Damn it! That brat relies on having a Nascent Soul cultivator backing him and dares to openly address you, Ancestor, as 'Fellow Daoist'! He's only at the early Golden Core stage—what right does he have to stand on equal footing with you?"
Watching Han Li and the others disappear into the Void Heaven Palace, Wu Chou slammed his fist against the wall, grinding his teeth in frustration.
He felt utterly aggrieved.
Back when they attacked the Hidden Fiend Sect, he had already suffered a major loss at Han Li's hands. He had thought that the Void Heaven Palace would finally give him a chance for revenge.
Who would've thought that Han Li would once again rope in not one, but two Nascent Soul cultivators?
His chance for vengeance had been crushed yet again.
The Extreme Yin Ancestor said nothing, merely rolling the Heavenly Capital Corpse Fire slowly between his fingers.
Being treated as an equal by a mere Core Formation junior was equally humiliating for him.
But what choice did he have?
Han Li now held their soul blood. With a single thought, he could end their lives.
"No wonder that kid has so many Golden Thunder Bamboos," Wu Chou muttered bitterly. "They must've been gifts from those two Nascent Soul cultivators. Just who is this Han Li, to be able to befriend such people?"
Wan Tianming's expression was also dark.
As the sect master of the Myriad Laws Sect, a dignified leader of the righteous path and a mid–Nascent Soul cultivator, he was now being restrained by a Core Formation junior.
If word of this spread, where would he put his face?
Yet, as the thought settled, his mood oddly eased.
Han Li might be a Core Formation cultivator—but he had two Nascent Soul experts backing him.
In that sense, wasn't he indirectly tied to those two as well?
"Actually," Qingyi Jushi said calmly, "there's no need to be so pessimistic. Although we missed the opportunities within the Void Heaven Palace, we've now established ties with two Nascent Soul cultivators. Perhaps that, in itself, is a greater opportunity."
Coming from a wandering cultivator background, Qingyi was far more optimistic.
In his view, surviving a confrontation with a Nascent Soul cultivator was already an immense stroke of fortune. Asking for more would be greedy.
…
While Wan Tianming and the Extreme Yin Ancestor exchanged quiet sighs—
outside the Void Heaven Palace, the Core Formation cultivators were also making their own calculations.
Most, seeing that the palace had effectively been "booked" and that even Nascent Soul cultivators lacked entry rights, chose to leave in disappointment.
However, a small group lingered outside the gate.
These people either had limited lifespans and desperately needed longevity fruits—
or had compelling reasons they couldn't abandon.
Zi Ling was one of them.
She had come seeking rare herbs unique to the Void Heaven Palace, hoping to refine pills, break through to the Core Formation stage, and revive the Myriad Sounds Sect.
She had originally planned to enter alongside Han Li, but seeing that he showed no intention of acknowledging her, she chose not to ask.
"Look—someone's forcing their way in!"
A sudden shout rippled through the crowd.
Zi Ling looked up and saw several Core Formation cultivators using high-level escape techniques, streaking toward the teleportation array.
Their movements were smooth and ghostly, afterimages lingering in their wake.
Unfortunately, before they could even reach the array, a sweeping sword light from Wan Tianming cut them down instantly.
Seeing this, the remaining Core Formation cultivators who had still harbored hope immediately abandoned the idea.
With Nascent Soul cultivators guarding the entrance, forcing entry was a death wish.
Just as everyone thought the matter settled—
a black-robed man suddenly leapt forward, charging straight toward the teleportation array without hesitation.
"You idiot!"
The Extreme Yin Ancestor raised his hand, releasing several strands of Heavenly Capital Corpse Fire to intercept him.
But the black-robed man tossed out several lightning beads.
—Boom!
The beads detonated, exploding into violent azure fire and lightning that collided head-on with the corpse flames.
The resulting shockwave blasted the black-robed man directly into the teleportation array.
"He made it in!"
"That was Azure Fire Thunder—could he be from the Azure Sun Sect?"
"I can't believe someone broke through despite Nascent Soul interference!"
"If he can do it… then maybe we can too!"
"My lifespan is nearly over. This is my final hope. Even if I die here, it's worth it!"
"That's right! Better to die fighting for fate than rot away in my cave!"
"Ha! Cultivators defy the heavens! Today, I'll use my Golden Core body to challenge a Nascent Soul—death without regret!"
The black-robed man's success was like a spark thrown into dry grass.
The crowd erupted.
Those Core Formation cultivators who had given up moments earlier were fired up once more, rushing toward the Void Heaven Palace without regard for their lives.
For a brief moment, the scene descended into chaos.
"Ji Yin! Look at what you've caused!"
Wan Tianming roared, glaring at the Extreme Yin Ancestor.
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