Human Clan Defender-Chapter 692 - s 53 to 57: Time Decay, Divine Ability Scroll (Four-in-One, thanks to the "Colorless Void" Silver League)_2

"A dense spiritual energy is emanating from the side hall. When we came in, there wasn't a trace of spiritual energy outside the great hall. The surrounding darkness can even devour Divine Sense, so naturally, the spiritual energy couldn't escape either.

But after we entered the great hall, spiritual energy, which shouldn't have been present, was indeed there.

Now, when the side hall opened, an even stronger surge of spiritual energy erupted."

He paused for a moment, his eyes flashing with brilliance. "I suspect that this great hall might contain a Spirit Vein."

Shen Changqing was no longer the novice he once was. He had read every single scroll in the Martial Hall. Regarding Spirit Veins, Shen Changqing was confident that there were few within the Martial Hall who understood them better than him. There was no spiritual energy outside, yet there was spiritual energy within the great hall. This meant there was something inside the great hall that could produce spiritual energy. And the only thing that could allow spiritual energy to persist for thousands, or even tens of thousands, of years without depletion was, indeed, a Spirit Vein. If it were merely a single Spirit Stone, in a place completely devoid of spiritual energy, its spiritual essence would also be exhausted over time.

Upon hearing this, Yi Ning's eyes also lit up. "Pavilion Master Shen is right; there might really be a Spirit Vein here!"

A Spirit Vein! Why hadn't he thought of this? It was because all the Ancient Ruins he had entered before were actually connected to the outside world, merely hidden in more secretive locations. If they could connect to the outside world, then naturally, nature's spiritual energy would be present. Over time, he had stopped paying attention to this detail. But this place was different. Just as Shen Changqing said, this place was completely isolated from the outside world; there was no way for spiritual energy to enter. Under such circumstances, the presence of nature's spiritual energy was very telling.

Thinking there might be a Spirit Vein here, Yi Ning's breathing grew rapid.

Spirit Stones were precious, but a Spirit Vein was even more so. A Spirit Vein was the source that nurtured Spirit Stones. The small Spirit Vein possessed by the Martial Hall had nourished it for hundreds of years. Furthermore, the Demon-Subduing Division, and indeed the entire Capital City, benefited from that Spirit Vein's blessings. For this reason, the spiritual energy within the Capital City was denser than in other places. If even a small Spirit Vein could have such an effect, its preciousness was self-evident. If they could truly obtain a Spirit Vein, the benefits to a Martial Artist would be comparable to that of a supreme treasure.

Taking several deep breaths, Yi Ning tried to calm himself. "If there really is a Spirit Vein here, we must obtain the Heart of Spirit Vein."

Moving an entire Spirit Vein out was impossible. No matter how small, a Spirit Vein was not something mere human strength could move; it was simply too vast. But the Heart of Spirit Vein was different. That was the very source of a Spirit Vein. As long as they obtained the Heart of Spirit Vein, it would be equivalent to possessing the entire Spirit Vein. If placed elsewhere, over time, it could give rise to a new Spirit Vein. As for a Spirit Vein that had its Heart removed, it would gradually head towards destruction over time. But what did that have to do with them? Leaving a Spirit Vein in an Ancient Ruin was an utter waste.

"The Heart of Spirit Vein definitely cannot be left behind. If I'm not mistaken, the Spirit Vein should be beneath the great hall. However, judging by the materials used to construct this hall, breaking through won't be easy. Moreover, if we act forcibly, we might damage these ruins. We should first explore other areas and then, at the end, figure out a way to extract the Heart of Spirit Vein." Shen Changqing made his decision instantly.

The Heart of Spirit Vein had to be taken. Other treasures within the great hall also had to be acquired. He refused to believe that such a vast hall wouldn't contain corresponding Cultivation Techniques and scriptures. The rest was simply a matter of exploration.

Yi Ning heard this and raised no objections.

Shen Changqing then looked at the Puppet still standing there. With another burst of Finger Gang, he completely destroyed it before he and Yi Ning left the Alchemy Room to head for the next side hall.

Indeed, just as Yi Ning had said, this Ancient Ruin was fraught with dangers at every turn. Some passages contained mechanisms that launched projectiles so powerful they rendered Protective Gang Qi virtually useless. In other side halls, formidable Puppets lurked.

Among those Puppets, the weaker ones were equivalent to cultivators who had just entered the Heaven Being Realm, while the more powerful ones were comparable to Heaven Beings in the upper five tiers of that realm. In the outside world, they would undoubtedly be considered Great Demons.

Such peril made Yi Ning's heart pound with fear. If he hadn't entered with Shen Changqing this time, given his own strength, he wouldn't have survived a single day inside the great hall. This level of danger was truly terrifying.

Fortunately, in Shen Changqing's presence, all the dangers within the great hall failed to stir even the slightest ripple. With a wave of his hand, he had already suppressed them all.

After exploring several empty side halls, the two opened the door to a new one. As the doors creaked open, Puppets charged out.

But Shen Changqing was long accustomed to this. The moment the Puppets rushed out, he instantly crushed them. 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

Heaven Being Puppets were hardly worth mentioning to an Immortal Golden Body Realm powerhouse. Especially now that Shen Changqing had officially entered the late stage of the Immortal Golden Body Realm. Although he hadn't reached Perfection, he was very close. In terms of strength, he was already nearing the pinnacle of his realm. Suppressing Heaven Being Puppets was a piece of cake for him.

Once the Puppets were annihilated, the two walked straight in. Instantly, a powerful and sharp aura assailed them, forcing Yi Ning to defend himself with his Gang Qi. Shen Changqing didn't defend; the sharp aura dissipated quietly the moment it came within an inch of his body.