Crackling!
In the pitch-black abyss, a massive mountain crackling with lightning floated—this was the second Forbidden Divine Mountain.
Gathered outside the mountain were countless powerful figures, but none dared make the first move. It wasn't that they didn't want to be the first to explore the mountain; rather, no one wanted to become the first to be fried by its lightning.
The lightning covering the surface of the mountain was so fierce that even from a distance, it made their scalps tingle. Some people's hair even stood on end, with wisps of smoke curling up as the static electricity took hold.
"Who will go in first?"
Everyone looked at each other, this question having been asked countless times without an answer.
Finally, a clever young man spoke up, "A place as sacred as the Forbidden Divine Mountain should naturally be entered by the most esteemed elders. Only then would proper respect be shown."
Whoosh!
Upon hearing this, the crowd's spirits lifted.
The older figures, who had been standing aloof with arms crossed and a mocking expression, suddenly had their eyes narrow.
This was a trap!
For people of great status, it was simple to crush anyone who directly challenged them. But when everyone was subtly pressuring them, things became tricky.
People live for their reputation. When given face by others, you cannot easily turn it down, nor can you afford to tear it apart.
At this moment, the ordinary crowd seemed to hold the power of life and death as their gazes landed on the powerful figures one by one.
"Elder Qingyang of the Qingye Tianzong, your strength and seniority are among the highest here. Perhaps you could go in first?" someone suggested.
Instantly, everyone's gaze shifted to an elderly man dressed in green robes with long black hair draped down his back. The elder's appearance was spotless, especially his hair, which was as smooth as silk, without a single strand out of place.
Qingyang, the elder without dandruff!
At this moment, the elder's confident face stiffened slightly, but he quickly put on a humble smile:
"Hehe, I'm nothing but an empty name. If we're talking about true esteem, it must be Elder Beifeng who's more qualified."
He deftly passed the buck.
Suddenly, everyone's gaze turned to a strange-looking elder. Though this elder seemed thin and frail, his right hand was holding up a massive beast, similar to a qilin, hovering in the air.
Beifeng the Great twitched at the corners of his mouth and said, "Qingyang, please don't flatter me. Everyone knows how I got my reputation—better left unsaid."
"But if we're talking about strength, Daoist Xuanyuzi over there is likely the strongest among us."
Once again, the burden was passed along.
The crowd now focused on an elder with an immortal-like demeanor. He had a serene and compassionate expression, with a peaceful and harmonious aura surrounding him.
However!
Upon hearing this, the elder's eyes flew open, and he angrily cursed, "Curse your mother! Whoever slanders me will get killed!"
He glared at the crowd, shouting, "What are you looking at?! Keep staring, and I'll gouge your eyes out!!"
This was a ruthless figure who cared nothing for appearances, openly ripping apart the pretense of civility. And yet, no one dared to challenge him.
Reluctantly, the crowd averted their gazes.
Whoosh!
At that moment, a beam of light shot out from the crowd, like an arrow aimed straight for the Forbidden Divine Mountain.
"Hmm?!"
"Who is that?!"
The crowd was initially startled, but then their eyes lit up. Someone had volunteered to be the guinea pig!
This solved their dilemma perfectly.
"That person looks familiar... Isn't that... Qin Zi?!"
"Qin Chuan's son?"
"That's right! I saw him during the martial tournament three years ago!"
Someone exclaimed in recognition.
Like a stone dropped into a calm pond, this revelation caused ripples throughout the crowd. Everyone was suddenly intrigued, curious about Qin Zi.
Of course, their interest stemmed largely from curiosity about Qin Chuan. Word had it that Qin Chuan was the strongest figure of this era, a ruthless man who had killed a revived god three years ago!
Even Qingxuan the Scattered Immortal, infamous in Xuanhuang Heaven for stirring up trouble, had retreated without a fight when faced with him. It was rumored he had suffered a great loss at Qin Chuan's hands—more than a loss, some said he'd been humiliated beyond belief, transforming into a literal troublemaker!
"Qin Zi?!"
At that moment, Elder Qingyang of the Qingye Tianzong narrowed his eyes, a fierce light flashing within.
Qin Zi was marked for death by the Qingye Tianzong's founder, Daoist Qingye, making him the sect's top fugitive.
Not long ago, Qingyang had been scouring the world for him.
"You little beast, I'll—"
Qingyang growled, about to strike Qin Zi with a fatal blow, when he was suddenly stopped.
"Elder Qingyang, now is not the time to kill him. We still need him to test the waters for us," said Beifeng the Great, stepping in front of Qingyang, holding up his giant beast with a playful smile.
Xuanyuzi, the elder with the unruly temper, also smiled and added, "If you kill my little guinea pig, I'll beat the crap out of you."
"Xuanyuzi! You're being disrespectful!"
Qingyang's face turned dark. Xuanyuzi's blatant insult had completely disregarded his dignity.
"Hehe, you want to fight?"
Xuanyuzi sneered coldly and said, "I've heard from Beifeng that you're quite formidable. But if you really want to challenge me, I'll be happy to show you what 'big and hot' truly means!"
Qingyang's face twitched, his complexion reddened in anger, but after a long moment, he could only spit out bitterly, "You... you're an uncouth brute!"
In truth, he couldn't beat Xuanyuzi.
With Qingyang's temper, had he been capable of winning, he would have left Xuanyuzi lying dead on the ground by now. The fact that he was talking it out showed that he had no choice.
"Heh..."
Xuanyuzi cast a sidelong glance at Qingyang, a sneer tugging at his lips, as if to say: "You don't want this smoke."
"Look! He's going in!"
Just then, someone called out, defusing the tense atmosphere.
All eyes turned toward the Forbidden Divine Mountain.
Buzzing!
As Qin Zi approached the mountain, the intense lightning covering its surface flickered wildly before suddenly pulling back.
Qin Zi passed through unharmed.
"Tsk, he went right in—so bold."
"Yeah, no protective measures at all, as if he's completely confident... Could it be that he's already married?"
"As expected of Qin Chuan's son."
People marveled at the sight, especially the modern-day powerhouses, who felt a strange sense of pride.
It seemed that Qin Chuan's strength hadn't fallen behind. He was merely lying low, biding his time for something bigger.
At this point, even the few powerful figures from the Nine Heavens with grudges against Qin Chuan had unknowingly started to respect him. After all, he represented their era and upheld their dignity.
As long as Qin Chuan remained invincible, it proved that the people of today were not inferior to those of the past!
"Let's go in as well."
Beifeng the Great spoke up, placing his giant beast on the ground, mounting it, and charging toward the Forbidden Divine Mountain.
He wasn't acting recklessly.
In fact, the moment Qin Zi entered, Beifeng had already discerned the secrets of the lightning, giving him confidence that he wouldn't encounter any danger.
Buzz!
His figure disappeared into the Forbidden Divine Mountain.
"Let's go!"
One after another, the other powerhouses followed, their figures flashing forward like locusts sweeping the land.
At that moment, Elder Qingyang's voice boomed out:
"Everyone, listen up! I'm officially putting a bounty on Qin Zi again! Whoever captures him will be rewarded with ten celestial artifacts, and... a personal favor from my sect's founder, Daoist Qingye!"
Boom!
This declaration was like a bombshell.
Many of those about to step into the Forbidden Divine Mountain stopped in their tracks, nearly stumbling in shock.
Their only thought was:
Is this for real?!
If true, they could hit the jackpot!
A favor from Daoist Qingye?!
While Daoist Qingye wasn't quite at the level of the top leaders of the Xuanhuang Heaven, he was still a prominent figure in his era, with a reputation that commanded respect.
A favor from Daoist Qingye could make someone's fortunes skyrocket!
"This is like manna from heaven."
"Qin Zi is mine!"
Many began gearing up, their hearts ablaze.
While they couldn't challenge Qin Chuan head-on, they believed they had a good chance of capturing Qin Zi in the chaos...