The Ancient War Triple Seal

Xiao Chen impaled Mo Lika in midair. Blood sprayed forth, not only making You Lanmu, who had just arrived, glare with fury, but also causing Dugu Jianmo, watching from afar, to shoot two beams of divine light from his eyes. He hugged his iron sword, a fierce battle intent surging forth.

Mo Lika was in excruciating pain. His abdomen was completely pierced through, and because Xiao Chen's power was too overwhelming, his internal organs were shattered. As a practitioner at the Ninth Heaven realm with profound vitality, he would not die quickly, making this a torture, a suffering akin to hellish torment!

Screams echoed continuously through the ancient mansion of the Dugu family. Mo Lika was drenched in cold sweat, blood staining half his body, his spirit listless and worn.

You Lanmu was very tall, his appearance similar to Mo Lika's. Though not handsome, he exuded a wild aura. His cold eyes glared at Xiao Chen as he shouted, "Release him!"

Xiao Chen would not respond to such words; they were meaningless! He freed one hand, gripping the Basit Ancient Spear with a single hand to hoist Mo Lika. With his other hand, he tapped several acupoints on his body to staunch the blood flowing from his wounds.

"Release my brother!" You Lanmu stubbornly repeated his demand, though in the eyes of such experts it was tantamount to useless words, for no one would change their mind because of them. But You Lanmu had no choice; this was his own brother. He was already considering backing down.

"Tell me, why did you want to kill me? If it was to challenge me, there was no need for a backstab. Why?!" As he spoke, Xiao Chen's gaze turned fierce, as if trying to pierce into You Lanmu's mind.

"No reason. The Basit Ancient Spear guided us to slay a demon."

"Do not deceive me!" Xiao Chen snorted coldly. Then he shook the blood-red spear, causing Mo Lika to cry out in pain, and continued in a cold voice, "The ancient spear has slain gods, but it has never pierced a demon. Am I a god? Why did you try to assassinate me from behind?"

Seeing Mo Lika's torment, You Lanmu could no longer maintain his composure. His expression turned complicated as he said, "It was our fault. I sincerely apologize to you here. Please release my brother."

"Speak!" Just one word, then Xiao Chen shook the ancient spear again, causing Mo Lika to bleed profusely and scream in agony.

"My brother wanted to marry Yan Qingcheng, but he was told by an elder of the Undying Sect in Heavenly Emperor City that she had already been betrothed to you."

Hearing this, Xiao Chen was stunned, then sighed helplessly. Damn! Could this really bring about a murderous calamity? That was too unjust. Should he consider making it a reality? Otherwise, this spear thrust felt utterly wasted.

"What else? It can't be this simple, can it?" Xiao Chen did not believe this was the only reason.

"Hofmann was drinking with my brother and said there would be a heavy reward for eliminating you!" You Lanmu bit out the instigator without hesitation.

"Hofmann of the Ligen family?"

"Yes."

"That scum really can't be left alive!" The killing intent in Xiao Chen's eyes was undisguised. His feud with the Ligen family was growing deeper. Having killed their four Spirit-Treasury experts, he knew the family must hate him to the core, but they dared not act rashly, cowed by the terrifying existence in the deepest parts of the Southern Wastes.

"What else?" Xiao Chen's cold gaze swept over You Lanmu. "I don't believe these are the only two reasons. They don't truly convince me."

You Lanmu had already thrown caution to the wind. He glared coldly at Xiao Chen and said, "When my brother held the Basit Ancient Spear, he could produce a certain prophetic insight. He felt that you would become a great enemy of ours in the future. If we do not eliminate you now, the consequences will be endless."

"So in the end, you yourselves wanted to kill me." Xiao Chen laughed coldly. "He could see the future when holding the Basit Ancient Spear? That is utter nonsense. It's just an excuse to get rid of me. If he could see the future, why didn't he foresee being impaled here? He can't even grasp his own future—how dare he boast about seeing the future!"

"Hmph!" You Lanmu snorted. If not for Mo Lika being captured, he would not be swallowing his pride like this.

"I imagine such a divine spear is not something you brothers can fully control in your current state. How could your family elders allow you to bring it out so casually?"

Just then, Mo Lika, enduring intense pain, said weakly, "Brother, I'm done for. My internal organs have been completely shattered by that spear..."

"What?!" You Lanmu's eyes shot wide. After all this talk, this news hit him like a thunderbolt.

"You can't blame me for this." Xiao Chen was very calm. "A life-and-death battle was just fought. Who dares to hold back? He came to kill me, and now he is killed by me. That is no injustice."

"I will fight you to the death!" You Lanmu's hair stood on end in fury. There was no need for further words. His body moved like a ghost, closing in on Xiao Chen silently and swiftly. A palm strike came with thunderous sounds and dazzling light.

Xiao Chen shook the Basit Ancient Spear, conjuring a crimson curtain of blood light that surged and roared like waves, the sound deafening.

You Lanmu ground his teeth nearly to powder. Xiao Chen was actually using his brother's body as a shield to meet the enemy! Before his eyes, his brother's body split apart.

"Ah..." He roared and retreated, his entire frame trembling violently. His baleful gaze fixed on Xiao Chen as he said in a frigid voice, "You are ruthless! You are cruel!"

"Cruel? I did everything in the open and aboveboard. But your brother used the Basit Ancient Spear, which has slain gods, to ambush me from behind. What do you have to say to that?" Xiao Chen's expression was very calm, as if he were speaking of an ordinary matter. "If you think it's cruel, then don't enter the world of cultivation. The path of cultivation itself is a tragic song. When you kill, you must be prepared to be killed."

You Lanmu was nearly berserk. His brown hair stood on end, his eyes blood-red. He said viciously, "I will use your heart and liver to sacrifice to Mo Lika! Let me tell you truthfully—the one who can sense the future when holding the Basit Ancient Spear is me. I am the one who wants to kill you! Now, you must die!"

"What makes you think you can kill me? Can you really kill me? Your brother already said similar words. It seems your end will be the same as his." Xiao Chen had no need for harsh words; they were meaningless. Everything would be decided by action.

At this moment, he possessed great confidence. Despite his severe injuries, he had already touched the edge of the Spirit-Treasury realm. His combat ability had increased a notch. Unless he faced a strong practitioner like Dugu Jianmo, who was also on the verge of entering the Spirit-Treasury realm, he was hardly threatened.

"Boom!"

You Lanmu pounced like a wild beast, his eyes blazing red, trying to seize the Basit Ancient Spear.

Divine flames leaped atop the blood spear. Xiao Chen held it aloft, tracing arcane trajectories that stirred up a sky-filling murderous aura.

Blood light shot into the sky, a pervasive aura of slaughter!

A blood curtain covered every inch of space within ten zhang. Blood-colored energy waves crashed like startling waves against the shore, like chaotic rocks piercing the sky.

"Break!" You Lanmu shouted. "Ancient War Triple Seal!"

Three beams of divine light swept down, scouring away the sky-filling blood curtain. You Lanmu's expression was savage, nearly frantic as he roared:

"Seal Heaven!"

"Seal Earth!"

"Seal Man!"

The three beams of divine light swept away all obstruction, even freezing the Basit Ancient Spear in place.

Seal Heaven—sealed the essence of heaven, the spiritual energies of sun and moon. The primal energy around Xiao Chen could no longer fluctuate; it was completely imprisoned, unable to be drawn upon.

Seal Earth—sealed the pulsations of the earth, the divine power of the earth mother underground, unable to rise, also completely immobilized, preventing Xiao Chen from borrowing strength.

Seal Man—directly imprisoned Xiao Chen himself. A beam of light, brimming with vast and unfathomable power, flooded him with endless purple light.

The Ancient War Triple Seal was one of the battle techniques of the Ancient War Clan, whose strength rivaled the gods. It was a bizarre technique for controlling the forces of heaven and earth. But only a true descendant of the War Clan could unleash its full power.

You Lanmu's master came from a small tribe in the West. Legend had it that the people of that tribe were descendants of the War Clan, and thus knew some ancient War Clan techniques. You Lanmu was talented. Though he had not yet entered the Spirit-Treasury realm, he had already opened some of his body's hidden treasures. Combined with his master's forceful infusion, he could simply use the "Ancient War Triple Seal."

And so, Xiao Chen was instantly frozen!

In the distance, Dugu Jianmo's eyes shot forth two cold beams, staring unblinkingly at the scene.

At this moment, Xiao Chen was like a clay or wooden statue. His tall frame stood there utterly motionless. The Basit Ancient Spear in his hand flickered with an eerie red light. The ancient runes engraved upon it shimmered, as if alive, faintly pulsating. And atop it, the blood of gods flowed slowly!

You Lanmu seemed to have collapsed from exhaustion. Using his own power to seal the heavenly and earthly energies of the space around him, and also imprisoning Xiao Chen, had expended too much of his vitality. After completing this, he had little strength left.

"Heh... heh heh heh..." You Lanmu laughed coldly, moving his body slowly until he was close to Xiao Chen. "Where is your confidence now? Before my Ancient War Triple Seal, everything is as fragile as clay and dogs!"

"Break!" With a light shout, the power of "Seal Man" violently surged. Xiao Chen immediately spat out a large mouthful of blood. The dazzling purple light wrapped around him, as if trying to shatter him.

"Clang!"

You Lanmu drew a longsword and thrust it fiercely at Xiao Chen's chest.

"Puff!"

Two streams of blood burst forth simultaneously. The longsword embedded itself into Xiao Chen's body for a short distance, then stopped. Blood gushed out.

But the Basit Ancient Spear had already pierced through You Lanmu's heart, running him through from front to back!

"Impossible..." You Lanmu's face was filled with disbelief. He murmured, "This is absolutely impossible..."

"You placed too much faith in your so-called Ancient War Triple Seal. If my body had not been so severely wounded, you could not have bound me even for a moment. I—have already touched the true realm of Spirit-Treasury!"

The endless purple light dissipated. Xiao Chen broke free from the imprisonment, hoisting You Lanmu on the Basit Ancient Spear, then shattered him in midair.

"Thank you for completing me. Only through the piercing cold of winter can the spring blossoms flourish. It is you brothers who have brought me so close to the Spirit-Treasury realm—within reach!" Xiao Chen's voice was very low.

Having said this, he dragged his heavily wounded body, turned his head to give Dugu Jianmo a deep look, then strode out of the Dugu ancient mansion.

Tonight, he had suffered too severe an injury. His hand bones were broken by Dugu Jianmo's sword, his left flank was pierced by Mo Lika's Basit Ancient Spear, his chest was stabbed with a longsword by You Lanmu, and there were terrible internal injuries—even his internal organs had cracks.

A cold voice came from behind: "Take care. Don't get killed on the road."

Xiao Chen did not look back. He directly spread the Undying Wings and soared into the sky. He had actually been waiting for Dugu Jianmo to attack, but the other's reaction was nonetheless gratifying to him.

There was no one else present. Dugu Jianmo's figure looked very lonely. He walked forward holding his iron sword. On the ruins, he slowly swung his sword, as slowly as he could.

Time and again, after a hundred repetitions, he seemed to gain some insight. Then he lightly slashed at the ground. Soundlessly, the mutilated corpses on the ground seemed to evaporate, turning into ashes that scattered with the wind, disappearing without a trace.

Xiao Chen spread the Undying Wings, holding the Basit Ancient Spear, flying through the void. Now, he could no longer fight. His wounds were too severe.

It was not about the number of battles fought, but about the effectiveness of the battle. The goal had been achieved—the door to his body's treasure had been opened. Now it was up to him to excavate that treasure.

It was already the third watch of the night. When he descended into the courtyard, the snow-white little beast Keke and the Little Defiant Dragon appeared like flashes of lightning. Additionally, the small white-shelled turtle furtively showed itself, stealing glances at him from atop a pavilion.

Xiao Chen reached into his bosom, took out a five-colored Phoenix Feather, and with a flick of his wrist, fixed it atop the tallest artificial mountain in the courtyard. Tonight, the Phoenix Feather might be his talisman for survival. It was time to use it!