"Yan Hui...?" Long Xue murmured with a strange expression, her brow furrowed and fists clenched.
Mo Xia, noticing this, asked,
"What? Does that name remind you of something?"
"He... he’s the one who hunted down Di Fei and made him flee from the Scarlet Sun Sect..." Long Xue said, her expression worsening.
Before she left on a mission with the other core disciples, they had tried everything to recover Long Xue’s memories, even making her confront the one who, unintentionally, had caused it all.
Unexpectedly, Di Fei and Long Xue ended up getting along, but her memories showed no sign of improvement.
However, she did discover why Di Fei stayed in the Verdant Sword Sect instead of returning to the Scarlet Sun Sect.
The reason was Yan Hui. As the direct disciple of a sect leader, he could do whatever he wanted within the sect, no one would dare to complain.
When Kyrian heard Long Xue’s words, he remembered the interrogation with Di Fei and the deep hatred and hostility he held toward someone from his own sect. Now, Kyrian knew who it was.
Kyrian looked and observed the young man for a moment, then looked away.
His expression shifted with slight curiosity, but it soon faded into disinterest.
Mo Xia then continued.
"Those on the other side are the disciples of the Six Poisons Sect."
She pointed to the group on the right. They all wore black robes with dark green patterns.
Even from this distance, it was possible to feel a strange, unsettling Qi and smell emanating from them.
"They cultivate poison-based techniques. There aren’t any truly famous names among them at the moment, but that doesn’t make them any less dangerous."
"Even a simple scratch can be enough to kill someone if they’re careless."
Long Xue’s expression grew serious.
Kyrian also observed for a moment, scanning each of the young cultivators, but in the end, he found nothing interesting.
Their strength didn’t linger in his mind. But he made a note to be cautious about their poisons.
"And what about the others?" Long Xue asked.
Mo Xia slowly let her gaze wander across the field.
"The smaller forces are everywhere. There are some powerful rogue cultivators and small clans with unique techniques."
"Most of them are here just as opportunists. But there are some well-known names among them as well."
She pointed again.
"That group in light gray robes belongs to the He Clan from our domain. They’re specialists in the spear path."
"Further back, those cultivators with golden bands and metal plates hanging from their necks are famous mercenaries from the Scarlet Sun Domain."
"They’ll take any mission as long as the pay is high enough. But I believe they’re here for personal reasons this time."
Kyrian listened, but his gaze had already returned to the tower.
He no longer seemed interested in the others for now.
His focus was on the symbols sliding through the layers of light surrounding the tower’s structure.
Meanwhile, the other forces were also looking at those from the Verdant Sword Sect. They were all releasing a portion of their power, resembling swords pointing toward the heavens.
Their names were already known to those who had gathered information. But Kyrian was a new face, one that no one had seen until now.
He was also the only one among them who wasn’t exuding any sharp pressure. In fact, Kyrian wasn’t releasing any energy at all.
He simply stood quietly, staring at the tower. Yet, even so, he didn’t go unnoticed because of his appearance, but mostly because of his eyes.
Where the disciples of the Scarlet Sun Sect were gathered, one of the elders suddenly spoke, drawing everyone’s attention.
"With the Verdant Sword Sect here, things have become even more complicated. Remember, each of their core disciples is an absolute genius in the sword path."
"Their individual strength is greater than you might imagine, so don’t face them alone."
"Of course, that warning doesn’t apply to you, Yan Hui," said the elder, turning toward the main disciple, the one he believed would obtain the inheritance.
"But I still believe you should be cautious when fighting Mo Tianhai. I’ve heard he has comprehended Sword Intent."
"If possible, don’t face him head-on."
"Hm. Understood," Yan Hui said. He glanced briefly at Tianhai but wasn’t too concerned. That was when he noticed Kyrian, who was staring at the tower with a cold expression and a faint flame dancing in his eyes.
"Who is he?" he asked, more curious about him than Tianhai.
"He... seems to be another direct disciple of Feng Yuan. Reports say he has also comprehended Sword Intent and possesses a special physique."
"He’s the other one you should not confront and be very cautious of. Especially because we don’t know the limits of his strength or exactly what his special physique can do."
Yan Hui kept looking at Kyrian for a long moment before a small smile appeared.
"I see."
Then, silence fell over almost everyone. The tower continued descending slowly, and the blue light bathed the entire field.
Time passed slowly.
The sky began to darken, and the blue light grew even more intense, illuminating the field even at night.
The movements among the forces increased. Cultivators began forming groups, and the barriers trembled more violently.
Mei Ran then turned to her group.
"Stay alert. As soon as the last barrier falls, everyone will enter."
"Inheritances are usually meant for the younger generations, so you don’t need to worry about powerful figures entering."
"I believe that, with your strength, at least one of you will certainly obtain the inheritance," she said, genuinely believing her words.
"When you enter, avoid unnecessary fights until you know what’s inside. Don’t separate."
Everyone nodded.
Kyrian remained silent, watching the reflection of the blue light on his own hands.
With each passing second, the sound of the barriers breaking grew sharper.
The air began to vibrate.
The cultivators around them stood up almost simultaneously, alert.
Mei Ran looked up. The tower was only a few dozen meters from the ground.
"It’s starting," she said.
Mo Tianhai and the others instinctively tightened their grips on their sword hilts.
A loud crack split the air.
The first layer of the final barrier vanished, shattering, and the sound spread like thunder.
Kyrian raised his eyes. The next instant, another layer broke. Then another.
The voices of the cultivators echoed across the field. The pressures around them began to rise.
In just a few moments, chaos would take over the place.
Kyrian remained calm, silently watching.
He knew that once the last barrier fell, it would be the moment when the slowly descending tower would finally touch the ground. And then, the true struggle would begin.