However, after a few more days, the number of cultivators arriving gradually dwindled, and by this morning, no newcomers had appeared at all.
Yet, Patriarch Ji Yin and the Confucian-robed elder grew increasingly solemn. They not only stopped conversing but also began frequently glancing toward the entrance, as if waiting for someone.
“Could it be that Barbarian Beard?” Han Li naturally noticed this and, feeling curious, also began to pay closer attention.
By the afternoon, footsteps finally echoed from the hall’s entrance again. A flash of blue light later, two figures entered one after the other. One was a white-haired, rosy-cheeked old Taoist, while the other was a dark, lean old man dressed like a farmer, his face etched with bitterness.
At the sight of these two, the cultivators in the hall stirred, most looking at them with a mix of awe and reverence.
It seemed these two were quite famous!
However, Patriarch Ji Yin and the Confucian-robed elder glared at them with clear hostility, especially Patriarch Ji Yin, whose expression turned particularly grim.
The two newcomers, upon seeing Patriarch Ji Yin and the others, returned the hostile looks. The old Taoist even snorted and said directly, “Ji Yin, you old demon! You’re here quite early. It seems your demonic path is dead set on succeeding in this trip to the Void Palace.”
“Tian Wuzi! It’s not that this Patriarch arrived early, but that you hypocrites came too late. I had thought the news of you two having a fragment of the map was false, but it seems you managed to find your way here after all! But that’s fine—it gives me a chance to ‘enlighten’ you.” Patriarch Ji Yin’s voice was icy.
“Ji Yin! Who do you think you’re going to enlighten? Why not enlighten me as well?” Before the old Taoist could retort, a deep, powerful voice sounded from outside the hall.
Hearing this, both Ji Yin and the Confucian-robed elder paled dramatically. The silent beautiful woman, who had been quiet until now, suddenly looked up and coldly stared at the entrance.
“Wan Tianming, you’re here too!”
“Since Madame Wen is here, why is it strange for me to come?” With these words, a middle-aged man in purple robes and a jade belt strode in.
He had a square face, thick eyebrows, and a mouthful of gleaming white teeth. He cast a casual, sidelong glance at the beautiful woman before fixing his gaze on Patriarch Ji Yin, exuding an overwhelming aura.
Patriarch Ji Yin, subjected to such an impolite stare, merely pressed his lips together and remained silent, his face dark.
This surprised Han Li, who couldn’t help but scrutinize the man carefully. If even Ji Yin, an early Nascent Soul cultivator, showed such fear, could this man be at the mid-Nascent Soul stage? Han Li wondered with growing alarm.
By now, he had deduced that these three were likely righteous path cultivators from the Chaotic Star Sea, direct rivals to Patriarch Ji Yin’s demonic path.
The murmuring among the other cultivators in the hall ceased abruptly the moment the middle-aged man entered. Only faint whispers could be heard, mentioning things like “Sect Master of the Myriad Laws Sect.”
Clearly, this middle-aged man’s reputation surpassed even that of the previous two.
“Wan Tianming, one of my sword-maids was injured by a disciple of yours, wasn’t she?” Madame Wen, however, seemed unafraid and questioned him bluntly.
“Injured? Hardly. My disciple merely noticed your sword-maid’s decent cultivation and engaged in a friendly spar. Are you really going to make an issue of such a trivial matter, Madame?” Wan Tianming narrowed his eyes, his tone indifferent.
“Spar? My sword-maid is only at the early Foundation Establishment stage! Your disciple was clearly bullying the weak. Was he deliberately humiliating my disciples?” The beautiful woman’s expression turned frosty.
“Humiliate your disciples? How would I dare! Out of respect for your husband, Six Paths, I’ll have that disciple apologize to you properly.” The middle-aged man frowned slightly but spoke dismissively.
“What does this have to do with Six Paths? If you’re unwilling, I’d like to spar with Sect Master Wan using my Phoenix Sword Art!” The beautiful woman grew even angrier at his words.
“Spar with you? Let’s not. If Six Paths found out I bullied his wife, he’d come after me immediately. I have no desire to provoke a war between the righteous and demonic paths.” Wan Tianming laughed it off as if it were a joke.
The beautiful woman’s face flushed red, but after glaring at him, she finally let the matter drop.
However, though she backed down, Wan Tianming had no intention of letting Patriarch Ji Yin off. Just as he was about to sneer and say something to Ji Yin, a rumbling vibration echoed from outside the passage, causing the entire hall to tremble slightly.
Everyone except the Nascent Soul old monsters looked toward the entrance in shock.
Patriarch Ji Yin and the Confucian-robed elder exchanged a glance, a hint of delight on their faces, though Ji Yin’s expression also held a trace of bitterness. Wan Tianming, on the other hand, flashed a cold, knife-like glint of killing intent.
The old Taoist and the farmer-like old man also seemed to know who was coming and showed signs of worry.
As the vibrations grew louder, an unusually tall figure appeared at the hall’s entrance.
A strange man with curly yellow beard and blue robes strode in. With each step he took, the entire hall shook, as if he weighed tens of thousands of pounds—a truly terrifying sight.
Under the astonished gazes of everyone, the strange man casually scanned the hall before his eyes settled on Wan Tianming. He burst into laughter.
“I never thought Sect Master Wan would be here! It seems I came to the right place. I’ve always wanted to spar with you, Sect Master Wan, but never had the chance. Today, I’ll finally get my wish.” The strange man’s eyes were full of provocation as he looked at the middle-aged man.
“I’ve long heard that Brother Barbarian’s Titan Support Art is known as the number one defensive demonic功 in the Chaotic Star Sea. I’ll certainly seek to learn from it later,” Wan Tianming replied coldly, meeting the strange man’s gaze without fear.
“Heh, heh! Well said, well said! I’ve also long admired Sect Master Wan’s Heavenly Net True Art,” the strange man said, grinning widely, not hiding his eagerness in the slightest.
Unfortunately, Sect Master Wan seemed unwilling to cause trouble at that moment. After whispering a few words to the old Taoist and the farmer-like old man, the three of them flew up to one of the jade pillars.
The old Taoist exchanged a few smiling words with the cultivator already on the pillar, and the Core Formation elder, feeling immensely honored, voluntarily gave up his spot and found another place.
Seeing this, the strange man smirked contemptuously. After glancing around, he suddenly flew toward another jade pillar.
Coincidentally, it was the very pillar Han Li was on.
Han Li’s expression changed immediately.
“Scram. I want this spot,” the strange man said coldly the moment he landed on the pillar, his eyes fixed icily on Han Li.
Han Li’s face darkened, and his hands clenched tightly inside his sleeves. After a moment of silence, he suppressed his urge to retaliate and wordlessly jumped off the pillar. The strange man’s wild laughter echoed from above.
Han Li’s face was frosty. Though he felt deeply humiliated, he had no choice but to endure it for now.
Although the hall’s restrictions prevented outright fighting, he wasn’t sure if these restrictions affected Nascent Soul cultivators as much as they did others. He didn’t want to risk his life over a moment of pride.
As Han Li found a clean spot on the ground and sat down, seething inwardly, the Confucian-robed elder smiled and asked the strange man, “Brother Barbarian, you’re so late. I thought you had changed your mind and decided not to come.”
“Not come? How could that be? I’m counting on what’s inside the Void Palace to refine my Longevity Pill! I was just delayed on the way. But I am surprised to see Wan Tianming here. Does he also know the Longevity Fruit is ripe and wants to pick some?” The strange man stroked his yellow beard, looking puzzled.
“I’m not sure. But aside from that, the Void Palace has many other rare treasures. Who knows what he’s really after?” The Confucian-robed elder also seemed perplexed.
“Wan Tianming is one of the leading figures of the righteous path. Could he be after the Void Cauldron?” Patriarch Ji Yin seemed to have thought of something and voiced his concern.
“The Void Cauldron? Impossible! If it were that easy to obtain, it would have been taken by previous experts long ago. How could it fall into their hands?” Before Barbarian Beard could respond, the Confucian-robed elder shook his head vigorously.
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