Three Sides in the Trap

"Miss, that was a beautiful move just now. I'm a disciple of the Tang Sect. I'd like to make your acquaintance."

Qiangu Zhangting froze.

A Tang Sect disciple?

Before he could react, he saw Na'er smile too.

Na'er held out her hand and shook the young man's. "Na'er. A pleasure."

It was only a handshake.

But Qiangu Zhangting's mind exploded.

That smile.

Na'er had never smiled at him.

Not once.

Who did this Tang Sect disciple think he was?

Why did some nobody who'd come out of nowhere get a smile from Na'er?

Qiangu Zhangting's anger flared. He strode over and shoved Chen Xing aside.

"Who are you? Who said you could touch her?"

Chen Xing took two steps back, looking suitably puzzled.

"Brother, I was only saying hello to her."

"Saying hello? You think you're worthy?"

Qiangu Zhangting planted himself in front of Na'er, glaring like someone had tried to steal his food.

Everyone nearby stared.

What was going on?

Na'er glanced at Chen Xing.

Chen Xing gave an almost imperceptible nod.

Na'er understood and kept her expression still.

Chen Xing kept up the act.

"Brother, I'm a Tang Sect disciple making friends while I'm away from home. That isn't against the law, is it?"

"The Tang Sect?" Qiangu Zhangting snorted, his lips curling with disdain.

"What are you up to, trying to cozy up to someone from the Spirit Pagoda?"

The Tang Sect disciples nearby took offense.

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean? What's wrong with the Tang Sect?"

"Exactly. Our junior brother was just saying hello, and you came over and shoved him?"

"You think being from the Spirit Pagoda makes you special?"

Qiangu Zhangting was arrogant to begin with.

Hearing that only made him angrier.

"A pack of trash that can't even beat the Holy Spirit Cult has the nerve to talk back to me?"

That set everyone off.

Until then, only a few Tang Sect disciples had spoken up.

Now the Shrek disciples gathered around too.

"Who are you calling trash?"

"We were fighting the Holy Spirit Cult with our lives on the line while you stood by and watched. Now you're acting tough?"

"Is this how people from the Spirit Pagoda behave?"

Surrounded by people berating him, Qiangu Zhangting's face shifted from pale to livid.

Standing outside the crowd, Chen Xing flashed Na'er an OK sign.

The corners of Na'er's mouth lifted slightly.

Then she slipped back into her cool expression.

Just as the argument reached a fever pitch, a rumble sounded from the entrance to Dragon Valley.

The ground shook.

A massive stone gate slowly rose from the mountainside, revealing a pitch-black opening.

Dragon Valley had opened.

The shouting stopped at once.

Every eye turned toward it.

Qiangu Zhangting snorted and flicked his sleeve.

"I can't be bothered arguing with you."

He turned to Na'er, wearing what he evidently thought was a gentle expression.

"Na'er, let's go."

Na'er ignored him and walked straight toward the opening.

Qiangu Zhangting's smile stiffened for a moment, but he soon followed her.

While everyone's attention was on the entrance, Chen Xing led Tang Wulin into the crowd.

Dragon Valley was far larger inside than it appeared from outside.

A broad passage stretched ahead, flanked by ancient stone walls covered in characters and patterns no one could decipher.

Chen Xing noticed several forks in the passage.

"Pam Pam, analyze the layout of Dragon Valley."

"Roger, pam. Scanning... Dragon Valley has two sections: the outer Surface Secret Realm and the core Deep Secret Realm. Entering the Deep Secret Realm requires a special bloodline, pam."

Chen Xing had what he needed.

He turned to look at Na'er.

Na'er gave a slight nod.

Together, they took Tang Wulin farther in.

Once no one was watching, Chen Xing pulled three Concealment Rings from his Storage Ring.

"Put these on."

Tang Wulin didn't understand, but he was used to his brother's way of doing things. He obediently put one on.

"Wulin, head as deep as you can." Chen Xing pointed toward the end of the passage. "There's an opportunity waiting for you there."

Tang Wulin's eyes lit up. "The Mountain Dragon King you told me about on the way here?"

"That's right." Chen Xing patted his shoulder. "Remember the method I taught you. And don't forget to use the Soul Guidance Excavator I gave you."

Tang Wulin nodded hard, then turned and ran deeper into the passage.

Chen Xing watched his brother disappear at the far end before turning to Na'er.

"Time for us to get to work."

In the Surface Secret Realm of Dragon Valley, disciples from the various factions were searching everywhere for treasures.

Qiangu Zhangting walked at the front with several people from the Spirit Pagoda.

Every so often, he looked back toward Na'er.

Na'er followed at a distance.

She neither drew closer nor fell farther behind.

Suddenly, a commotion broke out ahead.

"There's a treasure!"

Someone shouted, though no one could tell who.

Everyone surged toward it.

Chen Xing and Na'er stood in the shadows, watching the crowd ahead.

A massive stone platform stood there. At its center floated a fist-sized golden pearl that radiated dense waves of energy.

"That's a Dragon Pearl!" someone who recognized it shouted. "It's formed from the concentrated essence of dragons. It's incredibly useful for a Soul Master's cultivation!"

At those words, greed flashed in everyone's eyes.

There was only one Dragon Pearl.

But three factions were present.

The Shrek and Tang Sect disciples exchanged glances.

Disciples on both sides nodded almost at once.

They were close allies. There was nothing to discuss.

A Shrek disciple stepped forward, and a Tang Sect disciple stepped to the left.

Their formation was in place in an instant.

The Spirit Pagoda members were shut out.

Qiangu Zhangting's expression changed.

"What is this supposed to mean?"

The leading Shrek disciple spoke calmly.

"We saw the Dragon Pearl first. Naturally, it belongs to us."

"Right. We found it together with Shrek, so we'll split it evenly."

Qiangu Zhangting's temper flared.

"You two get to split it? Did you bother asking the Spirit Pagoda?"

"First come, first served. Don't you know the rules?" the Shrek disciple sneered.

"Rules?" Qiangu Zhangting gritted his teeth. "The Spirit Pagoda's fists make the rules!"

Before he had even finished speaking, he struck.

Pouring out his Soul Power, he slammed a palm toward the nearest Shrek disciple.

The disciple couldn't dodge in time. The blow sent him flying into a stone wall, where he coughed up blood.

The Shrek disciples erupted.

"You're dead!"

The Tang Sect disciples moved almost simultaneously.

The two sides worked in perfect sync, attacking from left and right.

Caught between them, two Spirit Pagoda members went down at once.

Qiangu Zhangting's eyes went bloodshot. "You dare kill people from the Spirit Pagoda?"

With a roar, his Soul Power surged again, and he lunged at the Tang Sect disciples.

Hidden in the shadows, Chen Xing gripped his Concealment Ring and used Wish Power to lay an illusion around the stone platform.

Within the illusion, everyone saw the other side attacking.

And so the three factions split into opposing sides within the illusion, growing more vicious with every blow.

Qiangu Zhangting was surrounded by Shrek and Tang Sect disciples. He had already taken several hits.

His clothes were torn, blood stained the corner of his mouth, and the anger in his eyes had turned to fear.

"Have you... have you all gone mad?"

Before he could say more, a Shrek disciple charged at him, eyes red, and slashed his shoulder with a blade.

Qiangu Zhangting screamed and dropped to his knees.

Through the crowd, he spotted Na'er standing in the distance.

"Na'er... Na'er, save me..."

He reached toward her.

But Na'er only stood there and watched.

Her gaze was cold as ice.

Behind her stood a man with an arm around her waist and a faint smile on his lips.

Qiangu Zhangting froze.