The last time Emperor's Garden had opened, the number of martial artists allowed inside had been limited by the Emperor Jade. This time was different. There was no danger whatsoever in Emperor's Fall Mountain — anyone could venture as deep as they wished. So nearly every martial artist who had caught wind of the news had made their way here.
And those who had gathered around the ancient sect ruins were far from limited to the major powers.
Many small families and minor sects had sent their people as well, hoping to tag along behind the stronger cultivators and scavenge whatever scraps they could. But they didn't dare get too close, fearing they might provoke some deadly trouble. After all, they had no standing to hold their own against the powerhouses from those great sects.
At this moment, at least several hundred Return Void Realm experts from various factions were unleashing everything they had against the sect's protective barrier formation. The might of diverse secret techniques and Artifacts intertwined in a kaleidoscope of flashing light, ripples of energy cascading through the air every few moments. Yet the ancient sect's mountain-guarding formation proved extraordinarily resilient. Despite more than twenty days of relentless assault, it still stood firm before them, refusing to let anyone inside.
The Dark Star's cultivators had not made zero progress, however. After so long a period of sustained bombardment, the barrier was visibly teetering on the brink of collapse. It wouldn't be long now before it finally broke.
While the majority poured their energy into attacking the formation, some of the stronger cultivators had organized into patrol squads, driving back the martial artists who continued arriving after hearing the news. These squads were composed of members from different sects — to protect their own factions' interests and eventual spoils, they naturally would not allow outsiders to sneak in and profit before the barrier fell. After all, they had already invested so much time and effort in breaking it.
Any who resisted were killed without mercy.
Quite a few people who had been ignorant of the situation had already died at their hands. The corpses served as a stark warning: every martial artist who arrived after hearing the news saw those bodies and wisely halted at the perimeter, not daring to push further in.
The ruins of an ancient sect might be tempting, but one had to be alive to explore them.
Those from lesser backgrounds and with weaker cultivation could only stand ten miles away, gazing longingly toward the front lines. It was impossible not to feel envious — they wanted to participate too, but their sects lacked the status, and their own strength was insufficient. They simply didn't have the qualifications.
"Tsk, tsk. Nearly every sect of any renown on the entire Dark Star has shown up. This is truly a grand gathering." In the crowd of onlookers, a burly bald man shook his head as he spoke. Though his words carried a note of admiration, everyone around him could hear the sour edge in his voice.
"What an ignorant fool!" An old man in linen robes standing not far away let out a cold snort at the comment. "Did you think the Dark Star had only this many experts? At most, a fraction of the major sects and powers have come. The news hasn't fully spread yet — otherwise there'd be far more."
"You old bastard, looking for trouble on purpose, are you?" The bald man had already been irritable from being blocked on the outskirts, and now even an offhand remark was being challenged. His anger flared immediately.
The linen-robed elder merely gave him a detached glance, his face twisted with ridicule, showing no intention of engaging in a verbal spat.
Who could have known that this look of contempt would enrage the bald man even further? His expression darkened and he was just about to lunge at the old man when, without warning, a figure flickered into existence before him.
It was a young man, tall and imposing, dressed in a fitted light-blue outfit that gave him an exceptionally sharp, capable appearance.
The bald man blinked, staring at the young man's back with a dazed look. A flicker of confusion crossed his eyes — he vaguely felt the man looked familiar, but he couldn't quite place where he had seen him before.
"So many people?" The young man looked ahead and let out a low exclamation of surprise.
The bald man replied casually, "Of course there are. Everyone's hoping to get in and find some good loot. Where are you from, friend?"
Hearing the question, the young man turned back and smiled. "Came from outside. Only heard the news not long ago. Well, I'll be going ahead."
With that, he shot into the air and charged straight toward the barrier.
"Young man, stop!" The linen-robed elder who had been bickering with the bald man changed expression and hurriedly called out, but it was already too late. The young man was more than a hundred zhang away, his speed truly astonishing.
"That kid's done for!" The linen-robed elder shook his head slightly, his expression tinged with regret. He had noticed the young man was quite young yet possessed surprisingly strong cultivation — but to charge straight toward the mountain-guarding formation like that? He would surely be killed on the spot.
"Not necessarily. He might make it through." The bald man's eyes lit up. He had finally remembered where he had seen the young man before.
Last time, someone had caused a massive scene in Tianyun City. The bald man had been in the city purchasing supplies at the time and had caught a glimpse of this very person. He later learned that this young man was none other than Yang Kai, the master of Dragon Bone Ridge — the one who had stirred up Tianyun City yet not only faced no consequences but had walked away freely.
Now, the man was the Sect Master of Lingxiao Sect and a master who had claimed dominion over the Flame Ruins region!
"What do you mean?" The linen-robed elder stared at the bald man with deep suspicion. "Others have tried to slip through and take advantage of the chaos, and every single one who attempted it ended up dead. Their corpses are still on display as a warning. What makes you think he can get through unscathed?"
"Heh heh, just watch. If he makes it through, you old geezer will bow down and apologize to me." The bald man's expression was one of absolute certainty.
"And if he's killed?" The linen-robed elder narrowed his eyes.
"Then I'll get on my knees and lick your boots!" the bald man declared.
The moment those words left his mouth, everyone nearby turned to look at him with amused expressions. Even the linen-robed elder was stunned into silence.
Now that was one hell of a wager! As the saying goes, a man's face is like a tree's bark — if he actually lost, it would be more humiliating than death itself. Did the bald man really have that much confidence?
"Fine. I'll take your bet." The linen-robed elder was a decisive man as well. After only a brief pause, he agreed immediately. He simply could not believe that under the current circumstances, those great powers who were attacking the formation would be generous enough to simply let a young man walk right in.
In an instant, every martial artist in the vicinity turned their gaze upon Yang Kai, wondering whether he could really make it past the blockade assembled from the combined forces of the major sects.