However, this time, the attackers weren’t just two factions on par with the Jade Pool; they also possessed ancestral artifacts, and even the Southern Wilderness was involved, catching everyone off guard.

In short, in an era when the Forbidden Zone remained hidden, the Jade Pool Sacred Land, the Profound Sky Sect, and other Primordial Clans were the top forces in the Eastern Realm.

At this very moment, deep within the Forbidden Zone, a man in a black robe leaned against his throne and slowly opened his eyes.

He heard singing.

The singing of the Ling Long.

The melody was full of sorrow and tenderness, like the siren’s song, captivating the heart.

Many disciples within the Forbidden Zone trembled uncontrollably under the influence of the singing. They didn’t even know why Ling Long had suddenly started singing at this time.

“What’s wrong with Senior Ling Long? Why did she suddenly…” A Forbidden Zone disciple looked up towards the distance, trying to understand the reason.

A closer look would reveal that they were all disciples who had received the Forbidden Zone’s inheritance half a month ago. After receiving the inheritance, they had left the Forbidden Zone’s ancestral land.

They never expected to hear Ling Long’s singing again just a few days later.

The Master of the Forbidden Zone slowly raised his head, his deep eyes seemingly penetrating through the hall and reaching a certain direction.

Then, as if realizing something, a hint of hesitation appeared in his eyes.

How could that kid…

Although life and death were natural in the world of cultivation, and encountering unexpected events on the path of cultivation wasn’t unusual, if that kid died… The Master of the Forbidden Zone silently glanced towards the ancestral land.

Ye Lingxuan was still receiving her inheritance in the ancestral land. However, Ling Long’s singing would likely disturb her. If she woke up from the inheritance and asked about this… how should he explain it?

“Master, did you discover something?” Below the throne, the Grand Elder of the Forbidden Zone looked at the Master of the Forbidden Zone and asked slowly.

Besides the Grand Elder, several other elders stood in a row in front of the hall.

Although they restrained their auras, the terrifying power hidden within them was still palpable.

These elders were also at the Nascent Soul Realm. Combined with the weapons they had acquired in the past by seeking out beings like the ‘Thunder God’ within the Forbidden Zone, each elder was a force to be reckoned with in the Nine Realms, capable of shaking the world with a single stomp of their feet.

The Third Elder also spoke up. “Senior Ling Long rarely emerges, but she has caused quite a stir twice recently. It’s rather strange.”

The last time Ling Long had caused a commotion was to propose marriage to the Forbidden Zone on behalf of Mu Zhi’an, indicating her support for him.

But this time… what was the reason?

The Master of the Forbidden Zone remained silent for a while before saying, “Something might have happened to Mu Zhi’an.”

The atmosphere in the hall instantly froze.

The elders exchanged glances.

If it were just an ordinary Core Formation cultivator, no matter how talented or powerful, it wouldn’t matter to them if he died. After all, he had nothing to do with them.

But he was still their young lady’s Dao Companion.

If the young lady found out…

Some of the higher-ups in the Forbidden Zone knew that Ye Lingxuan was receiving the Reincarnated Empress’s inheritance. If she found out about this after emerging… with her personality, who knew what kind of chaos she would unleash?

Although she was usually polite and well-behaved, those who knew Ye Lingxuan well understood how much she valued relationships.

“Master… are you sure?” The Grand Elder slowly broke the eerie silence.

The Master of the Forbidden Zone nodded silently.

“His life force is gone.”

“If the young lady finds out…” The Third Elder frowned, a hint of worry in his eyes.

“The young lady’s inheritance shouldn’t be over yet, but Ling Long’s singing might awaken her. Moreover, the puppet by her side is unfathomably powerful. It might already know about Mu Zhi’an’s death,” a female elder said.

The elders began to discuss amongst themselves.

The Master of the Forbidden Zone sat on his throne, a deep glint in his eyes.

Although he didn’t particularly like Mu Zhi’an, he was still his future son-in-law. If Lingxuan found out about this… The usually aloof Master of the Forbidden Zone couldn’t help but frown.

However, it seemed like his fears were about to come true. Just as he thought this, he heard a crisp voice from outside. “Father!”

The discussions in the hall instantly ceased, and all eyes turned towards the source of the voice.

A young woman in a purple dress stood at the entrance of the hall. Her figure was slender and graceful, her smooth hair tied up with a jade hairpin. A sweet smile adorned her face. Perhaps due to receiving the inheritance, she seemed to have matured significantly.

A beauty mark beneath her right eye added to her charm.

“Why are you out so early? The inheritance shouldn’t be over yet,” the Master of the Forbidden Zone said with a gentle smile, watching his daughter approach.

The elders’ gazes remained fixed on Ye Lingxuan, but their eyes were filled with strange expressions.

“I heard Ling Long’s singing and thought Senior Ling Long might be here to see you again because of Brother Mu. I was worried, so I came to check,” Ye Lingxuan said with a smile.

The Master of the Forbidden Zone remained silent for a moment before saying, “Ling Long isn’t here for me.”

Then, he asked, “Is the inheritance complete?”

Ye Lingxuan shook her head slightly. “The puppet said it will take about two more months, but I don’t have to stay in the ancestral land the entire time. She can follow me, and I can continue receiving the inheritance after returning to the Two Polarities Sect.”

“So I was wondering if I should return to the sect soon. Brother Mu should be waiting for me there,” Ye Lingxuan said, stretching lazily. Her aura had already reached the Core Formation Realm.

And not just the first-grade; she was at the fifth-grade Core Formation Realm.

Such a terrifying cultivation speed was beyond even the reach of ‘protagonists.’

This was the enhancement from the Reincarnated Empress’s inheritance. It wasn’t just about cultivation.

However, an eerie silence fell upon the hall as Ye Lingxuan finished speaking.

“What’s wrong with you all?” Ye Lingxuan blinked her bright eyes, looking at them in confusion.

The elders exchanged glances and then looked at the Master of the Forbidden Zone.

Seeing the man nod subtly, an elder finally spoke up. “Young lady…”

Ye Lingxuan frowned slightly. For some reason, seeing their expressions, she had a bad feeling.

Under her gaze, the elder continued, “We just received news that Mu Zhi’an might have been attacked and killed in the Jade Pool.”

Ye Lingxuan froze, standing motionless.

…

Jade Pool Sacred Land.

The Jade Empress silently gazed at Mu Zhi’an. After a long silence, she finally spoke softly, “Yao Meng.”

This was her name. She hadn’t answered when Mu Zhi’an asked her before, intending to tease him, but she never had the chance to tell him in the end.

With his consciousness completely extinguished, even the Jade Empress couldn’t bring him back.

Core Formation cultivators already possessed consciousness, and at the Nascent Soul Realm, as long as their consciousness remained, they could reconstruct their bodies.

But Mu Zhi’an didn’t even have his consciousness anymore, so naturally, he couldn’t be reborn.

Although the Jade Pool was filled with cultivators, there wasn’t a single sound.

The two Sect Masters didn’t even dare to breathe. They exchanged a glance, seeing disbelief and fear in each other’s eyes.

Logically, the Jade Empress shouldn’t have been able to condense her Vessel yet. This was information they had confirmed beforehand.

But now… she was standing right before them!

At this moment, the ground began to tremble faintly.

The grotesque creature from the Southern Wilderness instinctively took a step back, staring at the Jade Empress in fear.

The two Sect Masters didn’t hesitate and immediately flew towards the sky above the Jade Pool Sacred Land.

Facing the Jade Empress, they had no chance of fighting back!

They didn’t even consider their clansmen still within the Jade Pool. They only had one thought in mind: to escape!

However, as they soared into the sky, they noticed that a corner of the cloud layer seemed to have collapsed.

Then, from within the clouds, a creature with a human head and a beast’s body slowly raised its trident and hurled it towards them!

Boom!

The clouds in the sky completely collapsed, and the ground shook violently.

In the distance, cultivators in Sacred King City looked up in fear. Dark clouds covered the sky, and a colossal creature reached out its massive hand, pressing down on the clouds as if to tear them open.

Its terrifying face occupied almost half the sky, casting a shadow over the entire Sacred King City.

The Thunder God of the Forbidden Zone!

Many cultivators’ hearts pounded, their scalps tingling. Only one thought flashed through their minds:

“A monster from the Forbidden Zone has emerged!”