196: Chapter 196 The Scheme of the Blazing Sun Sect

The night was as dark as ink. Deep within Yuyang City, inside a quiet courtyard, the lights were blazing.

Yang Dingtian kicked over the stone table in front of him. Teacups and wine pots shattered all over the floor, and spirit liquid splashed onto the bluestone ground, emitting a faint Spiritual Qi.

"Trash! All of you are trash!"

His voice echoed through the courtyard, filled with irrepressible rage.

Behind him, several Disciples of the Tianyang Sect stood trembling like cicadas in winter, heads bowed, not daring to make a sound.

"Didn't you say those three had precious treasures on them? Didn't you say they were just a few Loose Cultivators? How did they get involved with Taotie Pavilion?!"

Yang Dingtian turned abruptly, grabbed a gray-robed Disciple beside him by the collar, and hoisted him off the ground.

The Disciple's face turned deathly pale, cold sweat poured down his forehead like rain, and his voice trembled: "Yo-Young Sect Master... This Disciple truly investigated it thoroughly. One of those three is a Disciple of the Shen Family from Guangnan City, and he carries a Magic Treasure that is at least Heaven-Grade. The other one also has precious treasures. As for the one from Taotie Pavilion..."

He swallowed hard and braced himself to say: "This Disciple also didn't expect that someone from Taotie Pavilion would be mixed up with them!"

"The Shen Family from Guangnan City?" Yang Dingtian frowned, let go, and threw the Disciple onto the ground. "What Shen Family? Never heard of them!"

The gray-robed Disciple scrambled up, knelt on the ground, and lowered his voice: "Young Sect Master, it is the Shen Family that has been very prominent lately. It is rumored that the destruction of the Tiangang Sect was related to this Shen Family..."

"Bullshit!" Yang Dingtian kicked him in the shoulder, knocking him over. "The Tiangang Sect was destroyed by Great Elder Yun Zhongzi of Yinxian Village! What does that have to do with the Shen Family? A mere Dharma-Aspect Family, how are they worthy of being mentioned in the same breath as the Tiangang Sect?"

The gray-robed Disciple clutched his shoulder, grimacing in pain, but dared not make another sound.

Yang Dingtian paced back and forth in the courtyard with his hands behind his back, his face so gloomy it could drip water.

He had hoped to take advantage of the opening of the Sacred Tower ruins to collect more precious treasures, so that he could surpass his other Senior Brothers within the Tianyang Sect and solidify his position as Young Sect Master.

Unexpectedly, his mission had gotten off to a bad start; just as he had locked onto a target, Taotie Pavilion had ruined it.

"Young Sect Master." An old man in a black robe who had been standing in the corner suddenly spoke, his voice hoarse and carrying a hint of sinister malice. "Although Taotie Pavilion is not to be trifled with, those three cannot hide under their protection forever. When the Sacred Tower ruins open, they will inevitably have to go in. By then..."

He paused, a cold glint flashing in his eyes: "If we make our move inside, Taotie Pavilion won't be able to interfere."

Yang Dingtian's eyes lit up. He stopped pacing and turned to look at the black-robed old man.

"Elder Mu, you mean..."

"Make our move inside the ruins." A cold, sinister arc curled the corners of the black-robed old man's mouth. "The Sacred Tower has a Restriction; those with a bone age over thirty cannot enter. That Disciple from Taotie Pavilion is only in the Dharma Image Realm, not worth worrying about. As for the other two, one is at the seventh level of the Soul Fire Realm, and the other is at the sixth level of the Soul Fire Realm; they are mere ants."

He paused, a flash of greed in his eyes: "Once they enter the Sacred Tower, we will find an opportunity to take them down without anyone knowing. The precious treasures on them will naturally belong to you, Young Sect Master."

The gloom on Yang Dingtian's face vanished, replaced by a smile of absolute certainty.

"Good! We shall do as Elder Mu says!"

He turned to look at the gray-robed Disciple kneeling on the ground: "Go, send people to keep an eye on those three. As soon as the Sacred Tower opens, notify this Young Master immediately."

"Yes!" The gray-robed Disciple, as if granted amnesty, scrambled out of the courtyard.

Yang Dingtian stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the pitch-black night sky outside the courtyard, a smug arc curling his lips.

"The Shen Family? Taotie Pavilion? Hmph, fighting against this Young Master, you are still a bit too green!"

...

Outside the courtyard, deep in a dark alley.

Several figures were hidden in the shadows, their gazes fixed intently on the brightly lit courtyard.

At the lead was an old man in a gray robe, his face sinister, his triangular eyes filled with chill.

Lieyang Sect Elder—Huo Yan.

With cultivation at the first level of the Asking Dao Realm, he ranked among the top in the Lieyang Sect. This time, he had been ordered to come to Yuyang City; on the surface, it was to lead Disciples to explore the Sacred Tower ruins, but in secret, it was to investigate the truth behind Jin Dali's disappearance.

"Elder, the Tianyang Sect has agreed." A Disciple beside him lowered his voice, a hint of excitement in his eyes. "That kid Yang Dingtian has already been persuaded by our people. After entering the Sacred Tower, the people from the Tianyang Sect will make their move."

A smug arc curled the corners of Huo Yan's mouth.

"Very good."

He stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the lit lamp in the courtyard, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

"The Shen Family... My Lieyang Sect is not to be trifled with either. Daring to touch my Lieyang Sect's people, they will have to pay the price!"

He paused, his tone carrying a touch of gravity. "What experts has the Shen Family sent this time? Also, what exactly is the relationship between the Shen Family, Taotie Pavilion, and Xuanyu Palace? It must be investigated thoroughly!"

The Disciples beside him nodded repeatedly.

"Elder, what shall we do now?"

"Wait." Huo Yan said indifferently. "Wait for the Sacred Tower to open. Wait for those two kids from the Shen Family to go in. Wait for the Tianyang Sect people to make their move."

He turned, and his figure disappeared into the darkness.

"The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind. This time, the Shen Family won't be able to escape even with wings."

---

The next day, the sky was faintly bright.

On the plains outside Yuyang City, it was already a sea of people.

A massive stone tower stood in the center of the plains, rising high into the clouds. The tower body was dark gold, and its surface was covered in dense, intricate runes, exuding an ancient, vicissitudinous aura.

Around the tower body, a layer of pale golden light shield enveloped it, isolating the entire Sacred Tower from the outside world.

On the surface of the light shield, lightning faintly crackled, emitting a heart-palpitating pressure.

The Sacred Tower ruins.

"Is that the Sacred Tower? So tall!" Shen Quan looked up at the stone tower that pierced straight into the clouds and couldn't help but swallow hard.

"At least a thousand zhang." Shen Chong also looked up, a trace of shock flashing in his eyes.

Sun Buer stood beside the two, his expression grave. "This tower was left behind by at least a Great Saint-level existence. It might even be a Saint King."

He paused and lowered his voice. "Look at those runes on the tower; each one contains the aura of the Dao. A ruin of this level is extremely rare, even in the Central Plains."

Shen Quan's eyes lit up. "Saint King level? How many treasures must be in there?"

"Many, but the dangers are also many." Sun Buer shook his head. "A ruin of this level is full of Restrictions and is unpredictably dangerous. Once you go in, be extremely careful."

As soon as he finished speaking, a commotion suddenly erupted in the crowd.

"Make way! Make way! The people from the Tianyang Sect are here!"

A group of people was seen marching majestically from afar, led by none other than Yang Dingtian.

He was dressed exceptionally grandly today, in a golden brocade robe, with a jade belt tied around his waist and a purple-gold crown on his head. His entire being radiated an aura that screamed "I am the protagonist."

Behind him followed a dozen or so Tianyang Sect Disciples, each looking spirited and steady in their aura.

The most eye-catching one was the black-robed old man beside Yang Dingtian.

The old man was gaunt, his face sinister, his triangular eyes revealing a cold, piercing light, and the aura around him was as deep as an abyss.

Peak of the Void Piercing Realm!

"Is that an Elder of the Tianyang Sect? Such a strong aura!" A Cultivator exclaimed.

"Peak of the Void Piercing Realm! Only one step away from the Primal Chaos Realm!"

"It seems the Tianyang Sect takes the Sacred Tower very seriously, to have even sent an Elder of this level."

Whispers rose and fell one after another.

Yang Dingtian walked to the front of the Sacred Tower with his hands behind his back, his gaze sweeping across the surroundings, finally landing on the three of them—Shen Quan and his companions.

A cold sneer curled his lips, and a ruthless glint flashed in his eyes.

"It's those three."

The black-robed old man looked in the direction of his gaze, his Divine Thought sweeping over Shen Quan and the others, and a sneer of disdain curled his lips.

"Seventh and sixth level of the Soul Fire Realm, one at the first level of the Dharma Image Realm. Ants."

Yang Dingtian sneered: "Once we enter the Sacred Tower, find an opportunity to finish them off."

The black-robed old man nodded without speaking.

Just then— "Rumble—" The light shield in front of the Sacred Tower suddenly erupted with blinding golden light!

The golden light was as intense as the sun, illuminating the entire sky!

A terrifying aura to the extreme permeated from the Sacred Tower, like the sky collapsing and the earth sinking, pressing down on everyone present until they couldn't breathe!

"The Sacred Tower is about to open!"

"Retreat! Quick, retreat!"

Everyone retreated one after another, their faces deathly pale.

The light shield slowly cracked open, the gap growing larger and larger, eventually forming a portal a zhang wide.

Inside the portal, Spiritual Qi swirled, with treasure light faintly circulating, emitting an aura that made one salivate.

"Charge!"

Someone shouted, and the crowd immediately exploded into chaos.

Hundreds of Cultivators surged toward the portal like a tide, scrambling over one another, fearing that if they were a step too slow, they wouldn't be able to grab any treasures.

Shen Quan and the others looked at each other and also followed the flow of people, rushing into the Sacred Tower.