At the foot of Heavenly Mountain, the Eight Great Imperial Clans and the Ascenders retreated to the side.
As for climbing the Heavenly Mountain, this is definitely not something that can be done by an individual alone; it requires collaboration and discussion.
Of course, besides that, there are other things that both sides need to discuss.
After leading the Eight Great Imperial Clans several hundred meters away, Lei Yuxiao lowered his voice and said, "As you can all see, it's impossible to find a suitable route to the top of this Heavenly Mountain with the naked eye."
The members of the Eight Great Imperial Clans all sighed helplessly at this.
"There's a soul-binding restriction on this Heavenly Mountain; it's impossible to continue exploring above the clouds with one's soul."
"The route further up can only be seen after you go forward."
"It seems the only option is to work together, each choosing a route to the top of the clouds, then decide on the safest route and try to reunite."
The group quickly reached a tacit understanding on cooperation.
At this point, Lei Yuxiao spoke again.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I believe you can all see the profound significance of these ancient ruins without me having to explain."
"If even the guardians are this powerful, then the owner of the ruins must be even more terrifying."
With just two simple sentences, the other four powerful members of the Eight Great Imperial Clans nodded in agreement.
"This is absolutely the largest of all the ruins discovered in the Nine Heavens."
"In my opinion, the owner of these ruins was definitely a being beyond the Nine Heavens."
"To be fortunate enough to enter the ruins of such a powerful figure and have the opportunity to receive his legacy, this trip has truly been worthwhile."
"If we're lucky, our cultivation levels might even improve after we leave the ruins."
Lei Yuxiao smiled, satisfied with everyone's reaction, and then got down to business.
But have you ever thought about this question?
Are there any restrictions on the traditions passed down in the Heavenly Mountain? Is there a chance for everyone to enter?
"Furthermore, putting aside the rewards from Heavenly Mountain, the rewards will only get better and better later on. But don't you all think there's one person whose presence will put us at a disadvantage?"
As soon as Lei Yuxiao finished speaking, Yan Xishan and the others exchanged glances, and a single figure appeared in their minds.
" Lin Heng!"
The four people from Yan Xishan shouted out this name almost at the same time.
Lin Heng had already demonstrated extraordinary abilities while in the Hundred Illusions Mountain Range.
He could see through the illusion that even Heavenly Firmament King Realm expert couldn't.
In the subsequent maze levels, Lin Heng was not only the only one in the Primordial Realm to successfully complete the challenge, but also the first one to do so.
Considering Lin Heng's performance so far, his existence is indeed the greatest threat to the Eight Great Imperial Clans.
Seeing that Yan Xishan and the others realized the seriousness of the problem, Lei Yuxiao spoke again.
" Lin Heng is on the side of the Ascenders. Even if we offer him great rewards, he will never help us."
"His presence will also be a major obstacle to our subsequent treasure hunting in the ruins."
"I think none of us want to see the Ascenders return laden with spoils under Lin Heng's leadership, while we can only watch helplessly, right?"
Lei Yuxiao's words reminded Yan Xishan and the others of the Hundred Illusions Mountain Range, the first level.
There, Lin Heng led the Ascenders to safely search for treasure, but they themselves not only gained nothing, but also nearly lost their lives at the hands of the monsters from the Heavenly Firmament Saint Realm.
" Lin Heng must be eliminated!"
"That's right. Only by killing him can we have a chance to compete with the Ascenders for the treasure."
"Hmph! Isn't the Heavenly Mountain the perfect location?"
"Hehe! The area above the mountain is shrouded in mist, so we're sure to find a place where Ling Wushuang and the others can't reach Lin Heng. Then we can take the opportunity to kill Lin Heng."
While the Eight Great Imperial Clans were engaged in a lively discussion, the Ascenders were also launching into a heated debate.
In that short time, Ling Wushuang and the others had already devised a plan on how to climb Heavenly Mountain.
The mountain is covered with protruding, strangely shaped rocks, making it not impossible to climb without equipment.
However, this also presents a problem: if there are loose stones, there is a risk of falling if one loses their grip.
Thus, Ling Wushuang and the others found inspiration in the scattered vines on the mountainside.
The six people were secured with vines and spread out. This way, if someone lost their grip or reached a dead end and could not continue climbing, the other five people could find a way to pull them back.
After discussing the climb of Heavenly Mountain, Ling Wushuang glanced at the members of the Eight Great Imperial Clans who were still whispering among themselves, and suddenly realized something.
"Everyone, I've noticed Lei Yuxiao and the others are acting suspiciously; something seems off."
Following Ling Wushuang's prompting, Ye Feng and the others looked over.
As expected, Lei Yuxiao and his group huddled together, whispering amongst themselves and occasionally glancing at us.
After realizing that they were being watched, Lei Yuxiao and the others quickly avoided eye contact.
Isn't this a clear sign that someone has something to hide?
"Brother Wushuang, what do you think they're planning? Could it be that they're trying to take advantage of the steepness of this Heavenly Mountain and the rules that senior mentioned to kill us?"
Ling Wushuang shook her head, her brows furrowing as her gaze quickly fell on Lin Heng.
"Um?"
Seeing Ling Wushuang staring at him, Lin Heng looked on with a hint of doubt.
At this moment, Ye Feng and the others also realized what was happening.
"By the way, those bastards are definitely plotting against Brother Lin Heng."
"No wonder you were avoiding our gaze earlier; that's what you were thinking."
" The Lin Heng brothers' performance in the Hundred Illusions Mountain Range and their being the first to exit the maze must have terrified those scumbags from the Eight Great Imperial Clans."
"Eliminating the Lin Heng brothers would not only greatly benefit their upcoming exploration of the ruins, but would also be an opportunity for the Eight Great Imperial Clans families of the Nine Heavens."
In an instant, the Ascenders reached a consensus.
Since the local authorities want to kill him, they naturally have to think carefully about how to protect Lin Heng.
"Once we begin the climb, Brother Lin Heng and I will be positioned together in the center. What do you all think?"
After a moment's thought, Ling Wushuang offered a suggestion.
With protection on both sides in the very center, and Ling Wushuang not far from Lin Heng, this was the safest arrangement.
This suggestion was immediately agreed upon by Ye Feng and the others.
Having made the decision, Ling Wushuang did not delay any longer and immediately led the Ascenders to collect vines.
If they could begin climbing Heavenly Mountain before the Eight Great Imperial Clans, they could create a greater distance and ensure Lin Heng's safety.
The Ascenders began to move, a scene that Lei Yuxiao and his group witnessed.
Having probably guessed what the Ascenders were thinking, Lei Yuxiao and the members of the Eight Great Imperial Clans quickly made a decision and began collecting vines.
Throughout the entire process of the Nine Heavens Powerhouse, Rushou his eyes closed and never paid attention.
But upon closer inspection, one would notice that Rushou's slightly narrowed eyes never left Lin Heng.