The narrow passage within the stone dragon statue was pitch black.
Zhang Yang could only vaguely see a faint light in the distance.
He sprinted forward, the slope gradually descending.
Finally.
Zhang Yang reached the point of light.
It was spacious, a circular chamber, seemingly the belly of the stone dragon statue.
Unextinguishable eternal lamps hung on the surrounding walls.
Upon arrival, Zhang Yang's eyes were filled with shock.
This…
What greeted his eyes was a ground covered in coffins.
And not ordinary wooden coffins, but most were made of gold!
Arranged in neat rows, tiered from bottom to top.
At the very top.
There was a crystal coffin of a different material.
At this moment.
Zhang Xiao was kneeling before the crystal coffin.
He was enveloped in an ethereal and transcendent aura.
Zhang Xiao clasped his hands together, praying devoutly.
Faintly, Zhang Yang could hear Zhang Xiao's prayer…
"Great ancestors of the Zhang family, your descendant Zhang Xiao begs for divine power to help our Zhang family return to the peak of the world…"
Zhang Yang was not interested in Zhang Xiao's prayer.
What surprised him was the ethereal and transcendent aura now surrounding Zhang Xiao.
That was true qi.
Identical to his own.
However, compared to the true qi within Zhang Yang, it was even purer.
"Did Zhang Xiao come here to obtain the inheritance of the Zhang family ancestors?" Zhang Yang guessed to himself.
If that was the case.
Zhang Yang would not let him succeed.
"Zhang Yang! How did you get here so quickly?"
Seeing Zhang Yang, Zhang Xiao's expression changed.
"Quickly? Am I disturbing your good deed?" Zhang Yang stared at him, speaking coldly.
Just as he was about to strike and eliminate Zhang Xiao, he noticed a change within his body.
Upon arriving here.
Zhang Yang's true qi was unable to function.
As if suppressed by something!
What is this?
Zhang Yang gazed at the pure true qi emanating from the crystal coffin, his eyes narrowing slightly.
Could it be that this purer true qi was suppressing the true qi within him?
At the same time.
Zhang Xiao also noticed Zhang Yang's abnormality and immediately burst into laughter.
"Haha, Zhang Yang, now that you're here, don't even think about doing anything to me. The great ancestors of the Zhang family slumber here. Your meager strength is useless. You can't even unleash it."
"Just wait! Once I obtain the ancestors' inheritance, I will tear you to shreds!"
Saying this.
Killing intent surged in Zhang Xiao's eyes.
He was no longer afraid of Zhang Yang here; the Zhang family ancestors would protect him.
Zhang Yang remained silent, merely staring coldly at the other.
He was completely unfamiliar with this place and didn't know what to do.
Seeing Zhang Yang in the dark, at a loss, Zhang Xiao continued his prayer, kneeling before the crystal coffin, and chose to ignore him.
He had already made some progress earlier, resonating with the crystal coffin.
As long as he continued, he would surely succeed!
At that time, his achievements would not only surpass Zhang Yang but even Zhang Yingxiong, and perhaps even the master of Qi Sha.
"Ancestors of the Zhang family, I beg you…"
Zhang Yang silently watched Zhang Xiao pray.
Seeing the true qi gathering around Zhang Xiao's body, he seemed to understand what was happening.
Zhang Xiao intended to use the pure true qi emanating from the crystal coffin to transform himself.
Similar to how he himself had obtained the "Carefree True Scripture" in the past.
Thinking of this.
Zhang Yang knelt down in a similar fashion, imitating Zhang Xiao's posture, clasping his hands and murmuring devoutly.
"Ancestors of the Zhang family, your descendant Zhang Yang has come…"
Zhang Yang's prayer and prostration beside him made Zhang Xiao pause, then he spoke displeasedly.
"Zhang Yang, these are the slumbering ancestors of my Zhang family. What business do you have here? You are not worthy to pray here."
"Don't forget, I am also a member of the Zhang family." Zhang Yang tilted his head slightly, glancing at him as if he were an idiot.
"You…" Zhang Xiao was instantly choked with anger.
Zhang Yang was telling the truth, and he had no way to refute it.
However.
The next moment, Zhang Xiao smiled. He took out a token from his embrace.
This token was the one he had snatched from Zhang Yang previously.
"Heh, even if you are a member of the Zhang family, without this token, the Zhang family ancestors will not acknowledge your identity."
"Zhang Yang, don't waste your efforts. The inheritance of the Zhang family ancestors this time will surely belong to me! No one can snatch it away!"
Zhang Xiao laughed heartily.
Then, he placed the token in his palm, clasped his hands together.
He continuously competed for the pure true qi emanating from the crystal coffin.
Seeing this, Zhang Yang's eyes narrowed.
It was only at this moment that he finally understood the meaning of Zhang Yingxiong's words about returning to the Zhang family with the token.
This token indeed had a miraculous effect.
At least Zhang Xiao was now using the token to absorb all the pure true qi released from the crystal coffin.
"This is a bit troublesome." Zhang Yang frowned slightly.
This token originally belonged to him.
If it hadn't been snatched away, Zhang Xiao wouldn't even have had the chance to challenge him.
Now, relying on the token snatched from him, the other party held all the advantage.
He had to think of a way.
Zhang Yang knew that kneeling and praying now was useless.
He stood up from the ground and approached the crystal coffin.
Although the coffin was made of crystal, nothing could be seen from the outside.
Inside the crystal coffin, it was hazy.
Only the continuous emission of pure true qi could be seen.
True qi?
Suddenly.
Zhang Yang had a flash of inspiration.
Zhang Xiao was resonating with the crystal coffin using the token in his hand.
Could his own true qi do the same?
Instantly.
Zhang Yang placed his hand on the crystal coffin.
The true qi within him circulated continuously, gradually attempting to communicate with the crystal coffin.
"Heh, still trying to struggle? Give up." Zhang Xiao sneered when he saw this.
When he took out the token.
He had already guided all the true qi released by the crystal coffin.
Seeing Zhang Yang's comical actions now, he was disdainful.
However.
The next moment, Zhang Xiao could no longer laugh.
Because Zhang Xiao discovered that the crystal coffin suddenly vibrated.
The lid of the coffin actually opened a gap on its own.
A surge of powerful true qi directly rushed towards Zhang Yang, instantly enveloping him.
And that wasn't all!
Zhang Xiao found that the true qi that had been surrounding him was now being drawn away.
Not a trace was left!
"No! This is impossible!"
The sudden turn of events dragged Zhang Xiao from heaven to hell, driving him into madness.
He raised the token in his hand and prayed loudly.
But.
It was utterly useless.
Not a trace of true qi showed signs of returning. Instead, he had become a laughingstock.
Instantly.
Zhang Xiao went mad.
He refused to believe it was true.
Unwilling, he imitated Zhang Yang's earlier actions and took two steps towards the crystal coffin.
Holding the token in one hand, he prepared to touch the crystal coffin with the other.
But before he could even touch the crystal coffin, a violent force surged from the coffin, directly repelling him.
Pfft~
Zhang Xiao flew back more than ten meters, crashing heavily onto the ground.
"No… impossible! This is impossible!" Zhang Xiao scrambled to his feet and rushed towards the crystal coffin again.
However, this time, he couldn't even get close!
At this moment, Zhang Yang and the crystal coffin had transformed into a giant cocoon of true qi, enveloped by a layer of vast and pure true qi.
Instantly.
Zhang Xiao panicked.
The opportunity for transformation that should have been his was snatched away by Zhang Yang.
Even with the token of the past Zhang family heads in his hand, it was all in vain!
This!
With the situation as it was, Zhang Xiao dared not linger here any longer. He quickly turned and fled.
…
On the other side.
Zhang Yang, enveloped in pure true qi, suddenly heard someone calling out something.
"After tens of thousands of years, someone can actually comprehend true qi in advance and forge an immortal body foundation. It's quite rare."
"This is much better than that Zhang Yingxiong last time…"
"Since that's the case, I'll grant you another fortune. I hope you have the chance to…"
…
In the darkness.
Zhang Yang felt the pure true qi enveloping his body suddenly and uncontrollably surge into his body.
At first, it was relatively gentle.
But gradually, this power began to tear his body apart.
Causing him to cry out in pain, until it finally turned into a wail.
His meridians were constantly expanding.
And the hazy mass within his body, which had previously broken through to the Hunyuan realm.
At this moment, it gradually became brighter, and a pure white pill was constantly rotating.
Approximately half an hour later.
When all the true qi was absorbed, the crystal coffin also closed the gap it had opened.
"Is it over?"
"Did I break through again?"
…
Zhang Yang was drenched in sweat. He closed his eyes and felt carefully. He indeed felt stronger, but it seemed he hadn't broken through.
It was more like an sublimation in a certain sense.
"Huh? Why is there a coffin imprint here?" Zhang Yang exclaimed in surprise.
He suddenly discovered an imprint of a crystal coffin on the palm of his right hand and cast his gaze towards the crystal coffin before him.
Clearly.
This was left by the crystal coffin.
However, Zhang Yang himself did not know its purpose.
Everything returned to peace.
Zhang Yang looked around, searching for Zhang Xiao, and also spotted the green box mentioned by Zhang Lihe.
This box.
It was not far from the crystal coffin, but it looked like it had been accidentally left behind.
This green box did not belong here; it must have been brought in by someone else.
Could it have been brought by his father during his last visit?
Zhang Yang thought to himself, believing it was highly likely.
He stepped forward, picked up the green box, and prepared to leave.
Although his realm had not broken through, he felt that he was more than twice as strong as before, and the true qi within him had become purer.
Wait!
Zhang Yang suddenly remembered something.
Zhang Xiao was gone!
He had run away!
And Luo Yiren and Zhang Lihe were still outside!
"Not good!"
Zhang Yang shouted and rushed towards the exit.
At the same time.
Zhang Xiao, who had escaped the coffin area, had already left the interior of the stone dragon statue.
When he arrived at the Creation Pool, Zhang Xiao intended to call upon the Zhang family members to escape together.
However.
As soon as he arrived, he discovered the figures of Zhang Lihe and Luo Yiren.
His anger immediately surged!
"Zhang Lihe, you traitor!" Zhang Xiao roared.
He knew that Zhang Yang could catch up so quickly only because Zhang Lihe had tipped him off!
This shout also awakened the Zhang family members.
They had just completed the absorption of the Creation Pool water.
Everyone's realm had advanced by one level.
Those in the early stage of True Essence realm advanced to the middle stage, and those in the middle stage advanced to the late stage.
"Young Master! Why are you out?" a Zhang family member asked.
They knew that Zhang Xiao had entered the important ancestral house to obtain a better inheritance.
"Don't worry about that for now, capture these people for me!" Zhang Xiao said sternly.
Since seeing Zhang Yang in the capital, Zhang Xiao had repeatedly suffered defeats.
Today, even his most important opportunity was snatched away by Zhang Yang.
How could Zhang Xiao not be enraged!
"Kill Zhang Lihe, and capture this woman alive for me!" Zhang Xiao ordered.
Luo Yiren had been inseparable from Zhang Yang.
He guessed that she was likely Zhang Yang's woman and wanted to use her as leverage.
At his command.
All the Zhang family members moved, a total of ten True Essence realm experts attacking together.
The weakest among them was in the middle stage!
Luo Yiren and her companions panicked.
Fortunately, they had also refined the Creation Water and stored it in jade bottles.
"Roar!"
The giant python suddenly roared, trying to intimidate them.
However, it was completely useless.
"Stop roaring, run quickly!" Luo Yiren reacted swiftly.
She immediately leaped onto the giant python with Zhang Lihe and turned to flee.
Zhang Xiao's side had more people and higher realms.
Luo Yiren and her group, two people and two beasts, could not resist at all.
However.
How could Zhang Xiao let them escape?
Two experts who had just advanced to the late stage of True Essence realm stood on the stone bridge leading out.
As their Yuan Qi erupted, they directly repelled Luo Yiren and her companions.
Closely following behind.
The Zhang family members also arrived.
Four against eight, a full double the number of enemies.
Although Luo Yiren and Zhang Lihe resisted desperately, they soon fell into a disadvantage and could only fight to the death.
Luo Yiren's side was relatively fortunate, as Zhang Xiao had instructed to keep her alive.
As for Zhang Lihe, he was miserable. Under the frenzied attacks led by Zhang Xiao, his internal Yuan Qi nexus was destroyed.
He spat out a mouthful of vital blood and was sent flying backward, his life unknown.
After Zhang Lihe's defeat.
The giant python and the giant crocodile also followed Zhang Lihe's fate, both being severely injured.
Now, the only person standing was Luo Yiren.
But her fate was not much better; she was eventually captured.
"Bring this bitch to me!" Zhang Xiao said sternly.
Two Zhang family members heard this and immediately dragged her before Zhang Xiao.
Slap!
Zhang Xiao, filled with rage, slapped her fiercely, instantly swelling half of Luo Yiren's cheek.
Bang!
Still not satisfied, Zhang Xiao delivered a kick to Luo Yiren's abdomen.
This was completely channeling his hatred for Zhang Yang onto Luo Yiren.
However.
Zhang Xiao also knew that this place was not suitable for lingering.
After dealing with Luo Yiren, he prepared to lead the Zhang family members to escape.
But the next moment.
Everyone froze on the spot.
It wasn't that they couldn't move, but that they were unable to move.
A terrifying pressure descended from the sky, making their legs tremble, even wanting to kneel and submit.
"This… this is?"
"Zhang Yang is here!"
Zhang Xiao's face changed drastically. He hadn't expected Zhang Yang to arrive so quickly!