Chapter 497: Discovered!
The inside of the small temple belonging to the unknown race, was not much different from what he had expected.
Exquisitely decorated like the outside of the temple, several mythical beasts, and other exotic creatures that he had never seen before were carefully engraved into the walls along the path he walked through the temple.
To be honest, Xuan Hao felt quite graceful for the fact that the temple was tall enough that he could walk through it normally. Saving him from having to crouch down as he made his way through it…
"This should be the place where the grand ceremony is going to take place!"
Coming to a large open hall at the centre of the temple, Xuan Hao noticed that most of the people from the unknown race had gathered together inside the hall. The hall was well decorated with all sorts of different murals depicting epic battles of ages long past. Among which, the centre piece of which was an all too familiar phoenix.
Seeing the phoenix taking up most of the large hall's ceiling, Xuan Hao could not help wondering just why the phoenix had appeared here of all places, but his thought process was cut short as an elderly person only a little over half a meter tall made his way into the hall followed by several other elderly people closely following behind him.
"The Peak Nascent Soul Realm Expert…"
Noticing this small elderly man, Xuan Hao narrowed his eyes as he focused his full attention on him and the people neatly walking behind him. All of which had reached the Nascent Soul Realm!
"The grand elder and the elders are here!"
"Do you think something happened? The grand ceremony is not supposed to start yet…"
Listening to the surrounding people who had gathered early inside the hall, Xuan Hao realized that the group of elders showing up was not something normal.
Thus, the question became, why had the group of elders showed up all of a sudden…?
Wondering this, Xuan Hao made sure that he was properly hidden with his domain before finding a place to observe the grand elder and elders following behind him.
…𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦
"Hm? Someone triggered the barrier?!"
A little earlier when Xuan Hao had first made contact with the barrier around the temple, the grand elder of the small town abruptly opened his eye before jumping up and staring towards the direction of the temple in the distance with a surprised expression on his face.
"No! I have to find out what caused the barrier to trigger all of a sudden! Hopefully, it's just another demon beast that managed to stumble its way inside again…"
Not standing around doing nothing, the grand elder quickly contacted the other elders of the town before quickly making his way towards the temple. Not bothering to waste any time explaining things to the other elders, as it would waste time.
The other elders also seemed to understand that something was wrong, as they silently followed after the grand elder. Slowly starting to show a look of understanding upon realizing that they were moving towards the temple just outside the town.
Even if it turned out to just be another demon beast that had bumped into the barrier around the temple, they could never be too careful. After all, the temples importance was far too much and involved their town's continued existence!
The grand elder and the other elders understood this and therefore didn't waste any time upon reaching the temple. Quickly searching the area around the temple to see if there was any demon beast nearby that had caused the barrier to activate by bumping into it.
However, with the search ending up not finding any demon beasts. The faces of the grand elder and the other elders grew solemn.
"Grand elder, there are no demon beasts in the area around the temple… Do you think that-"
"Yes… It looks like an outsider might have entered the temple…!"
Hearing the words spoken by the grand elder, the rest of the elders present around him all showed a similarly shocked expression on their faces as some even gasped audibly.
"Wha-"
"An outsider!?"
"Impossible! How long has it been since the last outsider visited?!"
"We have to fine the outsider!"
Even with the group of elders shocked exclamations, the grand elder remained quiet as he looked towards the temple deep in thought.
"Grand elder-"
As one of the younger elders coming up to ask for his help in calming down the elders, the grand elder suddenly moved towards the temple. Not caring the slightest bit about the restless and panicking elders behind him as he made his way inside the temple.
"The barrier of the temple was not broken. From this, we can tell that the outsider is most likely not an enemy of ours!"
Along with these words, the grand elders figure slowly disappeared inside the temple.
"Not an enemy…?"
"Wai- Grand elder!"
Hearing what the grand elder said, the other elders quickly calmed down before realizing that the grand elder had already left them behind, as he made his way inside the temple in search of the outsider.
Whoosh~!
Not daring to wait around outside the temple, the other elders quickly rushed into the temple.
…
Still hiding in a corner of the hall that the people from the unknown race had gathered, Xuan Hao could not help tilting his head slightly to the side as he observed the group of elders suddenly spread out before they could be seen running down the different hallways leading into the hall that they were currently located.
Perhaps… Are they looking for me…?
Thinking about this, Xuan Hao could not help frowning to himself. How on earth had they managed to find out that he had entered the temple?!
"Maybe when I first touched the barrier."
Muttering this to himself with a look of understanding as his domain stopped his voice from leaking out into the surroundings, Xuan Hao could not stop himself from feeling even more curious about the race of small people.
After all, for someone to feel a change in the barrier, they would have to be in control of it to some extent!
…
"Maybe I should just reveal myself…"
Watching the elders send away the people who had come for the grand ceremony before searching the temple for at least half an hour without showing any sign of stopping, Xuan Hao could only shake his head after realizing that he would not be able to see the grand ceremony.
Not to mention the grand ceremony, he would most likely not be able to gain any useful information observing them now that they realized that someone might be watching them from the shadows.
Other than that, Xuan Hao didn't really plan to spend the next few weeks observing them…
Whoosh~
"Who- o-outsider!?"
"Protect the grand elder!"
"Argh- S-so strong…"
Revealing himself as he appeared in front of the grand elder still standing at the centre of the hall deep in thought, Xuan Hao didn't bother hiding his cultivation realm, as a few of the weaker elders collapsed on the ground under the sheer pressure brought along by his two domains covering the entire hall the moment he revealed himself.
After all, while he had decided to reveal himself, Xuan Hao did not plan to hide his cultivation and appear weak in front of the other party. Not to mention, he would easily be able to kill any of them if they tried something when they were already inside of his domain.
"O-outsider of the human race… I wonder for what reason have you come to our little town…"
Still standing tall under the pressure brought along by his two domains, the grand elder showed a dignified expression as he asked this. However, a tinge of fear could still be seen on his face when he looked over towards Xuan Hao. After all, the other party was someone in the Domain Lord Realm! Killing a Nascent Soul Realm Expert like him would be as easy as squashing a random bug by the side of the road!
Even if the ancient texts said only an ally can safely enter the temple. How could I possibly believe it so easily?!
Thinking this to himself as he looked over towards Xuan Hao waiting for an answer, the grand elder prepared to activate a small runic talisman that he grasped tightly in the palm of his hand. Something that didn't escape the eyes of Xuan Hao, as his ice domain had already secretly covered the runic talisman. Ready to freeze it along with the grand elder's hand in case he tried anything.
"No real reason, I was just traveling around the area and happened upon your little town. Growing curious, I decided to investigate the area."
Saying this, Xuan Hao smiled kindly towards the grand elder before releasing the pressure brought along by his two domains. Allowing the elders and grand elder to breath a sigh of relief, as they could finally move their bodies again.
Feeling that the other party did not have any hostile intentions towards him and his people after hearing his words along with the pressure on him and the others lifting, the grand elder breathed out a sigh of relief.
"I see… Is there perhaps anything we can help with? I'm more than willing to answer any question you have…"