Chapter 88: No Escape! Wan Tianjue Returns!

The piercing system alert in his mind, like a bucket of ice water poured over his head in the dead of winter, instantly cooled Wang Shan's heart, which had been a bit heated from just discovering the ruins.

Warning! Warning! Thirty li to the southwest, a high‑speed movement signal from target 'Wan Tianjue' has been detected; it is expected to enter the edge of the scanning range in fifteen breaths! The target is rapidly approaching Zhuren's current position! The previous signal‑blocking effect appears to have vanished!

Fifteen breaths? That old thing must be a dog, huh? Such a keen nose!

Wang Shan's eye corner twitched uncontrollably a few times.

Wan Tianjue, that lingering specter, actually caught up so quickly!

And the system prompt says the previous blocking effect is gone?

What's going on?

Could it be that his injuries have healed, and he's using some hidden secret technique?

Or perhaps the special environment of Hundred Beast Valley itself interferes with or weakens that kind of blocking method?

"Clan Leader, what's wrong?" Wang Zhize's voice sounded beside him, with a trace of barely perceptible tension.

He kept watching Wang Shan's expression, and seeing the Clan Leader's sudden solemn face, he knew something was wrong.

Wang Shan took a deep breath, suppressed the raging turmoil in his heart, and spoke at breakneck speed: "Wan Tianjue has caught up! He's arriving any moment! We must decide immediately!"

At those words, the Wang Family members, who had just been slightly excited by the stone gate opening, all turned pale. Wan Tianjue! That's an old monster of the Foundation Establishment stage! Although he was injured by the Clan Leader before, who knows how much he has recovered?

"What? How could he…" Wang Fang's voice trembled.

"Now is not the time to talk about that!" Wang Shan cut her off, his gaze flicking swiftly between the deep stone‑gate passage and the path shrouded in miasma behind.

Enter? No one knows what's beyond the stone gate; rushing in would be recklessly dangerous.

Not enter? Staying here and waiting for Wan Tianjue to kill us would be like a turtle in a jar—certain death!

That old bastard, never coming early or late, just chooses this moment!

Wang Shan's thoughts snapped, and in an instant he decided: "Listen, we go through this stone gate! But not by charging in all at once right now!"

His gaze hardened: "This ruin may be our only chance. Zhize, take a few people and immediately hide in concealed spots on both sides of the stone gate, suppress all Qi, and without my order, do not make any sound or movement!"

"Clan Leader, you intend…" Wang Zhize instantly understood Wang Shan's plan.

"Exactly, divert the disaster east, use a knife to kill! No, use the ruin to trap him!" Wang Shan's mouth curved into a cold grin, "Since that old thing is interested in this place, we'll put on a show for him!"

He quickly signaled Wang Yong, Wang Zhitao and a few other clever clan members, whispering a few instructions.

Although the others felt uneasy, their trust in Wang Shan had long sunk into their bones; hearing the command, they acted at once, deftly searching near the stone gate for depressions or vines where they could hide.

Wang Shan himself took a deep breath, re‑gripped the Wan Family Token in his hand, strode to the half‑open stone gate, and assumed a posture as if about to push the gate in, yet hesitated slightly.

He even deliberately let out a trace of Spiritual Energy Fluctuation, as if trying to communicate with the stone gate.

If we're putting on a show, we have to do the whole set.

Time passed breath by breath, each breath like a small hammer pounding on everyone's hearts.

Just as Wang Shan felt his patience waning, a cold, powerful aura rose from the miasma behind, drawing near like a black cloud pressing down.

It's coming!

Wang Shan's eyelids lifted slightly, and he saw a tall, thin figure slip out of the miasma like a phantom, flashing forward to hover a few meters above the ground.

If it's not Wan Tianjue, then who is it!

At this moment, Wan Tianjue's complexion was still a bit pale, but his aura was far stronger than when he was outside Black Stone Town, clearly indicating his injuries had partially healed.

His hawk‑like eyes first fixed rigidly on Wang Shan, then landed on the ancient stone gate behind Wang Shan.

When he saw the stone gate and the vague symbols on its lintel, even with his scheming mind, an unmistakable flash of surprise and… deep greed crossed his eyes.

"Hmph, little Wang Shan, you refuse the road to heaven and barge into hell without a gate! " Wan Tianjue's voice was hoarse and cold, like a venomous snake spitting, "I thought you were trying to run away, but you actually found this place! That saves me a lot of trouble!"

He seemed to recognize the stone gate's uniqueness, his tone laced with unabashed covetousness: "Could this be the legendary ruined ancient sect's ruin? Tsk tsk, what luck! Unfortunately, you won't be fortunate enough to enjoy this opportunity!"

Wang Shan sneered inwardly; the old thing had indeed taken the bait.

"Wan Tianjue, you did catch up quite fast."

Wang Shan said, feigning calm, his voice revealing little emotion, "Why not let your wounds heal more? If the injury flares up again and you fall into the hands of a junior like me at the Foundation Establishment stage, where will that old face of yours go?"

"You little brute, daring to be cheeky even at death's door!" Wan Tianjue's face darkened, murderous intent surging in his eyes, "Today I will not only take your dog‑life, but also refine the entire Wang Family into blood‑food for my Ten Thousand Beast Method, ensuring you never transcend!"

"Blood‑food?" Wang Shan scoffed, "Wan Tianjue, you may be an ancient patriarch of a sect, yet you practice such a heinous, world‑damaging evil art. Aren't you afraid of heavenly retribution? Oh right, people like you probably have no conscience left."

He shifted his tone, with a hint of mystery: "You think your Ten Thousand Beast Method is sophisticated? To be frank, in my eyes it's merely incomplete scraps. The true Beast Taming Sect inheritance is far more profound than you imagine."

"What do you know?!" Wan Tianjue was indeed enraged, yet Wang Shan's words also sparked a hint of doubt and curiosity in him. This kid truly seemed to know something.

"What do I know?" Wang Shan seemed to have heard something amusing, "I know far more than you. For instance, I know why the Beast Taming Sect fell, I know their core technique, and even… I also know the biggest flaw in your Ten Thousand Beast Method!"

"What do I know?" Wang Shan said as if he had heard something funny, "I know far more than you. For example, I know why the Beast Taming Sect fell, I know what their most Core technique is, and even... I also know where the biggest flaw in your Ten Thousand Beast Method lies!"

Wang Shan took in his reaction, and continued at an unhurried pace, adding: "Believe it or not, beyond this stone gate lies the true ruins of the Beast Taming Sect. Whatever lies inside, I think you're more interested than I am. Perhaps there's something that can advance your incomplete technique, or… a secret that lets you completely avoid Counter‑Devouring of the art."

Wang Shan read his reaction fully, and continued at an unhurried pace, adding: "Believe it or not. Beyond this stone gate lies the true ruins of the Beast Taming Sect. Whatever's inside, I suppose you're more interested than I am? Perhaps there's something that can advance your incomplete technique further, or... a secret that can let you completely escape the technique's Counter-Devouring."

He was indeed greatly intrigued by the "secret" Wang Shan mentioned, especially regarding the flaw and advancement of the Ten Thousand Beast Method.

But he also feared the kid's scheming and the unknown dangers beyond the stone gate.

"You little brute, don't think you can stall time!" Wan Tianjue snorted coldly, beginning to descend cautiously toward the stone gate, while projecting his Spiritual Sense to probe whether Wang Shan had set any traps around.

At that moment, the system prompt sound rang in Wang Shan's mind again.

"Beep— Target Wan Tianjue detected releasing Spiritual Sense for scanning; due to the local special energy field and the residual Array of the stone gate, his Spiritual Sense's scanning range and precision have sharply decreased."

Beep—detected target Wan Tianjue releasing Spiritual Sense for scanning; due to the area's special energy field and the lingering Array of the stone gate, its Spiritual Sense's probing range and precision have dropped sharply.

Wang Shan's mind was set, no longer hesitating. At the instant Wan Tianjue's Spiritual Sense barely brushed his body, not yet able to scrutinize the surroundings, he hurled the Wan Family Token in his hand with force toward the narrow slit in the stone gate that only a person could pass!

Wang Shan's heart was set, no longer hesitating. Just as Wan Tianjue's Spiritual Sense barely brushed his body, not yet able to examine the surroundings, he suddenly hurled the Wan Family Token in his hand toward the narrow slit in the stone gate that could only admit one person, throwing it forcefully!

The token, the moment it touched the stone‑gate slit, burst forth a faint glow again, resonating strongly with the symbols on the stone gate!

The Wan Family Token, the instant it touched the stone gate's slit, burst forth a faint glow again, resonating strongly with the symbols on the stone gate!

The ancient stone gate, amid a grating, teeth‑aching screech, swung open inward! The slit that once fit only one person instantly widened to several feet across!

The ancient stone gate, amid a grating, teeth‑aching screech, swung open inward! The slit that once fit only one person instantly widened to several feet across!

A supremely powerful suction burst out from the darkness behind the door, like an invisible vortex!

"Go!"

Wang Shan roared, not even looking at Wan Tianjue's reaction; using that sudden suction, he shot forward like an arrow released from a bow, dashing into the dark passage behind the stone gate!

Almost at the same moment he moved, Wang Zhize and the others, who had already received the signal, also sprang from their hiding places, following close behind; one after another, like dumplings dropping, they were pulled by the suction and vanished behind the door.

You little brat!

Wan Tianjue was startled into a brief daze by the sudden turn of events. He never expected Wang Shan to be so decisive—just saying 'go' and going, without even a single line of theatrics!

The suction coming from behind the stone gate also acted on him, causing his body to stagger.

Staring at the stone gate that had opened into a bottomless darkness, Wan Tianjue's eyes flashed with a hint of apprehension.

This ancient sect relic clearly isn't a benign place; who knows what kind of ghostly things lie within.

But Wang Shan's words just now were like thorns, digging deep into his heart.

The secret of the Beast Taming Sect, the flaw in the Ten Thousand Beast Method, the advanced technique…

These temptations are just too great!

Especially since that kid Wang Shan also went in! If he gets there first and obtains some extraordinary inheritance, wouldn't I be at a huge loss?

Damn it, wealth is sought through danger!

Greed ultimately triumphed over reason. Wan Tianjue gritted his teeth, a feral sneer appearing on his face: "You little beast, you won't escape! Everything inside belongs to me!"

Before the words finished, he leapt, turning into a streak of light, riding the suction, hot on Wang Shan and the others' trail, and plunged into the pitch‑black, deep stone‑gate passage.

As he entered, the stone gate that had opened with a "Boom—" thunderous roar slowly closed again, sealing all clamor and murderous intent within this mysterious relic.

The miasma still lingered, and Hundred Beast Valley seemed to have returned to its former dead silence, yet no one knew what lay beyond that stone gate—whether a once‑in‑a‑lifetime opportunity or an even more terrifying doom.