinogenic pollen silently permeated the air. If not for Li Ao's profound Soul Realm and his Concept of Annihilation that could break illusions, he would likely have been affected.

On another occasion, they distantly sensed a terrifying aura, reaching the Peak of the seventh-tier (equivalent to a human Dou Zong Peak), awakening nearby. It was a slumbering "Earth-Splitting Demonic Ape." The two immediately detoured, not daring to disturb it.

"This Savage Ancient Domain truly lives up to its reputation," Li Ao said, waving his sleeve to disperse a colorful venomous snake that attempted to ambush him, his brows slightly furrowed. The creatures here, whether plants or Demonic Beasts, all carried a primal ferocity and were extremely aggressive.

Medusa's gaze swept over a giant carnivorous plant emitting a sweet, pungent smell, a hint of disgust flashing in her purple eyes: "The strong prey on the weak, an unchanging truth. Let's find our target quickly."

As they delved deeper, the surrounding scenery began to change. The ancient jungle was gradually replaced by more rugged, bizarre stone forests. A faint, ethereal scent of blood began to permeate the air, along with an ancient, vast pressure.

According to the map, they were approaching the first suspected area—"Ten Thousand Snake Valley." It was said that countless snake-type Demonic Beasts resided here, including rare species with ancient Bloodlines. The probability of the blood essence demon fruit, a heaven and earth spiritual object with miraculous effects on Bloodlines, appearing here was not low.

However, when they arrived at the outskirts of Ten Thousand Snake Valley, they detected something unusual.

The valley was unusually silent. It wasn't that there were no snakes; rather, those normally ferocious snake-type Demonic Beasts were now prostrate on the ground, trembling towards a certain direction deep within the valley, as if worshipping something. The bloody scent in the air grew even thicker, mixed with a trace of... the Hall of Souls' unique Netherworld Power residue!

"The Hall of Souls' people have already been here?" Li Ao's eyes narrowed. He exchanged a glance with Medusa, both seeing the solemnity in the other's eyes.

The two cautiously further concealed their Qi, like two wisps of smoke, and stealthily moved deeper into the valley.

The deeper they went, the stronger the vast pressure and bloody scent became. Along the way, they could see many corpses of snake-type Demonic Beasts, shriveled as if their blood essence and Soul had been drained, their deaths miserable—a characteristic method of the Hall of Souls.

Finally, they arrived at the deepest part of the valley.

Before them was a relatively open basin. In the center of the basin stood a gigantic, hundred-zhang-tall altar, built from countless pale snake bones! The altar's design was ancient and eerie, covered with various twisted snake-shaped runes. At this moment, those runes were flickering with a faint black light, emitting strong spatial fluctuations and Netherworld Death Qi!

Around the altar stood more than ten figures dressed in Hall of Souls attire. The leader was an old man wearing dark purple Elder robes, his face hidden in the shadows of his hood. His aura had reached the Six-Star Dou Zong level! He held a white bone staff in his hand, its tip embedded with a constantly rotating black crystal, guiding the altar's power.

And directly above the altar, suspended in the air, was a peculiar fruit about the size of a fist, entirely blood-red, its surface covered with natural veins, pulsating slightly like a heart! The fruit emitted an immensely powerful blood Qi and life energy—it was their goal for this trip—the blood essence demon fruit!

But at this moment, the blood essence demon fruit was entangled and confined by countless black chains emanating from the altar. Its immense blood Qi was being forcibly extracted by the altar, transformed into pure Netherworld energy through the black crystal at the tip of the white bone staff, and injected into a slowly rotating spatial vortex in the center of the altar!

They were not collecting it; they were using the power of the blood essence demon fruit to activate this ancient snake bone altar, to summon or connect to some unknown place!

"They are sacrificing the blood essence demon fruit!" Medusa's purple eyes instantly blazed with towering fury! The blood essence demon fruit was crucial to her; the Hall of Souls' action was tantamount to destroying her Dao! Moreover, the ancient snake clan pressure emanating from the snake bone altar caused her Seven-Colored Sky Swallowing Python Bloodline to intensely throb with... disgust!

Li Ao's heart also sank. The situation was worse than expected. Not only had the Hall of Souls arrived first, but their objective was far more complex than simply seizing the blood essence demon fruit. This altar gave him an extremely ominous premonition.

"We can't wait any longer!" Li Ao's eyes sharpened. "We must interrupt them and retrieve the blood essence demon fruit!"

He could tell that the leading Six-Star Dou Zong Elder was fully focused on maintaining the altar's operation and could not be distracted for now. This was their only chance!

"I'll seize the fruit; you stop the others!" Medusa's cold voice carried determination. Her seven-colored light instantly flared, and her Soul Power erupted without reservation! Although she was only a Soul body, with her exceptionally high-quality Soul Power and Bloodline suppression, it was not impossible for her to hold back the Hall of Souls guards for a short time!

"Be careful!" Li Ao shouted in a low voice, a bronze glow circulating within him. The third stage of the Black Iron Hegemon Body power erupted. With Thunder Sound Steps, his figure became like an arrow leaving the bowstring, transforming into a bronze stream of light tearing through the air, heading straight for the blood essence demon fruit above the altar!

At the same time, Medusa waved her jade hand, and her seven-colored Soul light, like a peacock spreading its tail, instantly transformed into dozens of sharp light blades, overwhelming the Hall of Souls guards around the altar!

"Enemy attack! Protect the altar!" The leading Hall of Souls Elder suddenly opened his eyes, two terrifying Netherworld lights shooting out from under his hood, both shocked and enraged! He hadn't expected anyone to silently infiltrate this deep into the Savage Ancient Domain!

He wanted to stop Li Ao, but the altar's operation was at a critical juncture. Once interrupted, not only would all previous efforts be in vain, but he might also suffer a backlash!

"Stop them! At all costs!" he roared, the white bone staff in his hand glowing intensely black, accelerating the extraction of the blood essence demon fruit's power.

The Hall of Souls guards reacted, roaring as they unleashed Netherworld Dou Qi. Various Soul techniques surged like a tide towards Medusa's light blades, while some were sent to intercept Li Ao!

A great battle suddenly erupted before this ancient snake bone altar!

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