The Immortal Realm, Blood Lotus Fire Valley.
This was a forbidden area in the Immortal Realm, with the Samadhi True Flames filling the valley outside. The scorching sun-like power had dried up all spiritual energy. Any celestial being below the Saint level who dared to step within a thousand miles of the Blood Lotus Fire Valley would be instantly incinerated into ashes by the sun-like power!
Even for a Saint, it required a massive amount of spiritual energy to protect their meridians and prevent them from being eroded by the fire poison.
A certain Saint from the West had once experimented. After staying in the Blood Lotus Fire Valley for an hour, he would deplete all his spiritual energy. Afterward, he would be eroded by the fire poison, damaging his soul.
And an hour was not enough time for him to break through the outer barrier of the Blood Lotus Fire Valley and explore its interior.
Since even Saints could not ascertain the true scene within the Blood Lotus Fire Valley, what lay inside had become a great mystery to many divine kingdoms across the Three Realms.
However, the immortals of the Immortal Realm were unaware that there were people residing within the Blood Lotus Fire Valley.
This was a branch hall of the Shadow Hall.
Within the Blood Lotus Fire Valley, numerous coffins were suspended in the air, and fire spirits capable of manipulating the Samadhi True Flames danced in the valley, weaving between the suspended coffins.
Deep within the fire valley, a red-haired woman sat cross-legged on a fire lotus platform condensed from Samadhi True Flames. Before her, over a hundred barefoot red-haired women knelt in worship, seemingly performing some sort of ritual.
The red-haired woman seated on the fire lotus platform was one of the Twelve Holy Pillars of the Shadow Hall, the Blood Lotus Profound Maiden!
Suspended in the air before the Blood Lotus Profound Maiden was a blood lotus, within which four shadowy figures could be vaguely discerned.
If Ye Ling were present, he would undoubtedly recognize the four figures within the blood lotus as Yang Jian and the other three celestial beings who had attacked him in the mortal world!
"This is it..."
Ye Ling's divine sense clone passed through the barrier outside the Blood Lotus Fire Valley and landed on a suspended coffin. He looked at the dancing fire spirits in the valley and exclaimed, "Tsk, tsk... The true flames manipulated by these fire spirits are capable of incinerating the Three Realms. I recall records in the Heavenly Dao memory stating that they should all be ancient demonic spirits that went extinct during the Primordial Era, yet here there are so many!"
"If they were released, it's hard to imagine if the outside world could still exist."
As he spoke, Ye Ling casually lifted the lid of a suspended coffin. He found that instead of a corpse, the coffin was filled with countless heavenly treasures and earthly materials. The items here were extremely rare and precious treasures within the Three Realms!
Even a single item taken out would be worth an astronomical price, causing countless immortals and celestial beings to fight over it!
"This is truly a treasure trove... It's just a pity that the Samadhi True Flames outside are too fierce, and not many people can enter."
As Ye Ling mused, the fire spirits in the Blood Lotus Fire Valley also discovered Ye Ling and pounced towards him. The Samadhi True Flames they manipulated transformed into roaring fiery dragons, intending to devour Ye Ling.
In this place, Ye Ling saw no need to hide his strength. He directly used his aura to scatter those fire spirits and gazed towards the depths of the valley.
"There's a human presence there, and someone with a cultivation at the peak of Saint realm, with strength close to the Emperor realm. He should be the owner of that blood lotus."
Having located his target, Ye Ling chuckled and transformed into a black streak of light, flying towards the depths of the Blood Lotus Fire Valley.
The Blood Lotus Profound Maiden, seated on the fire lotus platform, suddenly felt a sense of unease. The blood lotus suspended before her flickered, and scorching flames spread outwards, causing the women below to cry out in alarm.
The Blood Lotus Profound Maiden opened her eyes, looked at the blood lotus suspended in the air, and frowned, "Why do I have a feeling of unease? Yang Jian and the other four have not yet been defeated by Ye Ling, which confirms what Ye Feng said, that Ye Ling's strength is no longer at its peak. This should be my opportunity, so why..."
The Blood Lotus Profound Maiden had always trusted her sixth sense, but now she felt an inexplicable unease, finding no reason for it.
Unable to pinpoint the source of the ominous premonition, the Blood Lotus Profound Maiden leaped from the fire lotus platform and carefully checked the condition of Yang Jian and the four celestial beings within the blood lotus. After confirming they were still pursuing Ye Ling, she breathed a slight sigh of relief.
"Perhaps I am being overly cautious..."
The Blood Lotus Profound Maiden murmured to herself. Just as she was about to return to her fire lotus platform, she suddenly noticed a giant black claw attacking from a distance!
"What is that?"
Seeing the attacking black claw, the Blood Lotus Profound Maiden's pupils contracted sharply. She quickly pushed the blood lotus before her, attempting to block the black claw!
Boom!!!
The blood lotus collided with the black claw, and scorching flames surged outwards. Violent power swept through the surroundings of the Blood Lotus Fire Valley. The barefoot red-haired women kneeling in the valley instantly turned into dust!
The Blood Lotus Profound Maiden was also sent flying by the powerful impact, crashing heavily into the mountain wall. Her arms were scorched into charcoal by the flames, and even her bones were exposed!
"What in the world is this?"
The Blood Lotus Profound Maiden struggled to climb out of the pile of rubble. Disregarding her deceased subordinates, she stared intently at the raging sea of fire before her!
A black figure was slowly emerging from the sea of fire.
Ye Ling emerged from the sea of fire, looking at the Blood Lotus Profound Maiden with a smile, and asked, "Miss, are you from the Shadow Hall?"
Upon clearly seeing Ye Ling's face, the Blood Lotus Profound Maiden's pupils contracted violently, and she exclaimed, "Impossible! Weren't you in the mortal world's capital? How could you be here?"
At this moment, a tempestuous wave surged in the Blood Lotus Profound Maiden's heart. She simply could not believe that the person before her was Ye Ling!
After all, just a moment before the black claw attacked, she had still checked the status of Yang Jian and the four celestial beings through the blood lotus, confirming that Ye Ling was currently fighting with Yang Jian and the others!
Moreover, to prevent Ye Ling from finding her, she had deliberately severed her connection with Yang Jian and the others. This way, although she could not directly see the battle between Yang Jian and Ye Ling, even if Ye Ling discovered her mark, he would not be able to find her through it!
Ye Ling should not have been here at all!
Ye Ling smiled and said, "This is merely a wisp of my divine sense. My main body is still in the capital, but I have altered the flow of time there. At this moment, Yang Jian and the others should still be on their way to pursue me. It won't have any impact if I deal with you first before returning."
"You!!!"
Hearing Ye Ling's words, the Blood Lotus Profound Maiden was utterly shocked, and the fear in her eyes intensified.
She could not believe that what Ye Ling said was true!
At this moment, the pressure Ye Ling exuded was enough to make her soul tremble. Before Ye Ling, she felt like an infant facing a giant, only able to tremble in fear.
And now Ye Ling told her that the person before her was merely a wisp of his divine sense.
Then, how powerful was Ye Ling's main body?
She could not imagine!