Heaven-Dominating Martial Emperor

What did he see?

It was Elder Lin's corpse, mangled beyond recognition!

In that instant, a series of sharp gasps echoed through the crowd.

When Steward Mei processed what he was seeing, his face went deathly pale. He staggered backward, nearly collapsing to the ground.

"Elder Lin… Even Elder Lin is dead!"

He stared in disbelief, his eyes filled with despair.

Elder Lin was a Divinity Transformation Realm Cultivator! He was also the Guardian of the young master, Gu Tianyu.

Now that even Elder Lin had fallen, Gu Tianyu's fate was most likely sealed.

Only then did everyone realize that the young man from before hadn't been lying to them at all!

"It's over… It's all over!"

Most of them collapsed to the ground, at a complete loss for what to do.

Faced with this situation, how could they possibly explain what had happened when they returned to the Cyan Ape Tribe?

...

Ye Chen and his group sped toward the mountain's peak.

For some reason, after passing the mountainside, Ye Chen suddenly felt a strange pressure.

This pressure seemed to materialize from thin air, causing their pace to slow considerably.

According to Jie Ling, this was one of the mysteries of Kunlun Mountain.

A powerful suppressive force had long existed in the area near the summit.

This force was especially potent against Cultivators below the Spirit Sea Realm.

Blood Coagulation Realm Cultivators would find it impossible to take a single step within this area, and Bone Forging Realm Cultivators couldn't even enter it.

As for the Spirit Sea Realm… they could rely on their own abilities to temporarily resist the pressure.

To say nothing of those in the Primordial Mansion Realm, or even the Great Powers of the Divinity Transformation Realm.

Frankly, while the pressure was ancient and ever-present, its effects were only truly significant on lower-level Cultivators.

Although it also affected slightly more powerful Cultivators, the impact was minimal.

As they drew closer to the peak, Ye Chen could clearly feel the Kunlun Key in his hand radiating waves of scorching heat, to the point where it was almost too hot to hold.

If Ye Chen hadn't cultivated the True Dragon Imperial Jade Scripture, the Kunlun Key would have likely seared his palm.

Just as Ye Chen's group was about to reach the summit, several figures suddenly appeared ahead.

A stone staircase stretched before them all the way to the peak. The figures were scattered in the shade of the trees beside the stairs, some sitting, others lying down, as if they were enjoying the cool air.

There was a cold-faced young woman with a colored sash at her waist, and an old man in a Taoist robe with graying temples.

There was also a young man chewing on a stalk of Spirit Grass, lying in a nearby thicket with a look of pure contentment on his face.

And finally, there was a middle-aged man dressed as a scholar, sitting calmly by the stairs, seemingly lost in thought.

These people were all dressed differently and had varied expressions, but they had one thing in common: a powerful aura billowed from each of them, suggesting extraordinary origins.

As Ye Chen's party arrived, their gazes all shot over, a hint of vigilance in their eyes.

"Hm?"

"There are so many people here?"

Song Yubing was a little surprised.

Ye Chen merely glanced at the group before looking away and continuing up the mountain on his own.

Seeing this, Song Yubing quickly followed.

The young man in the thicket soon fixed his gaze on Jie Ling. A flicker of surprise crossed his face, followed by a look of sheer admiration in his eyes. 'What a beautiful girl,' he thought.

The young man gulped and couldn't help but ask, "Miss, are you heading up the mountain?"

Before Jie Ling could answer, Song Yubing cut in, "That's right. Is there something you want?"

The young man glanced at Song Yubing and Jie Ling, then back at Ye Chen.

He grinned playfully. "Kunlun Mountain isn't very safe right now. You two ladies are so stunningly beautiful, why not stick with me?"

"With my abilities, I can certainly guarantee your safety for a while."

Though his expression was frivolous, his words dripped with confidence. Combined with the powerful aura emanating from him, it was clear he had an extraordinary background—most likely another young prodigy from some major power.

"Ah, to be young and amorous!" The old man couldn't help but shake his head at the scene.

Seeing the young man suddenly hitting on the two beautiful passersby, the girl and the middle-aged scholar also turned to look.

"If you're not amorous when you're young, when will you be?"

"Or should I wait until I'm an old fossil like you to go looking for beautiful companions?" the young man said with some disdain.

"Heh heh… that's assuming a beauty would have you," the Taoist elder chuckled, not taking offense.

"I'm not bad-looking, and my talent far surpasses my peers. Why wouldn't I earn a beauty's favor?"

The young man was clearly unconvinced. "Besides, look at this fellow! His strength isn't even at the Primordial Mansion Realm, yet he has two beauties by his side. Why can't I have the same treatment?"

"Haha!" The girl with the colored sash suddenly burst out laughing.

Her previously icy face broke into a smile, revealing a hint of playfulness and charm that was stunningly beautiful.

Even the young man couldn't help but stare, momentarily dazed.

"Don't you stare at me. I have no interest in your type," the girl said, her brows furrowing slightly when she saw him staring blankly at her.

"Hmph! Who'd want to look at you!" The young man curled his lip in a look of utter disdain, which thoroughly annoyed the girl.

Only the middle-aged scholar remained silent, sitting quietly cross-legged.

He had been deep in thought, but now his concentration seemed to have been broken by their chatter, a look of resignation in his eyes.

...

Ye Chen and his companions watched the scene unfold. Seeing that the group seemed to have no ill intentions and were even joking around with each other, they breathed a small sigh of relief.

Ye Chen shook his head and continued up the mountain.

Jie Ling followed close behind.

Song Yubing, however, gave the strangers an interested glance.

Just as Ye Chen and the others were about to move on, the silent, middle-aged scholar finally spoke up. "I would advise you not to go up the mountain."

As he spoke, the other three fell silent and turned to look.

Ye Chen stopped and looked at the middle-aged scholar.

Anyone could tell that the scholar's words were directed at the three of them.

"Why?" Ye Chen asked calmly.

"The mountain is not safe."

"If you go up now, you likely won't make it back alive," the middle-aged scholar said, his tone flat.

"What do you mean by that?" Ye Chen raised an eyebrow.

But the middle-aged scholar suddenly fell silent again.

Seeing this, Ye Chen just smiled faintly. "Thank you."

Then he set off once more, heading up the mountain.