When Yang Zhen landed, he was surprised by what he saw inside. There were not only many people here, but it was also a secret treasure trove. In particular, there was a Natural Dao Mark on a stone slab in the very center!
Around the Natural Dao Mark, there grew more than a dozen bright red flowers. When Yang Zhen landed, several people were picking these red flowers.
The safflower looked incredibly beautiful, the kind that would break at the slightest touch. Despite everyone's extreme care, one person still accidentally touched a petal, and the entire plant immediately wilted and turned into a pile of things that looked like they had been dried out.
Everyone was startled and stared at Yang Zhen with hostile eyes, as if Yang Zhen had broken the flower, looking as if they were deeply resentful.
Yang Zhen looked at everyone with a blank expression. It seemed that they hadn't noticed that the mark on that stone was the most precious thing here— Natural Dao Mark, something that countless people dreamed of but could only be encountered by chance.
Even such a small mark, if exposed, could cause a huge uproar throughout Donglin Island. These guys are ignoring the Natural Dao Mark and choosing those flowers instead?
Yang Zhen looked around blankly, wondering how to explain to these guys that he didn't want the little red flowers, he just wanted the stone.
He couldn't just say it outright; these people hadn't noticed the Dao Mark yet. Once they did, they'd fight even harder to snatch it. But if he didn't say anything, these people would be watching him like hawks, afraid he'd try to steal those little red flowers.
This is kind of awkward!
Yang Zhen glanced at the marks on the stone and could indeed sense a trace of the Natural Dao Mark, further confirming that he hadn't misjudged. Could it be that these people couldn't sense the aura on the stone?
The group remained deadlocked for a moment. Yang Zhen's head was throbbing with pain. This stalemate couldn't go on forever. Just as he was about to make a move, a deep voice came from behind him!
" Yang Zhen, we can forgo those crystals, but if you dare to damage these Blood Crown Flower, I'll fight you to the death!"
The longsword-wielding cultivator stared coldly at Yang Zhen. Even with his Nascent Soul Realm stage cultivation, he was somewhat nervous, which showed how much he valued these Blood Crown Flower.
The surrounding crowd was also surprised that the longsword cultivator, who had only gone out to kill a Golden Core Realm cultivator, had not only failed to kill him but had also been lured in. For a moment, their expressions turned somewhat sinister.
"Senior Brother Lu Heng, what's the point of wasting so much breath on someone like Yang Zhen? He's just a Golden Core Realm cultivator. With so many of us, do you think he'll ever encounter the Blood Crown Flower?"
"No, the Blood Crown Flower is related to the rise and fall of our sect. We absolutely cannot let Yang Zhen destroy it."
"He's only at the Golden Core Realm stage; I can handle him all by myself!"
"No, don't act rashly!"
A group of people were talking amongst themselves, leaving Yang Zhen standing there. Damn it, these idiots! Yang Zhen even wanted to leave first and come back in after they finished picking the flowers.
But that's not very safe. What if they notice the Natural Dao Mark on the stone while collecting the little red flowers and move them away? Where would Yang Zhen find them then?
Suddenly, Yang Zhen noticed a young man in the crowd who looked somewhat familiar. The ambiguous schadenfreude in his eyes made Yang Zhen's heart skip a beat.
This is bad, we shouldn't stay here any longer!
Yang Zhen laughed heartily, glanced back at the longsword-wielding cultivator Lu Heng, and said with a disdainful look, "A bunch of idiots! This is Realm within a Realm, how could there only be things like Blood Crown Flower? That stone is the most precious thing here!"
A group of people looked at Yang Zhen pointing at the stone inside the red flower and sneered, " Yang Zhen, do you think we're three-year-olds? It's just an ordinary stone, only it's been touched by the scent of the Blood Crown Flower Blood Crown Flower because it's near one. Don't try anything funny, or we'll fight you to the death."
When a Nascent Soul Realm expert said something like "fight to the death" to the Golden Core Realm cultivator, not only were Lu Heng's fellow disciples stunned, but even the cultivators on the ground who were craning their necks to look into the pit were stunned.
Yang Zhen laughed heartily and walked straight towards the Blood Crown Flower under everyone's watchful eyes.
Lu Heng and the others tensed up, but did not act rashly. Instead, at Lu Heng's prompting, they surrounded Yang Zhen.
In such a confined space, if Yang Zhen dared to destroy the Blood Crown Flower, no matter how powerful his abilities were, he would not be able to escape alive.
Everyone stared at Yang Zhen Yang Zhen, and when they saw him walk straight past the Blood Crown Flower, approach the large rock, lift it up, and walk away, they were all bewildered.
"Could that stone truly be the most precious thing in this Realm within a Realm?"
"Be careful. Yang Zhen is a cunning bastard. He might just be trying to mislead us. Senior Brother Lu Heng examined this stone and found nothing unusual about it. What could Yang Zhen, a Golden Core Realm, possibly discover?"
"Hmph, Yang Zhen is indeed treacherous and cunning, but he underestimates us too much. Do you think we can't tell whether it's heavenly materials and earthly treasures or not?"
"Everyone, be extremely careful of the Blood Crown Flower. If Yang Zhen shows any sign of trying to steal it, kill him without mercy!"
Yang Zhen carried an enormous rock and slowly walked through the crowd. Not only were Lu Heng and the others dumbfounded, but Yang Zhen himself was also somewhat bewildered.
Is it really that simple?
How did he obtain the Dao Mark from a group of people without shedding a drop of blood?
Yang Zhen laughed loudly, looking at Lu Heng and the others with disdain, and said loudly, "You bunch of scum, you don't know what's good for you! I'm taking this stone with me. You can continue picking your flowers. Until we meet again!"
Lu Heng looked at Yang Zhen with a suspicious expression and said in a deep voice, " Yang Zhen, do you think this kind of method will work on us? Let alone that we need the Blood Crown Flower more, even if this stone were truly a treasure, would you so openly tell us that?"
A chorus of cold laughter erupted from his fellow disciples, leaving Yang Zhen stunned and speechless.
"Alright, in that case, have fun, I'm leaving!"
Yang Zhen put the stone into his storage ring, secretly relieved that he had quite a few storage rings on hand, otherwise he would have been in trouble today.
Just as Yang Zhen stepped out of the Realm within a Realm, before he could even catch his breath, a deafening roar rang out, " Yang Zhen, put down that stone!"
boom!
A terrifying figure descended from the horizon, carrying with it waves of violent energy that blotted out the sky. Its powerful aura caused everyone present to turn pale with shock.
Yang Zhen looked up and a look of surprise immediately appeared in his eyes.
This old man is actually a powerful being at the Ninth Level of the Nascent Soul Realm; he's probably not far from breaking through.
boom!
The old man, suspended in mid-air, casually waved his hand, and a sea of fire rushed towards Yang Zhen. Amidst the roaring flames, a powerful force that sent chills down one's spine was unleashed.
Yang Zhen's expression changed. Ninth Level of the Nascent Soul Realm expert was indeed terrifying; he could create such a large-scale spectacle with just a flick of his sleeve.
Upon hearing the old man's words, Lu Heng and the others' expressions finally changed. They surrounded Yang Zhen in a fit of rage and said in a deep voice, " Yang Zhen, put down that stone!"
"Put down that stone!" The dozen or so Golden Core Realm cultivators around him shouted in unison.
"Put that stone down!"
The sounds were incessant, and the surrounding cultivators who were watching the spectacle all tensed up, looking at Yang Zhen in the crowd with schadenfreude.
The aura emanating from the old man at the Ninth Level of the Nascent Soul Realm was like a raging storm. Even those on the outskirts of the crowd felt a sense of unease, as if they were in a tempestuous storm with endless pressure. This showed just how dangerous Yang Zhen's situation was.
Waves of monstrous energy surged forth, causing Yang Zhen's body to creak and groan involuntarily, while the Golden Core within his body suddenly erupted with dazzling light.
Yang Zhen looked up, his expression suddenly becoming calm. There was a Ninth Level of the Nascent Soul Realm expert, a Third Level of the Nascent Soul Realm expert, more than a dozen Sixth Level of the Golden Core Realm or above cultivators, and several Sixth Level of the Golden Core Realm or below cultivators.
Such a grand display really puts him in a high regard!
Yang Zhen took a deep breath and looked around. He took in all sorts of ugly expressions: sinister, greedy, hateful, mocking, and amused.
Amidst the myriad forms of humanity, the strong reign supreme. Regardless of their expressions, their gazes towards Yang Zhen were always ruthless!
Yang Zhen slowly raised the Startling Thunder Sword in his hand, muttering to himself, "I was not born to fight for power, nor do I bother sitting on the Golden Terrace in the capital. If you ask me what I seek, I will laugh as autumn leaves and winter snow bury me." At this moment, he felt more and more that he was missing a follower who would shout "666" (a Chinese internet slang for "awesome").
"It's not that I don't want to compete, but that I disdain competing with you."
boom!
Yang Zhen's aura suddenly erupted, soaring into the sky, instantly changing the color of the heavens and earth, and creating a surging wave of energy.