Anyone who had cultivated to the Emperor Realm was no fool. They all understood the importance of reading the situation, and none wished to become entangled in the enmity between Yang Kai and Tan Junhao.
Without hesitation, one of them cupped his fists and spoke: "Elder Tan, I have urgent matters to attend to. I shall take my leave first."
With that, he turned and walked away.
The others exchanged glances, then stepped forward one after another to bid farewell. In the blink of an eye, more than half had scattered in every direction. A few remained, brows furrowed, hesitating uncertainly.
They had already begun to suspect that this trip was a calamity in disguise — one that could not be avoided. Tan Junhao had summoned them here without any apparent reason and had pre-arranged formation arrays. It was clear he had no intention of letting them leave easily. To attempt departure at this point would likely offend Tan Junhao.
Frustration gnawed at their hearts. They cursed themselves for ever coming to Liuying City to attend some wretched auction. Now they had been inexplicably dragged into a mire of trouble, and even extricating themselves was an extravagant hope.
Sure enough, when he saw the Emperor Realm cultivators scattering, Tan Junhao let out a soft snort and called out in a ringing voice: "Do you all really think you can leave?"
The Emperor Realm cultivators froze in their tracks and turned to look at Tan Junhao. The one who had spoken earlier furrowed his brows: "Elder Tan, what do you mean by that?"
There was a hint of confrontation in his words. Even if Tan Junhao was an Elder of the Star God Palace — even if his status was exalted and his strength extraordinary — that hardly gave him the right to restrict the freedom of so many Emperor Realm cultivators. It was Yang Kai who had a grudge against him, not any of them. But something in Tan Junhao's tone suggested that things were not quite what they seemed.
Tan Junhao said mildly, "Nothing in particular. It's just that this area has been sealed by a grand formation of my making. Without my permission, no one is leaving."
At those words, the color drained from everyone's faces.
The man who had spoken earlier pressed on with furrowed brows: "Elder Tan, we have always treated you with the respect befitting a Star God Palace Elder. The Star God Palace is the supreme sect of our Southern Domain, sheltering billions of warriors within its domain. I humbly ask that you guide us — what must we do to be permitted to leave this place?"
Had anyone else attempted something like this, the Emperor Realm cultivators present would have turned hostile on the spot. Having one's freedom restricted without cause — who could tolerate such a thing? But Tan Junhao was different. Setting aside his formidable cultivation at the third level of the Emperor Realm, his very identity as a Star God Palace Elder was enough to keep everyone in check. No one dared act rashly before him. So despite the anger simmering in his heart, the man had no choice but to swallow his fury and ask for clarification.
"Indeed, Elder Tan, please instruct us," another person quickly echoed with cupped fists.
Tan Junhao smiled faintly. "Wanting to leave is simple enough." He extended a hand and pointed at Yang Kai. "Help me kill him, and I will let you all go."
Every jaw in the crowd dropped. The bitterness in their mouths surpassed that of eating a hundred jin of the most revolting medicinal herb.
They had witnessed Yang Kai's violent exploits more than once. They knew this young man was extraordinarily powerful and not someone to be trifled with. Not a single Emperor Realm cultivator present was confident they could survive an encounter with him.
And now Tan Junhao was ordering them to go after Yang Kai? Wasn't that just throwing them into a pit of fire?
Was this really a Star God Palace Elder? In that instant, everyone felt the towering, majestic image of the Star God Palace crumble inside their minds. Their disappointment with the Star God Palace knew no bounds.
The Star God Palace was the supreme sect of the Southern Domain. If even its Elders were this unreasonable — throwing their weight around to bully others — who could still hold them in reverence?
"Elder Tan… surely you are jesting? We have no quarrel whatsoever with this young brother…"
"Indeed, Elder Tan, please show us mercy and let us off."
A wave of indignation swept through the crowd, though in Tan Junhao's presence, everyone kept their anger restrained, not daring to be too discourteous.
Tan Junhao remained unmoved. He proclaimed in a clear voice: "This brat has been grossly disrespectful to me. Not only did he hurl insults at me, he also injured my disciple and seized one of my precious treasures. If you can help me subdue him, I shall repay you generously in the future."
"Oh? If that is truly the case, then he is in the wrong."
"Indeed. Elder Tan is, after all, a Star God Palace Elder. To dare insult him and steal his treasures — that is truly inexcusable."
"A formal apology is in order. He absolutely must apologize."
A clamor of voices arose. On the surface, everyone seemed to agree with Tan Junhao, but in truth, not a single person offered anything of substance. They were muddying the waters, stalling for time. No one was a fool. To go after Yang Kai on the basis of nothing more than Tan Junhao's empty promise — that was a sure way to shorten one's own life.
Yang Kai watched the spectacle with an amused grin. Unable to hold back, he called out: "Old dog Tan, you're supposedly a Star God Palace Elder whose cultivation surpasses mine by two entire realms, and yet you need to recruit a crowd of helpers to deal with me? Have you no shame at all? If you've got any real ability, stop dragging innocent people into this and face me one on one!"
His words struck a chord, and the others' impression of Yang Kai improved noticeably. He was making perfect sense. Their grudge had nothing to do with any of them. This Elder Tan was being utterly unreasonable.
Tan Junhao's expression darkened. He shot Yang Kai a venomous glare, then swept his gaze across the crowd. "Are you all truly unwilling to do me this small favor?"
The others looked awkward, eyes drifting anywhere but at him. No one responded.
It was the man with the full beard who had spoken first — a fellow who looked quite straightforward and rugged — who now declared with open indignation: "Elder Tan, stop forcing people. Above all things in this world stands the word 'reason.' Your dispute with this young brother is yours to settle. With Elder Tan's cultivation, subduing him should be as easy as turning over your hand. Why would you need us to intervene?"
His words were pointed, carrying an edge that left no room for ambiguity. Tan Junhao's behavior had rubbed him the wrong way from the start, and he had no intention of holding back his displeasure any longer.
Tan Junhao fixed him with a cold stare. His hand suddenly formed a series of seals.