Taking a deep breath, Liang embraced the dense spiritual Qi of the Inner City, feeling its pure energy coursing through his body. With confidence, he took deliberate steps towards the majestic Astral Gate, where several figures had already gathered.
The first person Liang’s eyes caught was a venerable monk, his presence exuding an aura of tranquility and wisdom. Standing beside the monk was a Daoist Priest, emanating an air of mystery and ancient knowledge.
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Behind the Monk stood Zhuo Li, Xue Ren, Jiang Yan, and Gu Hong.
However, it was the woman standing beside the Daoist Priest that caught Liang’s attention the most – someone he was very familiar with – it was none other than Mi Ling.
Yet, there was something different about her, an enigmatic quality that tugged at his senses.
Just as Liang pondered this, Mi Ling’s eyes flickered momentarily in his direction, her lips curling into a smile before she refocused her attention. Surprise rippled through Liang, for he had been using his void sense to assess everyone around him. Even though he hadn’t intentionally concealed his presence, there shouldn’t be anyone below the Void Transformation Realm capable of detecting him. Not even the monk, who was supposedly a half-step Void Transformation Realm cultivator, had noticed it.
Shaking off the distraction, Liang redirected his gaze toward two more figures standing behind Mi Ling. The first was an elderly man with gray hair neatly tied at the back of his head, exuding an air of experience and power. The second was a young girl, appearing to be around fifteen years old, with short blonde hair that framed her delicate features. Liang sensed their cultivation levels, estimating the old man to be at the late stage of the Dao Integration Realm, while the young girl seemed to be at the middle stage of the Dao Integration Realm.
As for the Daoist Priest, Liang couldn’t discern the true extent of his power, but he suspected that the Priest was not far off from achieving the half-step Void Transformation Realm.
"Strange," Liang contemplated silently. "Such a massive gathering, and yet the other factions have remained silent, taking no action."
Suddenly, his train of thought was interrupted as he felt a presence behind him. Liang turned his head and saw none other than Ji Fang, standing beside him and surveying the group assembled by the gate.
"Haven’t you found it peculiar?" Ji Fang inquired softly, breaking the silence between them.
Liang remained composed and replied calmly, "What is so strange about it?"
A smirk crossed Ji Fang’s face as he continued, "Why haven’t the other two factions noticed anything thus far?"
Liang’s brow furrowed slightly. "I hadn’t given it much thought. What do you make of it, Brother Han?" he asked inquisitively.
Ji Fang’s smirk widened. "The answer isn’t that hard to guess,"
Ji Fang laughed softly, his gaze shifting towards Liang before he spoke again. "You should find the answer for yourself "
With a slight smile playing on his lips, Ji Fang walked past Liang Yifei and stood quietly beside Xue Ren.
A cold glint flashed in Liang’s eyes as he watched Ji Fang’s departing figure. Indeed, he believed Ji Fang to be too dangerous to be left alive. As this thought lingered in his mind, a small smile formed on Liang’s face.
Seeing that almost everyone had gathered, they advanced towards the Astral Gate, their footsteps echoing in the silence. Among the crowd, Liang’s gaze landed on Zhuo Li, who greeted him warmly with a smile before nodding in his direction.
A genuine smile emerged on Liang’s face as he acknowledged Zhuo Li’s gesture and stood beside Jiang Yan.
"Senior Sister Jiang, it’s truly a pleasure to see you again," Liang greeted Jiang Yan with a welcoming smile, his voice barely above a whisper.
Jiang Yan’s eyes flashed with momentary surprise before she nodded in acknowledgment, her voice softening as she reciprocated Liang’s greeting. "It’s nice to see you too, junior brother Liang."
Liang leaned closer to Jiang Yan and sent her a voice transmission message discreetly. "Senior Sister, there’s something not right here."
Jiang Yan felt a peculiar sense of unease as she received Liang’s message. She responded silently, her voice filled with curiosity. "What is it, junior brother Liang?"
Liang hesitated for a moment, then finally voiced his concern. "Why haven’t we seen any movement from the other factions until now?"
A moment of realization washed over Jiang Yan upon hearing Liang’s words. After a brief silence, she replied with a somber tone. "It’s because we killed them."
Liang’s thoughts came to a halt as he processed her shocking revelation. "We... killed them?"
Jiang Yan nodded, her expression steady and resolute. "Yes, a few days ago, we eliminated every member of the other two factions inside the city. You don’t need to worry."
Understanding dawned upon Liang, and he couldn’t help but feel remorseful for his ignorance. "Ah, I see. I apologize for troubling you, Senior Sister Jiang."
Jiang Yan nodded once again before diverting her gaze towards the gate, a subtle sneer forming in her mind. "A dead man asking about the dead."
Liang shook his head, a faint smile playing on his lips as he effortlessly deciphered the hidden musings swirling within her mind.
With the arrival of the Chang Jin trio, the Daoist Priest nodded towards the Monk before speaking, "After careful consideration, we have decided to reinforce our group with this humble Priest and the venerable Monk."
Upon hearing this, Liang’s eyes narrowed slightly.
The Evil Warding Monk reassured, "You needn’t worry. With the Devil Warding Incense by our side, none of the devilish cultivators will be able to sense our entry."
The Daoist Priest nodded in agreement, "As the venerable Monk has said, there is no need to worry. Now, let us move forward."
With a resolute gesture, the Daoist Priest swept his hand through the air, causing the astral gate before them to emanate a dazzling, ethereal glow. Without a moment’s hesitation, he stepped forward.