From Five Animal Exercises to being hailed as a saint and ancestor

Zhao Yu, the third person in the Spirit Sea Realm of the Heavenly Dao Sect, holds a trump card and is confident that he can make a name for himself in this desperate situation.

But what's with this ragged kid in front of me?

Peak of the Spirit Sea Realm?

In this godforsaken place, how can his eyes still be so clear?

As Yao Mengkang watched the other person's eyes quickly shift from panic to superiority, the warmth he felt from meeting an old friend in a foreign land completely vanished.

The panic caused by the sudden spatial teleportation quickly subsided in Zhao Yu's mind after he confirmed that what appeared before him was not the terrifying soul beast or strange being he had expected, but a living person of similar age whose cultivation level seemed to be similar to his own.

Who is he? He is the top student who consistently ranks third among the current disciples of the Heavenly Dao Sect at the Spirit Sea Realm!

The two monsters ranked first and second did not come for some reason. The key figure leading the team to explore the Silent Soul Abyss is Zhao Yu!

The pride he possessed as a genius of the Heavenly Dao Sect never diminished in the slightest.

The boundless spiritual sea circulated slowly within his body, and pure spiritual energy flowed through his limbs and bones, dispelling the discomfort brought by the surrounding ghostly aura.

The Pure Heart Jade Pendant issued by the sect radiated a warm light on the chest, which to some extent resisted the all-pervasive erosion of the soul.

In addition, he had four equally skilled and well-coordinated fellow disciples by his side, as well as several hidden trump cards to save his life...

Zhao Yu took a deep breath, and the slight panic he had felt earlier due to the strange teleportation completely vanished, replaced by a confidence that allowed him to regain control of the situation.

The look in his eyes as he looked at Yao Mengkang unconsciously carried a hint of scrutiny and superiority.

How much stronger could a kid who ended up here, dressed in tattered clothes as if he had rolled in the mud, possibly be, even if he was also at the peak of the Spirit Sea Realm?

It's probably only by sheer luck, or by possessing some special magical artifact, that they've managed to barely survive in this Abyss of Souls until now.

"Who are you? And why are you here?"

Zhao Yu did not lower his long sword, and his tone carried the condescending questioning tone typical of disciples of the Heavenly Dao Sect.

His gaze was sharp as he tried to find any trace of the corrupting influence of the Soulless Aura on Yao Mengkang, such as cloudy eyes or a violent aura, but he was disappointed.

The other person's eyes were clear, even carrying a kind of... intense joy after not seeing a living person for a long time?

This only made Zhao Yu more vigilant.

Yao Mengkang's bright smile gradually cooled down under Zhao Yu's impolite questioning and his obviously defensive and superior gaze.

He had still clung to a last shred of hope that the "living person" was real, but now it seemed he had been overthinking things. Especially since the other party was from the Heavenly Dao Sect.

"Yao Mengkang".

He gave his name in a flat tone, revealing no emotion.

"As for why I'm here... it's a long story. I was swept in by spatial turbulence and have been trapped for a long time."

He spoke concisely, his gaze sweeping over Zhao Yu and his group of five, focusing on their uniform attire, standard weapons, and the vaguely forming combined attack formation.

"Judging by your attire, are you high-ranking disciples of the Heavenly Dao Sect? I wonder why you've come to this depths of the Silent Soul Abyss? Could it be that the Heavenly Dao Academy's assessment hasn't ended yet?"

He asked deliberately, with a hint of probing that was barely perceptible.

Zhao Yu frowned slightly. Yao Mengkang?

I've never heard of this person.

It seems they must be someone who failed the Heavenly Dao Academy's assessment or someone who was unlucky.

His sense of superiority grew stronger, but he remained outwardly composed.

"The Heavenly Dao Academy's assessment has long since concluded. We are here on orders from our sect to carry out important duties in the Silent Soul Abyss."

He deliberately obscured the information about "holy remains" and "personhood," instead steer the conversation towards Yao Mengkang:

"Fellow Daoist Yao, it is truly admirable that you have been able to remain in this Abyss of Silent Souls with a clear mind, unaffected by the corrupting influence of the Silent Souls. Do you know of any secrets you may have? And do you know of any unusual features, or... special things, in this area?"

The intention to probe was obvious from their words.

Yao Mengkang sneered inwardly. Trying to extract information from me? Perfect, I have plenty of questions myself.

"There's no secret to it, it's just luck."

Yao Mengkang chuckled and downplayed the issue, "As for its special features, this place is relatively safe. There are quite a few low-level soul beasts here, and they can't be killed all of them, so it's a good place for honing your skills."

He paused, then changed the subject, asking the question that concerned him most:

"Fellow Daoist Zhao said the assessment ended a long time ago, but I wonder how long ago exactly? Has the Venerable Sword Master Mingxin returned to his sect? If we leave from here now, is there still a chance to go to the Heavenly Dao Academy?"

Both sides had their own ulterior motives and wanted to extract the information they desired from the other.

When Zhao Yu heard Yao Mengkang ask about the time, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes. It seemed that this guy was so trapped that he had lost track of the passage of time.

He hesitated for a moment, then replied:

"More than a month has passed since the assessment ended. Sword Master Mingxin has returned to the sect and is currently overseeing things outside the abyss."

He deliberately pointed out that the Sword Master Mingxin was outside, implying a threat.

"As for the Heavenly Dao Academy... now that the assessment has ended, it's probably difficult."

A month has passed... Yao Mengkang sighed inwardly, realizing he had indeed missed it.

Is the Sword Master Mingxin right outside?

His heart stirred slightly, but upon hearing that the Heavenly Dao Academy was hopeless, he couldn't help but feel somewhat disappointed.

"I see, thank you for informing me, Fellow Daoist Zhao."

Yao Mengkang cupped his hands in a respectful gesture and continued asking, seemingly casually:

"But what is the purpose of the Heavenly Dao Sect's large-scale deployment of elite disciples at the Spirit Sea Realm deep into this perilous place? Could it be that some extraordinary treasure has been unearthed in this Silent Soul Abyss?"

Zhao Yu's eyes narrowed, and he dodged the question:

"Sect secrets cannot be disclosed. However, if Fellow Daoist Yao can provide any clues about the depths of this place, or certain powerful soul beasts or strange terrain, my Heavenly Dao Sect will surely reward you handsomely."

He steered the conversation back to Yao Mengkang, trying to get him to reveal more.

The two stood there in the gray, desolate place, outwardly polite but inwardly sharp-tongued, probing each other and exchanging seemingly insignificant information that was actually a reflection of their individual analyses and judgments.

Yao Mengkang learned about the outside world's time and confirmed the whereabouts of Mingxin Sword Master, and had a vague guess about the purpose of the Heavenly Dao Sect's operation.

Zhao Yu learned from Yao Mengkang that this area was indeed "relatively safe" and the level of the soul beasts was not high.

However, Yao Mengkang's ambiguity regarding "the depths" and "special things" led him to conclude that this person must know something, or possess a secret to resist the Silent Soul.

The verbal exchange came to a temporary halt, and the atmosphere settled into a delicate balance.

Both sides knew that they couldn't get what they really wanted just by talking.

"We cannot linger here. We must explore the surrounding area as soon as possible, find a way out, and reunite with our fellow disciples."

Zhao Yu spoke first, offering a seemingly reasonable suggestion.

"Fellow Daoist Yao is familiar with this place, so why don't we travel together and look out for each other?"

He verbally said he would look after them, but his eyes signaled to his companions to maintain formation, subtly regarding Yao Mengkang as someone who needed to be wary of.

Yao Mengkang could easily see through his thoughts, but he did need to know more, especially about how to get out and the Heavenly Dao Sect's possible subsequent actions. He nodded: "Alright."

The two groups, or rather, Yao Mengkang alone and the five-person team from the Heavenly Dao Sect, maintained a delicate distance as they began to move within this "safe zone".

Yao Mengkang led the way, seemingly casually, but in reality, he was highly focused, the stone bead rotating slightly in his sea of ​​consciousness, sensing everything around him.

Zhao Yu and his group of five followed closely behind, their combined attack formation appearing and disappearing, their spiritual energy surging, clearly indicating that they had not let their guard down.

Upon reaching a relatively open area, backed by several huge gray rocks and offering a good view, Yao Mengkang stopped and suggested:

"We've been walking for a while now. This place is relatively safe. Let's rest for a bit and then decide where to go next."

Zhao Yu looked around and, finding the surroundings suitable for a short rest, nodded: "Okay."

However, just as both sides seemed to relax, each finding a place to sit cross-legged, circulating their cultivation techniques to resist the aura of the silent soul and recover their physical and spiritual strength—

A sudden change has occurred!

Almost at the same moment!

Yao Mengkang moved with lightning speed, not retreating, but suddenly leaping forward, his target aimed directly at what seemed to be the weakest corner of the five-person formation!

He had long seen that the key to the operation of this combined attack formation lay with Zhao Yu, but the other four were also crucial. As long as one corner was broken, the formation would fall into disarray!

Almost at the same instant he moved, Zhao Yu's eyes flashed with a cold light, and he shouted sharply, "Attack!"

He had been waiting for this moment for a long time!

In his view, Yao Mengkang, being alone and carrying a secret, was the perfect target to capture!

Once we capture him, we'll have no trouble getting the method to resist the will of the silent soul and the secrets of this place!

Five fierce attacks erupted instantly!

Sword light, palm wind, and talisman light intertwined to form a net of death, enveloping Yao Mengkang!

The power of the combined attack formation was on full display at this moment. The spiritual energy resonated, and the power was multiplied, far exceeding the simple superposition of five peak Spirit Sea Realm cultivators!

Both sides were wary, both were testing each other, and both were waiting for the moment when they were most likely to relax during this "rest"!

See you in the picture!

Facing the overwhelming attack and feeling the powerful force that threatened him, Yao Mengkang showed no fear in his eyes; instead, a hint of excited, bloodthirsty light flashed in them.

Having been trapped here for too long, he needed a thrilling battle to test the true power of his million-foot spiritual sea!

"Well done!"

He let out a low roar, and the vast spiritual power within his body, as boundless as the starry sea, erupted without any concealment!

A punch was thrown out, simple and unadorned, yet it carried a tremendous force capable of crushing everything, fiercely meeting the dazzling light in the sky!