Stone Forest

Stone Forest.

Under the blazing sun, Mo Yan Yu leaned her plump back against an oval-shaped boulder. Her delicate brows were faintly furrowed, as though she were thinking about something.

Beside her sat a plain-looking Mo Family Attendant, his face covered in pockmarks. He narrowed his eyes, lost in thought.

Heavy, somewhat ragged footsteps gradually approached from afar.

Mo Yan Yu's long eyelashes fluttered. She opened her eyes and glanced coolly at Qiang Sen, who was hurrying toward her. "What are you panicking about?"

"They've appeared!" Qiang Sen said fiercely. "Two women. According to the Dark Star Envoy's information, they're the targets!"

Mo Yan Yu's beautiful eyes abruptly lit up, and her expression turned icy. "Is that boy with them?"

"Looks like he isn't..." Qiang Sen paused, then answered calmly, "As long as we catch those two women, we'll find out where the boy is hiding."

"Has the news reached Third Uncle?"

"One of the Dark Star Envoys has already gone over."

"Which direction?" Mo Yan Yu straightened, slowly loosening up her limbs. "Are they far from us? Or far from Third Uncle and the others?"

"They're a little farther from us. If nothing unexpected happens, Third Master and his people should be arriving soon," Qiang Sen replied.

"Oh, then there's no need to rush." Mo Yan Yu frowned and asked the pockmarked Mo Family Attendant beside her, "Uncle Li, should we go over?"

"The person we're waiting for hasn't shown up, so there's no need to hurry." Li Han shook his head with a smile. "Third Master and the people from Dark Nether are watching over things there. There shouldn't be any problems. This checkpoint is just as important, so we'd better keep guarding it. Our target is that boy, after all. If he slips through this checkpoint, all our efforts will have been for nothing."

"That's true." Mo Yan Yu nodded and said nothing more.

"Woooo! Woooo!"

Beside a boulder shaped like a python, Mu Yu Die took out a silver bull horn and suddenly blew into it.

The horn's sound rippled outward like waves, carrying an exceptionally long distance.

In every part of Stone Forest, figures hidden in caves emerged at the sound and quickly converged on Mu Yu Die.

"Lan, don't worry. Someone will come to meet us soon." Mu Yu Die smiled easily. "Now that we're here, we're truly safe. We won't have to worry about people from Dark Nether anymore."

"I hope so." Di Ya Lan managed a weak smile, but she still couldn't stop worrying about Shi Yan. She sighed softly. "I hope he's all right..."

Figures suddenly flashed into view from the distance. At their head was the Nether Moon Envoy of Dark Nether. Beside him were Mo Chao Ge and Barnard, along with several Martial Artists from the Mo Family and a Nether Star Envoy from Dark Nether.

"Miss Mu, we meet again." The Nether Moon Envoy's cold gaze slithered over Mu Yu Die like a venomous snake. "You really can run. You even made it here. What a pity—you still haven't entered the Merchant Alliance, and I'll be taking you back all the same."

"Oh? Is that so?" Mu Yu Die smiled calmly, not the least bit nervous.

The Nether Moon Envoy frowned. A faint sense of unease stirred in his heart. Mu Yu Die was far too calm this time, completely unlike her usual self.

"What about that boy who was with you?"

Mo Chao Ge walked over, glanced at the two women, and said bluntly, "Tell me where that boy is, or I'll kill her first."

He pointed at Di Ya Lan.

"She's mine!" Barnard glared fiercely at Mo Chao Ge. His figure shot forward like lightning, and he reached out to grab Di Ya Lan.

"Clang!"

The forceful twang of a zither suddenly rang out. Its sound was like a sharp blade, stabbing viciously into someone's nerves.

Barnard's body jolted. Pain flashed across his face, and he hurriedly stumbled back a step, staring at Mu Yu Die in shock.

Mu Yu Die held an ancient zither and had already sat down on the ground. A chill curled at the corner of her lips as she stared coldly at Barnard. "Want to try again?"

It felt as though a steel needle had pierced Barnard's brain. His head was still aching terribly. At her words, his expression shifted between light and dark, but he didn't dare approach at once.

"Impossible!"

The Nether Moon Envoy's expression changed, and for the first time, panic appeared in his eyes. "It's only been a few months. Your Sound Rhythm Martial Soul couldn't have recovered so quickly!"

The Nether Moon Envoy paused, seeming to recall something, then suddenly sneered. "I understand. You're forcing your severed meridians to activate. You're asking for death!"

"Oh?" Mu Yu Die's expression was cold. "You can come and try. I know you're at the Hundred Tribulations Realm, but before I entered the Gloomy Forest, I used my Sound Rhythm Martial Soul to kill a Nether Moon Envoy at the same cultivation level as you. You should still remember, shouldn't you?"

At her words, not only did the Nether Moon Envoy hesitate, but Barnard and Mo Chao Ge also looked somewhat alarmed, staring at her in disbelief.

"Envoy, is that... true?" Mo Chao Ge's mouth felt dry. He retreated a little and signaled the Mo Family Martial Artists not to act rashly.

"If her Sound Rhythm Martial Soul were at its peak, she could indeed do that... but now? I don't believe it!" the Nether Moon Envoy snorted.

"Heh. Envoy, then let's see what you can do." Mo Chao Ge backed away again, moving into the midst of the Mo Family Martial Artists. He was plainly unwilling to strike first.

"Whoever goes first, dies first." Mu Yu Die said coolly, then lowered her head and fell silent.

Di Ya Lan stood beside her, vigilant and unwilling to let her guard down.

The situation suddenly came to a standstill.

Though the Nether Moon Envoy was suspicious, he didn't dare act rashly.

After learning that Mu Yu Die could kill experts at the Hundred Tribulations Realm, Barnard and Mo Chao Ge both suddenly became obedient. They kept glancing at the Nether Moon Envoy, as if urging him to hurry up and test Mu Yu Die's true condition.

Just then, figures emerged from among the rocks in every direction.

A tall, handsome figure appeared beside Mu Yu Die in an instant and asked softly, "Miss Mu, are you all right?"

So many people were present, including the Nether Moon Envoy, Mo Chao Ge, and Barnard, all experts at the Hundred Tribulations Realm, yet none of them saw how he had appeared beside Mu Yu Die.

He was like a ghost, suddenly materializing beside Mu Yu Die without leaving a trace.

"Teleportation Martial Soul! The Bei Ming Family!"

Mo Chao Ge's expression changed dramatically, and he couldn't help crying out.

"I was wondering who it was. Turns out they're from the Mo Family." The handsome young man who had appeared beside Mu Yu Die wore an arrogant expression and spoke coldly. "What? You want to fight the Bei Ming Family?"

"I wouldn't dare."

Mo Chao Ge took a deep breath and quickly composed himself. He smiled obsequiously at the young man. "So it's Third Young Master. No wonder Miss Mu was so confident. Third Young Master, I didn't know Miss Mu was under the Bei Ming Family's protection. If I'd known, I wouldn't have come. Please forgive me..."

Bei Ming Ce waved impatiently. "If this has nothing to do with the Mo Family, take your people and leave. I'm going to deal with the people from Dark Nether. Stay out of it."

As he spoke, Martial Artists in the Bei Ming Family's uniforms appeared one after another.

Two elderly men, one fat and one thin, quietly took their places beside him. Their cold eyes fixed on Mo Chao Ge and the Nether Moon Envoy.

"Fine, I'll leave right away." Mo Chao Ge wore a genial smile and turned to go without another word.

When the Mo Family Martial Artists realized the newcomer was Bei Ming Ce, they also became obedient at once. Heads lowered, they quietly followed Mo Chao Ge away.

As for Barnard, when he saw Mo Chao Ge leaving, he didn't dare stay either. He backed away, about to disappear into Stone Forest.

"Third Young Master, please kill this man for me." Mu Yu Die lightly plucked the strings.

"Clang!"

The zither rang out again.

Barnard's body shuddered. His feet stumbled, and he nearly lost his balance. He hurriedly ducked behind a boulder and fled for his life.

"Elder Yin, please take care of it." Bei Ming Ce gave the order calmly.

The thin old man standing behind him suddenly darted away like a specter. His figure flickered, then vanished.

Three seconds later, Barnard's hair-raising scream rang out from within Stone Forest.

Five seconds later, the thin old man Bei Ming Ce had called Elder Yin swept back like a shadow and resumed his place beside Bei Ming Ce without saying a word.