The Legendary Son-in-law of the Emperor Chapter 1768 - 1765: Heavenly Swallowing Toad

Along the path, numerous Loose Cultivation Alliance members longed to chat with Ye Xuan, yet their profound awe of his reputation stopped them from speaking carelessly.

This fear arose because they had badmouthed Ye Xuan behind his back in private.

Particularly when sucking up to Hai Dong, they often contrasted him positively with Ye Xuan.

Ye Xuan, naturally, served as the unfavorable example.

His abrupt appearance left them bewildered on how to respond.

Praising Ye Xuan would seem odd in Hai Dong's presence.

Refusing to praise him forfeited the chance to bond with the Mystic Yellow List's leading figure, the supreme Reserve Emperor.

It truly was a precious moment to draw near.

Deep internal struggles plagued many.

Expecting lively exchanges between Hai Dong and Ye Xuan—both famed Mystic Yellow List geniuses—they discovered complete silence persisted the whole journey.

Ye Xuan showed no interest in conversation, remaining quiet as though deep in contemplation.

Hai Dong cast occasional looks at Ye Xuan yet made no move to speak.

Silent, they continued onward.

Amid the group's tense mix of dread and eagerness, they finally passed beyond the Blood Sea.

Gazing backward, the Blood Sea proved not expansive, shifting into a majestic summit where a massive serpent coiled, greedily inhaling Sun and Moon Essence with head reared high.

Unlike ordinary serpents, its lower body blended flawlessly into the sharp peak.

This displayed the miraculous phenomena of the Great Ruins.

Everything appeared locked in some strange metamorphosis.

These shifts happened quietly, imperceptibly.

Neering the mountain returned them to the boundless Blood Sea.

The surging waves represented failures who couldn't traverse the Blood Sea across the prior three months.

Crossing early proved fortunate; were the Blood Sea to surge with the devoured—now just bones—the might unleashed by Great Saint Realm experts would exceed what fresh arrivals could endure.

However.

Those exiting the Great Ruins might confront such perils upon return.

But that's for later tales.

Currently, Ye Xuan and his party ventured further into the Great Ruins' heart.

Mountain ranges sprawled before them, prompting low-altitude flight that skimmed over the peaks.

The Great Ruins' skies harbored boundless gloom; proximity to the Sky Dome heightened the danger of being devoured.

Falling into that darkness offered no fight—immediate demise, corpse alone persisting.

Still, hugging the mountains offered no full safety.

Terrifying Fierce Beasts concealed themselves amid the vast ranges, stalking humans from shadows, lying in wait for the ideal strike.

The instant after, a frigid evil aura assaulted them.

Then, a colossal maw yawned wide, engulfing the whole group!

Bang!

One gulp.

Swallowed in entirety!

This creature was a dark toad-like Fierce Beast, lacking a tongue, its gaping mouth a chasm of infinite blackness.

Having gulped down Ye Xuan and the rest, the black toad-resembling Fierce Beast burped, then slipped away into the mountains, vanishing from view.

"Ah——"

Within the beast's jaws, Loose Cultivation Alliance members let out screams.

No.

It was a piercing cry, for no harm struck yet.

"What kind of Fierce Beast is this?!"

The group stood dumbfounded by the monster, hearts thumping wildly.

This beast's sudden assault had surprised them completely.

"A wondrous beast of the Great Ruins."

Ye Xuan spoke leisurely, "Heavenly Swallowing Toad."

"Heavenly Swallowing Toad?"

That name sent shivers through everyone.

Though ignorant of its details, the title alone hinted at immense terror!

"What should we do now?"

Out of options, all looked toward Ye Xuan.

Hai Dong eyed Ye Xuan as well, eager to gauge the prowess of Mystic Yellow's top Reserve Emperor.

"We wait."

Ye Xuan smiled with composure, utterly unperturbed.

"Wait? Wait to die?" Someone blurted instinctively.

Ye Xuan shot the speaker a glance but said nothing.

The individual clamped his mouth shut, grasping his error, face draining of color, too scared to utter more.

"Mr. Ye, are we waiting for some opportunity?" The senior Loose Cultivation Alliance member who had previously conversed with Ye Xuan asked quietly.

Ye Xuan nodded faintly, "Within the Great Ruins, dangers lurk everywhere; entering the mouth of the Heavenly Swallowing Toad is not an entirely unsafe method to advance, as other Fierce Beasts would avoid the Heavenly Swallowing Toad upon encountering it."

"Additionally, wherever treasures emerge, the Heavenly Swallowing Toad will inevitably appear."

"Perhaps when the Heavenly Swallowing Toad opens its mouth next, we can go out and perhaps gain some treasures."

Ye Xuan’s words soothed the anxieties of all.

Hai Dong narrowed his eyes, however, and remarked, "Brother Ye, by your words, getting swallowed by the Heavenly Swallowing Toad carries no risk, correct?"

The others turned their gazes toward Ye Xuan, filled with suspicion.

Given the immense power of this Heavenly Swallowing Toad, was entering its mouth really free of peril?

Ye Xuan flashed a grin and replied, "Danger does exist, and you'll discover it shortly."

Inside the Heavenly Swallowing Toad's mouth, darkness and heaviness enveloped everything.

It resembled not a mouth at all, but an endless black abyss that sparked terror and discomfort.

Still, no obvious threats emerged, creating a surprising sensation.

Ye Xuan's earlier words, though, had everyone on edge, bracing for what was to come.

Quite a few grew annoyed at Ye Xuan's vagueness, yet his fearsome reputation silenced any protests.

Ye Xuan stayed calm and composed, undisturbed in the pitch black, as he began his cultivation session.

This rendered everyone dumbfounded.

Was this sheer recklessness?

Devoured by the Heavenly Swallowing Toad, and still prioritizing cultivation?

Hai Dong eyed Ye Xuan closely, realizing no details would come from him, so he started probing the area on his own.

Yet his inspection turned up nothing concrete.

Even with extensive years in cultivation, he'd never come across a Heavenly Swallowing Toad before.

He had only learned of this creature from ancient anecdotes.

Those anecdotes, however, rarely held truth, filled mostly with exaggerated tales rather than real events.

At this point, it appeared those anecdotes could be trustworthy after all, though the phenomena they described were seldom seen.

Without venturing into the Great Ruins, who could even be aware of the Heavenly Swallowing Toad's existence?

"Hmm?"

Suddenly, a Holy Venerable Cultivator from the Loose Cultivation Alliance paled dramatically and cried out, "Did you all feel something?"

The rest grew solemn, but detected no such thing.

Disbelieving, the Holy Venerable Cultivator insisted, "How is that possible? Couldn't you feel that strange power corroding the mana in your bodies?"

His words sparked panic among some.

Moments later, more people started experiencing it too!

"Mr. Ye, is this the danger you spoke of?"

The elderly man grew frantic as well, turning to Ye Xuan for answers.