411: Chapter 411 The Arrival of the Nangong Family Ancestor

"Hahaha! Good! Very good!"

He struggled to sit up and, using the last of his strength, pulled a Talisman drawn with flames from his robes.

"I wanted to keep this as my final trump card... but you forced me! You all forced me!" Nangong Zhaotian's eyes were crazed as he suddenly bit his tongue and spat a mouthful of heart-blood onto the Talisman!

The Talisman suddenly erupted with ten thousand zhang of golden light, soaring into the sky!

In the next moment, a domineering and terrifying Aura descended.

The golden light converged in the air, eventually transforming into an illusory, elderly figure.

The person wore a Crimson-Gold Dragon-Patterned Robe, with white hair and a white beard. His face was withered, but his eyes radiated a supreme majesty as they opened and closed!

After this figure appeared, everyone present felt as if a mountain had been pressed onto them. Their bones creaked, and their bodies were forced down uncontrollably!

Ye Tian bore the brunt of it; he let out a muffled groan as blood overflowed from the corner of his mouth again.

His pupils shrank suddenly as he stared fixedly at the illusory elderly figure, waves of shock surging in his heart.

This Aura...

Yuan Dan Realm!

"Nangong... Zhaotian..."

The elderly figure spoke slowly, each word striking heavily against everyone's hearts, causing their Divine Souls to tremble violently.

"Greetings... Old Ancestor..."

Nangong Zhaotian trembled with excitement and prostrated himself, crying out hoarsely, "Your unworthy descendant, Nangong Zhaotian, begs the Old Ancestor to descend, slay the evil demons here, and uphold the prestige of our Nangong Family!"

The elderly figure's gaze slowly swept across the area below.

Under his gaze, even someone as strong as Li Xuanxiao felt a chill throughout his body.

Qin Pojun, Xiahou Ba, Han Xiao, and the others turned pale, their minds shaken.

Even the soul-fire in the eye sockets of the blood-colored skeleton flickered violently, emitting an uneasy hiss as it involuntarily retreated half a step.

Finally, that gaze landed on Ye Tian, who had blood at the corner of his mouth.

"Hmm..." A hint of surprise seemed to flash through the elderly figure's eyes before returning to indifference.

"Was it you who harmed the Nangong Bloodline?"

The elderly figure's voice echoed in the Flame Cave, carrying the pressure of the Yuan Dan Realm.

In the face of this vast Aura, everyone seemed so small and powerless.

Ye Tian forcibly circulated the Illusory Sea Heart Sutra to steady his mind and suppress his churning blood and Qi.

He looked up, meeting those indifferently looking down eyes without fear.

"Stirring up trouble?" Ye Tian spoke. His voice was slightly low due to the pressure, yet every word was clear and carried a hint of mockery.

"It was clearly your Nangong Family disciples who repeatedly set ambushes to intercept and kill me, wanting to seize my tokens and take my life. I only acted in self-defense; where does this talk of 'stirring up trouble' come from?

Is it only permitted for your Nangong Family to kill, but not for others to strike back?"

Although Qin Pojun, Xiahou Ba, and the others were pinned down by the pressure, they strongly agreed with Ye Tian's words in their hearts.

It was Nangong Zhaotian who had started the trouble, and now that the younger generation was beaten, an old one had come—and a Yuan Dan Realm old monster at that. It was truly contemptible.

"How bold!" The weakened Nangong Zhaotian screeched from the ground, his face distorted. "To dare quibble before the Old Ancestor!

You killed my third brother, severely injured my other two brothers, and now you even want to kill me. You deserve ten thousand deaths! Old Ancestor, quickly kill this madman and these accomplices—leave none alive!"

Ancestor Nangong's illusory figure did not fluctuate in the slightest due to Ye Tian's words; those deep eyes remained indifferent.

He spoke slowly, his voice devoid of joy or anger. "Entangled Karma, right and wrong—in my eyes, there is no difference.

Since you harmed the Qilin of my Nangong Family and damaged our Family's face, you must pay the price. As for the others..."

His gaze swept over Qin Pojun, Xiahou Ba, Han Xiao, Yun Wuji, and the others. The gaze wasn't sharp, but it made those it touched feel cold to the bone.

"Since you are traveling together, consider this your tribulation. If your Sect elders ask, they will be told you died in a dangerous area of the Secret Realm—which is a common occurrence."

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone's hearts sank to the bottom.

This Ancestor Nangong was actually so domineering that he intended to silence everyone present without distinguishing right from wrong!

And listening to his tone, he intended to push the blame onto the dangers of the Secret Realm afterward, so there would be no witnesses!

A Yuan Dan Realm old monster's mind was indeed deep and ruthless!

"You Old Geezer! You dare!" Xiahou Ba had a fiery temperament. Though pinned by the pressure, he still glared and roared, "I am the direct son of the Xiahou Family! If you dare touch me, my grandfather will surely flatten your Nangong Family!"

"Xiahou Family?" Ancestor Nangong's gaze paused slightly on Xiahou Ba, as if recalling something, before he shook his head faintly. "Xiahou Kuanlan's grandson? If he came personally, I might give him some face.

As for you... you are not qualified. Even if you die here, Xiahou Kuanlan might not be able to trace it back to me. After all, within the Secret Realm, life and death are determined by fate."

"You!" Xiahou Ba was so angry his face turned livid, but he could not refute.

If a Yuan Dan Realm old monster truly wanted to hide something and erase traces, it would indeed be difficult for the outside world to investigate, especially in the Taichu Secret Realm with its unique rules.

Qin Pojun gripped his long spear and gritted his teeth. "Senior, as a Yuan Dan powerhouse, are you not afraid of being mocked by the world and violating morality by acting like this?"

"Morality? Mockery?" Ancestor Nangong seemed to have heard something amusing, and the corner of his mouth twitched slightly.

"Little child, when you live to be my age, you will know that so-called morality is nothing more than the ravings of the weak huddling together for warmth.

The truth of the world is ultimately the law of the jungle, where the strong are respected. Today, I am stronger than you, so my words are the truth."

These words were cold and realistic, leaving Qin Pojun and the others speechless, the chill in their hearts deepening.

Facing a Yuan Dan Realm old monster, all their reasoning appeared pale and powerless.

"As for you..." Ancestor Nangong's gaze finally landed on Li Xuanxiao.

"Little fellow from the Heavenly Sword Sect, born with a sword bone—you are quite the good material. I know of your deal with Zhaotian. Once this matter is settled, the Ancient Sword Soul Crystal will naturally be given to you. Now, step aside."

Facing the gaze of a Yuan Dan Realm expert, Li Xuanxiao remained calm and merely bowed slightly. "I obey Senior's command."

After saying that, he actually sheathed his sword and retreated, moving near Nangong Zhaotian and Yin Wujiu. He no longer targeted the others and became a bystander.

Seeing this, the contempt and anger of Qin Pojun, Xiahou Ba, and the others toward Li Xuanxiao reached a peak.

This person not only launched a despicable sneak attack but had now completely sided with the Nangong Family, adopting a cold stance of staying out of it and watching them be slaughtered.

"Li Xuanxiao! You are a disgrace to the Righteous Path!" Yun Wuji could not help but shout sternly, feeling deep disdain for Li Xuanxiao's behavior.

Li Xuanxiao acted as if he hadn't heard, simply standing quietly, his gaze fixed on the long sword in his hand as if all the surrounding conflicts had nothing to do with him.

In his heart, only the Way of the Sword was supreme; everything else was vanity.

Trading with the Nangong Family for treasures to temper his sword bone was a fact; killing the Ghost Girl was fulfilling a contract; and standing by now was a choice made after weighing the pros and cons.

As for morality or camaraderie? On the path to the supreme Way of the Sword, everything could be abandoned.

Ancestor Nangong stopped paying attention to the others and locked his gaze back onto Ye Tian.

In his eyes, this youth, who was only at the Sea-Transformation Realm Level 3 Peak, seemed somewhat different.

This boy could maintain his composure under such pressure, and even he could not quite see through the boy's true essence attributes.

"Little fellow, to be able to withstand thirty percent of the pressure from my projection Incarnation without kneeling is indeed rare."

Ancestor Nangong slowly raised a finger. The finger was illusory, yet it seemed to contain a terrifying power capable of burning the sky and boiling the sea.

The crimson-gold light at the fingertip was not dazzling, yet it made the hair on Ye Tian's body stand on end!

"Unfortunately, you harmed my Bloodline; you are destined to die young."

The crimson-gold light danced on the fingertip as it slowly pointed toward Ye Tian.

"Junior Brother Ye!"

"Ye Tian!"

Qin Pojun, Yun Wuji, Pei Tieshan, Shui Qingdie, and the others wanted to rescue him, but under that terrifying pressure, even moving was extremely difficult. They could only watch helplessly as that finger of death slowly approached Ye Tian.

Despair flooded everyone's hearts.

Dongfang Xinghe suddenly bit his tongue and spat a mouthful of essence blood into his palm. His hands moved with difficulty to form seals, wanting to forcibly activate some kind of forbidden technique, even if it could only buy Ye Tian a single moment.

Shui Qingdie's beautiful eyes were filled with tears as she desperately circulated her remaining Qi, wanting to cast an illusion to interfere, even though she knew it might be in vain.

Pei Tieshan roared repeatedly, his muscles bulging and an earthy-yellow light flickering unsteadily, yet he still found it difficult to break free from the restraint.