Chapter 075: The Battle Begins!

  The crowd thinned rapidly. Li Hongtao, who had just been basking in the momentum he had created, now watched as his influence dwindled, his expression darkening.

  Fewer than thirty people remained in the hall, most of whom were sitting at a distance, waiting to take advantage of the chaos. However, their strength was formidable, and among them were several top-tier figures from major factions.

  "I hope that guy doesn't join in..." Yang Tian's gaze swept across the hall, lingering on the black-clad youth. Of everyone present, this young man was the one Yang Tian found most inscrutable.

  The black-clad youth seemed to sense Yang Tian's gaze and opened his eyes, offering a friendly smile before closing them again and resuming his meditation.

  "Shan Qu, when the fight starts, focus on taking out the weaker ones. Shoot to kill," Xing Hao whispered, his eyes filled with ferocity.

  "Don't worry, Brother Hao. I love shooting from the shadows," Shan Qu replied excitedly, patting his large bow.

  "Yang Tian, if you hand over the Star Pills, we can let bygones be bygones. Otherwise..." Li Hongtao stepped forward, a sly smile on his face. Despite his bravado, he was clearly wary of Yang Tian and his companions.

  "Star Pills!" At these words, dozens of greedy eyes turned toward Yang Tian's group. Star Pills, though long extinct, were legendary for their effects.

  "What? Do you believe him too?" Yang Tian turned to the opportunistic onlookers, spreading his hands with a faint smile.

  His words caused many to reconsider. Yang Tian's group was too powerful to provoke lightly.

  Seeing the crowd's hesitation, Li Hongtao's expression darkened. "Dare you let us inspect your spatial rings?" he sneered.

  "Haha, you idiot. You're really out of your mind," Xing Hao jeered, looking at Li Hongtao as if he were a fool. A cultivator's spatial ring was their second life. No one would be foolish enough to let others inspect it.

  "Bastard!" Li Hongtao clenched his fists, his face twisted with anger. "Whether you believe me or not, I, Li Hongtao, swear that if they don't have the Star Pills, I will never step into the Martial Warrior realm in this lifetime!"

  His venomous oath shocked many. For someone from an ancient family like Li Hongtao, being unable to advance to the Martial Warrior realm would be a fate worse than death.

  "It seems he's dead set on killing me," Yang Tian thought, a cold glint in his eyes. His disdain for the Li family grew even stronger.

  "It looks like he really does have the Star Pills," a few people murmured, their eyes gleaming with greed. They knew Li Hongtao well enough to understand that he wouldn't gamble his future unless he was certain.

  "This is going to be interesting," Yuan Ling, sitting cross-legged at the back, muttered to himself. The allure of the Star Pills was undeniable, and even he felt a twinge of desire.

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  "Yang Tian, share the Star Pills with me, and I'll leave immediately. I won't interfere in your affairs," one of the onlookers, confident in his strength, stepped forward with a faint smile.

  Seeing this, others began to rise as well.

  "Brother Yang, that's Shi Kun. He's slightly weaker than Huang Li, but he's quite famous," Xing Hao said, a hint of amusement in his voice.

  "If you want the Star Pills, prove you're worthy," Yang Tian replied nonchalantly, smiling. Now was the time to make an example.

  "Arrogant!" Shi Kun's smile vanished, replaced by a cold glare. As a disciple of a major family, being questioned about his worth was unacceptable.

  "Boom!" Shi Kun stomped the ground, darting toward Yang Tian with a palm strike aimed at his head, his vital energy surging.

  As the strike approached, Yang Tian stood motionless, as if frozen. Many in the crowd closed their eyes, unwilling to witness the bloody scene that seemed inevitable.

  "Thud..." A low, muffled sound echoed as Yang Tian's hand shot out like lightning, catching Shi Kun's fist mid-air. Shi Kun's expression froze, replaced by a flicker of fear.

  "Such powerful physical strength!" The onlookers were astonished. Yang Tian had stopped a half-step Martial Warrior's attack with pure physical force.

  "I told you, you're not worthy," Yang Tian said with a smile. Suddenly, his vital energy erupted like a storm, crashing into Shi Kun's body. With a powerful push, Yang Tian sent Shi Kun flying.

  "Crack! Crack!" The sound of bones breaking echoed as Shi Kun's body hurtled through the air, crashing into the stone wall behind him.

  "Ugh..." Shi Kun lay on the ground, trembling as he spat out mouthfuls of blood. His face turned pale, and one of his arms hung limply, nearly useless.

  "Ruthless," many murmured, their greed fading. Yang Tian's strength was too overwhelming. No treasure was worth risking their lives.

  "Incredible," the black-clad youth, who had been watching the fight closely, murmured, a flicker of surprise in his eyes.

  "How is this little beast so strong? How is this possible?" Li Hongtao and his group were in disbelief. Yang Tian had just crippled Shi Kun with ease.

  "Are you all scared now?" Seeing the situation turning against him, Murong Jie stepped forward and shouted, "This place is filled with killing arrays. You all know which ancient sect this is, don't you? If we can't get the inheritance, let's make sure it stays here forever. If anything goes wrong, I'll take responsibility."

  "The Array Sect," many whispered, finally realizing the truth. Only the Array Sect could have created so many killing arrays. If the Thundercloud Sect obtained its inheritance, the balance of power in the Eastern Continent would shift dramatically.

  "What a cunning move," Xing Hao's face turned cold, a murderous glint in his eyes. Most people didn't want to antagonize the Thundercloud Sect, but Murong Jie's words had changed the game.

  "Brother Xing Hao, I'm afraid you can't take the Array Sect's inheritance with you," many sided with Murong Jie, including disciples from other ancient families and sects with grudges against the Thundercloud Sect.

  "Haha," Murong Jie chuckled, turning around with a sinister smile. "Attack!"

  "Whoosh! Whoosh!" Over a dozen figures lunged forward, their vital energy surging as they launched attacks toward Yang Tian and his companions.

  "Seal!" Suddenly, Yang Tian roared. A river of vital energy surged above his head, accompanied by the sound of thunderous drums. The space around them trembled as the attackers were momentarily immobilized.

  "So it's true. He's manifested two phenomena," Yuan Ling murmured from a distance, his expression one of awe.

  "How is this possible?" The black-clad youth's face showed a mix of shock and excitement.

  "Attack!" Yang Tian's cold smile widened as he unleashed a barrage of punches, sending the nearest attackers flying.

  "Not good!" Several powerful figures broke free from the immobilization, but many others were not so lucky.

  "Twang! Twang!" The bowstring hummed as Shan Qu fired several purple arrows, their trajectories tearing through the air with terrifying force.

  "Clang! Clang!" Sword lights filled the air as Xing Hao's blade danced, sending hundreds of sword energies slicing through the crowd. Screams of pain followed.

  "What kind of martial skill is this?!" Yuan Ling exclaimed. The ability to momentarily seal space, even for an instant, was a devastating weapon. Even the black-clad youth looked visibly shaken.