The elders all wore smiles, exuding calmness as they sat alongside some middle-aged figures, all composed, for the hidden leader behind this was far too formidable!
“Heh, no rush. Speak slowly. The sky won’t fall. Whatever it is, we’ll handle it,” said an elder with three heads, grinning.
“My lord…” The messenger knelt, his face twisted in despair.
“Speak. What exactly happened? It’s just a mere *Huang*. Any creature at the Dunyi Realm could easily capture or kill him. What did you do to him?” Another middle-aged man chuckled leisurely, utterly unconcerned.
After all, if it were just about killing *Huang*, any one of them could have entered the mountain range alone, let alone with so many cultivators and trump cards mobilized.
“All forces were annihilated… The senior elders are all dead!” The kneeling creature trembled as he spoke.
Silence fell outside the mountain. All smiles froze, time itself seeming to halt at this moment.
How could this be?
Just a *Huang*—though undeniably a prodigy—hadn’t yet grown to the point where he could threaten the older generation. Too young. Yet he had slain veteran experts of the royal clans?
And this time, it wasn’t just one or two who entered, but multiple forces, each led by seasoned powerhouses!
Just moments ago, they had been relaxed, chatting casually, as if nothing mattered, for in their eyes, the outcome was already decided.
But now, such dire news had reached them. The expressions on their faces were a spectacle in themselves—shifting from faint smiles to stiffened faces, then furrowed brows, veins bulging on their foreheads, faces darkening with fury, some even turning savage!
This was utterly unacceptable, especially for those elders who had spoken so lightly moments ago. Now, their faces burned with humiliation.
“How is it possible? Those old fellows went in and died—killed by *Huang*?!” The three-headed elder growled, his expression dark.
His left shoulder bore a golden ram’s head, its horns gleaming. The center was a golden human head, though not entirely normal. The right shoulder carried a fierce roc’s head, its gaze sharp.
“I didn’t see *Huang*. I only found the remains of the forces… all dead horribly. The blood was black, staining the mountains, and their flesh and bones had rotted away,” the messenger stammered.
The sight had terrified him. Whether young cultivators or seasoned experts, all had met the same fate—reduced to rotting corpses.
“Who intervened? Could a supreme being from the Imperial Pass have slipped into the Divine Medicine Mountain Range unnoticed? But that’s unlikely!” the three-headed elder hissed coldly.
He was a mutated member of the Three-Headed Royal Clan, his blood golden, his three heads distinct from his kin—infamous!
“Into the mountains!” From behind, a creature covered in silver scales approached, resembling a pangolin but with differences—silver dragon horns on its head and eight pairs of silver wings on its back.
“A disaster has struck! The Buried Ones must have been disturbed, emerging from the earth. This is their doing. We must enter the mountains to rescue them—bring the Hundred Calamity Ladder!” the Three-Headed King declared.
From the state of the victims, they deduced that the Buried Ones were likely responsible.
Yet they didn’t overthink it, refusing to believe the Buried Ones would ally with *Huang*, for such beings from the Burial Earth should not consort with humans.
“If the Buried Ones truly acted, we may not be able to handle them!” another elder from the royal clan said gravely.
They were strong, but not yet at the Supreme level. Though superior to other Dunyi Realm cultivators, their power had limits.
“But we have no choice. That young lord has already entered the mountains!” The silver-scaled, pangolin-like creature spoke solemnly.
This was grave. A young Imperial Clan lord had ventured inside—they couldn’t afford to lose him.
The Buried Ones were too dangerous. Even with ancient treasures from the Other Side, that lord might not escape unscathed.
“We must go. Perhaps the Burial Earth has cracked open. If so, no amount of trump cards will save that Imperial youth. Once the Burial Earth connects to the mortal realm, the consequences are unimaginable!”
Clearly, they were overthinking, gripped by excessive fear of a potential catastrophe.
“Quickly, inform the ancestors!” the Three-Headed King ordered coldly.
They were all peak Dunyi Realm experts. The “ancestors” he spoke of were clearly Supremes—several of them arriving at once, indicating grand ambitions!
With the Immortals unable to cross the Abyss, Supremes were the strongest in the borderlands.
This time, beings of that level had indeed come, though none were present here. They lurked at key points afar, guarding crucial nodes—each node a formation platform under their control. Once activated, the consequences would be unimaginable!
This was a trap for the highest echelons of the Imperial Pass. If they came, they would be exterminated, cutting off all future threats.
In truth, there had been dissent in the Other Side about mobilizing so many elders for this ambush. Some deemed it unnecessary—an overreaction.
To some, *Huang* was a genius, but not yet significant enough to warrant such attention. They doubted this ambush would catch any “big fish.”
Yet others insisted, believing success could cripple the Imperial Pass by eliminating its backbone—its invincible experts.
Without them, morale would plummet. The Other Side might even “recruit” long-life families to open the impregnable city gates!
This gamble could yield staggering results.
The plan hinged on a critical piece of intelligence: a traitor from the Imperial Pass had crossed the border, revealing secrets.
This informant not only disclosed *Huang*’s location but also analyzed that Meng Tianzheng and others valued him enough to risk rescue.
If Meng Tianzheng convinced even one or two other Supremes to accompany him, it would be a golden opportunity to eliminate them all!
The traitor had accurately gauged Meng Tianzheng and *Huang*’s personalities, providing the Other Side’s warlords with invaluable intel.
The hardliners were betting big. Success would cripple the Imperial Pass, likely prompting many families to defect and open the gates!
After sending word to the Supremes, the Three-Headed King and his group advanced, using the Hundred Calamity Ladder to traverse deep into the mountains, bypassing dangers like the Ironblood Ancient Trees.
For both *Huang* and the Imperial Pass, this was a dire crisis!
Meanwhile, unrest simmered within the Imperial Pass, undercurrents of tension swirling.
The leak was a severe blow. Unless the traitor was uncovered, this shadow would haunt them all.
The only solace was that entering the Imperial Pass required strict protocols via formation platforms—no breaches so far.
The entire pass functioned like a colossal living entity, verifying the bloodlines and identities of all who entered.
Only those who had left the pass could return; outsiders were barred.
“The missing youths may not be the traitors. This is likely coincidence,” some in the city debated.
A grand copper hall, vast enough to hold hundreds of thousands, hosted this assembly. Over a hundred thousand influential figures from various clans gathered to root out potential turncoats.
In a way, the Other Side’s revelation of the leak was a victory in itself, sowing discord and forcing internal investigations.
With careful manipulation, this distrust could be exploited for greater gains.
“I say it’s *Huang*! Why else would he dare enter the Divine Medicine Mountain Range alone? He’s colluding with the Other Side!”
“Exactly! We’ve confirmed their presence there. If *Huang* weren’t the traitor, he’d have died long ago!”
Voices clamored for *Huang*’s punishment, branding him unforgivable.
Clearly, these were followers of the Wang and Jin families, long at odds with *Huang*. They seized this chance to attack.
“Round up *Huang*’s friends! Interrogate them for clues!”
Some, eager to curry favor with the two clans, went all out.
Recently, both families had been recruiting allies with lavish promises.
These sycophants feared Meng Tianzheng but feared Wang Changsheng and Jin Taijun more, believing two Supremes outweighed one.
“Silence!”
A middle-aged man atop the copper hall barked, his cold gaze silencing them.
They froze—this was one of the Wang family’s Nine Dragons, his gray hair and imposing frame unmistakable, eyes blazing like golden lamps.
The followers paled, baffled.
“Use your brains! *Huang* has slain many young kings of the Other Side. Would he betray us?” An old woman spoke, her voice icy.
Her gaze was terrifying, like piercing arrows that threatened to split skin. Those she glanced at bled from fissures in their flesh.
Wrapped in chaotic energy, she radiated immense power!
This was one of Jin Taijun’s daughters, a formidable presence.
The sycophants shuddered, confused. Even if *Huang* couldn’t have betrayed them, why not slander him?
Weren’t the two families supposed to approve?
Their flattery had backfired.
“*Huang* is still a child, unable to sway the winds. But we must save him—his potential is boundless,” an elder said kindly.
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