Chapter 391: Altar Disturbance
"It's rare to hear you express admiration for someone," Lin Langtian remarked, a hint of satisfaction curling at the corner of his mouth as he looked at Qingzhu Ling's face, partially concealed beneath a delicate veil.
Qingzhu Ling simply gave a faint smile. Intelligent as she was, she knew this kind of praise would no doubt trigger some sense of pride in the young man before her, so she stayed silent, not giving Lin Langtian the chance to act smug.
Lin Langtian noticed her reaction, smiling as he turned his gaze back to the twisted space ahead, focusing intently. "It looks like we're close to our destination," he said.
"Oh?" Qingzhu Ling's interest piqued as she looked toward the distant, distorted space. Through the haze, she could faintly make out several shadowy figures looming in the distance.
The two quickened their pace, and within minutes, the shadows became clearer, finally revealing themselves to be a massive stone altar. The ancient structure floated over the water's surface, exuding an aura of age and mystery that hinted at countless years of existence.
"This is the center of the entire space," Lin Langtian murmured, his gaze fixed on the towering altar.
Qingzhu Ling's eyes also took in the ancient monument, but her gaze suddenly shifted as she whispered, "There's someone here."
Following her gaze, Lin Langtian heard the soft sound of footsteps and soon saw four figures approaching from the opposite side of the altar. As they came into view, Lin Langtian's expression darkened, recognizing the four individuals instantly—first and foremost, the master of Tianxuan Sect, Xuantian, along with his three chief warriors.
The four Tianxuan Sect members appeared just as surprised to see Lin Langtian, though their faces quickly shifted to smirks filled with malice.
With a quiet rustle, Xuantian and his companions stepped forward from the opposite side of the altar, stopping a short distance from Lin Langtian and Qingzhu Ling. Xuantian's expression was impassive, but his gaze flickered slightly upon noticing Qingzhu Ling by Lin Langtian's side before settling back on Lin Langtian with renewed hostility.
"Lin Langtian, it seems even fate is against you. It didn't take long at all for you to land right at our feet," sneered Nalan, one of Xuantian's warriors, his gaze dark and taunting. The other two warriors shared his disdainful expressions.
Lin Langtian's brow furrowed as he studied the four, clearly not expecting to encounter them here.
"I'm honestly surprised to see you managed to find this place," Xuantian commented, although he refrained from attacking immediately. He then added, "We reached this spot quickly because of certain information our sect possesses about the Luo Goddess's ancient treasure. I didn't expect to see you here so soon after our own arrival."
Lin Langtian simply shrugged, showing neither surprise nor interest.
At that, Xuantian turned his gaze toward Qingzhu Ling, his expression softening as he offered a polite smile. "You must be the renowned Qingzhu Ling of the Nine Heavens Clear Palace. Your reputation truly doesn't do justice to your beauty."
Lin Langtian's neutral expression immediately soured, his gaze hardening with cold hostility as he watched Xuantian.
Qingzhu Ling, noticing Lin Langtian's reaction, hesitated for a moment before asking, "Brother Xuantian, do you know where we are?"
"This is the 'Luo Water Formation' of the Luo Goddess's ancient treasure, a protective barrier. Everyone who entered this place is trapped within it. Fortunately, the formation hasn't yet fully activated; otherwise, we wouldn't have made it this far," Xuantian explained with a calm smile.
"Once I gain control of the formation, there's no need for Nine Heavens Clear Palace disciples to worry about any harm. However…" he continued, casting a frosty glance at Lin Langtian, "some who lack respect might just become fish bait within the Luo Water Formation."
Hearing this, Lin Langtian responded icily, "If anything happens to my Fire Sect disciples, then your Tianxuan Sect disciples will leave the Demon Realm as corpses."
"Oh, big talk for a child," snarled Nalan, one of the warriors. "Leader, why not take care of him here and now before he becomes a bigger problem?"
Xuantian's gaze grew colder, and he nodded slightly. "We may as well settle old and new grudges all at once."
Seeing his signal, the three Tianxuan Sect warriors moved forward, their murderous intent crystal clear as they fanned out around Lin Langtian, encircling him. Their powerful Yuan Power emanated in waves, pressing down heavily on Lin Langtian.
As the four closed in, Lin Langtian felt a light breeze behind him and saw Qingzhu Ling step forward to stand in front of him.
"Miss Qingzhu, what are you doing?" Xuantian demanded, his eyes narrowing.
Qingzhu Ling's beauty, power, and noble status had captivated Xuantian, sparking in him a rare desire. To see her now stand beside his enemy struck him deeply.
"Brother Xuantian, I was able to reach this place thanks to Lin Langtian's guidance. I owe him a debt, and if you intend to attack him, I can't simply stand by," Qingzhu Ling replied coolly, her clear, melodious voice cutting through the tension in the air.
Hearing her say this, a faint smile played on Lin Langtian's lips. She wasn't one to openly express her true feelings.
Xuantian's face turned dark, jealousy flashing in his eyes. The three warriors exchanged looks of surprise, having never seen Xuantian like this. Many women had admired him, yet none had ever caught his attention—except now, it seemed.
"Lin Langtian, do you plan to hide behind a woman?" Xuantian asked, his voice low and derisive.
"You think you can kill me that easily?" Lin Langtian laughed, stepping forward and gently drawing Qingzhu Ling behind him.
Seeing Lin Langtian's steady, lean figure standing before her, Qingzhu Ling bit her lip lightly. The young man she once dismissed from a lower-class kingdom had finally surpassed her, emerging as a powerful figure who could rival the top talents on the continent. As this realization sank in, her clear gaze dropped slightly, her eyes shadowed with mixed emotions.
"Lin Langtian, don't think that beating Yuan Cang makes you so great," Xuantian sneered, looking down at him with contempt. "This will be your grave."
However, Lin Langtian seemed completely unfazed by his mocking. He clapped his hands, and in the next moment, five sharp whooshing sounds filled the air as five black shadows appeared, swiftly coming into view—the team of zombie warriors led by Mo Ying.
As the team assembled, a wave of oppressive energy radiated throughout the area, even making Xuantian and his three warriors visibly uneasy.
"You're here," Lin Langtian said coolly, as Mo Ying stepped forward with a respectful nod.
"My apologies, Master, for the delay!"
"Not at all. Get ready for battle," Lin Langtian replied, motioning to Mo Ying with a wave of his hand. Even within the twisting confines of the Luo Water Formation, Lin Langtian had sensed Mo Ying's presence, which gave him the confidence to confront Xuantian and his warriors head-on, knowing his zombie squad's strength.
At Lin Langtian's signal, Mo Ying and his squad immediately moved forward, surrounding the three warriors from Tianxuan Sect in a menacing circle.
"Well, what's it going to be?" Lin Langtian asked, his gaze settling on Xuantian with a faint, icy smile.
Xuantian's expression darkened, his gaze shifting between Lin Langtian and the zombie squad. Though he was confident, he understood that this battle would be more challenging than anticipated. Lin Langtian, who had defeated Yuan Cang, plus Qingzhu Ling and the powerful zombie squad, put them at a disadvantage.
"Hmph, I'll let you live for now!" Xuantian said at last, though his tone was bitter.
"Leader?" Nalan and the others looked at him, surprised he would retreat so quickly.
"Don't worry. I'll kill him soon enough. First, I need to seize control of the formation," Xuantian replied dismissively, though his gaze lingered on Lin Langtian a moment longer before shifting back to the altar.
Though Nalan and the others seemed unwilling, they nodded reluctantly, knowing that Lin Langtian's zombie squad presented an unusual and formidable threat. Xuantian, always wary of unnecessary risks, opted to restrain his animosity for now. Once he had control of the Luo Water Formation, he was confident Lin Langtian would have no escape, regardless of any hidden tricks.
With Xuantian retreating to the altar, his warriors remained in the air, eyes fixed on Lin Langtian. Mo Ying's zombie squad, led by Mo Ying himself, remained poised to retaliate at the slightest provocation.
"Trying to control the Luo Water Formation?" Lin Langtian muttered, quickly understanding Xuantian's intentions as he watched him move to the altar. His gaze narrowed in suspicion.
"Relax, this formation isn't something he can control so easily. He's too arrogant; it's bound to backfire," Aunt Ling's voice resonated in his mind.
Surprised but reassured by her words, Lin Langtian nodded, directing a playfully mocking look at Xuantian.
Xuantian, now on the altar, released streams of powerful energy beams, pouring them into the massive stone structure.
The altar rumbled as it absorbed the energy, each rumble accompanied by a surge of dazzling light. At the sight, Nalan and the other warriors felt a surge of excitement, believing their information was indeed correct.
Columns of light shot from the altar, weaving together to form a massive light array. Yet, just as the warriors' joy began to rise, the light faded, and the altar trembled, causing cracks to form in the water surface below.
Xuantian's expression shifted, but he gritted his teeth and struck the altar repeatedly, breaking the columns of light as they flickered.
The beams dimmed rapidly, and the altar's trembling intensified, until black mist began seeping from the cracks in the water below.
Lin Langtian's eyes narrowed at the sight of the ominous mist, immediately sensing the presence of dark, otherworldly energy. This treasure trove of the Luo Goddess was indeed tainted with the Evil Clan's influence.
"What is that?" Qingzhu Ling asked, noticing the dark mist with concern.
"You'll find out soon enough," Lin Langtian replied, raising his gaze to Xuantian with a sharp warning. "You fool. You call this controlling the formation? Do you realize you're about to unleash something sealed within the altar?"
"Not your concern," Xuantian shot back angrily, though his confidence wavered. Ignoring Lin Langtian, he focused on the last pillar, hesitation flashing in his eyes before he smashed it to pieces.
With a resounding crack, the altar's light array disappeared, and the trembling stopped.
The stone altar shattered, releasing a torrent of black mist from beneath the ocean floor that surged into the sky, bringing with it an indescribable evil and chill that filled the air.
"Has it…been released?" Lin Langtian muttered, his brow furrowing as he looked at the ominous black mist spilling over the landscape.
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