Casting a Long Line to Catch a Big Fish

As soon as Lu Chen finished speaking, his heart sank.

'Oh no!'

Cold sweat instantly broke out on his back, and his fingertips twitched slightly.

'The person before me seems ordinary, his cultivation level unreadable. But the ones behind him are all top-tier experts, their strength likely far exceeding my expectations, and yet I dared to defy him...'

Lu Chen cursed himself inwardly for being impulsive, his Adam's apple bobbing involuntarily.

Out of the corner of his eye, he scanned the surroundings for possible escape routes, while secretly activating the Dragon Clan bloodline within him. He took a half step back with his left foot and clenched his right hand into a claw—he could fight for his life or retreat and escape.

He was tense and on high alert, unaware that in Qin Wangchuan and his group's eyes, Lu Chen was nothing more than an insignificant ant.

At this critical moment—

"I've finally found you!"

A clear voice suddenly came from behind him. Before Lu Chen could turn around, a hand with distinct knuckles had already firmly placed on his shoulder.

He froze, instinctively trying to break free, but the person who came over forcefully turned him around.

A young man dressed in a dark, fitted outfit had appeared beside him at some point, a nonchalant smile on his face, "We agreed to go hunting Dragon Carp together, so why did you run off here first?"

Lu Chen's pupils contracted slightly; he didn't recognize this boy at all.

He was just about to resist—

Gu Yuan, however, transmitted his voice first. "Cooperate with me if you don't want to die."

Upon hearing this, Lu Chen stiffened, and his resistance lessened.

"Excuse me, everyone." Gu Yuan turned and bowed respectfully to Qin Wangchuan and the others, his playful expression vanishing, replaced by a perfectly measured apology. "This young man is inexperienced and doesn't know his manners. He has offended you all. I hope you will forgive him."

As he spoke, he took out an exquisite Jade Box from his robes and presented it with both hands. "This is my family's heirloom Black Gold Dragon Extreme Pill; consider it an apology."

Qin Wangchuan's lips curled up almost imperceptibly when he saw this.

Gu Yuan thought that no one knew his true identity, so he could play dumb and take advantage of the situation.

But when they entered the Secret Realm earlier, Qin Wangchuan clearly saw him standing with Ji Wangji.

'Clearly from the Gu Clan...'

He thought about it, but Qin Wangchuan simply said, "It's alright."

Qin Zhaoer gave a soft hum, and with a slight twitch of her fingers hidden in her gilded wide sleeves, the Jade Box flew into her hand.

She casually lifted the Jade Box, her delicate brows furrowing slightly. "Trash."

After saying that, he flicked his finger and the object fell into the mouth of the Little Golden Crow on Ye Jianwei's shoulder in the distance.

The little guy didn't refuse, gurgling as he swallowed the pill whole, and the fire patterns flowing on his feathers immediately brightened a bit.

Gu Yuan took three steps back while still in a bowing posture, then turned around and grabbed Lu Chen: "Let's go!"

His tone returned to its usual cynical manner, and he complained loudly as he walked, "You're always running around..."

He secretly transmitted his voice. "If you don't want to die, obediently come with me."

Lu Chen was filled with doubt and uncertainty, but given the current situation, he had no choice but to comply for the time being.

Just as they were about to leave, Qin Wangchuan suddenly raised his hand and grabbed—

With a "whoosh," the Bronze Small Tripod hanging on Lu Chen's chest flew off its neck and landed steadily in Qin Wangchuan's palm.

With a light touch of his fingertip, he observed that the missing corner perfectly matched the Bronze Fragment in his hand.

"You—!" Lu Chen's eyes widened in fury, and half of the True Dragon Blood within him instantly boiled.

He was about to erupt, but Gu Yuan, who was already prepared, held him down.

"Good eye." Gu Yuan's smile remained unchanged. "It would be a waste to put this broken cauldron on my good-for-nothing brother."

"Then I won't get in your way here."

Anyway, it's not his stuff. Even if Qin Wangchuan snatched Lu Chen down to his underwear, Gu Yuan wouldn't say a word.

With that, she forcefully dragged Lu Chen away quickly.

Only after walking several miles and confirming that Qin Wangchuan and the others were not chasing after him did Gu Yuan release his grip.

Lu Chen staggered a few steps to regain his footing, his anger still burning. "Who are you? Why did you save me?"

"Save you?" Gu Yuan's expression suddenly changed, all traces of his previous humility vanishing. With a flick of his sleeve, an aura of power surged forth, causing nearby pebbles to tumble down. "You think you're worthy?"

Lu Chen's pupils contracted sharply, and he instinctively assumed a defensive stance.

"You do have some guts, at least I came all this way." Gu Yuan sneered, then said, "If it weren't for me, you'd be a corpse by now—do you know who Qin Wangchuan is?"

Seeing Lu Chen remain silent, Gu Yuan suddenly leaned forward. "Let's put it this way, in the entire Three Thousand Dao Provinces, among countless Lineage, the Qin Clan ranks in the top three. Killing an ant like you wouldn't even require lifting a finger."

"Aristocratic Clan... another Aristocratic Clan..."

Lu Chen lowered his head, his Adam's apple bobbing, and a seed was planted in his heart.

He then raised his head and sneered, "So what? You want me to be grateful?"

"Interesting." Gu Yuan withdrew the blue light and looked him over with interest. "The enemy of my enemy is my friend—want revenge?"

"He destroyed my Dragon Path and stole my Lesser Cauldron." Lu Chen's knuckles turned white from clenching his fists, each word seemingly squeezed out from between his teeth. "If I don't avenge this, I swear I will not be a man."

Gu Yuan suddenly clapped his hands and laughed, "Good! That's the kind of spirit I want!" His laughter stopped abruptly, and his eyes suddenly turned fierce. "I can help you, but remember, from now on, you have to listen to me."

"Why should I?"

"With my strength," Gu Yuan suddenly conjured a wisp of green flame at his fingertips, pressing it against the man's throat, "If you don't agree, I'll kill you right now."

"But if you agree, there's a chance you can get your little cauldron back in the future."

Lu Chen clenched his fist, his nails digging deeply into his palm.

He understood that he was being used as a pawn, but he truly had no other choice at the moment.

"Have you thought it through?" Gu Yuan casually dusted off his sleeves. "My patience is limited."

Lu Chen took a deep breath, looked directly at Gu Yuan, and said, "I agree. But on one condition—"

"You have no right to negotiate," Gu Yuan coldly interrupted, a Dragon Skin Map sliding out of his sleeve. "The deepest part of this Secret Realm is a place called the Dragon Ruins Forbidden Palace. Even Qin Wangchuan will reveal a weakness there. We'll make our move there!"

"Apart from what's inside, everything we've gained along the way can be yours."

Lu Chen remained silent for a moment, then finally nodded. "Deal."

Lu Chen stared at Gu Yuan's retreating figure, a dark glint in his eyes: 'That place is also guiding me. Anyway, it's just a matter of mutual benefit. I'll act according to the situation once I get there. Having more bodyguards along the way is good.'

Gu Yuan, his back to Lu Chen, curled his lips into a sinister smile: ' Qin Wangchuan is definitely going to be eliminated, but I'm not stupid enough to confront him head-on. I need to find some cannon fodder to create opportunities.'

'When the time is right... that will be my moment to strike.'

The night wind howled, swirling up a few withered leaves and drawing an invisible boundary between the two.

Meanwhile, on the other side...

Before the Dragon Language Stele Forest, Sword Qi aura of swords emanates.

Li Qingluan was dressed in white, her Three-Foot Qingfeng pointing diagonally at the ground. The tip of the sword was not stained with blood, but a chilling Killing Intent emanated from it.

She stood alone before the only passage leading to the Dragon Void Forbidden Palace, with a vast ancient forest of steles stretching for thousands of feet behind her, each Stone Tablet inscribed with obscure and difficult-to-understand Dragon Clan script.

With just one man and one sword, they blocked the main entrance to the Forbidden Palace without relying on the Li Clan guards behind them.

"The fortuitous opportunity the Secret Realm depend on one's own abilities." A cultivator staggered back, clutching his bleeding shoulder, a hint of resentment flashing in his eyes. "But for the fairy to block us is... a violation of the natural order."

Li Qingluan didn't even lift her eyelids; her sword trembled slightly, and another frost-white Sword Qi aura shot out.

The protective Law Treasure that the cultivator hastily summoned shattered instantly, and he was sent flying dozens of feet away, crashing heavily onto a Dragon Pattern Stele.

"Roll."

The cold voice seemed to carry shards of ice, startling the restless cultivators behind them into taking three steps back in unison.

Her fingertips lightly traced the blade of the sword, but her gaze pierced through the chaotic crowd, looking into the distance as she murmured:

"They're not here yet...?"

This almost inaudible murmur was caught by several cultivators using their Law Treasure, and they were immediately horrified.

They exchanged bewildered glances, their eyes filled with disbelief—this sword fairy, a goddess of death, was actually waiting for someone?

"Blocking the entire Dragon Path..." An old man's Adam's apple bobbed, his voice trembling as he transmitted his message, "Just to wait for one person?"