Outside the Inheritance Grounds.
“She’s out! The person who obtained the inheritance is out!”
The moment Li Yao appeared, someone shouted at the top of his lungs.
The other cultivators reacted instantly, swarming around the entrance to the Inheritance Grounds and surrounding Li Yao on all sides.
“Fairy Xueyao, hand over the inheritance treasure and we may spare your life.”
“That is the inheritance of an ascended mighty expert. It should belong to the entire cultivation world.”
“Exactly. The inheritance should be shared by everyone. You can’t keep it all for yourself.”
“Hand over the inheritance treasure!”
“...”
A crowd of people shouted and jeered.
Only Zhang Fan, Shen Xueyin, and the disciples of the Azure Mystic Sect silently stood behind Li Yao, facing off against the surrounding cultivators.
Li Yao swept her cold gaze across everyone. “Leave, or die.”
Zhang Fan and the others immediately drew their weapons. The atmosphere became tense in an instant, as if a battle could erupt at any moment.
“Li Yao, you’re only at the late Foundation Establishment stage. What gives you the right to order us around?”
“Exactly. We’re all at the late Foundation Establishment stage. With so many of us, how could we possibly lose to one person?”
“Hahaha, enough nonsense. Just attack!”
Several prodigies from the various sects paid no heed to Li Yao’s threat.
Seeing this, the others began mocking her as well.
A trace of icy coldness flashed through Li Yao’s eyes. In the next moment, everything within a ten-kilometer radius was instantly frozen.
The prodigies and cultivators who had been shouting moments ago did not even have a chance to resist before the extreme frost claimed their lives.
The ice shattered, and the lives of those cultivators shattered along with it.
“Senior Sister Li is incredible.”
Someone muttered in a daze. The other Azure Mystic Sect disciples felt the same way.
Zhang Fan was secretly shocked as well.
Three months ago, his strength had only been slightly inferior to Li Yao’s. But now, he was no longer her match at all.
“Let’s go. We’ve dealt with the nuisances.”
Li Yao’s expression remained cold, her eyes indifferent.
All she wanted was to return as quickly as possible and hand the Phoenix Undying Seal over to Lin An.
...
Outside the secret realm, the great sects faced one another with drawn swords. The atmosphere was oppressive, and war could break out at any moment.
Not everyone who had entered the secret realm had made it to the end.
Some had left the secret realm early and informed their respective sects of what had happened inside.
When they learned that the secret realm contained the inheritance of an ascended mighty expert, even the five Golden Core Ancestors were tempted.
That was the inheritance of an ascended mighty expert. It would certainly contain countless treasures. If they could obtain it, they might even be able to break through the Golden Core realm and enter the legendary Nascent Soul realm.
Thus, all five Golden Core Ancestors were waiting for the people inside the secret realm to come out.
“Someone’s coming out!”
Someone shouted, and every sect outside the secret realm sprang into action.
The five Golden Core Ancestors flashed directly to the entrance of the secret realm and stared fixedly at those emerging from within.
“Disciples of the Azure Mystic Sect?”
When the Golden Core Elder of the Demon Sect saw Li Yao and the others’ robes, his brows furrowed tightly.
Aside from the Azure Mystic Sect Ancestor, the other three Golden Core Ancestors also wore unpleasant expressions.
“Hahaha, as expected of the prodigies of my Azure Mystic Sect!”
“Come, let’s return to the sect first.”
The Azure Mystic Sect Ancestor laughed heartily several times and then tried to lead Li Yao and the others away.
After all, this was no place for idle conversation.
“Old Ghost Qingxu, I’m afraid you won’t be leaving today.”
The Demon Sect’s Golden Core Ancestor took out a Ten Thousand Souls Banner and blocked their path.
“Exactly. Where are the prodigies of my sect? Why haven’t they come out? Shouldn’t you give us an explanation?”
Another Golden Core Ancestor of the Demon Sect also brought out his magical treasure.
The remaining two Golden Core Ancestors from the orthodox immortal sects exchanged a glance before blocking the other two sides.
The four of them directly surrounded Li Yao and the others.
“Lieyang, Wufeng, what do you mean by this?”
Qingxu looked toward the two Golden Core Elders from the immortal sects.
“Qingxu, we are all members of the righteous path. Naturally, we should stand united against our common enemies.”
“As long as you hand over part of the mighty expert’s inheritance, we can join forces with you first and deal with these two old ghosts.”
Lieyang Ancestor cracked his knuckles, a calculating smile spreading across his rugged face.
“That’s right. We don’t want much either. The three sects can split it evenly.”
Wufeng Ancestor drew his treasured sword and gently stroked the blade.
They did not want to see the Azure Mystic Sect grow too powerful on its own.
If the Azure Mystic Sect produced a Nascent Soul expert—or even two more Golden Core Ancestors—the balance of the cultivation world would be shattered.
“What if I say no?”
Qingxu’s expression darkened.
With benefits this enormous, how could he possibly be willing to share them?
“If you refuse, don’t blame us for taking them by force.”
“Treasure belongs to those with the strength to claim it. I’m afraid you won’t be able to hold on to the inheritance of an ascended mighty expert.”
A ruthless look appeared in Lieyang Ancestor and Wufeng Ancestor’s eyes.
“I’ll hold them off. You escape first.”
Seeing that a battle was unavoidable, Qingxu decisively sent a voice transmission to Li Yao and the others.
As long as they returned to the sect and relied on the sect-protecting formation, they could hold their own even if all four other great sects joined forces.
“Attack together! Don’t let them escape!”
The Demon Sect Ancestor sensed something was wrong and attacked first. The other three Ancestors followed suit.
Qingxu faced four Golden Core Ancestors alone, and the pressure was immense. Thus, the moment the battle began, he unleashed his full strength.
“Go!”
Li Yao decisively led the sect disciples in an attempt to break out.
“Stop them! Don’t let them get away!”
The four Golden Core Ancestors shouted their orders in unison, and disciples from the various sects rushed forward to surround Li Yao and the others.
“Get lost!”
Li Yao raised her hand and waved. Countless ice crystals appeared behind her and shot toward the enemies ahead.
The weaker cultivators were frozen into ice sculptures the instant the ice crystals struck them, then shattered into countless pieces.
Even those with greater strength could only barely hold them back.
Even sect elders at the late Foundation Establishment stage or its peak did not dare to take the ice crystals head-on.
“The inheritance must be on her!”
“The disciples of our sect must have all died by her hand!”
“This person must not be allowed to live.”
The four Golden Core Ancestors exchanged glances, and a murderous chill filled their eyes.
Almost simultaneously, the four of them flew toward Li Yao and the others, intending to strike at Li Yao.
Li Yao alone could suppress every expert at the same cultivation level. She was virtually invincible among her peers.
If she broke through to the Golden Core realm, would they still be her match?
Therefore, Li Yao had to die!
“Stop!”
Qingxu attacked with all his might, but he could only hold back Lieyang Ancestor and one of the Demon Sect Ancestors.
The remaining two attacked with all their strength, intending to kill Li Yao instantly.
Li Yao’s brows knitted tightly. She raised her hand and created an ice shield between them.
The attacks of the two Golden Core Ancestors struck the ice shield. It did not shatter instantly; instead, it consumed most of their energy before finally breaking apart.
However, the remaining force still sent Li Yao flying backward a considerable distance.
After all, she was facing opponents an entire major realm above her. The fact that she could block the attacks of two Golden Core Ancestors was already extremely impressive.
“None of you are going anywhere today.”
The two Golden Core Ancestors stood one in front and one behind, cutting off Li Yao and the others’ escape routes.
Li Yao clenched her teeth, fury flashing in her eyes.
“You’re courting death!”