38: The Return of the "Fat Sheep" and the Shock to the Sect

The entrance to the Ancient Ruins, the edge of the Crater.

Streaks of white light flickered as the surviving Cultivators were teleported out one after another. Some laughed loudly, showing off their harvests; some looked dejected, clearly having gained nothing; and some were covered in wounds, their auras withered, with the lingering fear of surviving a disaster in their eyes.

The Qingxuan Sect's jade boat floated in the air as an Inner Sect Deacon expressionlessly counted the number of people. Twenty went in, but only fourteen remained among those coming out now, including Youyi's core five people. A thirty percent loss—this was the cruelty of the Ancient Ruins.

Wen Youyi and The core five people stood together. Although they deliberately restrained their auras, that sharp and capable air radiating from within after having their marrow cleansed by the jade marrow spirit milk and achieving a Breakthrough in their cultivation was still difficult to completely conceal. Especially their steady posture and sharp eyes, which formed a sharp contrast with the surrounding fellow Disciples who were either excited or depressed.

This immediately drew the attention of countless gazes.

Surprise, scrutiny, jealousy, and undisguised greed!

Chen Jian, leading his only two remaining teammates (one had fallen in the Ancient Ruins, and another was heavily injured by Wen Youyi's "big treasure"), looked on with eyes so sinister they almost dripped with malice. He clearly felt that the cultivation of Wen Youyi and the others had made significant progress! This made the killing intent and the desire to seize their treasures even more intense in his heart.

The five people from the Five Elements Courtyard remained gathered together, their auras deep and emotions unreadable, but the time their gazes lingered on Wen Youyi was noticeably longer.

The lone traveler Lin Feng held his sword and gave Wen Youyi a cold glance before losing interest.

Blazing Edge of the Blazing Sun Sect also came out with his remaining teammates. When he saw Wen Youyi, he was first enraged, but then he felt the other's significantly stronger aura. His expression shifted, and in the end, he only gave a cold snort, not daring to step forward and provoke them again.

Everyone knew that these people from D-7 Courtyard must have gained great benefits in the Ancient Ruins! In the eyes of the crowd, they were now five dripping-fat "fat sheep"!

"Silence!" The Inner Sect Deacon finished the count, his voice spreading across the field. "Board the boat, return to the Sect!"

The crowd boarded the jade boat in silence, one by one. The atmosphere was oppressive and subtle, with undercurrents surging.

The jade boat turned into a stream of light and returned to the Qingxuan Sect.

Along the way, no one spoke anymore. Everyone had their own thoughts.

Wen Youyi and The core five people sat in a corner, resting with their eyes closed, while actually engaging in silent communication through the "Inner Network."

"Little Wen, a lot of people are staring at us with ill intent," Zhao Iron Pillar "said," his tone carrying a sense of eagerness to try. "I'm not afraid of them now!"

"Stay calm," Wen Youyi "responded." "Exposing our strength now is seeking death. Private fighting is forbidden within the Sect, but they have plenty of ways to cause us trouble. Remember, hide your light. What we need now is time and a stable environment to digest what we gained from the Ancient Ruins, especially... to study this." His thoughts swept over the star core fragment close to his body.

"Understood," Wang Wu and the others responded one after another.

When the jade boat landed at the Qingxuan Sect square and everyone stepped off the flying boat, it immediately caused quite a stir!

"Look! The Senior Brothers who went to the Ancient Ruins are back!"

*Hiss*... how are there so few people left?"

"Look at those guys from the Ding Zi Courtyard! Their auras... seem to have gotten much stronger!"

"Could it be that they really obtained a heaven-sent Opportunity in the Ancient Ruins?"

The news spread as if it had wings. D-7 Courtyard, once a joke of the Outer Sect, had now become the center of conversation.

Wen Youyi ignored the surrounding discussions and led Zhao Iron Pillar and the other three straight back to D-7 Courtyard.

After closing the courtyard gate and activating the simple Restriction that was better than nothing to block out the prying eyes and Divine Sense from the outside, the five of them finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"We're finally back!" Zhao Iron Pillar plopped down in the courtyard. Looking at this familiar yet dilapidated little yard, he actually felt as if a lifetime had passed.

Wang Wu smiled and said, "We're 'celebrities' now. I expect trouble will be coming to our door very soon."

"Let it come!" Zhao Iron Pillar waved his fist. "It's the perfect time to test our current mettle!"

Wen Youyi was not as optimistic as they were. He knew the principle that possessing a treasure makes one guilty. Their increase in cultivation couldn't be hidden, and it would inevitably draw more covetousness and suppression. Chen Jian, the Five Elements Courtyard, and even some high-level officials within the Sect might turn their gazes toward them.

"The immediate priority is to consolidate our cultivation and transform our gains from the Ancient Ruins into real combat power," Wen Youyi said in a deep voice. "Especially the star core fragment and the 'Star Domain'; we must master them as quickly as possible."

He briefly outlined the next plan: use the remaining Spirit Stones and resources to continue improving; practice fine control over the "Star Domain"; research more uses for the star core fragment; and start looking for clues within the Sect regarding the "star core fragment" and the "Primal Array."

Just as they were discussing, there was a knock on the courtyard gate.

Everyone instantly became alert.

Wen Youyi signaled for everyone to relax and went to open the door himself.

Standing outside the door was an unfamiliar middle-aged Cultivator wearing a deacon's robe. He was expressionless with an arrogant gaze. He sized up Wen Youyi and said flatly, "Are you Wen Youyi? By order of the Elder, you are summoned to the 'Discipline Hall' for questioning immediately."

The Discipline Hall?

Wen Youyi's heart sank. What was bound to come had finally arrived.

And it was the Discipline Hall, the most dreaded place in the Sect!

It seemed someone was already impatient to use the Sect's power to deal with them.

Wen Youyi took a deep breath, his face showing a perfectly timed expression of "fear" and "confusion." "This Disciple obeys. May I ask the Deacon, what is this regarding?"

The deacon snorted coldly. "You'll know when you get there! Follow me quickly!"

Wen Youyi turned back and gave a reassuring look to the nervous Zhao Iron Pillar and the others, then followed the deacon toward the Discipline Hall, the symbol of the Sect's rules and punishment.

The storm had begun.

(End of Chapter)