Lin Ke'er, whose eyes had been glued to the divine figure, finally blinked with a little jealousy, shaking off the residual enchantment. "No," she replied, her voice soft with awe. "That is Ling Qingzhu. She is not from any of the Great Yan Empire's four clans."
Elder Tao voice cut in, firm and slightly strained. "Her background and power are far beyond the scope of us. I don't even know where she is from, I just heard that she is from a powerful place and is staying with the Huangpu family as a guest."
Lin Dong nodded, a profound realization settling in his mind. For the arrogant Lin Langtian to act with such subtle courtesy, for Wang Yan to show open respect, and for Elder Tao to be so clearly wary… this Ling Qingzhu must indeed hail from an extraordinary and terrifying background.
Wang Yan, recovering his composure, flashed a dazzling, confident smile up at Ling Qingzhu. "I didn't expect something in our little Yan Empire would attract your attention," he called out, his tone half-compliment, half-challenge.
Ling Qingzhu's answer was delivered in the same melodious chime, distant and cool, as if addressing a minor detail. "It is merely a coincidence."
But just as she finished speaking, a third, utterly distinct pressure swept through the Sky Flame Mountain Range.
It was not a pressure of immense Yuan Power like Lin Langtian's, nor a hypnotic spiritual power like Ling Qingzhu's. It was a cold, absolute sense of ancient law… a crushing, palpable authority that felt far above anyone present.
'Who is this?'
Lin Langtian's and the other pupils instantly widened. They turned toward the direction of the south, a unified, sharp movement. Even Ling Qingzhu's crystal eyes showed a subtle, momentary shrinking of her pupils, her gaze fixed on the corner of the distant sky.
A red light flashed through the sky… a single, brilliant spark flying toward them from the far southern horizon like a blazing shooting star. The pressure increased with every meter it closed, causing the very air to vibrate painfully.
Then, with a silent, profound woosh, a figure appeared in front of the entire assembly. An arc of red blazing yuan power scattered around spread toward the mountain range below… Even experts standing below felt a scorching heat wave, which vaporized the moisture away from their skin's surface.
He was riding a simple, gray, three-foot sword that flickered subtly with red, almost living, veins. A tall figure in a plain black robe sat cross legged upon the sword, completely still, wearing a simple, dark metallic mask that obscured his features. His aura was ethereal, vast, and uncaring. Lengthy, blazing red hair flowed wildly around him, matching the deep red of his visible pupils.
Everyone present instinctively took a deep breath. The figure's very presence exuded absolute authority, which paled the powerful demeanor of both Lin Langtian and Wang Yan into common arrogance. Even a hint of subtle, unreadable reaction flashed across Ling Qingzhu's face before her expression returned to its cold, perfect stillness.
The figure was none other than Lin Yi, appearing in his tactically chosen 'Blazing' disguise, his strength intentionally masked to just the edge of the Manifestation Realm.
Lin Yi slowly swept his gaze over the assembly, his cold red eyes lingering for a moment on Lin Langtian and the others, and then settling on Ling Qingzhu.
His voice, when it came, was flat and clear, devoid of emotion, yet carrying a subtle, resonant power.
"I heard there was a Nirvana Tomb opening in this mountain range." He inclined his gaze slightly toward Ling Qingzhu… the only person present to receive such an acknowledgment. "I am Shen Yi. I've come here to try my luck. I hope you all don't mind my presence."
As he spoke, he inadvertently glanced at Lin Langtian and Wang Yan.
Lin Langtian and Wang Yan's pupils shrank simultaneously, noticing his gaze. Although they were angry and confused in their heart, because an unknown individual was competing with them for their Yan Empire treasure and threatening them with his gaze… but their actions didn't show any disagreement. They immediately nodded and fell silent.
Ling Qingzhu merely nodded, her eyes fixed on the man on the flying sword, her expression unreadable. Then she glanced at the direction of the seal.
"Let us break this seal," she said, her voice a final, decisive chime that resonated across the plain.
Lin Langtian and Wang Yan exchanged swift nods, their initial arrogance replaced by a focused intent. Even Qin Shi, on his blue phoenix, offered a silent, respectful inclination of his head. Ling Qingzhu's declaration had shifted the dynamic from a competitive standoff to a unified, immediate action. The protective array was the only thing standing between them and unimaginable wealth.
Just as Lin Langtian prepared to mobilize his powerful Yuan Power construct, and Wang Yan grasped his Golden Luo Spear, Lin Yi spoke, his voice cutting through the tense atmosphere with chilling clarity.
"Wait," Lin Yi commanded, his tone flat and utterly without inflection, yet carrying a resonance that demanded compliance. He rose slightly from his flying sword, his red pupils fixed on the colossal, shimmering barrier. "Let me break the seal. It will save us considerable time."
The statement was so absolute, so confident, that it silenced the three prodigies instantly. Wang Yan's hand froze on his spear hilt, and Lin Langtian's expression, for the first time, showed a flicker of genuine astonishment. Break the seal alone? That barrier was established by a nirvana expert, although dead but it still required the combined effort of multiple Creation masters.
Ling Qingzhu's crystal-clear eyes, partially obscured by the veil, seemed to narrow imperceptibly, a hint of profound curiosity finally overcoming her glacial composure.
"I possess a weapon that functions perfectly against this type of ancient seal." Lin Yi continued, addressing the silence as if it were a question.
Amidst the surprised and somewhat skeptical expressions of Lin Langtian, Wang Yan, and Qin Shi, Lin Yi raised his right hand. His palm, devoid of any visible Yuan Power fluctuation, opened.
With a sharp, almost inaudible whirr, a tiny, needle-thin sliver of gray metal shot out from his palm. It was so small, so subtle, that for a fraction of a second, the observers thought it was an illusion.
Then, the needle expanded.
It grew with terrifying, almost instantaneous speed, transforming into a colossal, three-hundred-meter-long pillar of dull gray, featureless metal. The massive pillar hung in the air, its surface radiating a heavy, crushing power that was neither Yuan Power nor spiritual energy, but a pure, unyielding force of law. Its tip tapered to an impossibly sharp, crimson-veined point that was aimed directly at the shimmering center of the protective array.
The onlookers gasped, and the three prodigies' expressions changed drastically.
"Top-grade Spirit Treasure!" Lin Langtian exclaimed, his usual composure shattered, his eyes wide with a mixture of avarice and disbelief. The spiritual aura radiating from the colossal gray pillar was ancient, immense, and far surpassed the limits of any ordinary Spirit Treasure he had ever encountered.
Wang Yan, his mouth slightly agape, stammered, "Impossible… that is not a Spirit Treasure. It's complete… Artifact!"
Before they could fully process the terror of the weapon's grade, the immense gray pillar… one of the Heaven-Suppressing Pins… collided with the colossal, shimmering veil of the Nirvana Tomb's protective seal.
The impact was not an explosion, but a profound, internal BOOM that triggered a devastating, chaotic reaction from the seal itself. The entire Sky Flame Mountain range trembled violently, as if an immense, unseen fist had struck the continental crust.
...