Heir Of The Celestial Throne & The Blooming Empress-Chapter 36: Veil of Deception: The Mystic Relic Pavilion’s True Nature

The oppressive aura of the four Ascendant Realm elders weighed heavily on the battlefield, like an unshakable mountain, their gazes fixed on Tianyang, Yuqing, and Yao'er like wolves eyeing their prey. The remnants of the ancient tomb's spatial distortions flickered behind them, fading into oblivion, leaving no escape route.

Tianyang, Yuqing, and Yao'er stood at the center, their bodies tense.

The eldest among the four Ascendant Realm elders, an elderly man in silver robes, exuded an aura as steady as a mountain. His gaze landed on Tianyang, who had already drawn his Asura Devil Sword, its ominous aura seeping into the surroundings. Raising a wrinkled hand, he spoke in a seemingly benevolent tone.

"Xiaoyao (Little Friend), don't panic. We're not going to harm you," his voice carried wisdom, but Tianyang could feel the underlying calculation.

One of the six Half-Step Ascendant Realm disciples, the one who had barely escaped earlier, stepped forward with a sneer. "Master! They killed our junior brothers and sisters! They stole the inheritance!"

"Silence." The elder's voice was calm but absolute, forcing his disciple to swallow his words. His eyes never left Tianyang. "We simply wish to see what inheritance you received. We will not hold anything against you."

The other three Ascendant Realm elders nodded in agreement, their presence carrying undeniable pressure.

Yuqing exchanged glances with Tianyang. They knew better.

"You're saying you won't hold anything against us?" Tianyang's voice was calm, but his grip on the sword tightened. "Forgive me, Senior, but it's difficult to believe you."

Before Tianyang could say anything more, Yao'er, who had been quietly observing his masters' exhaustion from the earlier battle, suddenly cleared his throat loudly, gaining everyone's attention. He spoke with the innocence of a child trying to help his masters avoid unnecessary conflict.

"We just received two shabby swords, two ordinary flame seeds, and a low-level beast egg. Nothing else."

A moment of silence passed.

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Then, a cold chuckle.

The Half-Step Ascendant disciple from before sneered again, about to call out the lie. "Master, he's clearly hiding the truth! They obtained the div—"

"Shut up."

The silver-robed elder cut him off again, eyes narrowing. He looked at Tianyang and spoke again in a tone of assurance.

"Little friend, don't worry. You can trust us. We are from the Mystic Relic Pavilion. We do not steal treasures. If you wish to sell, we will offer a good price. If you do not wish to sell, we will not force you."

Another ascendant realm senior a middle-aged elder with a scholarly aura stepped forward, nodding in agreement. "Indeed. We merely wish to broaden our horizons. It is our duty as cultivators to seek knowledge, is it not?"

Tianyang's expression remained unchanged, but inside, his blood boiled.

Mystic Relic Pavilion.

They weren't just a merchant group. They were one of the strongest forces on the Azure Star Continent, rivaling the Qin Empire and the Celestial Clan. They dealt in rare alchemy materials, divine formation scrolls, and even Low-Divine-Grade artifacts.

But their reputation for fairness? A facade.

Tianyang let out a slow breath, confidence burning in his golden eyes.

"Seniors, if you do not wish to force us, then let us leave. We cannot show or sell you anything—because what we obtained, we earned with our blood and resilience."

The scholarly elder sighed.

"A pity."

The air grew tense.

Just then, a sudden burst of fiery killing intent erupted.

The crimson-armored female elder, her aura like a raging inferno, stepped forward. Her eyes burned with divine fire, and her lips curled into a predatory smirk.

"Don't refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit." (Chinese saying: Accept an offer willingly or suffer the consequences.)

Tianyang's grip on his Asura Devil Sword tightened.

A soft, melodic voice cut through the tension.

"Try us."

Yuqing stepped forward, her Asura Devil Sword already unsheathed, its demonic aura whispering in the wind. Her silver-white hair danced behind her, her ice-cold gaze meeting the crimson-armored elder's fiery one.

The flames flickered, as if challenged by the frost.

Another elder, a towering man with a thunderous aura, let out a deep, rumbling laugh.

"Enough of this bullsh*t! Let's just kill them. The treasures will be ours."

Without hesitation, the four Ascendant Realm elders raised their hands, activating the formation.

A blood-red barrier shot into the sky, trapping all thirteen combatants inside. The space trembled, sealing off teleportation, flight, and spatial techniques.

The moment the formation barrier sealed the battlefield, the four Ascendant Realm elders stood at the edges, their gazes cold and calculating. The six Half-Step Ascendant Realm disciples, who had fled earlier, now stood shoulder to shoulder, their faces filled with resentment and bloodlust.

They immediately attacked, their weapons glowing with power.

One of them, gripping a Low-Divine-Grade saber, shouted, "Let's attack together! They're strong—don't underestimate them!"

The other five nodded in unison.

Without hesitation, they all charged at Tianyang, Yuqing, and Yao'er, blades of flaming swords, torrents of thunderous spears, and cascading earthquakes roared as they unleashed High-Sky-Tier & Low-Divine-Tier techniques towards the trio.

The first disciple swung his Low-Divine-Grade saber, unleashing a crescent-shaped arc of blood (Low-Divine-Tier) toward Tianyang.

Another one cast a flame incantation, summoning a burning crimson dragon (Peak-Sky-Tier) that surged toward Yuqing.

Three others activated a coordinated formation, their Low-Divine-Grade thunderous spears piercing through the air, aiming to lock Yao'er down.

The last disciple channeled dark energy into his fists, unleashing a wave of demonic fists (Level 10 Forbidden-Tier) to crush all three of them at once.

Their combined assault was overwhelming, their auras intertwining like a coordinated army of elites.

But Tianyang, Yuqing, and Yao'er?

They barely moved.

Yuqing's lips curled into a smirk.

"You call this an attack?"

Rumble!

The moment the attacks reached them, they countered effortlessly.

Tianyang unleashed his Fire Phoenix Form, a divine creature of flames spreading its immortal wings behind him.

Yuqing activated her Ice Dragon Form, an ethereal ice dragon coiling around her, breathing out freezing mists.

Yao'er? His Heaven's Sovereign Lightning Wings burst open, crackling with tribulation lightning.

One-Sided Annihilation

The moment the attacks reached them, Yao'er struck first.

His lightning exploded outward, disrupting the spiritual energy flow of the six disciples, making them unable to control their techniques.

Before they could react, Yuqing's ice technique surged forward, an icy mist spread across the battlefield, instantly freezing the six disciples in place. Their bodies were encased in ice, their eyes filled with shock and horror.

And then?

Tianyang took a step forward, raising his hand.

"Burn."

Whoosh!

A red-crimson inferno erupted, consuming the frozen disciples in an instant. Their screams barely echoed before their bodies were reduced to nothing but ashes.

Their fleeting energy?

Tianyang and Yuqing activated the Void Devourer Art, absorbing the energy into their own bodies, replenishing their qi and vitality.

For a moment, silence filled the battlefield.

Then—

Clap. Clap. Clap.

The crimson-armored elder, her lips curved in amusement, slowly applauded.

"Hmmm... you do have the capital for your arrogance."

But then, her expression darkened.

"Let's see how long that arrogance lasts."

Boom!

She lunged forward, her Mid-Divine-Grade Spear glowing with Mid-Divine-Tier Fire Technique – Blazing Sun Descent.

The moment she swung her spear, a colossal sun formed above, collapsing toward them like the judgment of the heavens.

Tianyang and Yuqing responded immediately, fusing their ice and fire techniques, using their Yin-Yang Harmonization.

Boom!

A glacial flame vortex formed, colliding with the falling sun, causing a massive explosion.

Her attack was repelled, forcing her several steps back.

Blood dripped from the corner of her lips.

She wiped her mouth, her eyes filled with venom.

"You three fools! Don't underestimate them! If we don't kill them now, we won't be leaving here alive, let alone getting the inheritance!"

The towering elder, exuding a thunderous aura, mocked her.

"Admit it—you're just the weakest among us. Let me show you how to deal with ants."

The scholarly elder and silver-robed elder chuckled, clearly enjoying her humiliation.

Enraged, the crimson-armored elder gritted her teeth.

But the towering elder had already made his move.

Boom!

He unsheathed his Peak-Divine-Grade Sword, lightning crackling around it.

"Witness true power!"

Raising his sword, he unleashed a High-Divine-Tier Lightning Technique—Heaven's Wrath Judgment.

Rumble!

The sky darkened.

A colossal bolt of divine lightning descended from above, aiming directly at Tianyang, Yuqing, and Yao'er.

The other elders smirked, watching the attack with satisfaction.

"They won't survive that."

Tianyang?

He didn't dodge.

Instead, he pulled Yuqing into his embrace, shielding her with his back.

Yao'er stood beside them, spreading his lightning-infused wings.

They didn't resist.

The towering elder scoffed.

"Look at them! They're not even resisting?"

The other elders laughed.

But the moment the divine lightning struck—

Something unbelievable happened.

Instead of obliterating them, the lightning was devoured.

The Divine Lightning Technique vanished as it was absorbed into Tianyang and Yuqing's bodies, their Lightning Dual Body Low-Immortal-Tier Technique at work and perfectly synchronized with the Void Devourer Art.

Even Yao'er's wings shimmered, refining the energy, making his lightning-infused wings even stronger.

The scholarly elder's face turned pale.

"Something's wrong! Elder Xiao, retreat—!"

But it was too late.

The Devourer Art, having already completely devoured the lightning, now forcefully pulled the towering elder toward Tianyang and Yuqing.

His body fell to the ground, groveling before them.

The other elders watched in horror as—

Within seconds...

His body mummified, drained of all his energy.

The once mighty Ascendant Realm elder...

Had perished instantly.

Silence fell.

The remaining three elders stared in horror.

And Tianyang?

He smiled.