Han Li had just taken his seat when a sound of tearing through the air came from the distant sky. Wan Tianming and two other Nascent Soul cultivators descended from above.
After casting a glance at Xuan Gu and the Green-robed Scholar, they sneered coldly, found another spot to gather, and began whispering among themselves, discussing some secret matter.
Upon seeing this, Patriarch Extreme Yin let out a soft snort through his nose, then closed his eyes to rest.
Han Li, however, couldn’t remain as calm as Extreme Yin. He fixed his gaze in a certain direction, seemingly observing something. But if anyone had paid close attention to the look in his eyes, they would have noticed his gaze was slightly unfocused, completely absent-minded, as if preoccupied with thoughts.
After the time it took to finish a meal, five or six more cultivators arrived one after another.
Among them were the two white-robed Elders from Star Palace, who had also arrived nonchalantly. The only Nascent Soul cultivator yet to appear was the one known as Barbarian Beard.
Another half-hour passed, and there was still no sign of Barbarian Beard. At this point, Wan Tianming and the others cast peculiar glances toward Extreme Yin’s group. Yet, Extreme Yin and the scholar-robed elder remained composed.
Han Li, sitting close to them, subtly noticed a trace of anxiety hidden beneath their calm expressions, faintly visible in their eyes. Clearly, without Barbarian Beard, these two demonic path old monsters knew they were no match for the righteous cultivators and were growing worried.
As time passed, Patriarch Extreme Yin and the scholar-robed elder could no longer maintain even their superficial composure. Their expressions turned grim, and they began frequently glancing up at the sky.
Although this space seemed to have no distinction between day and night, remaining perpetually bright and sunny, Han Li estimated that nearly a full day had passed.
Could it be that Barbarian Beard, the top expert of the demonic path in the Void Palace, had actually encountered some mishap? Han Li began to suspect as well.
If something like that had truly happened, he wondered whether it would be a blessing or a curse for him.
Just as Han Li, Extreme Yin, and the others grew restless, and the righteous cultivators’ gazes turned increasingly hostile, a piercing shriek that seemed capable of piercing metal and stone echoed from beyond the sky. The roar surged like towering waves, growing higher and fiercer with each wave, startling all the seated cultivators into expressions of horror.
Upon hearing this sound, Patriarch Extreme Yin and the scholar-robed elder simultaneously relaxed, exchanging a smile.
The scholar-robed elder even chuckled softly and said in a low voice, “It seems Barbarian Beard is in high spirits. He must have gained some unexpected harvest.”
“Humph! What unexpected surprises could there be here? At most, he just had a smooth time picking the Longevity Fruits,” Patriarch Extreme Yin shook his head dismissively.
The scholar-robed elder smiled faintly and was about to say something more when a golden ball of light flashed at the distant horizon. It roared toward them like a meteor from the heavens, arriving above the cultivators in the blink of an eye. The elder immediately fell silent.
A strange glint flashed in Han Li’s eyes as he stared at the figure within the light, feeling inwardly alarmed.
In fact, he wasn’t the only one. Other cultivators who were witnessing the might of the “Vajra Devilish Art” for the first time also showed expressions of astonishment.
Barbarian Beard, enveloped in the golden light, appeared utterly bizarre, as awe-inspiring as a demon god. Not only was his body radiating sharp golden rays, but his exposed limbs and face were also covered in dense, coin-sized golden scales. These scales, as if forged from pure gold, shimmered brilliantly and gleamed with a chilling light, giving an impression of indestructible sturdiness.
“Is this the Vajra Devilish Art? It seems truly formidable!” Wu Chou, on the other side of Patriarch Extreme Yin, gasped in shock, staring blankly as if deeply shaken by Barbarian Beard’s appearance.
“Humph, it’s nothing more than a tortoise shell! When the Profound Yin Art is cultivated to its highest realm, it is no weaker than the Vajra Devilish Art,” Patriarch Extreme Yin cast a cold glance at Wu Chou, displeased by his words.
This abruptly reminded Wu Chou that his grandfather was at odds with Barbarian Beard. Praising the latter so effusively was sure to irritate Patriarch Extreme Yin. Flustered, he quickly nodded in agreement and dared not say another word.
At that moment, Barbarian Beard in the sky swept his gaze downward and immediately spotted Extreme Yin and the others. Without ceremony, he plummeted down, landing with a thunderous “boom!” that shook the nearby ground.
Barbarian Beard landed right beside Extreme Yin and the others. The scales on his body receded rapidly, and the golden light dimmed before fading away entirely.
“It seems Brother Barbarian must have reaped quite a harvest! Otherwise, you wouldn’t be in such high spirits,” the scholar-robed elder said with a smile, cupping his hands in greeting before Barbarian Beard could speak.
“Haha! I did gain something. I killed a Frost Toad near the Longevity Fruit Tree. The inner core of that demon beast is greatly beneficial to my Vajra Devilish Art,” Barbarian Beard, still exhilarated, answered without hesitation. This took Patriarch Extreme Yin and the others by surprise, leaving them momentarily unsure whether his words were true or false. They exchanged puzzled glances.
“Then I must congratulate you, Fellow Daoist Barbarian. If the Vajra Devilish Art can advance further, you might even be able to stand against the Twin Saints and the Six Paths,” the Green-robed Scholar was the first to recover, offering a congratulatory smile.
Patriarch Extreme Yin also forced a calm expression and offered a few words of congratulations.
Barbarian Beard chuckled but then his eyes widened as he fixed his gaze on Han Li. A strange look crossed his face, and a flash of peculiar light shone in his eyes as an astonishing pressure suddenly erupted.
Han Li, caught off guard, felt his body tighten instantly. His limbs grew heavy as if weighed down by a thousand pounds, making it impossible to move. Most terrifyingly, under the other’s gaze, he felt an icy sensation as if his body and mind were being laid bare.
Han Li’s face turned deathly pale. Without thinking, the Great Development Art automatically circulated, firmly protecting his mind. His face regained some color, and he felt his body return to normal.
“Oh?” Barbarian Beard couldn’t help but express surprise. A flicker of delight appeared on his face, and he seemed about to take further action when Patriarch Extreme Yin flashed in front of Han Li.
“Brother Barbarian, what is the meaning of this? Why are you bullying someone younger and weaker than you?” Patriarch Extreme Yin neutralized Barbarian Beard’s pressure and asked calmly.
“Your disciple?” Barbarian Beard was taken aback at first, but his expression quickly darkened.
“Extreme Yin, are you mocking me? Since when did you take on another disciple in the Void Palace aside from that brat Wu Chou?” He cast a disdainful glance at Wu Chou and spoke bluntly, his demeanor suggesting he was ready to fight at the slightest provocation.
“Haha, Brother Barbarian, you’ve misunderstood. This young friend Han Li has just today been accepted under Fellow Daoist Wu’s tutelage. It’s only natural that you weren’t aware,” the Green-robed Scholar hurriedly interjected with a laugh. Han Li was far too important to them now; they couldn’t afford any mishaps.
“Extreme Yin, you’re taking disciples here? Am I hearing correctly?” Even after the elder’s explanation, Barbarian Beard looked astonished and scrutinized Han Li a couple more times.
“Though he is only a nominal disciple and the formal ceremony hasn’t been held yet, this young friend Han is indeed now a member of Extreme Yin Island. I hope you’ll go easy on him, Brother Barbarian,” Patriarch Extreme Yin said with a slight smile.
Barbarian Beard blinked, staring intently at Patriarch Extreme Yin and the scholar-robed elder for a moment before turning his gaze back to Han Li. Suddenly, he burst into laughter.
“Good, very good. This disciple of yours is truly not bad. If nothing else, his spiritual sense is several times stronger than your grandson’s. With careful nurturing, he could achieve great things. Haha, truly great things!” Barbarian Beard laughed heartily, his words carrying a hint of deeper meaning, especially the last sentence.
Patriarch Extreme Yin and the scholar-robed elder exchanged bewildered glances, completely baffled.
“What do you mean by that, Brother Barbarian?” Patriarch Extreme Yin frowned and asked slowly.
“Nothing much. This nominal disciple of yours is quite remarkable. Would you be interested in transferring him to me? I think this lad might be more suited to cultivating my Vajra Devilish Art,” Barbarian Beard said casually.
“Brother Barbarian must be joking. Young friend Han has just been accepted by Extreme Yin. How could he be transferred so casually? You must be speaking in jest!” The moment Barbarian Beard uttered those words, both Patriarch Extreme Yin and the elder were startled. The Green-robed Scholar quickly stepped in to deflect the suggestion.
“Heh! If you’re unwilling to transfer him, so be it. Honestly, taking on a disciple would be too much trouble for me anyway! But, Fellow Daoist Green, why are you so anxious? I’m only interested in Extreme Yin’s disciple. Could it be that there’s some unspeakable matter regarding this young man?” Barbarian Beard let out a cold laugh, stroked his beard, and suddenly spoke with a chilling tone.
At these words, the elder’s expression shifted slightly, but he quickly regained his composure and glanced at Patriarch Extreme Yin.
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