Lin Feng took a deep breath and slowly said, "This inheritance is called the 'Spiritual Scripture of Lingxiao.' It is said that if one cultivates it to its fullest extent, one can control the power of heaven and earth and transcend the mortal world. Moreover, according to the information in the inheritance, this ruin was set up by an ancient powerful being to select the inheritor. The monsters, traps, and even the illusion array we just encountered were all tests."

Upon hearing this, everyone's eyes flashed with shock and surprise. Xuanfeng stroked his beard and pondered, "Such a powerful inheritance, if learned, would be of immense benefit to both personal strength and the development of the sect. However... there is only one copy of this inheritance, how should it be distributed?"

Upon hearing this, the previously harmonious atmosphere suddenly became delicate. A hint of hidden greed flashed in the eyes of the Blood Shadow Sect woman, and she spoke first: "Lin Feng, you already possess many cultivation techniques. This 'Lingxiao Sacred Scripture' is even more important to us. Why not hand it over to my Blood Shadow Sect? We will surely reward you handsomely in the future."

The woman in white frowned slightly and retorted softly, "The Blood Shadow Sect has always acted by any means necessary. If this inheritance falls into your hands, who knows how many troubles it will cause. I believe it should be obtained by the most qualified person present."

The female general snorted coldly, slammed her halberd to the ground, and said in a deep voice, "My Zhengyang Army suffered many casualties in this exploration of the ruins. If we are to talk about merit, my Zhengyang Army is the one who deserves it. I should take this legacy with me so that I can cultivate strong people in the army to protect our country."

Su Ran stood beside Lin Feng, looked at everyone, and said calmly, "Everyone, please don't argue. It was Lin Feng who discovered and broke the illusion array, which allowed the inheritance to appear in the world. Without him, we wouldn't have even made it this far. The inheritance should rightfully belong to him."

Feng Wu nodded in agreement: "Miss Su Ran is absolutely right. Lin Feng led us through many challenges along the way, and he truly deserves this inheritance."

The woman from the Blood Shadow Sect's face darkened, and she sneered, "Feng Wu, you have a close relationship with him, so naturally you'll speak up for him. This inheritance is of great importance; how can you decide its ownership based on just a few biased words?"

Seeing that everyone was arguing, Xuanfeng quickly stepped in to smooth things over: "Please calm down, everyone. This inheritance is precious, but we can't let it ruin our harmony. Why don't we discuss it again and find a fair way to decide?"

Just as everyone was at a stalemate, suddenly, a series of rapid footsteps came from the entrance of the ruins. Everyone's expression changed, and they all turned to look, only to see a group of mysterious people dressed in black robes pouring into the space. The leader was tall, with a cold face and a sinister look in his eyes.

"I didn't expect you to actually find the inheritance." The black-robed leader spoke coldly, his gaze falling on the ancient box on the stone platform, his eyes filled with determination.

Lin Feng frowned, stepped forward, and asked, "Who are you people? Why are you following us?"

The black-robed leader sneered, "Hmph, who we are is not important. What is important is that this inheritance belongs to us today." With that, he waved his hand, and the black-robed men behind him immediately dispersed, surrounding Lin Feng and the others.

The female general roared, "You bunch of rats, how dare you snatch the inheritance from us? Do you really think we're afraid?" With that, she swung her halberd, and the Zhengyang Army soldiers quickly formed ranks, their morale high and their fearlessness undiminished.

Feng Wu summoned a five-colored phoenix, which circled in the air, emitting cries. Flames rose around Feng Wu, illuminating her resolute face. Su Ran conjured a sharp ice sword in her hand, while the woman in white and the woman from the Blood Shadow Sect also gripped their weapons tightly. Xuan Feng quietly gathered wind-elemental spiritual power, ready to strike at any moment.

The black-robed leader, seeing the group's tense demeanor, showed no fear. He sneered, "You lot? None of you will leave with the inheritance today." With that, he rapidly formed hand seals and chanted incantations.

Suddenly, a group of twisted, shadowy creatures surged out from the black-robed group. These creatures, baring their fangs and claws and exuding a sinister aura, lunged at Lin Feng and his companions. Upon seeing this, Lin Feng immediately unleashed ice magic, sending ice dragons flying from his hands and colliding with the shadowy creatures. The moment the ice dragons touched the shadowy creatures, they emitted a series of sizzling sounds as the frigid aura and sinister power clashed.

Su Ran also joined the battle, channeling her ice elemental power into her ice sword and leaping towards the horde of shadow creatures. With each swing of her ice sword, she unleashed a barrage of ice blades, shredding the shadow creatures in her wake, only to have new ones quickly spring up to fill the void.

Feng Wu commanded the five-colored phoenix, which swooped down, spewing forth raging flames that devoured swarms of shadow creatures. Where the flames burned, the shadow creatures let out mournful cries, turning into puffs of black smoke and dissipating. However, the shadow creatures were numerous, seemingly endless, continuously pouring out from the ranks of the black-robed men.

The female general led the Zhengyang Army soldiers in close combat with the shadow creatures. The soldiers coordinated perfectly, their spears forming a forest, relentlessly thrusting at the shadow creatures.

With their superb marksmanship and close coordination, the Zhengyang Army soldiers were initially locked in a fierce battle with the shadow creatures. The female general was exceptionally brave, wielding her halberd with incredible speed and power, each swing sending swarms of shadow creatures scattering. However, as the battle continued, casualties began to mount, and the situation became increasingly tense.

The woman in white and the woman from the Blood Shadow Sect each displayed their signature skills. The woman in white's swordsmanship was elegant, her sword flashing with spiritual energy, keeping the shadow creatures at bay. The woman from the Blood Shadow Sect, on the other hand, moved like a ghost, her blade weaving through the shadow creatures like blood shadows, each strike precisely aimed at their vital points. However, the shadow creatures seemed tireless, surging in wave after wave, gradually putting them under pressure.

Xuanfeng manipulated wind-elemental spiritual power in the air, creating massive tornadoes that swept up the surrounding shadow creatures. The tornadoes spun rapidly, shredding the shadow creatures to dust. However, the black-robed man seemed to sense Xuanfeng's threat and separated some of the shadow creatures to specifically attack him. Xuanfeng dodged the shadow creatures' attacks while maintaining the tornadoes' operation, his forehead already covered in sweat.

Lin Feng knew this couldn't go on; he had to find the black-robed man's weakness as soon as possible. While using ice magic to defend against the shadow creatures' attacks, he observed the black-robed man's movements. Suddenly, he noticed that the black-robed leader held a black token in his hand when commanding the shadow creatures. Each time he waved the token, the shadow creatures' actions became more organized and ferocious.

"Listen up, everyone! The token in the black-robed leader's hand is the key. If we destroy it, these shadow creatures might lose control!" Lin Feng shouted, his voice still clearly audible amidst the fierce battle.

Upon hearing this, Su Ran immediately understood. She swung her ice sword fiercely, sending a massive ice blade hurtling towards the black-robed leader. Sensing the danger, the leader dodged to the side, the ice blade grazing his body and leaving a deep gash in the ground.

"Destroying the token? Not so easy!" The black-robed leader sneered, then quickened the pace of his hand seals. The shadow creatures, receiving the command, attacked even more fiercely, instantly increasing the pressure on Lin Feng and the others.

Seeing the dire situation, Feng Wu steeled her resolve and said to the Five-Colored Phoenix, "Phoenix, let's fight!" The Five-Colored Phoenix seemed to understand her words, letting out a stirring cry. The flames around it instantly turned an eerie blue, a sign that the phoenix was burning its primal power. Feng Wu rode the Five-Colored Phoenix, rushing towards the black-robed leader like a blue meteor.

The black-robed leader was surprised to see Feng Wu fighting so desperately, but he quickly regained his composure. He waved his token, and a group of shadow creatures quickly gathered in front of him, forming a black barrier.

Without hesitation, Feng Wu and the Five-Colored Phoenix charged into the barrier formed by the shadow creatures. The blue flames clashed violently with the shadow creatures, creating deafening explosions. For a moment, light flashed and smoke filled the air, obscuring what was happening inside.

"Feng Wu!" Lin Feng was extremely anxious, continuously unleashing ice spells at the shadow creature barrier in an attempt to open a passage. The others also intensified their attacks, wanting to help Feng Wu.

Just when everyone thought Feng Wu was in dire straits, a clear phoenix cry resounded through the space. A five-colored phoenix broke through the barrier of the shadow creatures, its body ablaze with flames, and pounced towards the black-robed leader. The black-robed leader's expression changed drastically; he tried to dodge, but it was too late. Feng Wu seized the opportunity, her longsword thrusting out fiercely, directly piercing the black token in the black-robed leader's hand.

With a crisp "crack!", the token shattered. Deprived of the token's control, the shadow creatures instantly became chaotic, their movements sluggish and disorderly, no longer displaying their previous powerful aggression.

"Now's the time! Attack with all your might!" Lin Feng shouted, seizing the opportunity. The crowd rallied, unleashing their strongest attacks. The Zhengyang Army soldiers roared in unison, their spears flashing, felling the approaching shadow creatures. Su Ran's ice sword released boundless icy energy, freezing large swathes of shadow creatures. The woman in white and the Blood Shadow Sect woman also unleashed their own fierce attacks, their spiritual energy flashing, causing the shadow creatures to dissipate under their assault. Xuan Feng manipulated a tornado, engulfing the chaotic shadow creatures and pulverizing them into nothingness.

Under the combined attack of everyone, the shadow creatures gradually dissipated. The black-robed leader, seeing the token destroyed and the shadow creatures routed, turned extremely grim. He gritted his teeth and shouted to the remaining black-robed men, "Retreat!" With that, he led his men swiftly towards the exit of the ruins.

"Don't let them get away!" The female general wanted to give chase, but Lin Feng stopped her.

"Don't pursue a desperate enemy. We don't know what other tricks they have up their sleeve, and everyone is already injured; it's not advisable to fight any further," Lin Feng said.

Watching the black-robed man's departing figure, everyone felt a deep sense of resentment, but they also understood that Lin Feng's words made sense. After such a fierce battle, everyone was severely weakened and needed time.