Seeing the situation unfold, Lin Xiao Tian glanced at his disciples, his expression relaxed as if this was expected. "Alright, time for our warm-up too... we cannot leave all the treasures to them," he said as he stepped forward.

Without hesitation, he moved toward the platform, his figure descending toward the nearest stairs leading down.

Just as he reached the edge, his movement halted abruptly as his flight broke, forcing him to land on foot.

Miao-Miao nearly slipped off his back from the sudden stop, while the others behind him experienced the same restriction. Their descent turned grounded, the invisible limit clear the moment they crossed the boundary.

Lin Xiao Tian frowned slightly as he steadied himself, his gaze shifting as he considered the change.

So there are rules here... figures, nothing comes easy in places like this.

He turned back briefly as he noticed the fat man was gone.

Lin Xiao Tian’s eyes lifted, and he spotted him standing near the entrance, clearly hesitating to move forward. He narrowed his eyes slightly before calling out without raising his voice.

"If you plan to leave, then do it now... otherwise follow us, or I will throw those monsters your way," he said calmly.

The man shuddered visibly, yet he still did not move.

Lin Xiao Tian clicked his tongue softly, his patience thinning slightly. Before he could say anything else, Yan Feng spoke with a smirk.

"Tch, Zhao fatty, keep this up and I will let your sister know everything."

The effect was immediate as before he even finished speaking, Zhao appeared right in front of them, his expression completely changed. "Brother-in-law, what are you saying... I have always been with you," he said quickly, his tone suddenly eager.

Lin Xiao Tian looked at him for a moment, a faint smirk forming as he observed the shift.

So that is the weakness... a proper sister slave and a coward at that, how he became a successor is beyond me.

He let the thought pass as there was something much for important.

His gaze lowered toward the platform below, his expression settling back into calm as the real fight awaited.

As they descended the stairs, Lin Xiao Tian moved steadily without slowing, his posture relaxed as the others followed closely behind him. Ji Wuchen’s subordinates noticed their arrival immediately, their gazes sharp with caution even as they continued fighting the incoming beasts.

None of them stepped forward to block their path, yet none lowered their guard either, maintaining their positions with clear discipline. The pressure around them did not lessen, but the flow of battle carried something strange that did not match the chaos.

Lin Xiao Tian observed the movement carefully as his eyes followed the direction of each incoming wave. The beasts were not targeting them at all, instead pushing forward with clear intent toward the center.

Every creature ignored their presence completely, focusing only on Ji Wuchen and the crystal pillar behind the barrier. So this is where the real prize is... no wonder they are so calm despite this mess.

He gave a light signal, and the disciples adjusted their direction at once, moving toward the barrier without hesitation. Seeing this, Ji Wuchen’s subordinates glanced over and laughed openly, their expressions filled with ridicule.

Lin Xiao Tian frowned slightly at the reaction, though he chose to ignore it and continued forward without stopping. They reached the barrier quickly, the golden surface steady and unmoving despite the chaos surrounding it.

He stepped forward and pressed against it, only to be pushed back instantly by a firm and unseen force. The recoil was clean and direct, leaving no room for entry as he steadied himself again without losing balance.

The others met the same result as every attempt failed without exception, the barrier rejecting all of them equally. Lin Xiao Tian clicked his tongue softly as he struck it again, yet the result did not change in the slightest.

Then his gaze shifted and he saw Xiaoshan stood inside.

He had crossed without resistance, standing beyond the barrier as if it had never existed for him at all. The sight made Lin Xiao Tian pause briefly, confusion surfacing beneath his calm expression.

Before he could think further, a beast lunged from behind, forcing him to move as he kicked it away in a single motion.

As he turned back, the number of monsters had increased sharply, their presence rising as more surged into the platform.

The pressure climbed rapidly, breaking whatever balance had remained as the situation worsened. Lin Xiao Tian’s gaze darkened slightly as he looked toward the center.

What exactly did you do... you better not ruin my gains now.

He looked again as Xiaoshan moved forward step by step, his posture steady yet his eyes empty as if he no longer saw anything around him.

The beasts surged harder, their numbers swelling as they pushed through every opening without slowing. Lin Xiao Tian stepped forward and struck one aside, his movement simple yet enough to keep space around his group.

Tianhe held the front, his blows heavy as he forced the nearest monsters back while preventing them from closing in fully. Yan Feng moved beside him, cutting down anything that slipped through with quick, precise strikes.

Miao Han advanced without hesitation, his spear driving forward in clean motions as he kept the path from collapsing.

The pressure from all sides remained constant, forcing them to fight while holding their ground at the same time.

Lin Xiao Tian moved along the edge of the formation, stepping in whenever the line shifted too far under the pressure.

The beasts kept coming like mad as they climbed over fallen bodies and pressed forward, their movements becoming more erratic as they neared the center.

The distance to the pillar closed slowly, each step forced through effort.

Then suddenly a sharp crack echoed across the platform as the crystal pillar at the center fractured suddenly.

Lines spread across its surface as the light within it flickered, and the entire battlefield seemed to pause for a single breath.