The Melee Is About to Break Out
Ma Yinger gave Zhang Lingxiao a completely different feeling compared to Su Qing, the woman in red, and Gu Yue Ningbing.
The woman in red was fiery and enchanting, like a blazing sun that burned brightly.
Gu Yue Ningbing possessed an elegant and pure temperament. She was mysterious and unfathomable, like a celestial fairy who had descended into the mortal world.
Ma Yinger, however, was different.
She felt like the girl next door, radiating innocence. Being around her stirred a sense of protectiveness in him, making one want to cherish and dote on her endlessly.
Thinking of this, Zhang Lingxiao couldn't help but chuckle softly.
Yet during the battle with the Netherworld Serpent King earlier, this "girl next door" had displayed overwhelming divine might. With a single swift strike of her blade, she had slain the Netherworld Serpent King.
Zhang Yuyang, who was sitting nearby, slowly woke from his cultivation state. He glanced at Zhang Lingxiao, stood up, then walked over and sat beside him.
"Brother Zhang Lingxiao," Zhang Yuyang said with a grin, "are you mesmerized?"
"It's no wonder. After all, your fiancée is ranked among the top three beauties on Qingyun Mountain's Beauty List."
"Beauty List?" Zhang Lingxiao said with amusement.
"I thought the sect would only have a Genius List. I didn't expect there to be a Beauty List as well."
Zhang Yuyang nodded.
"Of course there is."
"The Beauty List is different from the Genius List. The Genius List is divided between the Inner Sect and Outer Sect, but the Beauty List is a single ranking."
"It includes Outer Sect female disciples, Inner Sect female disciples, Core disciples, and even female elders."
"Although Ma Yinger is ranked third on the Beauty List, she is actually the number one-ranked Inner Sect female disciple."
Zhang Lingxiao became interested when he heard this.
"Then who holds the first and second positions on the Beauty List? Are they also elders?"
Zhang Yuyang replied,
"The second place on the Beauty List is an Outer Sect female disciple named Dragon Mengxian. From her name, you should already know—she is the beloved daughter of the Dragon City Lord."
"She's only sixteen years old, yet she has already reached the Middle Stage of the Qi Martial Realm."
Zhang Lingxiao nodded.
At sixteen, she did not meet the conditions to enter the Ancient Tomb Space, so it made sense that he had not seen her on this expedition.
"What about the first place?" Zhang Lingxiao asked.
Zhang Yuyang smiled mysteriously.
"The one ranked first is an Inner Sect Elder named Yu Zhu."
"Yu Zhu?" Zhang Lingxiao repeated.
Zhang Yuyang nodded.
"Yes. Elder Yu Zhu is the youngest Inner Sect elder in the sect. She's only twenty-six years old, yet she has already reached the Xuanwu Realm. Her strength is terrifying."
Zhang Lingxiao silently nodded.
Reaching the Xuanwu Realm at twenty-six was indeed astonishing.
However, when he thought about it, Su Qing also seemed to be around twenty-six, yet she had already stepped into the Tianwu Realm.
Was Huangzhou truly so weak compared to the other regions of the Nine Provinces Continent?
Zhang Lingxiao and Zhang Yuyang continued chatting for a while.
After some time passed, figures gradually emerged from the darkness in the distance.
"They're finally here!"
"It's the Li Family and the City Lord's Mansion martial artists," one of the Zhang Family martial artists said.
"They took so long. We've been waiting until the flowers withered," a Ma Family martial artist complained. "Completely useless."
Hearing this, everyone stood up, their expressions impatient.
The Li Family and City Lord's Mansion martial artists, however, were unaware of the situation.
Seeing everyone standing in formation, they immediately assumed the Zhang and Ma Families were preparing an ambush and instantly entered a battle-ready stance.
"Wait! Don't move!"
Zhang Lingxiao stepped forward and raised his hand.
"We have no ill intentions. We're waiting here because we need a direct descendant of the Li Family to help us open the true Legacy Ground inside the Ancient Tomb."
After speaking, Zhang Lingxiao stepped aside, revealing the two glowing characters—'Zhang' and 'Ma'—engraved on the giant tree.
Li Hongtao walked forward with curiosity.
He placed his palm against the tree.
Instantly, a flash of white light appeared, just like before. A third glowing character slowly formed beside the others.
Li.
"It worked!" Li Hongtao's eyes lit up.
Almost immediately after his words fell—
Crreeeeak…
The giant tree suddenly produced a creaking sound.
Then, the towering tree slowly shifted aside, revealing a deep, bottomless cavern beneath it.
The entrance was roughly one and a half zhang wide, spacious enough for several people to enter side by side.
From within the cavern, a strange and oppressive aura seeped outward.
Many martial artists immediately felt a chill run through their bodies. Their skin crawled, and they couldn't help but shiver.
Only Zhang Lingxiao felt something different.
Instead of discomfort, he sensed a strange affinity.
Because the aura emanating from the cavern was clearly Devilish Qi.
Could it be that this peerless expert had once been a Demonic Cultivator?
The name of the expert whom the ancestors of the three great families of Qingyun Town once followed had long been lost. No detailed records remained.
If that expert had been a demonic cultivator, it wouldn't be impossible.
"It's a cavern," Ma Yinger said cautiously. "Is this the true entrance to the Legacy Ground inside the Ancient Tomb Space?"
The dense Devilish Qi coming from within made everyone wary.
Zhang Lingxiao nodded.
"It should be correct. Let's go in."
However, after he spoke, no one moved.
The cavern was filled with thick Devilish Qi. It was almost certain that danger lurked below.
If the peerless expert truly had been a demonic cultivator, then unlike the inheritances left by righteous experts, the trials would undoubtedly be extremely dangerous.
No one wanted to be the first to enter and risk their life scouting the way.
"You—go!"
Suddenly, a voice rang out.
A chilling gust of wind followed.
Before anyone could react, a relatively weak martial artist—only at the Middle Stage of the Qi Martial Realm—was violently kicked into the cavern.
A miserable scream echoed from below.
Moments later, the scent of blood drifted upward.
Then everything fell silent.
"Hmph… as expected, it's dangerous," many martial artists muttered with alarm.
"Who did that?!"
Ma Yinger suddenly turned around, her expression furious.
The martial artist who had been kicked down had been wearing the uniform of the Ma Family.
As the young miss of the Ma Family and the leader of this Ancient Tomb expedition, how could she tolerate someone harming her family member right in front of her?
Her gaze immediately fell on Zhang Lingxiao.
But Zhang Lingxiao had been standing beside her the entire time, so she quickly ruled him out.
Her eyes swept across the crowd.
Everyone hurriedly shook their heads.
Finally, her gaze stopped between Li Hongtao and Dragon Spring Tooth.
Dragon Spring Tooth quickly waved his hands.
"Senior Sister Yinger, it wasn't me."
Li Hongtao, however, snorted and admitted it openly.
"That's right. I was the one who pushed that short-lived fool down."
Ma Yinger's face darkened.
"Li Hongtao, you've gone too far!"
Li Hongtao sneered.
"In the Nine Provinces Continent, the strong are respected."
"That short-lived fool was the weakest martial artist here. If he didn't scout the way, who should?"
"You!"
Suddenly, a cold shout rang out.
A chilling wind swept forward.
Before Li Hongtao could react, he felt his throat tighten.
A hand seized him by the neck.
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