Chapter 1 The Beginning

Wan Lei was also contemplating, feeling as though the immortal had played a trick on them.
This place, by all appearances, held no semblance of light.

"Could the treasure be inside this door?"

"It should be. Treasures left behind in an immortal's secret realm would surely be extraordinary."

"Who will open it?"

"Why don't you go? Who knows what dangers await once it's opened."

The crowd buzzed with discussion. Everyone knew there was treasure behind the door, but based on the usual behavior of immortals, places with treasures were invariably fraught with peril.

The first person to push open the door might or might not find a treasure, but they would certainly be the first to encounter danger.

After waiting for a while, Wan Lei grew impatient. This was the final hurdle; perhaps the immortal's token was inside.

Just as he couldn't resist reaching out to push the door, a burly, rugged man leaped forward.

"Hmph, a bunch of spineless cowards. I'll open it. All of you, stand aside."

Seeing the burly man about to push the door, people quickly retreated, as if danger had already drawn near.

The burly man flew to the door, placing his hands on it. With all his might, he strained, yet the bronze door remained utterly still.

"Liu Yong, can you do it? If you can't, just admit it and don't pretend. If you're scared, step down."

Someone from the crowd heckled.

The burly man's face flushed red. He turned and shouted back,

"If you think you can, then you do it."

"Fine, if I think I can, then I will."

The thin young man who had spoken leaped out and struck the bronze door with a punch, producing a thunderous roar. Not only did the bronze door remain unmoved, but he himself was sent flying backward by the rebound.

"Oh ho."

Following this, several others, who prided themselves on their profound cultivation, attempted to push open the bronze door, but to no avail.

"All of you, step aside. This old man shall try."

Old Fang stepped forward. Seeing this, the others quickly made way.

After all, with the Fang family patriarch's late Mahayana stage strength, he was bound to be able to push it open. They would do well to keep their distance, lest they be caught in any danger that might arise.

Old Fang approached the door, extended his hand, and pushed with all his might. The door still did not budge in the slightest.

Feeling his face somewhat lost, Old Fang took out his three-legged, two-handled great cauldron and smashed it fiercely against the bronze door.

Boom!!!

After a tremor that shook the heavens and earth, the bronze door not only failed to open, but not even a crack appeared.

"Are we being tricked? This door simply won't open."

"Could it be that there's no treasure at all? Or perhaps, this door itself is the treasure, given how sturdy it is."

"What exactly is this treasure? These immortals only give us difficult problems."

"You guys... do you think maybe only the person who broke through the formation is qualified to open this door?"

As this suggestion was made, the entire place fell silent.

The people seemed to have found the correct answer, and all their gazes turned towards Wan Lei.

Being stared at by so many people at once didn't make Young Master Lei feel the least bit embarrassed. After all, Young Master Lei was so outstanding that he was the center of attention wherever he went.

Seeing that he had become the hope of the entire gathering, Young Master Lei stepped up to the bronze door without hesitation.

"Be careful,"

Fang Xiaoyu followed closely beside Wan Lei.

"Lei'er, be careful!"

Wan Hongxin called out a reminder.

Wan Lei nodded, took a deep breath, activated his armor, spread his wings, and prepared to flee immediately if the situation turned unfavorable.

Having made thorough preparations, Wan Lei mobilized all his cultivation, his physical strength pushed to its absolute limit.

After all, if even Old Fang with his cultivation couldn't push it open, he would have no hope without giving it his all.

Young Master Lei placed his hand on the door. Before he could even exert force, he heard a sound.

Creak...

The door opened on its own.

Damn it, what a scam.

Young Master Lei suddenly felt as if he had been swindled, convinced that some great terror lay in wait for him inside.

"It opened, it opened!"

"Indeed, only the one who broke the formation is qualified to open it."

"What treasure?"

The people craned their necks in anticipation. Soon, the door swung fully open, and behind it...

There was nothing.

What a scam!

Let's just take the door off and carry it away.

Adhering to the principle of not leaving empty-handed, Young Master Lei looked at the door with unconcealed dissatisfaction.

"Quick, look! What is that?"

Someone shouted loudly. In the darkness not far away, a light appeared.

The light gradually grew brighter, allowing people to discern the shape of the object.

It was a...

Golden ring.

The moment people saw the object clearly, their minds buzzed like thunder, and they instantly lost all reason.

Greed and desire consumed their entire beings.

Obtain it,

Must obtain it,

This is mine,

Anyone who competes with me is an irreconcilable enemy!

People surged forward in a frenzy, rushing madly towards the light.

At the very front were, naturally, Old Fang, Wan Lei, Fang Xiaoyu, and others.

Wan Lei, like everyone else, was consumed by greed. His eyes were fixed only on the ring, and he would not hesitate to attack anyone who tried to snatch it from him.

Hundreds of thousands of people rushed towards the ring, with trampling and collisions occurring incessantly. People did not attack those beside them, as they were not blocking their way.

However, they would unhesitatingly attack those ahead of them, because they were in the way.

Kill them, and the treasure will be mine.

The ring before them seemed to be the most important thing in their lives. By obtaining it, they could instantly ascend to the pinnacle of life and become peerless mighty figures.

They could then trample all those who had looked down on them, destroy the entire families of their enemies, and obtain everything and everyone they loved.

By obtaining the ring, they would obtain everything.

Come on,

Fight,

Kill!

Soon, people reached the vicinity of the ring. Old Fang extended his hand to seize it, but the ring suddenly darted away into the distance.

With no other choice, people could only follow in pursuit.

The ring weaved left and right. Whenever people thought they were catching up, it would immediately flee further away.

Suddenly, it flew into the center of the crowd. Those in the center rejoiced and immediately scrambled for the ring.

Those who grabbed it quickly were reduced to dust by others.

Someone reached out to grab the ring, but their hand passed straight through it, unable to grasp it.

The ring would dart forward at times and reappear in the crowd at others, igniting wave after wave of carnage.

The greed and darkness within people were stoked to their extreme, and they attacked those around them without regard for anything else.

Suddenly, the ring flew in front of Fang Xiaoyu. As she reached out to grab it, the cultivators beside her immediately attacked her.

At this moment, Wan Lei, who was closest to Fang Xiaoyu and whose entire being was consumed by greed and desire, did not attack her. The love for Fang Xiaoyu in his heart made him push her away with a surge of strength.

"What's all the commotion about? I slept for a while, and now everyone's fighting?"

The little yellow dog appeared, standing on Wan Lei's shoulder, surveying the frenzied crowd.

"Huh? What's that? A ring..."

Suddenly, the little yellow dog's pupils dilated, and its voice became shrill, filled with fear and trembling.

"Protagonist's Halo!!!"