Cultivating for a hundred lifetimes to ascension

Just as Zhou Lu and his two companions were about to act on the most vital foundation of the Earth Flame Palace,

In the innermost part of the Ancestor Hall, within the Cold Ice Cave, bronze coffins were arrayed one after another. A rough count revealed that there were more than a hundred.

At this moment, a middle-aged man with a face like a date, exuding authority without anger, was reciting ancient texts. His hands were continuously casting numerous spells, and magic light after magic light submerged into all the coffins.

Soon, the coffins began to shudder faintly, and the heavy lids were slowly pushed open from the inside, one by one. Age-worn elders with deathly pallor sat up from their coffins, their eyes transitioning from lifeless to gradually displaying a hint of vitality.

Watching those revived ancestors, the middle-aged man's face betrayed a hint of disappointment.

For even now, more than two-thirds of the copper coffins showed no sign of movement.

The art of feigned death seals has its limits, and they are not eternal.

Perhaps the sealing lasted too long; some ancestors who were hanging on by a thread had exhausted their last bit of vitality during the lengthy years and had passed away silently within their coffins.

But soon, the middle-aged man's eyes lit up with joy, and he hurried over to a particularly large copper coffin near the center. Within it sat a skeletal old man with sparse hair and a face covered in sores.

The middle-aged man knelt down without hesitation and kowtowed repeatedly, "Descendant of Yin Family, the forty-eighth Family Head, Yin Yixian, pays respects to Ancestor!"

"Ah, has it come to such a state of collapse? I didn't expect... cough, cough!" The Skeleton Elder sighed, his aged face filled with reminiscence and regret but was suddenly seized by a fit of coughing.

At that moment, a massive coffin beside him abruptly sat up a burly figure, half his body nothing but bone.

This person was Nu Lin, a Nascent Soul Ancestor from two thousand years ago.

"Hmph, to think we'd be attacked in our own home! Incompetence, sheer incompetence! Each generation is weaker than the last!"

As the bony giant berated those with him, the other revived Living Dead gradually regained consciousness.

"Cackle! At last, to see the light of day again!!"

"The younger generation has awakened us, surely because our sect is facing catastrophe. I have feigned death and sealed myself away just for this day's battle, to die a worthy death!"

"Cough, cough, too much time has passed. I barely have the strength for one more strike, but it will suffice!"

"Excellent! To think this True Immortal would keep the company of so many generations of ancestors on the journey to the Netherworld!"

"Heh, even the ancestors have been awakened! Seems like Earth Flame Palace's inheritance is on the brink of destruction. Perfect!"

For a time, the Sealing Hall was filled with a cacophony, as the Living Dead burst out of their coffins in unison, voicing the fears they had harbored before death and straining to muster their last remaining strength.

"Silence!"

Just then, an extremely mighty Divine Thought swept through out of nowhere, instantly silencing everyone as they turned to look.

The source of this Divine Thought was a tall elder dressed in a Liu Jin Robe, adorned with a Flame Crown.

It didn't take long for some to recognize the elder, who was none other than Green Light Ancestor, the Great Cultivator from the Late-stage Nascent Soul and a former Palace Master from several generations ago.

This person had the highest cultivation among all the Living Dead, and since he had only been sealed for a mere thousand years, his power had not waned too much.

"Yin Li, Nu Lin, Fen Mo..." Green Light Ancestor called out the dao names of the other four Nascent Soul Ancestors, then swiftly said, "Facing this great tribulation, we, as the ancestors of Earth Flame Palace, should join forces and unite. We must protect the foundation of our ancestors, even if it costs us our lives. As matters are urgent, why don't you let the junior take charge this time around?"

"You're the strongest among us, kid; I'll listen to you!" answered the bony giant readily.

"Green Light, you've been the Palace Master yourself; no need for such fuss! Quickly make the arrangements to meet the enemy. I, Fen Mo, have been impatient with living already."

"Even though you were Palace Master before, I have nothing to say!" said a Nascent Soul Ancestor in a golden robe, seemingly unconcerned.

"It's all the same in death, whoever takes charge is fine! I, Yin Li, will obey the orders." It took the Skeleton Elder, Yin Li, a moment longer before he nodded and spoke.

"Very well, listen all: Those who have cultivated the 'Earth Deity Seven Flames Manual,' immediately pair up freely and form the Earth God Seven Flames Formation. Those who have cultivated the 'Destroying God Devouring Soul True Method,' hide behind the Tao Formation, and when the time is right, unleash the Destroying God Devouring Soul Divine Light. Those who have cultivated—"

Mid-sentence, Green Light Ancestor's eyes suddenly widened in rage, and he bellowed thunderously, "Hey, who dares to spy secretly... on us!"

Before his words even finished, Green Light Ancestor abruptly looked upwards, his eyes shooting out two beams of fiery light that shot straight into the top of the stone room.

"Roar, that hurts!"

...

Boom!

Even with the strong defensive power of the Fire Shield outside the Ancestor Hall, it couldn't withstand the fierce bombardment of the four Late Stage Nascent Soul Ancestors.

After only a dozen or so breaths, the Fire Shield was already faltering and suddenly shattered.

Boom, boom!

With no protection from the Fire Shield, the grand and ancient Ancestor Hall stood for eons but was quickly reduced to rubble by Zhao Sheng and his three companions.

Thud, thud, thud!

The ground shook violently, and deep cracks quickly opened, creating wide, bottomless fissures.

Just when these events unfolded, a stone man enveloped in Green Flame suddenly shot upward from the ruins of the Ancestor Hall at a breakneck speed.

"Watch out, it's coming!"

Zhao Sheng, Han Wei, Zhou Li, upon seeing this, acted with telepathic speed, simultaneously sweeping their sleeves.

In an instant, myriad thick bolts of lightning, a sky full of True Fire, and a mass of True Water all struck the place where Shi Jiugong had escaped, right above the deep chasm.