"Creak…"
Just as everyone was in an uproar, a faint sound of bones twisting suddenly came from the blood-mist-filled hall.
At this sound, all commotion immediately quieted down.
Shocked gazes stared intently at the center of the blood-mist-filled hall, and fear intensified at that moment.
Xiao Yan and the others' expressions became slightly solemn, but Xiao Jietian and Xiao Huiying's expressions remained completely unchanged.
"Xiao Jietian, why do you two not look scared at all? This is a Dou Sheng skeleton reviving, after all," Tang Huo'er asked, seeing that Xiao Jietian and Xiao Huiying were even curiously examining the skeleton that was walking out.
"Scared? Of course I'm scared," Xiao Jietian said calmly, putting his arm around Xiao Huiying's waist. "I'm so scared I can't even move. Look at me."
Tang Huo'er was completely bewildered. Was it really appropriate to say he was scared in such a calm voice? Did they have some means of escape, or something else?
"Alright, watch carefully. The skeleton is about to come out," Xiao Jietian pointed to the center of the hall where the sound was coming from.
Thump… thump…
The sound of bones hitting the ground came from far away and gradually drew closer.
The sound was not loud, but it was like stepping on everyone's heart, making people feel extremely suppressed.
In the center of the main hall, the blood mist slowly rippled under everyone's gaze.
Immediately, a skeleton—its entire body stained blood-red by the blood mist—stepped out of the mist with slow steps, appearing before everyone's eyes.
"Intruders of the ruins… die!"
The blood-colored skeleton stopped about a hundred meters in front of everyone, slowly raised its head, and blood-red light flickered in its hollow eye sockets.
An ancient, hoarse, and indifferent voice softly echoed throughout the hall.
The skeleton's originally jade-white body had turned crimson after absorbing a large amount of blood mist, giving it a strong sense of gore.
In the skeleton's eye sockets, two faint red glows flickered slightly.
Xiao Yan glanced at the listless Xiao Jietian, knowing it was his turn to speak.
He even highly suspected that Xiao Jietian's position by the door had some ulterior motive—like blocking the exit.
"Old ghosts Black and White Heavenly Venerates, it's your turn.
You're not trying to trick us again, are you?
You were even faking it when fighting a three-star Dou Zun puppet before.
I highly doubt your integrity."
"Exactly.
There's a three-star difference in the Dou Zun level.
Six-star fighting three-star—if not a complete crush, then completely dominating the fight shouldn't be a problem.
But you two were going back and forth, even suffering losses.
Who would believe that if you told them?"
As soon as Xiao Yan spoke, others echoed his sentiments.
Black and White Heavenly Venerates' expressions turned as ugly as if they had eaten dirt upon hearing Xiao Yan's words.
They never expected to be mocked by a junior one day; it was the biggest Waterloo of their lives.
But they couldn't argue.
They had indeed been suppressed by the three-star puppet before.
Although it was illogical, it was the truth, and they didn't know what was going on, so they couldn't explain it at all.
"Old ghost Black Heavenly Venerate, do you think losing a hand means you don't have to fight? Hurry up and act.
This thing is absorbing blood energy; it's very strange," Yao Feng urged impatiently.
For him, who had a grudge with Black Heavenly Venerate, he was the most pleased one here at the moment.
"Hmph, no need for you to tell me," Black and White Heavenly Venerates took out their respective weapons—though this time Black Heavenly Venerate's scythe was held in his left hand.
The two, along with the remaining two Elder Zuns of the Hall of Souls, attacked the skeleton.
Overwhelming Dou Qi surged out, and this aura instantly thinned the blood mist permeating the hall.
The vast, dark Dou Qi was like four roaring giant pythons, tearing toward the skeleton.
Watching the powerful attack, the dark-red skeleton raised its withered bone palm and clenched it fiercely at them.
Crack!
The four giant python-like torrents of Dou Qi were actually crushed and exploded like fragile glass!
The terrifying energy impact completely dispersed even the dense blood mist in the air.
The skeleton clapped forward again. Its arm passed through space, and when it reappeared, it was already in front of the four members of the Hall of Souls.
"What?!"
The four cried out in alarm, a look of horror appearing in their eyes for the first time.
Black Heavenly Venerate reacted the fastest. His scythe carrying black Dou Qi tore through space as he slashed down.
White Heavenly Venerate's Soul banner gushed out many souls, weaving into a light curtain.
The two Elder Zuns exerted all their strength, condensing their lifelong cultivation into defense.
The withered bone palm lightly struck down, but it carried irresistible power and spatial tearing force, hitting their defenses and attacks.
Bang!
Several energies collided, erupting in a huge sound and sonic wave.
"Pfft!" The four members of the Hall of Souls simultaneously spat out a mouthful of fresh blood. Their figures retreated in disarray, their feet carving two deep marks on the ground until they stabilized dozens of meters back.
The weapons of the four members of the Hall of Souls also trembled violently, and the backlash made their arms numb.
The skeleton was also forced back several steps by the recoil force, and the red light in its eyes swayed a few times.
Black and White Heavenly Venerates saw this and a hint of joy surged in their eyes. It indicated that the opponent was not invincible.
"What are you still waiting for? Waiting to die? Hurry up and act!" Black Heavenly Venerate roared at the surrounding crowd.
The mission this time was to bring the Dou Sheng skeleton back, so the four members of the Hall of Souls no longer hesitated and attacked the skeleton again.
The Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan and Xiao Yan and the others arranged for the surrounding crowd to hold back the puppets, and they also attacked the skeleton.
"You guys stay here. Don't run around. I'm going to buy some oranges," Xiao Jietian stretched his body and said to Xiao Huiying and the others.
Xiao Huiying nodded lightly.
Nalan Yanran and Tang Huo'er: ??? What the hell are oranges?
Xiao Jietian took a step and instantly arrived next to a puppet, slapping it away.
"You guys deal with the others. Leave this one to me."
With that, Xiao Jietian instantly caught up to the puppet and stomped it heavily to the ground, creating a huge sound and raising a cloud of smoke.
Xiao Jietian also used Dou Qi to maintain the smoke, obscuring his figure.
His gaze pierced through the smoke, looking at the besieged skeleton with a smile playing on his lips.
Those who were besieging this puppet were all surprised, not expecting someone to send this puppet flying with a single blow.
Their faces also showed a hint of joy, and then they joined other teams to besiege the remaining puppets.
"Hui Ying, what is Xiao Jietian's actual strength?" Tang Huo'er asked in surprise, seeing Xiao Jietian slap away a puppet that her father would have to fight for some time to defeat.
Xiao Huiying gently shook her head. "Perhaps you will know later."
Seeing that Xiao Huiying was unwilling to say more, Tang Huo'er did not press further.
Although she was straightforward, she was not a fool. Excessively probing someone else's cultivation was a major taboo.