People fight and become emperors in advance

Chapter 269 Coming in droves
The Shaying Mountains get their name from the fact that they are located on the edge of the northern desert and are often shrouded in desert sandstorms, so that only a blurry outline can often be seen swaying uncertainly in the sunlight.

Looking into the distance, this mountain range appears mysterious and desolate.

In fact, before the ancient ruins appeared, this mountain range was just a relatively large monster mountain range. Apart from powerful people who went there specifically to hunt monsters and some mercenaries, very few people went there.

Previously, the most powerful magical beast in this mountain range was a seventh-tier Phantom Claw Bear King. If no ruins had been discovered, it might have been able to continue to rule this place peacefully for a lifetime.

But now, the bear king has long since disappeared. It may have already escaped, or it may have contributed its magic core to some powerful being.

After resting overnight in the pavilion, at dawn the next day, when Chen Xiao and Little Fairy Doctor arrived at the Sand Shadow Mountains, they looked down and saw a shocking 'scar' in the lush, continuous forest. The vegetation within a radius of dozens of miles had been completely cleared, creating a flat, open area of ​​land.

Instead, temporary camps of varying sizes were formed.

These camps were set up in a staggered manner, with a certain distance between them, representing forces from various sides.

"Let's reunite with Qinglin and the others first." Ignoring the soul perceptions, Chen Xiao glanced down and said.

Little Fairy Doctor nodded slightly and smiled, "Then let's go directly to the most conspicuous mountain peak. Qinglin was the first to discover the ruins and set up a barrier on that mountain peak, so we can detect the movements of the ruins immediately from there."

Chen Xiao nodded, and without further delay, he led Little Fairy Doctor towards the highest mountain peak.

This area, spanning dozens of miles, is now densely packed with people, turning this once tranquil mountain range into a bustling marketplace, with all sorts of chaotic noises surging in and reaching the heavens.

As the two ventured deeper, Chen Xiao and Little Fairy Doctor could also sense that among the various camps below, there were quite a few powerful Dou Zun experts.

Upon sensing the arrival of the two, some powerful individuals immediately released and then withdrew their soul perception, releasing goodwill. However, many others remained oblivious, keeping their soul perception constantly focused on the two, maintaining high vigilance until they flew out of the area where those powerful individuals were located.

"It seems the commotion you caused in the Eastern Region hasn't reached us yet, otherwise these people would definitely be even more wary," Little Fairy Doctor chuckled.

During their rest last night, Chen Xiao had already told them what had happened in Huangfeng Valley.

"That would be even better. If we really clash, we'll give them another surprise. We didn't notice the people from the One Hall and One Tower, but we did notice quite a few people from the Two Sects, Three Valleys, and Four Directions Pavilion. We just don't know if there are any half-saint level experts hiding in the shadows."

Everything is reciprocal. While others were observing Chen Xiao and Little Fairy Doctor, they were also sensing these powerful individuals.

In Chen Xiao's perception, the strongest among the gathered experts was a peak nine-star Dou Zun who had not yet entered the nine-turn sainthood stage.

This person concealed his cultivation level, only revealing the strength of a four-star Dou Zun.

Unfortunately, this clumsy attempt at concealment could not fool the Heavenly Realm's soul.

Among the powerful figures in this person's camp are two Dou Zun.

In other words, this force mobilized three Dou Zun powerhouses for this ancient ruin, a considerable investment.

"Tianming Sect..."

After glancing at the dark red starry sky patterns on the chests of the disciples and elders inside the enemy camp, Chen Xiao, though he had never been in contact with the Tianming Sect, could still recognize which force they represented.

No one would dare to offend two high-level Dou Zun, and Chen Xiao and Little Fairy Doctor would certainly not cause trouble on their own initiative.

So the two of them quickly reached the highest peak.

"Young master, it's Sister Little Fairy Doctor!"

"Pavilion Master!"

Since they didn't try to conceal their presence, the two were spotted as soon as they arrived by Qinglin and the others, who had been waiting for them for a long time and greeted them with cheers.

Chen Xiao nodded slightly in response to the disciples and elders, then waved his hand, leaving only Qing Lin and Venerable Tianhuo behind.

"Where's Brother Blacksmith?"

"I don't know. Brother Hei Qing is elusive and unpredictable." Qing Lin shook his head helplessly.

In terms of pure strength, she is now stronger than Hei Qing, and her Three Flower Pupils space contains several Dou Zun-level warriors, giving her an absolute advantage in a head-on confrontation.

However, as a member of the Ancient Dragon Clan, Hei Qing possesses innate racial talents, making it quite difficult to detect the other party's whereabouts without careful attention.

Chen Xiao didn't pay any attention and looked up at the distant horizon.

The space there was like a lake surface where stones had been thrown in, with ripples spreading out in circles without stopping.

Moreover, this spatial fluctuation not only showed no sign of stopping, but became increasingly intense.

"Has this ruin space always been like this?" Chen Xiao withdrew his gaze and asked Qing Lin.

Upon hearing this, Qinglin shook his head slightly and said, "Young Master, this ancient ruin should be hidden in a spatial seal. Every once in a while, under intense spatial fluctuations, some cracks will appear, revealing some scenes inside the ruin. During this period, a total of three spatial cracks appeared, and the cracks lasted for longer and longer periods of time."

"The most recent one was two days ago, lasting for half an hour. At that time, many impatient people rushed in, including some at the peak of the Dou Zong realm. But to this day, not a single one of them has come out. I have checked the sects to which those people who entered the ruins belong, and their soul tablets are all shattered, without exception!"

The so-called soul tablet is similar to the soul thunder tablet, used to determine life and death. Different sects have different names for it.

The Wind and Thunder Pavilion used to call it the Soul Thunder Tablet, while the Purple Cloud Pavilion used the materials left behind to make it into a Soul Tablet.

"Even peak Dou Zong cultivators perished here. It seems this ruin is no place to be underestimated in terms of danger," Little Fairy Doctor said with a slight frown.

Don't be fooled by the rapid development of Zixiao Pavilion and the fact that its puppets have dozens of Dou Zun combat power. Even if you think that the peak of Dou Zong is nothing special, people of this level are already powerful figures in their own right.

Even so, entering the ruins did not cause the slightest disturbance, which shows how dangerous it was.

"It looks a bit more terrifying than the ruins in the Beast Domain." Chen Xiao nodded in agreement.

He clearly remembered that in the original timeline, when the ancient ruins of the Beast Realm appeared, it was the same; many people risked entering early, only to flee back in disarray.

With such a comparison, it's obvious which side is more dangerous.

"Qinglin, has any Dou Zun expert ever tried this?"

Qing Lin nodded and replied, "When the spatial rift appeared last time, two Dou Zun experts tried it, and I also had a puppet try it. This spatial seal is extremely powerful and has a restrictive effect. Currently, it can only allow people below the Dou Zun level to enter. If a Dou Zun expert tries to enter by force, it will trigger an extremely strong seal counterattack."

As he spoke, Qinglin took out a Heavenly Demon Puppet.

Its entire body is golden, and its aura is no less than that of an ordinary three or four-star Dou Zun, clearly having evolved to the Heavenly Demon Puppet level.

However, what is most striking is that one of the arms of this Heavenly Demon Puppet is missing, and there are large chunks of its body surface that have collapsed, making it look extremely pitiful.

Fortunately, this is a puppet. As long as it is not destroyed on the spot, there is still room for repair. If it were a human body, it would probably have perished long ago.

"This was caused by the counterattack of the spatial seal. On that day, one black-robed Dou Zun had extraordinary means of self-preservation and returned with only minor injuries. The other was a Dou Zun expert from the hidden sect, Qingshan Sect, who was seriously injured on the spot and has been carried back. After these three tests, other sects dared not test the waters themselves."

"A Dou Zun can't enter? This is not good news." Little Fairy Doctor frowned slightly. At the Dou Zun level, Zi Xiao Pavilion is now fearless in the face of competition. With so many Dou Zun combat power, their sheer numbers can sweep away 99% of the forces.

Among those at the Dou Zong level, there aren't many who are truly outstanding.

Could it be that we should call Hai Bodong over?
"It shouldn't be that bad," Chen Xiao shook his head.

"What the Pavilion Master says is true. We could sense that the spatial seal was getting thinner and thinner after the two spatial rifts appeared. At most, there will be two more spatial rifts before the seal completely dissipates. At that time, if another spatial rift appears, without the seal's protection, a Dou Zun expert will definitely be able to enter safely. There are quite a few Dou Zun experts in this Sand Shadow Mountain Range who are waiting for that moment," Venerable Heavenly Fire continued.

Hearing this, Little Fairy Doctor was finally relieved.

On their way here, she and Chen Xiao sensed more than two powerful auras, which meant that there were more than ten Dou Zun experts gathered here!
As news of this ancient ruin spreads further, even more Dou Zun powerhouses will be drawn to it.

However, as I said before, they are not afraid of competition at the Dou Zun level!

As for the Half-Saints above the Dou Zun level, and even the true Dou Sheng...

Those are all ancient monsters who rarely appear in the world, so the possibility of them being attracted here is not very high.

Being a half-saint is one thing, but a battle saint is something I really can't bring myself to do.

After all, no one knows the strength of the owner of this ruin. All that is known is that the highest level is the same as that of the Dou Sheng, and it is even very possible that the owner of the ruin is not as strong as them.

Under these circumstances, to disregard one's status and rush in to compete for some opportunities that are neither worthwhile nor worth discarding would be far below the dignity of a Dou Sheng powerhouse.

Unless, like Elder Qingshan did last time, they know in advance that there is a Dragon-Phoenix Origin Fruit in the ruins, an opportunity that is enough to move them!

'Fortunately, no one knows that the formula contains the Spirit-Nourishing Powder...'

Thinking of this, Chen Xiao felt somewhat fortunate.

If the information about the recipe for the Spirit-Nourishing Powder Pill from these ruins were to leak out, it's likely that not only Dou Sheng experts, but also the eight ancient clans would get involved.

"In that case, let's wait patiently. While the ruins are opening, one of you should stay behind to oversee the Purple Cloud Pavilion. As for the disciples and elders inside, select five elders and fifteen disciples based on their contributions since the pavilion's founding, and ask for their consent. The rest of you don't need to go in."

The opportunities found in ancient ruins are not easy to seize; the greater the opportunity, the greater the danger.

Especially with so many Dou Zun powerhouses involved.

However, even if you can't eat meat, you can still drink some soup.

What if among these disciples and elders there is someone with hidden great fortune?

“Yes, then I will make the arrangements,” Venerable Heavenly Fire replied.

Since Hai Bodong and Qiu Cheng were not present, it was most appropriate for him to arrange such trivial matters.

...

In the days that followed, the number of people visiting the Shaying Mountains continued to increase exponentially, creating a surging, noisy atmosphere that seemed to break through the sky, as countless people awaited the opening of the ancient ruins.

With so many people eagerly anticipating this moment, five days passed by quietly, like sand slipping through one's fingers.

On this day, as the first rays of dawn shone down from the east, everyone in the entire Sand Shadow Mountain Range simultaneously felt an invisible spatial fluctuation spreading from the sky. Immediately afterward, the heavens and earth seemed to tremble, awakening countless people from their dreams.

The sudden commotion plunged the Sand Shadow Mountains into silence, but after a brief period of quiet, almost instantly, an astonishing burst of energy erupted. The sound of wind breaking filled the air, and figures, like locusts swarming across the land, rushed towards the center of the mountains.

The mountain peak where Chen Xiao and the others were located was in the very center of the mountain range, which saved them some trouble.

Stepping out of the residence and standing atop the mountain, one can see a dense crowd of people surging in, whether they are Dou Huang, Dou Zong, or even stronger Dou Zun, all of whom are now in sight!

"There are some familiar faces too..."

Looking down at the crowds sweeping in from low altitude, Chen Xiao quickly spotted some familiar faces.

For example, the Yellow Spring Venerable of the Yellow Spring Pavilion, and the Sword Venerable of the Myriad Swords Pavilion.

For example, there's the Wind Venerable who entered the Dan Tower.

Beside Venerable Feng was a peak Dou Zun with a familiar aura but a completely unfamiliar face, which surprised Chen Xiao slightly.

Besides these familiar faces, there were also many powerful strangers among them.

The Heavenly Nether Sect, the Burning Flame Valley, and many other previously unheard-of Dou Zun powerhouses may have come from hidden sects.

With just a quick glance, Chen Xiao spotted seventeen Dou Zun powerhouses!
The Central Continent truly is a place where hidden talents abound!

"Years have passed since we last met, and the Pavilion Master of Zixiao Pavilion is even more radiant than before." The Sword Venerable of Wanjian Pavilion was the first to fly up, facing Chen Xiaoyao with a bow and a hint of respect in his eyes.

Although it is one of the Four Pavilions, everyone knows that Zixiao Pavilion is no longer worthy of its name.

"The Sword Master's demeanor is as impressive as ever," Chen Xiao returned the greeting.

Without any conflict of interest, I will not offend others unless they offend me. If you treat me with courtesy, I will reciprocate with some respect.

"Greetings, Pavilion Master Zixiao!" Venerable Huangquan followed closely behind, his face devoid of any of the arrogance of yesteryear, replaced only by profound reverence.

Before Chen Xiao could respond, even more Dou Zun experts surged forward like a tide.

"Haha, I am Tang Zhen. I have long admired your name, Fellow Daoist. Today I am finally able to meet you."

"Greetings to the Pavilion Master of Zixiao Pavilion, Immortal Venerable, Azure Venerable, and Heavenly Fire Venerable!"

"..."

One by one, the Dou Zun powerhouses paid their respects, including those who had been wary of Chen Xiao's arrival a few days ago.

For a time, the entire Sand Shadow Mountain Range was filled with an extremely strange scene.

Above the sky, the space fluctuated violently, and a huge spatial rift was torn open, yet no one dared to make a move.

On a mountaintop beneath the spatial rift, a group of Dou Zun powerhouses lined up to greet Chen Xiao, making the disciples and elders of the Zixiao Pavilion stand tall and proud.

At the lower altitude halfway up the mountain and below the foot of the mountain, there were countless Dou Zong and Dou Huang level figures, so densely packed that no one even had the right to interrupt. The hierarchy was very clear.

There is more than one reason why this situation has occurred.

As more and more people were drawn to the ancient ruins, news of the Yellow Maple Valley in the Eastern Region also spread!

(End of this chapter)