The high-speed reconnaissance vehicle sped across the barren land, kicking up a cloud of dust.
Outside the car window, the scenery of Jiu'an City's western suburbs became increasingly desolate and dilapidated. Crumbling ruins were gradually replaced by weathered, strange rocks and bizarre formations. The air was filled with an ancient and vast aura, even faintly carrying a subtle, heart-pounding sense of iron-blooded 肅殺.
"Captain, the energy readings are rising sharply! The psionic turbulence here is unusually active, and... the attribute is very peculiar, full of violent battle intent and a kind of... extremely ancient sense of dead silence!" Su Qing (Liu Feng) watched the constantly flickering energy detector inside the vehicle, a hint of surprise flashing in her molten gold eyes.
Ling Chen (Lin Chen) remained calm, his gaze deep as he looked towards the distant, vast basin outline shrouded in a dark red energy mist.
In his Soul Jade Physique's perception, the energy field there was even clearer—it was not simple psionic 紊亂, but a unique ominous land formed by countless powerful and violent battle souls' lingering thoughts and ancient blood-fiend energy, which, after thousands of years of erosion, still stubbornly persisted and combined with the earth's spiritual energy!
According to secrets he learned in his previous life from some extremely ancient secret realm fragments, this world was not as it is now in the extremely distant primordial era.
At that time, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth was abundant, and countless earth-shattering great powers were born. And the land where Jiu'an City is located, in a forgotten epoch, once had a name that shook the past and present—Zhuolu!
This was the ancient battlefield where, according to legend, the human ancestor Yellow Emperor and the Chiyou, God of War, fought their final decisive battle!
That great battle shattered the heavens and earth, eclipsed the sun and moon. Countless ancient powerhouses perished here, their blood soaked the earth, their battle intent and resentment tore through the sky, and even permanently altered the geomorphic structure and energy laws of this area!
Even after countless years, the terrifying residual power originating from the ancestral level still subtly influenced this place, making it a breeding ground for mutated creatures and various bizarre phenomena after the spiritual energy's resurgence!
Zhuang Han establishing his nest in the nearby Linghui Academy was probably not accidental; it was highly likely that he was instinctively attracted by the lingering ominous energy and immense flesh-and-blood energy of this place.
"According to ancient records and energy resonance analysis, the basin ahead is the target area, suspected to be one of the core zones of the ancient 'Zhuolu Battlefield'," Ling Chen said, his tone carrying a hint of appropriate solemnity and investigative curiosity.
"Everyone be careful. The energy field here is extremely unstable, and there might be traces of some... incomprehensible ancient power remaining."
"Our mission is to scout for abnormal energy sources and search for any clues that might be related to Zhuang Han's mutant legion activities. No contact, no triggering, unless absolutely necessary."
"Zhuolu Battlefield? The Yellow Emperor fighting Chiyou?" Chen Mo (Gray Shield) gasped upon hearing this, an incredulous look on his face. "Isn't that just a myth? Could it be... true?"
"After the Great Cataclysm (Spiritual Energy Resurgence), many things from legends have gradually revealed their true nature," Ling Chen said meaningfully. "Stay vigilant and prepare to dismount for on-foot reconnaissance."
The vehicle stopped at the edge of the basin. As everyone dismounted, they immediately felt a heavy, suffocating pressure wash over them!
The air seemed to be filled with the invisible clanging of metal and earth-shattering battle cries, yet they were ethereal and untraceable, adding to the eeriness.
The ground was dark red, hard earth and stone, as if soaked in blood for tens of thousands of years. Everywhere, one could see huge, strange fragments of fossilized bones, neither metal nor stone, as well as severely rusted, ancient-looking bronze weapon remnants!
"My god..." Wang Yuan (Hui Xiu)'s nose twitched violently, his face pale.
"Such a strong smell of blood and death... and... so many, many powerful beings' resentments... it's like... it's like countless eyes are watching us..." His ability was extremely sensitive to scents, and he was experiencing the greatest impact at this moment.
"Stay close to me, Gray Shield, be ready to defend at all times."
Ling Chen commanded, leading the way into the depths of the basin.
His steps were steady, and the cold will of his Soul Jade Physique acted like a sea-stabilizing needle, easily repelling external mental interference and energy erosion, while simultaneously scanning everything around him with extremely high precision.
The deeper they went, the more horrifying the sights became. The ground began to show huge crater-like footprints, as if made by a giant's foot!
The rock walls bore terrifying scratches, dozens of meters long and bottomless, as if cleaved by the blade of some colossal weapon!
Even in some particularly concentrated energy areas, blurry, mirage-like ancient war phantoms would occasionally flash—gigantic demon warriors clad in beast-hide armor fiercely battling human heroes driving chariots and wielding golden swords!
"The energy core is over there!" Su Qing pointed in a direction. There, a half-collapsed, strange altar-like structure built from huge black rocks stood!
Scattered around the altar were more gigantic bones, belonging to no known creature, and some broken stone tablets inscribed with undecipherable ancient runes.
At the center of the altar, the energy fluctuations were most intense, even forming a small, dark red energy vortex!
"What is that?" Zhang Hou (Shi Dun) widened his eyes, pointing to an inconspicuous corner at the base of the altar.
There seemed to be a complex circular structure, mostly buried by rubble, made of a white jade-like material. It was covered with even more intricate and precise patterns than those on the stone tablets, and despite being covered in dust for a long time, it still emitted faint spatial fluctuations!
A subtle glint flashed in Ling Chen's eyes. He found it!
The remains of an ancient teleportation array! Although severely damaged, its core spatial patterns were still partially intact, enough to prove its value!
But on the surface, he showed a bewildered and cautious expression:
"Unknown ancient construct... seems related to spatial energy? Su Qing, record the coordinates and energy data in detail. Chen Mo, Wang Yuan, guard the surroundings! I sense something approaching!"
Just then, a spine-chilling howl echoed from the surrounding rubble!
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Dozens of grotesquely shaped mutants, entirely dark red, as if formed from solidified blood and resentment, suddenly lunged out!
Their eyes burned with mad, bloodthirsty light, and their bodies subtly exuded the same blood-fiend energy as the ancient battlefield!
Clearly, these were special mutants that had long occupied this place, polluted and eroded by the ancient battlefield's lingering thoughts, making them even more violent and bizarre than their counterparts outside!
"Fight!" Ling Chen roared, instantly drawing a runic longsword (a weapon for disguise). With a flash of sword light, he cleaved away one of the blood-fiend mutants that had lunged closest!
Su Qing's wind blades, Chen Mo's shield, Wang Yuan's scent interference, and Zhang Hou and Li Xun's flank cover immediately followed!
The Ash Squad, working in perfect coordination, engaged these special mutants in battle!
Ling Chen fought while skillfully guiding the battle, intentionally and unintentionally forcing a few mutants back towards the teleportation array's remains.
During one "perilous" dodge, he "accidentally" stepped on the edge of the teleportation array, subtly infusing a trace of his Soul Jade Physique's primal energy into his foot!
Buzz—!!!
The teleportation array remains, which had been dormant for countless years, suddenly lit up for an instant!
Although the light was extremely faint and extinguished immediately, a clear and distinct ancient spatial fluctuation, different from any energy system in the current world, suddenly spread out!
"What was that just now?!" Su Qing, keenly sensitive, caught the fleeting anomaly and unique fluctuation, asking in surprise.
Ling Chen's face showed expressions of "shock" and "fear," and he quickly retreated: "Be careful! This ancient construct is strange! It can actually still be activated?! Record the characteristics of that fluctuation! This could be an extremely important discovery!"
He successfully and reasonably "attributed" the credit for "discovering the ancient teleportation array" to accident and battle activation.
Meanwhile, at another reconnaissance point—the place Ling Chen had marked as a "suspected ancient sacrificial canyon"—Li Fan, Li Mingyu, and Lin Wei were cautiously venturing into a dark, narrow rift valley.