Their five cultivated to the Qi Refining stage, but possessed sharp eyes. Even with the golden and yellow lights obscuring them, they could still gauge the rough strength of the two individuals based on their experience.
One of them was merely at the twelfth layer of Qi Refining. His aura was thick and his breath long. Though his combat strength seemed decent, he posed no significant threat to them.
The other, however, possessed a strength and a dangerous aura that caused their pupils to contract slightly.
Wu Tao wore a set of dark gold armor today. His imposing aura coiled like a dragon and roared like a tiger. With every movement, he exuded a powerful spiritual pressure. His bearing was reminiscent of fierce beasts like tigers, leopards, wolves, and eagles, making him appear like a true overlord, clearly no ordinary individual.
The assembled crowd were not ignorant. They understood that cultivators with such potent spiritual pressure were typically prodigies among their peers, representing the apex of combat strength within their respective realms. They could not be measured by the standards of ordinary cultivators of the same level.
...
Wu Tao surveyed his surroundings, his head held high, his eyes sharp like a falcon's, brimming with keenness. His first impression was that of a king, accustomed to looking down upon others from a high perch.
Under the intense and complex gazes of the five, Wu Tao remained composed and sharp, exuding an unreserved dominance with every movement.
Facing Wu Tao's deliberately displayed demeanor, the five felt a deep sense of apprehension, yet dared not provoke him easily.
Chang Pingqian smiled, his presence gentle and radiating warmth, devoid of any sharp edges. He appeared to be a kind person. While not to be looked down upon, he wouldn't necessarily be given special attention, and at times, might even be underestimated.
Xue Yan seemed unable to shake off his foul-mouthed and bullying nature.
He scoffed and casually addressed Wu Tao and Chang Pingqian, "Hey, you two brats, why are you so late? Especially you, fatty. Yes, you, stop looking around, you fat pig, you've kept me waiting!"
The other four knew Xue Yan's character well and paid him no mind. They were merely curious to see how the newcomers would react to such insulting words, especially Wu Tao, who appeared particularly formidable.
Xue Yan was a member of the Xue family from the Outer Seas. The Xue family was a medium-sized cultivator family, with Huangshatan Island as their ancestral home. Their strongest ancestor was only at the early Nascent Soul stage.
The Xue family's influence in the entire Outer Sea cultivation world was considered middling to low.
Xue Yan's status within the Xue family was that of an insignificant minor character, someone completely unremarkable.
Of course, Xue Yan, with his sharp tongue and lustful tendencies, possessed some skills to have survived this long. His mastery of fire control and his escape techniques were both extraordinary.
"Hmph, such a bold tone. I wonder if you can withstand even one of my moves." Wu Tao's brow furrowed. Dissatisfied with Xue Yan's insult towards his companion, he released his divine sense and activated a spiritual secret technique. An invisible wave rippled outwards, transforming into a sword of divine sense that struck towards Xue Yan.
Xue Yan, not far away, saw this and his expression darkened. He immediately produced a talisman inscribed with mysterious patterns and muttered, "Soul Sealing Curse." Instantly, a vast expanse of golden light surged forth, enveloping him and forming a protective shield.
However, even with this, the sword of divine sense passed through, and the golden shield lasted only a moment before shattering. The sword of divine sense flickered past and pierced into his sea of consciousness.
Due to Xue Yan's preemptive use of the talisman to protect himself, which wisely weakened the power of the divine sense sword, Wu Tao's attack did not unleash its full potential.
Even so, Xue Yan's face paled, and he appeared withered, as if he had suffered a significant loss.
Xue Yan was a pragmatic person. After suffering one loss, he immediately became as timid as a rabbit, no longer daring to provoke Wu Tao and even growing fearful of him.
However, Xue Yan's bullying nature led him to resent Chang Pingqian, who appeared "ordinary," and he made no attempt to hide his animosity, causing Chang Pingqian to wear an awkward expression.
This scene caused the expressions of the other four, who had been watching from the sidelines, to change.
Having long interacted with rogue cultivators and disciples from minor families, Wu Tao understood their nature. Bullying the weak, backstabbing – these were their daily operations.
If you were strong, they would retreat. If you were weak, they would press their advantage and torment you relentlessly.
In the current situation, Wu Tao knew that if he maintained his tough stance for a while longer, one of them would surely offer him a way out.
Wu Tao's approach to life was to deal with people according to their nature.
As expected, Zhao Leiyun, who acted as the leader and initiator of the group, immediately stepped in to mediate, busily introducing everyone with a forced smile.
Such introductions were merely a formality. Before arriving, Wu Tao and Chang Pingqian had already ascertained the backgrounds of most of their companions.
Although Wu Tao did not fear them, it did not mean he would be careless. Before coming, he had thoroughly investigated the backgrounds of everyone present. This way, if any unforeseen circumstances arose, he could handle them with a degree of composure.
...
For some reason, after this ordeal, the others' attitudes towards the two suddenly improved. Gone was the look of reluctant obligation; instead, they earnestly introduced themselves.
In Wu Tao's mind, of the five present, he paid the most attention to three: Zhao Leiyun, and the two Yun brothers.
The utmost priority was the Yun brothers.
Although the Yun brothers appeared to be only fifteen or sixteen years old in body and mind, they were renowned figures among the Outer Sea rogue cultivators at the Qi Refining stage.
Not only were they the direct grandsons of the Nascent Soul stage expert "Yun Huanxuan," the ancestor of the illustrious Yun family, but they also cultivated the most powerful lightning-elemental techniques and were widely recognized as cultivation geniuses.
If it were only this, it would be acceptable, for in the cultivation world, survival depended not only on strength but also on wit.
However, the Yun family placed great importance on these two brothers. They had not only bestowed numerous treasures upon them but had also dispatched a family retainer specifically to look after them.
And this retainer was none other than Zhao Leiyun.
Zhao Leiyun was no ordinary person.
Although his cultivation talent was ordinary, he had cultivated for a long time – forty to fifty years. He had reached the peak of the Qi Refining stage and possessed a top-tier lightning-attribute offensive magical artifact.
Rumor had it that Zhao Leiyun's top-tier offensive magical artifact ranked among the upper-middle tier of all such artifacts.
Finally, it was the turn of the female cultivator with the surname Bing. Her name was Bing Lixue, a disciple of the Bing family from Xuanji Island. She was reportedly just an ordinary disciple of her family.
As she was introduced, Wu Tao gave her a meaningful glance, not out of lust.
The Bing family was, after all, a renowned major family in the Outer Sea cultivation world. Even if this woman was just an ordinary member, her capabilities were likely more than others.
After a brief assessment, Wu Tao dismissed her from his mind.
While the Bing family of Xuanji Island was a famous major power in the Outer Seas, to a disciple of a top sect like himself, they were merely so-so and not worth much attention.
...
Seeing that everyone had arrived, Zhao Leiyun led them, transforming into several streams of light, and they swiftly departed.
They traveled north along the western coast of the sea.
... Half a day later, the group of seven arrived at a barren, large reef island.
The island was thousands of feet in size but completely desolate, with not a single blade of grass. It was covered entirely in large, gray-white reef rocks, with nothing else.
Upon seeing the island, everyone in the group showed expressions of surprise.
Could the legendary cave dwelling of the ancient cultivators be located within this unremarkable, massive gray-white reef island?
Although the island was not small in area, its spiritual energy was sparse and meager. Resources such as spiritual items and materials were completely absent. If not for Zhao Leiyun and the Yun brothers leading the way, they would never have believed that this desolate place was a rare treasure trove.
"Alright, this is it."
"The three of us, Yun brothers and I, will open the outer formations and restrictions. Fellow Daoists, follow closely to avoid any accidents." Zhao Leiyun gravely instructed Wu Tao, Xue Yan, and the others.
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