“Hmm?” Lin Xiao glanced at the group with some confusion, recalling that Tianmen didn’t have these disciples, did it?
Seeing this, Yu Jingge smiled and explained, “Brother Lin, after the Ultimate Battlefield ended, a war broke out between the Holy City and the Nether Heaven Demon Palace disciples. Under Hu Yue’s leadership, Tianmen has grown stronger. Now, apart from the top-tier experts, Tianmen’s strength is no less than the Martial Alliance’s.”
“Oh?” Lin Xiao was slightly taken aback, quite surprised.
“Now, Hu Yue has broken through to the First Stage Martial Venerable, serving as Tianmen’s Deputy Sect Leader. Gu Xuanyuan, Ma Bi, Niu Bi, and the Asura Butcher have also stepped into the First Stage Martial Venerable realm. Gu Xuanyuan, Ma Bi, and Niu Bi have joined Tianmen as Branch Hall Masters, and even the Asura Butcher holds the title of Guest Deputy Hall Master,” Yu Jingge elaborated slowly.
“Hu Yue and the others have reached Martial Venerable?” Lin Xiao was somewhat shocked. He hadn’t expected that in just over a year, Hu Yue and the others had made such tremendous progress. The Martial Venerable realm was something many could never achieve in a lifetime.
Yet Hu Yue and the others, at such a young age, had become Martial Venerable experts.
A year ago, their cultivation was only at the Sixth Stage Martial King level.
To leap several stages and reach Martial Venerable in just over a year, their talent was truly extraordinary.
Even he, who had refined the Nine Heavens Thunder Dragon’s spiritual energy, hadn’t successfully stepped into the Martial Venerable realm.
“Besides, Lei Kuang, Luo Zhong, Ji Chen, Zhao Jing, Lai Shufeng, Xia Jianren, and Qi Muba, Ji Mo, Duan Cangsheng, Yu Long, Bu Xi, Tu Bubai, and others have all joined Tianmen. Their strength is about on par with mine,” Yu Jingge added.
“All these people joined Tianmen?” Lin Xiao was surprised. Some of them, like Lei Kuang, Ji Mo, and Duan Cangsheng, he had defeated or even had conflicts with in the past. He hadn’t expected them to join Tianmen.
“Heh, these guys are quite magnanimous. They respected being defeated by you back then, so they joined,” Yu Jingge chuckled.
Lin Xiao nodded. In the path of martial arts, a broad mind was undoubtedly a strength. Those with an open heart were less likely to be hindered by inner demons in their cultivation.
It seemed Duan Cangsheng and the others were indeed quite remarkable.
Since those who were defeated bore no grudges, he had even less reason to hold onto past grievances.
“By the way, Hu Yue issued an urgent summons to head to Yin Wind Ridge. Something might be happening there,” Yu Jingge suddenly remembered, quickly informing Lin Xiao.
Lin Xiao’s eyes flickered slightly before he asked Yu Jingge, “How are your injuries?”
“No problem!” Yu Jingge replied, taking out a pill and swallowing it. He began circulating his energy to recover, and in a short time, his injuries had healed considerably.
Nodding to Yu Jingge, Lin Xiao said, “When the time comes, unless it’s critical, you won’t need to act. For now, let’s head to Yin Wind Ridge!”
“Alright, I bet it’ll shock a bunch of people silly, haha…” Yu Jingge grew excited, as did the other disciples. They followed Lin Xiao, heading toward Yin Wind Ridge.
…
Yin Wind Ridge was a winding mountain range with undulating peaks. The entire area was swept by chilling winds and shrouded in eerie mist. Even under the blazing sun, it gave off a sinister feeling.
On a ridge path, a group stood, gazing ahead at the area with the densest eerie mist. A hill, spanning a hundred zhang, was emanating an increasingly heavy aura, as if something was about to emerge.
“The eerie mist in Yin Wind Ridge is getting thicker. It seems like some yin-natured treasure is about to appear!” A young man in a uniform black robe spoke, exuding the aura of a Martial Venerable.
“Yin Wind Ridge has been shrouded in chilling winds for years; there must be something extraordinary here. It’s just that the time hasn’t been ripe until now,” said a plain-looking young man with the aura of a Third Stage Martial Venerable. “Now that we’ve stumbled upon it, this thing must be remarkable. Even if we can’t use it, we can trade it for plenty of treasures back home.”
This man was none other than Cai Dan, the fifth-ranked disciple on the Nether Heaven Demon Palace’s Heavenly Demon List.
At Cai Dan’s words, the dozen or so other disciples nodded, their faces filled with greed.
“Sorry, I’m afraid you won’t live to enjoy the treasures here!”
Just then, a sharp, feminine voice rang out, rolling through the air. Immediately after, figures appeared from all directions, flying in on wings of elemental energy.
There were over thirty people in total.
“Hu Yue!” Seeing the beautiful young woman leading them, Cai Dan’s expression changed drastically, as did the others’.
Tianmen’s reputation alone was enough to make them pale, let alone the fact that Hu Yue, known as a top assassin and Tianmen’s Deputy Sect Leader, had arrived with all of Tianmen’s elite experts.
The Asura Butcher, Gu Xuanyuan, Ma Bi, and Niu Bi, four First Stage Martial Venerable experts.
Though only First Stage, these four had the ability to fight above their level.
Add to that Hu Yue’s spirit beast, the Fire Spirit Rabbit, which had reached the Early Fifth Stage.
And several renowned peak Martial King experts.
“How did they find us?” a Second Stage Martial Venerable disciple from the Nether Heaven Demon Palace said, a hint of fear in his voice.
The others also wore extremely grave expressions.
Overall, the Fire Spirit Rabbit could take on Cai Dan, while the rest could easily overpower them, an overwhelming advantage.
They had been discreet entering Yin Wind Ridge; how had Tianmen found them?
“Hmph, Cai Dan, Zheng Fang, Pai Gu, Yan Li, your time is up!” Hu Yue’s Moon Phantom Robe fluttered, her eyes sharp, radiating unmatched killing intent.
“Weren’t you all high and mighty in the Ultimate Battlefield? Why so cowardly now?” Ma Bi taunted with a mocking laugh from the side.
The group’s expressions tightened. In the Ultimate Battlefield, they had indeed carried themselves with the arrogance of higher cultivation. But now, just a year later, they were at a disadvantage against these people.
What was even more infuriating was that, even back then with their higher cultivation in the Mysterious Domain Battlefield, they hadn’t gained any advantage. Instead, they were thoroughly suppressed by Lin Xiao and others in various ways.
After leaving the Mysterious Domain Battlefield, they still faced Tianmen’s wrath.
“Heh, killing these guys will earn us a ton of contribution points,” Niu Bi laughed from the side.
On the other side, the Asura Butcher, with a scar across his face and a ferocious appearance, stood in the void, radiating menace. Holding a great blade, he resembled a dark Asura, saying nothing yet instilling fear and a sense of imminent danger.
On another side, Gu Xuanyuan stood with his sword, exuding an air of grandeur and authority, his presence radiating powerful pressure.
The five surrounding them made the Nether Heaven Demon Palace group extremely tense.
“Hahaha!” Just as Tianmen’s group was about to act, a loud laugh suddenly rang out. Then, four figures shot in from all directions, each radiating the powerful aura of a Third Stage Martial Venerable.
