316: Chapter 316 Barbarian Beard: Is Extreme Yin Dead?

Several days later.

Inside a crude stone hall, the surface was covered in the marks of time and the mottled imprints of wind and frost erosion. In some corners, dark green moss had even grown, adding a faint touch of vitality to this cold structure.

The stone hall was about fifty or sixty zhang in area and seven or eight zhang high. Its overall design was simple and rugged, without any superfluous decorations, exuding an aura of wildness and heaviness, as if it had remained since the ancient era.

On all four sides of the stone hall, there was a massive blue stone door, several zhang high.

There were no handles or keyholes on the doors, only some blurry relief patterns that seemed to be some kind of ancient runes or totems.

At this moment, these stone doors were tightly closed, seamless, as if they had merged with the stone walls, sealing this stone hall into a closed space like a large prison cell.

Only in the center of the hall, a teleportation array engraved with complex silver runes, about several zhang in diameter, was emitting a soft and stable silvery-white light. That light appeared particularly striking in the dim hall, as if it were the only exit and hope in this closed space.

Inside the hall, there were also a large number of stone tables and stools of various styles; roughly counted, there were as many as several dozen.

Although the craftsmanship of these stone tables and stools was rough, their surfaces were polished very smoothly, evidently having been used for a long time, and it was unknown how many years ago they were left by Cultivators.

They were scattered throughout the hall, evidently serving as a temporary resting place for Cultivators who had passed through the Ice-Fire Path.

At this moment, several Cultivators with different expressions were sparsely sitting on these stone stools.

Layman Qingyi was sitting on a stone stool near the inner side of the hall.

He was still holding the bamboo slip that never left his side, his head slightly lowered, his gaze falling on the bamboo slip as if he were reading something intently. However, his gaze was not focused on the words on the bamboo slip; instead, it was somewhat wandering, his pupils slightly dilated, and his brows were slightly furrowed, forming a shallow "chuan" shape. Clearly, he had something on his mind, and his thoughts had already drifted elsewhere.

His fingers were unconsciously rubbing the edge of the bamboo slip; this was his habitual action when thinking.

He was evidently still brooding over the Nascent Soul level battle he had sensed in the Blood Ice Forest, constantly speculating in his heart.

"Who on earth was fighting with Old Ancestor Ji Yin?"

That aura was so unfamiliar, yet it carried a heart-palpitating ferocity. Could it be some Cultivator hiding their identity?

Why hadn't Old Ancestor Ji Yin come out yet?

With his cultivation and methods, even if he were not a match, he wouldn't be unable to escape, right?

Could he have really fallen in that Blood Ice Forest?

If so, who was the person who made the move?

Would they also have come to this stone hall?

Could they be mixed in the crowd?

Not far opposite Layman Qingyi, sat a middle-aged Cultivator in purple robes and a jade belt, with a square face and a dignified appearance. He was none other than Wan Tianming, one of the three heroes of the Righteous Path.

His expression at this moment was also somewhat gloomy, like the sky before a storm.

He sat upright on the stone stool, his back straight, his hands placed naturally on his knees. His gaze was as sharp as a hawk, slowly scanning everyone in the hall, lingering for a moment especially on those Late Core Formation Stage Cultivators, as if searching for some clues.

What he was thinking was different from Layman Qingyi.

He was more inclined to believe that the abnormal dangers that appeared in the Ice-Fire Path, the Blood Ice Forest of the Xuanjing Path and the Black Desert of the Lava Road, were not the original Restrictions of the Void Heaven Palace, but were deliberately created by someone.

And who else could do this, apart from those two Star Palace Elders who were responsible for maintaining the operation of the Void Heaven Palace and held part of the authority over the Restrictions?

The overwhelming Iron Fire Ants in the Black Desert and the eerie, unpredictable blood-colored Restrictions in the Blood Ice Forest were clearly a death trap aimed at the Cultivators passing through the trial!

"What does the Star Palace mean by this? Do they want to fall out with us Cultivators of the Righteous and Demonic Paths right here in the Void Heaven Palace? Or are they trying to use this opportunity to weaken the strength of the Righteous and Demonic Paths to consolidate the Star Palace's dominant position?" Wan Tianming's thoughts raced, and a gloom shrouded his heart, making him feel a sense of unease.

Although he was conceited, he also knew well the transcendent status and unfathomable strength of the Star Palace in the Chaotic Star Sea.

If the Star Palace really intended to harm them within the Void Heaven Palace, then this trip would likely be even more dangerous, and they might even be wiped out entirely.

He subconsciously clenched his fist hidden in his sleeve, his knuckles slightly white from the force.

Besides these two Nascent Soul Cultivators, there were also several Late Core Formation Stage Cultivators sitting in the hall who had luckily passed through the Ice-Fire Path.

Some of them were as pale as paper, their Qi unstable, evidently having suffered quite a bit in the Ice-Fire Path, perhaps even sustaining internal injuries, and were currently closing their eyes to regulate their breathing and strive to restore their magic power.

Others had solemn expressions, brows tightly locked, their gazes vigilantly scanning the surroundings, as if guarding against something.

Still others were bowing their heads in deep thought, not knowing what they were thinking about.

Those who could pass the second level were naturally not weak, but every face carried a trace of relief at having survived a disaster and vigilance for the unknown road ahead.

The air was permeated with a faint smell of blood and sweat, mixed with the residual fluctuations of magic power, making people feel an invisible oppression.

The atmosphere in the entire stone hall appeared somewhat dull and oppressive, as if a giant boulder was pressing on everyone's heart.

Just in this dull atmosphere, the teleportation array in the center of the hall suddenly lit up with dazzling light again! That silvery-white light instantly illuminated the entire hall, attracting everyone's attention.

Immediately after, several figures appeared in the teleportation array almost simultaneously.

The first one, tall and burly, like a moving iron tower, with a face full of flesh and copper bell-like eyes flashing with tyrannical and ferocious light, was none other than Savage Beard!

As soon as he appeared, he brought with him an invisible pressure. That pressure, like a tangible wave, instantly swept across the entire hall, making the already dull atmosphere even heavier.

His gaze was like electricity, like two sharp swords, quickly scanning the hall. He paused slightly when he saw Layman Qingyi, scanned past Wan Tianming, and finally landed on the empty stone stools, his brows furrowing imperceptibly, as if confirming something.

Following closely behind Savage Beard appeared the other two Nascent Soul Cultivators of the Righteous Path.

Tianwuzi and Mutengzi.

Tianwuzi wore a gray Daoist robe, with a gaunt face and three long wisps of beard, possessing quite a bit of immortal demeanor.

Mutengzi wore a dark green robe, was thin, and had a simple, aged face, like an old tree that had weathered many storms.

Both had stable auras and calm expressions, but judging from their slightly disheveled robes and the trace of fatigue between their brows, it was evident that passing through the Lava Road was not easy for them either, and it had consumed quite a bit of their effort.

Finally, a white figure also stumbled out of the teleportation array.

It was none other than the leader of the Fengle Alliance—Ling Feiyan.

Her expression at this moment was somewhat pale, like frost and snow in winter, and her aura was somewhat unstable. Clearly, the injuries she had sustained in the Blood Ice Forest had not yet fully recovered, and her magic power had not yet returned to its Peak state.

But her eyes carried a trace of relief at having survived a disaster and determination; that was a kind of light that would only appear after experiencing a life-and-death test.

Her gaze swept across the hall, and she silently found a stone stool in a corner and sat down, beginning to close her eyes to regulate her breathing and recover.

After another moment, the teleportation array lit up again.

This time, two figures appeared, one tall and one short. They were none other than the two white-robed Elders of the Star Palace—Elder Qin Heng and Elder Qin Yue.

Both were dressed in snow-white robes, with solemn expressions and peaceful auras, as if the extremely dangerous Ice-Fire Path just now was merely a leisurely stroll for them.

As soon as they appeared, the atmosphere of the entire hall instantly became subtle!

Almost all the Cultivators' gazes were cast in unison toward these two Star Palace Elders!

In those gazes, there was suspicion, dread, dissatisfaction, and even a trace of hidden hostility!

The air seemed to have solidified at this moment, and even the sound of breathing became clearly audible.

Especially those Cultivators who had experienced a life-and-death ordeal in the Ice-Fire Path, their eyes looking at the two Star Palace Elders carried undisguised scrutiny and questioning.

That gaze seemed to be saying: "What exactly did you do?"

Elder Qin Heng and Elder Qin Yue evidently also sensed the unkind gazes of the crowd.

They looked at each other, exchanged a glance, and their faces revealed a trace of perfectly timed bitter smile and guilt, as if they really felt remorse for what had happened.

Elder Qin Heng stepped forward, cupped his hands toward the crowd with a composed demeanor, and spoke slowly in a voice tinged with heaviness and apology: "Fellow Daoists, some unexpected incidents occurred during this trip through the Ice-Fire Path, resulting in the unfortunate demise of many Fellow Daoists. We are deeply pained by this."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the crowd, and continued with a look of deep distress on his face: "According to our subsequent investigation, it seems that a certain Fellow Daoist inadvertently triggered and activated some extremely ancient and powerful hidden Restrictions while passing through, which led to the appearance of life-threatening situations like the 'Black Desert' and 'Blood Ice Forest' that should not have been there. As the guides for this trip to the Void Heaven Palace, we are hard-pressed to absolve ourselves of blame for this matter, and we feel deeply ashamed."

He sighed, his voice becoming even heavier: "After this trip to the Void Heaven Palace concludes, we will both return to the Star Palace, report this matter truthfully to the Palace Master, and voluntarily go to the Star Palace Forbidden Ground to face the wall for a hundred years as punishment, to make some amends for our failure in supervision."

Elder Qin Yue stood by, nodding expressionlessly, as if echoing Elder Qin Heng's statement.

Both of their expressions were spot on, as if they were truly feeling guilty and remorseful about this matter.

As soon as these words were spoken, a suppressed uproar immediately erupted in the grand hall!

Many Cultivators wore expressions of disdain and sneered, and some even curled their lips in contempt.

"Hypocritical! Truly hypocritical! They make it sound so real!"

"Face the wall for a hundred years? That sounds nice! Who doesn't know that facing the wall in the Star Palace Forbidden Ground is just changing places to go into seclusion and Cultivate for Elders like them! They might even take the opportunity to comprehend some profound Cultivation Technique!"

"It was clearly them who tampered with things, wanting to reduce our numbers, and now they are pushing the responsibility onto a non-existent 'certain Fellow Daoist'! How shameless! Do they think we are three-year-olds?"

"Hmph! The Star Palace always acts like this! It's better to get used to it! Whatever they say goes, what else can we do?"

Although no one dared to stand up and accuse the two Star Palace Elders to their faces, the dissatisfaction and anger in everyone's hearts were almost overflowing, like a volcano about to erupt.

Many people clenched their fists and gritted their teeth, yet they were helpless.

However, just as they thought, the matter had already happened, and pursuing it was useless.

They couldn't really go and settle scores with the two Star Palace Elders, right?

The Star Palace had ruled the Chaotic Star Sea for thousands of years, its foundation was unfathomable, its prestige was deeply rooted in people's hearts, and Star Palace Cultivators were all over the world. Unless one was tired of living, few people really had the courage to face the anger and pursuit of the Star Palace.

Furthermore, here in the Void Heaven Palace, the Star Palace Elders controlled some of the Restrictions; if they really tore off the mask, they would still be the ones to suffer.

In the end, everyone could only forcibly suppress the anger and dissatisfaction in their hearts.

In the grand hall, that dull and oppressive atmosphere returned, even heavier than before.

As time passed, sporadic Cultivators walked out from the teleportation array.

The light of the teleportation array lit up every once in a while, each time bringing out one or two exhausted figures.

Most of these people were Cultivators at the Late Core Formation Stage, all looking exhausted, some even carrying injuries, with ragged clothes and bloodstains. Clearly, they had all experienced severe trials, and it was a stroke of luck that they were still alive.

Savage Beard sat on a stone stool with a bold and unconstrained posture; the stool looked exceptionally small beneath his massive frame. He rested his hands on his knees, his gaze constantly sweeping through the crowd, his brows furrowing tighter and tighter, forming a deep " river" shape, and the flesh on his face was squeezed together by the frowning, making him look even more ferocious.

"Strange... why hasn't that old guy Ji Yin come out yet? With his Cultivation base, he shouldn't be slower than me." Savage Beard felt a trace of doubt in his heart, vaguely feeling some unease.

Although he and Old Ancestor Ji Yin could not be considered friends, and the two even had some past grievances, they were both Demonic Path Cultivators, and upon entering the Void Heaven Palace this time, they had a tacit understanding; when confronting the Righteous Path and the Star Palace, Demonic Path Cultivators would naturally band together.

Logically speaking, with Old Ancestor Ji Yin's Cultivation base and experience, passing through this Ice-Fire Path should not have been a problem.

Why was there no sign of him yet? Could he have encountered some accident?

Just as Savage Beard was feeling doubtful, the teleportation array lit up again.

A grey figure walked out of the teleportation array unhurriedly.

It was Lu Qiu.

He controlled his own aura perfectly to around the Late Core Formation Stage, his face was ordinary, his clothes were plain, and he was unremarkable when mixed in the crowd, like a drop of water entering the sea.

His steps were steady, his expression composed, showing no sign of exhaustion or panic, as if he had just taken a relaxing trip.

His appearance did not attract much attention.

Only Ling Feiyan secretly breathed a sigh of relief when she saw him appear safely, her hanging heart finally relaxing.

As for Layman Qingyi, he only glanced at him casually before moving his gaze away, not taking a "Late Core Formation Stage" Cultivator to heart; his attention was still focused on the matter of Old Ancestor Ji Yin's disappearance.

Lu Qiu swept his gaze calmly across the grand hall, taking in the expressions of everyone.

He saw Savage Beard's slightly irritable expression, Layman Qingyi's thoughtful look, Wan Tianming's gloomy face, and the feigned composure of the two Star Palace Elders.

He sneered in his heart, then followed the example of other Cultivators, found an inconspicuous corner, and sat down cross-legged silently, as if he were just an ordinary Cultivator who had luckily passed through the Ice-Fire Path, out of place with everything around him yet completely unremarkable.

Another incense stick of time passed.

The teleportation array lit up again. This time, out came a young Cultivator wearing a plain green robe, with an ordinary face and an aura of only the Early Core Formation Stage — it was Han Li!

Han Li's appearance immediately attracted the attention of many people in the grand hall!

"Eh? Early Core Formation Stage? Did I see that right? This Cultivation base can also pass through the Ice-Fire Path?"

"This kid... can actually survive passing through the Ice-Fire Path? How did he do it? Did he have some incredible luck?"

"Looking at his aura, although it is a bit unstable, he doesn't seem to have suffered too heavy an injury... Does he have some special life-saving means? Or did he hide his Cultivation base?"

"Tsk tsk, one really shouldn't judge a book by its cover! It seems this kid is not a pushover either."

Many Cultivators looked at Han Li with a hint of surprise and curiosity, and some even started whispering to each other.

After all, being able to pass through the Ice-Fire Path, where even many Late Core Formation Stage Cultivators nearly perished, with only an Early Core Formation Stage Cultivation base, in itself showed that this person was extraordinary; either his luck was Heaven-Defying, or he possessed some strange treasure or special means.

Han Li felt the suspicious and uncertain gazes of the crowd and inwardly groaned; what he disliked most was becoming the focus of everyone's attention. But on the surface, he remained calm, just lowered his head, walked quickly to an empty corner, sat down cross-legged, put on a look of not wanting to talk to anyone, and began to close his eyes to adjust his breathing.

Time continued to pass in waiting. The light of the teleportation array never lit up again.

Finally, when the light of the last teleportation array completely dimmed, signifying the official closure of the Ice-Fire Path, the teleportation array in the center of the grand hall never lit up again.

Old Ancestor Ji Yin had still not appeared.

Savage Beard's face had now become incredibly ugly, as black as the bottom of a pot. He stood up abruptly from the stone stool, and the stool, moved by his massive body, made a harsh friction sound.

In his bell-like giant eyes, a look of suspicion and uncertainty flickered, his gaze staring fixedly at the teleportation array that had already dimmed, as if he wanted to see through it.

"That old guy Ji Yin... he actually didn't come out? Could it be that he... really died inside?!" An unbelievable thought exploded in his mind like a thunderclap, leaving him stunned on the spot, motionless for a long time.