Chapter 476 - 474: Ruins of the Saint Emperor Sect

"The ruins of the Saint Emperor Sect?" Shen Haoran’s curiosity was piqued by Jian Wushuang’s words. He immediately quickened his pace, catching up to him as they walked forward.

The two crested the mountain peak and came to a stop at the edge of a cliff. Jian Wushuang paused, pointed forward, and said, "There they are—the ruins of the Saint Emperor Sect!"

At his words, Shen Haoran looked in the direction Jian Wushuang was pointing. The sight before him left him utterly stunned.

Below the cliff stretched a golden mountain range, so vast it seemed to have no end. Scattered throughout the mountains were the outlines of various structures. The buildings looked incredibly ancient, their rooftops overgrown with Cyan Rattan. Yet, one could still faintly discern the profound runes carved upon their walls. Even from such a great distance, Shen Haoran could feel the formidable pressure emanating from the golden range. A sense of profound age welled up uncontrollably in his heart, and for a fleeting moment, he even felt the urge to kneel in worship.

’So these are the ruins of the Saint Emperor Sect?’ Shen Haoran gazed at the magnificent site and couldn’t help but marvel. It was simply too grand. He had seen the ruins of the Ten Thousand Swords Sect before, but they paled in comparison to the sight before him now. Within the Ten Thousand Swords Sect, only the Sword Tomb could possibly measure up to these Saint Emperor Sect ruins; the rest wasn’t even worth mentioning. ’These are true ruins, a relic from the Ancient Era.’

"That’s right. Surprising, isn’t it? The first-class Sects of the Ancient Era were far larger than anything we have now. They were on a completely different level. I wonder what happened over the last ten thousand years to cause such a massive Sect to fall into ruin." Jian Wushuang also sighed in admiration as he gazed at the site. Though this wasn’t his first time seeing the Saint Emperor Sect’s ruins, the sight still moved him differently on every visit.

Shen Haoran was curious about this as well. Back in the Sword Tomb of the Ten Thousand Swords Sect, he had asked Ni Jianshuang the same question, but she had always been evasive, never giving him a straight answer. In the end, he could only let it go. He couldn’t force her to talk, and besides, he didn’t have the power to make her. ’It probably has something to do with those "unclean things" she mentioned,’ he thought.

"What’s wrong with the ruins? They don’t look like there’s any major problem," Shen Haoran said with a frown, looking down at the sealed, glorious remains of the Saint Emperor Sect.

"Is that so?" As if he had expected Shen Haoran to say that, Jian Wushuang picked up a stone from his feet and casually tossed it toward the ruins below.

BOOM! Just as the stone fell over the Saint Emperor Sect’s ruins, a blinding light erupted. It bathed the surrounding peaks in a golden glow, forcing Shen Haoran to shield his eyes with his arm.

The golden light faded as quickly as it had appeared. When Shen Haoran opened his eyes again, he saw a golden membrane of light had materialized above the ruins. The stone had been incinerated the instant it made contact.

"This..." Shen Haoran couldn’t help but draw a sharp breath at the sight. ’With a defense like that, forget about me—even a powerhouse at the Spirit Emperor Level would be facing certain death.’

"And that’s not all," Jian Wushuang added, seeing Shen Haoran’s shocked expression.

ROAR...

Sure enough, just as Jian Wushuang finished speaking, a chorus of roars echoed from within the ruins. Immediately after, countless heads began to surface.

"Are those... Death Warriors!" Shen Haoran’s pupils contracted as he stared at the figures emerging from the Saint Emperor Sect. Down below, the densely packed Death Warriors swarmed together, their unending roars making his skin crawl.

"That’s right. That’s not just a group down there; you could call it a Wave of Death Warriors. This is the biggest obstacle to entering the ruins. The Guardian Shield on the outside is weakening over time, and we estimate we’ll be able to break it in about half a month. The problem is, once we break it, that Wave of Death Warriors will be unleashed. With our current numbers, we don’t stand a chance," Jian Wushuang said grimly, staring down at the horde.

Shen Haoran nodded in complete agreement. Although most of the figures in the Wave of Death Warriors below were Black Iron Level Death Warriors, their sheer numbers were overwhelming. There was strength in numbers, enough to create a qualitative change. Even someone like him wouldn’t make it out alive if he waded into that tide. Besides, with so many at the Black Iron Level, wasn’t it certain there were Gold, Diamond, and even Black Jade Level Death Warriors among them? Everyone knew Death Warriors evolved by devouring their own kind. With this many Black Iron Death Warriors as fodder, there were bound to be some at the Diamond and Black Jade Level, even if they hadn’t revealed themselves yet.

"This is a real headache," Shen Haoran muttered, rubbing his forehead in frustration. Standing here, he could already feel a distinct thrumming from the Fire Spirit Black Obsidian inside him—the excitement of sensing one of its own kind. This proved the Earth Spirit Profound Nether was inside the Saint Emperor Sect. But to obtain it, he would have to clear out all these Death Warriors, and he couldn’t think of any good way to do that.

"So, Brother Shen, do you have any ideas?" Jian Wushuang asked.

Shen Haoran mulled it over for a moment before finally shaking his head. "None."

Jian Wushuang gave a wry smile. Shen Haoran’s answer didn’t surprise him. After all, if so many others had failed to find a solution, it was only natural that Shen Haoran couldn’t think of one on the spot either.

"Don’t be too discouraged," Shen Haoran said, noticing Jian Wushuang’s disappointed expression. "We’ll figure something out. None of us are going to give up on these ruins, are we?"

Jian Wushuang chuckled lightly at his words. Shen Haoran was right; none of them would give up on the Saint Emperor Sect’s ruins. There were always more solutions than problems. They would find a way to deal with a horde of Death Warriors.

"Come on, let’s head back." After one last look at the ruins, Shen Haoran and Jian Wushuang turned and started walking, beginning to discuss how they might get inside.

"Boss, bad news! Some people came looking for trouble, and they disturbed Wanqing while she was in her Cultivation! Her injuries have flared up again!" Just as Shen Haoran and Jian Wushuang reached the halfway point of the mountain, they saw Chen Feng running frantically toward them.

"What?" Hearing Chen Feng’s words, Shen Haoran’s face instantly darkened. With a flash, his figure shot down the mountain, icy killing intent surging within him...