Exhausted, the group huddled together, each checking their injuries. The fierce battle had taken a heavy toll on everyone; the air was thick with the mingled scents of blood and spiritual energy.
Feng Wu's face was pale, and the five-colored phoenix slumped listlessly on her shoulder. The recent burning of her primordial power had taken a heavy toll on her. Su Ran's white robes were stained with blood, and her ice sword had developed several fine cracks. Although the female general still stood tall, large beads of sweat on her forehead showed that she was also at her limit. The Zheng Yang army soldiers had suffered heavy casualties, many lying on the ground groaning in pain. The woman in white and the woman from the Blood Shadow Sect were equally disheveled, their spiritual energy depleted, their bodies swaying precariously. Xuan Feng sat to the side, panting heavily, his face etched with exhaustion.
Lin Feng looked at the miserable state of everyone, his heart filled with worry. But at this moment, the issue of inheritance was once again before him, and the atmosphere became heavy again.
The woman from the Blood Shadow Sect wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth and broke the silence first: "Although we just fought together against the enemy, there still needs to be an explanation regarding the ownership of this inheritance. Lin Feng, if you know what's good for you, hand over the 'Lingxiao Sacred Scripture,' and we can leave each other alone."
The female general snorted coldly: "Your Blood Shadow Sect is truly insatiable. If it weren't for everyone's combined efforts, you would have perished at the hands of the shadow creatures long ago. And you still dare to dream of passing on your legacy?"
The woman in white also said softly, "Lin Feng deserves the most credit for this exploration of the ruins, and the inheritance should rightfully belong to him. Let's all stop arguing."
Feng Wu nodded slightly and said weakly, "That's right, without Lin Feng, we wouldn't have made it this far."
The woman from the Blood Shadow Sect frowned and was about to retort when Lin Feng raised his hand to stop her.
Lin Feng's gaze swept over everyone, and he slowly said, "Everyone, I understand the importance of this inheritance. But after the battle just now, you all saw that the dangers we face are far more than that. There must be many more powerful beings in this ruin. If we fight among ourselves because of the inheritance, I'm afraid none of us will be able to leave alive in the end."
After listening to Lin Feng's words, everyone fell into deep thought and had to admit that he was right.
Lin Feng continued, "I have a suggestion: let's all study the 'Lingxiao Sacred Scripture' together. We can share our cultivation experiences, exchange ideas, and improve our strength together. This way, we can maximize the value of the inheritance and have more confidence in our upcoming exploration of the ruins."
Su Ran's eyes lit up, and she was the first to agree: "Lin Feng's suggestion is excellent. Many hands make light work. If we join forces, we might be able to unlock more secrets of the ruins."
After a moment's thought, the female general nodded and said, "Alright, my Zhengyang Army agrees. If we can improve our strength together, it will be a good thing for our army."
The woman in white and Xuanfeng exchanged a glance and both expressed their agreement.
The woman from the Blood Shadow Sect hesitated for a moment. Looking at the determined eyes of everyone, she knew that it would be futile to insist on monopolizing the inheritance. She could only grit her teeth and say, "Fine, then so be it. But if anyone dares to hold back, don't blame the Blood Shadow Sect for being impolite."
Seeing that everyone had reached a consensus, Lin Feng felt relieved. He stepped onto the stone platform, picked up the ancient box, and saw a flash of light on the box, revealing the inheritance information of the "Lingxiao Sacred Scripture" once again. Lin Feng shared the inheritance information with everyone, and instantly, a large number of complex and profound cultivation methods and secrets of the ruins flooded into everyone's minds.
The group sat together, beginning to carefully study the contents of the inheritance. As they gained a deeper understanding of the *Lingxiao Sacred Scripture*, they became increasingly amazed by its power and subtlety. However, just as they were immersed in the mysteries of the inheritance, suddenly, the entire ruins space trembled violently, and cracks spread across the ground and walls, as if some terrifying being was about to awaken.
"Oh no, what's going on?" Xuan Feng's expression changed drastically, and he stood up, looking around warily.
A sense of foreboding welled up in Lin Feng's heart. He quickly sorted through the information about the anomalies in the inherited records, trying to find a way to deal with it. At this moment, the tremors grew stronger and stronger, and some boulders fell from the top, hitting the ground with dull thuds. Everyone had to scatter and take cover. Amidst the chaos, a low roar came from the depths of the ruins, as if an ancient behemoth was awakening, instilling fear in everyone.
As the deep roar grew clearer, the entire ruins seemed to be enveloped by this terrifying aura. Wisps of black mist began to seep from the cracks in the ground, carrying a pungent, fishy odor that made one want to vomit.
"What is making that sound? It feels even more dangerous than the black-robed man from before!" The woman in white said nervously, gripping her sword tightly.
The woman from the Blood Shadow Sect frowned deeply. "Whatever it is, prepare for battle first. We just went through a fierce battle, and our spiritual energy has not yet recovered. This time, we are likely to be in grave danger."
The female general quickly ordered the Zhengyang Army soldiers to regroup. Although most of the soldiers were wounded, their eyes remained firm, and they gripped their spears tightly, demonstrating a tenacious fighting spirit.
While rapidly recovering his spiritual energy, Lin Feng diligently searched the inherited information for clues about this mysterious power. Suddenly, a thought flashed through his mind. He remembered that the inheritance mentioned an ancient guardian beast hidden deep within the ruins, responsible for protecting the ultimate secret and treasure. Could it be that everyone's actions in comprehending the inheritance had triggered the guardian beast's awakening mechanism?
Before Lin Feng could even share his guess with everyone, a gigantic monster slowly emerged from the depths of the ruins. It resembled a Qilin, but its body was engulfed in eerie black flames. Its four hooves pounded the ground, each step causing the earth to tremble. Its eyes, as large as lanterns, glowed with a blood-red light, filled with boundless killing intent.
"This is the ancient guardian beast?" Su Ran gasped, unconsciously tightening his grip on the ice sword in his hand.
Xuanfeng used his wind-elemental spiritual power to hover in the air, trying to observe the guardian beast's weaknesses. "Everyone be careful, this guardian beast has a powerful aura, we can't attack rashly."
The guardian beast slowly raised its head, its gaze sweeping over the crowd, before letting out a deafening roar. With this roar, it spewed forth a thick pillar of black flame, sweeping towards the group. Wherever the flame passed, the air seemed to ignite, and the temperature soared dramatically.
Lin Feng hurriedly cast an ice spell, erecting a thick ice wall in front of everyone. The ice wall collided with the black flames, producing a sizzling sound, and a large amount of water vapor rose up, instantly filling the entire space. However, the ice wall began to melt rapidly under the erosion of the black flames.
"These flames are too powerful; the ice wall won't last long!" Lin Feng's forehead was covered in beads of sweat as he increased his spiritual energy output.
Despite the excruciating pain from the damage to her primal power, Feng Wu urged the five-colored phoenix to take flight once more. The phoenix flapped its wings with all its might, creating a powerful hurricane that attempted to disperse the black flames. Simultaneously, Su Ran infused his ice spirit power into his ice sword, leaped into the air, and stabbed towards the guardian beast's eye.
Seeing this, the female general shouted, "Zhengyang Army, listen to my command! Prepare your spears and charge with me!" The Zhengyang Army soldiers roared in unison and surged towards the guardian beast like a tidal wave. The woman in white and the woman from the Blood Shadow Sect also unleashed their unique skills, flanking from both sides to attack the guardian beast's flanks. Xuan Feng, meanwhile, constantly changed positions in the air, searching for the best opportunity to attack. He condensed several wind blades and sent them flying towards the guardian beast.
Despite the onslaught, the guardian beast remained fearless. It swung its massive tail, sweeping away the leading Zhengyang soldiers. Those struck fell like kites with broken strings, their fates unknown. Su Ran's ice sword aimed for the guardian beast's eye, but it was easily blocked by its claws. The immense impact numbed Su Ran's arm, nearly causing him to drop the sword.
The black flames remained fierce, and Lin Feng's ice wall was already on the verge of collapse. Just as everyone was in danger, Feng Wu spurred the Five-Colored Phoenix to crash into the pillar of black flames. Blue flames ignited around the Five-Colored Phoenix again, fighting against the black flames. "I'll hold off the flames, you take this opportunity to attack the guardian beast's weak point!" Feng Wu shouted, her voice filled with determination.
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