Chapter 248 The Mystery of the Ruins Aura That Moment of Nauseating Disgust

A bestial roar echoed out, warping time itself.

Such pressure struck fear into both the old Daoist and Fu Ning’an. Even though they were merely projections—clones split from their true bodies—they couldn’t help but feel that if these avatars died here, the temporal force might trace back and severely damage their true bodies in the outside world.

They couldn’t die. They didn’t even dare to struggle. If they so much as twitched, that power would descend instantly!

The entire Xuantian Secret Realm gradually stabilized under that roar. After a short moment, the two slowly recovered their composure.

Though the realm returned to normal and the suppressive aura faded, the two could clearly feel that time around them was now moving even faster—at least seventy times the normal flow!

As for Yu Xian, his expression was equally grave. He could clearly perceive the abrupt deceleration of time in that moment.

The emergence of that pressure and the wind-shield aura made it clear: there had been a severe conflict between the old dog and Fu Ning’an.

The old dog had tried to kill him. Fu Ning’an naturally raised his hand to stop him. Thus, the clash that shook the heavens.

After a dragon’s roar echoed, the Xuantian Secret Realm grew quiet for a long time. Eventually, the dragon’s might began to fade. It seemed the terrifying existence had only issued a warning. If either of them dared make another move and destabilize the realm again—they would surely die!

“Old dog, are you still going to fight? I, for one, am ready to go to the end!”

As the temporal suppression lifted and they regained some freedom, Fu Ning’an stared coldly, fearless.

The old Daoist’s eyes flickered with hesitation.

If they fought again, it would trigger the true wrath of that terrifying beast. At that point, neither of them would survive.

Fu Ning’an wasn’t afraid to die—but the old Daoist certainly was!

Just to kill some brat, was he really willing to throw his life away? No way.

“Fu bastard!”

The old Daoist gritted his teeth. “You broke the rules! You helped that brat advance in his cultivation—shameless to the extreme!”

“You listen here, old dog!”

Fu Ning’an’s voice was icy. “I’ve never broken any rules. This will be the last time I explain it. Believe it or not, fight or not—it’s up to you!”

Seeing Fu Ning’an’s calm demeanor, the old Daoist began to believe him—mostly.

Still, Yu Xian’s sudden breakthrough to Peak Foundation Establishment meant any opponent after this would be walking to their deaths. They wouldn’t even be able to stall for time.

He sneered, “You want me to believe you? A hypocrite like you isn’t worthy of trust!”

“What do you want, then!?”

Fu Ning’an’s voice grew colder. “You won’t fight, won’t believe, but you keep flapping your damn lips like some back-alley rat!”

The old Daoist replied coldly, “Of course the duel must continue. But since you broke the rules, you’ll either let me cripple Yu Xian’s cultivation back to mid-Foundation Establishment, or send someone else in his place. Otherwise, this duel is over. I’ll also inform the other Blood River elders about the shamelessness of Haotian Sect!”

“I broke the rules? Your mother!”

Fu Ning’an finally exploded. “You want a fight? Then fight! You want excuses? Get the hell out! You Blood River dogs never admit defeat and now you’re using this as a cover to back out!? Want to cripple him? Screw off!”

The old Daoist’s face darkened. Rage surged through him. At last, he snarled, “Fine! Since you won’t admit your wrongdoing, this duel is over. I will report this to my sect. The six disciples who died in these ten days—we elders will ensure justice is served!”

“Go whine to your sect, you piece of filth.”

Fu Ning’an waved a hand in disgust. “You damn demonic cultivators are always like this—disgusting to the core, always accusing others of your own crimes. You taint this world with your very presence.”

“Fu Ning’an!!”

The old Daoist bellowed, “Don’t think I fear you! Your foul mouth is the true stain on this world!”

“You sicken me.”

Fu Ning’an turned to Yu Xian and extended a hand. “Yu Xian, we’re leaving.”

But Yu Xian didn’t respond. As if Fu Ning’an’s Nascent Soul-level power didn’t even exist.

Fu Ning’an was stunned. His brow furrowed.

The old Daoist’s eyes flashed, and his projection rapidly retreated.

A temporal rift had formed!

Yu Xian was now trapped in a separate flow of time.

They could no longer reach him. What they were seeing was merely a temporal afterimage.

Fu Ning’an realized this at once. He knew Yu Xian’s true self had already vanished into another time stream.

He couldn’t abandon him. Yu Xian had contributed too much to the sect!

Even if the Blood River Sect refused to admit defeat, Yu Xian’s merit remained undeniable.

A moment later, Fu Ning’an stepped through the twisting rift and exited the realm.

Inside, two and a half years had passed.

Outside, only eighteen and a half days.

Haotian Sect had lost two.

Blood River had lost six—all slain by Yu Xian!

Just one incense stick’s worth of time passed outside. Then Fu Ning’an raised his hand—and Yu Xian’s projection flew to his side. His clone returned to his body.

The old Daoist’s face twisted in shock.

Yu Xian survived!?

How!?

With time distorted, and that beast awakening, how could Fu Ning’an have saved him!?

“Shi bastard…”

Fu Ning’an’s voice was cold, “You don’t get to decide if the duel counts. Haotian Sect has won. The Xuantian Secret Realm is ours. If your filthy cult tries to seize it, prepare to die.”

“What a joke!”

The old Daoist pointed at Yu Xian. “You broke the rules and dared to empower him. This is far from over!”

Yu Xian stepped forward, “When did I ask for help? You, however, passed secret messages and tried to kill me using your higher cultivation. Shameless!”

“You dare!?”

The old Daoist roared, finger trembling.

Fu Ning’an stepped in front of Yu Xian. “Picking on juniors? Shame on you. Since you didn’t dare act inside the Secret Realm, shall we fight out here instead?”

The old Daoist ground his teeth, then turned and left with the remaining nine Foundation Establishment disciples and six Core Formation elders.

“Disgusting bunch,” Fu Ning’an spat coldly. “Evil cultivators, always playing the victim. Hypocrites, the lot of them.”

The six Core elders of Haotian Sect remained silent, shocked by Yu Xian’s incredible rise—from mid Foundation Establishment to peak—and the slaying of six opponents.

Many disciples looked at him with awe and reverence.

He had saved morale when they were at their lowest.

His name—Yu Xian—was now deeply imprinted on their hearts.

Respect. And fear.

“We’re leaving! And remember—never trust the words of a demonic cultivator. If you can kill them, do it. A thousand deaths wouldn’t make up for their crimes!”

Fu Ning’an led the group back toward Haotian Sect.

Behind them, Yu Xian fell into a strange illusion.

A boundless mountain range.

He stood like an ant among peaks without end.

“An illusion?” he muttered. Could it be that old dog’s technique?

A voice rumbled from the winds:

“Boy…”

Yu Xian frowned, “Senior, aren’t you breaking the rules? I’m supposed to fight equals. You trying to kill me is disgraceful.”

The voice paused, then laughed.

“If I wanted you dead, you would be.”

“Ridiculous,” Yu Xian replied calmly. “My sect’s Fifth Grand Elder isn’t to be trifled with. While you fought him, you tried to trap me here. Dream on.”

A pause.

Then: “You are suspicious by nature.”

The voice returned, calm again. “I awaken only rarely across thousands of years. This time, I awoke… because of you.”

Yu Xian was stunned. This voice—this presence—it was far beyond him.

“May I ask… who are you?”

“You don’t need to know yet,” the voice said. “But tell me—why do you carry the aura of the last human?”

The last human?

What?

How would he carry that aura?

Was this being mistaken?

Yu Xian thought hard. “Senior, I… don’t understand. Please explain. Perhaps I can recall something.”

“You don’t know? Then why do you have his scent? Did you enter his ruins? Receive his inheritance?”

Ruins…

Suddenly, Yu Xian remembered the ancient Ruin City he once explored.

There, he had obtained little—just a crystal of resentment and a martial legacy.

But what stuck with him most was the massive palace and that towering, awe-inspiring figure.

That voice had once told him:

“Never kneel.”

No matter what happened—never kneel.

He looked up toward the endless mountains, solemn.

“Senior, if you are truly there… please show yourself. I have indeed been to the Ancient Ruin City. Perhaps it was there… I was marked with his aura.”