Yang Kai was not an insatiable man. Having already seized one treasure and helped Murong Xiaoxiao obtain the Grand Origin Divine Water, it was only sensible to leave while he could.
Murong Xiaoxiao had no objections. She immediately clenched the jade vial in her palm, retracted her Feather Sky Ring, and followed close behind Yang Kai. The two of them shot through the light gate one after the other and vanished.
At the very moment they departed, atop the high platform, Luo Yuan let out a sharp shout. Torrential Source Power surged forth like a thunderbolt. Kong Qi's expression changed drastically as he cried out in alarm, "You—"
The words had barely left his mouth before blood spewed from his lips and he was sent hurtling backward.
When he hit the ground, his face was filled with horror.
He had never imagined that Luo Yuan's strength had reached such a terrifying level. Both were at the third-layer Dao Origin Realm, yet in that final clash of Source Power, Luo Yuan had managed to wound him grievously.
Kong Qi was no ordinary talent — he was the foremost among the rising stars of the Seven Luminaries Trading Company. But when measured against Luo Yuan, the gap between them was starkly clear.
"Hmph, overestimating yourself!" Luo Yuan swatted Kong Qi away without pursuing the kill. Instead, he struck a palm at the barrier of light, shattering it effortlessly, and casually claimed the Emperor Jade Pill — a treasure sealed with the full-force strike of an Emperor Realm powerhouse!
Then he turned his gaze toward the billowing smoke and bellowed, charging in fiercely.
But at that moment, the churning mist parted of its own accord. By the time Luo Yuan rushed in, the thick fog dissipated like illusory bubbles, vanishing without a trace.
All that remained was Bian Yuqing, standing alone, looking around blankly, grinding her teeth in frustration.
A ghostly figure darted past and plunged into the light gate, disappearing within moments.
"Where's the Emperor Legacy…" Despite his suspicions, Luo Yuan still demanded coldly from Bian Yuqing.
Bian Yuqing looked aggrieved. "How should I know? I was trapped in that fog — I couldn't see a thing…"
"Useless!" Luo Yuan cursed, then chased after the figure and vanished into the light gate. If his guess was correct, that figure was none other than Gong Wenshan, who had surely snatched the Emperor Legacy and fled.
"Why are you yelling at me!" Bian Yuqing was utterly indignant.
In the blink of an eye, only two people remained in the great hall: Kong Qi, pale-faced with blood at the corner of his mouth, and Bian Yuqing, her face full of dejection.
She glanced at him, curled her lips into a smile, and said, "Young master…"
Kong Qi looked at her and smiled bitterly. "Don't act so familiar with me. I didn't get anything, so there's no point scheming around me."
Bian Yuqing pouted, crestfallen. "A bunch of brutes — they've infuriated me to no end."
Apart from Lan Xun and Xiao Chen, who had bowed out early, she and Kong Qi were the only ones who had walked away empty-handed. Everyone else had split the remaining treasures evenly. Naturally, this left Bian Yuqing seething with frustration.
In terms of cultivation, she was not the weakest among them. In terms of strength, she did not believe she would rank last. Yet the final result was that she returned with nothing. Facing such a heaven-sent opportunity, she could hardly accept it.
…
Outside the Temple of Time, somewhere else. Light flickered, and Yang Kai and Murong Xiaoxiao appeared simultaneously.
Yang Kai immediately released his spiritual sense to scan the surroundings. Only after confirming there was no danger did he let out a sigh of relief.
There was no trace of the others nearby — whether they had been teleported elsewhere, he couldn't say. But the light gate was unquestionably the passage out of the Temple of Time.
He waited for a while, but still no sign of anyone else appeared.
Yang Kai realized at once that unless they had passed through the light gate at the same time, they would have materialized in different locations.
He turned to glance at Murong Xiaoxiao, who was looking at him with an expression of deep gratitude. Yang Kai had helped her obtain the Grand Origin Divine Water at the last moment without attempting to seize it for himself — that alone was enough to fill her with endless thankfulness.
In that situation, Yang Kai could have easily made his move, and he certainly would have had the chance to take the Grand Origin Divine Water.
Murong Xiaoxiao opened her mouth, about to say something, when a sudden change occurred.
From the sky came a deep, thunderous hum. The sound was immense, echoing across the surrounding wilderness. Every cultivator within a hundred li heard it crystal clear.
Along with the sound, the Temple of Time hovering in the sky began to radiate a blinding radiance, so dazzling that one could not keep their eyes open.
An astonishing pressure spread from that direction, blanketing the world in every direction…
Rumble, rumble, rumble…
The roar went on without end.
"Junior Brother Yang…" Murong Xiaoxiao called out, her face grave.
Yang Kai did not reply. He squinted and observed for a long while before finally sighing, "The temple seems to be going into hiding again. Who knows what kind of trigger will be needed for it to reappear — or how many years we'll have to wait."
Just as he said, once the brilliant light faded, the Temple of Time in the sky was indeed gone. Just as it had appeared inexplicably, it had once again vanished into the void.
Yet…