28: A desolate wasteland of bones, where darkness first appears.

After crossing the River Styx, the scene before them changed once more. The dark red earth was replaced by an endless expanse of pale white. It was a wasteland paved with countless giant skeletons—some humanoid, some beastial, and many more strange, indescribable bones. Most were broken and incomplete, emitting an Aura of decay and death. The sky remained the eternal twilight hue, reflecting off the bone-covered land and adding a touch of eeriness and desolation.

This was the Bone Wasteland, a famous and perilous place on the Ancient Road. Rumor had it that this area was a fragment of an ancient battlefield of gods and demons where countless experts had fallen. Their skeletons and unwilling Battle Intent had persisted through the ages, forming this forbidden zone.

Lin Fan and Ethereal Moon walked side by side, their steps on the piled bones creating sharp 'crack-crack' sounds that were particularly jarring in this deathly silent environment.

“The resentment and Death Qi here are extremely heavy, making it very easy for sinister spirits to breed. It’s even possible that the battle obsessions of ancient experts remain, forming natural killing arrays and illusions. We must be exceptionally careful,” Ethereal Moon spoke softly. She seemed quite adapted to this environment rich in deathly Aura, even feeling somewhat like a fish in water.

Lin Fan nodded. His Eternal Indestructible Body possessed masculine blood and Qi, which instinctively repelled the yin death energy of this place. However, because of this, any sinister thing approaching would be like a moth to a flame, unable to hide. The Star Sword Seed in his Sea of Consciousness trembled slightly, emitting a clear glow that dispersed the negative emotions trying to erode his Divine Soul.

Not long after they moved forward, from behind a 'bone mountain' piled with giant beast bones, the sounds of intense fighting and energy fluctuations broke out, interspersed with an angry, feminine shout.

The voice sounded somewhat familiar.

Lin Fan and Ethereal Moon exchanged a glance, quietly approached the bone mountain, hid their Auras, and looked inside.

In an open space surrounded by bone mountains, Zi Linger was locked in a bitter struggle! She had now completely manifested her Sky Fox true form, with a massive purple fox phantom enveloping her. Nine fox tails swung like steel whips, surging with demon power as she clashed fiercely with three enemies.

Those three enemies were not living beings, but three skeletal generals clad in tattered bronze armor with flickering blue soul-fire in their eye sockets! They held massive bone sabers and swords, their Moves wide and sweeping, containing some ancient martial Concept. Their strength was immense, each strike making the void hum. Even more troublesome was that they seemed completely unaffected by physical damage; even if Zi Linger’s fox tails shattered part of their bones, the blue soul-fire would flash, drawing Death Qi from the surrounding bones to rapidly repair them!

The individual strength of these three skeletal generals had reached the Early Stage of the Purple Mansion Realm. Moreover, they were undying and cooperated perfectly, firmly trapping Zi Linger in the center and leaving her struggling to cope, her situation increasingly perilous. Several wounds had appeared on her magnificent purple fur, and her Aura was slightly disordered.

“They are the skeletons of heroic spirits who died in ancient battle, corrupted by the Death Qi here and some kind of evil will, turning them into undying skeletal guards.” Ethereal Moon saw the root of the problem at a glance, her delicate brows furrowing slightly. “Their core is that cluster of soul-fire. Without extinguishing the soul-fire, it’s difficult to truly destroy them.”

Just then, one of the skeletal generals caught a flaw in Zi Linger's defense. Its massive bone sword, carrying an Aura that could tear through anything, slashed straight toward her head! Zi Linger had exhausted her old strength and hadn't yet gathered new power; her nine tails couldn't make it back in time to defend. A flash of unwillingness and despair crossed her eyes.

“Vile creature! Cease your arrogance!” A cold shout rang out like a clap of thunder! Lin Fan’s figure was like lightning, instantly crossing a distance of a hundred feet and appearing beneath that bone sword as if teleporting! He did not use fist techniques but instead pressed his fingers together like a sword. The Star Sword Seed in his Sea of Consciousness shone brilliantly, and a strand of refined-to-the-limit Star Sword Qi, seemingly compressed from starlight, erupted from his fingertips!

“Star Dawn!” The Sword Qi was like a rainbow, arriving first despite starting later, and struck the edge of the massive bone sword with extreme precision!

“Ding!” A crisp sound, like jade striking a stone chime, rang out! The seemingly Indestructible bone sword, at the moment of contact with the Star Sword Qi, actually began to shatter inch by inch from the point of contact! The Sword Qi’s momentum did not diminish, flowing like a river of stars and instantly drowning the skeletal general!

“Puff!” The blue soul-fire in the skeletal general’s eye sockets flickered violently, letting out a silent hiss before suddenly extinguishing like a candle in the wind! Without the support of the soul-fire, the tall skeletal frame instantly fell apart, collapsing to the ground in a clatter, unable to reassemble.

One sword strike to kill a skeletal general of the Purple Mansion Realm! This sudden scene caused the other two skeletal generals to pause, their blue soul-fire flickering as if they felt an instinctive fear. Zi Linger’s pressure was greatly reduced. Seizing the opportunity, she merged her nine tails into one, turning into a purple flash of light that slammed fiercely into the chest of another skeletal general!

“Boom!” The skeletal general’s ribs were completely shattered as it was sent flying, its soul-fire dimming by more than half.

Ethereal Moon also took action at the right moment. She did not approach but simply extended her slender jade finger, pointing from afar at the last skeletal general while softly chanting obscure incantations.

“Yellow Springs Passage, souls return to annihilation.” An invisible Reincarnation ripple spread out. The soul-fire in the skeletal general’s eye sockets seemed to be pulled by an invisible force. After struggling violently a few times, it extinguished with a 'puff,' and the skeleton scattered across the ground.

The battle ended quickly after Lin Fan and Ethereal Moon joined in.

Zi Linger panted heavily as she returned to human form, looking at the three piles of scattered bones with lingering fear. She looked at Lin Fan and Ethereal Moon, her gaze filled with surprise and gratitude, especially when it landed on Lin Fan.

“Little brother Lin Fan, and this little sister, I really owe you both this time!” Zi Linger had a straightforward personality and thanked them immediately. Then, she curiously sized up Ethereal Moon. “This little sister is so powerful. What Divine Ability was that? It could actually guide soul-fire directly?”

“Ethereal Moon.” Ethereal Moon nodded slightly as a self-introduction, not explaining much about her Divine Ability.

Lin Fan looked at Zi Linger and asked, “How did you end up trapped here alone?”

Hearing this, Zi Linger’s face showed a hint of indignation: “Don't even mention it! Not long after entering the Ancient Road, I ran into a few bastards calling themselves the 'Shadow Hall' who ambushed me. They stole a 'Seven-Apertures Exquisite Fruit' I found and even lured me to this ghostly place, triggering these bone skeletons!”

“Shadow Hall?” Lin Fan’s gaze sharpened. He had never heard of this faction.

Ethereal Moon spoke up, her tone carrying a hint of gravity: “The Shadow Hall is an extremely mysterious organization. They Move in secret and their members are spread across the Six Realms. It is said that behind them, they are related to the dark forces trying to hunt the prodigies of the Six Realms.”

Lin Fan felt a chill in his heart, remembering the dark forces mentioned in the outline of the second volume that hunted prodigies in the Myriad Worlds Battlefield. He hadn't expected to encounter their lackeys so soon.

“How is their strength?” Lin Fan asked in a heavy voice.

“Very strong, and their methods are bizarre. They are skilled in assassination and manipulating people's hearts,” Zi Linger said with lingering fear. “The leaders of the group that ambushed me had at least Mid-stage Purple Mansion Realm strength, and their cultivation attributes were extremely dark and troublesome.”

Just then, Ethereal Moon suddenly leaned down and picked up an unremarkable black fragment from the remains of a scattered skeleton. The fragment was neither metal nor jade, with a smooth surface where one could faintly see a distorted, shadow-like emblem.

“Is this a Dark Beacon?” Ethereal Moon’s expression changed slightly. “These skeletal guards were activated and controlled by this thing! The people of the Shadow Hall can not only control living beings but even pollute and utilize the skeletons of heroic spirits who died in ancient battle!”

Lin Fan took the black fragment. It was ice-cold to the touch. When he probed it with his Divine Sense, he immediately felt a will full of destruction, chaos, and malice trying to erode his Divine Soul, but it was easily crushed by the Star Sword Intent and Reincarnation Concept in his Sea of Consciousness.

“It really is them.” Lin Fan’s eyes were cold. These people who hid their heads and showed their tails had already begun to set up their board on the Ancient Road.

He put the fragment away; this might serve as a clue for tracking them in the future.

“This place isn't suitable for a long stay,” Lin Fan said to the two women. “People from the Shadow Hall might still be nearby, and this Bone Wasteland is full of hidden dangers.”

Zi Linger and Ethereal Moon both nodded in agreement.

The three of them took a short moment to adjust their breathing, then set off together, continuing toward the depths of the Bone Wasteland. Having learned their lesson, they were even more cautious.

Lin Fan’s heart, however, was not at peace. The appearance of the Shadow Hall meant that the dangers within the Ancient Road were far from just the environment and Vicious Beasts, but also these enemies lurking in the shadows. What exactly was their purpose in hunting prodigies? And what connection did they have with that 'Lord of Annihilation'?

The mist on the path ahead seemed to grow even thicker. But Lin Fan’s Dao Heart became increasingly firm through each crisis and battle.

No matter what hardships and obstacles lay ahead, he would simply use his fists and sword to break through them!

With the two great aids of the Star Sword Seed and the Nine Nether Reincarnation Art, and having temporarily allied with these two unique and powerful prodigies, Zi Linger and Ethereal Moon, his journey on the Ancient Road was destined not to be lonely. A true storm was quietly brewing.