The Strongest Dandy in the City Chapter 2277 - 2266: Petrified

From the immense, blood-red character 'Life,' potent energy fluctuations continuously emanated. A searing crimson light pierced the heavens, shattering the lake's surface. Following this, another blood-red word, 'Life,' materialized in the sky above the water.

This event marked the unsealing of three-fourths of the Undying Seal, enabling the Spiritual Qi River within the meridians of the Bloodswallow Clan to flow once more.

At this juncture, the consciousness, functions, and Spiritual Qi River of the Bloodswallow Clan were all liberated; only their physical bodies remained constrained.

Witnessing the transformations unfolding before him, Ye Chenfeng's heart grew heavy. It appeared that preventing the Bloodswallow Clan's revival was proving exceedingly difficult. Should the final quarter of the seal be broken, the Bloodswallow Clan would achieve complete resurrection.

Trembling with residual fear, Zhao Jinpeng stammered, "What, what exactly is happening? Why did this occur so suddenly?"

Ye Chenfeng patiently began to explain the nature of the Bloodswallow Clan to Zhao Jinpeng. Unexpectedly, Zhao Jinpeng had encountered fragmented references to them; the lineage of the Nine Nether Ice Lion King had alluded to the Bloodswallow Clan within an ancient tome.

Considering the Nine Nether Ice Lion Clan's existence since the early stages of the Ancient Era, it was not surprising that their ancestral records contained some historical details concerning the Bloodswallow Clan.

In bygone days, the Bloodswallow Clan had come perilously close to shattering the world's established order, nearly ascending to a position of dominion alongside the Dragon Clan.

Zhao Jinpeng was taken aback, realizing this location was not the burial site of a Divine Emperor but rather the ancestral domain of the Bloodswallow Clan, positioning them as pivotal figures in the unsealing process.

A frown creased Zhao Jinpeng's brow as he declared, "We absolutely must not allow the Bloodswallow Clan to revive. This clan is far too formidable; they nearly conquered this world in the past. If they return, the consequences could be dire. These remnants of the Bloodswallow Clan possess the knowledge to break through to the Divine Venerable Realm, and perhaps even the Divine Emperor Realm. In the current Tian Xuan Realm, there are no experts at the Divine Venerable level. The present Tian Xuan Realm simply lacks the power to withstand the Bloodswallow Clan."

Ye Chenfeng concurred, nodding grimly. "Old Zhao, preventing the Bloodswallow Clan’s revival is likely beyond our reach now. Three-fourths of the Undying Seal is already broken, and we are not the only ones within the Bloodswallow Clan's ancestral grounds. Moreover, Luo Qianjiang and his associates from Xiao Yao Palace will not heed our warnings. We probably cannot stop them from undoing the final part of the seal. For the time being, we can only proceed with caution and deal with things as they come."

"Let us first locate Wu Lingxiang and Jiang Caixuan! You accompanied me here, and I shall guarantee everyone's safety and guide you all to freedom."

Zhao Jinpeng understood Ye Chenfeng's assessment; preventing the Bloodswallow Clan's revival now seemed an insurmountable task.

Emerging from the depths of the lake.

Within Ye Chenfeng's mind, the insidious, lingering voice of the Bloodswallow Clan Leader echoed once more. "Boy, though I remain ignorant of your immunity to the Brain-Eating Ghost Insect, or the inexplicable disappearance of tens of billions of them, none of that matters now. I am pleased you have survived to further our original plan; your existence intrigues me personally. The absence of those billions of Brain-Eating Ghost Insects provides ample reason for me to meticulously study your corporeal structure."

"As I have stated before, you cannot halt the revival of our Bloodswallow Clan. We faltered in our bid for world domination previously, but in this era, our Bloodswallow Clan shall achieve that long-held ambition."

Ye Chenfeng's eyes flickered slightly, and he whispered fiercely, "Do you truly believe the Bloodswallow Clan is so invincible? I have never feared anyone, not even if you manage to revive. If compelled, I, Ye Chenfeng, will personally ensure your demise."

Ye Chenfeng, a spirit unwilling to bow, knew he was outmatched by the Bloodswallow Clan. Yet, a direct confrontation seemed increasingly inevitable.

After his veiled declaration, Ye Chenfeng ceased dwelling on the Bloodswallow Clan Leader's voice, shifting his focus to locating Wu Lingxiang and Jiang Caixuan as his paramount objective. Bai Xiaorou, Tan Yuanwu, and Zhao Jinpeng surmised that he was likely engaged in a mental exchange with the Bloodswallow Clan members.

Time continued its relentless march.

Before long, two days had swiftly elapsed. During this period, Ye Chenfeng and his companions encountered several other members of various Sects. Fortunately, they did not cross paths with any experts from the Divine King Realm, thereby managing all encounters with relative ease.

Encouragingly, over these two days, the heavens had not displayed a fourth 'Life' character, signifying that the final portion of the Undying Seal remained intact.

Following two days of traversing the Bloodswallow Clan's ancestral grounds without a clear direction, Ye Chenfeng's Communication Jade Token finally registered a signal, prompting them to hasten their advance toward the indicated location.

They followed the signal's guidance into a vast, sprawling valley.

Although the valley appeared ordinary, two stone sculptures on its right side immediately drew their attention.

The features of these sculptures were remarkably familiar, and upon closer examination, they were found to bear an exact resemblance to Wu Lingxiang and Jiang Caixuan.

Furthermore, the distinctive aura that had reached them via the Communication Jade Token originated precisely from these stone figures.

Exchanging knowing glances, Ye Chenfeng and Tan Yuanwu advanced towards the sculptures. As they drew nearer, a faint trace of vital energy could be perceived within them.

A sense of unease washed over Ye Chenfeng, Tan Yuanwu, and the rest of their group upon this realization. These stone sculptures were undoubtedly Wu Lingxiang and Jiang Caixuan, but the question loomed: how had they been petrified?

This valley, which seemed so unassuming, exuded a profound tranquility. However, this serenity was perhaps too deep, bordering on an eerie stillness as Ye Chenfeng and the others scanned their surroundings.

Abruptly.

A series of sharp "Crunch! Crunch! Crunch!" sounds echoed through the air.

Zhao Jinpeng, standing to Ye Chenfeng’s right, began to turn into stone at an alarming rate, starting from his feet and moving upwards. Before he could even utter a sound, he had transformed into a lifeless stone sculpture.

The event was shockingly sudden and incredibly swift.

In the immediate aftermath of Zhao Jinpeng's inexplicable petrification, Bai Xiaorou, positioned to Ye Chenfeng’s left, experienced the same fate. Her body underwent a rapid transformation into stone within the span of a single blink.

This bizarre and terrifying transformation pushed Ye Chenfeng’s nerves to their absolute limit. Suddenly, the voice of Old Bai Wu Fengxian resonated within his mind, "Young one, mind your footing."

Heeding the urgent warning, Ye Chenfeng immediately diverted his gaze to the ground. His body ascended instantly into the air, and he quickly called out to Tan Yuanwu, who was behind him, "Get off the ground!"

... (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, feel free to visit Qidian (qidian.com) to vote with recommendations and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please read at m.qidian.com.)