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Chapter 720: The Terrifying Small World

"The Tear of the Kylin Cow?" Tian Shenzi murmured, frowning slightly.

Sima Ce suddenly shot the tear into his right eye, causing it to emit a faint purple glow. He scanned each person with his enhanced vision. When his gaze fell on Tian Shenzi, a flash of confusion crossed his eyes.

"It seems this small world's technique for hiding cultivation is quite formidable. Even with the Tear of the Kylin Cow, I can't see through it," Sima Ce said, his voice icy as he looked at Tian Shenzi.

"An outsider from the Grand World?" Tian Shenzi's tone was cold.

"Xuan Yuan? Only at the fourth level of the Heavenly Extreme Realm? On par with my subordinates? And you, Di Xuansha? Zhong Shan? Did you kill my subordinates? Did you kill my divine beast? And what about my other two subordinates—were they killed by you?" Sima Ce's voice dripped with menace.

Di Xuansha stepped forward, staring at Sima Ce. "If it weren't for Zhong Shan holding me back, your other subordinate wouldn't have escaped that day. We wanted to give you a lesson, to make you retreat. But you've come seeking death?"

Sima Ce suddenly laughed maniacally. "Hahahaha! Seeking death? Kill me? Just you? You, at the eleventh level of the Heavenly Extreme Realm, think you can kill me? Even if Gu Shentong were here, he wouldn't return alive. In this world, I am invincible!" Sima Ce snarled.

Di Xuansha smiled coldly, while the others looked at Sima Ce as if he were a fool.

"You are invincible in this world?" Even the naive Tian Ling'er looked at Sima Ce with disdain.

"All of you, come at me together. You must have some ability if you killed my subordinates. Let me see how strong you really are!" Sima Ce said arrogantly.

The group exchanged strange looks. All of them, together?

Seeing their cold stares, Sima Ce's heart skipped a beat. He recalled his previous arrogance and the certainty of his subordinates' invincibility, only for them never to return from their missions.

Could this be a similar situation?

Thinking this, Sima Ce waved his hand, and a timeless pine tree rose from the desert behind him.

The barren desert suddenly turned green. The sky filled with azure clouds, and the ground became a lush grassland, dotted with tall trees. In an instant, it transformed into a magnificent scene.

The celestial's "world" unfolded once more, revealing Sima Ce's advantage. His initial caution turned into arrogance again.

In the presence of a celestial, could these people cause any trouble? Even under the small world's suppression, Sima Ce retained the power of a twelfth-level Heavenly Extreme Realm cultivator, along with his "world" and numerous celestial techniques.

"Draw your weapons. I will thoroughly crush you. Enjoy it while you can!" Sima Ce boasted.

The group exchanged glances.

People from the Grand World would never understand the peculiar nature of this small world. Despite suffering significant mental trauma, Sima Ce still looked down on everyone, as if he were the supreme being in this realm.

"Let's go inside," Tian Shenzi said to Zhong Shan and Tian Ling'er.

Turning away, Tian Shenzi began to walk towards the palace, completely ignoring Sima Ce as if he were nothing more than air.

"Scoundrel!" Sima Ce roared at Tian Shenzi.

But before Sima Ce could act, Di Xuansha stepped in front of him.

"Again, it's you? Bring out your weapon. I've heard that the weapons in this small world are quite powerful. Show me, and I'll teach you what a celestial weapon is!" Sima Ce sneered at Di Xuansha.

"To deal with you, my bare hands will suffice," Di Xuansha replied calmly.

"What did you say?" Sima Ce's eyes narrowed in rage.

"I said I will tear you apart with my bare hands," Di Xuansha responded coldly.

"Ah!"

At that moment, a loud gulping sound came from the direction of the ancient pine tree. Instantly, the lush green scenery vanished, and the world returned to a barren desert. The azure clouds disappeared, and the trees and grass turned back into sand.

"Ah!" Sima Ce clutched his head in pain, his face twisted in agony. Blood spurted from his mouth as he turned to see the source of his torment.

A massive beast with eight enormous tails and a grotesque, tree-like face was devouring the ancient pine tree. It had severed Sima Ce's connection to it.

Sima Ce's eyes turned red with fury. He finally understood how the gluttonous beast had died—it had encountered this voracious creature that even consumed divine consciousness.

"I'll kill you!" Sima Ce roared, summoning a black hole with his hand.

The engorged Eight-Tailed Beast glanced at Sima Ce, then vanished in a flash, retreating into Zhong Shan's body, merging seamlessly with his consciousness.

The sudden turn of events marked yet another misfortune in Sima Ce's tragic journey through this small world. Ever since his arrival, nothing had gone right for him.

The Eight-Tailed Beast couldn't handle Sima Ce directly, but against a tree, a lifeless object, it had no difficulty at all. It devoured the tree completely, leaving Sima Ce fuming.

Zhong Shan, seizing the moment, pulled the still-dazed Tian Ling'er along as they followed Tian Shenzi into the palace.

"Boom!" The palace doors shut with a resounding thud, leaving the outside world in stunned silence.

Di Xuansha had seen the terrifying power of the Eight-Tailed Beast before, but for the others, this was their first encounter with its overwhelming might. They swallowed nervously.

Yin Luori, having witnessed Zhong Shan's formidable power in the underworld, realized that this version of Zhong Shan was equally full of secrets. This man was indeed mysterious.

Mud Buddha, familiar with the Eight-Tailed Beast, felt a deep respect for Zhong Shan's ability to command such a creature. Zhong Shan's power seemed to grow beyond their understanding.

Tian Lao, momentarily stunned, recalled the Zhong Shan of over two hundred years ago, who was only at the Golden Core stage. How could he have grown so much?

Xuan Yuan, watching Zhong Shan's retreating figure, remained silent, his brows furrowed, a look of determination in his eyes.

The sudden disappearance of the Eight-Tailed Beast hit Sima Ce the hardest. He was left bewildered and enraged by the bizarre turn of events.

"What just happened? This is too strange! How did I end up in this situation?" Sima Ce muttered to himself.

Di Xuansha didn't wait for Sima Ce to recover. True to his word, he moved swiftly towards Sima Ce, intent on tearing him apart.

The small world had determined Sima Ce's tragic fate. A day later, in a grand palace within the Grand World, outside of Zhong Shan's small world, a square jade tablet rested on a jade table. The tablet bore the name 'Sima Ce.'

"Boom!" The jade tablet shattered.

A group of people quickly gathered in the palace.

"Sima Ce is dead?" one of them frowned.

"Hmph, this is the person you recommended to the Holy King? How long has he been in the small world?"

"I've always said he couldn't replace the 108th disciple of the Heavenly Emperor. He wasn't qualified! A celestial, accompanied by ten Earth Immortals and even a gluttonous beast, killed by people from a small world? This is beyond disgraceful!"

"Sima Ce was arrogant and foolish, a complete idiot. How long has it been? And he's already dead?"

"What a pity. The task the Holy King entrusted has been utterly botched. He was your brother, and you recommended him. Think about how you'll explain this to the Holy King!"

"I will handle it," the man with the frown replied.

"Handle it? With increasing numbers and strength of surrounding forces, an external war might break out even before the small world opens. We are all tied up. The Holy King trusted your recommendation, and you suggested a fool? Do you know how much it cost to send those eleven people into the small world? Do you think we can send more now, with all the strong opponents outside?"

"Enough! I'll bear the responsibility for the poor recommendation. My brother is dead. Do you think it's enjoyable to mock me? Hmph!" the man snorted coldly.

Back in the small world, Zhong Shan and Tian Ling'er followed Tian Shenzi into the grand hall, and the doors shut behind them with a thunderous boom.

As they entered, Zhong Shan took advantage of the chaos to steal Sima Ce's core consciousness. Sima Ce, though a celestial, was not feared by Di Xuansha, giving Zhong Shan the confidence to leave him to Di Xuansha.

The ancient pine tree had been a significant boon. The Eight-Tailed Beast enjoyed digesting it and had also reserved a portion of energy for Zhong Shan. However, now was not the right time for absorption, so it was merely stored. Zhong Shan's cultivation level remained unchanged.

Inside the hall, it was pitch black, as if leading deep into Heaven's Peak.

"Zhong Shan, why is it so dark in here?" Tian Ling'er held Zhong Shan's hand, a bit worried.

"Don't worry, I'm here," Zhong Shan reassured her gently.

"Mm," Tian Ling'er nodded, comforted.

In the grand hall, the darkness was almost tangible. Tian Shenzi led the way, and the atmosphere was thick with an ancient, oppressive aura. They walked deeper into the hall, feeling the weight of history and power in every step.

"Follow me closely," Tian Shenzi's voice echoed in the darkness, authoritative and calm.

As they proceeded, the surroundings began to subtly change. Faint glimmers of light started to appear on the walls, revealing intricate carvings and symbols that seemed to pulse with life.

"This place... it's incredible," Zhong Shan whispered, more to himself than anyone else.

"This is the heart of Heaven's Peak, where the Tian family's most guarded secrets and legacies are kept," Tian Shenzi explained.

They finally reached the innermost chamber, a vast room illuminated by an ethereal glow. In the center stood an ancient altar, surrounded by floating orbs of light.

"Tian Ling'er, as the current head of the Tian family, you must receive the inheritance," Tian Shenzi said, motioning for her to step forward.

Tian Ling'er, though still somewhat nervous, took a deep breath and approached the altar. As she did, the floating orbs of light began to converge around her, forming a brilliant, radiant halo.

"This is the legacy of our ancestors," Tian Shenzi continued. "It is now your duty to carry it forward."

Tian Ling'er nodded solemnly, feeling the weight of her responsibility. The light enveloped her, and for a moment, it seemed as if time stood still.

Zhong Shan watched intently, knowing that this moment was pivotal for Tian Ling'er and the future of the Tian family. He remained vigilant, ready to support her in any way needed.

As the ceremony proceeded, Tian Shenzi turned to Zhong Shan. "You, too, have a role to play in this. The strength and unity of our family depend on all its members."

Zhong Shan nodded, understanding the significance of his involvement. Together, they stood as protectors and bearers of a great legacy, facing whatever challenges lay ahead with resolve and determination.