207: rash?

Time flew by amidst intense eliminations and subtle evasions.

The dark red "poison circle" eventually shrank to a core area of less than a hundred miles.

When the last white light signifying elimination lit up on the light screen in the main plaza, the entire Nether Secret Realm trembled violently!

"Hum—!"

An overwhelming force of space enveloped the twenty remaining figures in the Secret Realm.

On the main plaza, the massive teleportation array shone brilliantly!

Twenty figures appeared in the center of the plaza, wearing expressions of exhaustion, excitement, solemnity, or relief at having survived a disaster.

Most of them bore traces of battle, with torn clothes and fluctuating auras; only a few maintained a relatively composed demeanor.

Among them, the most eye-catching was that figure in white—Yao Delong!

He stood with his hands behind his back, his white robes unstained, his aura as deep and calm as the sea, as if he had not just experienced a cruel survival battle in the Secret Realm, but had merely gone out for a stroll.

That composure and power instantly drew every gaze in the plaza!

The massive leaderboard light screen lit up with a boom above the plaza, and the final rankings were locked:

1. Yao Delong (Luoxia Peak) — 18 points

2. Xiao Chen (Spirit Plant Peak) — 15 points

3. Lei Qianjun (Tian Lei Peak) — 11 points

4. Liu Ruyan (Pill Cloud Peak) — 10 points

5. Zhao Chen (Shenjian Peak) — 9 points

6. Shi Potian (Hou Tu Peak) — 8 points...

"Wow—!"

After a brief silence, a thunderous uproar and exclamation swept across the entire plaza like a tsunami!

"18 points! My god! Senior Brother Yao is too strong!"

"A landslide lead! He has 3 more points than the second-place Xiao Chen!"

"Look at him, his clothes aren't even dirty! This strength... it is simply unfathomable!"

"Your Highness Xiao Chen is also amazing, 15 points, he surpassed Senior Brother Lei!"

"The top ten! They are all true Prodigies!"

High above, the reactions of the Peak Revered Masters were also quite colorful.

Dan Chenzi laughed until his face was flushed, stroking his snow-white long beard, his pride overflowing. His gaze swept provocatively past Luo Baiya, who was sitting beside him with a face as gloomy as water:

"Hahaha, good! Good Junior Nephew! You have brought honor to your Junior Martial Uncle! Some people calculated everything and formed cliques, but did they not only manage to get second place? Tsk tsk, still lacking a bit of substance!"

Luo Baiya snorted coldly, his wide Confucian sleeves flicking violently as he suppressed his anger:

"Hmph! It is nothing more than taking advantage of movement techniques and opportunism! The real contest is on the group stage arena! Chen'er will surely wash away this shame!"

"Oh? Is that so?"

Dan Chenzi sneered and retorted unceremoniously, his voice so loud that it could be faintly heard in the plaza below:

"I am just afraid that some of the mongrels taught by certain people will not be able to withstand a single sword strike from my Junior Nephew once they get on the arena! Do not come crying to your parents and blaming the rules for being unfair then!"

The two exchanged verbal barbs, the air thick with gunpowder.

This scene made the other Peak Revered Masters frown, their hearts filled with doubt.

It was normal for Dan Chenzi to appreciate a Prodigy.

But right now, his heartfelt pride seemed even more intense than that of Leng Yuekui, the actual Revered Master, and he was even willing to tear his face off and argue publicly with Luo Baiya; this was too abnormal!

"Old Dan!"

A fiery voice rang out; it was Ji Yanshuang, Peak Revered Master of Chiyan Peak.

She was wearing a fiery red dress, and her personality was as direct as fire. At this moment, she could not help but slam the table and point at Dan Chenzi, asking:

"What are you getting so excited about? Yao Delong is Junior Sister Leng's Disciple! You old guy, are you trying to poach talent? Or is it that... there is something fishy we do not know about?"

Her words asked the question that was on the minds of all the Peak Revered Masters present.

Probing gazes fell upon Dan Chenzi.

Dan Chenzi paused, the smug look on his face fading slightly, then he puffed out his neck and shouted with wide eyes:

"I am happy! What of it? The old man just likes this kid, just thinks he brings honor to our Yin Yang Sect! Is that not allowed? Little Girl Ji, is that any of your business?"

He was tough in his words, but his eyes subconsciously glanced at the Sect Head White Cloud Master, who was sitting in the main seat with a calm expression.

White Cloud Master lowered his eyelids, as if he had not seen the pleading look in Dan Chenzi's eyes, and simply spoke lightly, his voice not loud but instantly suppressing all discussion:

"Enough. The Disciples' outstanding performance is the fortune of the Sect. Junior Brother Dan's love for talent is also understandable. The top ten group stage will be held in three days at the 'Tianyan Battle Platform'. I hope all Disciples prepare well and show their brilliance then."

His words seemed to be mediating, but they were actually watertight; he affirmed Yao Delong and blurred the reason for Dan Chenzi's abnormality, directing the topic to the upcoming group stage.

Seeing the Sect Head speak, the other Peak Revered Masters, though their doubts remained, could not continue to ask. They just looked at Dan Chenzi and Yao Delong with more profound meaning.

Luo Baiya snorted coldly, cold light flashing in his eyes.

The noise finally dissipated.

Yao Delong ignored the gazes of awe, jealousy, or curiosity and returned directly to his courtyard on Luoxia Peak.

The survival battle in the Nether Secret Realm was indeed like a warm-up for him.

The greatest consumption was the spiritual energy used to maintain his Divine Sense scan and the Instantaneous Body Sword Art. With the profound Foundation of his Nine Yang Heaven Burning Art, he had recovered to his Peak after a brief adjustment.

Night deepened, and everything was silent.

In the courtyard, Yao Delong sat cross-legged in the quiet room, his body shrouded in a faint golden halo, nine virtual suns floating in his Dantian, breathing in the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi.

He was not in deep meditation; his powerful Divine Sense was like an invisible spider web, covering every inch of space inside and outside the courtyard.

Suddenly!

An extremely faint fluctuation, with obviously deliberately restrained aura, appeared at the edge of the Restriction on the perimeter of the courtyard, like a pebble thrown into a calm lake.

The person moved stealthily, stopping and going, seemingly hesitant, seemingly observing.

Yao Delong's tightly closed eyes suddenly opened, and golden light flashed in the depths of his eyes.

"Whoosh!"

The figure in the quiet room instantly blurred.

The next moment, Yao Delong had appeared at the courtyard gate like a ghost, blocking the black shadow that was about to climb over the wall!

"Who?" A cold voice rang out in the silent night, carrying an invisible pressure.

The black shadow shuddered, almost collapsing to the ground. Through the hazy moonlight, a face full of panic and flattery was revealed—it was Meng Lang!

"Senior Brother Yao! Senior Brother Yao, hold your hand!"

Meng Lang saw it was Yao Delong and was scared out of his wits. He knelt on the ground with a thud, his speed of speaking as fast as a machine gun, fearing that if he were a second late, he would be killed on the spot.

"It is me! Meng Lang! I have important information! Extremely important information! It concerns your life! Please, let me finish!"

Yao Delong's eyes were sharp as knives, examining Meng Lang kneeling at his feet, his vigilance undiminished.

Meng Bi's cousin, visiting stealthily in the middle of the night? Is it a trap? Or...