Chapter 1255: Undercurrents
Yu Xian, youthful and radiant, her hair dancing in the wind, her slender waist as if it could be grasped in one hand, her tall figure with skin like congealed fat and beautiful jade, a sweet smile on her face, drew the gaze of all the heroes.
She was speaking with Ou Ye Mo, saying, "I saw a blurry figure in the fiftieth zone, refining an ancient weapon in front of the Misty Grotto. That must have been you, Brother Ou Ye, right?"
Ou Ye Mo was robust and imposing, with graying temples that did not make him look old but rather gave him a sense of weathered experience, unforgettable at first glance. He nodded but said nothing.
A refined scholar in a moon-white long robe, holding a folding fan, sighed and said, "That demon halberd is truly astonishing, heavy as a mountain, crushing sacred bones and collapsing some saintly tombs. Is the material Dragon-Pattern Blackgold?"
Clearly, this refined scholar named Luo Zhi was also a formidable expert; otherwise, how could he have entered the final zone and witnessed Ou Ye Mo forging his weapon?
The surrounding crowd changed color upon hearing this. Those who could enter the central forbidden zone were naturally the strongest of the strong, and for Ou Ye Mo to possess such a weapon was truly terrifying beyond measure.
"I saw someone crossing ten zones. Was that you, Miss Yu Xian?" Ou Ye Mo said.
This weathered man spoke for the first time, his voice carrying a cold magnetism that instantly made one feel he had experienced many "stories."
"What? Someone crossed ten zones alone? Miss Yu Xian looks soft and sweet, yet her physical strength is this formidable?"
Many were shocked. This beautiful, elf-like girl, whose smile could topple cities, sweet and full of vitality, seemed like an immature girl, yet she was this powerful.
In an instant, everyone's attention shifted from Ou Ye Mo's weapon to this delicate yet immensely strong young woman. She was definitely someone to be reckoned with.
On the other side, the atmosphere was even more tense. A few people claimed to have seen a demonic man devouring living flesh and blood, right among the assembled heroes.
"Miss Mu, did you fight that person? I think I saw an earth-shattering battle in the first zone?" a cultivator asked.
Many turned to look at a stunning, aloof woman—Mu Guanghan.
She was not the ultimate beauty, but she possessed an ethereal, otherworldly aura, as if walking on mist and clouds, untouched by the mundane world. Even standing in a crowd, she would catch one's eye at once.
Mu Guanghan frowned and did not answer. Her expression made people certain that such an event had indeed occurred.
In the shadows, some gazes focused on a richly dressed young man from the Human King Ancient Star Domain, as some had seen him cross from the fifth zone into the first.
This was a suffocating silence. Those involved said nothing, made no expression of stance, yet a force seemed to guide people's speculation.
"On the strongest trial path, what matters is strength," said the Ascetic Monk from the Amitabha Ancient Star Domain.
"Yes, in the end, an undefeated battle is needed, but someone in the shadows is trying to stir up conflicts," someone echoed.
Boom!
A torrent burst forth as thirteen mounts charged out, each one with blood essence like a sea, violent like a tide. Their iron hooves stamped across heaven and earth, making this universe tremble.
The Tianhuang Thirteen Riders appeared. Each of them was immensely powerful, one of the most difficult factions to deal with. Among their mounts alone were two or three sacred beasts.
Their leader, as always, was silent and cold, never speaking voluntarily. His upper body was bare, his bronze skin flowing with precious radiance. The old wolf beneath him had its essence restrained, inspiring fear.
Beside him, the second-in-command wore a cyan-gold battle suit, with a helmet covering even his face, only his eyes exposed. Their cyan light was intimidating, containing a terrifying demonic nature.
The azure dragon beneath him let out a great roar, blood energy and sacred might surging forth simultaneously, startling many ancient beasts into chaos, nearly collapsing to the ground.
But no cultivator dared to rebuke them. Clearly, they did not want to provoke the knights of the Tianhuang Ancient Star Domain. One person alone would be bad enough, but there were thirteen of them—a pack of dragons and tigers!
"What a pity. I didn't see him. Did he fall inside? Heh heh..." The twelfth rider of the Tianhuang Thirteen laughed ominously.
"If he could escape from twenty-three experts, he'd be quite a figure. But I'm afraid he's already turned to mud," the thirteenth rider said coldly.
In fact, it wasn't just them. Most people were focused on the thirty-sixth zone, all wanting to see the result—who would walk out alive.
The passage trembled, as if a flood was rushing through, rumbling and shaking the heavens. A fierce killing intent spread.
People knew that those inside were about to come out. These were the sounds of mounts galloping.
"So it seems that Ye Fan has fallen. Like a steel flood surging, these are the hoofbeats of a group of mounts. He failed."
Feeling that terrifying vibration, oppressive as a tsunami, many showed strange expressions, deducing this outcome.
"The result of the thirty-sixth zone is revealed, but why is Lord Junwei of the thirty-seventh zone still missing? Could it be that he crossed zones to fight and will ultimately emerge from the thirty-sixth?"
"That's true. We haven't seen anyone cross over from other zones yet."
People's gazes focused on the exit ahead.
"How boring. He died just like that. Nothing special. And he dared to oppose us before? Ridiculous," one of the Tianhuang Thirteen Riders said coldly, shaking his head.
Boom!
A flash of fire burst forth, followed by various electromagnetic rays. The Dragon Horse tore through the heavens as a single rider charged out, carrying a wild, primordial aura, like a thousand troops and horses arriving.
Everyone was shaken. In the end, only one person appeared, completely different from what they had imagined.
"It's him, the one named Ye Fan. Only he came out alive!"
"The female Daoist... and those experts... have they all fallen? Not a single one appeared!"
"He... killed everyone alone? This is the result? Unbelievable. He dismantled that terrifying killing formation."
Outside, many showed looks of shock, all finding it hard to believe. Ye Fan appeared alone on his horse, like a flood sweeping across the starry sky.
The twelfth rider of the Tianhuang Thirteen immediately shut his mouth, but the killing intent in his eyes grew stronger as he stared coldly at that one man and one horse.
All the heroes showed strange expressions. By now, anyone could see that this was a peerless figure.
He had once wanted to travel with Ye Fan into the thirty-sixth zone to lend him a hand, but was refused. Now he stepped forward to offer congratulations.
"This is just the beginning. Congratulations are too early," Ye Fan said with a smile.
"A good beginning is half the battle. Brother Ye, how about I buy you a drink?" A pleasant voice came. Yu Xian approached gracefully, her fair cheeks, sweet smile, and sparkling teeth alluring and captivating.
On the other side, the Tianhuang Thirteen Riders surrounded them. One of them spoke, "Sorry, Yu Xian, could we borrow this person for a quarter of an hour? Is that acceptable?"
Yu Xian smiled, her skirt fluttering like a goddess walking on a lake, indescribably beautiful and moving. "You shouldn't ask me. You should ask Brother Ye."
"Brother Ye, let's go," the twelfth rider of the Tianhuang Thirteen said coldly as he stepped forward, his tone brooking no refusal.
Ye Fan glanced at them and said, "Sorry, I prefer beauties. I have no interest in you."