Threat

Inside No. 10 Mine, a dozen or so Foundation Establishment disciples stood poised and ready.

"Junior Brother, act carefully. Don't try to show off."

Cheng Rou said to Li Jun.

"Senior Sister, don't worry. I wish you a smooth journey." Li Jun cupped his fists.

Cheng Rou nodded, then rose and went to Lu Jinxuan's side.

"Junior brothers and sisters, please be sure to proceed with caution. May you reach the sect safely," Ji Shaoyong said.

"Senior Brother Ji, take care! We'll definitely bring the message back to the sect!"

The dozen or so people cupped their fists. Then, led by Lu Jinxuan and Tang Yixi, they joined forces to prop open the formation and charged straight out.

"Junior brothers and sisters, from now on, each peak will take turns pouring spiritual energy into the formation until the sect's reinforcements arrive."

"As commanded!"

The disciples of the Four Peaks got busy, beginning under Ji Shaoyong's command to take turns injecting spiritual energy into the formation.

Outside the mine, the Cold Bone Ice Spiders launched wave after wave of assaults, but all of them were blocked by the formation.

Seeing this result, everyone present also let out a breath of relief.

For now, as long as Elder Pan did not lose, once the Azure Cloud Sect's reinforcements arrived, this crisis would be resolved.

Inside the mine, the stifling atmosphere eased.

Li Jun looked at the cave entrance, then at Ji Shaoyong bustling nearby, his heart somewhat heavy.

Now, among the disciples of the Four Peaks, only the core disciples of Artifact Peak had been preserved.

If he had not heard that conversation earlier, he would never have doubted everything before his eyes.

But everything happening now was developing toward a bad outcome.

At present, all the disciples of the Four Peaks had gathered here, while Artifact Peak not only controlled the formation, but also held the greatest advantage in strength.

The situation Li Jun had originally thought would be very difficult to form had been completed in just a few short hours.

"Could this Cold Bone Ice Spider be connected to Yao Yuzhi?"

Li Jun frowned.

Who knew how long passed before the sounds of impact outside the mine gradually softened.

Ji Shaoyong rose and looked at the Cold Bone Ice Spiders outside the mine, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"Senior Brother Ji, the beast tide's assault has weakened. Does that mean Elder Pan won?" someone asked.

"Hard to say. The Cold Bone Ice Spider's mother spider is extremely troublesome. I'm afraid it won't be easy for Elder Pan to win." Ji Shaoyong sighed.

Everyone fell silent, but the weakening of the beast tide's assault could still be considered good news.

"Not good! Senior Brother, it looks like someone is charging over!"

Someone pointed outside and shouted.

Everyone looked out of the cave, only to see a group of black-clad people treading through the snow toward them.

What shocked everyone was that those Cold Bone Ice Spiders actually turned a blind eye, allowing them to arrive outside the mine.

"Prepare to meet the enemy!" someone shouted.

However, the Artifact Peak disciples led by Ji Shaoyong did not move at all.

"Senior Brother, what are you..."

Everyone looked at Ji Shaoyong. The latter smiled faintly and gave a light snap of his fingers.

After that, those Artifact Peak disciples who had originally been injecting spiritual energy actually opened the formation directly.

A dozen or so black-clad figures appeared soundlessly, then stood in silence behind Ji Shaoyong.

Li Jun looked at the black-clad people who had suddenly appeared, and his pupils shrank.

Wasn't this the attire of Dark Fragrance Hall's assassins?

"Senior Brother Ji, what is going on?" someone asked, baffled.

Ji Shaoyong smiled and said, "Everyone, there is no need to be nervous. I have been entrusted by Senior Sister Yao with a matter to discuss with you all."

Senior Sister Yao?

Everyone was stunned, not understanding what Ji Shaoyong meant.

Li Jun's pupils tightened. What was due had come after all. Yao Yuzhi had actually hired assassins from Dark Fragrance Hall.

"Heh. Among all of you present, quite a few are inner disciples of the various peaks. I'm sure you understand what the position of young sect master of the Azure Cloud Sect means."

"The Desolate Forbidden Land two years from now is a major source of merit in the struggle for the position of young sect master. Senior Sister Yao needs your assistance." Ji Shaoyong looked at everyone. "Today, anyone willing to help Senior Sister ascend to the position of young sect master can not only preserve their life, but also receive a batch of cultivation resources. I hope you will all weigh this carefully."

The moment these words came out, the scene erupted into an uproar.

Connecting it with Ji Shaoyong's words, quite a few people finally reacted—the beast tide this time was likely a trap orchestrated single-handedly by Yao Yuzhi.

"Ji Shaoyong, you really are mad! For the sake of helping Yao Yuzhi fight for young sect master, you actually lured a beast tide to attack Cangwu Mountain. Aren't you afraid of being held accountable!"

"Artifact Peak has gone too far! There are so many outer disciples, and you kill them just because you say so. If we refuse, are you going to kill us too?"

Many inner disciples were seething with outrage. They could not believe Yao Yuzhi had gone mad to such an extent.

"Hmph! Did I ever say this beast tide had anything to do with Senior Sister Yao? Slandering Artifact Peak's chief disciple with sinister motives—you deserve execution!"

Ji Shaoyong gave a look, and the black-clad men beside him shot out explosively. Two swords stabbed forth, directly killing the two people who had just spoken.

"Hiss!"

Everyone sucked in a breath of cold air. These black-clad men were actually all cultivators of the Foundation Establishment Realm!

Li Jun watched this scene, his heart growing heavier and heavier.

Yin Caiwei had mentioned the matter of the Desolate Forbidden Land to him back at the cowshed.

Simply put, it was a secret realm deep within the Hundred Thousand Mountains, jointly guarded by the three great sects of the inner region.

Within the secret realm was a spring source called the "Ageless Spring," an important material for the Azure Cloud Sect's "Golden Core Pool."

The Desolate Secret Realm opened once every fifty years. Because of a special formation, only those with cultivation in the Qi Refining Realm could enter.

Thus, the more followers one had, the more Ageless Spring water one could seize, and naturally, the greater one's confidence in reaching the position of young sect master.

This was why the factional struggle within the current Azure Cloud Sect was so severe.

For the sake of the Desolate Secret Realm, the core disciples of the Four Peaks had begun laying their plans very early, and the fight over Qi Refining Realm disciples was also extremely fierce.

Now, through Yao Yuzhi's clever maneuvering, nearly eight hundred Qi Refining Realm disciples had gathered in No. 10 Mine.

If these people truly pledged themselves to her, then in the struggle over the Desolate Forbidden Land, victory was basically already in her grasp.

"What a ruthless heart. She didn't hesitate to throw in tens of thousands of mortal miners and several hundred outer disciples. For the position of young sect master, the chief disciples of the Four Peaks have simply gone insane."

Li Jun sighed with emotion.

First there was Shen Xiyue using living people to refine Purple Foundation Pills, wanting to raise her own contribution score through it; then came Yao Yuzhi scheming to threaten the disciples of the three peaks, intending to lock down the contest for the Ageless Spring by seizing this chance.

And this was only Medicine Peak and Artifact Peak. The chief disciples of the other two peaks were likely only even crazier than them.

"Everyone, loyalty is loyalty no matter who you give it to. What's more, if everyone present pledges loyalty to Senior Sister Yao, then once the Desolate Secret Realm opens, Senior Sister Yao ascending to the position of young sect master will be practically nailed to the board."

Ji Shaoyong analyzed the pros and cons for everyone, bluntly stating that aside from Shen Xiyue, Beast Peak and Formation Peak had no chance of winning.

After hearing his analysis, the many disciples present sank into silence.

Even the inner disciples, no matter how furious they felt inside, in truth had no other choice at this moment.

After all, the two corpses on the ground were lessons from the overturned cart ahead. Did they still have a choice?

Ji Shaoyong looked at the crowd, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly. "Anyone who willingly pledges allegiance need only allow me to implant a 'Spirit-Binding Ring.' From now on, you'll be one of us, and in the days to come, you will naturally have the merit of following the dragon!"