Chapter 304

"Hurry, go!"

The low-level disciples of each sect were forcibly shoved into the "barrier passage" by the Yuan Dan Realm senior brothers and sisters of their respective sects.

Immediately after, a group of severely injured ordinary Yuan Dan Realm disciples, supporting one another, also fled inside in a panic.

Even Lin Shuyu, Ji Yaoyue, and the others were pulled along and hurried inside.

There were fewer and fewer people left in the ancient ruins plaza.

Si Tu Nan Fei, Zhou Zhan Yi, and Jiang Wuya all had solemn expressions, carefully guarding against Heng Wei, who was above.

However, Heng Wei did not take the opportunity to strike.

If he had wanted to, not one of those ordinary Yuan Dan Realm and low-level disciples would have survived, but... he knew his own situation best.

He was only at the Yuan Dan Initial Realm himself.

The "Sword Saint Storm" he had just used consumed too much energy, and the head-on clash with the twenty-plus people including Si Tu Nan Fei and Zhou Zhan Yi had left him with some internal injuries; coupled with his desperate fighting earlier, his body felt indescribably exhausted and strange at this moment.

If Si Tu Nan Fei and these people really fought to the death, he wouldn't come out unscathed either!

Furthermore, there was still a group of elders from the fourteen sects waiting for him outside, so he had to save some strength.

"Go!"

As the disciples of each sect left, their numbers dwindled. The last group, including Si Tu Nan Fei and Zhou Zhan Yi, retreated while guarding against a sudden attack from Heng Wei, their usual dignity and arrogance completely vanished.

Soon, the entire plaza of the Shengong Main Hall was left with only Heng Wei.

He glanced at the "barrier passage" and then looked at the desolate ruins of the War God Palace all around, before opening the "Profound Yellow Heavenly Hexagram": "If I don't take that passage, where else can I leave from?"

The hexagram indicated: 【Fifteen miles to the southwest, Qian Seven, Dui Fifteen, there is a place where the restriction is incomplete; you can pass through by wearing the blood-colored clothes.】

Above the "Jianhai Guji".

Winter had already arrived.

The first snow fell in a flurry.

The elders of each sect sat cross-legged in the surrounding huts; those with peaceful minds who valued inaction and purity let the snowflakes fall upon them.

Those who were good at enjoying themselves used spells to brush away the snowflakes; the fire stoves inside their small huts were burning brightly, and two or three female disciples and servants vied to please them and warm their feet.

And in the mid-air directly above, four figures remained motionless.

Master Shancun of Lingtai Mountain was like an ancient tree that had lived for ten thousand years; his decaying face and decaying beard and hair were almost one with heaven and earth, and if one did not look closely, it was difficult to notice him.

Jiang Yuansong, the Sect Master of the Da Luo Holy Sect, had burrowed his entire body into an ice pillar that had just formed; the outside was crystal clear, and the inside was lifelike.

Beside him, Zhou Daoling, with his large sleeves fluttering and an aura as deep and unfathomable as an abyss, stared at Jiang Yuansong inside, seemingly curious as to why this fellow had burrowed inside.

Jiang Yuansong, inside the ice pillar, felt extremely uncomfortable being watched, so he miraculously turned around and faced the other way.

And Nangong Liluo, in a white fur coat with features as beautiful as a painting, quietly watched the "Jianhai"; she had maintained this posture for three months.

Just then, the portal above the Jianhai suddenly appeared again.

"Xiu xiu xiu..."

The elders of each sect noticed and instantly flew out of their huts, filling the mid-air densely.

Master Shancun and Jiang Yuansong also woke from their meditation and ice-sealing.

Zhou Daoling immediately went to Nangong Liluo's side: "Miss Nangong, the three-month period has arrived; it is time for them to come out!"

Nangong Liluo nodded slightly, and a glimmer of spirit finally appeared in her silent eyes.

Shen Santian flew brazenly to the sky above the "portal passage", felt it slightly after forming a seal, and laughed loudly: "I have already felt the wild and domineering aura of my Bawang Sect disciples; these brats are about to come out!"

The elders of the surrounding sects could not help but show a trace of relief; after all, in matters of exploring ancient ruins, as long as they were not completely wiped out, the return of even one person was a gain!

Li Chundao laughed: "Waiting like this is truly boring; how about we make a bet, everyone?"

Shen Santian, Jian Xugu, and others smiled slightly and asked: "How shall we bet?"

Li Chundao waved his wide sleeves: "First bet on the number of people, then bet on the strength of the Fate Opportunities. Fourteen sects, the seven inferior sects will pay the seven superior sects at least one Heavenly Rank peak magic treasure; how about that?"

The elders of each sect laughed: "As it should be, deal!"

Jin Shanghua of the Shendao Palace deliberated for a moment, then cupped his hands toward Nangong Liluo and said: "Fellow Daoist Nangong, what about the matter of your disciple, Heng Xian?"

The elders of each sect also looked at Nangong Liluo one after another.

Nangong Liluo looked at Master Shancun and the other three.

The three looked at each other, showing no intention of relenting.

Jiang Yuansong deliberated and said: "Let's follow the agreement. If Heng Xian can enter the top fifteen, it proves his talent is excellent, and then if he explains himself appropriately, we will naturally give him a chance!"

Zhou Daoling made the final decision: "In this way, it is an explanation to each sect, and also an explanation to himself. I guarantee that I will restore his innocence; from now on, no one is allowed to talk nonsense again!"

Nangong Liluo frowned slightly. The reason she had agreed to the agreement three months ago was because her little disciple was sharp and clever, possessing business acumen, schemes, and methods. If, on top of that, the magic spirit talismans she had painstakingly made for him hadn't been used up, perhaps he still had a chance to enter the top fifteen. In any case, she had to pry open the mouths of these old fellows first!

But after calming down during this period and thinking about it, she felt a bit uncertain. A few years ago, Heng Xian was only in the Qi Hai Realm. Breaking through from the Qi Hai Realm to the Yuan Dan Realm required a massive accumulation and time to comprehend one's state of mind, which was extremely difficult. Moreover, it seemed that spirit talismans could not be used in the ancient ruins, as the ruins could at most accept the power of the Yuan Dan Initial Realm.

As for the top fifteen...

"Fellow Daoist Nangong?"

Jin Shanghua, Li Chundao, and the group below spoke up to remind her.

Nangong Liluo sighed softly and nodded: "Let's follow... the agreement!"

"Good!"

Jin Shanghua, Li Chundao, and the group of sect elders looked at each other with meaningful glances.

This time, the fourteen sects had sent a total of two or three hundred Yuan Dan disciples from the Earth Ranking and ordinary inner sect Yuan Dan disciples. If they still let Heng Xian, a mere Qi Hai Realm junior, snatch a spot in the top fifteen, then there would be no need for the fourteen sects to exist.

Just then, four figures flashed out of the "portal passage"; they were the low-level disciples of the Luoxia Valley and Shendao Palace.

As soon as the four appeared, they opened their mouths to speak, but were immediately stopped by an elder of the Shendao Palace: "You lot need not speak; just stand to one side!"

The Fate Opportunities obtained from exploring ancient ruins were the bargaining chips that the major sects relied on for survival; how could they be spoken of casually?

The four low-level disciples who came up looked at the dense crowd of elders and seniors from each sect and had no choice but to swallow the words on the tips of their tongues and stand obediently to one side.

Beside them, Li Chundao and several elders smiled, immediately took up pens, spread out bamboo slips, and recorded the numbers and sects to determine the winner.

At this time, five more disciples from various sects walked out of the "portal passage", also opened their mouths to speak, were still stopped, and stood to one side.

Just like that, low-level disciples walked out of the passage in twos and threes, until finally Xie Lingyu, Ma Xiaohua, Su Wan'er, and others walked out, and not a single person had the opportunity to open their mouths to speak.

Li Chundao laughed: "I concede, everyone. Currently, regarding disciples below the Yuan Dan Realm, my Da Luo Holy Sect has the slight upper hand!"

Shen Santian, Jian Xugu, Zhen Jing, and others looked slightly embarrassed.

Just then, Yuan Dan disciples began to walk out of the "portal passage".

But unlike the low-level disciples, these Yuan Dan disciples were all covered in wounds and blood, supporting each other, looking miserable, and their faces still carried a trace of lingering fear as they subconsciously looked back.

The elders of each sect could not help but be a bit surprised. Why were the low-level disciples unharmed, while these Yuan Dan Realm disciples were in such a sorry state?

Could it be that there was something terrifying chasing them inside, and the Yuan Dan disciples had provided cover?

Li Chundao, Shen Santian, and others looked at each other and still signaled for the Yuan Dan disciples not to say anything and to stand to one side first.

Subsequently, Yuan Dan Realm disciples walked out in groups of three or five, each wave more miserable than the last; the most severely injured even had their intestines hanging on their bellies.

Soon, Lin Shuyu, Ji Yaoyue, Bai Lianhua, Shen Qiong, Du Qiyue, and others walked out.

Finally, there were Zhou Zhan Yi, Si Tu Nan Fei, and Jiang Wuya, whose faces were slightly pale and who looked somewhat disheveled.

No one else appeared after that.

Shen Santian asked Si Tu Nan Fei and the others: "No one left?"

Si Tu Nan Fei glanced at the disciples of each sect, let out a breath, bowed, and said: "Reporting to Senior Uncle Shen, the disciples of the fourteen sects who explored the ancient ruins this time, all those who are alive are here!"

The elders of each sect looked at each other with solemn expressions. This time, more than two thousand elite disciples had perished; truly, human life was as cheap as grass. However, there was no help for it; "to hear the Dao in the morning, one can die in the evening" had never been an empty phrase.

Li Chundao coughed, looked at the bamboo slip, and was just about to announce the result of this bet when he suddenly realized something and looked at the "portal passage" again: "Heng Xian... didn't come out?!"

Jin Shanghua, Shen Santian, Tai Yiling, and the other sect elders looked at each other, smiled faintly, and cupped their hands toward Nangong Liluo: "Fellow Daoist Nangong, things have gone against our wishes; your disciple may have remained inside forever. Let's not mention the agreement about the top fifteen!"

Master Shancun recited a Buddhist chant with compassion.

Jiang Yuansong and Zhou Daoling frowned slightly.

Nangong Liluo's body swayed, and the glimmer in her eyes vanished.

Zhou Daoling hurriedly approached: "Miss Nangong, Heng Xian's cultivation was at the Qi Hai Realm; his Fate Opportunity had not arrived. His death this time can only be said to be a lack of good fortune. Don't think too much about it!"

Nangong Liluo shook her head and turned slowly.

"Uh..."

The disciples of each sect below looked at each other, not understanding what kind of wordplay their elders were engaged in.

Perished?

Heng Xian?

He Bu Wei couldn't help but cup his hands and say: "Heng Xian has not perished! This person is full of schemes and obtained the first inheritance of the War God Palace's main lineage.

He entered a life-and-death seclusion during the battle, broke through to the Virtual Dan, fought sixty Yuan Dan Realm cultivators alone, and then used force to break force, breaking through to the Yuan Dan Realm in a Hunyuan state.

His swordsmanship is heaven-defying and unfathomable; no one can defeat him!

We, we disciples, none of us were his match; one hundred and eighty against one, and we still fell behind in the rush!"

As soon as the words fell, the entire scene went silent.

The dense crowd of sect elders had dazed expressions.

Nangong Liluo turned her head abruptly.

I had things to do this morning, so there was no update, sorry!

Also, thank you to Boss "Yu" and old friend "Limited Edition" for the rewards. I bow to you. Without your support, I wouldn't be where I am today. I will definitely behave well and strive to... uh, write more!

(End of chapter)