"Very well, bring in the next group!" the man in black armor declared, gesturing for the second batch to advance.
In a systematic fashion, two thousand individuals were divided into ten groups, entering the passage in a sequential order.
After each group's entry, a review for casualties would be conducted to assess if a trap lay in wait on the other side.
Mo Hao was allocated to the second-to-last group.
Though labeled as a 'waste' because of his reliance on medicinal pills to reach his current strength, Mo Hao had still ascended to the Transcendence realm, giving him a certain degree of usefulness.
...
Near the Moon Plucking Heavenly Sect on the Immortal Martial Continent, Jiang Chen hid himself in the sky, keeping watch over the spatial channel and the groups of cultivators that had just emerged.
'Villain's Eye!' With a mere thought, his gaze systematically scanned each individual, and panels of information appeared one by one.
Among these cultivators, astonishingly, many were classified as supporting characters.
'Supporting characters have shown up!' Jiang Chen reflected. 'It seems I've been ensnared in a protagonist's plot once more!'
'I wonder how unpredictable this protagonist will turn out to be.' With a gleam in his eye, he continued to scrutinize the people below. They were arriving in increasing numbers, and surely, the protagonist would expose himself sooner or later!
Simultaneously, Zhu Zhihai, a cultivator of the Dao Palace realm under Jiang Chen's command, advanced, his face a mix of shock and caution. He challenged, "Who goes there!? How dare you intrude upon the Immortal Martial Continent? Are you a spy of the demon race!?"
'That acting, not bad at all,' Jiang Chen acknowledged with a slight nod, his eyes still fixed on the scene below.
"Is this the Immortal Martial Continent?" A questioning voice emerged from the crowd.
"These dozens of people, are they natives of the Immortal Martial Continent?"
"I never thought the Immortal Martial Continent would remain free from complete domination by the demon race. That's fortunate indeed!"
One by one, the cultivators from the Prosperous Stone Immortal Star gazed at Zhu Zhihai with elation, their hearts finally finding some ease.
Their most dire fear had been the possibility of stumbling into a demon race ambush upon arrival—a predicament where even pleas for assistance would fall on deaf ears.
Simultaneously, wave after wave of cultivators from the Prosperous Stone Immortal Star continued to appear.
Mo Hao's group had at last reached the Immortal Martial Continent!
'Is this the Immortal Martial Continent?' Mo Hao surveyed his surroundings. 'A faint demonic aura lingers here. It appears the demon race has indeed invaded!'
'But there are native cultivators present, so the demon race hasn't seized control of the Immortal Martial Continent as thoroughly as we anticipated.'
'This is welcome news! With natives, demon race members, and those who scorn me all around, there are plenty of people to impress and ample opportunities to prove myself. I can aspire to grow stronger more quickly!' He felt a surge of satisfaction.
Suddenly, he sensed as if someone had cast a glance his way, making his hairs stand on end before the sensation vanished. 'What was that!? Is a powerhouse secretly probing me!?'
'Who could it be? Perhaps a powerhouse from the Immortal Martial Continent? But are there any Transcendence realm human powerhouses here?'
'Could it be the demon race? But if so, why wouldn't they destroy the spatial channel?'
'Maybe it's someone among these two thousand people near me, harboring ill will?'
'That seems likely. I've offended so many; it's only natural to be targeted.'
'This unseen observer instills a sense of danger. They must be among the Transcendence realm cultivators.'
'Hmph, you dare watch me? Wait until I become stronger, and I'll make you pay!' Mo Hao's instincts, honed by his Protagonist Status, were set on edge by Jiang Chen's Villain's Eye, and he immediately sensed that something was amiss.
But after carefully surveying his surroundings and contemplating the situation, Mo Hao failed to detect or deduce Jiang Chen's presence.
He concluded that the observer must be one of the Transcendence realm powerhouses who had accompanied him to the Immortal Martial Continent.
While Mo Hao boasted a higher Heavenly Fate Value compared to Gu Ran, he lacked the terrifying sense of danger that was a feature of the Endless Dark Blood Moon.
Moreover, his inherent character ensured that his level of caution couldn't match that of Gu Ran.
Lastly, Mo Hao's numerous enemies and the ever-present possibility of hostile scrutiny further muddled his judgment.
In sum, Mo Hao's sensitivity to being observed by Jiang Chen was markedly less acute than Gu Ran's.
As such, Mo Hao remained oblivious to the fact that he had been singled out by Jiang Chen.
Simultaneously, a panel displaying Mo Hao's information materialized before Jiang Chen's eyes.
[Name: Mo Hao
Realm: Early-stage Transcendence realm
Status: Protagonist
Heavenly Fate Value: 62682/62682]
'It's one thing for him to be in the Early-stage Transcendence realm, but a Heavenly Fate Value of nearly 70,000!' Jiang Chen mulled in his heart.
'I wonder what heaven-defying trump card he possesses to have such an elevated Heavenly Fate Value!'
'I must observe him closely and attempt to glean more information from those supporting characters. I mustn't act impulsively.' With this determination, he continued to scrutinize the unfolding situation below.
However, the spatial channel began to gradually mend itself and eventually vanished from sight.
The dozens of cultivators under Jiang Chen's command gazed rigidly at the two thousand cultivators from the Prosperous Stone Immortal Star, a mixture of awe and uncertainty in their eyes.
"Transcendence realm cultivators!" One of them murmured in disbelief.
"And there are five of them!"
"More than fifty are in the Dao Palace realm!"
"Who are they to wield such might?"
"They shouldn't be foes... After all, they're human, just like us."
"But we can't be certain, for appearances can be deceiving!"
"What does Lord Jiang Chen think?"
It would be dishonest to say that Zhu Zhihai and his companions weren't filled with apprehension.
If not for the reassuring knowledge that Jiang Chen was present to support them, they might have been teetering on the brink of panic.
At this moment, Jiang Chen's voice echoed within the minds of Zhu Zhihai and the others, a sound transmission enabled by the secret arts he'd learned. "Everyone, be at ease."
"These cultivators are from the Prosperous Stone Immortal Star."
"Although they hail from a different place, in the face of the demon race, they are our allies."
"Of course, should they dare to overstep, I will ensure they experience the sting of death."
Currently, his regular combat prowess had approached the level of the Middle-stage Transcendence realm.
Together with the unique sound transmission secret arts of Nangong Wan and Shangguan Ning, the message he relayed to Zhu Zhihai and his companions would elude detection by the Transcendence realm cultivators present.
Of course, Jiang Chen continued to watch Mo Hao's reactions throughout this. Observing that Mo Hao displayed no signs of recognition, he tentatively concluded that Mo Hao hadn't intercepted his sound transmission.
By now, the two thousand cultivators who had arrived from the Prosperous Stone Immortal Star had begun to acclimate themselves to their new surroundings. Their attention refocused on Zhu Zhihai and his group, who seemed less intimidating by comparison.
"You, who exactly are you all? Why have you come to our Immortal Martial Continent?" Guided by Jiang Chen's instructions, Zhu Zhihai inhaled deeply and called out with authority. "And this 'native' term you keep using, can't you speak like regular people?"
"My apologies!" A cultivator from the visiting group stepped forward, his tone somewhat frivolous. "We hail from the Prosperous Stone Immortal Star. Your Immortal Martial Continent is considered a warland within the domain of the Prosperous Stone Immortal Star."
"The demon race has invaded the Immortal Martial Continent, and so we've come to assist," another cultivator from the Prosperous Stone Immortal Star added.
"What is the present situation between the Immortal Martial Continent and the invading demon race army? How much territory have the demons claimed?"
"Um, how many Transcendence realm powerhouses does the demon race have here? What's the situation on your side?"
The remaining cultivators from the Prosperous Stone Immortal Star continued to interrogate in a haphazard fashion, each tossing out their own queries, revealing a conspicuous lack of discipline and coordination.
"Very well, bring in the next group!" the man in black armor declared, gesturing for the second batch to advance.
In a systematic fashion, two thousand individuals were divided into ten groups, entering the passage in a sequential order.
After each group's entry, a review for casualties would be conducted to assess if a trap lay in wait on the other side.
Mo Hao was allocated to the second-to-last group.
Though labeled as a 'waste' because of his reliance on medicinal pills to reach his current strength, Mo Hao had still ascended to the Transcendence realm, giving him a certain degree of usefulness.
...
Near the Moon Plucking Heavenly Sect on the Immortal Martial Continent, Jiang Chen hid himself in the sky, keeping watch over the spatial channel and the groups of cultivators that had just emerged.
'Villain's Eye!' With a mere thought, his gaze systematically scanned each individual, and panels of information appeared one by one.
Among these cultivators, astonishingly, many were classified as supporting characters.
'Supporting characters have shown up!' Jiang Chen reflected. 'It seems I've been ensnared in a protagonist's plot once more!'
'I wonder how unpredictable this protagonist will turn out to be.' With a gleam in his eye, he continued to scrutinize the people below. They were arriving in increasing numbers, and surely, the protagonist would expose himself sooner or later!
Simultaneously, Zhu Zhihai, a cultivator of the Dao Palace realm under Jiang Chen's command, advanced, his face a mix of shock and caution. He challenged, "Who goes there!? How dare you intrude upon the Immortal Martial Continent? Are you a spy of the demon race!?"
'That acting, not bad at all,' Jiang Chen acknowledged with a slight nod, his eyes still fixed on the scene below.
"Is this the Immortal Martial Continent?" A questioning voice emerged from the crowd.
"These dozens of people, are they natives of the Immortal Martial Continent?"
"I never thought the Immortal Martial Continent would remain free from complete domination by the demon race. That's fortunate indeed!"
One by one, the cultivators from the Prosperous Stone Immortal Star gazed at Zhu Zhihai with elation, their hearts finally finding some ease.
Their most dire fear had been the possibility of stumbling into a demon race ambush upon arrival—a predicament where even pleas for assistance would fall on deaf ears.
Simultaneously, wave after wave of cultivators from the Prosperous Stone Immortal Star continued to appear.
Mo Hao's group had at last reached the Immortal Martial Continent!
'Is this the Immortal Martial Continent?' Mo Hao surveyed his surroundings. 'A faint demonic aura lingers here. It appears the demon race has indeed invaded!'
'But there are native cultivators present, so the demon race hasn't seized control of the Immortal Martial Continent as thoroughly as we anticipated.'
'This is welcome news! With natives, demon race members, and those who scorn me all around, there are plenty of people to impress and ample opportunities to prove myself. I can aspire to grow stronger more quickly!' He felt a surge of satisfaction.
Suddenly, he sensed as if someone had cast a glance his way, making his hairs stand on end before the sensation vanished. 'What was that!? Is a powerhouse secretly probing me!?'
'Who could it be? Perhaps a powerhouse from the Immortal Martial Continent? But are there any Transcendence realm human powerhouses here?'
'Could it be the demon race? But if so, why wouldn't they destroy the spatial channel?'
'Maybe it's someone among these two thousand people near me, harboring ill will?'
'That seems likely. I've offended so many; it's only natural to be targeted.'
'This unseen observer instills a sense of danger. They must be among the Transcendence realm cultivators.'
'Hmph, you dare watch me? Wait until I become stronger, and I'll make you pay!' Mo Hao's instincts, honed by his Protagonist Status, were set on edge by Jiang Chen's Villain's Eye, and he immediately sensed that something was amiss.
But after carefully surveying his surroundings and contemplating the situation, Mo Hao failed to detect or deduce Jiang Chen's presence.
He concluded that the observer must be one of the Transcendence realm powerhouses who had accompanied him to the Immortal Martial Continent.
While Mo Hao boasted a higher Heavenly Fate Value compared to Gu Ran, he lacked the terrifying sense of danger that was a feature of the Endless Dark Blood Moon.
Moreover, his inherent character ensured that his level of caution couldn't match that of Gu Ran.
Lastly, Mo Hao's numerous enemies and the ever-present possibility of hostile scrutiny further muddled his judgment.
In sum, Mo Hao's sensitivity to being observed by Jiang Chen was markedly less acute than Gu Ran's.
As such, Mo Hao remained oblivious to the fact that he had been singled out by Jiang Chen.
Simultaneously, a panel displaying Mo Hao's information materialized before Jiang Chen's eyes.
[Name: Mo Hao
Realm: Early-stage Transcendence realm
Status: Protagonist
Heavenly Fate Value: 62682/62682]
'It's one thing for him to be in the Early-stage Transcendence realm, but a Heavenly Fate Value of nearly 70,000!' Jiang Chen mulled in his heart.
'I wonder what heaven-defying trump card he possesses to have such an elevated Heavenly Fate Value!'
'I must observe him closely and attempt to glean more information from those supporting characters. I mustn't act impulsively.' With this determination, he continued to scrutinize the unfolding situation below.
However, the spatial channel began to gradually mend itself and eventually vanished from sight.
The dozens of cultivators under Jiang Chen's command gazed rigidly at the two thousand cultivators from the Prosperous Stone Immortal Star, a mixture of awe and uncertainty in their eyes.
"Transcendence realm cultivators!" One of them murmured in disbelief.
"And there are five of them!"
"More than fifty are in the Dao Palace realm!"
"Who are they to wield such might?"
"They shouldn't be foes... After all, they're human, just like us."
"But we can't be certain, for appearances can be deceiving!"
"What does Lord Jiang Chen think?"
It would be dishonest to say that Zhu Zhihai and his companions weren't filled with apprehension.
If not for the reassuring knowledge that Jiang Chen was present to support them, they might have been teetering on the brink of panic.
At this moment, Jiang Chen's voice echoed within the minds of Zhu Zhihai and the others, a sound transmission enabled by the secret arts he'd learned. "Everyone, be at ease."
"These cultivators are from the Prosperous Stone Immortal Star."
"Although they hail from a different place, in the face of the demon race, they are our allies."
"Of course, should they dare to overstep, I will ensure they experience the sting of death."
Currently, his regular combat prowess had approached the level of the Middle-stage Transcendence realm.
Together with the unique sound transmission secret arts of Nangong Wan and Shangguan Ning, the message he relayed to Zhu Zhihai and his companions would elude detection by the Transcendence realm cultivators present.
Of course, Jiang Chen continued to watch Mo Hao's reactions throughout this. Observing that Mo Hao displayed no signs of recognition, he tentatively concluded that Mo Hao hadn't intercepted his sound transmission.
By now, the two thousand cultivators who had arrived from the Prosperous Stone Immortal Star had begun to acclimate themselves to their new surroundings. Their attention refocused on Zhu Zhihai and his group, who seemed less intimidating by comparison.
"You, who exactly are you all? Why have you come to our Immortal Martial Continent?" Guided by Jiang Chen's instructions, Zhu Zhihai inhaled deeply and called out with authority. "And this 'native' term you keep using, can't you speak like regular people?"
"My apologies!" A cultivator from the visiting group stepped forward, his tone somewhat frivolous. "We hail from the Prosperous Stone Immortal Star. Your Immortal Martial Continent is considered a warland within the domain of the Prosperous Stone Immortal Star."
"The demon race has invaded the Immortal Martial Continent, and so we've come to assist," another cultivator from the Prosperous Stone Immortal Star added.
"What is the present situation between the Immortal Martial Continent and the invading demon race army? How much territory have the demons claimed?"
"Um, how many Transcendence realm powerhouses does the demon race have here? What's the situation on your side?"
The remaining cultivators from the Prosperous Stone Immortal Star continued to interrogate in a haphazard fashion, each tossing out their own queries, revealing a conspicuous lack of discipline and coordination.
