Chapter 169: Arrived

Tian Sang Spirit Palace. Inner Courtyard, at the entrance of the Council Hall.

The old locust tree rustled gently. Beneath it, a dense crowd of people in black stood, each with a solemn expression.

Zhao Xidong stood beside the elders, holding the "Twelve Pearl Spirit Screen Disk."

The dim evening light cast its glow, making this once-treasured artifact look somewhat broken. Three of its pearls had completely dimmed, and a large crack had appeared at the bottom of the disk.

Everyone knew that the startling changes at Tianxuan Gate were a reality, and powerful individuals must have infiltrated it; otherwise, the Spirit Disk would not have such a fissure.

This was a sign that Tianxuan Gate's minor world could no longer withstand the pressure and was on the verge of collapse!

A person in black stepped forward, bowed, and said, "Dean, the personnel count is complete."

Ye Xiaotian floated in the air, his gaze not on the immediate surroundings, but piercing beyond the horizon, seeming to look at something unknown.

He only nodded slightly upon hearing this, remaining unmoved.

Zhao Xidong grew anxious. "At this point, they still haven't opened the gate?" he wondered. "Are they really going to wait until this minor world explodes before opening it?"

He nudged Elder Qiao, who was standing beside him, with his elbow.

He knew he didn't have much authority, but Elder Qiao was clearly more approachable.

Qiao Qianzhi helplessly tilted his head and asked, "Open the formation?"

Ye Xiaotian slowly shook his head.

"Wait!"

The wind blew, and the old locust tree rustled once more. Among the crowd of people in black below, not a single person dared to make even the slightest stir.

"Still waiting?"

Qiao Qianzhi wasn't constrained by so many rules; he spoke directly: "Three treasures have been taken in two days. If we wait any longer, Tianxuan Gate will truly explode."

If four of the Twelve Realm-Stabilizing Treasures were lost, Tianxuan Gate would become extremely unstable. Should it truly explode, the Inner Courtyard would bear the brunt, and the casualties would likely be severe.

Ye Xiaotian's gaze still hadn't left the sky. He only said softly, "How are the preparations on the other side coming along?"

Qiao Qianzhi replied, "They're ready. Old Xiao is keeping an eye on them. If they dare to come again, this time, they'll definitely face severe consequences."

"Mm."

The scene fell silent once more.

Waiting...

It seemed endless.

"Crack!"

Under everyone's gaze, the protective barrier of the fourth pearl on the "Twelve Pearl Spirit Screen Disk" shattered, and its light flickered erratically.

Zhao Xidong almost cursed aloud.

This was...

Someone had found the seal of the fourth Realm-Stabilizing Treasure?

He abruptly looked at Elder Qiao, the meaning in his eyes clear: "Aren't we starting yet?"

Qiao Qianzhi didn't ask a question this time. He frowned, looking at the floating white-haired Daoist boy beside him.

Ye Xiaotian couldn't possibly be unaware of the critical situation, yet he was still gazing at the sky...

What was he looking at?

Holy Slaves?

"They're here."

Ye Xiaotian suddenly spoke, and the law enforcement personnel in front of the hall all tensed up. "They're here already?"

Zhao Xidong was also somewhat astonished. "The infiltrators haven't even come out yet," he thought. "How could the people be here already?"

"Are those guys really not afraid of death," he wondered, "daring to come here to pick people up under such circumstances..."

Although this was the elders' judgment, Zhao Xidong, deep down, really didn't want to believe that the "Holy Slaves" would dare to come again.

After all, this time, they had made huge preparations, just waiting to catch them in a trap!

"I'll go meet them," Ye Xiaotian added, and with that, he vanished from in front of the hall.

Everyone was startled for a moment, then breathed a sigh of relief.

So, it wasn't the "Holy Slaves" after all, but reinforcements...

Unlike the Inner Courtyard, where everyone was on high alert, the Outer Courtyard, even with the setting sun, presented a scene of vibrant energy.

The Spirit Palace's newly recruited disciples had clearly adapted significantly in these past few days. Swan Lake, the woods, pavilions... everywhere, there were signs of future Spirit Refiners practicing.

"Wow, look, a flying person!"

A startling gasp struck a chord with many, causing everyone to quickly end their training and look over curiously.

Among the thousands in the Outer Courtyard, only a handful could fly, easily counted on one hand.

"Flying... that must mean they're Xiantian experts, right? So enviable. I haven't even opened the first realm yet."

"Heh heh, you must be quite ignorant," someone scoffed. "Spirit Refiners of the Tenth Realm can actually fly too."

"Are you kidding me? I've been attending classes these past two days!"

"Hmph, how ignorant," another snickered. "You probably don't know the legend of our Outer Courtyard, do you?"

"Oh?"

"Rumor has it that our Outer Courtyard has a Senior Disciple Brother Xu who, with merely Houtian cultivation, can fly on his sword, angrily slay Xiantian experts, and kill several people with a single sneeze!"

"Senior Disciple Brother Xu? I have heard of him, but... uh, he can't be considered human, can he?"

"Oh? What do you mean by that?"

"Didn't the rumors say he has three heads and six arms, and four pairs of wings and two heads?"

"Really?"

"Absolutely true!"

At this moment, the people riding clouds in the sky had flown closer. They stopped above the Spirit Palace, seemingly unable to enter.

Everyone grew agitated because they saw that on this cloud, there weren't one, but three people.

Apart from the middle-aged man with somewhat graying hair at the front, the handsome young man and beautiful young woman behind him, by their appearance, didn't seem much older than the disciples present.

"No way, these two aren't also Xiantian, are they?"

"Impossible," someone scoffed. "They must be following their elders. How could someone so young be able to fly?"

"Exactly," another added. "If they can fly, what are we? Scum?"

Everyone checked their Qi Seas, and most of them found that they didn't even have a Qi Sea...

The next second, they saw the cloud above split into three and stand motionless in the void.

Everyone: "..."

A critical hit!

At similar ages, someone had actually reached Xiantian.

What was the background of these three terrifying people?

Just then, a crack appeared in the void, and a white-haired Daoist boy slowly walked out.

"Holy cow, tearing space?"

"Where is this young man from? Did he start cultivating in his mother's womb?"

"Shut up," someone hissed. "That's the Dean of the Inner Courtyard!"

Ye Xiaotian glanced at the noisy crowd below. He reached out and opened the Spirit Palace's grand formation, allowing them to enter.

"Hall Master Jiang, you've seen us at a disadvantage," Ye Xiaotian said.

"Not at all, not at all," Jiang Bianyan replied, stroking his grizzled temple whiskers with a wide smile. "Your esteemed Spirit Palace is full of talented individuals and vibrant energy. This is a sign of great prosperity!"

Ye Xiaotian's gaze turned to the two young man and woman behind him. He said calmly, "If we are to compare talent, which force on the continent dares to claim superiority over the Holy Temple?"

"Hahaha," Jiang Bianyan chuckled. "Palace Master Ye, you flatter me. It's merely a humble branch hall, not worthy of such praise."

"Hall Master Jiang is too humble," Ye Xiaotian countered. "Even a branch hall is still several times stronger than other forces."

These repeated, undisguised compliments immediately made the young man behind them perk up, a hint of arrogance in his eyes.

Indeed, coming from the Holy Temple, even if it was just a branch hall, it was still several tiers above other forces in this Holy God Continent.

The woman beside him wore a veil, so her expression couldn't be seen, but there was no ripple in her starry eyes.

Ye Xiaotian nodded inwardly. *One is useless, the other is decent. A branch hall...*

*Not bad.*

*But...*

*Why bring two disciples here?*

*To their deaths?*

His gaze swept further back, but he couldn't see anyone else behind them.

"Palace Master Ye, shall we not go inside to talk?" Jiang Bianyan asked with a faint smile. If anyone else dared to speak to him at the entrance, he would have long since walked away in a huff.

Ye Xiaotian raised an eyebrow. From the sound of his words, was that it? No one else?

"Just the three of you?"