Chapter 390: Star Reacher Old Ghost Has Already Chosen the Path to Death
After seizing a scroll with overwhelming force, Xiao Yuan returned to his group and turned to Cai Lin.
"How's the human puppet? Are you alright?"
"I'm fine. I lured it away. They're bloodthirsty, but lack proper intelligence."
Cai Lin's gaze swept toward a pile of unfortunate souls nearby.
Xiao Yuan nodded slightly and scanned the hall.
"Heavenly Underworld Sect has taken two scrolls, Burning Flame Valley too. Two others fell into the hands of some fairly powerful individuals. I grabbed one myself."
Venerable Tianhuo reported in a low voice.
Xiao Yuan nodded again. These factions had come well prepared. Meanwhile, many of the rogue cultivators had also shown considerable strength. With the Heavenly Demon Phoenix clan wiped out by him earlier, there were fewer contenders, and thus, more rewards to go around.
"There are only two scrolls still up for grabs," Cai Lin said. "No one even knows how many have died over those two. Should we try to grab another?"
"If we push it, those who missed out might go mad."
Xiao Yuan shook his head. Just as he finished speaking, his expression turned cold—he'd sensed something dangerous.
The Hall of Souls dogs were making a move.
He quickly realized that Star Reacher and the others had surrounded the Dou Saint's skeleton and were slowly approaching it.
"Move!"
Without hesitation, Xiao Yuan enveloped his group in Heavenly Flame and Dou Qi and retreated at full speed.
"Uncle, move now!"
He sent a spiritual message to Tang Zhen.
Tang Zhen froze, but upon seeing Xiao Yuan flee, he didn't hesitate. Though he didn't know what was going on, he trusted his son-in-law. He immediately gathered his people and followed.
As Xiao Yuan and the others retreated, Star Reacher's group reached within ten feet of the skeleton. Their eyes gleamed hotly as they stared at the cross-legged corpse.
Even for them, a Dou Saint was an irresistible temptation. Dou Zun experts might be top-tier on the continent—but a Dou Saint was in a league of their own.
"Is this really a Dou Saint's skeleton…"
Star Reacher licked his lips, stepping closer and reaching toward the bones.
Shing!
Just as his hand neared the skeleton, space trembled. Dozens of sharp spatial spikes shot out, stabbing his palm.
Startled, he quickly pulled back, only to find blood dripping from his palm—some of it falling onto the skeleton.
The moment the blood touched the bones, Star Reacher's heart filled with dread.
"What's wrong, Star Reacher Venerable?"
The others saw his dazed expression and asked.
But he didn't respond. His gaze locked on the blood soaking into the bones—like water into a sponge.
And then—his pupils shrank.
He could feel life returning to those ancient, long-dead bones.
"Crap! Fall back!"
He reacted fast. With a shout, he stomped the ground and retreated in a flash.
But the others were too slow.
The moment they tried to retreat, the skeleton twitched.
Two faint blood-red lights lit up in its empty skull.
"AAARGH!"
With a deafening roar like divine thunder, the Dou Saint skeleton lifted its head and screamed.
The roar transformed into a shockwave—a soundstorm—that blasted outward from the altar like an explosion.
BOOM!
The slowest Hall of Souls members were the first to be hit. Their bodies exploded into blood mist on the spot.
"Ghhk!"
Even Star Reacher, though he escaped the worst, was still caught in the fringe. His internal energy surged, and he grunted, injured.
If even someone as powerful as him couldn't fully resist the soundwave, then for the rest of the crowd—it was a slaughter.
Dozens of cultivators chasing the last two scrolls were caught in the shockwave. They froze mid-air—then exploded into blood.
The entire grand hall was painted in gore.
That horrifying moment finally snapped everyone out of their madness. With pale faces and surging Dou Qi, the crowd scattered like frightened dogs.
As the soundwave faded, dread filled the room. More than a hundred had died in that instant. Even two Dou Zuns were among the dead.
"Even Dou Zuns were instantly killed…"
The survivors swallowed hard. Cold sweat poured down Tang Zhen's face. If Xiao Yuan hadn't warned him, his team would've been wiped out.
"Star Reacher, what the hell did you do?!"
Furious eyes turned toward him.
He was the one who caused this.
Under so much pressure, Star Reacher's face twitched. Bitterly, he replied:
"I don't know! How was I to expect the corpse to react?! The others are all dead too!"
Two black-robed figures stood behind him—they alone had survived.
Xiao Yuan's group, having retreated early, suffered no losses. But seeing half the crowd erased in seconds still made their scalps tingle. A Dou Saint zombie was terrifying beyond belief.
"If your blood hadn't touched the bones, would this have happened?! Still trying to weasel out of it?"
Xiao Yuan sneered.
Star Reacher's face changed, but as more and more furious gazes turned his way, he reluctantly cupped his fists and said:
"…I admit I acted recklessly. But now's not the time to assign blame. That skeleton is just a remnant soul fragment—it's not impossible to defeat. If we work together, we can suppress it!"
"Just one wisp of soul was enough to slaughter over a hundred people. If it screams again, how many more will die?"
Tang Zhen's face was grim. He wasn't interested in taking risks for no gain.
"I got the scroll I wanted. I say we all leave. That thing is too dangerous."
Some weak cultivators whispered in fear. The skeleton had drained their courage completely.
"You can't run," Star Reacher said. "That fragment will hunt down everyone who entered the ruin. If we don't stop it, none of us will get out alive."
Xiao Yuan's eyes narrowed. He could see Star Reacher's real aim—the skeleton itself.
And that… meant Star Reacher had already chosen the path of death.
Today, anyone who tried to stop Xiao Yuan from claiming that skeleton—would die.
Star Reacher's speech stirred unrest. Some began to panic again, but none dared move.
Click...
In the thick blood mist, a soft creaking noise echoed.
Silence fell instantly.
Everyone stared at the altar's center, hearts pounding with fear.
Step. Step.
Bones clacked against the ground. The sound wasn't loud, but it echoed in their chests like a war drum.
The blood mist parted, revealing a skeleton now dyed completely crimson—its once-white body soaked in blood.
"All intruders… die."
The blood-red skeleton stopped a hundred meters from the crowd, lifted its head, and coldly spoke. Its empty eye sockets flickered with red light.
Above its head floated one final scroll. No one dared touch it now—not with the skeleton so near.
As its chilling words faded, everyone realized: they weren't getting out unless this thing was destroyed.
"Don't panic," Star Reacher said. "It's just a soul remnant. If we join forces, we can defeat it. But we must unite—or it will wipe us out one by one."
"Spare us the speeches. You woke it up—you go first."
Xiao Yuan said calmly.
"He's right. This is your mess. You lead the charge."
Tang Zhen agreed, and several others nodded in satisfaction. If they couldn't kill him outright, at least this served as a bit of revenge.
Star Reacher's face twitched. His eyes flashed coldly at Xiao Yuan. That boy had set him up nicely. Still, he couldn't retreat now.
"Fine. I'll go first. But remember—we're in this together. If we fall, so do all of you."
He clenched his teeth and stepped forward.
"Enough chatter. Get moving. The skeleton's absorbing power from the blood mist."
Xiao Yuan's sharp voice cut through the air.
Everyone looked again—the skeleton's body was growing darker red as blood flowed into it.
Star Reacher's expression twisted. He barely resisted the urge to strike Xiao Yuan then and there.
"Shut up—I know!"
(END CHAPTER)
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