Xiao Yan's sudden change in expression also caught the attention of Xiao Yi and the others. Everyone paused, startled, and asked cautiously, "What's wrong?" Drawing a deep breath of cold air, Xiao Yan gazed at the old ghostly figures approaching the stone throne, suddenly feeling an uneasy sensation. In an instant, he seized hold of Zǐ Yán and Qīng Lín tightly, and said firmly, "Retreat!" "Huh?" Xiao Yan's unusual actions left Xiao Yi and the others puzzled. Yet, they always trusted Xiao Yan, so despite their confusion about the reason behind his actions, they immediately moved swiftly to follow him. As Xiao Yan and the others retreated swiftly, the group led by the Ghost of Star-Plucking also stepped into the range of one zhang of stone seats. Their eyes burned with intense interest, fixed upon the seated skeleton. A Dao Saint—this rank held an irresistible allure even for them. While Dao Sovereigns could be considered the pinnacle of strength on this continent, they still fell short of reaching the true apex. The leap from Dao Sovereign to Dao Saint represented a qualitative transformation; the gap between the two was nearly insurmountable, no matter what could be bridged. As Just-At-Star-Old-Man's hand was about to make contact with the skeleton, a subtle tremor suddenly emerged in that space, instantly transforming into countless sharp spatial spines that pierced his palm with force. The slight pain transmitted through his hand caused Just-At-Star-Old-Man to pause, quickly withdrawing his hand—only to find blood seeping from his palm, several drops of which gently landed upon the seated white skeleton. Observing the blood pooling on the jade-white bones, a deep sense of unease gradually spread through Just-At-Star-Old-Man's heart. "Master Just-At-Star, what's wrong?" Several elite members of the Soul Palace, gathered nearby, were startled to see Just-At-Star-Old-Man suddenly hesitate, and likewise expressed their confusion. Unheeding their cries, the old ghost of Star-Plucking fixed his gaze upon the drop of blood that had fallen upon the bones. As the blood slid, it behaved like water encountering cotton—gently seeping and penetrating. When all the blood had fully permeated the bones, the old ghost's eyes suddenly narrowed. In that instant, he sensed a surge of vitality rising anew within the bones, which had seemingly lain dormant for countless ages. "By the heavens! Retreat quickly!" Though swift in reaction, the old ghost let out a sharp, urgent roar the moment he perceived this resurgence of life. At the same time, he stomped the ground with his foot and shot backward with lightning speed. The Star-Seeking Old Ghost reacted swiftly, but several other elite figures from the Spirit Pavilion were a step behind, thus pausing momentarily before beginning to move, retreating swiftly with agile footwork—only to find themselves too late. As they were just about to step back, the jade-white skeleton seated upon the stone throne gently trembled. Then, within the hollow skull, two faint streaks of blood-red light flickered and emerged. "The first to be struck by the sonic storm naturally were the several elite soul hall cultivators with slower reflexes. The sound waves surged upon them instantly, and in a single explosive burst, their bodies collapsed like sandbags hit by artillery shells, bursting into blood mist that spread out around them. 'Hmph!' The old ghost, Master Zhaixing, had not escaped the sonic wave's reach either. Though his strength was formidable and his reactions swift, he did not shatter instantly like the others. Still, the wave swept over him, causing a surge of qi and blood within his body, and a low, dull exhalation escaped his throat—clearly, he had sustained some injury." Even the seasoned elder ghost of star-level strength could not withstand the sonic roar emitted by this Divinity Saint’s remains, making the wave a true divine death-sickle for most within the hall. Numerous strong contenders were still chasing after the remaining three scrolls, as the sharp sonic waves surged outward like lightning. Many figures suspended mid-air, then suddenly exploded into blood mist, spreading throughout the hall. For a moment, the entire hall was enveloped in thick, swirling blood mist. This sudden surge of bloodshed swiftly pulled everyone from the allure of the Celestial Stage techniques, their faces instantly filled with shock, their inner ki surging forth unreservedly. Many of them now fled the central area of the hall, disheveled and panicked, like dogs losing their homes. The sonic wave, after inflicting a chilling slaughter, finally dissipated amidst everyone's pale faces. Gazing at the slowly drifting blood mist floating in the air, all present felt a deep, profound shiver run through them. At least a hundred had perished under the wave's assault, including two formidable Du-Zun-level warriors! "An sonic wave capable of instantly eliminating even Du-Zun-level warriors..." Those who had escaped gasped, swallowing hard. Even the black-robed elder of the Tian Yao Huang clan, a warrior of such strength, was drenched in cold sweat. "Zhaixing, what have you done?!" As the others regained their composure, their furious gazes swiftly turned toward Zhaixing, the very one who had also managed to escape, shouting in outrage. Hearing Tang Zhen's outburst, everyone's startled eyes shifted to Zhaixing, clearly seeing that it was precisely his actions that had triggered this entire upheaval. Faced with so many powerful figures glaring at him, the Star-Catching Elder could only feel his mouth twitch with bitterness. He hadn't expected things to take such a sudden turn—those bones, which had long since lost all functionality, were now suddenly radiating such terrifying energy. While Xiao Yan's party had managed to retreat swiftly and suffered little damage, the sight of nearly half the people in the hall vanishing in an instant left them visibly shaken. How astonishingly formidable were these bones! Hearing Xiao Yan's words, the Ghost of Star-Plucking's face grew serious. Yet, as he sensed more and more angry glances from around him, he could only bow slightly and said, "Indeed, this matter has been my oversight. However, at this moment, what we need to focus on is not blame, but rather action. If my judgment is correct, the Stellar Sovereign's remains are likely a fragment of the elder's lingering intent—something not difficult to overcome. With our combined efforts, we can certainly contain and suppress it." "Even a mere fragment of intent is so formidable. Had that sonic wave returned once more, I suspect only a few of us here would survive." Tang Zhen's expression remained as calm as ever. Several of the elite from Burned Flame Valley had perished from the wave itself. Were the timing not quite right, he would have found himself unable to refrain from turning against the Ghost of Star-Plucking. "Since we've secured the scroll, let's each go our separate ways—this thing is truly terrifying..." Someone murmured among the crowd, their voice trembling with uncontainable fear, as the power radiating from it was simply overwhelming. "We won't make it. This mental presence will surely eliminate every intruder. If we try to flee, I doubt anyone will survive to reach the exit." The elder ghost, Zhai Xing, spoke with steady resolve. Xiao Yan narrowed his eyes. He sensed that the elder ghost was determined to eliminate the Bone Remnant, yet given the latter's cautious nature, such a decisive effort was unlikely to be made without reason. Zhai Xing's words stirred a wave of unrest. Those with slightly weaker abilities grew even more visibly fearful, yet none dared to turn and run. "Crack... crack..." As the crowd stirred in chaos, a subtle sound of shifting bones suddenly echoed within the vast hall, where blood mist hung thick. Instantly, the commotion stilled, and a series of stunned, wide-eyed gazes fixed upon the central area of the hall, their fear deepening and spreading rapidly. "Tap... tap..." The sound of bones touching the ground approached from afar, though soft, it pressed down upon each listener as though stepping firmly upon their hearts, creating an overwhelming sense of pressure. "Be careful... stay together," Xiang Yan said, his expression serious, turning slightly to speak softly to Xiao Yishen and the others. The situation had now completely slipped beyond control—the revival of the Dou Sheng bone remains was truly astonishing. Xiao Yishen and the others nodded in agreement. Should things go poorly, it seemed likely that everyone present would have to remain here as casualties. The earlier sonic attack, in fact, might have proven too much for most of them to endure. Within the hall, the blood mist gently swayed under the collective gaze of all present, and then, a skeleton entirely stained blood-red by the mist, stepped forth slowly from the mist, appearing before the assembled crowd. "Those who have ventured into the ruins—die!" The blood-red skeleton halted a hundred meters ahead of the crowd, raised its head slowly, and in its hollow eyes, flashes of crimson glimmered. A timeless, hoarse, and composed voice resonated softly throughout the hall.