381: Chapter 381 Reaching the Summit is Imminent

Ye Tian also looked toward the people on the square.

There were significantly fewer people here than on the seventh level; those capable of reaching this point were at least at the True Martial Tenth Level, and there were also seven or eight auras belonging to the Sea Transformation Realm.

On the Heavenly Sword Sect's side, Li Xuanxiao still stood with his sword cradled in his arms, eyes closed to rest his spirit, but Ye Tian could feel that when he appeared, the Sword Intent on Li Xuanxiao's body fluctuated slightly.

Ling Xue stood behind him with several Heavenly Sword Sect Disciples; seeing Ye Tian, Ling Xue gave a slight nod of acknowledgment.

Qin Pojun sat cross-legged alone in a corner of the square, his dark red spear planted beside him. He was carefully wiping the spear tip with a piece of flannel, his movements meticulous.

Sensing Ye Tian's gaze, he looked up and gave Ye Tian a slight nod.

The Ghost Girl of the Xuanming Way leaned against a stone pillar. Her charming eyes beneath the black veil circled Ye Tian several times before she let out a tinkling giggle, her voice seductive to the bone: "Junior Brother Ye has such skill, coming up so quickly and looking so spirited."

"Those annoying flies below, have they all been swatted clean?"

Ye Tian glanced at her but didn't respond. This enchantress's thoughts were hard to fathom; it was better to have as little to do with her as possible.

The Loose Cultivator Han Xiao was silently gnawing on dry rations in a corner, indifferent to everything. However, Ye Tian noticed that the fingers holding the rations were somewhat pale.

In addition, there were people from Sects like the East Pole Azure Wood Sect, the Medicine King Valley, and Cold Silence Valley, as well as several independent Sea Transformation Realm Loose Cultivators with formidable auras.

That fellow Qian Buduo was indeed here as well, standing behind a few Loose Cultivators. His eyes dodged about, not daring to look at Ye Tian, and he fanned his folding fan rapidly to mask his guilt.

What surprised Ye Tian slightly was that Xiahou Ba was actually here too.

The big fellow was currently boasting about something to two Xiahou Family juniors, his voice so loud the entire square could hear him.

"...In that 'Heart-Disturbing Woods' on the seventh level, I smashed three Youyu Gate scumbags who tried to ambush me with one palm! So what if they're at the Sea Transformation First Layer? Didn't I still pin them to the ground and pummel them! Hahaha!"

Xiahou Ba slapped his chest, spit flying everywhere.

His aura was much more powerful than it had been at the arena, his muscles bulging with a faint blood-red light circulating through them. He had likely gained some Body Refining benefits within the Secret Realm, and his cultivation had reached the Peak of the Sea Transformation First Layer, just a step away from the second layer.

He was boasting enthusiastically when he suddenly spotted Ye Tian's group coming up. Especially upon seeing the bulging Storage Pouch at Ye Tian's waist, his bell-like eyes widened, and he said gruffly, "Yo! Isn't this Junior Brother Ye from the Liuli Xuan Sect?"

"What, picked up some treasure? That bag is bulging; those who see it should get a share!"

His words carried a joking tone, but there was also an element of testing.

Xiahou Ba was straightforward and loved to fight, but he wasn't a wicked person; he just lacked a filter.

Before Ye Tian could speak, Pei Tieshan couldn't help himself: "Xiahou Ba, stop your nonsense! Our Junior Brother Ye earned this through his own ability!"

"By his own ability?" Xiahou Ba's eyes brightened further as he rubbed his hands and walked over, sizing Ye Tian up. "What ability? Junior Brother Ye, I heard the corridor on the seventh level was quite lively. Did those grandsons from the Nangong Family give you a hard time?"

"And those rats from the Red Hand Hall, did they cause you trouble?"

His voice was loud, and with this question, everyone on the square pricked up their ears.

This was also the question they were most concerned about.

Ye Tian glanced at Xiahou Ba; this brute's thoughts were written all over his face.

He didn't bother beating around the bush and said calmly, "They did. It's all been resolved."

"Resolved?" Xiahou Ba was stunned. "How was it resolved? That grandson Nangong Xiao brought more than one Sea Transformation Realm bodyguard, and there were those assassins from the Red Hand Hall..."

"Killed them."

"Killed?" Xiahou Ba blinked, not quite processing it. "Killed who? The Red Hand Hall assassins? Or that bodyguard?"

"All of them," Ye Tian added.

Hiss!

As soon as his voice fell, a chorus of sharp intakes of breath suddenly echoed across the square.

Everyone stared blankly at Ye Tian.

Killed them all? Including the Guest Elder Nangong Zhuo, who was at the Fourth Stage of Sea Transformation? And eight elite assassins from the Red Hand Hall?

This... was this even possible? That was the Fourth Stage of Sea Transformation!

Li Xuanxiao opened his eyes, a glint of sword light flashing within them. Qin Pojun's movement of wiping his spear paused slightly. The Ghost Girl covered her mouth and chuckled, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. Han Xiao stopped chewing.

The folding fan in Qian Buduo's hand dropped straight to the ground with a "clack," his face turning as pale as paper.

Xiahou Ba's mouth hung wide open, and only after a long while did he stammer, "Junior Brother... Junior Brother Ye, you... you aren't joking?"

"Do I look like I'm joking?" Ye Tian glanced at him, and with a flip of his hand, several items appeared in his palm.

Nangong Xiao's blood-jade token representing his status as a direct descendant of the Nangong Family, still stained with a bit of blood.

Nangong Zhuo's Guest Elder jade plaque, engraved with the character 'Zhuo'.

And several uniform black tokens engraved with a dripping blood handprint—the identity markers of Red Hand Hall assassins.

The evidence was irrefutable!

The square instantly erupted into a frenzy!

"Holy crap! He really killed them! Nangong Xiao is dead! The Nangong Family's Guest Elder is dead too!"

"Fourth Stage of Sea Transformation! How could he possibly kill a Fourth Stage of Sea Transformation?! Even with a secret treasure, this is too ridiculous!"

"Look at his aura; although he's a bit drained, he's clearly not seriously injured! How did he do it?"

"He must be bragging, otherwise it makes no sense!"

"How old is he? If he can slay a Fourth Stage of Sea Transformation now, what will he be like in the future?"

"The Nangong Family is going to go crazy this time! Nangong Xiao and Nangong Chi were both direct Young Lords; even if they were useless, their status was there!"

"Now one is crippled and the other is killed, plus a Fourth Stage of Sea Transformation Guest Elder has been lost..."

"The Red Hand Hall will never let this go either! They are the most vengeful!"

The crowd discussed fervently, their gazes toward Ye Tian having completely changed.

Previously, some might have been unconvinced, thinking he was just lucky or relying on secret treasures.

But now, with solid battle achievements laid before them, they had no choice but to believe!

That was a Fourth Stage of Sea Transformation! Not just some random nobody!

At this moment, Ye Tian's status in their hearts soared rapidly, already aligning with top Prodigies like Li Xuanxiao and Qin Pojun.

Looking at the items in Ye Tian's hand, Xiahou Ba suddenly let out a loud laugh and slapped Ye Tian heavily on the shoulder: "Good! Well killed! Junior Brother Ye, I'm impressed!"

"I've long found that grandson Nangong Xiao eyesore—a sinister hypocrite! Well killed! And the Red Hand Hall, a bunch of rats that can't stand the light, they deserve to be killed!"

His boisterous personality actually made Ye Tian feel a bit more favorably toward him.

Compared to those who were honey-tongued but would stab one in the back, someone this straightforward was much easier to get along with.

"Just clearing out some trash."

Ye Tian put away the items and said no more. He knew this news would spread quickly.

The retaliation from the Nangong Family and the Red Hand Hall would come sooner or later, but he didn't care.

Since he dared to kill, he wasn't afraid of trouble!

He ignored the discussions and gazes of the crowd, walked with his fellow Disciples to a relatively secluded corner of the square, sat cross-legged, closed his eyes, and waited quietly.

Calm gradually returned to the square, but the atmosphere had become somewhat subtle.

Many were communicating secretly via voice transmission, their eyes occasionally glancing toward Ye Tian.

Qian Buduo tremblingly picked up his folding fan, not daring to look toward Ye Tian again, and quietly moved to a further corner.

In his heart, he cursed Nangong Xiao's ancestors for eighteen generations and felt endless regret; why had he been so greedy for that bit of benefit and provoked this bringer of death?

Time passed bit by bit.

Occasionally, new figures would emerge from the mist below and step onto the eighth-level platform. They were all Cultivators with strong auras, but they all carried injuries of varying severity; clearly, reaching this point had not been easy for any of them.

As soon as they arrived, they quickly learned from those who had arrived earlier about Ye Tian slaying Nangong Xiao and the Fourth Stage of Sea Transformation Guest Elder. All of them paled in shock, their eyes filled with wariness as they looked in Ye Tian's direction.

About another hour or so passed.

In the center of the square, those ancient runes suddenly lit up.

Immediately after, at the entrance leading to the ninth level, which had been blocked by dense gray mist, the mist began to slowly swirl, forming a portal.

From behind the portal, ethereal celestial music could faintly be heard.

"The passage to the ninth level has opened!" someone whispered.

Everyone's gaze focused on that swirling portal, their eyes burning with intensity.

By passing through the ninth level, one could reach the summit of Wendao Mountain, where the Ancient Legacy Hall stood, along with ruins clues exchangeable for runes, and the greatest Opportunity of this Secret Realm journey!

Li Xuanxiao was the first to rise. Cradling his longsword, he stepped into the swirling portal and his figure vanished.

Following him, Qin Pojun picked up his spear and strode inside.

The Ghost Girl let out a light laugh and transformed into a streak of black smoke to dive in.

Han Xiao rose silently and followed behind.

Other Cultivators who held enough runes and believed they had the strength to brave the ninth level also set off one after another.

At this time, Ye Tian, who had been sitting quietly, also opened his eyes.

"Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters, let's go. It's the final level."

He stood up and looked toward the swirling portal, a trace of anticipation in his eyes as well. He set off and stepped into the portal.

Pei Tieshan, Feng Xuan, and the others exchanged glances and followed closely behind.