NOVPUBThis Yellow Fang Elder held considerable prestige among the loose cultivators.
Known as Elder Tianhu, with the Immortal Vine Gourd at his command, his offensive and defensive capabilities were unmatched, and his prowess in slaughter was unparalleled.
He had some reputation indeed, yet now he couldn’t withstand even a single move.
Their expressions grew much more solemn as they gazed upon the silhouette of the Divine Emperor.
At this moment, Elder Tianhu also conceded defeat cleanly. As a loose cultivator, having cultivated to where he was today was like treading on thin ice. He understood that as long as he was alive, then all possibilities remained for the future.
Those who insulted him would eventually face his revenge.
Therefore, at this moment, Elder Tianhu couldn’t care less about the so-called dignity and face of a strong warrior.
Xu Zimei turned her head, looking at the collapsed mountain in front of her.
Before her was a scene of ruins—rocks tumbled down, trees broken and scattered among the crevices of the rubble.
Judging by the scene, it seemed there was a force halfway up the mountain that had exploded outward.
From halfway up the mountain as the center, the summit directly collapsed, and the base of the mountain cracked open.
The ruins buried the entire Sect Gate of the Huayuan Sect, and the whole area of ruins seemed to be enveloped by a mysterious force.
Despite being clearly visible, they imparted a hazy, blurred sensation to the onlooker.
Xu Zimei stepped towards the mountain’s ruins. After reaching the foot of the mountain, she extended her right hand and touched the air in front of her.
She discovered that there was a barrier here, enclosing all around the ruins.
"Where are the people from the Huayuan Sect?" Xu Zimei looked at Elder Tianhu and asked.
"They are all dead," replied Elder Tianhu.
"Who killed them?" Xu Zimei asked.
"No one did. They all died violently just a few days after leaving the Huayuan Sect," Elder Tianhu quickly responded.
"I investigated before, their cause of death was very strange. The organs inside their bodies were all turned to powder, but their external flesh was completely intact.
"It’s unknown what force caused this."
Xu Zimei nodded slightly, although the seal would be broken on the night of the full moon three days later.
But she indeed could not afford to wait any longer.
Xu Zimei turned her head to look at the Divine Emperor and asked, "Can you open this barrier?"
The Divine Emperor felt it for a moment and nodded, saying, "It’s strong, but it’s still possible."
Immediately, an immense aura emanated from the Divine Emperor, and boundless worlds evolved behind him.
Seeing such a display of power, the others quickly retreated to the surroundings.
This evolution of worlds could be referred to as divinity.
It was the Great Dao that the Divine Emperor had comprehended after entering the realm of the Great Emperor.
His Dao was the Divine Path.
Between his palms, the Divine Emperor’s imposing aura surged like an ocean, with the Profound Meaning of the Great Dao revolving within, as he struck down with his hand.
In that moment, endless space shattered, and the Spiritual Energy of Wu Geng surged and condensed.
With a "boom," the blast wave affected dozens of miles around. People far away only heard a thunderous explosion ringing out, causing their ears to "buzz."
Nearby Huayuan Mountain, this sensation could be felt even more directly.
The ground seemed to tremble violently, the sky turned dark, dust filled the air, and the grey dust and broken stones vibrated and fell.
The onlookers gazed at the epicenter of the explosion; as the dust settled from the sky, they saw that the barrier had been completely shattered.
Revealing a piece of the ruined mountain within.
The previously faint and elusive force was now felt much more intensely.
At the very depths of these ruins, an iron gate-like portal was obscured by rubble and broken trees.
Watching the barrier being shattered with a single strike left everyone dumbfounded.
When they had arrived earlier, they had also tried to forcibly open the barrier, but unfortunately, no matter what they did, it was to no avail.
Now, as the portal emerged, not a single person from the surrounding major powers dared to step forward first—they all looked to the Divine Emperor.
At this moment, several more people approached from the distance.
It seemed that the recent commotion had also alerted them.
Xu Zimei glanced over and recognized among the newcomers the Blade and Sword Divine Emperor, whom he had seen at the inn before.
"What’s going on, why is everyone standing around?" the Blade Emperor asked with a smile as he looked at the portal right in front of him.
Because he hadn’t witnessed the earlier scene, he was somewhat puzzled. However, acting on caution, he did not rush forward either.
"Would you like to go in, senior?" An elder of the Vast Immortal Sect asked the Divine Emperor tentatively.
"You go your way; don’t worry about us," Xu Zimei waved his hand and said.
Hearing Xu Zimei’s words, some of the eager Loose Cultivators couldn’t help but rush in first.
The iron gate before the portal had seen many years, looking as if it might collapse with just a gentle breeze, like the flickering light of a dying candle.
Black spider webs encrusted the iron gate, contracting and hiding in the shadows.
As these Loose Cultivators pushed open the iron gate, the spider webs concealed in the darkness enveloped them like corrosive acid.
Luckily, the Loose Cultivators were highly skilled and managed to avoid the danger narrowly.
When the spider webs touched the ground, a black liquid flowed from them, and wherever the liquid touched, the ground rotted away into a large hole.
Everyone took a deep breath. Beyond the portal lay a sinister and silent corridor.
The lighting within the corridor was very dim, making it difficult to see inside. However, one could roughly make out the numerous dense spider webs in the corners at the far end.
The sight was heart-stopping and utterly frightening.
Although most of those present, aside from the younger generation, were absolute powerhouses,
Their confidence in their own strengths was considerable, but the attack power of the spider liquid was still unknown at this point.
The unknown was inherently the most terrifying.
The corridor seemed to have been sealed for a long time, and a near-putrid stench wafted out the moment the portal was opened.
"Gentlemen, if no one dares to enter, I shall lead the way," said the Blade Emperor, standing to one side.
An elder from the Heavenly Dao Academy turned to look at the students behind him and said softly, "You all stay outside.
This was meant to be a training experience for you, but the situation here is more complex than anticipated."
"Yes, Master," the students quickly responded in agreement.
As the Blade Emperor and another person took the lead in entering the portal, the others hesitated only briefly before following closely behind.
"Young Master, aren’t we going in?" the Divine Emperor asked Xu Zimei.
Xu Zimei slightly shook his head and replied, "Let them go ahead and try. The power inside this ruin is very strange."
Xu Zimei was probing around Huayuan Mountain, while the five from the Heavenly Dao Academy looked at him curiously.
After what seemed like a low discussion among themselves, they eventually approached Xu Zimei.
"Mi Zichang from the Heavenly Dao Academy pays respects to you, young master," the leading youth said as he gave a slight bow to Xu Zimei.
Then the others introduced themselves as well.
