The Supreme Martial King Shocking All Realms Chapter 3358 - 3353: Countless Spectators_1

Thus, the information regarding Yang Chen temporarily subsided because no one could locate him.

Nevertheless, tales about Yang Chen continued to circulate widely, growing increasingly outlandish as his whereabouts remained unknown, leading numerous individuals to mock him.

After all, without a tangible figure to witness, these wild stories felt rather empty, didn't they?

Consequently, the issue surrounding Yang Chen was briefly overshadowed by the Forbidden Spirit Palace.

Plenty of formidable figures still directed their attention toward the Forbidden Spirit Palace, eager to demonstrate their skills there.

Days turned into months, and as memories of Yang Chen began to fade from minds, he silently made his way back to the Earth Spirit Hall after six months.

Upon arriving at the Earth Spirit Hall, Yang Chen's initial move was to seek out Linglong Fairy.

Linglong Fairy showed a mild astonishment upon spotting Yang Chen after half a year. Yet, in contrast to earlier times, her reaction was merely a subtle surprise.

Had it been in the past, she might have assumed his return after six months signaled a botched assignment, but circumstances had shifted now. She understood that Yang Chen could have fulfilled the task, and quite possibly with flawless execution.

Yang Chen offered few words and simply retrieved a Storage Bag.

As he pulled out the Storage Bag, Yang Chen passed it straight over to Linglong Fairy.

Linglong Fairy widened her eyes and examined it closely. At once, a look of astonishment crossed her face.

Even though she recognized Yang Chen's exceptional talents, the sight of what lay inside the Storage Bag left her utterly stunned.

Yang Chen proved to be utterly formidable.

...

Therefore, the announcement of Yang Chen's comeback didn't create much commotion. Yet, just a few days following his arrival, another piece of intelligence raced through the region.

It concerned Yang Chen's triumphant advancement to Level 9 Merit.

This revelation left everyone dumbfounded upon hearing it.

Eighth-Level Merit stands as a critical threshold, with countless individuals trapped there, struggling to reach Ninth-Level Merit.

Advancing from Eighth-Level to Ninth-Level Merit demands a complete million Jiyu Essences.

The sheer scale of a million Jiyu Essences defies comprehension. This immense barrier explains why so few mighty cultivators venture into Sky Opening Mountain; nearly all are elite Destiny Realm powerhouses capable of training within its bounds.

Yet, Yang Chen had now achieved Level 9 Merit status.

Moreover, the element that astounded folks the greatest was his recent rise to Eighth-Level Merit; in under half a year, he had rocketed to Level 9 Merit with astonishing swiftness.

How could such a blistering pace fail to leave people in awe?

Subsequently, Yang Chen lingered only briefly in Lingxu Ancient State before embarking on yet another shift, guiding Mo Wenfeng and Bao Lu into Sky Opening Mountain.

No sooner had he stepped into Sky Opening Mountain than Yang Chen's gaze locked onto the Creation Ancient Tree.

The influence from the Creation Ancient Tree's emergence far surpassed anything in the outer realms. Cultivating in this place promised remarkable and swift progress.

Yang Chen felt deeply pleased with this setup. The true value of Sky Opening Mountain's surroundings only revealed itself upon entry, unveiling its boundless advantages.

At present, the handful of sentinels posted there could merely lower their heads in deference to Yang Chen, treating him with utmost courtesy.

Internally, they harbored a sense of frustration, for they knew Yang Chen well. Merely three years prior, he had been a mere novice Merit holder, requiring exceptional approval just to meet Elder Wan.

Now, everything had flipped. With his Merit rank, he strode directly into Sky Opening Mountain. This stark, rapid reversal stirred envy and resentment within them.

Mo Wenfeng experienced the greatest shock.

His jaw dropped in disbelief at the scene before him.

Initially, he viewed the transfer from Dragon Pattern Mountain to Lingxu Ancient State as a monumental stroke of luck. Residing in Lingxu Ancient State during his days would have been a pinnacle of honor.

Those who once ridiculed him for associating with Yang Chen surely regretted their words deeply by now.

But from this vantage, that honor paled in comparison.

To think he might dwell in Sky Opening Mountain someday—and so soon, no less...

"Brother Yang Chen, this is your dwelling. We've prepared it just for you." The guards chuckled obsequiously. Their speech toward Yang Chen dripped with sycophancy.

Yang Chen acknowledged them with a composed nod, maintaining a neutral distance that thwarted their attempts at further bootlicking.

Shortly after, they reached a cavern.

In contrast to the expansive Lingxu Ancient State, Sky Opening Mountain covered far less ground. However, thanks to the Creation Ancient Tree, cultivation here outshone that of Lingxu Ancient State by leaps and bounds, operating on an entirely superior plane.

Furthermore, the cavern offered ample space, readily housing multiple occupants.

With that, Yang Chen and his companions established their base here.

Once they had somewhat acclimated, Yang Chen vanished for a handful of days.

In the meantime, whispers about Yang Chen proliferated across the outer world. Innumerable strong cultivators yearned to behold his splendor and witness the extraordinary abilities of the powerhouse who had vaulted from Level 8 Merit to Level 9 Merit in mere months.

Yet, having relocated from Lingxu Ancient State to Sky Opening Mountain, Yang Chen left many aspiring conversationalists with no recourse but to abandon their hopes in disappointment.

After all, access to Sky Opening Mountain eluded most.

Still, Yang Chen's absence proved short-lived. Following a mere few days in Sky Opening Mountain, he departed for Jingling Ancient Castle, home to Jiang Qifeng, a key subordinate of Ye Shan Dao Ancestor.

Yang Chen's arrival at Jingling Ancient Castle ignited an immediate torrent of gossip, which quickly spiraled beyond control.

Though Yang Chen preferred to journey discreetly, news in Jingling Ancient Castle propagated with the speed of lightning.

Within a single day, word spread that Yang Chen aimed to challenge the "Jingling Secret Realm" forged by Ye Shan Dao Ancestor.

Hence, the intelligence multiplied exponentially, from one to ten, ten to a hundred, rendering secrecy impossible.

In just days, Jingling Ancient Castle brimmed with throngs of visitors. It was easy to surmise that the bulk of these mighty figures had converged for Yang Chen.

This development left Yang Chen both wryly amused and somewhat exasperated.

He now occupied a seat in Jingling Ancient Castle, sharing tea with a Destiny Realm powerhouse from the fortress.

This Destiny Realm powerhouse, identified as Jiang Qifeng, ranked among the elite followers of Ye Shan Dao Ancestor.

Jiang Qifeng chuckled heartily, "Yang Chen, my friend, your fame precedes you truly. You've graced our Jingling Ancient Castle for only a few days, yet you've drawn such a massive crowd."

Yang Chen could only laugh helplessly, "Elder Jiang, might you grant me access to the Secret Realm entrance at last?"

He suspected Jiang Qifeng was toying with him deliberately. Despite days in the castle, the man had steadfastly withheld entry to the Secret Realm, resulting in the ancient fortress now teeming with spectators fixated on him.