"The Dark Spirit Pearl is mine now."
Suddenly, a cry of surprise echoed through the air, and the position of the Dark Spirit Pearl was now occupied by a member of the Gentleman Sect, who had snatched it up.
However, his excitement lasted only a few seconds before he took a hit from behind. The Dark Spirit Pearl slipped from his grasp, and he tumbled into the water.
The Dark Spirit Pearl was firmly caught by a jade hand—the owner of which was none other than Fei Yue.
"Take back the Dark Spirit Pearl!"
The Gentleman Sect was clearly not ready to give up. Both Qin Yuan and Yang Wei abandoned the chase of Ye Xuan and charged together toward Fei Yue, attempting to seize the Dark Spirit Pearl.
Fei Yue, of course, didn’t think she could compete against so many, so as soon as she obtained the pearl, she immediately retreated in the opposite direction.
Seeing Fei Yue being attacked, Ye Xuan quickly stepped forward to help, swinging his sword to fend off several members of the Gentleman Sect, covering her escape.
Fei Yue cast a grateful glance at Ye Xuan; his assistance at this moment was like sending charcoal in snowy weather.
"This way, let’s split up!"
Ye Xuan pointed toward two pathways leading deeper into the Evil Dragon Temple.
Without hesitation, Fei Yue, followed by Ouyang Tie with Leng Wusheng in tow, rushed down one of the pathways.
"Brother Xue Lingzi, time to retreat!"
After Fei Yue and the others had withdrawn, Ye Xuan shouted to Xue Lingzi, who was fiercely fighting with Lord Wind, and upon hearing this, he didn’t hesitate to fall back as well, and both men withdrew into the other pathway.
"Brother Feng, Fei Yue has taken the Dark Spirit Pearl, and Chu Kuang has been crippled by that guy Ye Xuan. The Qiankun Ring has also been stolen. This time, we’ve lost both our wife and our troops," said Yang Wei with a sullen expression.
"Split into two groups, chase!"
Lord Wind’s face also darkened. With a wave of his hand, he led the way into the pathway Xue Lingzi had taken, while Yang Wei and others headed down the other route.
Inside the dark and gloomy passage, with forks appearing occasionally, Ye Xuan and Xue Lingzi sped along at full force. Yet, Lord Wind and his men quickly caught up.
"Lord Wind, what’s the point? Even if you catch us, you can’t do anything to me."
Xue Lingzi looked at the approaching Lord Wind and his men, speaking indifferently.
Hearing this, Lord Wind’s face darkened. Indeed, he couldn’t do anything to Xue Lingzi, but they had just suffered a great loss at their hands, and that debt could not be left unsettled.
Suddenly, he sensed a powerful aura sweeping out from another fork in the passageway.
In a blink, several figures appeared before them—it was Shangguan Hong, the Elder of the Transmission Hall from Daluo Heavenly Palace, accompanied by a young man in a golden robe. His cultivation might not be as strong as Xue Lingzi’s or Lord Wind’s, but he was on the same level as Fei Yue, clearly a Saint Heir from the Daluo Heavenly Palace.
"Shangguan Hong, you’ve arrived just in time. These two have taken my Dark Spirit Pearl and also possess two Dragon Saliva Fruits and several Evil Dragon Crystals. If our sides join forces and split what we take from them, how does that sound?" Lord Wind’s eyes lit up at the prospect of reinforcements, and he immediately communicated through a whisper.
Hearing this, Shangguan Hong and the Golden Raging Saint seemed to be tempted. The Dark Spirit Pearl, Evil Dragon Crystals, and Dragon Saliva Fruits were all treasures worth desiring. If they could get a share, it would indeed be a delightful affair.
"Shangguan Hong, these words are just one side of the story. You trust him just like that? If you’re being used as a pawn, don’t blame me for not warning you."
Xue Lingzi’s gaze sharpened, and he spoke coldly.
"What you say makes sense. Of course, we won’t believe just one side of a story. Let’s have you hand over your Qiankun Rings for us to inspect. If none of these items are there, naturally, we won’t cause you any trouble," the Golden Raging Saint declared, speaking before Shangguan Hong could respond.
"Golden Raging Saint speaks wisely."
Lord Wind, who had seemed somewhat disappointed, now slowly formed a smile on his lips and nodded his agreement.
"Who do you think you are? My Qiankun Ring is not for you to inspect whenever you please," Xue Lingzi sneered, knowing full well that the other party was already harboring intentions, so there was no need for further niceties.
"Heh, who am I? You’re quite arrogant. I know you’re strong, but failing to see the situation for what it is simply amounts to stupidity—leading to your own demise. And it’s not just you; the whole Xuantian Sect is blind to the situation. It may seem strong on the outside but is hollow on the inside, and it will soon perish at the hands of your foolish group," the Golden Raging Saint taunted with a cold laugh.
Xue Lingzi’s pupils shrank slightly. The words from the Golden Raging Saint about the imminent demise of the Xuantian Sect might have been boastful, but him suddenly mentioning it caught Xue Lingzi off guard.
"Why waste so much talk, kill them!"
Shangguan Hong’s expression changed as if worried about the Golden Raging Saint revealing more, and he immediately activated his True Yuan, carrying a powerful gust of wind as he charged at Xue Lingzi and Ye Xuan.
"Xue Lingzi, your time has come!"
Lord Wind rejoiced, his eyes coldly fixed on Xue Lingzi as he too ferociously attacked.