The mont they stepped out of the portal, blinding light and countless shouts crashed into everyone at once.
As soon as Lin Xiao Tian, Ji Wuchen, his subordinates, and the disciples stepped outside, the entire crowd instantly burst into commotion.
The clatter of voices spread everywhere as cultivators surged forward while countless eyes locked onto the people erging from the secret realm.
Many quickly noticed the pale expressions covering several faces, while so disciples still carried blood stains across their robes.
The atmosphere imdiately beca restless seeing the condition everyone returned in.
Then the portal behind them suddenly trembled before closing completely.
The last traces of spatial fluctuations disappeared within monts, causing the already chaotic crowd to beco even louder as discussions erupted from every direction.
Just as the situation was beginning to grow out of control, a terrifying aura suddenly descended over the entire area.
An old man appeared out of nowhere high above the crowd, his hands resting calmly behind his back while a deep and ancient pressure spread outward from his body.
The noisy crowd instantly quieted down, even the surrounding sect masters unconsciously lowered their heads slightly after sensing that aura.
Seeing him, Lin Xiao Tian imdiately grew cautious because he had never seen this old man before, yet the pressure radiating from him felt far deeper than anyone else present here.
Behind the elder stood two figures quietly following him, the regional envoy and the city lord themselves.
The old man’s gaze quickly landed on Ji Wuchen before a calm smile appeared across his face. "So you succeeded after all, didn’t you little Ji," he said lightly.
Hearing this, Ji Wuchen imdiately cupped his fists and bowed respectfully. "Yes Grandpa Wang, I did," he answered calmly. "I also received a bit of unexpected help during the process."
As he spoke, his gaze briefly shifted toward Lin Xiao Tian and the others standing nearby. "And it seems Grandpa Hao’s earlier plan worked as well."
Hearing this, the old man slowly nodded. "Good," he said calmly. "Then the preparation was not wasted."
But then his eyes swept across the remaining people again before his brows furrowed slightly. "Still... why are there so few people?"
Ji Wuchen’s expression darkened slightly after hearing that question.
"The realm was far more perilous than we originally expected," he answered in a low voice. "And later, several external factors caused the situation inside to worsen even further."
Hearing this, Grandpa Wang rely chuckled faintly. "It does not matter," he said indifferently. "Those who died simply were not worthy enough."
His words instantly caused several nearby sect masters to stiffen slightly, yet none of them dared to interrupt him. "Tell about those external factors later," the old man continued calmly.
As he said so, he completely ignored Lin Xiao Tian and the others before turning around and preparing to leave together with Ji Wuchen and his group.
But just then, a sect master suddenly stepped out from the crowd despite the visible nervousness on his face. "Senior please wait," he called out hurriedly.
The old man paused slightly but did not turn around imdiately.
The sect master gritted his teeth before continuing. "What exactly happened inside the secret realm? None of our disciples returned alive, and even all of their life plates have shattered completely."
The surrounding crowd imdiately beca restless again after hearing this. At that mont, the regional envoy following behind Grandpa Wang stepped forward coldly.
"We already warned everyone beforehand that the danger inside this year’s secret realm was much greater than usual," he said sharply. "You all knew there was enormous risk before entering."
Hearing this, the sect master’s face beca ugly, yet he still forced himself to continue speaking.
"But our sects suffered trendous losses because of this matter," he said unwillingly while pulling several others beside him forward as support.
"We cannot even properly participate in this year’s tournant anymore after losing so many disciples."
Several nearby sect masters imdiately nodded in agreent after hearing those words. The envoy’s expression instantly darkened as anger flickered across his face.
But before he could speak further, Grandpa Wang simply smiled faintly before slowly patting the envoy’s shoulder, instantly calming him down.
Then the old man finally turned his gaze toward Ji Wuchen again. "Little Ji," he said calmly. "Go explain so things to them."
Seeing this, Ji Wuchen slowly stepped forward before looking toward the restless crowd below.
"As everyone already knew beforehand, this year’s secret realm was extrely perilous," he said calmly, his voice spreading clearly across the area. "
However, the danger inside later increased even further due to unexpected circumstances."
His expression darkened slightly before continuing. "A Nascent Soul demonic expert infiltrated the secret realm through unknown thods originating from this region itself.
By the ti we realized what was happening, many disciples had already been hunted down." The surrounding crowd instantly erupted into heavy discussion after hearing those words.
Several sect masters’ expressions changed imdiately while fear spread across many faces after hearing the words Nascent Soul demonic expert.
Ji Wuchen remained calm before continuing further. "In the end, that demon was finally killed through the combined efforts of our group and the Celestial Origin Supre Sect."
As he said this, many gazes imdiately shifted toward Lin Xiao Tian and his disciples standing nearby.
But before the atmosphere could settle, an enraged roar suddenly exploded from within the crowd. "Lies!"
An elder suddenly stepped forward violently, his eyes completely bloodshot while spiritual energy erupted uncontrollably around him.
Both of his sons had entered the secret realm earlier, yet neither returned alive.
"How do we know you did not do sothing vile inside and deliberately lead everyone into a trap!" he shouted furiously while glaring directly toward Ji Wuchen.
The atmosphere instantly froze as the regional envoy’s expression darkened completely after hearing those words.
And then in the very next instant, the elder’s body exploded directly into a cloud of blood mist.
Boom.
The violent sound echoed heavily across the entire plaza as shattered flesh and blood scattered everywhere.
The crowd instantly descended into total panic as several people stumbled backward in terror while others imdiately lowered their heads in fear after realizing what had just happened.
No one had even seen who attacked, but before the chaos could spread further, Grandpa Wang suddenly released a terrifying pressure from his body.
The entire area instantly fell silent again as everyone felt an invisible mountain descend over their shoulders as the old man’s calm gaze slowly swept across the crowd below.
"If anyone still has doubts," he said lightly, "then you may co et personally later."
His voice remained calm and indifferent, yet those words caused everyone’s faces to pale instantly.
Then he continued speaking casually as if nothing had happened earlier. "And due to this unfortunate incident, there will be no tournant held this year, consider it is mourning for your losses."
Hearing this, nobody dared to speak further, everyone understood very clearly what would happen if they continued questioning the matter.
Just as Grandpa Wang and the others prepared to leave, the city lord suddenly stepped closer and quietly whispered sothing toward the old man.
Grandpa Wang rely glanced toward Lin Xiao Tian briefly before nodding once.
Seeing this, the city lord imdiately turned toward Lin Xiao Tian and cupped his fists politely.
"Sect Master Lin," he said calmly. "Could you accompany to my residence for a while? Consider it a small reward for your assistance inside the secret realm."
Hearing this, Lin Xiao Tian’s brows imdiately furrowed slightly as his expression grew cautious and faintly irritated at the sudden invitation.
"We still need to handle several matters first," he replied calmly while glancing toward Bai Xue’s body resting within Miao Han’s arms.
The surrounding disciples also remained visibly exhausted after everything that happened inside the realm.
But just then, Tianhe suddenly stepped forward from behind him. "Sect Master," he said quietly. "We should go with him."
Lin Xiao Tian imdiately looked toward Tianhe strangely after hearing that. Yet the mont their eyes t, he noticed the unusual seriousness within Tianhe’s gaze.
For a brief second, Lin Xiao Tian remained silent before finally suppressing his doubts.
This fellow rarely speaks seriously unless sothing truly matters.
Then he nodded lightly before looking toward the city lord again. "Very well," he said calmly. "Lead the way, City Lord."
The next instant, several figures rose into the sky together before flying away from the plaza under countless watching gazes.
As they passed above the outer streets, they quickly noticed another group waiting below.
It was the Moonveil Pavilion. Chu Yue stood at the front alongside several pavilion disciples while clearly waiting for their return.
But the mont her eyes landed on Lin Xiao Tian’s unusually rigid expression, Miao-Miao unconscious on Tianhe’s back, and Bai Xue lying motionless within Miao Han’s arms—
Her face instantly turned pale as a strong sense of foreboding suddenly rose within her heart.
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