Chapter 61 - 59: Meeting Tang Yan Again, Chaotic Killing Intent

Chapter 61: Chapter 59: Meeting Tang Yan Again, Chaotic Killing Intent

As the Qin Family’s Fifth Camp was targeted, the numerous talented youths from Qin City aboard the ark also noticed something amiss. Nearly two hundred of them turned their heads, their senses tingling as they peered in a specific direction.

"Oh no, we’re being watched," someone muttered.

"It’s the ark Celestial City provided to the Lin Family. That’s Lin Tai and Lin Chen!"

When they clearly saw the two figures standing at the prow of the opposing ark, the color drained from everyone’s faces.

Amidst the massive fleet of arks crossing the void, a vessel engraved with the character for ’Lin’ was slowly closing in, tailing them closely. The Lin Family experts aboard locked their gazes onto the Qin Family youths, their terrifying auras sweeping across the void. The two peerless figures at the forefront, in particular, made the hearts of the Fifth Camp’s youths clench in fear.

Lin Tai, one of the Lin Family’s top ten peerless geniuses, boasted a cultivation at Unity Realm Perfection. Lin Chen was even stronger, having reached the Peak of Unity Realm. The appearance of these two was undoubtedly a heavy blow to their morale.

On the Qin Family’s ark, Qin Xiangyuan also sensed the approaching threat, though a dismissive smile played on her lips.

"Brother Qin Fan, it seems someone has their eyes on us," she said.

At her words, Qin Xiangying and Qin Ye followed her gaze, their brows knitting tightly together.

"It’s the Lin Family’s genius camp, led by Lin Tai and Lin Chen," Qin Ye said, his eyes narrowing.

A cold glint flashed across Qin Xiangying’s beautiful face. "We haven’t even reached the ancient ruins yet, and they’re already this impatient? The Lin Family is too eager."

It was well-known that the Lin and Qin families had deep-seated grievances. They were sworn enemies, having fought for hundreds of years in a bitter blood feud that would only end in death. For the Fifth Camp to be targeted by a Lin Family genius team right after leaving the Celestial City’s Earth Realm was undoubtedly terrible news.

For a moment, the youths in the Fifth Camp breathed heavily, their tension reaching a boiling point. Everyone knew exactly what it meant to be hunted by this Lin Race genius team.

"Everyone better mentally prepare yourselves. Once we enter the ancient ruins, a bloodbath with the Lin Family is inevitable," one Cultivator warned.

"Brothers and sisters, make sure you stick close to Fairy Qin and Young Master Qin Ye after we go in," another urged. "Be ready to fight for your lives."

"Remember, we only stand a chance of surviving if we withstand their first wave of attacks," chimed in a third. "If we fail to hold them off, even the greatest serendipities later on won’t matter to us."

Many Cultivators from the various clans of Qin City began instructing their younger peers. Evidently, they had all learned about the cruel nature of the genius hegemony from their elders.

Before entering the ancient ruins, the younger generation of the various factions would still exercise restraint. But the moment they stepped inside, it would become a fight to the death. Both sides would cast aside all holding back and viciously slaughter their enemies. After all, if they could eliminate their rivals before any fortuitous encounters were claimed, no one would wait for their enemies to grow stronger before clashing.

When the time came, the Lin Family would desperately hunt down the Qin City Cultivators, and the Qin City group would relentlessly slaughter all enemies to decimate their opposing numbers. The fewer enemies that entered the ruins, the fewer rival geniuses would rise. It was a zero-sum game that everyone understood perfectly.

However, seeing that only their camp was being targeted, many youths grumbled, not even bothering to hide their complaints.

"It’s all because a certain someone lacks self-awareness," someone complained. "He doesn’t have the strength, yet insists on acting as a leader, giving the Lin Family an opportunity to strike."

"Exactly," another agreed. "We’re just unlucky to be assigned to the Fifth Camp. If we were in any other camp, we wouldn’t be in this mess."

"This Lin Family genius team must have noticed that we only have Fairy Qin holding the fort. That’s why they locked onto us."

"Damn it. If Young Master Qin Yi or any of the others were with us, Lin Tai wouldn’t dare target the Fifth Camp even if he had ten times the courage!"

"Following this piece of trash is going to get us killed."

Countless Cultivators in the Fifth Camp whispered among themselves, glaring at the figure in white with unbridled resentment. Fortunately, they still had Qin Ye and Qin Xiangying. At the very least, if the two joined forces, they could stall either Lin Tai or Lin Chen.

Compared to these proud sons and daughters of Qin City, Qin Xiangying appeared incredibly calm. She was the only one who knew that the Fifth Camp was actually the Qin Family’s most terrifying genius team—because Qin Fan was among them. Although Brother Qin Fan did not have the highest cultivation among the top ten peerless geniuses of the Qin Family, his mastery in the Sword Dao was undeniably the most terrifying.

Jiang Hao naturally noticed Lin Tai and Lin Chen on the Lin Family’s ark, and a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes.

"It’s him?" Jiang Hao thought to himself. He recognized Lin Tai—this was none other than the youth who had ambushed him in Celestial City three days ago.

However, Jiang Hao kept silent. Even though he recognized the other party, Lin Tai didn’t seem to notice him. After all, a Cultivator at the Unity Realm Second Layer was simply too inconspicuous within this Qin Family genius team.

Time slowly ticked by. Half a month passed in the blink of an eye.

"The opening site for the ancient ruins is just ahead. Children, it’s all up to you now," a Qin Family Elder suddenly announced.

Everyone raised their heads to look. The sight was breathtaking. Above the endless mountain range ahead, an overwhelming swarm of arks had already descended upon that realm. Moreover, countless Flying Magical Artifacts were continuously gathering from all directions.

Evidently, the Cultivators entering these ancient ruins were not just the geniuses from the Celestial City Earth Realm. Talents from dozens of surrounding Earth Realms had all congregated here. This would be the first battlefield in their struggle for hegemony.

"Is that the entrance to the ancient ruins?"

"What a terrifying fluctuation of aura."

Many youths stared in sheer awe at the curtain of light situated at the far end of the vast fleet of arks. At the edge of the sprawling mountains, a dazzling barrier of light stretched between heaven and earth, blocking the path of the sky-covering fleet. Everyone knew that behind that barrier lay the so-called ancient ruins.

During the journey, the Qin Family’s escorting experts had recounted the origins of this ancient ruin to Jiang Hao and the others. Legend had it that behind the light barrier rested an ancient Dynasty lost to the world. Although it was now devoid of life, it left behind endless inheritances and cultivation resources. Every ancient ruin had accumulated an unimaginable amount of Spiritual Qi. Some ruins that hadn’t been opened in eons had even spawned quite a few Spiritual Pools. That was where these geniuses of the Cultivation Realm would truly rise to power.

As the Qin Family’s arks slowly merged into the main fleet, their five teams were deliberately scattered, disappearing from each other’s sight.

Only at this moment did Jiang Hao and the others truly grasp the terrifying scale of the genius hegemony. This single ancient ruin had attracted a vast ocean of the new generation’s proud sons and daughters. It was hard to fathom just how many cultivation prodigies had been born across the entire Celestial Martial Continent.

Looking at the densely packed warships and arks, even someone as strong as Qin Ye felt an unprecedented sense of unease. There were simply too many people. Although countless genius teams from surrounding Earth Realms had arrived, they all had to wait patiently since the ancient ruins had not yet fully opened.

Time continued to fly by. Another half a month passed. The number of young Cultivators gathered in this realm had reached astronomical proportions.

Then, at a specific moment, a massive RUMBLE shattered the tranquility of the realm as the entire light barrier violently trembled.

"It’s opening! The ancient ruins are opening!"

Instantly, countless youths looked up, the crowd erupting into a frenzy.

At the same time, the older generation barked out urgent orders. "Everyone, prepare to enter the ancient ruins!"

BOOM! Suddenly, countless experts furiously channeled their cultivation, pushing the arks and warships forward to personally send their descendants into the light barrier.

Endless Arks tore through the void, soaring toward the barrier. They blotted out the sky and covered the sun—countless in number, like a torrent of steel.

"Children, remember to come back alive!" Within the surging tide, the Qin Family experts worked together to push Jiang Hao’s ark forward, shouting their final warnings.

Because of the light barrier, the older generation could not enter. Only junior Cultivators below the Spirit Transformation Realm could delve into the ancient ruins. Thus, the experts from the various Earth Realms could only stop outside. The only thing they could do was pray for their descendants—pray that they wouldn’t perish inside.

Accompanied by the deafening roars, Jiang Hao and the others embarked on the cruel path of hegemony belonging to their era.

Meanwhile, as the arks crossed the void, a voice rang out. "Keep up with them! Listen to me, everyone! Once we enter the ancient ruins, wipe out this Qin Family team at all costs! Do not let a single one of them live to reach the inner depths of the ruins!"

Lin Tai stared at the ark carrying Qin Xiangyuan and the others, a sinister sneer forming on his lips. To him, the youths on the Qin Family’s ark were nothing more than lambs waiting to be slaughtered. Behind him, hundreds of proud sons and daughters of the Lin Race slowly drew their longswords. They were ready for the bloodbath, determined to annihilate this Qin Family genius team on their way into the depths of the ruins.

The people on the Qin Family’s ark were entirely fearless. Their murderous intent billowed to the heavens as they stood in tight battle formation.

Even before the vast army of geniuses had entered the light barrier, the overwhelming killing intent in the air was already thick enough to cut with a knife. It wasn’t just the Qin Family and the Lin Family. Almost all rival factions locked in blood feuds were biding their time. An earth-shattering chaos was brewing as the winds of war surged.

This spelled disaster for the teams from weaker Earth Realms, especially those camps that lacked both numbers and strength. For example, within the torrent of steel, on a rather dilapidated and small ark, numerous youths were deathly pale. Some had even chosen to abandon ship midway out of sheer terror.

"Brother Tang, what should we do? The killing intent between these people is so heavy. Caught in the middle, I’m afraid we’re facing imminent disaster," someone cried out.

"Once we enter the ancient ruins, there will definitely be brutal slaughter between these incompatible factions. We’ll inevitably become collateral damage."

Aboard the battered ark, a group of geniuses looked anxiously at a youth exuding a terrifying aura. Although they didn’t have any sworn enemies targeting them, how could any egg remain unbroken beneath a toppled nest?

If Jiang Hao were to see this person, he would definitely recognize him. The youth everyone called Brother Tang was none other than Tang Yan of the Tang Family from the Xingyue City Earth Realm. And this ark was one of the very few belonging to the Xingyue City Earth Realm. The people standing on it were all geniuses from Xingyue City, including Ye Xiaotian and Wang Jiang.

But compared to the genius teams from other Earth Realms, the Xingyue City group was so shabby they were practically negligible. It couldn’t be helped. This was the lineup of a barren land; they simply couldn’t compare to the larger Earth Realms, and their room for survival was despairingly small.

However, just as Tang Yan furrowed his brows to think of a solution, he casually looked up and caught sight of a familiar figure. It was a colossal ark, and upon it stood someone dressed in white.

The moment he saw that figure, Tang Yan trembled, his eyes wide with shock and disbelief. "Jiang Hao?"