383: Chapter 383 Always Ready

The "Wendao" stone gates appeared slightly ajar, but as the crowd approached, an invisible barrier blocked their path.

The barrier would only open a gap once the taichu seal was brought close to it.

Ye Tian no longer hesitated; he took out his seal and was the first to step inside.

Light and shadows flickered before his eyes, and the sensation of shifting through time and space returned once again.

After several breaths, a platform that looked as if it had been leveled by a sword appeared before him, spanning a full thousand zhang.

At the edge of the platform, clouds and mist swirled like a fairyland, where the phantom images of spiritual birds and exotic beasts occasionally flashed through the sea of clouds, letting out clear, melodious cries.

Right in the center of the platform stood a grand hall.

This hall was golden, cast from an unknown material. The building was over a hundred zhang tall, with flying eaves and bracket sets in an ancient style.

In front of the giant hall were nine long steps. Each step was three feet high and seemed to be engraved with patterns, though they were too far away to see clearly.

Most strikingly, the main door of the giant hall did not have ordinary door knockers but was instead embedded with nine indentations of varying shapes.

Above the hall door hung a plaque with three large characters.

Wendao Hall.

On the platform, over a dozen figures had already arrived first, scattered across the square in front of the hall. At this moment, they all turned their heads to look at the newly arrived Ye Tian and his group.

Ye Tian scanned the area and saw several familiar faces.

Li Xuanxiao and Ling Xue of the Heavenly Sword Sect, along with two other Sword Cultivator Disciples with sharp auras, stood near the left side of the hall door.

Li Xuanxiao's gaze fell upon the nine indentations on the hall door, his brow slightly furrowed as if in thought.

Qin Pojun of the Prince of the East's Mansion stood alone on the right side, looking up at the "Wendao Hall" plaque with burning eyes and surging Battle Intent.

The Ghost Girl of the Xuanming Way had changed her attire yet again; she was still veiled in black, but her dress was now a dark purple long gown that outlined her breathtaking curves.

She leaned against a broken stone pillar half-buried in the ground, her posture lazy. Her charming eyes beneath the black veil darted around, sizing up the people appearing one after another, lingering on Ye Tian for a moment.

The Loose Cultivator Han Xiao sat cross-legged alone at the edge of the square, far from everyone else, silently wiping his long sword, indifferent to everything around him.

Besides them, there were seven or eight unfamiliar faces, both men and women, none with weak auras. Among them were even two old men whose auras had remarkably reached the Fourth Stage Peak of the Sea Transformation Realm!

Looking at their attire, they didn't seem to be from the five great sects, but rather from certain Hidden Families or powerful Loose Cultivators.

They each occupied a small area, wary of one another, their gazes moving back and forth between the hall door and top prodigies like Li Xuanxiao and Qin Pojun.

When Ye Tian's group appeared on the platform, everyone's eyes converged on them, especially on Ye Tian.

News from the eighth square had clearly spread by now, and the looks they received were varied.

"He's Ye Tian?"

"He looks so young, and his aura isn't that terrifying. Is he really that powerful?"

"The Liuli Xuan Sect has really struck gold this time. Not only do they have Yun Wuji, but now this Prodigy Ye Tian has appeared."

"Hmph, he's just relying on secret treasures or special methods. Nangong Zhuo was careless and underestimated his enemy; his death wasn't undeserved."

"Quiet! Regardless, this person is definitely not someone to be trifled with. It's better not to provoke him for no reason."

Ye Tian turned a deaf ear to the gazes around him. His attention was currently completely drawn to the "Wendao Hall" and the nine indentations on the door.

"It seems these nine indentations are the key to opening the hall door, requiring corresponding 'keys'," Feng Xuan whispered as he walked to Ye Tian's side, having also sensed the movement of the seal.

Ye Tian nodded, his gaze sweeping over the crowd in front of the hall.

Those who could reach this place possessed at least one seal, if not more.

Figures like Li Xuanxiao and Qin Pojun likely had more than one or two seals in their hands.

Those two old men at the Fourth Stage of Sea Transformation must also have something to rely on.

"Junior Brother Ye, look over there," Yu Miaoqing suddenly whispered, pointing toward another direction of the square.

Ye Tian looked where she pointed and saw three people standing at the edge of the square, near the sea of clouds.

The leader was tall with a cold face, wearing a crimson brocade robe. He stood with his hands behind his back, heat waves rising around him and his aura vigorous—he was remarkably at the Sea Transformation Third Stage!

Ye Tian guessed that this person must be the exceptionally talented elder brother Nangong Xiao had mentioned, Nangong Zhaotian!

Behind Nangong Zhaotian stood two people: an old man at the Early Stage of the Fourth Stage of Sea Transformation.

The other was a middle-aged man at the True Martial Tenth Stage Peak, but this man gave Ye Tian a feeling even more dangerous than an ordinary Sea Transformation First Layer. He was likely a Guest Elder or a death soldier recruited by the Nangong Family.

At this moment, Nangong Zhaotian's gaze also shifted over!

Ye Tian calmly met Nangong Zhaotian's gaze, his eyes showing no ripples.

The grudge had already been formed and was irreconcilable, so there was no need for nonsense.

For Nangong Zhaotian to be so highly praised by Nangong Xiao, even to the point of saying his talent surpassed Bei Minghong's, he must have extraordinary qualities.

And observing his aura, he was likely even stronger than Nangong Zhuo.

This was definitely a formidable foe.

The atmosphere on the square became tense and oppressive due to the confrontation of these two gazes.

"Tsk tsk, there's a good show to watch," the Ghost Girl chuckled with a hint of mischief, as if wishing for chaos.

Qin Pojun glanced at Nangong Zhaotian and Ye Tian, snorted, and seemed uninterested in their grudge. His full attention was on the "Wendao Hall."

Li Xuanxiao also withdrew his gaze from the hall door, gave Nangong Zhaotian and Ye Tian a faint glance, and then closed his eyes again.

"Ye Tian!" Nangong Zhaotian spoke. "Did my brother Nangong Xiao, as well as my Nangong Family's Guest Elder Nangong Zhuo, die by your hand?"

He didn't ask "if," but directly questioned "whether they died by your hand," his tone carrying a full sense of pressure.

Everyone's eyes instantly fell on Ye Tian to see how he would respond.

However, Ye Tian's only response to Nangong Zhaotian's intimidation was a single, flat word: "Yes."

Crisp and direct, without any explanation or the slightest hint of fear.

Boom!

Despite having guessed it already, a wave of gasps still rang out across the square when Ye Tian admitted it himself.

He really killed them! He actually dared to admit it!

To so bluntly admit to killing his brother and a Family Guest Elder in front of Nangong Zhaotian, the number one Genius of the Nangong Family's younger generation! This was practically a declaration of war to the death!

In the next instant, the heat waves around Nangong Zhaotian surged violently, and the ground beneath his feet even showed signs of melting!

Killing intent almost erupted from his eyes, and his terrifying Sea Transformation Third Stage aura was released without reservation, like a volcano about to erupt!

The old man and the middle-aged man behind him stepped forward simultaneously. At a single command from Nangong Zhaotian, they would strike with thunderous force.

Pei Tieshan, Feng Xuan, and the others' expressions changed, and they immediately stepped forward to stand side-by-side with Ye Tian, their auras also rising, refusing to back down.

Although the opponent had a Fourth Stage of Sea Transformation, there was no turning back at this point.

"Enough!"

Just as the situation became explosive and on the verge of breaking out, an indifferent voice sounded.

The speaker was none other than Li Xuanxiao of the Heavenly Sword Sect.

"This is the front of the Wendao Hall, a sacred place of Legacy, not a place to settle personal grudges."

"If you want to fight, wait until you leave the Secret Realm. Right now, opening the hall door and obtaining the Legacy Opportunity is the priority. If anyone makes a move here and disturbs the opening of the Legacy, they will be the enemy of us all."

Others nodded in agreement. After all, everyone had worked hard to get here for the potential ancient Legacy within the hall. No one wanted to delay the main business or even ruin the Opportunity because of a personal grudge.

Qin Pojun also spoke coldly, "Li Xuanxiao is right. If you want to fight, take it outside. Don't be an eyesore here."

The Ghost Girl covered her mouth and giggled, "Oh my, you two brothers are so overbearing. But then again, I also feel that opening the hall door is more important. Any grudges can be settled after we've taken the treasures."

Even those two strange old men at the Fourth Stage Peak of the Sea Transformation Realm nodded slightly, clearly agreeing with Li Xuanxiao's words. Their goal was the opportunities within the hall, and they didn't want any unnecessary complications.

Nangong Zhaotian's face was ashen, and his chest heaved violently, clearly enraged. However, he was not a brainless, impulsive person.

Li Xuanxiao, Qin Pojun, and the others had made their stances clear. If he insisted on acting here, he would likely trigger public anger.

Moreover, he was indeed determined to obtain the Legacy within the hall.

"Fine! Very well! Ye Tian, after leaving the Secret Realm, I will slay you to wash away the shame of my Nangong Family!"

"Ready whenever you are." Ye Tian replied with only four words, maintaining an air of indifference from start to finish.

Nangong Zhaotian snorted coldly and stopped looking at him, turning his gaze toward the hall door.

Everyone's attention also returned to the hall door.