"Mm."
The toad responded indifferently.
The ape demon, unsure of the toad's intentions, could only slow its steps and approach the mountain gate of the Heavenly Azure Sect.
"Halt, who goes there?"
Before the Heavenly Azure Sect's mountain gate, several Heavenly Azure Sect powerhouses with surging and formidable auras blocked their path.
Although these individuals were not weak, their strength was only at the Quasi-Giant Spirit realm.
No matter how strong the Heavenly Azure Sect was, they couldn't afford to have their gatekeepers all be Giant Spirit realm kings.
However, even though their strength was far inferior to the ape demon's, they all appeared arrogant.
Facing a mid-stage Giant Spirit realm demon king, they did not falter in displaying the prestige of the Heavenly Azure Sect.
"Heh heh, esteemed seniors of the Upper Sect, I am the demon king Black Ape from Twilight Cloud Mountain in the northwest. Lord Heavenly Azure King invited me. Please announce my arrival."
The ape demon said courteously.
"Mm."
The Heavenly Azure Sect powerhouses nodded haughtily.
It was clear they knew this Black Ape was among the invited.
"Then these two on your shoulders... a person and a toad, who are they? I recall that our Sect Master's invited powerhouses did not include such a pair, did they?"
The Heavenly Azure Sect powerhouse tilted his chin, scrutinizing Ling Fan and the toad.
But what ignited a spark of anger in their hearts was that Ling Fan didn't even glance at them.
Instead, his gaze fell upon the magnificent and spectacular halls beyond the Heavenly Azure Sect's mountain gate.
The toad was even more infuriating.
This silver toad, only half a person's height, actually looked at them askance, its eyes filled with amusement and contempt.
These Heavenly Azure Sect powerhouses were immediately enraged.
Their Heavenly Azure Sect was the foremost great sect in the Upper Azure Realm. No matter who arrived before the Heavenly Azure Sect, they had to be courteous!
What was the deal with this person and toad?
They looked unremarkable, yet they dared to be so presumptuous at the Heavenly Azure Sect!
"Kid, and you, you toad, I don't care about your identities or origins. Even a dragon has to coil up in our Heavenly Azure Sect, and a tiger has to lie down obediently. If you don't have our Sect Master's invitation, then scram!"
The leading Heavenly Azure Sect powerhouse said with a cold snort.
"You, let them go. You can enter, but they cannot!"
He then looked at the ape demon and pointed at it.
The ape demon was immediately in a dilemma.
It couldn't go in.
Nor could it not go in.
"You refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit!"
Seeing Ling Fan remain unmoved, the Heavenly Azure Sect powerhouse's expression turned icy.
Just as he was about to make a move to blast this person and the toad away, he heard the grey-haired, black-eyed young man suddenly shout towards the Heavenly Azure Sect, "Tian Cangzi, I, Ling Yun, have arrived!"
Ling Yun?
That name sounded so familiar.
The Heavenly Azure Sect powerhouse was stunned.
A look of immense shock suddenly flashed in his eyes as he stared intently at Ling Fan on the ape demon's shoulder.
Ling Fan!
Wasn't this the person their Sect Master wanted to gather all the Upper Azure Realm powerhouses to deal with?
Heard this person had flattened the Snow King's Palace!
Damn it.
The Sect Master and the others were discussing how to deal with this person, and he had the audacity to come knocking on their door himself?
"Quick, retreat! We can't handle this!"
A sense of fear was rapidly growing in the hearts of the Heavenly Azure Sect powerhouses at the mountain gate. They couldn't muster any thought of resistance, only wanting to flee quickly.
Ling Fan, with his hands behind his back, waited quietly at the Heavenly Azure Sect's mountain gate after speaking.
He paid no mind to the panicked actions of the Heavenly Azure Sect powerhouses.
The toad merely watched their flustered state as if watching a show.
Mere Quasi-Giant Spirit realm ants, even if eaten whole, would be of little use.
However, the ape demon beneath them could no longer remain calm!
Its eyes were wide open, and its heart was churning with extreme unease.
It felt as if its shoulder wasn't carrying a person, but a bomb that could shatter it into pieces at any moment!
Damn it.
No way!
Was it really this unlucky?
It had been invited by the Heavenly Azure Sect to help deal with Ling Fan.
Originally, it intended to just go through the motions, gain some benefits, and also build a good relationship with the Heavenly Azure Sect.
But it never imagined that the young man with the terrifying toad demon on its shoulder...
Was the very Ling Fan that Tian Cangzi and the others wanted to deal with!
If it had known this earlier, it would have stayed honestly in Twilight Cloud Mountain as its mountain king, why did it have to come to the Heavenly Azure Sect and stir up this trouble?
The more the ape demon thought about it, the more frightened it became, trembling all over.
...
Inside the Heavenly Azure Sect.
In the Sect Master's main hall.
A group of giants from the Upper Azure Realm were discussing how to deal with Ling Fan.
The Sect Master of the Blood Demon Sect said, "Lord Heavenly Azure King, aren't you making a mountain out of a molehill? No matter how strong that Ling Fan is, he's only alone. Can he really turn the heavens upside down? It's one thing to summon us, but you've even invited so many demon kings. Those who know will understand, but those who don't might think you're planning to hunt down a Core Formation realm Martial Venerable!"
"Hahaha."
Laughter echoed through the hall.
They agreed with the Blood Demon Sect Master's words.
They also felt that Tian Cangzi and the Red Dragon King's plan this time was overly cautious.
In reality, it was completely unnecessary.
"Let's get this straight, since you've summoned us, the promised rewards cannot be less, otherwise, we won't leave the Heavenly Azure Sect."
A terrifying figure, as tall as a small mountain and shrouded in rolling demonic energy, said.
At this very moment.
A voice suddenly came from outside the Heavenly Azure Sect's mountain gate.
"Tian Cangzi, I, Ling Yun, have arrived!"
This voice contained a trace of terrifying killing intent, which suddenly stirred up a fearsome storm above the Heavenly Azure Sect, echoing like rolling thunder.
The smile on the Blood Demon Sect Master's face froze.
The great demon who had just spoken also had its demonic energy surging.
And the other powerhouses.
All of them were suddenly startled.
In everyone's eyes, a look of incredible horror flashed as they turned towards the direction of the Heavenly Azure Sect's mountain gate.
"That Ling Fan... actually came to us!"
"Is that true? How could this person know we were plotting against him?"
"It must be Wu Zhi who tipped him off!"
"Hmph, this person is truly arrogant to the extreme! Knowing that we planned to kill him together, he not only didn't flee but actively sought death. That saves us some trouble."
The group of powerhouses snorted coldly.
Tian Cangzi and the Red Dragon King exchanged glances, but their expressions were not as relaxed as the other powerhouses.
"Let's go. Since he's come to our door, we'll go and meet this peerless prodigy!"
Tian Cangzi said calmly.
Then, he led the way out.
A stream of powerhouses followed, one after another, behind Tian Cangzi and the Red Dragon King.
At the Heavenly Azure Sect's mountain gate.
As terrifying giants from the Upper Azure Realm descended one by one, the pressure in this area rose to a suffocating level.
Streams of power surged in the void, forming a terrifying domain.
Any being below the Giant Spirit realm who stepped into it would be torn to shreds by the invisible force.
Sharp gazes were cast upon Ling Fan, the toad, and the ape demon beneath them outside the mountain gate.
"Oh my god, I want to go home!"
At this moment.
Black Ape was on the verge of tears, not daring to move at all.
Even the toad felt considerable pressure.
Only Ling Fan.
From beginning to end, his expression remained as calm as still water, without a ripple.
Even when facing so many powerhouses, his aura remained as steady as a mountain.