Chapter 1254: Dark Underflow

Book Title: Chapter One Thousand Two Hundred Fifty-Five – Hidden Currents

Yu Xian was youthful and beautiful, her hair fluttering around her. Her waist was so slender it seemed one could encircle it with a single hand, and her figure was tall and graceful. With skin like smooth, creamy jade and a sweet smile on her face, she drew the gaze of all the powerful figures present.

She was speaking with Ou Ye Mo, saying, "I saw a lingering shadow in the fiftieth zone, refining ancient weapons in front of the Ethereal Cave. That must have been you, Brother Ou Ye, right?"

Ou Ye Mo was robust and majestic, with temples streaked with white, yet he showed no signs of age. He exuded a sense of weathered experience that made him unforgettable at first sight. He simply nodded, remaining silent.

A refined scholar, dressed in a moon-white robe and holding a folding fan, sighed, "That demonic halberd is truly astonishing! It's as heavy as a mountain, crushing sacred bones and collapsing sacred tombs. Is its material dragon-patterned black gold?"

Clearly, this refined scholar named Luo Zhi was also a powerful individual; otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to enter the final zone and witness Ou Ye Mo refining weapons.

Everyone present changed color upon hearing this. Those capable of entering the central restricted area were naturally among the strongest individuals, and for Ou Ye Mo to possess such a weapon was truly terrifying beyond measure.

"I saw someone traverse ten zones. That was Miss Yu Xian, wasn't it?" Ou Ye Mo said.

This weathered man spoke for the first time. His voice possessed a cold magnetism, instantly conveying that he had lived through many "stories."

"What? She crossed ten zones alone? Fairy Yu Xian looks so delicate and sweet, but her physical body is this powerful?"

Many were shocked. This beautiful, elf-like young woman, whose smile could charm a city, was sweet and full of vitality, seemingly like a girl who hadn't fully grown up—yet she was incredibly powerful.

In just an instant, everyone shifted their attention from Ou Ye Mo's weapon and began focusing on this delicate yet extremely powerful young woman. She was definitely someone to be wary of.

On the other side, an even more tense atmosphere prevailed. Several individuals claimed to have seen a demon devouring the flesh and blood of living people, right there among the powerful figures.

"Miss Mu, did you engage in combat with that person? I seemed to witness an earth-shattering battle in the first zone," a cultivator asked.

Many people looked towards a stunning, aloof woman—Mu Guanghan.

She wasn't exquisitely beautiful, yet she possessed an otherworldly, transcendent aura, as if she floated above the mundane and didn't partake in worldly affairs. Even amidst a sea of people, she would instantly draw attention.

Mu Guanghan frowned and did not reply. Her expression made people certain that something of the sort had indeed occurred.

Secretly, some gazes converged on the brocade-clad young master from the Ancient Star Domain of the Human King, as some had witnessed him crossing zones, moving from the fifth into the first.

This created an unspoken sense of oppression. The parties involved remained silent and expressed no stance, yet an unseen force seemed to guide people's conjectures.

"On the Ancient Road of the Strongest Trial, what matters is strength," said the Ascetic Monk from the Amitabha Ancient Star Domain.

"Indeed, an invincible battle is ultimately necessary, but secretly, some people are trying to stir up numerous conflicts," someone echoed.

Boom! A torrent surged forth as thirteen mounts charged out. Each exuded an aura of blood essence vast as a sea and raged like a tide. Their iron hooves pounded the heavens and earth, causing this part of the universe to tremble.

The Thirteen Riders of Tianhuang appeared. Every one of them was incredibly powerful, one of the most formidable forces to contend with. Among their mounts alone were two or three sacred beasts.

Their leader, as always, was silent and cold, never seen to speak proactively. He wore no upper garment, his bronze skin glowing with a precious luster. The old wolf beneath him, with its vitality contained, inspired fear.

Beside him, the second in command wore azure-gold battle armor, his helmet covering his face and other features, with only a pair of eyes visible. The azure light from his eyes was intimidating, and a terrifying demonic nature was contained within him.

The azure dragon beneath him let out a mighty roar, its blood essence and sacred might surging forth simultaneously, startling many ancient beasts into chaos, almost causing them to collapse to the ground.

However, not a single cultivator dared to reprimand them, clearly unwilling to provoke the riders from the Tianhuang Ancient Star Domain. One person would be formidable enough, but there were thirteen of them—a group of formidable tiger-dragons!

"What a pity we didn't see him. Did he perish inside? Heh heh..." Old Twelve of the Thirteen Riders of Tianhuang laughed terribly.

"If he could escape from twenty-three powerful figures, he would be considered a significant individual. I'm just afraid he's already turned into mud," Old Thirteen said coldly.

In fact, not only were they concerned, but most people were also paying attention to the thirty-sixth zone, all eager to see the outcome and who would emerge alive.

The passage trembled, rumbling loudly as if a torrent was crashing in, shaking the firmament. A chilling murderous aura permeated the air.

People knew the individuals inside were emerging. It was the thundering hooves of mounts.

"It seems the person named Ye Fan has perished. Like a surging torrent of steel, these are the thundering hooves of a group of mounts. He has failed."

Feeling that terrifying vibration, as oppressive as a tsunami, many people showed strange expressions and inferred this outcome.

"The result for the thirty-sixth zone has been revealed, but why is the Junwei Mountain Lord from the thirty-seventh zone still nowhere to be seen? Could it be that he fought across zones and will ultimately emerge from the thirty-sixth zone?"

"That's true. We haven't seen anyone cross over from other zones yet."

People's gazes focused on the exit ahead.

"How uninteresting. He just died like that, nothing special. And he dared to be our enemy before. How ridiculous." One of the Thirteen Riders of Tianhuang shook his head indifferently.

Boom! A flash of fire surged out, followed by various electromagnetic lights. A dragon-horse tore through the sky, and one rider galloped out, carrying a wild, ancient aura, as if a thousand armies were arriving.

Everyone was shocked. Ultimately, only one person appeared, completely contrary to their conjectures.

"It's him, the person named Ye Fan! Only he came out alive!"

"The female Taoist nun... and all those powerful figures, did they all perish? Not a single one appeared!"

"Did he... slaughter everyone by himself? This result is incredible; he dismantled a terrifying killing formation."

Outside, many people showed expressions of astonishment, all somewhat disbelieving. Ye Fan appeared, alone on his horse, like a sweeping torrent across the starry sky.

Old Twelve of the Thirteen Riders of Tianhuang immediately shut his mouth, but the murderous intent in his eyes intensified. He stared coldly at the lone rider and horse.

All the powerful figures showed strange expressions. At this moment, everyone could see that this was an undeniably supreme peer expert, an absolute seed candidate.

This was an incredibly glorious battle record, a true testament to "meeting strength with strength"—facing so many opponents, yet emerging completely unscathed.

This made alarm bells ring in many people's hearts, causing them to list him as a dangerous figure due to his accumulated power. Even other seed candidates were watching in silent observation.

"Very strong," some of the twenty soldiers whispered to each other. The Grand Commander, riding a Celestial Wolf, merely nodded without speaking.

Because the Ancient Road of the Strongest never lacked geniuses; over the years, they had witnessed some incredible, heaven-defying existences.

"Huh, why is there still no movement from the thirty-seventh zone? No one has come out."

People noticed the anomaly. It was very quiet there; the Junwei Mountain Lord still hadn't appeared, a scene of complete silence.

Everyone's heart skipped a beat, and they all looked at Ye Fan. They saw him very calm, sitting steadily on his dragon-horse, gazing at the starry sky, seemingly unconcerned with these matters.

"Heavens, could it be that the Junwei Mountain Lord perished inside?"

"This... he actually didn't come out? He was said to be a very powerful figure, highly regarded by many. He couldn't even pass the First Human Pass?"

Initially, people were relatively calm, but as time passed and no one appeared, everyone understood that the Junwei Mountain Lord would not be appearing.

Many people also showed expressions of surprise. Could all of this have been done by the cultivator named Ye Fan? Did he cross zones and kill the Junwei Mountain Lord as well? Or did the Junwei Mountain Lord assist the middle-aged Taoist nun, enter the thirty-sixth zone, and thus get killed by Ye Fan?

The Grand Commander, one of the three great masters under the Emissary of Reception, took out an iron token, shook it towards the firmament, and it emitted a soft sacred radiance that covered the Perished Saint Island. After a period of time, he withdrew the token and announced, "Everyone who is alive has emerged. This trial is over."

When the dust settled, the Junwei Mountain Lord had indeed perished there, sparking much discussion and strange expressions as people stared at Ye Fan.

Many people found him too fierce. He alone had killed nearly thirty people, all of whom were powerful figures who had embarked on the ancient starry road—none were ordinary individuals.

"A total of three hundred sixty-three people survived. Let's set off," said the Grand Commander of the First Human Pass. This time, the focus was primarily on comprehending the Great Dao, not on battles between powerful figures. Furthermore, people had intentionally dispersed into forty-nine zones, minimizing conflicts. Yet even so, more than seventy individuals still lost their lives, demonstrating the cruelty of the trial road.

This was only the beginning. If it continued like this, when the true battles among the powerful figures occurred, it was estimated that few would survive. Many people's expressions changed.

"A total of more than seventy people perished, and the cultivator named Ye Fan alone killed twenty-eight powerful figures. This is truly terrifying!"

A group of people all looked at Ye Fan. He was a silent killer, truly difficult to provoke. Many listed him as a formidable enemy, yet they also harbored reservations, feeling it was best to avoid conflict for now unless absolutely necessary.

Of course, not everyone was apprehensive; the most powerful individuals remained calm. The Thirteen Riders of Tianhuang were even more indifferent, and the undisguised hostility of Old Thirteen and Old Twelve suggested that a slaughter would soon occur.

A sacrificial altar appeared in the void, with various patterns interwoven. Over three hundred people boarded the ancient teleportation array, and then a bright divine radiance flared, signaling their departure to traverse the universe.

The First Human Pass was very peaceful. Its streets were bustling with people, prosperous and lively. Returning there again, everyone felt a different sensation.

"Congratulations to everyone; you have taken the first step towards success. In a few more days, you will depart to embark on the most glorious journey. Please cherish your last moments in the First City of Humanity." The Grand Commander offered these words of encouragement, then dismissed the powerful figures.

"Brother Ye, it's great that you returned safely!" Rui Wei, from the depleted Heavenly Domain's small world, stepped forward and said happily. He had once offered to accompany Ye Fan into the thirty-sixth zone to lend him a hand but had been refused. Now, he stepped forward to offer congratulations.

"This is just the beginning; it's too early for congratulations," Ye Fan said with a smile.

"A good start is half the battle won. Brother Ye, how about I invite you for a drink?" a delightful voice asked. Yu Xian glided gracefully over, her luminous white cheeks, sweet smile, and glistening pearly teeth making her charming and captivating.

On the other side, the Thirteen Riders of Tianhuang surrounded them. One of them spoke, saying, "Pardon me, Miss Yu Xian, may we interrupt for a moment? We need to commandeer this person for a quarter of an hour. May we?"

Yu Xian smiled, her skirt fluttering as she stood like a divine maiden on the surface of a lake, indescribably beautiful and captivating. She said, "You shouldn't ask me. You should ask Brother Ye instead."

"Brother Ye, let's go," Old Twelve of the Thirteen Riders of Tianhuang stepped forward indifferently and said with an unchallengeable tone.

Ye Fan glanced at them and said, "Sorry, I like beautiful women. I'm not interested in you."