Chapter 24

The next day.

Early in the morning, news spread through the Green Mountain Town that the Song family, led by Song Shaochen, had already left the town under the cover of night, heading for the Green Profound Mountains to the south of Green Mountain Town.

The Green Profound Mountains were the first mountain range in the southern border of the Great Zhou Dynasty, stretching for a thousand miles. It was said that the legendary先天圣殿 (Xiantian Hall) was located within these mountains.

Green Mountain Town could only be considered the entrance to the Green Profound Mountains.

Besides being the rumored location of the Xiantian Hall, the Green Profound Mountains were said to be home to countless medicinal herbs. However, they were also infested with demonic beasts, making them extremely dangerous. On a regular day, only a few adventurer teams who lived on the edge of life and death would dare to enter the Green Profound Mountains. But on this day, a large crowd surged towards the mountains, as if any delay in their speed would mean that the inheritance of the Xiantian Hall would fall into someone else's hands.

Ye Zhong and Su Yu were standing on the city wall, watching the scene before them. They exchanged glances and both shook their heads. Ye Zhong had anticipated this, so he only felt a sense of sighing, while Su Yu gritted her teeth, realizing that the difficulty of this sect mission had far exceeded her expectations!

"We should hurry too. Many people have maps now. If we're too slow, there won't be anything left for us." After a moment of gritting her teeth, Su Yu's face turned serious, and she spoke softly.

Hearing this, Ye Zhong had no objections and simply nodded.

Immediately, the two of them leaped off the city wall, merging into the surging crowd, and quickly headed deeper into the Green Profound Mountains.

As they progressed, the originally surging crowd gradually dispersed as they entered the outer regions of the Green Profound Mountains. Although there were many forces and powerful individuals interested in the Xiantian Hall, compared to the vastness of the Green Profound Mountains, their numbers were insignificant.

"Whoosh—"

After traveling for about half a day in the Green Profound Mountains, they suddenly saw nearly a thousand people gathered in a valley ahead.

"This must be a crucial point to enter the Xiantian Hall. What's happening?" Su Yu frowned and asked, looking ahead.

"Let's go check it out." Ye Zhong's expression didn't change much as he waved his hand, and the two of them quickly merged into the crowd, heading towards the front.

At the entrance to the deeper regions of the Green Profound Mountains, a valley with steep cliffs on both sides was now filled with a group of people in black robes. There were about a hundred of them, and although they stood casually, it was clear that one had to pass through them to enter deeper into the mountains.

"What's going on?" Ye Zhong frowned slightly, noting that the auras of these people were extremely formidable, indicating they were not from any ordinary force.

"These are likely not from within the Great Zhou Dynasty but from the surrounding kingdoms." Su Yu scanned the group and said with a serious tone.

Hearing this, a rare serious expression appeared in Ye Zhong's eyes. If these people were indeed from other kingdoms and dared to be so arrogant, it meant they had their own trump cards.

"Ha, everyone." A lean-faced man stepped forward from the group of black-robed individuals, his eyes scanning the nearly a thousand people with a mocking look. "We're not here to cause trouble. Our master just wants to collect ten entrance maps to the hall, but we don't know where to find them, so we have to trouble you all!"

"Once you gather ten entrance maps, we'll step aside. If not, we'll all have to wait here together!"

Seeing the man's smiling face, a chorus of angry shouts erupted from the crowd.

"Who do you think you are? Daring to block our way here!?"

"With so many of us, we could drown you in saliva! Who do you think you are to demand ten entrance maps?"

"You have no idea how high the sky is or how deep the earth is!"

The angry shouts continued, but they remained just that—shouts. The nearly a thousand people present were from different forces and families, and no one was willing to step forward for others. After all, they needed to save their strength for the competition within the Xiantian Hall. Moreover, the number of people with entrance maps was not many, and for most, this was not their concern.

"Ha, if anyone has an issue, please step forward. The Lei Family of the Leitian Kingdom will show you why we have the right to stand here." The lean-faced man still wore a smile, but as his gaze swept the crowd, no one dared to meet his eyes.

"Leitian Kingdom?" Hearing this name, Ye Zhong recalled that the Leitian Kingdom was a powerful kingdom near the Great Zhou Dynasty, far stronger than the Great Zhou Dynasty. The Lei Family of the Leitian Kingdom was akin to the five major families of the Great Zhou Dynasty, possessing immense strength.

"What do we do now?" Su Yu scanned the crowd and, seeing that no one was prepared to act, frowned and asked.

"Is there another way to enter the deeper regions of the Green Profound Mountains?" Ye Zhong asked.

"There is, but it would take at least half a month to go around, and by then, everything might be taken by others." Su Yu sighed.

"Then we have no choice but to go through here?" Ye Zhong's gaze fell on the nearly a hundred black-robed individuals, and he smiled.

"Little brother Ye Zhong, you're not planning something, are you?" Seeing Ye Zhong's indifferent smile, Su Yu immediately recalled his style. He wouldn't avoid a bit of trouble by taking a detour.

"Let's go." Ye Zhong smiled faintly, casually removing his black robe and stepping forward. He had concealed his identity to gather information, but now that they were going to enter the Green Profound Mountains openly, there was no need to hide. Ye Zhong's nature wouldn't allow him to take a detour or wait for a turn of events just to avoid a bit of trouble. True powerhouses forge their own paths.

Seeing Ye Zhong's actions, Su Yu sighed and also removed her black robe, following him.

In an instant, countless eyes fell on Ye Zhong and Su Yu. Many of the nearly a thousand people recognized them.

"Those are the two who acted at the city gate, right?"

"Who would have thought it would be them again. Where are they from?" Many people speculated. Ordinary forces and families could never cultivate such individuals. Most strong people would be intimidated by the nearly a hundred black-robed individuals, let alone have the courage to step forward.

"Ha, very good!" The lean-faced man's eyes fell on Ye Zhong, a glint of recognition in his eyes. He could see that Ye Zhong was no ordinary person, but he still smiled. "This friend is smart. You know that delaying won't help. Hand over the entrance map, and you can pass."

Ye Zhong stopped about ten steps from the lean-faced man, looked him in the eye, and then scanned the black-robed individuals behind him. Although he didn't know how strong the people behind them were, the lean-faced man was at the fourth level of Body Forging, and the remaining nearly a hundred were all at the third level of Body Forging. This was a formidable lineup. If not for a true powerhouse, they could walk through the Green Profound Mountains without much trouble.

After a quick scan, Ye Zhong's gaze returned to the lean-faced man, and he said seriously, "If you want the entrance map, go ask the people behind you. Don't block my way. Your people can't stop me."

"Ha—"

The lean-faced man laughed, and the nearly a hundred black-robed individuals behind him sneered. To them, Ye Zhong was a joke. They could see his strength clearly—just the third level of Body Forging. Even if the woman behind him was a bit more troublesome, it was nothing to them. If they didn't have absolute confidence, they wouldn't have done this.

"Boy, we'll give you one more chance. Hand over the entrance map now, and you might live. Otherwise, this is a good opportunity to set an example." The lean-faced man sneered, and as he spoke, he took a step forward, his killing intent unmasked.

With his movement, the black-robed individuals behind him drew their weapons, their eyes filled with ferocity, ready to attack at the slightest provocation.

Seeing their murderous intent, Ye Zhong sighed and said, "Senior Sister Su Yu, this guy is a bit more troublesome. You hold him off for now. I'll deal with the rest of the trash and then come back to handle him."

With that, Ye Zhong casually summoned a green steel long sword in his hand and slowly walked towards the nearly a hundred black-robed individuals, completely ignoring the lean-faced man.

"Looking for death!"

The lean-faced man roared, his pride and strength never having been disrespected like this. Moreover, he didn't take the arrogant young man in front of him seriously. In an instant, he swept his hand, tearing through the air towards Ye Zhong's throat.