Chapter 57 - The Mysterious Rune

Leng Yan noticed the expressions on their faces and chuckled inwardly. This was precisely the effect he intended-to intimidate them and make himself seem more mysterious, thereby discouraging them from acting rashly.

“Last night, my master sent me a sound transmission, instructing me to make preparations in the immortal’s abode realm. In a hundred years, the gate to the abode will open, and I will be taken back to the immortal firmament continent. Before that happens, I must enhance my strength so as not to embarrass my master as an ‘inner disciple’ upon arrival,” Leng Yan emphasized the term “inner disciple.” Those who cultivate dao are very selective in accepting inner disciples; it’s no exaggeration to say that an inner disciple is akin to half an offspring.

As Leng Yan spun his “fabricated tale,” the five people seated before him wore grave expressions. The mention of the gate to the abode opening stirred visible longing in their eyes.

These individuals were born and had been cultivating in the immortal’s abode realm. Though they had never visited the immortal firmament continent, many records in their clan’s ancient texts described it in detail. That was their true homeland.

The immortal firmament continent is vast beyond comparison to the abode realm, with an endless supply of heavenly materials and earthly treasures, and its vital energy permeates the atmosphere.

They constantly dreamed of leaving this place to venture to the immortal firmament continent. Unfortunately, none knew the location of the gate, let alone how to open it.

Leng Yan’s words offered a glimmer of hope, though they remained skeptical. Still, they couldn’t be certain that Leng Yan was lying.

“Elder, how much truth do you think is in his words?” Sang Wen transmitted his question to Mo Sang through divine sense.

“It’s hard to tell. The seal on him is quite powerful, suggesting that he has a powerful presence backing him. Given his cultivation level, he shouldn’t have this much information about the matters of the abode.”

“So, what should we do? Should we capture him and perform a soul search, or try to build a good relationship with him?” Sang Wen queried via sound transmission.

“Let Hao Ge test his strength to see how much truth is in his statement,” Mo Sang replied with a glint in his eyes.

“Alright, I’ll make the arrangements,” Sang Wen said, standing up and giving Leng Yan a slight smile. “Excuse me for a moment.”

Leng Yan wasn’t sure what Sang Wen was up to, but he was certain it involved him somehow. “Senior, please go ahead!” Leng Yan said politely.

“Your friend here, though his cultivation level is quite low, has remarkable battle experience. His mind seems to be quite deep as well,” Mo Sang commented with a smile, watching Chu Jianfeng on the arena.

Mo Sang’s words carried a hint of provocation. Leng Yan understood this clearly, but he felt more at ease knowing that Chu Jianfeng had a calculating mind.

Leng Yan was confident that Chu Jianfeng wouldn’t use his cunning against friends, so the deeper his mind, the safer Leng Yan felt.

“When one chooses to contend with Heaven for life, a little cunning is necessary to survive. You, Senior, with your profound cultivation level, surely understand this principle,” Leng Yan replied with a smile, sipping his tea.

“Indeed, you’re right,” Mo Sang chuckled. His earlier words were intended to sow discord between Leng Yan and Chu Jianfeng, but he was also keen to hear Leng Yan’s response.

Mo Sang could tell from Leng Yan’s answer that Leng Yan’s depth of character was not much inferior to his own, making him a difficult person to control.

“Your friend has already fought three battles and must be exhausted. Would you be interested in having a go yourself?” Mo Sang asked, noticing that Sang Wen had brought Chu Jianfeng down from the platform and Hao Ge had stepped up onto the arena.

Chu Jianfeng had won all three battles, which was impressive. After using up so much vital energy, he indeed needed a break. Mo Sang had now set his sights on Leng Yan, and Leng Yan was not about to back down.

“It would be my pleasure. I could use a good stretch after all,” Leng Yan said, standing up and stretching his arms while secretly activating the momentum of Dragon Emperor’s essence blood and his battle faith.

As Leng Yan rose, Mo Sang sensed a formidable, unstoppable aura emanating from him, filled with overwhelming battle intent.

This was not the momentum of cultivation but a force of spirit. Feeling the proud spirit infused in the Dragon Emperor’s essence blood, Mo Sang’s eyes shone with sharpness, and the sense of battle faith made his hands tremble slightly.

“What a powerful presence. Even the chieftain of the Barbarian Tribe at the late stage of void calamity doesn’t have such a strong aura. Who exactly is this person’s master?” Mo Sang thought, deeply shocked.

Leng Yan ignored Mo Sang as he emanated an astonishing aura while descending from the wooden house and stepping onto the stone platform. Each step he took caused the surrounding members of the Barbarian Tribe to unconsciously retreat.

Standing on the arena, Leng Yan faced the strong man from the Barbarian Tribe, whose right arm was coiled with a giant serpent, and whose chest bore an emerging wolf’s head emblem.

The man took a small step back, pressured by Leng Yan’s aura, his eyes filled with intensity. Yet beneath that seriousness was a burgeoning, frenzied battle intent.

Although his opponent’s battle intent seemed like that of an ant in comparison to his own, Leng Yan respected him deeply. This man’s battle intent was genuine, stemming from within, while Leng Yan had simply gained his through fortunate circumstances. He knew he still had a long way to go before truly blending with it.

Reducing the overpowering aura he was emitting, Leng Yan said, “I am Leng Yan. Use all your strength. Come at me!”

Though Hao Ge couldn’t speak words Leng Yan understood, he was able to comprehend Leng Yan’s challenge.

With a fierce shout, Hao Ge charged at him like a dark shadow. His punch came swiftly, like lightning, giving no time for evasion.

Leng Yan raised his arm to block and countered with a punch of his own, forcing Hao Ge back. Shaking his numbed arm, Leng Yan muttered under his breath, “What incredible physical strength! It’s comparable to my body, which was transformed by dragon blood!”

Amidst his thoughts, the sound of something cutting through the air reached his ears-Hao Ge’s assault was upon him again. Leng Yan quickly engaged.

The two exchanged blows, fists and kicks clashing with echoing “bam bam” sounds from the arena. This primal form of battle ignited Leng Yan’s blood, making his spirit within his sea of consciousness glow with golden light.

“Ah, battle!”

His blood surged, and Leng Yan felt an overwhelming urge to release this energy. He let out a loud shout.

This roar seemed to genuinely unleash his battle intent. When Hao Ge’s punches landed on his body, the sharp pain surprisingly brought Leng Yan a sense of satisfaction, his lips curving into a delighted smile rather than an expression of pain.

“Bang.”

Leng Yan kicked Hao Ge, sending him flying onto the wooden planks. Remarkably, the planks, reinforced with a protective seal, didn’t shatter upon impact.

Gritting his teeth, Hao Ge stood up and wiped the trace of blood from the corner of his mouth, his eyes burning with anger and humiliation. Being defeated by an outsider cultivator was a disgrace to his tribe.

“Xiliruala…” Hao Ge muttered something incomprehensible. Leng Yan frowned, not understanding what he was saying.

“Hao Ge means that he admires your skills and that he will now go all out to uphold the honor of our tribe,” Mo Sang conveyed through sound transmission, explaining Hao Ge’s words.

Upon hearing Mo Sang’s translation, Leng Yan smiled knowingly and said, “You shouldn’t hold back. Give it your all. Otherwise, I might think you look down on me.”

Suddenly, Hao Ge lifted his right hand and bit the tip of his finger. He then raised his finger to the Void and quickly traced several runes in the air.

As soon as the runes formed, they emitted a red glow and shot towards Leng Yan. Leng Yan wore a puzzled expression; he wasn’t sure what these runes were. They seemed like seal runes, yet something was off.

Although unsure of the runes’ purpose, Leng Yan sensed their dangerous aura and retreated rapidly, conjuring an ice dragon to counter the runes as he moved back.

The massive ice dragon twisted through the air, whipping up a fierce wind.

“Roar!”

The ice dragon lunged at the runes with a roar, but in the next moment, Leng Yan was stunned. His ice dragon, upon making contact with the runes, was absorbed and vanished without a trace.

“What? What’s going on?” Leng Yan exclaimed in bewilderment.

There was no time for Leng Yan to ponder, as the runes approached swiftly. While moving backward, Leng Yan cast thousands of seal combinations in the air, only for them to disappear without leaving a trace.

This bizarre phenomenon left Leng Yan dumbfounded.

But then, Leng Yan calmed down, a slight smile appearing on his lips. He maintained a connection with his seals through his spiritual awareness, allowing him to see into a pitch-black Void where nothing existed, just an empty dark space.

Suddenly, an idea took shape in Leng Yan’s mind. He decided to stop resisting and dodging, standing still and waiting for the runes to approach.

He was taking a gamble, betting that his suspicion was correct. If it was, his understanding of seals would reach a new level.