This Was Not the Path I Wanted to Take

The four halls opened!

This unprecedented, reality-shattering scene struck the minds of Zhang Wuji, the Li Family members, Mo Xiao, and all the other martial artists of the three clans present like a devastating mental shock.

The playful smile on Zhang Wuji's face instantly froze, shattered, and turned blank.

He did not even notice when the longsword in his hand clanged to the ground. He merely stared blankly at the four wide-open gates, his lips slightly parted, unable to utter a sound.

The palace of his Zhang Family ancestor had actually opened its doors so "eagerly" to an outsider?

Several members of the Li Family subconsciously retreated half a step, their faces filled with disbelief.

They had only just experienced the silent rejection of their ancestor's palace, yet now they were witnessing the four halls competing for an outsider?

The immense contrast made it impossible for them to accept this reality.

Mo Xiao and the other two members of the Mo Family also looked extremely grim.

As they watched the gates of their ancestor's palace stand wide open, an indescribable humiliation and bewilderment surged through their hearts. Their ancestor's choice was so clear, even carrying a hint of "racing to be first"—where did that leave them, their bloodline descendants?

The bloodline and status they had always been proud of seemed so pale and powerless before this silent choice.

The entire space fell into deathly silence.

The martial artists of the three clans seemed to have been struck by a locking spell. Their eyes were dull, and their minds thundered.

The ancestors' intentions had pointed so clearly and unanimously toward Lin Chen. To their ingrained beliefs and pride, this was a devastating blow.

Yet at this moment, the one who found this scene hardest to accept was Dongfang Canglang.

He had