"Ze Zhēnzūn, should we just follow them for now?"
Lady Di asked softly.
"Mhm. Didn't you notice? We don't trust them, and they don't trust us either. They only told us to explore that new area. They're abandoning this place, which means they've already given us a choice."
"What choice?"
"If we go with them, we'll get a share of whatever they find. If we don't, then once they give this spot up, it becomes Mao Wu's territory. We can take it over without resistance."
"So we can stay behind and just claim this place outright!"
Someone immediately sounded excited.
"Idiot!"
The insult came from who knew where. The one who'd spoken first bristled and demanded, "What do you mean by that?"
"Forget whether they're testing us or not. Let's just say they leave. Do you really think, with our current numbers and strength, we can hold this territory? There used to be fifty people here. Now it's just twelve of us. And don't forget all the cultivators Mao Wu offended. Once they hear he's gone, you think they won't come looking for trouble?"
"But we didn't kill him…" The man trailed off.
Mao Wu wasn't killed by them, true, but they were occupying his turf now. Everyone would just assume they did it. There'd be no way to explain. Once that team left, nobody would believe them.
"In that case, pack everything up. Take what you can. We might not come back. Their real target is deeper inside anyway."
Bei Ze Zhēnzūn's words settled it. Everyone moved quickly, stuffing their treasures into their storage pendants and rings, not wanting to leave behind even a scrap of loot.
"Lady Di, build some ties with that Senior Brother Mao. I'll focus on keeping an eye on Fairy Lu."
"Yes, Ze Zhēnzūn. But Fairy Lu's no pushover either, so please be careful."
"I know. She's their strategist type. I won't underestimate her."
Jian Dan had no idea she'd already been marked as a person of interest. After some last checks, she and her group packed away the formation disk and left the cave under the mountain wall, arriving at the grassy lakeshore.
Xiao Yue bounded out first, darting happily around the lake.
Sensing Jian Dan's presence, Xiao Yue turned, padded over, then stretched into its towering wolf form and nuzzled her.
Jian Dan smiled and rubbed Xiao Yue's head, then tapped her toes lightly and landed on its broad back.
Lady Di soon arrived with her squad, bags and bundles piled high. When she saw Jian Dan sitting atop the silver-gray wolf, she stepped forward quickly.
"Fairy Lu, we're ready. We can set out anytime."
Jian Dan glanced at Bei Ze Zhēnzūn lugging an oversized bundle, and her lips twitched. He really took her words to heart.
"Alright, let's move out."
She waved at Hou San. He dashed over instantly.
"Lead the way. We need to keep a fast pace."
"Yes!"
Hou San leapt ahead without delay, circling the lake and diving into the ancient forest.
Nobody mentioned the six captives. They just walked away without a care.
Jian Dan rode Xiao Yue in second position. Behind her were Senior Brother Jian Mao and the others. Yu Linhai guarded the rear, with Kuang Dao at his side, watchful as always.
Lady Di's squad kept perfectly balanced, moving in line with Jian Mao's team, neither too far ahead nor lagging behind.
Once they were inside the forest, Hou San fixed their direction and sped up, weaving swiftly through the trees. Xiao Yue followed with ease. Jian Dan's divine sense spread out from time to time, making sure they weren't being led astray.
Up ahead, another small squad crossed their path.
It was a team of ten. As soon as they spotted Hou San and counted his numbers, they froze, hiding themselves to avoid a clash.
Jian Dan had already noticed them, but since they deliberately avoided conflict, she let it be.
Just as they were about to pass, her brows knitted. She patted Xiao Yue's head and called out, "Hold up."
The whole squad stopped. Jian Mao and Jian Jing raised their guard, watching the direction Jian Dan pointed at.
The hidden squad also held their breath, tense and wary, not sure what she'd do.
Xiao Yue turned its massive body and padded toward the tree line. Jian Dan raised a hand and pointed at a gnarled ancient tree.
"You, step out. I've got questions."
The man behind the tree frowned, but with his teammates signaling him, he stepped forward. His skin was dark, his face broad and square, wearing a black-green robe with armor on his chest. A beastskin pack hung from his back, and he carried a silver spear in hand. His eyes flickered when he saw Jian Dan atop the massive wolf, but he cupped his fists politely.
"Daoyou, what's the matter? Our squad's just passing through to Bone Burying Ground. We've no intention of disturbing you."
Jian Dan looked him over. His calm, neither-humble-nor-arrogant attitude pleased her, so she smiled lightly.
"I'm being presumptuous. I'm not here to make things hard for you, only to ask a question."
"Please, go ahead."
"That purple wristguard on your arm. Where'd you get it?"
Everyone's gaze shot to the man's wrist. Sure enough, the silver-spear hand was wrapped in a wide purple band inscribed with formation patterns, clearly for defense.
Lady Di's squad didn't get it, but the Heavenly Sword Sect members stiffened. They knew right away—it was from the Purple Sky Sect. The sect used belts and sashes to mark ranks: outer, inner, elite, and core disciples. That wristguard was purple and embroidered with runes, clearly belonging to a core disciple.
The man, Ming Yuan, felt his heart sink. Without a word, he untied the wristband and held it out.
"I found it while scavenging at Bone Burying Ground. I kept it because the runes had defensive power."
Jian Dan gestured. The wristguard flew straight into her hand, startling Ming Yuan and Lady Di's squad. She'd used spellforce, something rare in this place.
After a careful look, she was sure—it was Purple Sky Sect's. She raised her gaze again.
"Anything else you found there? Where exactly was it? Tell me."
"It's a spot my squad frequents, northwest in this forest. But the last time we went, there were traces that other cultivators had been there first. We thought another squad had already claimed it, so we searched quickly. That wristband was all I got."
"You're saying others passed through already? So they left?"
"Yes. From the tracks, they'd already gone."
"How long ago?"
"It's been a while. About a year."
Jian Dan frowned slightly. A year ago… After the rain of firestones on the outer zone, probably nothing would've survived there.
"And? Any other discoveries?"
Ming Yuan cupped his fists. "Just some broken artifacts and insect shells. No cultivator corpses."
"Is that so…" Jian Dan's bright eyes locked on him for a long moment, until sweat beaded on his forehead. Only then did she look away.
"This wristguard belonged to a friend of mine. Would you let me trade for it?"