Chapter 073: Opening the Core Area
The vast, pale-red hall seemed endless. At the forefront of the stone steps, a sea of people gathered, most in groups, while a few lone individuals—clearly top-tier experts—sat cross-legged in meditation.
Before the crowd stood a massive formation, its green light barrier completely isolating the inner hall. Beside the barrier lay several bloodied corpses, their bodies riddled with cuts, one even severed at the waist. These grim remains served as a stark warning to all.
"Tap... Tap..." Faint footsteps echoed, barely audible yet carrying an intangible pressure that spread through the air.
"Who are these people? Such formidable strength," someone murmured, the oppressive aura making many tense, as if sitting on pins and needles.
"The main players have arrived," others whispered, their eyes burning with greed. The key to unlocking the core area was in the hands of this group.
Yang Tian sneered at the covetous gazes, his eyes scanning the crowd. When his gaze fell on Li Hongtao and his group, a flash of murderous intent flickered in his eyes.
"Jiang Hu, Ba Li, Wu Fengchen, Fan Lin," Xing Hao muttered, his eyes narrowing as he recognized the figures beside Li Hongtao. "To think they've gathered so many allies in just two days. They're really not giving up."
"These family clans are getting bolder. We'll need to teach them a lesson someday," Xing Hao added, noting that while these families couldn't compare to the ancient powers, their strength was nothing to scoff at.
"Numbers won't matter much. When it comes to the inheritance, alliances will crumble," Yang Tian said, shaking his head slightly. These people were bound by利益 (interests), but their combat effectiveness was questionable.
Near the formation, most people stood up. The main players had arrived, and it was time to activate the killing array.
"How could that little beast recover so quickly?" Li Hongtao's face darkened as he noticed Yang Tian approaching. Though he didn't know the source of Yang Tian's fighting spirit, he was well aware of the damage his Heavenly Thunder Bead had inflicted.
Li Hongtao's murderous aura alerted those around him, and they followed his gaze.
"Brother Xing Hao, what a coincidence running into you here," a scholarly young man suddenly approached with a few companions, smiling as he walked.
"Ah, Brother Yuan, I didn't expect to see you here either," Xing Hao turned, a smile spreading across his face as he recognized the newcomer.
"I'm just here to join the fun," Yuan Ling nodded, his gaze shifting to Yang Tian. "This must be Brother Yang, right?"
"That's right, I'm Yang Tian," Yang Tian replied with a faint smile. This was Yuan Ling, a young saint-level figure from the ancient Yuan family, whose strength rivaled Li Hongtao's. Given the poor relations between the Yuan and Li families, Yang Tian saw an opportunity to make an ally.
"I've heard about the commotion you've caused in the ruins these past few days, Brother Yang. Even Li Hongtao got a beating from you. I must say, I'm impressed," Yuan Ling said, a hint of satisfaction in his voice. He and Li Hongtao had never gotten along.
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"You flatter me, Brother Yuan. I couldn't have done it without my friends' help," Yang Tian replied modestly.
"Brother Yang, you're too humble," Yuan Ling chuckled before excusing himself.
"Who is that? Such terrifying strength," Yang Tian's eyes widened as he noticed a black-clad youth. The energy emanating from the youth made Yang Tian's heart race. He wasn't sure he could defeat him.
The black-clad youth seemed to sense Yang Tian's gaze. His eyes, which had been closed, opened briefly, a flicker of surprise crossing them before he smiled and resumed his meditation.
"Does he know me?" Yang Tian muttered, scratching his head as he turned his attention back to the crowd.
"It seems I can't underestimate the talents of this world. Whether I can obtain the Array Sect's inheritance is still up in the air," Yang Tian thought, scanning the crowd. He had already spotted five or six individuals whose strength rivaled Murong Jie's, and that didn't include those who hadn't arrived yet.
"Yang Tian, since you're here, why don't you open the formation? Or are you going to keep us all waiting?" Li Hongtao stepped forward, his tone condescending.
His words drew the attention of the crowd, and countless greedy eyes turned toward Yang Tian's group. Many were already itching to make a move.
"That's Yang Tian, the one who drove out Wang Long a few days ago."
"Really? That kid's ruthless. Rumor has it he's manifested two phenomena. Can that be true?"
"Probably just boasting. How could someone like Yang Tian, who isn't from a holy land, achieve that?" Many dismissed the idea, finding it hard to believe.
The black-clad youth opened his eyes again, glancing at Yang Tian with a knowing look before closing them once more.
"What an idiot..." Yang Tian rolled his eyes at Li Hongtao, his lips curling into a smirk as he muttered under his breath.
Though his voice was soft, it reached everyone's ears. The crowd shot Li Hongtao odd looks, many struggling to suppress their laughter.
Those unfamiliar with the recent events looked at Yang Tian in confusion. The influence of ancient families was well-known, especially for a young saint-level figure like Li Hongtao. Even if he hadn't fully matured, his future achievements were bound to be extraordinary.
"Li Hongtao, weren't you the one who got knocked out by Yang Tian just two days ago? And now you're here spouting nonsense? Watch your tongue, or you might lose more than just your pride," Xing Hao sneered, looking at Li Hongtao as if he were a fool.
"Oh? There's such a story? Brother Xing Hao, you'll have to tell me all about it later," Yuan Ling chimed in, a faint smile playing on his lips.
"Of course, his heroic deeds are worth sharing," Xing Hao laughed, ignoring Li Hongtao's furious expression.
"Li Hongtao was knocked out?" Many in the crowd were stunned, their eyes darting between Yang Tian and Li Hongtao in disbelief. They couldn't fathom how a previously unknown youth could possess such strength. At the same time, they couldn't help but admire Yang Tian's audacity.
Ancient families were not to be trifled with. These clans had existed for countless generations, valuing their reputation above all else. With ancient monsters who had lived for millennia backing them, their power was immense.
"Enough nonsense. Open the formation already. Or do we need to invite you?" Murong Jie stepped forward from behind Li Hongtao, his cold voice cutting through the air.
"Idiots..." Yang Tian muttered, then glanced at Yun'er, signaling her to proceed.
Yun'er nodded, tossing a rune from her palm toward the formation. As the rune merged with the killing array, a faint ripple of energy spread.
"It's opening!" Countless eyes fixed on the formation. The killing array was enormous, and despite the passage of time, its energy showed no signs of weakening.
"Boom!" As the ripples grew, the space around them trembled. Ancient energy from the surroundings surged into the formation, drawing the attention of everyone in the outer hall. Figures rushed toward the core area.
"Be careful once we're inside. If Li Hongtao manages to recruit more people, things will get messy," Yang Tian warned, noticing the influx of newcomers.
"Don't worry. The core area is filled with formations. They'll have their hands full," Xing Hao replied with a sly grin.
On the green barrier, a light gate slowly opened. An ancient aura rushed out, accompanied by a thick, almost tangible wave of primordial energy.
"Incredible. This is the Array Sect, after all," Xing Hao marveled, his pores tingling with excitement. The ancient energy here was over ten times denser than outside.
As the light gate opened, the crowd surged forward. At that moment, a barely perceptible energy emerged from Yun'er's forehead.
"Shall we go in?" Seeing that most had entered, Yang Tian and his group of four stepped through the gate.
