C23 The Chaos in Holy Mountain Town!

"The restriction... has it been lifted?!" Qinghuang's eyes snapped open, a wave of relief washing over her. "It seems he truly managed to break the restriction placed upon me!"

Surprise flickered across Qinghuang's face as she slowly moved her arm, only to freeze in shock upon realizing that one hand was clasped by the other.

Tang Yuan lay beside her, eyes shut tight, the patchwork of bloodstains on his body bearing witness to the agony he had endured before losing consciousness.

After checking Tang Yuan for any life-threatening injuries and finding none, Qinghuang carefully stood up.

A peculiar look crossed her face as she noticed her mask nestled in Tang Yuan's arms. After a brief hesitation, she rose and made her way to the cave's entrance.

"Since this was all part of a deal, the mask is yours!" With those words, Qinghuang unleashed a formidable surge of Spiritual Force and vanished in an instant.

...

Thud! Thud! Thud!

A fearsome rumbling erupted from outside the cave, sending tremors through the structure and causing stones to rain down from the ceiling.

A sharp pain jolted Tang Yuan awake as a rock struck his face. His eyes fluttered open to a stiff body and the realization that Qinghuang had departed.

"Women..." he sighed deeply, eyeing the unstable cave before hastily making his escape.

"My martial practice has advanced yet again! The Seventh Heaven of the Spirit Containing Stage!" Tang Yuan examined his body, his face twisting into a bemused expression. This breakthrough was utterly unexpected.

"It must be the combined influence of the Spiritual Force and the Imperial Fire during the use of the Imperial Fire that's transforming my physical form," Tang Yuan mused aloud.

Then, two more thunderous booms echoed, prompting him to pinpoint their origin. In a flash, he sped off towards Holy Mountain Town!

Upon his return to Holy Mountain Town, Tang Yuan paused, taken aback by the transformation it had undergone.

The streets teemed with more cultivators than before, and to his astonishment, many possessed cultivation levels surpassing the Spirit Sea Stage!

"Could they have come for Small Holy Mountain?" Without another thought, Tang Yuan darted towards the Tang family estate.

"Isn't that Tang Yuan? He's been missing for over a month, and now he's finally shown up!"

"What difference does it make if he's back? The Tang family has angered Qin Hai of the Galaxy Sect. Now, with each person that returns, there's one more to die!"

Tang Yuan quickened his pace as he heard the voices behind him. He had been away for over a month, and in his absence, the Tang family had fallen into trouble!

"Who goes there? This is now the domain of the Galaxy Sect!" At the Tang family's entrance, two guards blocked Tang Yuan's path.

With an icy stare, Tang Yuan regarded the two men. In just a month's time, the Galaxy Sect had taken over the Tang family's holdings.

Without lingering, Tang Yuan turned and departed, making his way to the Treasure Pavilion. Upon his arrival, the guards at the Pavilion looked on in astonishment.

"I'm here to see Miss Menng Ya!" Tang Yuan declared as he entered.

The guards exchanged glances, and one hurried off in the direction of the Zhou family.

"Why have you come?" Menng Ya asked, her face a picture of surprise as she ushered Tang Yuan inside before securely closing the door.

"What's happened in Holy Mountain Town?" Tang Yuan inquired, determined to understand the full situation.

"Where have you been all this time?" Menng Ya asked, peering at Tang Yuan. Without waiting for his response, she pressed on, "Ten days ago, the three major forces from Jin City descended upon Holy Mountain Town. They brought with them over a dozen cultivators at the Core Formation Stage!

Upon their arrival, they took every cultivator above the Spirit Sea Stage. Those who resisted were executed on the spot, and now the three great powers have taken control of Holy Mountain Town!"

"Isn't the opening of the Small Holy Mountain still some time away? Why have they shown up now? And why capture all the Spirit Sea Stage cultivators?" Tang Yuan furrowed his brow, sensing that the three great powers were acting prematurely.

Then it struck him—the magma pool and the woman lying at its bottom. Although he didn't know her name, could there be a link between these events?

"You need to leave immediately. The Tang family is now under Qin Hai's control. Anyone who resists is ruthlessly suppressed. Qin Hai has issued an ultimatum: the Tang family must surrender you, or they will all face destruction!"

"Where's Uncle San and the rest?" A deadly intent flickered in the depths of Tang Yuan's eyes. Was Qin Hai seeking his own demise?

"Tang Jing and Tang Hu have been taken, their whereabouts unknown," Menng Ya said with a shake of her head. "The Treasure Pavilion is swarming with people today. Someone will come for you soon. You need to get out of here quickly!"

"Leave?" A smile played on Tang Yuan's lips as a surge of murderous energy erupted from him. "So, Qin Hai is the only one holding down the fort for the Tang family, correct?"

"The cultivators at the Core Formation Stage are all assaulting Small Holy Mountain, trying to break the external seals!" Menng Ya cautioned Tang Yuan. "You can't just rush into action! Even though the Tang family lacks Core Formation Stage cultivators at the moment, both Zhou Zhangming and Qin Hai are at the Spirit Sea Stage. You're no match for them!"

"Spirit Sea Stage?" Tang Yuan scoffed before turning on his heel and striding away.

"Tang Yuan, where do you think you're going? They'll be here to capture you any minute now!" Wang Bao called out with a smirk, blocking Tang Yuan's path at the gate.

"Out of my way!" Tang Yuan's voice was icy as he took a decisive step forward.

With a roar like a dragon's cry, Wang Bao's face twisted in horror, too late to evade, and he was crushed underfoot in an instant!

Without pausing, Tang Yuan continued on his path, heading straight for the Tang family compound.

Crash!

As two guards moved to block him, a savage glint flashed in Tang Yuan's eyes. A swift motion of his hands sent out two arcs of blood, bisecting the guards where they stood!

Tang Yuan kicked the door open, stepping over the blood-smeared threshold. He entered, an aura of chilling intent enveloping him, his form bathed in a golden glow.

"And who might this be? Ah, the prodigious young master of the Tang family," sneered a voice. Qin Hai emerged, casually draping an arm around Tang Ling's waist as he stepped out from the inner hall.

Trailing behind him were Zhou Zhangming and several disciples of the Galaxy Sect, all wearing taunting smiles.

"Tang Ling! I spared your life, and this is how you repay the Tang family?" Tang Yuan glared at Tang Ling with icy contempt. He had previously crippled Tang Zong but had refrained from punishing Tang Ling. Now, to his surprise, she had allied herself with the Galaxy Sect.

"Spare me?" Tang Ling scoffed. "I'm the woman Young Master Qin Hai has taken a liking to. Would you dare to kill me?"

"Hmph, you refused to let me take Ling Er with me that day. Now, you must face the consequences." Qin Hai toyed with a golden mirror in his hand, the very Fire Serpent Mirror itself.

"Consequences?" Tang Yuan sneered. "Today, you all will meet your end right here!"