The incident concerning Jian Zihao quickly spread far and wide.
It became a joke among many.
However, there were also many who turned their attention to the person who had seriously injured Jian Zihao and his companions.
Despite much investigation, they couldn’t find out who it was.
Perhaps, only Jian Zihao and his companions knew.
And soon, emissaries from the Sacred Land of Flying Immortals came and took Jian Zihao and his companions back.
Jian Zihao and his companions, in effect, silently declared their withdrawal from the competition over the Ghost Tomb.
This was something that no one had expected.
"It seems that Jian Zihao’s injuries are quite severe; otherwise, he wouldn’t have returned to the Sacred Land of Flying Immortals directly," someone said.
"Who could have made a move and possessed such capability?"
"I heard that the injuries of Jian Zihao and his companions were as if they had been seriously harmed by heavenly thunder. The assailant must be a master of the Thunder Technique."
"A master of the Thunder Technique, could it be someone from Yunxiao Sect?"
"Unlikely; Yunxiao Sect is an overlord-class existence in the Southern Domain. Jian Zihao certainly knows this. Why would he provoke someone from Yunxiao Sect?"
"Aside from Yunxiao Sect, it could only be someone from the Xuan Thunder God Sect."
"Isn’t the Xuan Thunder Divine Son of the Xuan Thunder God Sect weaker than Jian Zihao?"
"Then I have no idea who it could be..."
In Yinling City, members of many great sects were all discussing this at length.
Unfortunately, since Jian Zihao and the others had already returned to their sects, no information leaked out.
About this matter, probably only when Jian Zihao and the others woke up would they know.
By the time Jian Zihao woke up, he had already returned to the Sacred Land of Flying Immortals.
An elder from the Sacred Land of Flying Immortals also hurriedly inquired about the situation.
Jian Zihao had a pale complexion, and his gaze was uncertain, as if pondering something.
Indeed, even now, Jian Zihao himself wasn’t clear about how he had been injured.
"That rain mixed with divine thunder..." Jian Zihao could only remember that much.
But, whose technique was this?
Could it have been that elderly man following Ye Xuan?
It shouldn’t be. If it were that fellow, there would have been some noise when he acted, and he wouldn’t use such a silent, sneaky method of attack.
For a while, Jian Zihao was at a loss.
But he was clear on one thing; this matter was definitely related to Ye Xuan!
"It’s someone from the Emperor Immortal Sect of the Heavenly Azure Mountain Range!" Jian Zihao said firmly.
"The Emperor Immortal Sect of the Heavenly Azure Mountain Range?" This astonished the elder from the Sacred Land of Flying Immortals, who then furrowed his brows.
He didn’t quite believe Jian Zihao’s words. Could the Emperor Immortal Sect have the ability to do this?
However, Jian Zihao had no reason to lie.
After pondering for a while, the elder then said, "Regardless, once the Ghost Tomb opens, this elder will order a retaliation against the people from the Emperor Immortal Sect, and incidentally suppress those from the Heavenly Azure Mountain Range as well."
"Ants emerging from a speck of land also wish to compete for opportunities within the Ghost Tomb, oblivious to their impending death..."
Ye Xuan was unaware of these matters.
Right now, they had returned to the premium Cave Heaven Blessed Land to rest.
Zhou Youwei and Zhou Bingyi both obtained treasures and went back to their rooms to cultivate.
After sending Zhou Youwei and Zhou Bingyi back, Ye Xuan left alone.
Under the perception of the Emperor Soul, he sensed something in a certain part of Yinling City.
This time, Ye Xuan didn’t let Elder He follow, and went on his own instead.
Ye Xuan arrived at the location of that item.
It was a Treasure Pavilion.
And the scale was immense; one could tell the backer wasn’t small.
Ye Xuan didn’t care about these details and stepped inside.
Within, all sorts of exotic treasures were on display, with quite a few people browsing.
Ye Xuan didn’t look at these and instead made a beeline for the upper floor.
"Eh, honored sir, the area above is the residence of the Pavilion Master and is not open to outsiders."
As Ye Xuan reached the fifth floor, he was stopped.
Ye Xuan looked at the tightly closed door and slightly furrowed his brows.
He could sense that the object was there within.
"Go tell your Pavilion Master I need to see him," Ye Xuan said calmly.
"Are you a guest of the Pavilion Master?" the man asked.
"No," Ye Xuan replied indifferently.
"If you’re not, then what is it you’re saying." The man couldn’t help but curl his lips and slowly added, "The Pavilion Master has a great many affairs to deal with every day; he has no time to meet people. You had better leave promptly."
A threat permeated the man’s words.
"A great many affairs?" Ye Xuan smiled slightly, "Isn’t your Pavilion Master sleeping inside?"
His Divine Sense clearly detected that an old man was napping inside.
"Hmm?" As soon as Ye Xuan said this, the guard’s face darkened, and he said with an unfriendly look in his eyes: "You dare to spy on the Pavilion Master?"
"It’s not about spying. I have something important to discuss with him, and this matter is very important for your Pavilion Master," Ye Xuan spoke slowly and clearly, with a tone that brooked no doubt.
Seeing this, the guard originally intended to make a move and expel the visitor, but upon meeting Ye Xuan’s cold gaze, he felt as if he had fallen into an ice cellar, his whole body icy cold.
He opened his mouth but managed not to say anything. In the end, he honestly knocked on the door and said, "Pavilion Master, someone is looking for you."
Inside the room, the Treasure Pavilion Master Mo Songbai slowly opened his eyes, somewhat displeased, "Who is it?"
Wasn’t he without guests today? How come someone was looking for him?
"Pavilion Master, he says he has an important matter to discuss," the guard said honestly.
"Let him come in," Mo Songbai said after tidying himself up a bit.
Following that, the door automatically opened.
The guard looked at Ye Xuan with a trace of fear.
For some reason, this young man, who didn’t look that old, gave him an unimaginable sense of oppression, unbearable!
It seemed as if the youth possessed an incredible power that was difficult to fathom!
His Cultivation far surpassed the Heavenly Phenomenon Realm by too much, yet he felt an inexplicable sense of inscrutability about the youth.
That was the reason he reported the matter honestly.
Had it been someone else, he would have flung them away without a second word.
Ye Xuan did not spare the guard a glance, his hands in his pockets as he walked into the room, his eyes landing on a grey box.
On that grey box were carved ancient Dao Patterns, clearly not from this era.
"Who are you?" Mo Songbai looked at Ye Xuan, immediately taken aback.
He had thought a highly distinguished figure had come to visit, not expecting a strange young man.
"You’re going to die," Ye Xuan shifted his gaze to Mo Songbai and said flatly.
"What?" Mo Songbai was stupefied, then burst into an angry laugh: "Kid, who are you to talk such big talk here?"
Mo Songbai was somewhat befuddled, a stranger he didn’t recognize, coming in and telling him he was going to die?
He had lived for over a thousand years, with profound Cultivation, overseeing this Treasure Pavilion. How could he possibly die?
Ye Xuan pointed to the grey box placed behind Mo Songbai and calmly said, "That box consumes people’s souls. You have had this box for more than three hundred years."
"In another three years, your soul will be sucked away, and then you will die."
These words from Ye Xuan immediately made Mo Songbai freeze, followed by laughter: "Young man, you’re bragging over my head now?"
"All the exotic treasures in this room are collections I’ve amassed over my lifetime; by your words, shouldn’t I have died long ago?"
"Don’t you believe it?" Ye Xuan looked at Mo Songbai calmly.
"What do you think?" Mo Songbai’s expression turned cold.
Ye Xuan smiled faintly and said slowly, "If you don’t believe me, I can let you experience it for yourself."
As he spoke, Ye Xuan gestured towards the grey box with his hand.
Under Mo Songbai’s astonished gaze, the grey box automatically flew towards Ye Xuan.
"Young man, you want to snatch the exotic treasure from me?" Mo Songbai suddenly stood up, like an angry old dragon, his aura astonishing!
This Mo Songbai’s strength was even more terrifying than Elder He’s!
His power was at least on par with Mo Gaoli, one of the thirteen vice presidents of the Spiritual Boat Association!
Who would have thought a mere Treasure Pavilion Master would have such strength!
But if one pays close attention to Mo Songbai’s surname, something becomes apparent.
This Treasure Pavilion Master Mo Songbai, was a branch of the East Desolate Mo Family.
This branch just happened to be in the Southern Domain.
And Mo Songbai was one of the eldsters of this Mo family branch, charged with the duty of guarding the Treasure Pavilion.
Now seeing Ye Xuan taking away the grey box right in front of him, how could he not be furious?
Ye Xuan did not mind Mo Songbai, and opened the box straight away. He then calmly looked at Mo Songbai.
The next moment, Mo Songbai froze, his whole body’s aura dissipated in an instant, and right after, he slumped on the seat, his eyes lifeless, as if he had lost his soul.
"How... How is this possible!?"
Mo Songbai watched his body fall as his soul involuntarily rushed towards the grey box in Ye Xuan’s hand.