Chapter 317: Inciting Public Outrage

With a "whoosh," seven figures appeared in a blank area.

"What happened? Ye Yuan, is that you?" Tianyu shouted as soon as they landed.

Just then, before everyone's eyes, Ye Yuan's figure materialized out of thin air in front of them.

Tianyu exclaimed with delight, "Ye Yuan, it really is you!"

Ye Yuan smiled and said, "Who else could it be?"

Mei Zhen said in surprise, "This formation is extraordinarily profound. It's already extremely difficult to escape alone. How did you manage it?"

Mei Zhen knew well that Zhao Yuyang's ability to lead everyone out of the Misty Forest showed his mastery of formations.

Even if Ye Yuan's formation skills surpassed Zhao Yuyang's, finding the life gate in a fourth-tier grand formation should be the limit, right?

But judging by Ye Yuan's demeanor, it seemed he had done far more than that.

"My master's knowledge is vast and profound, and he is extremely proficient in formations. Since I know the name of this Blazing Flame Barrier, what's so difficult about破解 it?" Ye Yuan said.

Mei Zhen was completely speechless. What he considered extremely profound, Ye Yuan treated as basic learning.

What was this called? This was called losing at the starting line!

"Ye Yuan, what about the people from other sects?" Mei Zhen couldn't help asking.

Ye Yuan said indifferently, "They have no deep enmity with me, so I left them a glimmer of hope. As for whether they can walk out alive, that depends on their luck. Alright, heading that way will lead out of the formation. Let's go."

...

After Ye Yuan and the people of Nethercloud Sect disappeared, the others in the formation were already in chaos.

"That kid is really despicable, leaving so many of us to fend for ourselves in the formation!"

"When did Nethercloud Sect produce such a prodigy? If he can grow up, the landscape of the Southern Domain might change!"

"Damn it, you still have the mind to worry about the Southern Domain's landscape! We're trapped in the formation now; if we move even a little, we'll be burned to ashes! You'd better think about how to get out! I hope I never run into that kid again, or I'll make him regret being born!"

"..."

The speaker was a martial artist at the third level of Crystal Condensation. Everyone looked at him as if he were an idiot.

Even if Ye Yuan were just an ordinary eighth-level Liquid Essence, they would still have to get out first! Besides, by now, anyone could tell that Ye Yuan was no ordinary Liquid Essence martial artist.

"All of you, shut up!" Wu Zhao roared, infusing his voice with Yuan Power.

With his roar, everyone indeed fell silent.

Wu Zhao called out to Zhao Yuyang from behind, "Yuyang, how is it? Can you find a way out?"

Since discovering Ye Yuan's disappearance, Zhao Yuyang had been deep in thought.

Now, hearing Wu Zhao's call, he spoke up, "I can try, but... I'm not absolutely certain."

Hearing Zhao Yuyang's words, everyone's spirits lifted. Now, all hope of escape rested on Zhao Yuyang.

"Good, now everyone shut up! Yuyang, you lead the way. If you need anything, just say it!" Wu Zhao was now burning his bridges.

Zhao Yuyang nodded, and his mind began to race once more!

He had followed Ye Yuan this far, never ceasing his deduction of the great formation, and now he had gained some insights.

It could be said that Ye Yuan had led him from the life gate to the present, revealing only the tip of the iceberg of this great formation before him.

And what he needed to do now was to deduce the remaining part!

Ye Yuan had already done most of this work for him.

But even this small part was not easy for Zhao Yuyang to accomplish.

Sure enough, after walking safely for a dozen steps, Zhao Yuyang stopped, frowned deeply, and pondered for a long time.

Everyone held their breath watching him, but Zhao Yuyang stood there like that for half an hour, without moving.

After half an hour, Zhao Yuyang turned around and said helplessly, "Senior Brother Wu, ahead is a fork—one path leads to life, the other to death. With my ability, I truly cannot tell them apart! We... only have a fifty percent chance!"

At this moment, Zhao Yuyang was everyone's hope. If he took a wrong step and was killed, everyone else would have no choice but to wait for death.

Wu Zhao asked upon hearing this, "Which way should we take?"

Zhao Yuyang briefly explained the fork. Without a word, Wu Zhao grabbed a low-level Crystal Condensation Realm martial artist beside him and threw him over!

Then, under the watchful eyes of all, that martial artist was burned to ashes by the great formation!

Everyone gasped in shock. Wu Zhao's move was so sudden that no one had time to react.

That disciple was only at the early Crystal Condensation Realm and had no room to resist under Wu Zhao's hand.

"Wu Zhao! You... how dare you use my junior brother to test the path!" The deceased's senior brother was extremely indignant.

Wu Zhao gave him a cold glance and said in a deep voice, "Sacrificing him to open a path of life for so many of us—what's wrong with that? If you're not convinced, you can go test the path yourself! Try it and see how far you can go!"

The senior brother was momentarily speechless but argued stubbornly, "Then... why did you have to grab my junior brother!"

But Wu Zhao said something that chilled everyone's hearts: "From now on, if my junior brother Yuyang encounters such a situation again, the six great sects will take turns sending one person to test the path! So you'd better pray that you can pick the path of life!"

At this, Yu Feng sneered, "Why should all six sects send people, while your Tianqian Sect doesn't?"

Wu Zhao glanced at him lightly and said, "Our sect has contributed Junior Brother Yuyang—isn't that enough? Without him, would you dare to take a single step forward? There's no such thing as a free lunch in this world! Of course, you can choose not to send anyone, but then please don't follow us! Otherwise, don't blame me for being rude!"

The various sects said nothing more. Clearly, this was the only way to survive; they had no choice!

However, Wu Zhao's harshness fostered a sense of common hatred among the six great sects.

Wu Zhao naturally knew this, but he didn't care. Now, the only one who could threaten him was the Youyun Sect; he didn't care about the opinions of the other sects.

...

With a flash of light, a group of eight finally emerged from the Absolute Blazing Barrier Formation.

Upon coming out, all the Youyun Sect disciples breathed a sigh of relief.

Inside this fourth-grade upper formation, the overwhelming pressure had made it hard for them to breathe.

Ye Yuan looked up at the three large characters "Yonghua Palace," and an inexplicable feeling surged in his heart.

This sect must have been a very powerful one in the Boundless Realm in the past.

But with the passage of time, it had become empty, just like his father's Medicine King Hall!

"Senior brothers, be careful. Yonghua Palace may not be easy to enter. There are dangers everywhere here, and we don't know what lies inside," Ye Yuan warned.

With that, he took the lead, ascended the steps, and pushed open the palace doors!