Wu Tao thought to himself.
He had spent a long time trying to understand the abilities of this third eye, and finally felt a hint of mental fatigue.
Some of these abilities were beyond his current grasp.
...
Moreover, Wu Tao's gains this time were far from over.
His gaze fell on the pearl in his hand, and a hint of satisfaction appeared on his face.
"Purple Mirage Aura Pearl!"
The purple pearl in his hand, though appearing unremarkable, held considerable significance, being a rare artifact.
Even in the Primordial, Desolate, and Ancient eras, it was an exceedingly scarce and precious spiritual treasure.
This treasure was the inheritance Wu Tao received after passing the test of the Death Gate.
The Purple Mirage Aura Pearl, a low-grade spiritual treasure from the Primordial era, could, according to the owner's will, manifest myriad illusions to bewilder the mind, and even deceive heaven and earth, crossing the seas and inverting the universe.
The nine cycles of illusory trials Wu Tao personally experienced were brought about by this treasure.
After passing the test of the Death Gate, Wu Tao obtained the technique to refine this treasure. Only then did he take the pearl and safely leave the vast labyrinth.
"If this item is used properly, it will undoubtedly be of great use at critical moments."
However, considering the time, Wang Ren should also have passed the test of the Life Gate by now. What mysterious inheritances and rare treasures did the Life Gate hold, and how many benefits had he gained?
Numerous thoughts swirled in Wu Tao's mind, pondering how to utilize the Purple Mirage Aura Pearl to achieve other objectives.
...
It was at this very moment that a significant commotion suddenly arose from beneath the large tree.
Several noisy voices drifted up from below, suggesting that some fellow cultivators had come into conflict for unspecified reasons.
...
Clang!
A gleaming blade light erupted, and Tang Dai of the Cold Water True Spirit Sect drew the edge of his ancient remnant treasure, pointing it at the five fellow disciples confronting him.
Infused with spiritual energy, the formidable blade intent surged like a mighty river, continuous and unstoppable, crushing all in its path.
"We are all fellow disciples of the Cold Water True Spirit Sect. Why must we draw swords over a Jadeite Core?"
Tang Dai saw his five fellow disciples retreating under his attack, yet their reluctance to leave due to their vested interests kept them entangled with him. He couldn't help but sigh softly, speaking with a touch of lament.
Upon hearing the words "Jadeite Core," Wu Tao, who had been standing atop the great tree with a dismissive attitude, narrowed his eyes slightly, his expression growing serious.
This Jadeite Core was, in fact, a renowned exotic treasure from the Primordial era.
According to legend, the Jadeite Core was a mysterious treasure formed from the life force of a member of the Wood clan from the Primordial era, after its natural death.
The Jadeite Core contained potent vitality, which was extremely effective for rapid recovery, and even possessed miraculous effects for breaking through realms and extending lifespan.
It could be said that the Jadeite Core had countless merits and was a valuable treasure even for cultivators of higher realms.
...
Such wealth stirred hearts. For the Primordial exotic treasure, the Jadeite Core, it was no wonder that even fellow disciples who usually had good relations would turn against each other and engage in mutual combat.
Tang Dai's swordsmanship was not only swift but also cunning. His weapon, the Dragon Pattern Broken Blade, was also a famous remnant treasure passed down from the ancient times.
Tang Dai wielded the "Drawing Sword to Sever Water, Yet Water Flows Stronger" sword technique to its utmost. The blade energy, surging and continuous like turbulent seawater, pushed the five men into a corner, leaving them with only defensive options.
"Bah!"
"Despicable villain!"
"Shameless scoundrel..."
Following this, the five fellow disciples of the Cold Water True Spirit Sect simultaneously cursed Tang Dai as a despicable and untrustworthy person.
"After they joined forces to kill the Ten Thousand Year Tree Demon, Tang Dai alone snatched the Jadeite Core and immediately fled."
Tang Dai, who already held the upper hand, felt a flash of anger on his face and unleashed his ultimate move, "Like Flowing Years - Angry Sea's Great Waves."
Countless blade energies erupted from his blade tip, densely packed, instantly forming a devastating wave of blade intent, spreading out in all directions like the wrath of a vast ocean.
The various protective spiritual artifacts around the five members of the Cold Water True Spirit Sect shattered. After a few cries of pain, large amounts of blood splattered from their bodies, and in an instant, they all became five cold corpses.
Tang Dai plundered the storage bags from their bodies, then set a fire to destroy the evidence.
Afterward, Tang Dai patted his backside and prepared to leave!
Wu Tao, who had been sitting silently on the tree trunk, observing with bated breath, launched his attack as Tang Dai was about to depart.
His body lunged forward abruptly, and the ancient broken sword in his hand let out a sharp cry.
The gleaming sword tip pierced towards the back of Tang Dai's head.
...
As Wu Tao attacked, Tang Dai's expression sharpened. He patted his storage bag and instantly flung out dozens of talismans.
With hundreds of battles under his belt, despite a moment of panic, his combat instincts guided him to react swiftly.
Facing dozens of spells conjured from the talismans, Wu Tao turned his sword in mid-air and swept horizontally, intercepting the numerous spells.
"Bang bang bang..."
Wu Tao shattered the dozens of spells with his ancient broken sword, protecting himself. However, he also missed the optimal moment to kill Tang Dai.
...
"Well done, decisive and formidable man from the East Sea!"
Tang Dai's combat prowess, in comparison to Wu Tao's, while showing some disparity, was not overwhelmingly so; at most, he was slightly inferior.
Before this, Wu Tao had been unwilling to engage in such a fierce confrontation with a powerful opponent.
A clash between two strong individuals would inevitably result in one being injured. Without significant benefit, no one would make such an unwise decision.
However, now, to test his newly acquired Nightmare Eye and the precious "Jadeite Core," Wu Tao had to provoke Tang Dai.
As Wu Tao fought with his Nightmare Eye activated, he couldn't help but feel a sense of strangeness.
It was as if the passage of time around him had slowed considerably.
Especially Tang Dai, who was currently fighting him, appeared as slow as a turtle in Wu Tao's eyes.
Wu Tao could even predict Tang Dai's next moves.
One move was defensive, all moves were passive. Tang Dai, for the moment, was like a clumsy giant bear, constantly swinging his Dragon Pattern Broken Blade, attempting to slay the one who was缠住 him.
Yet, with the assistance of the Nightmare Eye, Wu Tao moved with grace and ease, attacking and defending with complete freedom, not losing a single hair, holding the advantage.
In stark contrast, Tang Dai was beaten into a pulp by Wu Tao.
Left jabs, sword strikes... right slashes... direct thrusts... attacks from behind. At this moment, Wu Tao was like a divine strategist, always anticipating Tang Dai's blade.
What's more, Wu Tao's every strike landed precisely when Tang Dai's previous exertion had ended and his new strength had not yet materialized.
This was the result of absolute suppression by one side during combat.
Tang Dai now seemed like a puppet completely controlled by Wu Tao, covered in wounds and gradually turning into a bloody mess.
However, as a master disciple of the Cold Water True Spirit Sect, Tang Dai's techniques were not limited to this.
He had long realized that the assailant who suddenly appeared and ambushed him was primarily relying on his peculiar third eye to suppress him.
Therefore, Tang Dai had a plan. The one at a disadvantage began chanting, and the water-attribute spiritual energy swirling around him condensed in front of him, transforming into a mass of ice needles emitting astonishing coldness.
These ice needles bore faint spiritual patterns and exuded a constant chill, appearing to contain immense power.
Wu Tao's eyes narrowed, and he felt a sense of suspicion. Was this fellow driven mad by him, to use ordinary ice needle spells at such a critical juncture?
This fellow didn't seem so incompetent, did he?
However, as this thought crossed his mind, he felt an extreme sense of danger.
Tang Dai let out a loud roar, "Mysterious Yin Cold Ice Needles!"
All the Mysterious Yin Cold Ice Needles shot towards Wu Tao like arrows.
The power contained within each Mysterious Yin Cold Ice Needle was extremely potent.
Even the hair on Wu Tao's body stood on end due to this immense danger in an instant.
Upon feeling such overwhelming pressure, Wu Tao, drawing on his years of experience, immediately drew a conclusion.
His next strike, if unleashed, would undoubtedly kill the opponent.
However, with so many Mysterious Yin Cold Ice Needles hitting him, even with his defenses, he would absolutely be unable to withstand these terrifying needles.
The only outcome would be that his entire body would be riddled with holes by these needles.
At that point, Wu Tao did not believe he could survive.
He would not engage in such a foolish act of mutual destruction.
Wu Tao bent his knees and instantly retreated hundreds of meters, standing firm.
His hands and feet were grazed by a few Mysterious Yin Cold Ice Needles, creating several cuts.
Fortunately, Wu Tao retreated in time, so they were only minor superficial wounds.
At the same time, Tang Dai patted his storage bag again, and another famous remnant treasure, the "Five Dragons Capturing Immortals Cold Ice Shield," silently emerged and began to expand.
With Tang Dai's roar, the Five Dragons Capturing Immortals Cold Ice Shield transformed into an ice prison over thirty feet high, trapping Wu Tao within.
...
Seeing the situation gradually turn unfavorable, Wu Tao showed no signs of panic.
As his divine sense circulated, the ancient broken sword, flickering with radiant sword energy, suddenly floated quietly in Wu Tao's hand.