"Swish, swish!"

With his sword flashing like lightning, Chen Xiao advanced upon the two powerful adversaries from the Da Shang Royal Family before they could react, leaving them scrambling to evade his fierce attack...

However, in the next second, the sword in their hands was knocked away by a tremendous force.

A cold light flickered.

Chen Xiao swiftly and cleanly slit their throats with a single stroke.

The two collapsed powerlessly...

Chen Xiao quickly stripped them clean and strode off.

The entire sequence unfolded seamlessly, without the slightest hitch.

The crowd watched in stunned silence.

Who was the real bandit, indeed?

Moreover, was it even possible that two Half-step Transcendent experts could be dispatched so easily?

It was simply ridiculous; this young man wasn’t a lamb but a terrifying force!

Their eyes brimmed with awe, daring not to provoke Chen Xiao and could only watch him leave silently...

Two to three hours later.

Chen Xiao finally returned to the free trading zone.

Seeing his return, Zi Yuan and Xiyue, among others, breathed a silent sigh of relief.

Chen Xiao chuckled, "It seems the Tianyuan Ancient Sect hasn’t opened yet; everyone is still here."

"What did you do?" Zi Yuan asked, "You’ve been gone for two days."

"Just took care of some matters," Chen Xiao remarked with a faint smile.

An elder from the Great Zhou Imperial Family spoke, "Just now, there was a mysterious phenomenon over there; we were just about to go investigate, but didn’t expect Young Master Chen to return so soon."

Upon hearing this, Chen Xiao smiled calmly, "That mysterious phenomenon was nothing but a decoy; the Fire Domain inside is indeed barren, not much opportunity."

"Furthermore, ordinary people can’t even get inside."

"The Purple Fire can corrode Spiritual Power; only a powerful physique can venture deeper inside, and there’s nothing worth exploring there, as any Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures would struggle to survive in such an environment."

Chen Xiao’s words were sincere, for only he could penetrate the depths of the Fire Domain, and only Chen Xiao, who cultivated the Mysterious Yang Body, could withstand such destructive power, even managing to complete a cycle of Body Refining in the process!

Upon hearing this, the eyes of the others trembled slightly.

Since Chen Xiao said so, there was likely no opportunity inside.

Zi Yuan spoke, "Based on previous experiences of people entering the Tianyuan Secret Realm, the ruins of the Tianyuan Ancient Sect should emerge in the next day or two, after all, we’ve been in the Tianyuan Secret Realm for several days now."

Just as she finished speaking, an elder from the Xuantian Sect hurriedly rushed in from outside.

"Lady Zi Yuan, the latest news has come out, the ruins of the Tianyuan Ancient Sect have appeared!"

This statement drew the attention of everyone.

Zi Yuan slightly squinted her eyes, "Are you sure?"

"Very sure! Someone saw the emergence of the ancient sect ruins a thousand miles away in the northwest!"

Every time the Tianyuan Secret Realm opens, the ruins of the Tianyuan Ancient Sect do not appear in a fixed location but are randomly scattered within the secret realm, changing location each time.

Therefore, only when it naturally appears can people discover it.

Upon hearing this, Zi Yuan and the others quickly said, "If the news is genuine, we should head over now."

The Emperor’s daughter of Xiyue also quickly said, "There’s no time to delay!"

Chen Xiao let out a bitter smile—there was no time to rest, and they already had to head to the ancient sect ruins.

But...

To obtain the Netherworld Grass, he dared not delay, as it concerned the significant matter of restoring Xuan Daozi!

Everyone swiftly geared up for departure and set out.

And not just them; upon the release of this latest news, almost all the martial artists in the ancient city rushed frantically toward the location of the Tianyuan Ancient Sect!

Compared to the opportunities within the ruins of the Tianyuan Ancient Sect, other opportunities could only be considered minor skirmishes.

Watching the massive scene, Chen Xiao couldn’t help but be somewhat wide-eyed.

It was madness!

They raced onwards with lightning speed toward their destination.

Two to three hours later.

After hastily making headway, Chen Xiao also saw the looming ruins of the ancient sect in the distance—a large stretch of broken palaces appearing within his vision...

These continuous halls seemed both far in the sky and near to him, within a special space, creating such an illusion.

Approaching the destination, Chen Xiao’s eyes also squinted slightly.

Following the news of the impending opening of the ruins, almost all martial artists within the Tianyuan Secret Realm had gathered, surrounded by densely packed crowds gazing with fervent eyes at the ancient sect ruins.

These ancient sect ruins were indeed a strong temptation for them!

After all, many who emerged from the Tianyuan Secret Realm saw their strength drastically increase, even becoming top-tier experts in the Outer Domain.

It was their chance to change destiny!

"Since the ruins of the Tianyuan Ancient Sect have not fully opened, we can only wait patiently!" The Emperor’s daughter Xiyue’s gaze also fell upon the stretch of palaces ahead as she spoke.

A special law-like power formed a barrier around the ruins of the Tianyuan Ancient Sect, impossible to break through with their strength.

So all they could do was wait.

Chen Xiao swept his gaze over, noticing even more experts entering the Tianyuan Ancient Sect than they imagined, including many Half-step Sky Realm individuals!

After all, many had their own opportunities within.

Some even chose to find a spot to break through immediately upon entering the Tianyuan Secret Realm, to first elevate their strength to ensure personal security before emerging.

However, these people were mostly loose cultivators.

Very low-key.

Apparently, entering the Tianyuan Secret Realm, the greatest threat wasn’t from the Three Ancient Royal Families or forces like the Xuantian Sect; these loose cultivators were also not to be underestimated!

However, these loose cultivators generally didn’t want to provoke these large forces, fearing retribution upon leaving the secret realm, so they chose to protect their own interests.

Afterward, Chen Xiao and his group waited silently.

Meanwhile, in a secluded spot within the Tianyuan Secret Realm.

A figure emerged from a pool tainted with blood—a young man exuding violent aura, with eyes full of intense hatred and an air of unyielding killing intent.

This was none other than the Saint Xia who had previously fled under Chen Xiao’s eyes.

"Chen Xiao, Xuantian Sect, Great Zhou Imperial Family! This time, I swear you will pay a painful price!"

Saint Xia’s eyes were vicious, "I will use your blood to serve as a sacrifice for those martial artists of the Da Xia Royal Family!"

After escaping from the Spirit King’s Ancient Tomb, he had sustained severe injuries, nearly perishing. Unexpectedly, in his desperate attempt to evade pursuit, he stumbled upon this Jiao Long Blood Pool, turning misfortune into fortune. Absorbing the energies within, he not only fully recovered but also successfully broke through to the Half-step Sky Realm!

He felt confident that with such cultivation, he was more than capable of crushing Chen Xiao and his group.