Upon hearing this, Mark's expression changed instantly. The other party had just said that everyone from the Tam mercenary group who entered last time had been annihilated.
This time, they were joining forces with them, which clearly indicated they wanted an extra layer of security for survival.
If they were to eliminate the other party and their group at this moment, it would be equivalent to cutting off the Tam mercenary group's retreat. Such an action would undoubtedly incur retaliation from the Tam mercenary group.
Although they were not afraid of these threats, if a bloody battle were to ensue, the Wild Wolf mercenary group would also suffer heavy losses.
With this thought, Mark waved his hand and said, "Tore, let them pass."
"Hmph!"
Tore, though reluctant, still waved his hand.
The next moment, the Wild Wolf mercenary group parted their ranks.
Ye Cangtian did not hesitate and led his people forward.
"Amazing!"
"I'm becoming more and more impressed with you. You can just say anything that comes to mind..."
Having escaped the sight of the Wild Wolf mercenary group, Mu Chenglong immediately gave Ye Cangtian a thumbs-up.
He truly admired Ye Cangtian's adaptability and his ability to spin stories, leaving the other party completely baffled.
Shangguan Yun also gave a thumbs-up and said, "I was already preparing to make a move, but I never expected you to resolve it with just a few words..."
Ye Cangtian glanced at them and said helplessly, "There's no other way. The Wild Wolf mercenary group has too many people. There's no need for us to clash head-on. It's better to muddy the waters..."
...
The central area of the island.
The major forces had largely divided their territories, but friction still occurred, especially at night, where it was even more prevalent under the cover of darkness.
Occasionally, screams could be heard from the dense forest.
However, by the time people rushed to the scene, only a few more corpses were found on the ground.
As for the killer, they had long since vanished without a trace!
It was clear that for the major forces, a large-scale skirmish was unrealistic, but reducing the enemy's numbers could lay the foundation for their own advantage.
On the edge of the central area.
Ye Cangtian and his group pitched their tents. Their location was arguably the furthest from the entrance to the central area.
This clearly meant they would not be able to enter the ruins the moment they opened.
However, such a remote location was also relatively quiet, and due to their smaller numbers, many factions did not take them seriously.
*Swish!*
In the darkness, at some unknown time, a shadowy figure traversed the dense forest and stopped around the tents.
Not long after, this figure appeared in front of Ye Cangtian.
"Why are you here?"
"The central area is the most chaotic right now. You should be with your team!"
Ye Cangtian glanced at Qiangwei in front of him, with a hint of reproach in his tone.
"I missed you!"
"Besides, if even the leader doesn't care about their safety, why should I, a vice-captain, worry!"
Qiangwei snorted lightly, her tone laced with dissatisfaction.
She had searched almost every corner of the island to find Ye Cangtian's whereabouts, only to be reprimanded by him as soon as they met. She genuinely felt wronged.
*Cough cough.*
Ye Cangtian coughed awkwardly, then changed the subject, saying, "By the way, I've already formed an alliance with Pandora. Remember to support each other in the ruins."
Qiangwei nodded upon hearing this, "Besides saying this, can't you say anything else?"
*Uh...*
Looking at her somewhat resentful eyes, Ye Cangtian felt a bit of a headache. He then said, "Um, has Viper found any news about Gu Yue and Gu Qin?"
Qiangwei immediately let out a cold snort, her expression turning icy as she said stubbornly, "Hmph! They're already dead!"
"Alright, then you can go back."
"Oh, and this time in the ruins, don't let Viper and Scorpion enter. It's too dangerous inside the ruins. Let them stay outside to provide cover..."
Ye Cangtian understood that Qiangwei was being stubborn and, with a sigh of helplessness, gave the instruction.
...
Deep in the night, stars twinkled.
After enduring constant bloodshed, the vast majority of people dared not sleep, fearing that if someone intruded at this moment, they would never open their eyes again.
Suddenly, a series of rumbling sounds echoed.
Along with the deafening roar, the ground also began to tremble.
Many people assumed that the major mercenary groups had started a free-for-all, but upon leaving their tents, they discovered that it was an anomaly at the entrance of the ruins!
A strong beam of light flashed in the direction of the entrance.
The sensation was akin to someone shining a powerful flashlight into the night sky!
The difference was that this light beam was much brighter, clearly visible even from a great distance.
The ruins!
It must be the ruins opening!
Upon seeing the vast, white beam of light, a single belief flashed through everyone's minds.
Without a word, they organized their teams and, at the fastest pace possible, rushed towards the entrance of the ruins.
After all, the ruins were ownerless, and all treasures within were first come, first served.
"Brother-in-law! We should move too!"
Xu Shi'an's eyes lit up as he looked at the distant light pillar. His cultivation had advanced by leaps and bounds after his last excursion into the ruins.
Seeing the ruins opening again, he was already eager to try.
"No rush."
Ye Cangtian simply uttered two words and returned to his tent, lying down.
*Rumble rumble rumble...*
Outside the tent, Xu Shi'an was somewhat unwilling.
But shortly after, rumbling sounds came from the entrance again, accompanied by flashes of fire, which made him understand Ye Cangtian's intention.
With tens of thousands of people entering the ruins, how could it be that easy?
After all, the entrance to the ruins was not large, not enough for everyone to pass through at once. Therefore, there had to be an order for entry.
This order was naturally determined by strength, and those who disagreed had to fight.
Thus, Ye Cangtian was not in a hurry, preferring to let these factions fight it out for a while first.
Furthermore!
The most precious treasures within the ruins were not necessarily obtained by those who entered first. Everything depended on destiny.
Just like Shangguan Yanran in the Shate ruins.
Who would have thought that the Heart of the Ruins would eventually fall into her hands?
After a long while, the outside world finally fell silent.
Only then did Ye Cangtian emerge from his tent, stretch, and then gather the members of the Dragon Team, taking out a small medicine bottle.
This bottle was the one Qiangwei had left for Ye Cangtian earlier.
Based on their experience in the ruins last time, Yao Bao'er had refined some anti-toxin pills over the past month.
After taking the pills, they would be protected from most poisons for at least several hours.
Therefore, before entering, Ye Cangtian distributed the pills.
After all, upon entering the ruins, he had no idea if he would be randomly teleported to a certain area like last time.
Having made all the necessary preparations, Ye Cangtian then led the Dragon Team towards the entrance.
Along the way, blood flowed like rivers, and dismembered limbs and broken arms were scattered everywhere. It was impossible to ascertain the nature of the battles that had taken place or how many people had died.
Now that they had narrowly escaped a catastrophe, everyone gave Ye Cangtian's decision a thumbs-up.
"Everyone, I'll be going first. Be careful, and do not be careless, especially with the Tam mercenary group and Caesar mercenary group..."
Ye Fan bid farewell to the members of the Dragon Team and was the first to dart into the entrance.
After entering the ruins, he might act alone.
After all, he had another identity: Xuan Qi, the Profound-ranked Steward of the Dark Association!
After a wave of dizziness,
Ye Cangtian landed steadily on the ground!
At this moment, everything around him had changed, as if he had entered another world.
Although it was a dense forest here, the surrounding vegetation consisted of ancient species, completely different from those on the island.
They were not only tall and sturdy, blocking out the sun, but also had thick vines wrapped around their trunks. Furthermore, a pungent miasma filled the air, severely limiting visibility.
Heh heh, thankfully Yao Bao'er had the foresight.
Seeing the surrounding environment, a smile appeared on Ye Cangtian's face.
This pungent miasma was clearly poisonous. Even if it couldn't kill, it would likely affect one's mind or body.
However, with the pills, everything was no longer a problem. At least Ye Cangtian felt no unusual symptoms at the moment.
With this thought, Ye Cangtian began to move, traversing the miasma-filled forest.
He had entered this island ruin once before with Zi Long and others.
However, the entrance to the ruins had been unstable at that time.
This time, it seemed the ruins had completely stabilized.