Two Sects

The young woman from the Zi Xiao Sect glanced over, a mocking curl at the corner of her lips. "Xuan Yuan Sect? The one at the bottom?"

A young man in purple robes behind her sneered. "I heard they produced some top true disciple this time, someone who rushed up from the outer sect in a single month. Heh, a small place is still a small place. The moment they produce even a slightly capable talent, they boast him up to the heavens."

Over at Dustless Temple, the young monk opened his eyes and pressed his palms together. "Amitabha. Sect Master Lu, it has been a long time."

Lu Xuanfeng's expression remained unchanged as he cupped his hands. "Master Kong Ming, Fairy Zi Ling."

The young woman from the Zi Xiao Sect—Zi Ling—idly played with her dagger and drawled, "Sect Master Lu, your Xuan Yuan Sect has really gone all out this time, digging up its entire family fortune, hasn't it? But..."

Her gaze swept over Qin Yuan's group of five, lingering especially on Qin Yuan. "Golden Core Peak? Your aura is quite solid. But on the battlefield, cultivation alone is not enough. Don't die too quickly when the time comes and make fools of yourselves."

Her words were utterly merciless.

Chu Wuyue's white pupils turned cold as he was about to speak, only for Lu Xuanfeng to stop him with a raised hand.

Old Man of Gloom said blandly, "All three parties have arrived. You know the rules: once you enter the battlefield, life and death are left to fate. At midnight tonight, the battlefield entrance will open, and you will enter at the same time."

He paused before continuing, "The battlefield has three levels. You may only operate within the first level. Two months from now, the exit will open. Only those holding these tokens may leave."

With a sweep of his sleeve, fifteen black tokens flew out and landed in everyone's hands.

The tokens were icy cold to the touch. One side bore the character for "Battle," while the other bore the emblem of their respective sect.

"Enough. Go make your preparations." Old Man of Gloom waved them off. "Gather at the eastern plaza at midnight."

The three groups withdrew separately.

Midnight, eastern plaza.

The night sky held no moon, only a few dim stars. At the center of the plaza stood a blood-red gate of light thirty meters tall. Mist churned within it, and faint howls, clashing weapons, and sounds of slaughter could be heard.

The fifteen members of the three sects gathered before the gate of light.

The five from the Zi Xiao Sect stood at the front. Zi Ling played with her dagger, looking entirely at ease. The five from Dustless Temple closed their eyes and chanted sutras, Buddhist light flowing around them. The five from the Xuan Yuan Sect stood at the back, the atmosphere grave.

Old Man of Gloom floated in midair, his voice spreading across the plaza. "The entrance will remain open for one hour. Enter!"

As soon as his words fell, the five from the Zi Xiao Sect rushed into the gate first.

Dustless Temple followed close behind.

Qin Yuan looked toward Lu Xuanfeng. Lu Xuanfeng said solemnly, "Remember, come back alive."

The five nodded and stepped into the gate together.

The instant he passed through it, Qin Yuan felt as if he had plunged into an ice cellar.

Bone-piercing cold surged in from every direction, and all he could see was blood-red. His ears were filled with shrill howls, explosive clangs of weapons colliding, and some hair-raising sound of chewing.

After an unknown amount of time, his feet touched the ground.

Qin Yuan opened his eyes and found himself standing on a desolate plain.

The sky was dark red, with no sun, moon, or stars—only several blood-red cracks running across the heavens. The ground was charred and split apart, littered everywhere with broken weapons and shattered bones. The air was thick with the stench of blood and rot.

In the distance, several ruined buildings stood alone, like the remnants of some fortress.

Farther away, black shadows wandered about—some looked human, some beastlike, but all exuded a cold, eerie aura.

Demonic Beasts, remnants of the Ancient Battlefield that fed on the flesh, blood, and souls of living beings.

Qin Yuan looked around and found that Chu Wuyue, Yun Qingyao, Han Bing, and Ye Guying were nowhere to be seen.

"Random teleportation..." This did not surprise him.

Acting alone was more convenient instead.

He took out the token Old Man of Gloom had given him and infused it with spiritual power. The token glowed faintly, pointing toward the depths of the plain—the direction of the battlefield exit. But the exit had not yet opened.

"First, find somewhere to settle down."

Qin Yuan moved, darting toward the distant fortress ruins.

The fortress ruins were larger than he had imagined.

It was a stone structure spanning roughly three hundred meters in every direction. Its walls were nearly a meter thick. Though damaged, its main structure remained largely intact. Inside, it was empty, containing only broken tables and chairs, along with rusted weapons.

After inspecting the place and confirming there was no danger, Qin Yuan finally sat down in a corner.

This could serve as a temporary supply point.

Just as he was about to close his eyes and regulate his breathing, he suddenly heard the sounds of battle outside.

His Spiritual Sense spread outward, extending five kilometers away.

On the plain, a purple figure was locked in fierce combat with three Demonic Beasts.

It was that young woman from the Zi Xiao Sect—Zi Ling.

At that moment, she had none of her earlier relaxed composure left. Her dagger transformed into streaks of purple light, frantically attacking the three Demonic Beasts, but with little effect.

The three Demonic Beasts had different forms.

One stood six meters tall, its entire body covered in bone spikes, its hands enormous bone blades. Another crawled along the ground, shaped like a spider, with eight legs as sharp as knives. The last was the strangest: it had no fixed form, resembling a writhing shadow that constantly shifted into all manner of hideous faces.

All three Demonic Beasts possessed the strength of Golden Core Peak cultivators. Moreover, they worked together flawlessly, trapping Zi Ling tightly in the center.

Zi Ling's dagger struck the bone-spiked Demonic Beast, producing only a shower of sparks. The spider-shaped Demonic Beast attacked from the side, its eight legs cutting like wheels of blades and forcing her back again and again. Meanwhile, the shadow Demonic Beast continuously let out soul-rending shrieks, disrupting her mind.

"Damn it!" Zi Ling's face was pale. A bone blade had carved a wound deep enough to expose bone across her left shoulder, and blood stained her purple robes red.

She gritted her teeth and formed hand seals with both hands. Her dagger erupted with blinding purple light. "Zi Xiao Lightning Technique!"

A bolt of purple lightning descended from the heavens, striking toward the bone-spiked Demonic Beast.

The bone-spiked Demonic Beast roared wildly, crossing its bone blades to block.

"Boom—!!!"

The lightning exploded. The bone-spiked Demonic Beast was blasted back three steps, its chest charred black, yet it did not fall.

The spider-shaped Demonic Beast seized the opportunity and lunged forward. Its eight legs became eight sharp blades, sealing off every possible path of retreat.

The shadow Demonic Beast's shrieks grew even more piercing. Zi Ling felt a searing pain in her soul, and her movements slowed by half a beat.

The eight blade-like legs were about to slice her into pieces—

A figure abruptly appeared in the center of the battlefield.

Gray robes, bare hands—Qin Yuan.

Zi Ling's pupils shrank sharply. The eight razor-sharp legs had already reached her face!

Just then—

"Bang!"

With a dull thud, the spider-shaped Demonic Beast that had arrived first flew backward at an even greater speed. Half its body collapsed in a grotesque fashion, and dark green fluid sprayed through the air.

Qin Yuan withdrew his fist. He did not even look at the twitching Demonic Beast before appearing at the side of the bone-spiked Demonic Beast.

He held two fingers together like a blade and slashed downward at an angle.

The motion was as simple as chopping firewood.

"Riiip—"

The bone-spiked Demonic Beast's body, as tough as refined steel, was sliced open as easily as a hot knife through fat. It roared and tried to counterattack, but its bone blade drooped weakly halfway through its swing, the red light in its eyes swiftly fading.

The last shadow Demonic Beast let out a piercing shriek. Countless hideous faces pounced out from the darkness, lunging straight for Qin Yuan's soul!

A faint light shone between Qin Yuan's brows, and an invisible ripple spread out.

Those ghostly faces were like ice and snow beneath the sun, screaming as they melted away. The shadow Demonic Beast twisted violently and tried to flee, but Qin Yuan raised his hand and made a grasping motion through the air—

"Puff!"

The shadow burst apart, turning into black smoke and vanishing.

From the moment he appeared to the moment the three Demonic Beasts were slain, only three breaths had passed.

Zi Ling stood frozen in place, gripping her dagger. Blood still seeped from the wound on her shoulder, yet all color had drained from her face.

She watched the gray-robed youth turn toward her. There was no longer the slightest trace of contempt in her eyes, only incredulous fear.

Qin Yuan glanced at the wound on her shoulder. "Can you still walk?"

Zi Ling opened her mouth, but her throat was so dry that no sound came out.