Huang Ze spoke in a somber tone, "What does Sect Master Hua intend by this? If someone activates a trap and gets injured or killed, that's their own business. Do we expect Young Master Ye to pay with his own life in exchange?"

"There's no need for a life in exchange, but at least there should be an explanation," Hua Wu said. "The various sects have different attitudes towards exploring the Dead Sea of the Annan Domain. Those smaller sects are even less likely to take such risks, but Young Master Ye has gathered the strength of both large and small sects to the Dead Sea, leading to needless injuries and deaths. Shouldn't someone be responsible?"

When Hua Wu said this, the major sects showed no reaction, but the people from the smaller sects all nodded in agreement.

Now Hua Wu was using the injuries and deaths as a pretext to target Ye Fan, negotiating with him like a representative of public opinion. Those from the smaller sects, fearing death, thought Hua Wu was standing up for justice on their behalf, unaware that Hua Wu was merely using their support to oppose Ye Fan.

Initially, Hua Wu thought that by saying these words, he could force Ye Fan into a compromise or at least make some promises.

But unexpectedly, Ye Fan sneered and said, "So what if more people are injured or killed? I've already stated before: if something happens, you must fend for yourselves. Whoever wants to leave should try if they can escape this underground cave first!"

"You!" Hua Wu didn't expect Ye Fan to be so domineering. In her view, Ye Fan had always been a young man who valued propriety, righteousness, integrity, and honor. She thought a few provocative words would make him submit, but unexpectedly, Ye Fan now had the aura of a ruler and was not in the mood to negotiate with her.

Ye Fan's thinking was simple: since he was the Alliance Hierarch, he could not be swayed by a few words from others; otherwise, what authority would he have as the Alliance Hierarch?

The words of the Alliance Hierarch were equivalent to orders. Those with dissenting opinions from the smaller sects did not dare to speak up at this moment. Even those wanting to provoke Ye Fan were stopped by Hua Wu's glance. Hua Wu already sensed that Ye Fan was now very difficult to deal with.

"Move out!" Ye Fan still led the way.

...

...

The group traveled further underground for half an hour, descending over a thousand meters deep, finally reaching a relatively spacious area.

This space seemed like a grand hall for some type of ceremony. Skeletons were scattered all over, but this time they were human bodies. Before dying, these people likely endured torture, their bones shattered even as fossils—making their deathly appearances rather fearsome.

At the very front stood a bronze altar, five to six meters high, resembling a pagoda. At the topmost position of the pagoda was a Mirror of Rebirth, seemingly able to reveal a person's past lives.

The power of the Mirror of Rebirth was formidable, and the surrounding Spiritual Energy fluctuated intensely. The cultivators present did not dare to act rashly.

Hai Wuzi, well-versed and experienced, stepped forward and examined the mirror from dozens of meters away, saying, "This should be the Tongling Mirror mentioned in ancient scriptures!"

"What? The Tongling Mirror!" Many people began to murmur.

The name of the Tongling Mirror was not very renowned, but since it could pierce through fog and sense the presence of undead, any appearance of the Tongling Mirror in ancient scriptures was accompanied by death and slaughter.

It was not the magical power of the Tongling Mirror itself that people feared but the deadly connotation it represented.

Ye Fan, however, squinted at the so-called "Tongling Mirror." The Tongling Mirror within him did not resonate with this mirror. If this was the Tongling Mirror, then what was the thing inside his body?

"This is just an ordinary Mirror of Rebirth!" Ye Fan suddenly stated with conviction.

Everyone looked at Ye Fan, not understanding why he was so sure. Even Huang Ze walked over and asked, "Young Master Ye, how can you be so certain this is just an ordinary Mirror of Rebirth?"

Ye Fan replied, "Does Sect Master Huang not trust me?"

"This..." Huang Ze felt a bit embarrassed. With his previous stance supporting Ye Fan, he should have unconditionally believed in Ye Fan, but the problem was that Ye Fan couldn't provide concrete evidence now. "It would be better if Young Master Ye could offer a convincing reason."

Ye Fan abruptly extended his hand, sending a surge of Spiritual Energy toward the Mirror of Rebirth. All the cultivators present, regardless of their level, promptly put up defenses.

Everyone knew that the Tongling Mirror was not to be trifled with. Moreover, this was an unknown array, and the energy it contained was an unknown quantity. For Ye Fan to directly attack it with Spiritual Energy was like recklessly rushing an array; the outcome could very well be death.

The less proficient cultivators felt even more endangered.

However, contrary to expectations, Ye Fan's Spiritual Energy did not trigger the array as anticipated. Instead, the energy directly shattered the Mirror of Rebirth with a "bang," sending fragments flying into the air before they finally fell to the ground.

Ye Fan said, "Could the Tongling Mirror be so weak?"

Huang Ze was at a loss for words. It now seemed as though Ye Fan had inferred the principle from the result. It was easy to claim this after breaking the Mirror of Rebirth with a burst of energy. What if it had truly been the Tongling Mirror, triggering a powerful array, killing everyone, or trapping them? What then?

Feeling somewhat shameful, Hai Wuzi admitted, "It seems my knowledge is shallow, and indeed, Young Master Ye's insight is broader."

"Sect Master Hai, there's no need for humility. Honestly, among so many here, I admire your insight the most," Ye Fan expressed his respect towards Hai Wuzi.

Ignoring the mutual flattery between Ye Fan and Hai Wuzi, Hua Wu ignored the danger, walked up to the altar, and placed her hand on the base of the bronze cauldron. Immediately, a terrifying shriek echoed, chilling everyone to the bone.

The sound happened right in front of them. Two previous traps had petrified and reduced an early stage Spirit Transformation master into dust in the first instance, while Ye Fan barely escaped the second. No one knew how powerful this third trap might be.

No one dared to act or speak rashly. Holding their breath, the copper cauldron on the altar seemed to change, emitting a blue smoke. Someone exclaimed, "Not good, it's poisonous! Hold your breath!"

This comment was somewhat naïve, as the cultivators present sustained their blood circulation by absorbing the surrounding Spiritual Energy. Many people breathed merely to maintain human characteristics, rather than to inhale oxygen. No one present was truly breathing at this time.

The tendril of blue smoke rose, diffusing into the air before settling atop the altar. All around, once-illuminated luminous stones extinguished, casting the altar into darkness, save for a single glowing wisp of smoke.

"What is this?" someone asked.

No one could answer him, yet the smoke seemed to form some image. As those present discerned it, they could not help but feel their hair stand on end.

Incredibly, it was the scene around the altar.

Just like the White Jade Prophecy Stone once seen in the Royal Extreme Sect's grand hall, this scene was astonishingly prophetic, predicting events soon to occur. In the vision, a person wielding a red sword, unmistakably Ye Fan's own Fire Dragon Sword used earlier, was committing a massacre. People fell dead all around from Ye Fan's sword. Even Sang Yuan, Li Zhaojun, and Lan Jing appeared to lose their minds, killing indiscriminately!

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