Chapter 119: Chapter 105: A Chill in the Heart
"Ye Chen hasn't come out yet?"
"Yeah, we really haven't seen Ye Chen!"
The young warriors looked around and indeed, as Bai Xiaodie had said, Ye Chen was nowhere to be found near them.
Ever since they entered the central region of the Ancestral Land Secret Realm, they had been separated, each facing their trials within their respective Ancient Furnaces of Creation, and since then, they hadn't seen Ye Chen.
Later on, it was through the Spirit of the Sacred Artifact that Bai Xiaodie learned that Ye Chen had the opportunity to enter the core area of the Ancestral Land.
Even so, now that the one-month exploration period had ended, Ye Chen should have emerged as well.
Not seeing Ye Chen, all the young warriors began to worry.
The help Ye Chen provided to all of them during the Golden Light Beads trial was something they would not forget.
"What should we do?"
"Ye Chen hasn't come out, should we leave or wait here for him?"
Many of the young warriors were initially prepared to drop their blood on the Ancestral Land pass token and be teleported out of the Ancestral Land Secret Realm, but now realizing that they were one person short with Ye Chen missing, they all stopped in their tracks.
"Let's wait a bit first!"
"Maybe Ye Chen will come out soon!"
Bai Xiaodie, Qian Ming, Ye Xue, and others all said aloud.
"Alright, let's wait!"
"With one day to leave the secret realm, Ye Chen should be on his way."
All the young warriors sat down, preparing to wait for Ye Chen and leave the Ancestral Land Secret Realm together with him.
At that moment, the voice of the Spirit of the Sacred Artifact suddenly transmitted from the void, "You don't need to wait for Ye Chen. He has already entered the ultimate challenge stage and is currently undergoing the trial. He doesn't need to leave today!"
"When his ultimate challenge is over, I will personally send him out of the secret realm!"
As the Spirit of the Sacred Artifact spoke, its immense visage also appeared above the Green Flow Plains on the outer region.
Ye Chen had entered the ultimate challenge stage?
He didn't need to leave today?
The young warriors, who had been waiting for Ye Chen, were startled by the appearance of the Spirit of the Sacred Artifact's colossal face and its words!
They had thought that Ye Chen was in the core area of the Ancestral Land, on his way out, but they couldn't have imagined that he had actually entered the ultimate challenge stage!
The ultimate challenge was something the elderly clan leader had spoken of as a mysterious stage related to the most precious ultimate reward of the Ancestral Land Secret Realm. No one had ever managed to enter it before.
Unexpectedly, not only had Ye Chen breached the core region of the Ancestral Land, but he had also ventured into the ultimate challenge stage!
This was truly a surprise and a huge delight!
"No wonder Ye Chen hasn't come out even though the month for exploration was up."
"Turns out, he entered a truly great opportunity!"
The young warriors looked at each other, their faces showing envy and admiration.
Ye Chen had never disappointed anyone, still as formidable as ever!
Whether it was the Golden Light Beads trial in the outer region of the Ancestral Land Secret Realm or the challenge of the Ancient Furnaces of Creation in the central region, none had stumped him.
He had even stepped into the previously uncharted core region of the Ancestral Land during the first five openings, and further into the most precious ultimate challenge stage.
The young warriors could not help but hold immense respect for Ye Chen!
"Artifact Spirit, how much longer will it take for Ye Chen to complete the ultimate challenge and exit the secret realm?" Bai Xiaodie asked the Spirit of the Sacred Artifact.
"How much longer?" The Spirit of the Sacred Artifact smiled faintly, "That depends on Ye Chen's strength. I do not know how long he will take to continue his journey through the ultimate challenge."
"But, the longer the better. The longer he stays, the greater his gains will be!"
"At the very least another six or seven days, and at most about a month, he should then leave the Ancestral Land Secret Realm!"
In the Ancient God Tower's eighteen floors, one could cultivate for thirty days inside each floor, which equaled three days outside. Ye Chen had only just breached the seventh floor, so indeed, if he continued onwards, he would need a significant amount of time before he could leave.
Of course, if Ye Chen were to stop around the ninth floor, then he would not stay for many more days.
"The longer the stay, the greater the reward?" Bai Xiaodie nodded gently, "Then, let's hope he stays a few more days in the secret realm."
After the Spirit of the Sacred Artifact finished responding to Bai Xiaodie's question, it looked at the other young warriors and spoke, "Ye Chen's Ancestral Land Secret Realm trial is still ongoing."
"Your one-month trial ends today."
"Regardless of the outcome, once you leave, you must continue to work hard. The reward my old master offered to your three tribes has already been bestowed in this opportunity in the Ancestral Land Secret Realm!"
"Now, leave the secret realm!"
"Ye Chen will face his challenge well, you don't need to worry about him."
"Perhaps when you see him again, you will also be astonished by his progress!"
Hearing the Spirit of the Sacred Artifact's words, all the young warriors nodded.
"Artifact Spirit, please take good care of Ye Chen for us!" a young warrior called out to the Artifact Spirit.
"Please look after him, Artifact Spirit!"
The other young warriors also called out one after another.
Seeing the Artifact Spirit nod, all the young warriors took out their Ancestral Land Secret Realm passes, and then, they dripped their blood into the passes.
Right after they dripped in their blood, their passes emitted endless light, and at the same time, a beam of light shot out directly from the dark vortex in the void.
As the beam of light shone upon the young warriors, they instantly vanished from the Ancestral Land Secret Realm.
After twenty-nine beams of light, the twenty-nine young warriors had all left the Ancestral Land Secret Realm!
Watching as all the young warriors disappeared from the secret realm, the Spirit of the Sacred Artifact turned its head and looked towards the core area of the Ancestral Land.
"These little fellows have all left."
"Now in the secret realm, there's only Ye Chen left."
"I really don't know which floor of the Ancient God Tower Ye Chen will reach."
"I should go and take a look again."
In the midst of speaking, the Spirit of the Sacred Artifact vanished from the outer perimeter of the Ancestral Land Secret Realm and once again entered the mysterious territory where the Ancient God Tower was located.
The Ancestral Land Secret Realm, also known as the Sacred Artifact "Ethereal Spirit Holy Temple", is under the full control of the Spirit of the Sacred Artifact within this sacred artifact; capable of instantaneously moving anywhere.
However, back when Heavenly Saint Di Kong left the three tribes, he locked the consciousness of the Spirit of the Sacred Artifact inside the sacred artifact, and the Artifact Spirit did not know that the young warriors who left would face such great dangers once outside.
...
Boom!
After a ripple in the void, the twenty-nine young warriors of the three tribes were teleported back outside the Ancestral Land Secret Realm, to the entrance of the three tribes' ancestral land.
"We're out!"
"We've finally come out!"
Seeing the familiar statues in the center of the ancestral land, the young warriors displayed expressions of sheer excitement.
After exploring the ancestral secret realm for a month, they had returned with great rewards!
Once they had all teleported out, the dark entrance to the secret realm behind the fourth statue vanished once again.
The young warriors were overjoyed, but they suddenly felt that something was amiss.
Logically, many of their tribe members should be happily waiting for them at this time, but as they emerged from the secret realm, they noticed an eerie silence around them.
And when they looked up at the surroundings of their ancestral land, they saw that their tribe members were indeed outside, but none of them wore happy expressions. Instead, upon seeing the young warriors, every one of the tribe members began shaking their heads.
In an instant, the young warriors realized the source of the abnormal situation – they saw the three major loose cultivators from Wan Ya Mountain standing in the sky!
At that moment, seeing the young warriors emerge from the Ancestral Land Secret Realm, the eyes of the three major loose cultivators flashed with eagerness.
"Ha ha, we've been waiting for you to come out!"
"Come on, show us what secret treasures you've brought out from the Ancestral Land Secret Realm!"
Sikong Miao, the leader of the three major loose cultivators, took a step through the void and appeared in front of the young warriors, and with a large hand, he grabbed Qian Ming of the twelfth layer of True Qi into his grasp.
"Don't!"
"What are you doing?!"
The actions of Sikong Miao caused all the young warriors to rush forward, and the tribesmen of the three tribes surged towards Sikong Miao as well.
As Sikong Miao held Qian Ming in his hand, his eyes swept around, and then he turned to face the other young warriors rushing towards him. He sneered, "It seems you are unaware of the situation. Well, I'll tell you, we know all about your venture into the Ancestral Land Secret Realm to find secret treasures."
"Now, hand over the treasures obediently, and we three might spare your lives; otherwise, I don't mind killing you first and then taking the treasures!"
"As for the others," Sikong Miao scanned the tribesmen rushing towards him, "stay put if you want to live. If you really wish to seek death, then come on over!"
Boom!
The words of Sikong Miao caused many of the tribesmen to halt in their steps.
The young warriors, who had just emerged from the Ancestral Land Secret Realm, were all stunned in disbelief.
They had returned from the ancestral land feeling elated with their great finds, but it never crossed their minds that their treasures would attract the attention of a Spirit Sea Realm powerhouse.
A Spirit Sea Realm powerhouse!
As they looked up at the three major loose cultivators from Wan Ya Mountain standing in the void, all the young warriors' hearts turned cold.
They were powerless against these three Spirit Sea Realm powerhouses; they couldn't protect the treasures they had obtained from the secret realm!
But to just hand over their treasures to these three?
The young warriors were even more reluctant and unwilling!