Backstab

"Bullshit!" the burly companion retorted angrily. "I'm Black Gold Rank Five-Star, are you afraid of some beast? I think you're just a coward trying to drag someone down with you!"

"Alright, alright!" The gloomy young man on one side finally couldn't hold back any longer. He interrupted the argument with a cold laugh, his tone full of sarcasm, "Is it meaningful for you Spiritual Cultivation Family to argue like this? I've said it before, whoever gets the Spiritual Origin Fruit gets it, it's all about skill! You insist on forming cliques, and now you're hoping to drag in a couple of strangers? Do you really think everyone else is a fool, willing to be your free laborer?"

He brandished the ghost-headed saber in his hand, glancing sideways at Mu Lin: "Mu Lin, you're all smiles on the surface, but don't think I don't know what you're up to. You want me to join forces with you? Fine, but after we defeat the Demon Beast, you'd better make it clear how the fruit will be divided, or don't blame me for leaving right now. Let's see how you guys deal with that beast!"

"Who do you think you are, to try and negotiate with us?" The burly companion roared in anger, pointing at the gloomy young man and about to draw his sword.

"Enough!" Mu Lin finally spoke in a deep voice. The gentle smile on his face faded, revealing the arrogance and oppressive aura in his bones.

He coldly surveyed the crowd, his tone becoming unquestionable. "While my Spiritual Cultivation Family may not be top-tier in the Nether Domain, we are still quite respectable. Since I've taken the lead, I naturally have my rules. We're cooperating to survive and acquire what we need. If you don't want to do it, you can get out now; I won't stop you. But let me make this clear: in these Nine-Layered Deathlands, without our Spiritual Cultivation Family standing in front of you, you won't even have a chance to encounter some opportunities."

Mu Lin's words combined soft and hard tactics, especially highlighting their identity as a "Spiritual Cultivation Family." Although the gloomy young man was full of resentment, his hand holding the knife froze.

As a rogue cultivator, his biggest fear was offending these powerful scions of aristocratic families. His burly and tall, thin companions also kept quiet, after all, Mu Lin was the one who truly made the decisions in the group.

Forced by the identity of the Mu Lin family scions and their covert power, the group, despite their own agendas and mutual dislike, ultimately compromised and tacitly agreed to this temporary alliance.

Shen Fei frowned slightly as he observed the seemingly tense scene, where everyone harbored their own ulterior motives. He glanced at Mu Lin and said calmly, "Sorry, we didn't come here for the Spiritual Origin Fruit; we were just passing by. Let's go."

Without any hesitation, he took Xiao Ning'er's hand, turned around, and walked backward, circling around the other side of the rock wall.

After walking some distance and getting out of their sight, Xiao Ning'er lowered her voice and asked, "Spiritual Origin Fruit are very helpful for cultivation, are we really not going to steal them?"

Shen Fei shook his head, not stopping in his tracks. "I won't steal it."

He paused, glanced at her sideways, and explained in a steady voice, "That guy named Mu Lin has hidden cultivation. He's not Black Gold Rank at all; he's Legendary Rank 2-Star."

A hint of surprise flashed in Xiao Ning'er's eyes, and she subconsciously turned around to look. "Legendary Rank 2-Star? Then that cave from earlier..."

"Yes, he's setting a trap," Shen Fei said with certainty.

At this moment, Mingyu, who had been wrapped in black mist around Shen Fei's Ink Cloud Sword, also spoke in a hoarse voice, "This kid's methods are somewhat insidious. He deliberately concealed his strength, using his aristocratic family status to pressure those people into becoming cannon fodder, all in an attempt to obtain the Spiritual Origin Fruit at the lowest possible cost. Those people, after being sold out by him, are still counting the money for him."

Shen Fei nodded, continuing on his way until the two of them reached the back of a towering rock.

The terrain here is high, and natural boulders provide cover, making them completely invisible from the valley floor. Shen Fei stopped and found a clean Stone to sit on. "Alright, let's just wait here until they start fighting."

Xiao Ning'er also sat down to the side, and the two of them calmed their breathing and waited quietly.

Sure enough, before long, a violent surge of Spiritual Power and a muffled explosion came from the direction of the cave. Immediately afterwards, a deafening roar echoed throughout the valley.

A gigantic bear, its body covered in thick, earth-yellow scales, burst out of the cave. With a stomp of its paws, it stirred up a gust of wind; it was none other than the Legendary Rank 3-Star Demon Beast.

The giant bear was incredibly fast. As soon as it charged out, its burly companion, who was at the very front, was unable to dodge in time and was sent flying by the bear's mountain-like body.

The man spat out a mouthful of blood mid-air, and before he could even scream, he crashed into the distant rock wall like a rag doll.

The sound of bones breaking could be heard from a great distance. After he slid to the ground, he twitched twice and then fell still. It was almost certain that he had no chance of survival.

The remaining five were terrified and dared not hold back any longer. They immediately dispersed and continued to attack the giant bear.

Mu Lin was also forced to retreat repeatedly, and seemed to have used some of his trump cards. The five of them each displayed their unique abilities, and various Spiritual Power rays exploded on the giant bear, causing mud and rocks to fly everywhere.

The giant bear has thick hide and tough flesh, making the battle extremely fierce.

After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, of the original six people, the gloomy young man also had his head smashed by a giant bear's claw during a mistake. The rest of them were also seriously injured and covered in blood.

However, the Legendary Rank 3-Star bear finally exhausted its life force, letting out a mournful cry before crashing to the ground, raising a cloud of dust, and remaining motionless forever.

"Now!"

Behind the hidden rocks in the distance, Shen Fei's gaze sharpened slightly; he knew the main event was about to begin.

In the valley, Mu Lin and his three companions, survivors of the ordeal, leaned against the rock wall, panting heavily. One of them, a tall, thin cultivator, looked at the giant bear's corpse, then at the deep cave, his face revealing the wild joy of surviving a disaster.

Ignoring his injuries, he grabbed his weapon and excitedly prepared to enter the cave to pick the Spiritual Origin Fruit: "Haha, that beast is finally dead! The Spiritual Origin Fruit is mine!"

However, just as he took two steps and was filled with joy, a sword light suddenly shone from behind him.

"Pfft!"

A sharp Long Sword pierced his heart from behind and emerged from his chest. The cultivator's ecstatic expression froze instantly. He looked down in disbelief at the blood-stained sword tip protruding from his chest, opened his mouth, but couldn't utter a single question before collapsing into a pool of blood.

The one who drew the sword was Mu Lin.

The remaining two cultivators, who were initially relieved to have survived, instantly understood what had happened upon seeing this scene.

"Mu Lin! Are you insane!?" one of them roared furiously.

"He's hiding his cultivation! He's not Black Gold Rank at all! He wanted us to die from the very beginning!" The other person also realized what was happening. Their eyes were bloodshot, and without the slightest hesitation, they immediately joined forces to prepare to besiege Mu Lin.

But the gap between Black Gold Rank and Legendary Rank is like an insurmountable chasm.