The central altar floated in the starry sky, that pure light source exuding unparalleled temptation, yet the layers upon layers of terrifying restrictions outside that could instantly annihilate Golden Core cultivators were like a basin of ice water poured on every heart burning with greed. The three forces surrounded the altar, falling into a strange standoff. The air seemed to freeze, with only the faint hum of stars rotating and heavy breathing interweaving.
Flaming Sun Sect's young master Yan Feng's gaze swept back and forth between the altar and Qingxu Temple's group, especially fixing on Tang Xiao Qi, the greed and impatience in his eyes about to overflow. He suddenly stepped forward, his voice carrying deliberate instigation, breaking the deathly silence:
"Everyone! The core inheritance is right before our eyes! But this restriction is so powerful that forceful attack is obviously impossible! You've all seen that Qingxu Temple's Tang Xiao Qi here possesses a strange treasure with special spiritual power that seems quite recognized by this place's restrictions! Opening the palace doors earlier proved this! In my view, why not let him try again to see if he can open this inheritance restriction? If he succeeds, then we can each compete for the inheritance by our own abilities—better than just staring blankly now! Mu Qingfeng, what do you think?"
His words seemed reasonable but actually hid malicious intent. First, they pushed all pressure and risk of breaking the restriction onto Xiao Qi and Qingxu Temple. Second, whether successful or not, Xiao Qi who possessed the "strange treasure" would become everyone's target. Third, it laid groundwork for subsequent contention.
How could Mu Qingfeng not know his calculations? His expression darkened, about to sternly refuse.
However, before Mu Qingfeng could speak, something happened again!
Perhaps Yan Feng's instigating words triggered some energy mechanism here, perhaps the long standoff activated a hidden mechanism, or perhaps the hidden demon cultivators made a move—they saw the outermost layer of seven-colored restriction light screen on the central altar suddenly violently fluctuate, the circulating runes suddenly becoming unsteady!
Immediately, in everyone's shocked gazes, that light screen suddenly contracted inward, then sharply expanded!
"BOOM!!!"
Not an explosion, but an invisible yet vast repulsive force, with the altar as center, like a breached dam, suddenly spread outward in all directions!
This power didn't target flesh, but directly acted on soul and spiritual energy foundation! Everyone felt as if an invisible giant hammer had ruthlessly smashed their sea of consciousness. Those with weaker cultivation immediately saw black, spurting blood, staggering backward. Even top disciples like Mu Qingfeng, Mu Xue, and Yan Feng had their qi and blood tossed, minds swaying, having to fully circulate techniques to resist.
The originally maintained formations were instantly disrupted by this indiscriminate soul impact!
And even more heart-palpitating, as this shockwave spread, the originally stable layers of restrictions isolating the inheritance seemed to show an extremely brief, local... weakening due to this violent fluctuation?!
Though only a negligible trace, before this level of opportunity, this trace of flaw was enough to ignite the madness in everyone's hearts!
"The restriction weakened! Charge!" someone screamed hoarsely, like lighting a powder keg.
"The inheritance is mine!"
"Get out of the way!"
In an instant, the brief balance was thoroughly broken!
Some cultivators closest to the altar, whether Flaming Sun Sect, Mysterious Mechanism Holy Land, or a few rogue cultivators, driven by greed, completely disregarding the discomfort from the earlier soul impact, eyes red like moths to flame, madly rushed toward that seemingly "weakened" restriction light screen!
"Stop them!"
"Don't let them get ahead!"
Chaos almost instantly erupted!
Sword energy, flames, ice, thunder... all sorts of attribute spiritual light madly flashed and collided under this starry sky! Angry shouts, weapon clashes, spell explosions, screams... instantly replaced the earlier silence!
Flaming Sun Sect disciples were most violent, fire techniques carpet-bombing indiscriminately toward everyone trying to approach the altar. Mysterious Mechanism Holy Land disciples were relatively calm, sword light and ice techniques interweaving to form area control, trying to clear a path. And some rogue cultivators and small sect disciples sought opportunities in the chaos, sometimes joining forces, sometimes ambushing each other—the scene chaotic to the extreme.
"Form formation! Protect Xiao Qi!" Mu Qingfeng was alert the instant the shockwave came, forcibly enduring the soul discomfort, shouting explosively. Qingxu Temple disciples reacted quickly, immediately moving toward him and Xiao Qi. The Five Elements Guardian Formation's glow again lit up, blocking several scattered attacks.
However, in this all-out chaos, wanting to stay uninvolved was almost impossible.
Several Flaming Sun Sect disciples who had killed their way to a red-eyed state, determining Qingxu Temple was the biggest obstacle, especially Tang Xiao Qi who might open the restrictions, was the primary target, actually joined forces to launch a fierce attack on Qingxu Temple's defensive formation! Blazing flame blade energy fell like a violent storm.
"Seeking death!" Liu Yun's phoenix eyes held killing intent. Her sword light surged, transforming into a startling rainbow tearing through the starry sky, actively meeting them head-on, battling intensely with those several Flaming Sun Sect disciples, sword light and fire shadows interweaving.
On another side, Mysterious Mechanism Holy Land disciples also tried approaching in the chaos, forced back by Mu Qingfeng's steady sword energy.
Xiao Qi was in the formation, holding his wok, nervously watching the surroundings. He tried again to sense that altar restriction, but in such chaotic energy impact and murderous-intent-filled environment, his mind couldn't focus. The jade pendant at his chest transmitted continuous warning heat.
Just as this chaos reached its peak—
"Pu!"
An extremely insidious, ghost-like fast black shadow shuttle, without warning, shot out from a twisted starlight shadow behind and to the side, targeting straight at Xiao Qi's back heart in the formation's protection! This attack was timed with precision and incredibly fast—it was Shadow Snake Pavilion's White-Faced Demon Cultivator skilled in assassination (he hadn't died at the basin, only hiding with severe injuries, now striking again)!
"Careful!" Mu Qingfeng's spiritual sense had been covering the whole field, instantly detecting it, but he was entangled with a Flaming Sun Sect late Golden Core elder—rescue couldn't arrive in time!
Xiao Qi also sensed that fatal crisis, every hair standing on end. The Wandering Dragon Nine Turns movement technique was instinctively deployed, his form desperately twisting to one side!
"Schlick!"
The shadow shuttle didn't hit his back heart but fiercely grazed past his right arm's outer side, trailing a line of blood. A cold demonic energy instantly tried to invade!
Almost simultaneously, from another side, a chain burning with black demonic fire, like a poisonous snake, silently wrapped toward his feet! Another Shadow Snake Pavilion Golden Core demon cultivator struck!
The demon cultivators finally revealed their deadly fangs in this extreme chaos! The target was clear—to capture or severely wound Tang Xiao Qi in the confusion!
The situation instantly became critically dangerous! Qingxu Temple fell into a dual crisis of righteous siege and demon cultivator assassination!