BTTH : Emperor Yang

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**

As everyone kept their guard up, the Hun Clan members leading the group also gradually came to a halt. Seeing that, the people behind them stopped as well. They were now very close to the Bodhisattva Ancient Tree.

Overhead, the immense canopy spread like a sky-wide curtain, completely shrouding them beneath its shade. By this point, most of them could faintly sense a hidden chill seeping through the air, an eerie coldness that seemed to slowly invade their very bones.

Wei Yang raised his head, his gaze locking onto the enormous Bodhisattva Ancient Tree. Roughly a hundred zhang up its trunk, a bright cluster of light pulsed faintly. That cluster of light resembled an enormous energy heart, about a zhang in size.

It gave off a rhythmic, powerful beating sound that could be clearly felt even from afar.

”That’s... the Bodhisattva Heart!”

When everyone’s gazes converged on that glowing light hidden within the tree’s body, their own hearts couldn’t help but pound fiercely in sync with that rhythm.

Rustle~

Suddenly, the massive Bodhisattva Ancient Tree that had been standing quietly on the plains began to move.

Without any wind, its countless leaves and branches rustled softly, producing a faint swishing sound. Then, to everyone’s shock, numerous branches intertwined and began to descend slowly from the canopy above.

When those branches reached the ground, they gradually split open—revealing five figures stepping out from within, their faces expressionless as they walked forward one by one. The moment these five figures appeared, the space across the area violently rippled.

A terrifying pressure surged outward, instantly filling the air. This pressure carried a strange fluctuation.

It was divine might!

”Ban Sheng powerhouses!”

Feeling that oppressive aura, everyone’s expressions changed drastically.

All five of those figures were Ban Shengs!

Even Wei Yang, who had mentally prepared himself, couldn’t help feeling a bit shaken as he looked at them.

Five Ban Shengs!

As for Xiao Yan, Hun Yu, and the others, their scalps tingled.

None of them could have imagined that within this Bodhisattva Ancient Tree, there were actually five Ban Sheng experts hidden away.

”Brother Wei, this—!” Xiao Yan took a deep breath, his eyelids twitching uncontrollably.

With such a lineup, even Wei Yang would be forced to kneel, right?

Wei Yang exhaled slowly, his face regaining calm as he said, ”Don’t panic. These five Ban Shengs have no signs of life within them.”

”There’s no trace of a soul either. They’re just puppets,” Gu Xun’er added softly, golden flames flickering deep within her pupils. Her delicate face was filled with solemnity.

This discovery was even more shocking than if those five Ban Shengs were still alive! Puppets!

The very thought that these Ban Sheng powerhouses had been turned into puppets was enough to send chills down everyone’s spine. It was obvious that the one who had done this could only be the Bodhisattva Ancient Tree itself.

To turn five Ban Sheng experts into puppets—just thinking about it made cold sweat flow down their backs. Such a horrifying ability...

After all, Ban Shengs were still Saints!

They stood among the very top of this world’s power structure. Even in the Ancient Clans, such figures were considered formidable forces. Yet now, beings of that level had been enslaved—controlled and transformed into puppets by the Bodhisattva Ancient Tree.

The sight alone made everyone present feel a chill creep into their hearts. Hun Yu and the others looked equally grim. But when their gazes swept across the five puppets and finally landed on one thin, black-robed figure, their shock deepened.

”Isn’t that the very Ban Sheng ancestor recorded in our clan’s ancient texts—the one who went missing together with the Bodhisattva Ancient Tree?” Hun Yu blurted out. At his words, several people couldn’t help but twitch their faces in disbelief.

Their gazes turned toward the black-robed Ban Sheng. His face was utterly blank, his eyes lifeless and hollow, showing no fluctuation of spirit. Even his skin looked dry and cracked, like weathered bark.

He stood there motionless, utterly devoid of life—like a dead log. Hun Yu’s words elicited no reaction from him at all.

A heavy silence fell.

”What do we do now?” Gu Qingyang asked grimly.

This kind of formation could only be described as terrifying. Even with everyone here combined, they’d have trouble handling it.

There was only one Ban Sheng among them—Wei Yang. But when their eyes drifted toward the luminous glow within the Bodhisattva Ancient Tree, hesitation filled their hearts once more.

The Bodhisattva Heart was right there before them. To give up now? Hardly anyone had the resolve to do that.

”I’ll take one. The remaining four—you divide them among yourselves,” Wei Yang said indifferently. He naturally had no intention of handling all five alone. He would only take responsibility for one.

No one voiced any objection.

”If we join forces, we should be able to barely hold one off,” Xiao Yan said, glancing at their lineup—aside from Wei Yang, they still had...

Sister-in-law Xian’er, a peak Nine-Change expert, and Ah Da, who was at the Two-Change level. Gu Xun’er and Gu Qingyang were both experts close to the peak of the Dou Zun realm. Among them, Gu Xun’er had reached the Eight-Change level, while Gu Qingyang stood at Six-Change.

Adding to that was Xiao Yan himself, whose combat strength could match even a Six- or Seven-Change Dou Zun, as well as Medusa, Yun Yun, Gu Qingcheng, Gu Hua, Gu Xing, and the members of the Flower Sect.

Altogether, their combined force should be enough to at least challenge one Ban Sheng Puppet. As for the remaining three, they wouldn’t need to bother with them. After all, their side was already holding off two Ban Shengs.

If Hun Yu and the others couldn’t even handle their share, then they didn’t deserve to fight for the Bodhisattva Heart in the first place.

”We can handle two of them on our side. As for the remaining three, you’ll have to figure that out yourselves,” Xiao Yan said calmly as he turned to Hun Yu and the others.

”Of course, if any of you are planning to give up and retreat, you can still leave now. From the looks of it, as long as we don’t move forward, these Ban Sheng Puppets won’t attack. So if you wish to back out, this is your last chance.”

”But if you choose to stay, then you must fight. Anyone who dares to stand idly by and wait to reap the benefits afterward—we’ll all turn on them together!”

”Does anyone have an objection?” Xiao Yan’s tone was calm, yet filled with authority.

Upon hearing that, Hun Yu, Jiu Feng, and the others all nodded. ”We agree.”

”Anyone planning to withdraw?”

The remaining participants hesitated briefly but eventually all shook their heads.

Aside from Wei Yang’s group, there were seven other teams present. With Hun Yu’s Hun Clan and Jiu Feng’s Heaven Demon Phoenix Clan counted as two that left five teams.

Among these five, four were coalition groups formed by various Central Plains factions. Although each individual team wasn’t as strong as the Hun Clan or Heaven Demon Phoenix Clan, they were still quite formidable—certainly much stronger than the Flower Sect’s lineup.

Each of these teams had at least two Eight- or Nine-Change Dou Zun powerhouses anchoring them. The final team, however, was a complete mixed group—a temporary alliance of rogue Dou Zuns who had banded together for this event.

”We can hold one off,” Hun Yu said.

”In that case, let one of them be ours,” Jiu Feng added after a brief pause.

”Then that leaves the last Ban Sheng Puppet to you,” Xiao Yan said, turning his gaze toward the five mixed teams. ”How about it?”

Those five teams exchanged glances. There were over thirty of them altogether, with the weakest among them at least at the Four- or Five-Star Dou Zun level. There were also around ten who had reached the higher stages, from One-Change all the way up to Eight- or Nine-Change.

”Alright.” The five groups nodded in agreement.

Although none of them could individually match the power of Hun Yu or Jiu Feng’s clans, five teams working together weren’t weak. If they combined forces against a single Ban Sheng Puppet, it wasn’t impossible to take it down.

A Ban Sheng was terrifying, yes—but these were merely puppets, not living beings. If they fought with all they had, it was still possible. As their eyes turned toward the radiant Bodhisattva Heart, determination flared within the five groups.

Tempted by that dazzling treasure, they clenched their teeth and steeled their resolve.

So what if it’s a Ban Sheng Puppet? With our numbers, we’ll bury it if we have to. Even if it costs us something—this is worth the risk.

**

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/YaoIk