Just as the cultivator surnamed Sun had taken his position in the air above the lake, a figure let out a soft laugh and also flew towards the center of the lake. In the next moment, a book-boy with a bamboo basket on his back stood there, grinning. He then swept his eyes over the crowd and simultaneously put some distance between himself and the other two.
"It really is him..." Immediately, many people below muttered in low voices, their expressions difficult to read.
Duan Weiran and the cultivator surnamed Sun, who were also standing in the air, looked at the book-boy. However, after just one glance, Duan Weiran lowered his eyes again, seemingly lost in his own thoughts once more.
The cultivator surnamed Sun, however, had a sharp glint flash in his eyes. His black robe fluttered without any wind, but he too eventually looked away and said nothing.
In truth, the black-robed cultivator surnamed Sun was extremely displeased. None of the Great Perfection Foundation Establishment cultivators had gone up, yet this person, a mere mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, was so audacious. The cultivation world placed even greater importance on seniority, realm, and qualifications than the mortal world, and the rules were extremely strict. Often, a single unintentional act could bring about a fatal disaster. However, the cultivator surnamed Sun was extremely wary of the person behind the book-boy. So, despite his displeasure, he did not dare to act recklessly here.
It wasn't just the cultivator surnamed Sun who felt this way. Although none of the cultivators below showed any displeasure, who could know what they were thinking in their hearts? Those who could come to the Northern Abyss Demon-Suppressing Pagoda for training were either worldly-wise veterans or prominent figures from major sects. Every single one was shrewd and would never be foolish enough to let their dissatisfaction show on their faces. Who knew if that terrifying middle-aged scholar was watching from the shadows?
Soon, everyone's attention shifted to the others. Amidst some discussion, figures flew towards the center of the lake one after another. In just a few moments, the outcome was exactly as Li Yan had predicted. By the lakeside, only he and the five-person team remained. Those who had flown away didn't even spare them a glance.
Although the five-person team had been sitting cross-legged in meditation, as the yellow light in the center of the lake grew brighter and the number of people around them dwindled, a few of them still opened their eyes. This was especially true for the two late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators at the front. Unresigned, they stared at the yellow glow in the center of the lake.
Li Yan was also observing the people in the center of the lake, trying to decide who to approach. But he did not relax his vigilance of the surroundings.
Seeing the look in the eyes of the two late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators as they stared at a certain spot in the lake's center, Li Yan laughed softly to himself. 'Still not resigned!' Cultivators valued not only cultivation but also face. Not only face but also opportunities. For those who could enter the Northern Abyss Demon-Suppressing Pagoda, it wasn't like the monks of the Jingtu Sect, who could enter whenever their cultivation was sufficient. Having come this far, of course, everyone wanted to enter the palace at the first opportunity.
The two late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators on the shore were looking at a small team of only two people: one at the Great Perfection of Foundation Establishment and one at the initial-stage of Foundation Establishment. With this disparity in overall strength, and as the palace gate rose from the lake, it seemed to ignite the unwillingness of the remaining cultivators.
But this was all just unwillingness. Even if they challenged and defeated their opponents, what then? Only two of them could enter. How would the remaining three be arranged? Who would be willing to fight those two cultivators just to pave the way for others?
Li Yan likewise focused his attention on the twelve people in the field, searching for a suitable target. Apart from the two-person team, there were two other teams: one with three people and one with four. The three-person team consisted of two Great Perfection Foundation Establishment cultivators and one late-stage cultivator. This team was clearly the strongest force here, aside from the two Pseudo-Core masters.
The leader of the four-person team was only a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, but the remaining three were all at the mid-stage. Their overall strength was also quite formidable.
The two Pseudo-Core cultivators were out of the question. With his current arts, abilities, and the Qiongqi Purgatory Art, Li Yan dared to clash even with an initial-stage Golden Core cultivator, let alone a Pseudo-Core one. Even so, Li Yan did not want to fight a Pseudo-Core cultivator. It wasn't worth it for a mere spot.
As for the book-boy, it was estimated that no one here dared to provoke him for the time being, so Li Yan automatically ignored him as well. The two-person team was also dismissed by Li Yan. His final target was locked on the four-person team. If they were sensible, they would either give up a spot, or he would fight them until they left.
At this time, the golden light in the center of the lake began to grow dazzling. A golden gate, halfway emerged, bathed the entire lake surface in a brilliant golden light. Even the distant maple forest flickered between red, black, and yellow.
Seeing that it was about time, Li Yan's figure leaped and soared towards the center of the lake. He did not try to hide his movements, so the moment he took to the air, the sound of his robes cutting through the wind was sensed by everyone here. Some looked on in astonishment, while most, after a brief pause, let out low, derisive laughs.
They didn't know why Li Yan had come, but his purpose was obvious. Yet no one moved. They all wanted to see who this mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator was targeting with such audacity.
The moment Li Yan's figure appeared in the center of the lake, a cold, sinister voice rang out, "Scram!"
As the voice sounded, a chilling wind seemed to sweep across the several-hundred-zhang area. Those with lower cultivation couldn't help but shiver. Li Yan was also taken aback. He had been about to negotiate with the leader of the four-person team for a spot when a voice came from another direction.
Although Li Yan was cautious and disliked trouble, he was not one to fear it. His face darkened, and his eyes turned to fix coldly on one person—the Pseudo-Core cultivator surnamed Sun who had arrived earlier.
As Li Yan's face grew cold, he didn't pause for a moment. He turned and walked towards the cultivator surnamed Sun, his aura turning frigid.
Ever since the book-boy had come up third, the Pseudo-Core cultivator surnamed Sun had been in a foul mood. Although he could have beaten or killed all the people who came after, the mysterious middle-aged scholar was a great stone weighing on his heart, so he dared not act rashly, forcing him to bottle up his anger.
He planned that if the middle-aged scholar didn't enter the palace later, he would find a chance to kill the book-boy inside. The cultivator surnamed Sun was a narrow-minded person by nature, especially resentful of others' good fortune. He was prone to killing sprees; even mortals were not safe from him when he was slightly displeased. It was just that killing mortals would incur the public wrath of the cultivation world, so he did it with extreme secrecy.
Just as the cultivator surnamed Sun was seething with jealousy over the book-boy's powerful backer, feeling that even his own master was inferior, and was plotting what methods to use to torture and kill the book-boy, to make him beg for mercy like a dog stripped of all pride before death, Li Yan flew over.
Seeing a mere mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator flying over so audaciously, the cultivator surnamed Sun's killing intent finally boiled over. But still wary of the unknown middle-aged scholar in the darkness, he suppressed his anger and did not attack immediately. He just coldly berated Li Yan to vent some of his pent-up frustration.
This shout from the cultivator surnamed Sun immediately drew everyone's attention, which made him let out a breath of relief, feeling a moment of satisfaction as if he had found a temporary outlet. His face, however, grew even more sinister.
But to his surprise, the mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, after hearing his words, not only did not scurry away in disgrace but turned and walked towards him.
The gazes of everyone else were also filled with astonishment. When Li Yan had flown over just now, many of them had already felt contempt. What could he possibly do by flying over at this time?
"This person truly does not know death." This was what many people were thinking. Then they heard a Pseudo-Core cultivator berating Li Yan. Some watched quietly, while others reveled in his misfortune. The book-boy, Bu Luo, had a smirk on his face.
'The Young Master said this person is quite formidable. This cultivator surnamed Sun... if I don't use a high-powered magical treasure, I won't be able to contend with him either. Let's see how this young man handles it.'
The only one here not paying attention to Li Yan was Duan Weiran. He had only glanced up when Li Yan flew over, then continued to lower his head and stare at the lake, as if all matters were separate from him.
"Scram? Why don't you scram for me to see? Or how about you take your head off and let it roll around here for a bit!" Li Yan, his face cold, walked step by step towards the cultivator surnamed Sun, his voice seeming to come from the nine hells.
Then Li Yan stopped less than fifty feet in front of him, staring unblinkingly at the cultivator surnamed Sun.
The air froze in an instant. The faces of everyone present showed stunned expressions. Even Duan Weiran, who had been looking down, raised his head again, a strange light in his eyes.
"You're courting death!" Suddenly, a furious roar erupted in the field. The cultivator surnamed Sun finally reacted, his anger no longer suppressible. A towering killing intent filled the air. In the next moment, everyone felt the water of the entire lake ripple uncontrollably as a figure, like a monstrous eagle in the night, swooped towards Li Yan.
In his fury, the cultivator surnamed Sun's momentum was even more ferocious. He wanted to kill this audacious brat in one move, so he intended to use the cruelest method to tear Li Yan apart limb from limb. He wanted everyone present to fear him.
"'Ghost Eagle Black Lotus' is indeed formidable!" As the cultivator surnamed Sun roared, a barely audible voice murmured, but it was drowned out by the roar, and no one heard it. Duan Weiran watched the figure moving like a thunderbolt, seemingly lost in thought.
The voice had just sounded when the black shadow was already hovering above Li Yan's head. The cultivator surnamed Sun's hands were like claws, with black qi swirling from his arms to his fingertips. Under the golden glow from the lake, it pulsed and writhed like strange, dark insects, a truly horrifying sight. One of Sun's hands grabbed for Li Yan's head, the other for his neck.
He intended to twist Li Yan's head off in one go. Since Li Yan had told him to take his head off and roll it like a ball, he would make it so for Li Yan.
Just as the cultivator surnamed Sun's figure erupted, Li Yan simultaneously took a diagonal step to the side, as if to evade the fierce attack. But the cultivator surnamed Sun's Pseudo-Core cultivation flared again. With a "boom," Li Yan had only taken half a step when his foot seemed to kick an iron plate, forcefully halting his movement.
"It's a spirit power cage! Fellow Daoist Sun has already cultivated his spirit power to a semi-solid state. He can directly trap a person firmly!" At the same time, someone in the crowd cried out in alarm.
When spirit power could solidify from a liquid state, it was a sign that one could begin preparing to form a Golden Core. Once successful, one would become a genuine Golden Core cultivator. The Pseudo-Core Realm was a preparatory stage for this, a process of constantly tempering the spirit power within the body until it was all materialized.
This cultivator surnamed Sun had already solidified half of his spirit power, which showed he was not far from forming a Golden Core. No wonder everyone was surprised. It was well known that the initial stage of solidifying spirit power from liquid was the most difficult, a process of creating something from nothing. Once successful, the rest became much easier and faster.
"This brat is finished!"
This was what everyone thought.