Chapter 047: The Ancient Aura!

  Beside them, a slick-looking young man kept glancing at Yun'er, his hidden desire evident as his lips dried with anticipation.

  "What are you staring at, punk? Keep looking, and I'll gouge your eyes out!" Xing Hao's brows furrowed as he glared fiercely at the young man, his tiger-like eyes filled with menace.

  The young man, clearly intimidated by Xing Hao, shrank back, not daring to make a sound.

  "Huh? This guy's status isn't simple, is it?" Watching Xing Hao's ferocious demeanor, Yang Tian couldn't help but chuckle softly. He then glanced at Yun'er, noticing that compared to the stubborn girl from before, she now carried an air of sanctity that made even him look twice.

  "This girl will grow up to be a real beauty," Yang Tian thought with a smile, then turned his gaze away and continued climbing the stone steps.

  "Tap... tap..."

  The sound of footsteps echoed as several people watched in astonishment as a black-robed figure effortlessly passed them, continuing his ascent without pause.

  "Damn, where did this monster come from?" The slick-looking young man blinked in surprise, muttering to himself. The pressure was increasing, and even his martial will was being crushed, causing him pain.

  Watching the black-robed figure climb step by step, Yun'er was momentarily lost in thought. Suddenly, a figure deeply imprinted in her memory seemed to overlap with the black-robed man before her—they were almost identical.

  "Brother Yang!" Without hesitation, Yun'er called out his name.

  The sudden call startled Yang Tian, but his steps didn't falter as he continued climbing toward the summit.

  "Huh? They do look quite similar," Xing Hao muttered, his gaze fixed on the black-robed figure.

  "Did I mistake him? But they really do look alike," Yun'er whispered, her hands clasped together as she watched the black-robed figure's unwavering steps.

  At that moment, Yun'er felt a strange gaze on her. She turned slightly and saw Xing Hao's teasing smile, causing a blush to spread across her cheeks.

  "So beautiful..." The slick-looking young man couldn't help but mutter, his face filled with infatuation as he stared at Yun'er's flushed face.

  "Kid, do you believe I'll gouge your eyes out?" Xing Hao immediately turned, his cold gaze sweeping over the young man, his fists crackling with energy.

  "Big brother, it's a misunderstanding!" The young man quickly raised his hands in surrender, backing away nervously.

  "Little sister, let's pick up the pace," Xing Hao said, glaring at the young man before turning to Yun'er with a smile. Their pace quickened, leaving the slick-looking young man in awe.

  Xing Hao looked up at the black-robed figure ahead, marveling at his speed. He muttered under his breath, "You must be Yang Tian. I know your identity can't be revealed..."

  As time passed, Yang Tian's pace slowed as he neared the summit, now only a few hundred feet away. The ancient aura within the martial will grew stronger, shaking even his own martial will.

  "Almost there," Yang Tian thought, his eyes fixed on the hundred or so youths seated at the summit. When he noticed a purple-robed youth among them, a cold smile crossed his face as he continued forward.

  "This little guy really can sleep, hasn't woken up yet," Yang Tian chuckled, patting the furry belly of the creature in his arms.

  "Tap... tap..."

  As the black-robed figure neared the summit, the seated youths were suddenly roused. Most glanced at him briefly before closing their eyes again, waiting for the Martial Gate to open.

  "Hehe, let's see how you die this time," Li Hongtao sneered inwardly, his killing intent well hidden as he glanced at the black-robed figure.

  One by one, more people reached the summit, including Xing Hao and Yun'er, who showed no signs of fatigue.

  "Ah, Miss Yun'er, you've come today too," a jade-like young man said, his eyes filled with admiration as he approached Yun'er with a smile.

  Yun'er glanced at him, a hint of disgust in her eyes, and ignored him. Her gaze instead swept over the crowd, searching for someone.

  "Wang Long, what business is it of yours whether my sister comes or not? Get lost!" Xing Hao stepped forward, blocking Wang Long like an iron tower, his face cold and menacing.

  "Ah, Brother Xing Hao, what a pleasant surprise," Wang Long said with a forced smile, his hidden sharpness barely concealed.

  "The population of the Eastern Continent is in the billions, yet only a few thousand can enter Martial Mountain," Yang Tian mused, his gaze sweeping over the mountainside below.

  Suddenly, Martial Mountain erupted with radiant light, and the glowing gate at the summit began to tremble violently. The surrounding spiritual energy surged wildly, and the crowd rose to their feet, their eyes fixed on the gate, filled with fervor.

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  "It's about to open," Yang Tian thought, recalling the information from Meng Yunxi's map. The gate led to a fragmented space, vast and expansive.

  At the base of the mountain, the void trembled, cracks spreading like a spider's web. Several white-robed disciples paled in fear, their eyes darting around. The power to tear the void was beyond the War King realm.

  Many powerful figures in the city were awakened, instantly arriving at the site of the torn void.

  Suddenly, a hand tore through the void, and dozens of purple dragons roared out, their overwhelming pressure causing many of the powerful figures to pale.

  "The Qingyang Empire has arrived. With Martial Mountain opening and the Artifact Sect also active, it seems many forces have been drawn here," an ancient figure murmured.

  "Ah—" Suddenly, a figure was thrown out from the void.

  "Boom!" The ground was gouged as the figure landed, and before the white-robed disciples could react, a voice roared.

  "Damn it, Martial Mountain opened so quickly? After so many years of inactivity, I was hoping to make a grand entrance!" The figure then dashed toward the summit at an astonishing speed.

  As the spiritual energy gathered, the ancient gate slowly began to open, its pressure climbing steadily. The ancient aura grew stronger.

  "Boom!" The ancient gate fully opened, and a surge of ancient energy rushed out, stunning everyone nearby.

  Inside the gate was a white passage, its walls inscribed with dark, mysterious runes. Just a glance at the runes made everyone feel dizzy.

  "Let's go!" A disciple from a major sect stepped forward, leaping into the passage and running wildly.

  Countless young talents followed, surging into the passage. More and more people continued to arrive, as the gate would only remain open for five hours. If it closed, they would have to wait another thirty years.

  Seeing that most had entered, Yang Tian also stepped through the gate, heading toward the end of the passage.

  "Did he not come?" Yun'er took one last look at the summit, a trace of loneliness in her eyes, before following Xing Hao into the gate.

  Martial Mountain had existed longer than some ancient families. Legend had it that it was a space created by several ancient powerful cultivators, a sanctuary for humanity, larger than the entire Qingyang Empire.

  This place had witnessed great battles, invasions by the hundred races, and the fall of countless powerful beings. The land was stained with blood, the sky shattered, and cities burned. It was a tragic era for humanity, one they preferred not to recall.

  Though their bodies perished, the souls of the ancient warriors remained, leaving behind endless legacies, waiting for the chosen ones to inherit them and protect humanity from foreign invaders.

  In a vast expanse of land, traces of war were still visible. Massive chasms scarred the ground, and towering mountains had been split in two, a testament to the ferocity of the battles.

  Suddenly, a ripple appeared in the space, growing larger until a figure tumbled out.

  "Tap... tap..." The scene shifted rapidly, but Yang Tian remained calm, landing gracefully on the ground with a burst of energy.

  "Is this the space?" Yang Tian looked around, marveling at the massive chasms. The destructive power was terrifying.

  As Yang Tian stood in awe, a surge of pure spiritual energy flooded into his body, seeping through his pores. This energy was incredibly refined, carrying a strange power that strengthened his body.

  "What is this energy?" Yang Tian closed his eyes, focusing on his body. Within the milky-white energy, there was a faint red strand that seemed to enhance his body, causing his blood and qi to rejoice.

  "Is this... ancient aura?" Yang Tian murmured. Legend had it that at the dawn of creation, humanity developed techniques to absorb energy. In those days, powerful cultivators were common, and cultivation was far easier.

  As the cultivation world flourished and humanity reached its peak, the energy in the world began to dwindle. Rare treasures became scarce, and cultivation slowed. True powerhouses became rare.

  Modern cultivators called this energy "ancient aura," a nearly extinct energy. Yang Tian was shocked to find it here in Martial Mountain, and in such abundance.

  "No wonder the ancient families are so eager to enter, suppressing their cultivation just for this day. They're after the ancient aura," Yang Tian realized. The ancient aura not only strengthened the body but also refined one's blood and qi. Refining blood was the first and most crucial step in martial cultivation.

  The more refined one's blood and qi, the larger the acupoints opened during martial sensing, far surpassing ordinary cultivators. Of course, the number of acupoints also depended on the strength of one's cultivation technique.

  "Awu!" Xiao Bai suddenly woke up, leaping onto Yang Tian's shoulder. Its large, dark eyes sparkled with excitement as it opened its mouth and began to absorb the ancient aura like a spring.

  Xiao Bai was like a black hole, devouring the ancient aura at an astonishing rate, almost matching Yang Tian's full-powered War Heaven Art.

  "Wow, this refining speed is insane," Yang Tian muttered, his eyes wide. Xiao Bai was directly absorbing the ancient aura without refining it, something Yang Tian couldn't do.

  "Let's stop for now and find a place to cultivate and break through," Yang Tian said, patting Xiao Bai's head with a smile.

  "Whoosh!" Yang Tian's figure blurred as he dashed forward. He had been suppressing his cultivation, and now was the perfect time to break through and close the gap with the saint-level figures.

  In a mountain stream, Yang Tian used his broken sword to cut through the surrounding rocks like butter, quickly carving out a cave. Unnoticed by him, the broken sword absorbed traces of ancient aura, though it remained dormant.

  Sitting cross-legged in the cave, Yang Tian focused his mind on the Ancestral Dragon Ring.

  "The Ancestral Dragon Ring truly lives up to its name, even gathering ancient aura," Yang Tian murmured, his face filled with excitement. The spiritual energy inside the ring was several times stronger than the outside world, meaning his cultivation speed would be far faster than others. This didn't even account for the ring's ability to manipulate time.

  "Huh?" Just as he was about to start cultivating, Yang Tian noticed the spiritual herbs in front of him. Compared to their previous growth rate, the herbs were now growing several times faster, aided by the ancient aura.

  "What a pity. The herbs planted here are all low-grade. I forgot to buy some seeds in Martial City," Yang Tian lamented, slapping his forehead. He was about to step into the martial realm and had already begun planning his alchemy pursuits.

  "Never mind," Yang Tian muttered, activating the War Heaven Art and focusing on his dantian.

  The ancient aura gathered around him, flooding into his body and refining his skin, muscles, and bones. With each reduction of the faint red energy, Yang Tian could feel his body growing stronger, his blood and qi surging.

  The potential of the human body was limitless, and the ancient aura was the key to unlocking it. What Yang Tian lacked now was time. While the broken sword had helped refine his body, it paled in comparison to the effects of the ancient aura.

  The ancient aura transformed into a blazing fire, tempering Yang Tian's bones. With each passing moment, impurities were expelled, and his bones grew more crystalline, emitting a radiant glow.

  Yang Tian was like a furnace, his body rumbling as the temperature around him rose sharply. The rocks around him cracked, and any debris that touched him was instantly shattered by the energy radiating from his body.

  In his dantian, the blood and qi churned like a stormy sea. The faint red energy merged with it, refining it at a speed dozens of times faster than before.

  Beside Yang Tian, Xiao Bai floated in the air, voraciously devouring the ancient aura. The faint red energy was quickly absorbed and refined by its body.

  The terrifying absorption rate created a massive vortex at the cave's entrance, drawing in ancient aura at a rate that would astonish anyone.