Figures filled the plaza as Dou Zhes and magical beasts continuously flew out from the forty-eight channels of varying sizes. People were everywhere, and the clamor made the place resemble a boiling cauldron. Everyone was wondering where exactly this place was, and whether this journey would bring fortune or disaster.
Someone recognized us and cried out to his companions, "Look, it's that young man who seized Thunder Venerable's camp outside!"
"His name seems to be Nalan Ye, right?"
"You probably don't know this, but he was the first to enter both the first and second stone doors. He even played Thunder Venerable at the second stone door, frightening him so badly that he didn't dare enter it for half the day!"
"What? That junior is only a Six Star Dou Zong, yet Thunder Venerable was scared off by him?"
"Then doesn't that mean he was the first to enter the Ancient Ruins? Who knows what treasures he obtained?!"
A wave of discussion rose from the densely packed crowd. Quite a few people pointed at me. Some were shocked, some disdainful, and even more feared no death. One after another, they looked at me greedily, clearly intending to kill me and seize my treasures.
Xiao Yan flew into a rage, while Zi Yan began shouting as well, saying those bastards actually dared set their sights on me. Waving her little fists, she wanted to go flatten them.
I shook my head, too lazy to pay attention to those people. Looking toward the far end of the plaza, I saw an enormous palace standing in the distance. Its entire body was bronze in color, but it lacked any brilliant luster. Its surface was mottled with rust, covered in the traces of endless years passing by.
An ancient, desolate air of countless years