The purple-robed old man stood with hands behind his back, a confident smile on his face. “This Mysterious Heaven Fruit is a supreme treasure. If you report to Thunder Manor, do you think such a heavenly treasure would still be yours? If you fail to seize it and then report, what would Thunder Manor think? I’m certain you won’t report to Thunder Manor.”
As expected, the white-robed man’s expression changed drastically.
Clearly, the purple-robed old man had pinpointed his psychological weakness.
“Fortress Lord, since you won’t heed my advice, we’ll have to settle this with force.”
With those words, the white-robed man unleashed the aura of his Heavenly Saint realm.
“Hmph, do you think I’m intimidated?” the purple-robed old man retorted, instantly releasing his own realm aura.
Heavenly Saint.
Another being at the Heavenly Saint realm.
This level was arguably the strongest below the Heaven-Reaching realm.
Initially, both sides maintained civility, hoping to persuade the other to back down without fighting.
But when that failed, tensions flared, and swords were drawn.
Seeing this, Lin Yun felt both relieved that no Heaven-Reaching realm cultivators were involved and troubled, as two Heavenly Saints were still beyond his ability to handle.
Neither team had brought a Heaven-Reaching realm cultivator, likely for the same reason as Lin Yun: fear that such a powerful figure would claim the treasure for themselves.
But on second thought, Lin Yun realised he didn’t need to confront them head-on.
“I can only wait and see how this unfolds,” Lin Yun calculated silently.
If they fought to a mutual defeat, he could reap the benefits.
Moreover, with the Shadowless Jade Pendant shielding him from detection, they were unaware of his presence, giving him the element of surprise.
For now, he would stay hidden, biding his time and waiting for the right moment.
Before the cliff.
“You refuse the toast and choose the punishment. Let’s see how capable you are.”
The white-robed man waved his hand, and a large halberd appeared.
The halberd glowed, transforming into a streak of green light that shot towards the purple-robed old man.
“You think I’m scared of a youngster like you? I’ve been cultivating far longer than you,” the purple-robed old man scoffed, drawing a long-handled warblade and swinging it fiercely. A red glow surged, meeting the attack.
Boom.
Their attacks collided, producing a deafening roar. Powerful shockwaves rippled out, quickly dissipating under the force of the world’s energy.
Even so, nearby trees and vegetation shattered.
In their first clash, neither gained the upper hand.
“Again.”
Both immediately launched new attacks.
Bang, bang, bang.
Fierce combat erupted before the cliff.
“Everyone, attack,” the purple-robed old man ordered while fighting.
“Charge.”
The nine others he brought surged forward, attacking Fifth Sister’s group.
“Let’s go,” Fifth Sister and her group countered, meeting the assault.
The battle ignited instantly.
“The Mysterious Heaven Fruit hasn’t even ripened, yet they’re already fighting so fiercely,” Lin Yun muttered, watching from a distance, amazed.
The fiercer they fought, the happier Lin Yun was.
If they exhausted each other, he’d have the perfect opportunity.
Before the cliff.
The white-robed man and the purple-robed old man fought intensely, their strengths closely matched, making it unlikely for either to prevail quickly.
But in the secondary battlefield, the situation was less optimistic.
Fifth Sister’s group was losing ground against the nine purple-robed fighters.
The purple-robed old man, as the lord of Fengsha Fortress, had brought his strongest warriors.
“Damn it, what do we do now?”
After about ten minutes of fighting, the Mysterious Heaven Tree at the cliff’s base stirred.
The fruit suddenly emitted a brilliant golden light, and a peculiar fragrance wafted out.
The Mysterious Heaven Fruit had ripened.
“Quick, grab the fruit.”
Both groups shouted this almost in unison.
They all turned and rushed towards the tree, but entangled in combat, those at the back couldn’t stand idly by. They launched attacks at the frontrunners.
Those in front, seeing attacks coming from behind, had to turn and counter.
Boom, boom, boom.
The two groups clashed again, each determined to stop the other from reaching the fruit first while trying to secure it themselves.
From his hiding spot, Lin Yun’s eyes blazed with excitement as the fruit ripened.
“Now’s the time, charge,” Lin Yun seized the moment, sprinting towards the fruit at full speed.
With both groups locked in battle, this was his chance to profit.
Whoosh.
As Lin Yun charged, a black-robed figure burst from behind a massive ancient tree, also racing towards the fruit.
“What? There’s someone else?”
Lin Yun was shocked to see this figure.
He had scanned the area with his divine sense and found no one.
Could this person, like him, possess a Shadowless Jade Pendant that evaded divine sense detection?
That seemed the most likely explanation.
This new competitor added uncertainty to the situation.
Lin Yun rushed forward with all his might, as did the black-robed figure.
While the two groups were visible competitors, Lin Yun and the black-robed figure were hidden ones, waiting for their moment.
Though Lin Yun and the black-robed figure were farther from the tree than the two groups, the groups’ fighting slowed them down, allowing Lin Yun and the black-robed figure to close in rapidly.
Coming from different directions, both raced desperately to reach the tree first and claim the fruit.
The black-robed figure unleashed their full speed and inner energy, revealing their strength: Mysterious Saint realm.
To Lin Yun’s dismay, at their speed and distance, the black-robed figure would likely reach the tree first.
If they got there first, they’d take the fruit.
“No.”
“Someone else is after it.”
“Damn it, where did they come from?”
“Quick, stop those two.”
The two fighting groups, seeing Lin Yun and the black-robed figure charge towards the tree, halted their battle, shouting furiously and rushing towards the tree or launching attacks to intercept them.
