109: Tensions are high

"What? Why wouldn't I be alive?"

Ling Qiong's remnant soul swayed gently. He was quite happy when he saw Xiao Ruobai enter.

Now that he had finally waited for Xiao Ruobai to return, the first thing he asked was why he wasn't dead yet.

"What? I've given you the Tongtian Pagoda, the most precious item. In your eyes, am I really that deserving of death?"

His voice carried a hint of imperceptible grievance, like an abandoned old man.

Xiao Ruobai quickly waved his hand, his consciousness-formed palm fluttering.

"No, no, no! Senior, you've misunderstood! I absolutely didn't mean that!"

He leaned forward, looking at Ling Qiong's remnant soul, so weak it seemed it could dissipate at any moment, and a genuine sense of gratitude filled his eyes.

"This Junior's ability to obtain the Tongtian Pagoda is entirely thanks to Senior's generosity. How could I wish for anything to happen to you?"

As he spoke, Xiao Ruobai's consciousness surveyed the interior of the Tongtian Pagoda.

The Spiritual Qi within the tower was so rich it was almost tangible, and hidden secrets yet to be explored lay within the various tower chambers. It was indeed an excellent place to recuperate a remnant soul.

He immediately said, "Senior, although the Tongtian Pagoda is now refined by me, the space within the tower is vast and the Spiritual Qi is abundant. If you don't mind, please rest and recuperate here."

"In the future, if this Junior has the Opportunity to find Heaven And Earth Treasure that can nourish the soul, I will certainly seek it out for you to help stabilize your soul body."

If not for Ling Qiong letting go, he would not have obtained the Tongtian Pagoda. Now that his remnant soul had not dissipated, providing him with a place to stay was both an act of gratitude and a matter of course.

As for whether Ling Qiong would have other intentions in the future, Xiao Ruobai wasn't too worried.

Even if Ling Qiong truly had some ideas, with Master present, and Master's unfathomable strength, would he be afraid of this remnant soul, which struggled even to maintain its form, causing any trouble?

Ling Qiong's remnant soul, upon hearing these words, visibly brightened with a golden halo, and a hint of warmth appeared in his previously weary eyes.

He was silent for a moment before slowly speaking, his voice now devoid of the previous grievance, replaced with a sense of relief.

"I am relieved that you think this way. There are still a few hidden treasure vaults within the tower; you will be able to open them when your cultivation is higher. It is already a blessing for this old man to have a place to stay here; I dare not ask for anything else."

He floated beside Xiao Ruobai's consciousness and gently swayed: "Quickly put away the tower. The Secret Realm's Spiritual Qi is dissipating even faster. If we delay any longer, I'm afraid we'll be affected by the spatial rifts."

Xiao Ruobai responded, "Alright! Senior, please rest assured within the tower. This Junior will take you out now."

After speaking, he no longer delayed. The moment his consciousness exited the Tongtian Pagoda, he raised his hand and clenched it in the Void Realm. The imprint in his Sea of Consciousness suddenly erupted with golden light, and the Tongtian Pagoda, standing in the distance, transformed into a streak of light, whooshing into his palm.

"It's done. Let's go!"

Xiao Ruobai opened his eyes and waved at Fang Hanyu, who had been waiting. He ran briskly towards the Secret Realm exit.

"Once we're out of the Secret Realm, we still have one more thing to do. The debt owed by the Great Yan Dynasty should be collected now."

Fang Hanyu tightened his grip on his sword hilt, his tone firm: "Senior Brother, don't worry, I'll go with you!"

At the same time, the heavens and earth outside the Secret Realm exit were shrouded in dense Devilish Qi and a bloody aura, the atmosphere so heavy it could be wrung out.

Five overwhelming presences swept in from afar.

In the valley outside the Secret Realm exit, Devilish Qi and bloody aura intertwined into a suffocating gloom.

The three Old Ancestors of the Demon Heaven Sect stood in the air, the hems of their black, gold-embroidered robes flapping wildly in the Devilish Qi.

The demon subduing cauldron held in the palm of the central Old Ancestor was as black as ink, its body covered with twisted demonic patterns. With every breath, dense Devilish Qi overflowed from the cauldron, dyeing the surrounding spiritual mist dark purple.

The two Old Ancestors of the Blood Soul Sect followed closely, the soul patterns on their dark red robes glowing with an eerie red light amidst the bloody aura. The Old Ancestor holding the blood soul banner gently shook its surface, and countless tiny specters of wronged souls shrieked between the banners, making the Cultivators observing from afar feel their scalps tingle.

Several Old Ancestors had been stuck at the King Realm Peak for too long. If they didn't have other Opportunities in this life, they would stop at the King Realm.

When they heard about a treasure like the Tongtian Pagoda, they seemed to see an Opportunity for a Breakthrough to the Saint Realm, and could no longer hold back, rushing over one after another.

The pressure from five King Realm Peak experts enveloped the valley like a tangible entity. The rocks beneath their feet crumbled, and even the air seemed to freeze.

Over two hundred elite Disciples from the two sects spread out in a fan shape. The black-armored Disciples of the Demon Heaven Sect held long blades glowing with Devilish Qi, while the red-robed Disciples of the Blood Soul Sect condensed blood beads on their fingertips. Their blatant hostility was directed straight at the Secret Realm entrance, clearly intending to ambush and kill Xiao Ruobai and Fang Hanyu there.

"This... this is the foundation of the two great Demonic Sects?"

At the front of the Myriad Law Pavilion's team, Yun Canghai's hands suddenly clenched.

He gazed at the demonic Cultivator team spread out in a fan shape in the valley, his brows furrowed into a knot. The foundation of the demonic Cults was indeed not to be underestimated.

"The two great Demonic Sects actually dispatched so many elites this time..."

The Grand Elder next to Yun Canghai murmured, his tone filled with solemnity.

"Over two hundred people, the lowest being Core Formation Realm, and five King Realm Peak Old Ancestors holding the line. This formation is likely to draw the attention of the entire Xuan Province here."

The various sect forces retreated, yielding the open ground outside the valley, only daring to observe from a few miles away on the hillside.

Some took out water mirrors to record, while others whispered in discussion, their tones full of regret.

"It's a pity for those two Geniuses. To be able to control the Tongtian Pagoda at such a young age, if they could grow up, they might even change thepattern of the Eastern Region. But now they're going to fall into the hands of the two great Demonic Sects..."

Others secretly rejoiced: "It's a good thing we didn't get too close to those two, otherwise we might be affected by the Devilish Qi now. These two great Demonic Sects are indeed not to be provoked."

The atmosphere within the Azure Profound Sect's team grew increasingly tense as the Devilish Qi surged in the valley.

Li Xuanfeng's knuckles, gripping his sword hilt, turned white, and his fingertips tingled from the excessive force. Spiritual Qi at the Core Formation Realm Late Stage quietly circulated through his Meridians, a faint blue light emanating from his body, even causing the hem of his robe to tremble slightly with the Spiritual Qi.

His gaze was fixed on the Secret Realm entrance, his Adam's apple unconsciously bobbing. Junior Brother Xiao Ruobai and Junior Brother Hanyu were still inside. If they were truly ambushed and killed by the demonic Cultivators, he would rush in to support them, even if it cost him his life!

"What's wrong with Senior Brother Xuan Feng?"

A Azure Profound Sect Disciple nearby, who didn't understand, mumbled in a low voice, his eyes full of surprise.

In their view, the demonic Cultivators were targeting the "mysterious person in the Secret Realm," and had no direct conflict with the Azure Profound Sect. Li Xuanfeng's tension was truly abnormal.

Shen Jinghong, however, suddenly gripped her longsword, a glint of understanding flashing in her clear eyes.

She quietly glanced at Shi Jingxian and Lin Mochen, seeing that both were also looking at the Secret Realm entrance with grave expressions. The moment their eyes met, a thought simultaneously emerged in their minds: could the "new Master of the Tongtian Pagoda" in the Secret Realm be Xiao Ruobai and Fang Hanyu?

As soon as this thought arose, Shen Jinghong circulated her Spiritual Qi to its maximum, and the runes on her sword sheath faintly glowed.

She had once accidentally seen the small bird on Xiao Ruobai's shoulder and thought it was similar to the little black bird Martial Uncle Gu raised.

Connecting this with Li Xuanfeng's abnormality at the moment, the more she thought about it, the more she felt it was highly probable.

Shi Jingxian also quietly held his Profound Iron Sword horizontally in front of him, and an earthy yellow Spiritual Qi flowed over the sword body. He gave a look to Lin Mochen, and the two quietly took half a step back, distancing themselves from the other Disciples, forming a hidden defensive formation.

If they truly had to act later, they must first protect their uninformed fellow Disciples and simultaneously support Xiao Ruobai and Fang Hanyu.