Tian Ling, after playing with Ye Ling for a while, suddenly thought of something. She immediately took Ye Ling's hand and pulled him towards the stone door, saying, "Right, Senior Brother, I found something good here. Come and see!"
Pulled by Tian Ling into the stone door, Ye Ling curiously asked, "What good thing?"
Tian Ling teased, "You'll know when you follow me. This is a secret I discovered exclusively, even Master doesn't know!"
Hearing Tian Ling's words, Ye Ling's interest piqued, and he chuckled, "Then I'll be looking forward to it, Senior Brother."
Tian Ling smiled, "Heh heh! I guarantee I won't disappoint you, Senior Brother!"
Behind the stone door was a spacious area with a dilapidated altar in the center. It was carved with unique patterns that seemed to contain some profound Dao essence.
However, there was no energy within the altar, and many of the unique patterns were broken, making it appear abandoned.
Tian Ling stopped before the altar and said, "This seems to be an altar left by the Creation God. The Shadow Hall sent people to investigate, and they found nothing beneath the altar, so they deemed it a废祭坛 (feì jìtán - abandoned altar) and didn't expend much energy here."
"But they don't know that there's actually a special treasure hidden beneath this altar! I discovered it by chance."
As Tian Ling spoke, she jumped onto the altar and fumbled with the patterns. Finally, she found a slightly protruding spot and pressed it down.
*Crack!*
With a crisp sound, the entire altar seemed to be activated. It split open from the center, and a pillar rose from the middle.
This pillar was encased in a spiritual energy barrier, and within it, a black treasure bead could be faintly seen.
Ye Ling, seeing the pillar rise from the altar, showed a hint of surprise in his eyes and sighed, "This is..."
When he entered the stone door, he had already scanned the altar with his divine soul and found nothing beneath it, not even a ripple of spiritual energy.
This stone pillar rising from the center of the altar seemed to have appeared out of thin air!
Such a structure was incredibly peculiar!
Tian Ling circled the stone pillar in the center of the altar and said to Ye Ling, "Here, Senior Brother, this is the treasure hidden in the altar. But the spiritual energy barrier around the stone pillar is very strong, and I don't have enough power to break it."
"Your power is far greater than mine, Senior Brother. You should be able to break this barrier. I also really want to know what's inside!"
Ye Ling walked onto the altar and approached the stone pillar, examining it carefully. He said, "This spiritual energy barrier is not weak. I fear even a Dao Venerable might not be able to break it."
"Even a Dao Venerable can't open it?" Tian Ling was stunned. "The cultivation limit this universe can withstand is Dao Venerable. Does that mean no one can open this barrier and get what's inside?"
At this point, Tian Ling looked like a wilted eggplant, her eyes filled with disappointment.
Ye Ling chuckled, "Not necessarily. You step back from the altar first. Be careful not to get hurt."
Hearing Ye Ling's words, Tian Ling was first taken aback, then looked at Ye Ling with shock, exclaiming, "Sen-Senior Brother, you can open this barrier? You said even Dao Venerables can't..."
"Although I don't have a hundred percent certainty, I have to try." Ye Ling rubbed his hands together, began to gather the spiritual energy within him, and set up a barrier around the altar.
The treasure in the altar was protected by a spiritual energy barrier, and its strength had reached the limit that this universe could withstand. It was clear that whoever left the treasure did not want it to be forcefully obtained.
This treasure was most likely left for someone who met certain conditions. Unfortunately, for some reason, the altar was abandoned, and no one could obtain the treasure within.
However, Ye Ling's current cultivation was Dao Lord, and the power he could unleash was above this spiritual energy barrier. Perhaps he could break it with brute force.
Seeing Ye Ling's confidence, Tian Ling seemed to realize something and immediately became excited. She didn't disturb Ye Ling within the altar and quickly flew to the outside, cheering him on, "Go, Senior Brother!"
Ye Ling gave Tian Ling an "okay" gesture, then completely raised the barrier, enveloping the entire altar.
Ye Ling was about to exert his full strength, and the power he would unleash was not something Earth could withstand. With the barrier to isolate it, Ye Ling could finally relax.
After making all the necessary preparations, Ye Ling took a deep breath, his eyes becoming incredibly profound, and his aura began to climb.
Dark demonic energy erupted from Ye Ling's body, filling the barrier.
Ye Ling used the demonic energy to forge a demonic sword with runes and mixed in the aura of annihilation generated by the Dao of Annihilation!
*Boom!*
Supreme power erupted from Ye Ling's body, continuously impacting the surrounding barrier. The altar Ye Ling stood on was instantly annihilated, leaving only the stone pillar protected by the spiritual energy barrier suspended in mid-air!
If not for Ye Ling's barrier, the Earth would likely have turned to dust the moment his aura erupted!
"Alright, let me see what kind of treasure the Creation God left behind..." Ye Ling said softly, gripping the sword with both hands and fiercely slashing at the spiritual energy barrier!
*Clang!!!*
The demonic sword collided with the barrier, and dazzling spiritual energy erupted, spreading outwards!
The space within the barrier shattered, and endless spatial storms swept out, tearing everything apart.
Outside the barrier, Tian Ling felt the barrier enveloping the altar surge with incredibly terrifying power. Her eyes were filled with horror, and she exclaimed, "What exactly is Senior Brother doing inside... such terrifying power!"
She had a premonition that if she touched the barrier, she would instantly turn to dust!
Instinctively, Tian Ling retreated further away, creating distance from the barrier.
At this moment, within the barrier, the toughness of the spiritual energy barrier exceeded Ye Ling's imagination. Even with his full strength slash, it only caused slight cracks in the barrier. To break it completely, he needed to continuously inject spiritual energy!
"I'll see just how hard you are!" Ye Ling roared, no longer holding back. He poured all the spiritual energy within him into the demonic sword and fiercely slashed at the spiritual energy barrier!
The aftershocks from the collision between the demonic sword and the spiritual energy barrier even annihilated the raging spatial storms around them!
Everything within the barrier turned into nothingness!
*Crack crack!*
With the enhancement of runes and the power of the Great Dao, the spiritual energy barrier could no longer withstand Ye Ling's power. The cracks on its surface grew more numerous, and finally, it shattered like glass, dissipating into points of light around.
The black treasure bead within the spiritual energy barrier was revealed to Ye Ling.
The black treasure bead was entirely dark, with black mist swirling around it. It contained a power that made even Ye Ling's heart palpitate.
"Is this the treasure left by the Creation God?"
Ye Ling looked at the black treasure bead lying quietly on the stone pillar. He didn't immediately reach for it but sat down to regulate his breathing. Only after his aura stabilized did he reach out to take the black treasure bead.
*Boom!*
The moment Ye Ling grasped the black treasure bead, it erupted with a large amount of black mist, leaking from between his fingers. In mid-air, it condensed into a face with a demonic grin!
"What is this?" Ye Ling's eyes slightly changed as he saw the face forming in the air. Before he could react, the face transformed back into black mist and surged into his body!
The next moment... ten heart demons were born from within him and manifested around him!