Backstabbed?

Survive?

Ye Tianming and Mu Yong both looked grim. There was no doubt that the other party's move would make them targets of everyone's ire.

How many monstrous geniuses had entered?

Moreover, even the top monstrous geniuses from the advanced region would surely come looking for the two of them now. What did a civilization's inheritance mean? It meant countless top-tier cultivation techniques and all manner of treasures. And this was a super-divine civilization. It could very well be enough to build a first-rate Lineage.

It would drive them mad.

Inside the hall, the old man suddenly smiled. "You two... aren't you going to run?"

Mu Yong immediately grabbed Ye Tianming and made to run, but Ye Tianming said, "Brother Yong, we can't get away."

Mu Yong fell silent. There really was no way to escape.

There was no doubt that countless top experts had already arrived outside. If they went out now, they would surely be mobbed.

Ye Tianming suddenly said, "Brother Mu, follow me."

With that, he headed into the distance.

Mu Yong followed.

The old man watched the two leave, a thoughtful look on his face.

Just then, a voice suddenly sounded beside the old man. "Grand Elder, the two of them are incredibly gifted..."

The old man said, "I know, but one cannot judge a person by talent and combat strength alone. We must also look at his wit and ingenuity. Reviving our Transcendent Civilization will take far more than personal strength; it will also take great wisdom. The inheritance of our Transcendent Civilization must never fall into the hands of a mediocrity."

The voice said, "Then let us wait and see."

Ye Tianming led Mu Yong to the entrance of the distant hall and opened the doors. White light shone in. The two looked toward the horizon, where countless experts were surging toward them, blotting out the sky.

They had all come for the Transcendent Civilization's inheritance!

Ye Tianming looked at the experts. "Brother Yong, I have no one outside, but you do."

Mu Yong was puzzled.

Ye Tianming continued, "This is a dead end. One of us has to be sacrificed..."

He turned to Mu Yong. "Do you trust me?"

Mu Yong hesitated, then said, "Honestly, not particularly. Of course, you have to understand, we haven't known each other very long..."

Ye Tianming smiled. "Then you'll have to trust me this once."

"All right," Mu Yong said.

Ye Tianming suddenly sprang into action, smashing a fist toward Mu Yong's chest. Mu Yong's expression changed drastically, and he instinctively wanted to resist. But he suddenly remembered Ye Tianming's words. After a moment's hesitation, he gave up resisting and let Ye Tianming's punch strike his chest.

Bang!

Mu Yong crashed straight into the ground, a mouthful of essence blood spraying from his lips.

One punch had left him gravely wounded!

Ye Tianming stared at Mu Yong. "Brother Yong, go get the inheritance, then contact your people from the Myriad Stars Civilization and have them come protect you. Also, have the Myriad Stars Civilization save me while they're at it..."

With that, he suddenly turned and rose into the air on his sword, laughing. "The Transcendent Civilization's inheritance belongs to me, Ye Tianming, alone..."

Mu Yong's face turned pale at Ye Tianming's words. He understood what Ye Tianming intended.

In a situation like this, one of them had to be sacrificed to draw all the fire, or both would die. By doing this, Ye Tianming was undoubtedly drawing all the fire onto himself, while Mu Yong could get away.

Before long, the experts rushed onto the scene. When they saw the gravely wounded Mu Yong, how could they fail to understand? It was obvious: the two had obtained the Transcendent Civilization's inheritance together, and Ye Tianming had backstabbed Mu Yong at the crucial moment...

They decisively abandoned Mu Yong and gave chase after Ye Tianming.

Mu Yong suddenly scrambled to his feet. He crushed a communication talisman, then hurried into the hall and found the old man. He held out his hand.

The old man had been watching the whole time. He truly had not expected Ye Tianming to play it this way.

Still.

He accepted his loss.

The old man took out a crimson-gold seal and nineteen storage rings and handed them to Mu Yong. Mu Yong took the seal and rings, then turned and left.

Before long, Mu Yong disappeared through the entrance of the distant hall.

Beside the old man, the voice sounded again. "It's over just like that?"

The old man smiled meaningfully. "It's only just begun."

The voice said, "Which one do you value more?"

The old man said softly, "Besides strength and talent, there is something else we must value, and it is the most important thing of all: a person's morals and bottom line... let us wait and see."

Everyone went after Ye Tianming, and no one paid Mu Yong any further attention. He left the secret realm without incident and came out.

When he emerged, he found that countless experts from great families had gathered outside.

Clearly, it was because the Transcendent Civilization's inheritance had appeared. That was only natural, though. This had been a super-divine civilization, and its inheritance was immensely precious even to first-rate great families.

However, certain agreements prevented the top experts of these families from entering in person. Otherwise, they would have gone straight in to seize it.

And those agreements were, of course, rules established by Guanxuan Academy.

In theory, whenever a new ruin or secret realm was discovered, everyone was entitled to a share, but only the younger generation could compete for it. After all, if the older generation were allowed to compete as well, the Guanxuan Universe could fall into internal strife, shaking its foundations. But no matter how much the younger generation fought, it would not harm those foundations. Not only that, it would also help nurture the younger generation, so everyone was happy with the arrangement.

Just then, a voice suddenly came from nearby. "I heard the inheritance is in Ye Tianming's hands..."

"It's not just hearsay!"

Another voice rang out. "That lad from our family just sent word that the Transcendent Civilization's inheritance is in Ye Tianming's hands... Ye Tianming and Mu Yong from the Myriad Stars Civilization obtained it together, but Ye Tianming backstabbed Mu Yong at the crucial moment..."

"You mean the Ye Tianming who made it through the Guanxuan Dao?"

"That's him... the guy's ruthless. He even dared to backstab someone from the Myriad Stars Civilization, damn it."

"I rather admired him before. After all, he not only made it through the Guanxuan Dao, but also dared to go head-to-head with the Xiao Family. I never expected him to be this kind of person..."

"That's just human nature."

"..."

Hearing those words, Mu Yong's heart grew heavy. He seemed to sense something and abruptly looked up. He saw something, and his heart leaped with joy. He hurriedly rose on his Qi and shot toward the horizon. Reinforcements from his Myriad Stars Civilization had arrived.

Elsewhere, a woman was watching the distant entrance to the Transcendent Holy Land. She was none other than An Qi.

She had heard what the people around her were saying too.

When she heard them, she was taken aback at first. In her impression, Ye Tianming was not that kind of person. But then she thought that perhaps... people could change. After all, it was a civilization's inheritance. Who could resist the temptation?

At that thought, a trace of disappointment flashed through her eyes. The little guilt she had felt over breaking up with him vanished without a trace.

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