Chapter 500: Chapter 504: 510: I Didn't Force Them! (Fifth Chapter Update)

Seeing the bizarre smile on Yang Zhen’s face, everyone present had their hearts in their throats.

Elder Qian, looking grave, watched Yang Zhen. After a moment’s hesitation, he spoke, “Young friend Yang, do you really intend to enter the Sealed Land again?”

The Thousand-Spirit Saintess furrowed her brows, wanted to speak but hesitated, took a deep breath, and stood quietly in place, deeply gazing at Yang Zhen.

The silent Sha Clan Elder walked up to Yang Zhen, sighed, and said, “Young friend Yang, our Sha Clan owes you twice over. However, we’re a declining clan. After narrowly escaping death, we decided to return to our ancestral lands. The Sealed Land… I advise you not to go.”

“Yes, Yang Zhen, the aura within the Black Pool is too peculiar. Everyone who approached the Black Pool was injured mentally. In their delirium, they rushed crazily into the Black Pool. Only Elder Lu Qiju managed to resist for a moment, but in the end, he too failed to escape.”

“Fellow Daoist Yang, the favor of saving my life will be etched in my heart forever. Should there be something I can help with in the future, I will never shirk away. But this Sealed Land… I don’t wish to enter again!”

People started to leave. Most of them had walked out of the Sealed Land before. Evidently, their fear was so profound that they dared not enter the Sealed Land again.

Elder Qian patted Yang Zhen’s shoulder and said, “Given your talent, with time, you’re bound to make your legend in this world. Why do you insist on the path of body cultivation?”

Yang Zhen listened to everyone’s words without letting his smile fade. Instead, he narrowed his eyes and looked into the Sealed Land.

At this moment, Ji Yourong suddenly walked beside Yang Zhen, spoke, “Yang Zhen, take this. The Heavenly Snow Sacred Domain assembly will be held in a few days. Various elders and geniuses will gather together. You might be interested.”

With that, Ji Yourong handed a delicate wooden plate.

Yang Zhen looked at the wooden plate in Ji Yourong’s hand, smiled, and accepted it, saying, “I’ll certainly be there!”

Lu Tianwei, who stood by, snorted coldly, “I hope you’ll really be there by that time!”

Yang Zhen looked at Lu Tianwei with a strange expression. “What, can’t wait?”

Lu Tianwei laughed heartily and looked at Yang Zhen. “Exactly. Maybe you don’t really know what the Heavenly Snow meeting entails. I hope you’ll maintain your arrogance then!”

Yang Zhen shook his head and said, “I’m afraid I’ll have to disappoint you. I always keep a low profile.”

With that, Yang Zhen didn’t wait for Lu Tianwei to speak and began walking towards the Sealed Land.

Seeing this scene, everyone gasped in surprise, including Elder Qian who also gasped sharply. With a hesitant look, he asked Yang Zhen, “Yang Zhen, do you really intend to enter the Sealed Land again?”

Yang Zhen laughed loudly and said without turning his head, “Some things… always need someone to do!”

“Have you gone mad? Is it worth it to enter a certain death place just for body refining?”

In the crowd, a practitioner voiced his question.

Yang Zhen paused, stopped, slowly turned around to look at that practitioner, and smiled. “Do you all think I’m entering the Sealed Land just for body refining?”

“Uh?” Elder Qian looked at Yang Zhen hesitantly and asked in surprise, “Isn’t it?”

Yang Zhen shook his head, continued forward, and said, “It seems like no one understands me in this world.”

The crowd watched Yang Zhen’s melancholic departure full of confusion, almost reminiscent of a declining hero or a lonely expert. They looked at each other in bewilderment. What on earth was Yang Zhen saying?

The Thousand-Spirit Saintess and Elder Qian looked at each other. Ji Yourong and Lu Tianwei exchanged glances as well.

Lu Tianwei sneered, “All show and no substance. He’s clearly risking his life for body refining path, yet pretends to be righteous.”

Hearing this, everyone understood and nodded. Just as they were about to say something, the chat between the Scallion Cat and Yang Zhen slowly echoed.

“Kid, if it’s not for body refining, why are you going back to the Sealed Land?”

“Scallion Cat, don’t you think… all the practitioners want to know about the secrets of the Upward Era?”

“Isn’t that obvious?”

Yang Zhen laughed loudly, “Then why don’t they dare to take a step forward when the puzzles of Upward might just be right before their eyes?”

“Because… they are afraid of death?” The Scallion Cat thought for a while and hesitantly asked back.

Yang Zhen shook his head, “Everyone has their time to die. The only question is when. These people aren’t entering the Sealed Land because they fear death.”

“Then why?” The Scallion Cat asked curiously.

Hearing the Scallion Cat’s question, everyone present seemed to be moved. Their ears perked up, and they stared intensely at Yang Zhen’s back.

Yang Zhen sighed and said faintly, “Because they don’t truly want to know. They’re just following the crowd. For most people, is the mystery of the Upward Era truly important?”

Hearing Yang Zhen’s reply, most people were deeply shocked.

What exactly is the mystery of the upward era, is it really that important?

No one had considered this question all along while everyone was scrambling to find out about the mystery of the Upward Era. Almost all practitioners had made inquiries—more or less—about the Upward Era.

Elder Qian was deeply shaken and watched Yang Zhen’s receding figure in astonishment. He suddenly sighed, “We, so many of us, can’t compare to young friend Yang. I… I have been on the wrong path all along!”

With that, Elder Qian glanced at the Thousand-Spirit Saintess and said, “Saintess, lead our people back first. I’ll accompany Yang Zhen this time!”

“What?” The Thousand-Spirit Saintess was startled and asked in surprise, “Why has Elder Qian suddenly changed his mind?”

Elder Qian looked at the crowd, laughed heartily, gazed at Yang Zhen’s back for a long while, then said, “Because I truly want to know what the mystery of the Upward Era is.”

With that, Elder Qian took a step forward and walked towards Yang Zhen without waiting for the Thousand-Spirit Saintess to speak.

Hisss—!

The crowd gasped in unison, watching Elder Qian with disbelief.

At this moment, the Sha Clan Elder sighed, turned around, and told his clan members, “You all return first. I too, will accompany Yang Zhen this time.”

“Elder, don’t do it!”

“Elder, why bother?”

The Sha Clan Elder laughed heartily, exchanged glances with Elder Qian, and said, “What young friend Yang said is right. Some things are destined for some people to do. If we elders don’t do it, who else would? Besides…”

Here, the Sha Clan Elder looked at Yang Zhen’s back and slowly said, “Besides, I too want to know what truly happened in the Upward Era.”

Among the present crowd, the Sha Clan was the least concerned about this matter. However, even though others were not interested, they still understood the feelings of the Sha Clan Elder. He was repaying a favor.

“Damn it, Yang Zhen, don’t look down on people. I also want to know what the mystery of the Upward Era is. If you’re going in, count me in!”

“Count me in as well. If I can die for the mystery of the Upward Era, it’ll be worth it!”

“And me, Yang Zhen, wait for me!”

A group of people, indignant and cursing, all walked towards Yang Zhen, forming a large crowd in no time.

Yang Zhen didn’t stop. If anyone had been near him at that moment, they would have heard him muttering incessantly.

“Damn, they want this Sao Saint to risk his life alone. That’s absolutely unacceptable!”

“Damn, you cheated them again?” The Scallion Cat was dumbfounded and watched Yang Zhen in disbelief.

“Nonsense, how’s this cheating?” Yang Zhen glared, “I, Sao Saint, didn’t force them to come!”