After speaking, she waved her hand and another Jade Bottle appeared.

She held it in her hands, looking at it with a pained expression, then waved it to give it to Song Yan.

Song Yan took the Jade Bottle and quickly stored it away.

Though there was still no news about the "Heaven-Stealing Pill" that Ancestor Yanzhang was supposed to procure, having these extra cards wasn't bad either.

...

...

Time passed, leaving less than a year until the Void Ruins opened...

The era of the Dark Calamity had passed nearly eighty years, with large swathes of cities turning to ruins, lands suitable for mortal survival becoming scarce, and the population significantly decreasing. Many of the first generations of mortals who witnessed the dawn of the Dark Calamity era had already turned to dust.

Mortals are witnesses to the Dark Calamity era, but mere passersby.

The transition of eras is always slow, even for newborns, who only need to endure these decades. Once people die, who cares if floods overwhelm the world.

Those truly facing this catastrophe are the cultivators.

The stronger the cultivator, the more anxious they become!

And because of the True Spirit Fragment, cultivators from various races and even ordinary sect cultivators were stronger than their peers from thousands of years ago.

However... the True Spirit Fragment is ultimately a consumable. They were only preserved a bit in ancient tombs or some underground ruins, and now, after decades of consumption, are thoroughly exhausted. This means this revival of cultivators will become a mere echo, and the comprehension of future cultivators will return to normal.

A large amount of Netherworld's Qi erupted in the barren lands, with more Celestial Calamity Beasts emerging from all directions, starting to extinguish these Netherworld's Qi.

Yet, no matter how the Celestial Calamity Beasts attack, they can only temporarily disperse and alleviate the Qi but cannot eliminate it from the root.

This makes each outbreak of Netherworld's Qi bring increasingly severe consequences.

Fortunately, for now, the Celestial Calamity Beasts have the upper hand, and the Netherworld's Qi can only give rise to a batch of "ghost teams", which would then be torn apart by the Celestial Calamity Beasts like a storm.

Cultivators formed a "Flesh and Blood Great Wall" at the borders to resist the Celestial Calamity Beasts, and occasionally powerful cultivators would venture deep into the disaster areas to slay the Celestial Calamity Beasts.

At this moment...

An extremely horrifying scene was unfolding on a dust-covered empty ground.

The corpses of Earth Beasts piled up into mountains, mixed with a few Wood Beasts.

A figure wearing a Ghost Face stood before this mountain of Calamity Beast corpses, gradually removing the Ghost Face and opening his mouth.

His mouth opened wider and wider, suddenly spraying out cold, stiff, deathly silent black tree roots like a tide of snakes, writhing and twisting, swiftly penetrating these Calamity Beast corpses.

Then, those tree roots began absorbing life energy.

It seemed insatiable, so the roots continued to spread.

Suddenly, a strange tree leaped out from the mouth of Corpse Demon Song Yan, it was the Nether Tree, also known as Manjusaka.

The branches of the Manjusaka, as black as iron, had already produced two bronze-colored leaves, like two small palms reaching for the sky, rustling in the wind.

Originally, the instant Manjusaka appeared, it would attract a massive amount of Celestial Calamity Beasts, even disasters, because of emitting Netherworld's Qi.

Yet now, when Manjusaka was exposed to sunlight, nothing happened.

Its Netherworld's Qi continued to disperse, rising into the sky, yet no disaster occurred... until the Netherworld's Qi drifted away, and only then did a huge commotion sound in the distance.

Its leaves faced the sky, seemingly obscuring the detector of heaven, these small leaves blocking the world's examination.

Manjusaka climbed up the mountain of Calamity Beast corpses to digest.

Corpse Demon Song Yan, on the other hand, was setting up various illusion arrays beside them.

After one day, the corpses of the Celestial Calamity Beasts were completely devoured.

Manjusaka returned to the belly of Corpse Demon Song Yan.

These actions were their routine, something they did daily for years.

But today was clearly different. One man and one tree seemed to have a realization, suddenly concealing their presence, heading in the direction of the Formless Ancient Race.

...

Two months later...

On the outskirts of a human town.

The number of cultivators defending against the Celestial Calamity Beasts greatly decreased because the Mountain and Sea Demon Race invaded from the south, and many cultivators were called to support the south.

In a gloomy forest, two figures appeared simultaneously.

Corpse Demon Song Yan opened his mouth, letting Manjusaka climb out and leap into Song Yan's embrace, then adjusted his aura to integrate into the town, moving further into a Cave Mansion Song Yan had prepared in advance, sitting cross-legged.

This Cave Mansion was not too close, yet within a day's journey of the Void Ruins' opening area, ready to assist Song Yan at any time.

...

Months later...

Winter.

Snow fell like goose feathers, descending from the sky.

The ones who desired to enter the Void Ruins to cultivate had gathered from the Nine Ancient Tribes.

Due to the crisis at the front lines, many powerful figures from the Ancient Tribes stepped forward. Today, the host changed to Ancestor Tang Ningxin of the Formless Ancient Race, related to the recent rise in the Formless Ancient Race's prestige.

At that moment, Ancestor Ningxin was gazing at the sky as if quietly waiting, suddenly, with a gentle move of her tender hand, a pillar of mana pierced upwards.

In the sky, the snow was parted, revealing a vaguely visible void hole, spreading its ghostly blue glow over the land.

Ancestor Ningxin raised her hand, casting out jade boxes one by one.

The Nine Ancient Tribes took the jade boxes one after another.

Ancestor Ningxin loudly declared, "Upon entering the Void Ruins, you will be randomly scattered within a thousand-mile range. Do not panic if there are no companions beside you; form a team quickly to explore the Profound Yellow Material. But also be vigilant of the Mountain and Sea Demon Race, even the Sea Demon Race, and the cultivators from the Star Luo Domain.

The Star Luo Domain is a realm within the Vast Sea, composed of countless islands where many Loose Cultivators reside. Ancient Race Cultivators may also exist there, so what to do when encountering them requires no further instructions from me.

In the jade boxes are placed precious 'Return Insect Souls'. If you wish to return, open the jade box, and these 'Return Insect Souls' will escort you as swiftly as possible back to this exit from a safe spot.

You will have to travel this path yourself, so always reserve enough strength to ensure you are not powerless to return...

Additionally, the Mountain and Sea Demon Race, the Sea Demon Race, and the Star Luo Domain do not share the same exit as us...

This time, our Nine Tribes have arranged four Elders in the Early Stage of Divine Infant to enter with you. These four Elders will not explore the Profound Yellow Material but will use the Return Insect Souls to return to the exit immediately upon entering the ruins, providing support for when you return.

The Void Ruins will remain open for a year, but as long as you don't venture deep, there should be no danger; if your entry location is closer to the exit, you may return first to the exit, await your companions, and venture deeper together.

The exit represents safety.

You are the pillars of our Ancient Tribes, remember to preserve yourself, and do not act recklessly."

Having spoken, Ancestor Ningxin waved her azure sleeves, stepping back with a gentle shout: "Open!"

The Azure-robed Divine Maiden, at this moment, lacked the allure she exhibited when beside Song Yan, presenting a heroic air, her ancestral might overwhelming others. As she pointed with her fingers, the void hole began to expand.

"May fortune be with you!"

With those words, shadows of Ancient Race powerhouses shot into the sky.

For the Formless Ancient Race, it was Song Yan, Tang Xiaoxuan, Tang Xiaokong, Princess Xi, along with four cultivators in the Late Stage of the Purple Mansion.

The group soared upward together.

As Song Yan passed by Ancestor Ningxin, he turned slightly to glance at her.

She looked at him with gentle eyes, nodding slightly to offer encouragement.

...

...

Boom!!

Song Yan crossed through the void hole, landing on a floating fragment.

It was a wall from some unknown building, long turned pitch black, pitted with countless corroded holes.

Many similar fragments were scattered around, growing denser in one particular direction, evidently... this density pointed towards the depths of the Void Ruins.

The four races combined, just a few hundred people came here.

They were spread over a vast area, and unless "unluckily" grouped, there usually would be no companions or enemies nearby.

Song Yan looked around, seeing the vast, deep void, filled with glowing rays that needed to be repelled with power. As for Profound Qi, it was not lacking, allowing cultivators to freely use their magic.

From the depths of the dense fragmented void ruins came strange, eerie giggling sounds, intermittent, sending shivers down one's spine.

Song Yan withdrew the box containing the "Return Insect Soul," contemplating.

Should he first gather at the exit, or... explore alone?

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