Fairy, listen to my explanation.

Chapter 567 Shocking Change
The magnificent and breathtaking scene made Qin Yu's heart tremble.

I can't even imagine if I could resist the Empress Dowager's favor.

Little Ling'er was a little confused, but she still gladly accepted the Empress Dowager's affection.

Besides being with her brother Qin Yu, her favorite thing was being held in the Empress Dowager's arms; that feeling of security made her feel very at ease.

However, for some reason, ever since Qin Yu went out with Her Majesty, the Empress Dowager's care for her seemed to carry a hint of sadness, which puzzled her greatly.

"Go back to the palace."

After a long while, the Empress Dowager sighed softly. Sensing that the Flower Fairy, that wicked woman, wanted to bully Qin Yu, she lost all interest in continuing her sightseeing.

"From now on, you should come to Huayulou less often."

The Empress Dowager did not forget to admonish Qin Yu.

"I'm afraid that won't work for now. I promised the fairy that I would help her restore the withered branches of the ancestral tree tomorrow."

Qin Yu was embarrassed.

"you……"

The Empress Dowager was furious, her face filled with disappointment and frustration. Finally, she stamped her foot, turned around, and left.

There's absolutely nothing I can do about it!
Which of these bad women is easy to mess with?

Isn't he afraid of being completely taken advantage of?
This is absolutely infuriating!
No, I must go to His Majesty immediately and make her promise me that I will protect Qin Yu from now on.

The Empress Dowager disregarded everything else and acted on her idea immediately.

Royal study room.

"Your Majesty, do you even care whether Qin Yu lives or dies?!"

The Empress Dowager rushed in, and the barriers and enchantments set up outside were as if they were not there.

"what?"

The Empress was completely bewildered.

Qin Yu is perfectly fine, isn't she?

Why are you so desperate to die?

"The Flower Fairy is going to snatch him back to the Elf Clan!"

The Empress Dowager embellished the story, fearing the Empress wouldn't believe her, and vividly described the scenes she perceived.

"Oh."

After a long pause, the Empress responded faintly and continued to look down at the memorial in her hands.

You just said "Oh"?
The Empress Dowager was shocked. This wicked woman, she really doesn't recognize people once she lifts her skirt!

"If there's nothing else, you may leave. I have other matters to attend to."

The Empress didn't even lift her eyelids, and said calmly.

Ah!
Is the Flower Fairy bullying Qin Yu?
Although the Empress did not pay attention to the commotion in the Flower Fairy's courtyard, even a fool could tell that things were definitely not as the foolish auspicious omen described.

They were at least familiar with each other.

How could she, the Empress, not know what kind of person Qin Yu was?

He didn't threaten the Flower Fairy; all the elves should be bathing and burning incense in gratitude. Why would the Flower Fairy threaten him?
is it possible?
"Well, so you're actually siding with that outsider, the Flower Fairy!"

The Empress Dowager was stunned, and the Great Phoenix was trembling with anger. Finally, she gritted her teeth and said, "I don't want to see Qin Yu go to the Flower Language Pavilion again!"

"Then you shouldn't go with them anymore."

"Your Majesty, you..."

The Empress Dowager's eyes widened instantly.

The empress slightly raised her head, her eyes looking down at her with an unmistakable threatening intent.

Finally, the Empress Dowager could only pout and leave dejectedly, her head drooping. Inadvertently, she kicked a small stone blocking her way, venting her dissatisfaction.

……

One hundred thousand mountains.

News of the ancient ruins had already spread throughout the Ten Palaces region, and even cultivators from surrounding immortal kingdoms traveled thousands of miles to come.

Today, the area in front of the ruins is filled with countless figures, and people frequently leap up and enter the ancient bronze gate.

In mid-air, two graceful figures stood, each wearing a mysterious mask.

Countless cultivators looked at the two figures with apprehension.

These two figures were none other than the Great Flame Guards.

Yan Ruo and Yan Lin!
The ruins have been in existence for nearly two months. Dozens of experts at the Foundation Establishment stage have entered them, but none have been able to obtain the inheritance. This has led the cultivators who were watching from the outside world to gain a better understanding of the ruins.

In fact, most cultivators believe that this ruin was not left by a giant, but by a half-god!

Occasionally, one or two cultivators would emerge from among them. Although they did not see the source of the inheritance opportunity, they obtained spiritual pills and ancient cultivation techniques, which was the envy of many.

As a result, more and more cultivators flocked in, hoping to gain some opportunities, even if they didn't receive any inheritances.
Beneath the ruins, deep underground.

Rows of stone pillars stand tall, covered with obscure patterns that, even a single glance, give one the feeling that their mind will be swallowed up.

On either side of the stone pillar are dozens of image transmission stones, displaying scenes from various parts of the ruins, where countless cultivators are fighting tooth and nail for the "opportunity" they have carefully prepared.

At this moment, a figure in black robes sat upright in the center of the stone pillars scattered on the ground, with obscure array patterns covering his body.

"The time is almost up. With so many cultivators, it should be enough to satisfy the Palace Master."

Zunwu slowly rose and looked up at the mountain above. His gaze seemed to pierce through the layers of arrays and barriers separating the mountain from the landscape, and he saw the scene that was about to turn into a hellish inferno.

The next moment, beneath Zunwu's black robe, black energy surged, like liquid, and converged into the obscure array patterns beneath him.

The originally dull array patterns now exuded an evil aura, and the patterns gradually became visible on the surrounding stone pillars.

As the array patterns took shape, the entire Hundred Thousand Mountains suddenly shook violently. The terrifying commotion caused countless ferocious beasts, terrified, to completely lose their minds and flee in a frenzy.

Such an unusual movement immediately triggered alarm bells in the hearts of countless cultivators. Powerful auras surged from each figure, and their gazes swept across the surroundings.

The more cautious cultivators did not hesitate to leave the ruins area and fly towards the outer edge of the Ten Thousand Mountains.

"not good!"

Yan Ruo's expression changed slightly, and a sharp light suddenly flashed in his eyes. With a flick of his hand, a powerful Daoist force roared out and blasted towards the mountain below.

"boom!"

With a deafening roar, the already trembling ground shook violently as if a major earthquake had struck, and the solid mountain was flattened by the blow.

Some cultivators who were closer were unable to dodge in time and were blasted away by the terrifying shockwave.

Many cultivators, who had just regained their footing and were about to curse, immediately shut up when they saw that the person who made the move was Yan Wei, and quietly retreated to the side to heal their injuries.

"what is that?"

Suddenly, a sharp-eyed person noticed that there were wisps of barely perceptible black smoke in the flattened mountainside.

"Death energy?!"

Yan Ruo's expression changed, and without the slightest hesitation, he immediately crushed a jade talisman.

"Shh! Shh!"

The next moment, two figures appeared in the sky.

"Four Flame Guardians?!"

When they saw the four figures not far in front of the ancient bronze gate, countless cultivators turned solemn, finally realizing the seriousness of the problem.

Each Flame Guardian was at least a powerful cultivator at the Foundation Establishment Realm level 30 or above, and the fluctuations in the aura emanating from Yan Ruo and Yan Lin caused some Foundation Establishment Realm experts to feel extremely uneasy.

Clearly, their cultivation level has reached at least fifty or sixty steps into the Foundation Establishment Realm!

Four Flame Guardians have actually gathered here!

This is enough to show that the Great Yan royal family has noticed that this site is unusual.

"Om!..."

Before anyone could react, the ruins that had been standing in mid-air, radiating boundless light, suddenly dimmed, and even the ancient bronze gate began to emit wisps of black gas.

"What's going on? My spiritual energy is draining away!"

"Oh no, something here is devouring my spiritual power!"

"Run! This ruin is a trap!"

Faintly, exclamations of surprise could be heard coming from inside the ancient bronze gate.

Upon witnessing this unexpected turn of events, the expressions of countless cultivators who had been observing changed drastically, and the more astute ones quickly chose to retreat.

Yan Lin took out a sound transmission stone, intending to report the matter to Commander Yan Zhi, but was astonished to find that he could not transmit any information at all.

"Yan Ruo, try to send a message to His Majesty!"

A strong sense of unease suddenly welled up in Yan Lin's heart.

“It’s no use. The space is sealed off, so we can’t send messages. However, I’ve already crushed Lord Wang’s soul tablet, so he should have sensed it.”

Yan Ruo's voice was cold and clear, her eyes flashing with a sharp light as she scanned the land below.

At this moment, they realized that this was not an ancient ruin, but a trap carefully set by someone with ulterior motives!
In the mountain below.

Three men in black robes stood in the middle of the massive array that had been activated. Zun Wu stood in the center, while Zun Qi and Zun Ba stood to his left and right, chanting obscure incantations. Black energy surged around them, continuously pouring into the array.

The once solemn and ancient outer walls of the ruins gradually peeled away, revealing the dense and eerie array patterns inside.

The ground below also cracked open with countless fissures, and streams of dense, almost tangible black death energy gushed out like springs.

“Death energy!”

"This is the Soul Devouring Blood Refining Array of the Black Soul Palace!"

A look of fear suddenly flashed in Yan Lin's beautiful eyes, and the three Yan Guards beside her also looked solemn.

Several cultivators at the Foundation Establishment stage who were closer to the site immediately changed their expressions upon hearing this.

Among them, some had heard of the "Black Soul Palace." Even if they didn't know of this force's existence, they could sense the seriousness of the matter from the solemn attitude of the four Flame Guards.

In an instant, the surrounding cultivators and experts were like frightened birds, no longer caring about anything else, and rushed towards the outer perimeter.

However, when some cultivators arrived at the inner area and tried to escape, they were horrified to find that the space in front of them was shrouded by a barrier formed by black mist.

What's even more terrifying is that death energy is constantly spreading out from this eerie black mist barrier, devouring all living things wherever it goes.

The chilling aura of death did not dissipate; instead, it grew even stronger.

"Boom! Boom!..."

The cultivators could no longer care about anything else and joined forces, urging their spiritual power to launch powerful attacks against the black mist barrier.

However, just as these attacks approached the black mist, they were swallowed up by a terrifying devouring force.

The already eerie black death aura became even more pitch black, shrinking inwards at an even faster speed.

What's even more despairing is that both the sky above and the mountains below seem to be sealed off by an invisible force of confinement, with a faint aura of death spreading outwards. Looking around, there is no way out.

Several cultivators who attempted to force their way through the black mist screamed and turned into skeletons the moment they touched it. Their cultivation and flesh were completely devoured in just a few breaths.

"I refuse to believe that a mere formation can stop me!"

"Quickly inform Lord Yanwei of this matter!"

"Yes, with Lord Yanwei here, we will surely be able to escape."

For a time, some were unwilling to give up, while others chose to go back and seek the protection of the Flame Guardians.

(End of this chapter)