Chapter 5043

“What a strange rune…”

Kai stepped forward and gently brushed his hand over the stone door, but it showed no reaction.

Suddenly, the man in white leapt into the air, folding fan in hand, and swung it forcefully.

Boom!

A tremendous force surged toward the stone door in an attempt to break it open. After all, none of them understood the formation—let alone the runes etched into the stone.

In such cases, brute force seemed the only solution.

But the moment that overwhelming power touched the stone door, the man in white’s expression changed. In the next instant, he was violently flung back by the immense recoil!

The ground quaked as blood slowly trickled from the corners of his mouth.

“You had it coming…” the man in green chuckled softly.

Kai stared at the stone door in disbelief. He hadn’t expected the formation protecting it to be so formidable.

It had withstood a full-force blow from a fifth-grade cultivator of the Scattered Immortal Realm—and even injured him in return.

The man in white returned to the stone door with a solemn expression, though this time, he did not act rashly.

“Can you break the formation on this door?”

Mo Qingyun turned to Kai.

To Mo Qingyun, Kai seemed capable of anything.

“Of course. There isn’t a formation in this world I can’t break.”

Kai replied with a light smile, wearing a smug expression.

“Arrogant…” the man in white muttered, casting a sidelong glance at Kai.

It was clear he, too, was proud. Being repelled and wounded by the door had bruised his ego, and Kai’s confident words only worsened the sting.

Kai gave a cold smile, and just as he was about to attempt breaking the formation, a terrifying aura rushed toward them.

Then, a massive firebird emerged, slicing through the void!

Its sudden appearance left everyone momentarily stunned.
Atop the firebird stood a man dressed in lavish clothing. His makeup was strikingly alluring, and his appearance was androgynous—neither distinctly male nor female.

Beside him, a woman clad in only her undergarments crawled submissively at his feet.

Kai stared at the firebird in astonishment. It was massive—several times larger than his own Fire Kirin.

“Tianci, the hidden prodigy of Tianyuan Pavilion?” the man in green exclaimed, his breathing quickening slightly.

Mo Qingyun frowned, his expression turning uneasy, and he quietly stepped behind Kai.

The firebird descended slowly, its blazing flames warping the air around it with intense heat.

Tianci gently stroked the long hair of the woman beside him, his eyes scanning the crowd before settling on Mo Qingyun. A flicker of surprise crossed his gaze.

“Sister Qingyun, you’re here too?” Tianci’s voice was laced with a feminine tone. “I heard you went to the First Heaven—I was just planning to go there to find you.”

Upon seeing him, the man in green quickly bowed and greeted him with respect. “Mr. Tianci, your reputation precedes you!”

Tianci didn’t even spare him a glance. He casually waved his hand, signaling him to step aside.

The man in white stood stiffly, offering no greeting. A faint trace of disdain flickered in his eyes.

Tianci’s gaze shifted to him, his eyebrows lifting slightly. “Oh? Don’t know who I am?”

The man in white replied coolly, “So what if I do?”

“Heh…”

Tianci let out a soft chuckle. Then, with a sudden motion, a cold glint flashed from his fingertips.

Puff!

A sharp light pierced the man in white between the brows. Blood spurted out as he collapsed instantly, unable to even react.

A fifth-grade cultivator of the Scattered Immortal Realm—killed instantly by someone only at the third-grade!

Kai’s pupils contracted in shock. “This guy’s power… it’s way beyond his realm!”

The man in green was drenched in cold sweat, silently thankful he had greeted Tianci earlier.

Tianci withdrew his hand as if swatting a mere insect. “Putting on airs in front of me? That’s asking for death.”

Then he turned his gaze toward Kai, eyes narrowing.

“And you? You don’t recognize me either?”