Seven hundred li outside Ningzhou City, Youjin Mountain Valley.
This was where the Spirit Sealing Grotto-Heaven Ruins lay. The spiritual energy fluctuations from the ruins' seal could already be clearly sensed.
Many cultivators had long since gathered here. Whether from sects and Immortal Academies or unorthodox schools and rogue cultivators, all wished to come and get a share of the pie. After all, legend had it that this Grotto-Heaven Ruins contained endless treasures.
Although it was a Grotto-Heaven Ruins left behind by a Golden Core Cultivator, it could not attract the attention of great sects and lineages. That was precisely why so many cultivators had come this time.
Feng Yang led Shen Yi and the other four down from their flying battle beast, immediately drawing everyone's attention. Ningzhou Immortal Academy's reputation was no less formidable here. What was more, the two peerlessly beautiful female disciples behind Feng Yang caused many to glance their way, their eyes brimming with admiration.
"Feng Yang, Ningzhou Immortal Academy is the closest, yet I never expected you to be the last to arrive."
The newcomer's voice boomed like a great bell. In two or three strides, he arrived before Feng Yang and continuously scrutinized Shen Yi and the others behind him.
"Old Ghost Hong, wasn't your Ningxian Sect just arriving as well?"
Feng Yang replied blandly, while also noticing the several disciples behind the man.
Every one of them is around Qi Refining Seventh Layer. Shen Yi secretly marveled. He had not expected the five disciples of Ningxian Sect to be stronger than them.
"These little ones are quite good. Their futures are promising."
"Those under your command are exceptional as well."
"Hahaha..."
The two exchanged pleasantries as they walked toward the ruins. The surrounding cultivators moved aside one after another, and before long, they reached the entrance to the ruins.
"Great Elder Wang, I trust you have been well."
Seeing that the person leading Qingxuan Sect was Wang Shangren, a vicious glint flashed through Feng Yang's eyes before he greeted him with a smile.
"Dean Feng, Sect Leader Hong, I trust you have both been well."
Wang Shangren wore the same smiling expression, making others feel as though bathed in a spring breeze. The three began conversing, while the disciples behind them sized one another up.
Among Qingxuan Sect's people, Shen Yi spotted Wang Mingxuan. He had the strange feeling of seeing Wang Minghui reborn. Could this man be the enemy I encounter in the ruins?
Wang Mingxuan happened to notice Shen Yi's gaze as well. Their eyes met, and Shen Yi caught the fleeting ruthlessness in his eyes.
Just a brat at Qi Refining Third Layer. Not worth mentioning.
With that thought, Wang Mingxuan stopped paying attention to Shen Yi. Instead, he turned his gaze toward Jiang Miaoyi and Yuwen Yue beside him, his eyes roaming constantly between the two, revealing naked greed.
Feng Yang saw everything, yet his expression did not change in the slightest. Instead, he consoled Wang Shangren with a face full of grief.
"I heard that fellow daoist Wang lost his beloved son. Please restrain your grief."
Wang Shangren's expression instantly darkened at those words. His second son had already fallen a year ago. Was Feng Yang saying this now to mock him, or to warn him?
Following Feng Yang's gaze, Wang Shangren finally noticed his eldest son's expression. With a cold snort, he made Wang Mingxuan feel as though facing a great enemy, instantly sobering him up.
"For Minghui's death, this old man will never let the matter rest! If I catch the murderer, I will grind his bones to dust and scatter his ashes!"
After dropping that vicious threat, he led Qingxuan Sect's people away and returned to their own camp.
Old bastard, you killed my disciple. Sooner or later, I'll make you repay this debt!
Feng Yang cursed inwardly. Neither joy nor anger showed on his face. Some things could not be done openly, but they could be done in secret. He gave Shen Yi a meaningful glance, and Shen Yi immediately understood.
Many more sects arrived one after another. It was not until late at night that Youjin Mountain Valley finally returned to peace, with no one else arriving.
Seeing that the time was ripe, the leaders of each group gathered together. After repeatedly confirming that no more than five disciples from each faction would enter the Grotto-Heaven Ruins, they paid no attention to cultivation level or strength. After all, the ruins had their own rules, permitting only cultivators below Foundation Establishment to enter. Once everything was confirmed, they all acted, joining forces to bombard the spiritual energy seal at the entrance.
Under the spiritual energy assault of the Foundation Establishment and Golden Core Cultivators, the seal at the entrance was finally broken. The several thousand cultivators who had waited nearby for so long surged in all at once and vanished from sight.
"If you encounter disciples of Ninghai Immortal Academy, make sure to kill them!"
On the eve of his disciples entering the ruins, Wang Shangren secretly transmitted his voice to them. Qingxuan Sect had been provoked, and Feng Yang would certainly have to pay the price!
Inside the ruins, the moment everyone entered, streams of Space Turbulence wrapped around them and scattered them all apart. By the time they landed and looked around, they no longer knew where they were.
Many withered spirit herbs and plants lay scattered around, along with ancient techniques and weapons. Once everyone regained their senses, spiritual energy collided almost instantly.
The scene descended into chaos. Flesh and blood splattered everywhere. Those who had been smiling and talking about supporting one another a moment before drew their swords against each other the next.
Shen Yi had likewise been separated from Jiang Miaoyi and the others. Fortunately, he reacted quickly enough to hide atop higher ground. Watching the people below fight to the death, he could not help but sigh at how unfathomable the human heart was in the cultivation world.
More cultivators continuously joined the battle, making the scene even more chaotic. Spiritual energy of every color collided and exploded, blooming within the ruins into brilliant flowers of flesh and blood.
Shen Yi opened the map in his hand. Only after studying it for quite some time did he finally determine that they were merely in the outermost region of the ruins. The gains before them were likely not worth even a fraction of what lay inside.
Countless streams of blood gathered together, soaking the surrounding vegetation. The plants that had originally withered instantly became crystalline and blood-red, releasing waves of strange fragrance.
The crowd grew increasingly frenzied, wanting to claim those plants for themselves. Yet the instant they touched them, they turned into puddles of blood.
Shen Yi watched in alarm, and at the same time noticed something strange. Those who desired the blood-red plants all had scarlet light in their eyes, as if they had lost their minds.
As the fragrance drifted over, Shen Yi's vision blurred. His mind actually seemed to slip beyond his control, and he could not suppress his craving for the blood-colored plants.
"Not good!"
Shen Yi sensed trouble. Gritting his teeth, he bit through the tip of his tongue with difficulty, and only the sharp pain brought him back to his senses. He hurriedly rose and sprinted into the distance. Seeing Shen Yi's movements, the remaining people also chased after him, fleeing the range of that strange fragrance.
At that moment, the plants that had absorbed blood suddenly blazed with radiant light. Each one bore a humanoid creature, which picked up the weapons scattered on the ground and staggered toward the crowd to kill them.
"What the hell are these things?!"
Shen Yi dodged an attack. Looking at the ever-increasing number of humanoid creatures before him, he could not stop himself from wanting to curse.
With a bang, he threw a punch, and the humanoid creature immediately exploded. Drops of bloody water landed on Shen Yi's hand. Even though he had already mastered the Undying Skin, he still felt a sharp sting. Not to mention the ordinary cultivators, who were steadily forced back under the monsters' attacks. Even when they were fortunate enough to kill one, they would be injured by the monsters' strange blood.
"There must be some pattern to this."
Shen Yi muttered to himself, wanting to find the source of these monsters. Suddenly, he noticed that their movements seemed to be controlled by something. Looking more carefully, he saw that every blood-colored plant had already produced a humanoid monster, except for the one deep within, which was still continuously devouring flesh and blood.
Without hesitation, he used the Dragon Elephant Fist to carve out a path and charged straight toward it.
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