The leading male cultivator was delighted at first, but after sensing the auras of the group, his expression changed slightly.
This team was formidable. Though there were only four of them, three were at the Fifth Layer of Qi Condensation.
As for the black-clad female cultivator at the front, her cultivation was even more unfathomable. She was likely an expert at the sixth level Qi Condensation!
The leader knew without even fighting that his group was absolutely no match for them.
If he encountered such a powerful team under normal circumstances, he would have kept far away.
After the group had gone far away, the leading cultivator carved their appearances deeply into his mind, frustrated yet helpless.
"Enough. Now that we know who they are, there will always be a chance to make a move in the future. We'll leave it at that for today. Let's return to town."
After painstakingly pursuing and lying in ambush for so long, only to discover that their target was a hard bone they could not chew through, everyone was unwilling to accept it. But circumstances were stronger than men, so they had no choice.
Xu Chunniang followed at the back of the group as they headed toward Green Mountain Town. She was rather happy. At last, she was returning to Green Mountain Town. She had not rested properly for more than ten days.
The tall cultivator walked up to Xu Chunniang, his face fierce and impatient. "What are you smiling about? Are you laughing at us?"
"I'm not." Xu Chunniang shook her head rapidly and said uneasily, "I'm just happy that we can get down the mountain safely."
After hearing this, the tall cultivator shot her a vicious glare, then walked over to the leader and whispered a few words in his ear.
The leading cultivator glanced in Xu Chunniang's direction and nodded.
Xu Chunniang's eyes turned faintly cold. These people had spared her life before only because she still had some use to them.
But now that she had helped them find the "man in blue," would they still let her live?
Dealing with a minor cultivator at the first level Qi Condensation like her was probably as easy as crooking a finger.
These people were no kind souls. They were exceedingly practiced at murder and plunder, so naturally they possessed no benevolent hearts.
Xu Chunniang's heart tightened slightly. The other side had one cultivator at the Fifth Layer of Qi Condensation, two at the fourth level Qi Condensation, and four at the third level Qi Condensation. If this battle could not be avoided, she had to deal with the leading Fifth Layer of Qi Condensation cultivator first!
As she considered her options, a female cultivator at the third level Qi Condensation from the group walked toward her, wearing a meaningful smile.
"What a pity. You're so young, yet you already have cultivation at the first level Qi Condensation. You're a promising seedling. If you must blame someone, blame that short-lived brother who brought you into the Hundred Demonic Mountain Range!"
At the right moment, Xu Chunniang showed a terrified expression and kept backing away. "What did you say? What are you going to do?"
"What am I going to do? Don't you know?"
The female cultivator's smile turned vicious. "Hand over your Storage Bag willingly, and I'll grant you a quick death!"
Fear still lingered on Xu Chunniang's face, but her feet did not hesitate in the slightest as she retreated into the forest behind her!
Watching that small figure dart into the woods, the female cultivator shook her head in dissatisfaction.
"Since this Ugly Girl refuses to know what's good for her, don't blame me for being ruthless!"
With that, she stepped into the woods, advancing in the direction Xu Chunniang had fled with the careless ease of a cat toying with a mouse.
The others in the group all smiled knowingly at the sight.
"That bitch Tang Qing'er could have acted sooner, but she had to spout all that nonsense and make the Ugly Girl run into the woods. Now we have to wait here for her. Everyone knows she takes the longest to kill people, and she has the most tricks."
"Then we'll wait. It's not as if we're pressed for this little bit of time."
Yet they waited for half an hour. The mountain forest remained silent, and no one emerged.
"She's been gone so long. Could Qing'er have run into a demonic beast?"
"What demonic beast could there be around here? A first level Qi Condensation chick? Hahaha! Qing'er is probably having fun and lost track of time."
The leading male cultivator was very displeased. If he had known they would need to wait this long, he would not have let Tang Qing'er make the move.
"Send two people in to hurry her along. If we wait any longer, the market will close."
Upon hearing this, two cultivators at the third level Qi Condensation willingly took on the errand.
After their figures disappeared into the forest and blended into the darkness, they quickly vanished from sight.
After the two entered, another incense stick's worth of time passed, yet still no one came out.
The surroundings were utterly silent, as though nothing had happened.
The leading male cultivator frowned, realizing that something was wrong.
"There's a problem. Maozi and Dalong are both steady people. Once they found Tang Qing'er, they would definitely bring her back."
"Could it be too dark inside, making it hard to recognize the path?"
"We're cultivators. Even if our vision at night is not as good as in daytime, we can still find our way. Could some powerful demonic beast have appeared?"
Everyone's expressions grew solemn. Though the outskirts were generally not dangerous, it was possible for one or two demonic beasts at the third level Qi Condensation to wander out now and then.
"Boss, should I go in and take a look?"
The tall cultivator volunteered. He was at the fourth level Qi Condensation, so even if he encountered a demonic beast at the third level Qi Condensation, he would not be afraid.
"No. We'll go in together."
The leading male cultivator raised his head and swept a calm glance over the remaining three before standing up.
For some reason, he kept having a bad feeling.
If Qingqing, Maozi, and the others had truly been entangled by a demonic beast, that would be one thing. But what had entangled them might not necessarily be a demonic beast!
The remaining three exchanged glances, then followed the leading male cultivator into the forest.
Xu Chunniang sat atop a large tree with her eyes closed, resting. After such a long period of meditation and recovery, her spiritual energy was already full.
Not far from the tree lay three people—Tang Qing'er, Maozi, and Dalong!
However, all three had their eyes shut and no breath remaining. They had clearly lost all signs of life.
Suddenly, Xu Chunniang's brows stirred. More people had arrived!
After entering the forest, the leading male cultivator's sense of foreboding grew stronger and stronger.
He secretly heightened his vigilance as he searched for the three figures. He even used that item on his person and began striving to sense the spiritual energy in the surrounding area.
Yet no matter how he sensed, he could only detect one place containing spiritual energy.
But clearly, three people had entered the forest...
His heart sank. Could the other two have already met with misfortune?
It seemed they had encountered a demonic beast and only managed to kill it after losing two lives.
The leading male cultivator did not lower his guard because of his guess. He slowly approached the source of the spiritual energy.
Before long, he saw three familiar bodies lying beneath a tree ahead. His expression became one of disbelief.
At that very moment, the treasure detected that the cluster of spiritual energy that had remained still suddenly moved!
"Stay alert! Qingqing and the other two have already been killed! That person is coming toward us, and fast!"
The leading male cultivator cried out urgently.
Though the others had not seen the three corpses, they coordinated well with one another. At his words, they hurriedly drew closer toward the center.
But how could they withstand Xu Chunniang, who had been lying in wait, when they were caught unprepared!
Eight clusters of Explosive Spiritual Qi circled around her. In the span of a single breath, they caught up with a cultivator at the fourth level Qi Condensation.
"Explode!"
"Aaah—"
The Explosive Spiritual Qi detonated instantly. The fourth level Qi Condensation cultivator only had time to let out one scream before collapsing to the ground, dead or alive unknown.
Thanks to Fellow Daoist Huang Yueping for the reward, and to Fellow Daoists I'm Not Online, It's Raining, My Cat Misses You, and 20171119071842604 for the monthly votes! The bonus updates will continue today too ^_^
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