But several more days passed, and the cultivators seeking this place grew sparse, to the point where no new arrivals had been seen all morning.
However, Ancestor Ji Yin and the scholar-like old man had taken on solemn expressions. Not only did they cease their conversation, but they also kept glancing toward the entrance as if expecting someone.
"Could it be that barbarian Hu Zi?" Han Li naturally noticed the shift in atmosphere, felt a spark of curiosity, and became more attentive himself.
In the afternoon, footsteps finally echoed from the hall's entrance again. After a few flashes of blue light, two people entered one after the other.
One was an old Daoist with crane-white hair and a youthful, ruddy complexion. The other was a thin, dark-skinned elder dressed like a farmer, his face etched with a bitter expression.
Upon seeing these two, the cultivators inside the hall stirred. Most of them cast looks of awe toward the pair.
It seemed these two individuals had quite the reputation!
Yet, Ancestor Ji Yin and the scholar-clad elder looked at them with distinctly unfriendly eyes.
In particular, Ancestor Ji Yin's expression turned sharply sinister.
And these two newly arrived experts, upon spotting Ancestor Ji Yin and the others, also revealed hostile gazes. The old Daoist even snorted and spoke directly: "Old Devil Ji Yin! You've arrived rather early. It seems you of the Demonic Path are dead set on this trip to the Void Heaven Temple."
"Tian Wu Zi! It's not that this Ancestor arrived early, but that you hypocrites arrived too late. I even thought the rumor about the both of you having a map fragment was false. I didn't expect you'd show up after all! But that's fine. It just gives this Ancestor the chance to 'convert' you." Ji Yin said, his face grim and sinister.
"Ji Yin! Who are you going to 'convert'? Why not try to convert me as well!" Before the old Daoist could retort, another deep, resonant voice came from outside the hall.
Hearing this voice, both Ji Yin and the scholar-clad elder's faces changed drastically. The beautiful woman, who had been silent until now, suddenly raised her head and stared coldly at the entrance.
"Wan Tianming, you're here too!"
"Since Madam Wen is here, what's strange about my presence?" Accompanying the voice, a figure flickered outside and a middle-aged man in a purple robe and jade belt walked in.
This man had a square face, thick eyebrows, and a mouth full of bright white teeth. He glanced casually at the beautiful woman before turning his gaze to Ancestor Ji Yin, giving off an aura of overwhelming power.
Being stared at so impolitely by the other, Ancestor Ji Yin's face remained dark, his lips pressed tight, and he fell silent.
This greatly surprised Han Li, who couldn't help but study the man carefully.
Since even an early-stage Nascent Soul cultivator like Ji Yin seemed wary of him, could this person be a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator? Han Li wondered with alarm.
He could now see that these three must be cultivators from the Righteous Path of the Scattered Star Seas, direct adversaries to Ancestor Ji Yin and the others of the Demonic Path.
The other cultivators in the hall, who had been buzzing with whispers, immediately fell silent when the middle-aged man entered. Only faint murmurs could be heard, with phrases like "Sect Master of the Myriad Laws Sect" being whispered.
Clearly, this middle-aged man's reputation seemed even greater than the previous two.
"Wan Tianming, the sword-maid serving under this lady was injured by one of your disciples, wasn't she?" The beautiful woman surnamed Wen, however, seemed unafraid of the man and questioned him bluntly.
"Injury is too strong a word. One of my disciples merely saw that your sword-maid's cultivation was decent and wished to exchange a few friendly blows. Surely, Madam wouldn't hold this small matter against my Wan Tianming?" The middle-aged man narrowed his eyes slightly, his expression indifferent.
"Exchange friendly blows? My sword-maid is only at the early Foundation Establishment stage. Your disciple was clearly bullying the weak. Was he intentionally trying to humiliate someone under my command?" The beautiful woman's face turned cold.
"Humiliate someone under your command? How would I dare! For the sake of your husband Liu Dao, I'll have that disciple offer you a humble apology later." The middle-aged man frowned slightly, then said dismissively.
"My affairs have nothing to do with Liu Dao. If you're unwilling, I wouldn't mind 'exchanging a few moves' with Sect Master Wan using my 'Luan Feng Sword Art'!" Hearing this, the beautiful woman grew even more furious.
"Exchange moves with Madam? Let's skip that. If Liu Dao found out I'd bullied his wife, he'd come straight here to fight me to the death. I have no desire to start an all-out war between the Righteous and Demonic Paths." Wan Tianming chuckled as he spoke, as if it were a hilarious matter.
The beautiful woman's face flushed red at these words. In the end, she glared at him but let the matter drop.
However, while the beautiful woman let the middle-aged man go, the middle-aged man did not intend to let Ancestor Ji Yin off.
Just as he gave Ji Yin a cold smile and was about to say something...