Batian Martial Soul

Chapter 14641 The Pavilion of Truth

Between the fragments, there are light bridges that emit a faint glow.

Occasionally, figures would hurry across the bridge, each with a cold expression and a hurried demeanor, maintaining a wary distance from one another, their eyes full of vigilance.

In the very center of this floating architectural fragment stands a relatively intact three-story building.

The small building, constructed entirely of warm, white jade, stands out strikingly amidst the dilapidated ruins. A simple, ancient plaque hangs atop the building, engraved with three powerful, ancient seal characters, their sharp strokes conveying a sense of righteous indignation.

True Words Pavilion.

As Ling Xiao and Ling Bi approached the small building, the tightly closed wooden door creaked open by itself.

A woman dressed in a plain white dress slowly walked out of the door.

She looked to be about twenty-five or twenty-six years old, with a beautiful and refined appearance and a gentle and graceful temperament. Her long, black hair was loosely tied up with a simple wooden hairpin, and she held a yellowed ancient book in her arms. She exuded a scholarly air about her.

The woman walked up to Ling Xiao, slightly bent her knees, and performed an elegant bow.

"Young Master Ling, Miss Ling, I am Zhang Lingyu, the current head of the True Words Pavilion."

She slowly raised her head, a faint smile playing on her lips, her voice soft and melodious:

"You two have come from afar, and your journey must have been arduous. If you don't mind, why don't we come inside for a chat? I think we have a lot to discuss regarding the auction of the Demon Lord's Black Sky Sword."

Ling Xiao stood by the window on the third floor of the True Word Pavilion, looking down at the slowly rotating architectural fragments below. A dark red sky shrouded the entire land, with shattered mountains and turbulent currents churning in the distance, creating a bizarre and desolate scene.

“I’m ready,” he said, his voice so calm it surprised even himself.

Before he came, he knew that this trip was like a lamb entering a tiger's den.

With the power of the Devouring Heaven Demon Art and the mysterious Black Heaven Sword of the Demon Lord, he has a hundred ways to hide his whereabouts silently, and even the Holy Temple's Annihilation God Envoy may not be able to find his trace.

But he couldn't hide.

He's gone into hiding. What will happen to the Batian Empire? What will happen to Ling Bi? What will happen to those who trusted him and followed him?

So he came, carrying this demonic sword powerful enough to stir up the winds and clouds, and stepped into the most dangerous place in this desolate realm, willingly turning himself into the brightest target.

"Young Master Ling is quite magnanimous."

Zhang Lingyu's voice came from behind him. The head of the True Word Pavilion had appeared behind him at some point, still holding the ancient book in her arms. Her white dress was spotless, and her gentle eyes held a hint of worldly wisdom.

"What else can I do if I'm not magnanimous?" Ling Xiao turned around and laughed self-deprecatingly. "Should I cry? Or kneel down and beg those old monsters to let me go?"

Zhang Lingyu smiled too, a faint smile, like a gentle breeze brushing across the water: "At least Young Master Ling can still joke around, which shows that his mentality is still acceptable."

She walked to the window and stood beside Ling Xiao, gazing into the distant void:

"The protection that the True Word Pavilion can provide for you, young master, is really limited. This is not the Overlord Empire; there are no laws, no order, only a naked distinction between the strong and the weak."

"Once the auction begins, you will become the target of everyone's attention. At that time, all eyes in the Broken Realm Mountain will be on you."

"I know." Ling Xiao nodded, his tone decisive. "Speak, what do you want?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Lingyu remained silent for a moment, then gently opened the ancient book in her arms.

The pages were yellowed and fragile, as if they would shatter at the slightest touch. They were covered with densely packed characters, none of which Ling Xiao recognized. Strangely, however, the characters themselves emitted a faint golden light.

It wasn't the reflected light, but the words themselves, that shone so brightly.

"The purpose of the True Word Pavilion has never been to fight for power and profit."

She spoke softly, her voice carrying an almost reverent solemnity.

"It's a record. A record of truths that shouldn't be forgotten. Those legends have circulated in the Realm of Annihilation for tens of thousands of years, but the truth has long been buried by the dust of time. We want to know the truth of what happened back then."

She raised her head, her clear eyes looking directly at Ling Xiao:

"In exchange, the True Word Pavilion will provide you with all information support within its capabilities. For example, on Broken Boundary Mountain right now, who poses a deadly threat to you, who is just observing, and who... might become your temporary allies."

Ling Xiao pondered for a moment, then looked up at her and said, "I need three days."

"Reason?" Zhang Lingyu pressed.

“Make some preparations.” Ling Xiao spread his palms out, silver runes swirling and flashing in his palms, their light obscure and mysterious. “Also… I want to see who will be the first to lose their temper and jump out.”

Zhang Lingyu did not object, but gently closed the ancient book, her voice calm and even: "Three days, that's fine. But after three days, regardless of whether you are well prepared, the auction must begin as scheduled."

She paused, then added, "The patience of Broken Mountain... has always been very limited."

"clear."

Zhang Lingyu nodded slightly, turned and left, leaving Ling Xiao alone in the room.

He walked to the center of the room, sat cross-legged, and slowly took out three storage rings that shimmered with spiritual light from his bosom.

On the surface of the ring, spiritual light flowed, and one could vaguely see the mountain of rare and precious materials piled up inside, as well as... terrifying auras sealed within.

The first storage ring was taken from the corpse of that powerful figure from the Holy Temple.

The ring face was engraved with a lifelike relief of a holy angel, and the band was icy cold, as if it had been tempered by ten thousand years of ice. The interior space was astonishingly vast, but it was sealed tightly by a layer of thick, blood-like restriction.

Ling Xiao tried to activate the Devouring Heaven Demon Art, and the violent demonic energy surged like a raging tide several times, but the blood-red restriction remained unmoved, without even a ripple.

"It seems I'll have to use a special method to unseal it," he muttered to himself, stroking the cold ring.

The second one was given to him by Jin Yan before he left.

This ring looks unremarkable; the bronze material is mottled and covered with dark green rust, making it look like a piece of junk dug out from the depths of an ancient tomb.

Jin Yan didn't mention what was hidden inside, only saying, "When the time comes, it will be activated," before turning and disappearing into the crowd.

The third one...

Ling Xiao's gaze fell on the jet-black ring in his palm, and his expression suddenly became complicated.

This was given to him by his grandfather, Hong Qi.

It was still entrusted to Chunxiao and the others to deliver it to him from afar.

He still hasn't dared to open it.

It's not that I can't, it's that I dare not.

That weighty entrustment felt like an invisible shackle, pressing down on his heart.

"Brother, what sins did you commit in your past life? Why do you always leave such a mess wherever you go?" (End of Chapter)