In the past, he had personally set up a deadly formation, spending thousands of years to refine it.
Even a Grandmaster of the Divine Marquis realm would surely die if trapped within this formation, let alone a mere martial divine marquis.
Yet now, Zhou Yan stood before him, unharmed.
How could this be possible!
Rumble~~
At the same time, the sky trembled, and a pitch-black cloud enveloped half the horizon, thunder rumbling as if the end of the world had arrived. The entire world darkened.
Above, dark clouds gathered, lightning flashed, resembling a world-ending catastrophe.
"No! It's not like this!"
The old man's eyes widened, his face full of dread, his lips trembling as if he had gone mad.
Boom!
A thick bolt of purple lightning tore through the sky, striking the old man directly, carrying destructive power.
Crack!
The old man's body exploded, his clothes shredded, blood splattering everywhere. His flesh disintegrated inch by inch, and he fell to the ground, screaming, utterly annihilated.
And the thick lightning bolt, unwilling to cease, coiled in the sky, continuing to spit lightning, as if intending to obliterate the entire continent in endless thunder.
"No! I can't wait any longer!"
"I must leave this accursed place!"
The old man roared, his blood coalescing in his chest. He spat it out in a single breath, burning his lifespan to activate a secret technique, forcefully breaking free from his restraints and fleeing north.
...
"Hurry! We're too unlucky this time, running into the heavenly tribulation!"
"Quickly get away!"
"Run!"
"We're dead for sure this time!"
In the mountain forest, four or five martial artists ran in panic, sweat pouring down their faces, their complexions ashen, their souls trembling as if they had witnessed the most terrifying of things.
"Mother of god!"
Suddenly, a shrill scream echoed from ahead. The group looked up and saw a ball of eerie green ghost fire hovering above the treetops, like a firefly, drifting in mid-air, emitting strange moaning sounds.
This ball of eerie green ghost fire seemed to possess some kind of magic, capturing everyone's attention. They stopped in their tracks, staring at it in horror.
Ssss—
The next moment, the eerie green ghost fire swayed gently, as if mocking them, letting out a piercing laugh. Then, the eerie green flame suddenly surged, transforming into a ferocious, twisted ghost face, opening its great maw and letting out a soul-stirring roar.
"Not good! Run!"
"It's an evil spirit!"
"Damn it! I'm not reconciled!"
The group was terrified, turning and fleeing.
However, they couldn't outrun the evil spirit. In the blink of an eye, they were caught up. One by one, they screamed as their bodies stiffened and were devoured by the eerie green ghost fire, turning into withered bones that fell to the ground.
"Heh heh heh..."
The eerie green ghost fire swayed, emitting a sinister and indifferent laugh, slowly approaching and finally hovering above Zhou Yan's head.
Its target was Zhou Yan.
"Heh heh, you want to eat me?"
Zhou Yan showed no fear, instead breaking into a brilliant smile. "Come on! Let me see what exactly you are?"
Whoosh!
The next moment, Zhou Yan's figure flashed, becoming a blur and disappearing from his spot.
"Huh?"
The eerie green ghost fire paused for a moment, then became enraged. It roared and charged towards where Zhou Yan had been, crashing fiercely into the void.
Bang!
With a muffled groan, Zhou Yan, battered and bruised, fell from the void and landed on the ground.
"Son of a bitch..."
Zhou Yan gritted his teeth. Just as he was about to get up, a strong, foul stench flooded his nostrils.
Looking up, his eyeballs nearly popped out.
Before him lay a charred corpse, like a piece of charcoal.
And this corpse was unlike an ordinary one; it was black all over, even exuding a burnt smell, clearly having died in this very state.
"This..."
"This is that old man's body!"
Zhou Yan was stunned.
Although he had never met the old man, he had heard tales of his deeds. He was the strongest in the Azure Wood Empire, a martial expert at the ninth heaven realm, known as the Sword Obsessed.
It was said that seventy to eighty years ago, he had once defeated a martial divine marquis with a single sword strike.
"The Sword Obsessed is dead?"
Zhou Yan was astonished.
The Sword Obsessed's strength was even greater than he had imagined.
With just a move or two, he had killed a martial divine marquis, making him a peak expert in the entire Southern Ridge.
"Hmm? That old guy's storage bag wasn't destroyed by the heavenly tribulation?"
Zhou Yan picked up the storage bag and found that besides a few weapons, it also contained a crystal-clear gemstone the size of a fist, emitting a dazzling glow.
"Hmm? What is this?"
Zhou Yan examined it closely and suddenly discovered that the gemstone contained wondrous runes, faintly exuding an ancient and archaic aura.
"Hmm? This gemstone… looks familiar?" Zhou Yan's mind raced, and a picture flashed in his mind. His eyes widened in shock.
"Isn't this... the Heavenly Constellation War Tiger, the guardian beast of the Heavenly Profound Dynasty?"
The Heavenly Constellation War Tiger was a legendary fierce beast, the ancestor of all demons, ruling over all the myriad races and creatures.
In ancient times, the Heavenly Constellation War Tiger was a son of the True Dragon.
However, for some unknown reason, it disappeared overnight in ancient times.
If his memory served him correctly, the Heavenly Constellation War Tiger originated from the Primordial Wilderness, a descendant of the True Dragon with extraordinary talent.
"Could this be the fossilized remains of the Heavenly Constellation War Tiger?"
Zhou Yan's heart began to pound faster. His guess was not wrong.
This fist-sized gemstone was indeed the fossilized remains of the Heavenly Constellation War Tiger, containing a wisp of its bloodline power.
Once fused, there was a high probability of obtaining the power of the Heavenly Constellation War Tiger and stepping into the extraordinary realm.
"Hahaha! I'm rich!"
"The Heavenly Constellation War Tiger, the ancestor of ten thousand beasts! A single drop of its blood can temper the body, increase cultivation, and improve aptitude. Its inner core can also purify the soul, allowing one to be reborn!"
Zhou Yan was exhilarated.
"It's a pity that the Heavenly Constellation War Tiger is an ancient fierce beast, with overwhelming ferocity."
"Obtaining its fossilized remains is easier said than done!"
Zhou Yan pondered.
The Heavenly Constellation War Tiger roamed the heavens and earth, looking down upon the firmament.
Even a wisp of its bloodline contained infinite power.
"Since I cannot destroy the fossilized remains of the Heavenly Constellation War Tiger with brute force, I will use my wit!"
Zhou Yan narrowed his eyes, a wise gleam appearing.
The Heavenly Constellation War Tiger was a peerless fierce beast, its ferocity unparalleled, but it had a fatal weakness.
"The Heavenly Constellation War Tiger's weakness is its greed for wealth!"
Zhou Yan murmured to himself. He had perused many ancient texts and had a deep understanding of the Heavenly Constellation War Tiger's habits.
The Heavenly Constellation War Tiger, as an ancient behemoth, had actually long surpassed the category of mere beasts. It possessed intelligence, and some even had sentience.