“Mr Shi, just what is your true identity? What level of strength do you actually possess?”
Gazing into the void, Chen Ping wore an expression of complete bewilderment.
Throughout their journey together, he had never once seen Mr Shi afraid of anyone.
The only real battle had been when they followed that Wen Haotian.
Yet when Mr Shi encountered Wen Haotian again in the Heavenly Human Realm, Wen Haotian had turned and fled in terror.
…
Early the next morning, Liu Xue arrived alone at the Yama Heaven Sect. She had come by herself, probably to avoid any misunderstanding from Chen Ping.
After tidying up briefly, Chen Ping left the Yama Heaven Sect with Liu Xue.
Because Yan Nantian had probed into the person behind Chen Ping the day before, his divine soul had become unstable and he could not accompany them. He had literally been frightened out of his wits and needed proper recuperation.
Along the way, both Chen Ping and Liu Xue remained cautious.
The area around the Tianmen Mountain ruins was swarming with cultivators. All the major powers were secretly watching, trying to locate the mysterious entrance to the ruins.
Chen Ping and Liu Xue knew full well that once news of the entrance leaked, it would attract countless covetous eyes and invite unnecessary trouble.
Tianmen Mountain was one of the most famous mountain ranges in the Nine Heavens. It towered into the clouds, shrouded in mist.
From afar, the entire range looked like a gateway leading to the Tenth Heaven, which was how it earned its name.
At that moment, dawn was breaking. The morning sun rose, casting golden light across the mountain peaks and lending the mysterious range a somewhat sacred aura.
Yet beneath this seemingly tranquil landscape, countless pairs of greedy eyes lay hidden.
“Young Master Chen, Tianmen Mountain lies just ahead,” Liu Xue said, stopping and pointing towards the majestic range.
Chen Ping followed the direction of her finger. Endless peaks rose and fell, wrapped in drifting clouds and mist. It was indeed a place of outstanding feng shui.
What concerned him more, however, was the sheer number of cultivators gathered around the mountains.
“It seems news of the Tianmen Mountain ruins has already spread throughout the Nine Heavens,” Chen Ping remarked calmly.
Everywhere he looked, from the foothills to halfway up the slopes, figures of cultivators could be seen.
Some travelled in small groups, others alone, all carefully searching for something.
The air thrummed with tension and excitement.
Liu Xue nodded. “Yes, ever since the legend of the Tianmen Mountain ruins began circulating, new cultivators have been arriving almost daily.
But they are all just circling the outer areas. None of them can find the real entrance.”
“So where is our entrance?” Chen Ping asked.
“It lies deep within the range, inside a concealed valley protected by an ancient restriction. Ordinary people have no chance of discovering it.”
Liu Xue gave a mysterious smile. “Still, we must proceed carefully and avoid letting anyone follow us.”
The two moved cautiously towards the heart of the mountains.
On the way, they encountered many cultivators, both independent ones and disciples from various sects.
When these people saw Chen Ping and Liu Xue, wariness flashed in their eyes.
“Isn’t that Alliance Leader Liu of the Earth Fiend Alliance up ahead?”
“I didn’t expect Alliance Leader Liu to be interested in the Tianmen Mountain ruins too.”
“Who is that young man beside her? He looks completely unfamiliar.”
“No idea, but judging by how respectfully Alliance Leader Liu treats him, he must be someone important.”
The surrounding cultivators whispered amongst themselves, their gazes constantly flicking over Chen Ping and Liu Xue.
Chen Ping could feel quite a few hostile stares landing on him.
In particular, a black-robed cultivator kept his eyes fixed firmly on Chen Ping. Although Chen Ping did not look directly at him, he had long since used his divine sense to detect the man’s scrutiny.
Moreover, from the fellow’s aura, Chen Ping even sensed a trace of enmity.
Liu Xue seemed to notice these stares as well. She lowered her voice and said to Chen Ping, “Young Master Chen, let us quicken our pace and leave this area as soon as possible.”
Chen Ping nodded. The two hastened their steps and headed deeper into the mountain range.
