Targeted at Every Turn

Seeing that Wang Li and He Lingxiu were not overly talkative, the woman was rather pleased. She smiled gently and said, "May I ask how my fellow Daoists should be addressed?"

Wang Li immediately perked up. "This junior is Wang Bihui."

He Lingxiu smiled faintly. "This junior is He Anquan."

Wang Li froze for a moment, then broke into a beaming smile. Looking at He Lingxiu again, he suddenly found her features clear and her expression kind; she was much more pleasing to the eye.

Names were very important.

He had originally feared that He Lingxiu would deliberately throw a wrench in the works. Who would have thought that she would give such a praiseworthy name?

"So, Fellow Daoist Wang and Fellow Daoist He."

The woman looked at Wang Li and He Lingxiu without much concern. After all, when traveling through the Chaos Domains, no one wanted to reveal their true identity. Any name was merely for convenience during this period; what one was called did not matter.

"You may call him Han Yao. As for me, you may call me Mu Yu." She glanced at the tall, thin cultivator beside her, then looked toward the three young cultivators.

Though those three young cultivators did not speak much either, they answered crisply at this moment. "Ye Wan, Ye Ji, Ye Jiuyue."

Wang Li immediately gave the young cultivator named Ye Wan a sidelong glance.

Finished!

This man's name was terribly unlucky.

He instantly felt that he should stay as far away as possible from this cultivator called Ye Wan.

"Fellow Daoist Wang."

At this moment, the woman calling herself Mu Yu looked at Wang Li and said politely, "Since we have already entered this place, how should we proceed from here? In my view, although the cultivators on the other route have a point, we are all doing the same business. Whichever side rescues those three cultivators trapped within the Seven Treasures Ancient Domain can receive the spirit sand they deserve. But the key is that everyone wants to get out alive. I fear they may deliberately use us to draw away demon beasts or hostile cultivators. Based on this alone, I believe it would be best for us to leave this place as soon as possible."

"What Senior says is absolutely right!"

Wang Li could not help giving her a thumbs-up.

This was by no means deliberate flattery.

This Golden Core cultivator truly had a meticulous mind and acted with sufficient caution.

However, Han Yao, the tall, thin cultivator, found Wang Li long-winded. He frowned slightly and said, "Fellow Daoist Wang, since we are conducting business in these perilous Chaos Domains, there is no need for such excessive politeness and cumbersome formalities."

"Fine."

Wang Li reached into his left sleeve and took out a black clay medicine bottle. He poured out some black medicinal powder and scattered it over himself and He Lingxiu. At the same time, he pointed in one direction and said, "Once you have applied this powder as well, follow me at a slow pace for twenty li. Then we will wait there until nightfall."

Before the others could speak, He Lingxiu found the black powder scattered over her to be fishy and foul-smelling. Moreover, after it landed on her, it melted away as though dissolving. Yet that thin layer of medicinal vapor clung to her robes and skin, leaving her skin faintly numb and itchy.

"What is this medicinal powder used for?" she could not help asking.

Wang Li smiled.

Now that they had reached the destination, He Lingxiu was clearly throwing all caution to the wind and no longer pretending to be a guide.

But since she had called herself He Anquan, he ought to give her some face.

"Fellow Daoist He Anquan."

After smiling, he said to He Lingxiu with a pleasant expression, "This is medicinal powder made primarily from Bone-Eroding Insects. Several kinds of demon beasts in this area greatly detest these insects. Once they sense the aura of Bone-Eroding Insects, they will keep far away."

After saying this, he tossed the black clay medicine bottle in his hand to Mu Yu.

"It seems, little friend, that you truly are quite familiar with this place." Mu Yu caught the black clay bottle. Without another word, she took out some powder as Wang Li had done, then passed the bottle to the three young cultivators.

Seeing that Mu Yu and Han Yao had both used the powder so readily, the three young cultivators also dusted themselves with it. However, one of them could not help asking, "Why must we proceed slowly for twenty li? And even at a slow pace, twenty li would not take too long..."

But before he could finish, Wang Li rudely cut him off. "Do not speak to me."

The cultivator was instantly stunned.

Wang Li was already looking pleasantly at the cultivator beside him. "Fellow Daoist Ye Ji, if there is anything to ask in the future, you may be the one to ask it."

The three young cultivators were completely at a loss.

Especially the cultivator called Ye Wan, who had been rudely interrupted. He looked at Ye Ji with a face full of bewilderment and suspicion, thinking, Could these two have known each other before?

"Fellow Daoist, why should I be the one to ask if there is anything to say?" Ye Ji paused for the span of a breath before squeezing out a sentence.

"Because your name is more auspicious," He Lingxiu said expressionlessly.

She was telling the truth.

Unfortunately, no one believed her.

In everyone's eyes, both she and Wang Li suddenly seemed rather strange.

"Then why is that?" Ye Ji took a deep breath, steadied himself, and asked.

Wang Li said, "You will understand when we get there."

The three young cultivators were left speechless once more.

Since he would not state the reason directly, why make such a big fuss over it? Why forbid Ye Wan from speaking and insist so solemnly that only Ye Ji could speak?

Han Yao, the tall, thin cultivator, clearly had a rather bad temper.

"If there is nothing else to explain, then Fellow Daoist Wang, please lead the way. Let us set off immediately." His face darkened as he spoke.

"Let's go."

Wang Li nodded, turned, and began leading the way. At the same time, he instructed, "Unless something attacks us or we face a lethal threat, do not casually use any magic treasures or spells. Do not produce any obvious spiritual energy fluctuations. Also, it would be best if you all remain within several zhang of me. As for that cultivator who is not to speak to me, you may stay slightly farther away."

Upon hearing his earlier words, everyone thought they were perfectly normal. But after hearing his final two sentences, everyone besides He Lingxiu found him incomprehensible once again.

Ye Wan in particular was immediately displeased. He said in a low, angry voice, "What do you mean, that cultivator who is not to speak to you? Why may I stay slightly farther away? Did I not just tell you my name?"

Without turning back, Wang Li said, "It is precisely because you told me your name that you must not speak to me. Unless you change your name to Ye Unfinished, or Ye Success. Ye Completion would work too."

Ye Wan's face flushed crimson with fury, and his voice grew louder. "What exactly do you mean by this? You are targeting me at every turn. How have I, Ye Wan, offended you?"

"Young friend, since they are guides hired by the employer at great expense, you had best follow his arrangements. Otherwise, no one can guarantee what might happen." At that very moment, Mu Yu's voice rang out.

The woman's voice still seemed gentle, yet a powerful spiritual pressure instantly made the cultivator named Ye Wan unable to breathe. Coldness flowed from every pore of his body.