Jiao Xuan didn't know why he was so afraid. But upon hearing that woman's voice, he truly felt his very soul tremble. Though he was wary, he did as she instructed.
Jiao Xuan observed carefully. Sure enough, just as the woman had said, he soon found Lin Yun hiding in the trunk of a large tree.
So someone really did sneak into our territory, he thought to himself, surprised that he had actually managed to find the intruder. But while the person had been found, how to deal with him was another problem. With Jiao Xuan's strength, he wasn't confident he could handle Lin Yun easily.
Jiao Xuan glanced at his companion. "Wen Da. Go check over there," he said flatly, pointing toward Lin Yun's hiding spot.
At that moment, Lin Yun held his breath, his nerves taut. He didn't know if the mysterious person had left, but if these two continued to approach, he would be forced to act.
"This location is no longer safe for you," the voice echoed in his mind again. "It is obvious someone is guiding them."
For them to suddenly head in his direction without any prior evidence… to call that normal would be the biggest joke in the world. It was clear that someone was secretly orchestrating all of this. And their goal, it went without saying, was to target him.
Hearing this, a cold glint flashed in Lin Yun's eyes. He didn't want a confrontation, but if these people didn't know what was good for them, he would have no choice but to kill them.
Wen Da nodded. He still had no idea what was happening. Humming a little tune, he strolled over to the base of Lin Yun's tree. He glanced around but didn't see a soul.
"Hey, did we get it wrong? I don't see any problem here at all," Wen Da said with a laugh. "I think the sect is just being too nervous. How could the things that happened a few days ago possibly spread all the way over here?"
He seemed completely relaxed, a stark contrast to the incredibly tense Jiao Xuan.
Watching Wen Da's nonchalance, Jiao Xuan's own breathing quickened. "Don't talk nonsense! Since the sect sent us here, there must be a reason. If Senior Brother finds out you've been spouting such drivel, he'll tear your mouth off!"
As he spoke, Jiao Xuan had already begun to take out a treasure. The person in the tree was so close, yet still hadn't attacked. In his eyes, this meant Lin Yun posed no threat; at the very least, he must be afraid of them. Since that was the case, he could use this opportunity to strike first.
"I didn't want to fight these guys and risk exposing my identity," Lin Yun sighed quietly. "But it seems I have no choice now."
Jiao Xuan, thinking himself clever, believed his subtle movements had gone unnoticed. In reality, Lin Yun had discovered him long ago. He hadn't intended to act, but now, he could no longer sit by and watch.
In the next moment, an arrow that Lin Yun had nocked and ready was loosed.
SWOOSH!
Still as a statue one moment, swift as an escaping rabbit the next.
Wen Da hadn't even noticed anything was wrong. Suddenly, he felt as if his body had been slammed by something heavy. He felt several of his ribs snap. After a pained cry, he collapsed.
Seeing this, Jiao Xuan acted decisively. In that single instant, his forehead was covered in sweat.
Damn it, he spotted my movements, Jiao Xuan thought.
In his hand was a treasure shaped like a pair of scissors, but it was engraved with blood-red runes. Jiao Xuan had always been a cautious person. Even on this mission, he didn't dare to let his guard down. He knew this was the Spirit Realm. Even though they had scouted these areas several times and confirmed they were safe, accidents were, by their nature, uncontrollable.
Everything had happened so fast. But at this moment, a touch of ruthlessness glinted in Lin Yun's eyes.
The instant Jiao Xuan threw his treasure, Lin Yun dodged with a few quick flashes, easily evading the attack. Then, his Coldflame Sword shot out ahead of him, accompanied by several streams of sword Qi, sealing off his escape routes.
Jiao Xuan could only place all his hope in his treasure.
Tssssss.
Just then, the treasure emitted a strange sound, like a red-hot branding iron being plunged into a glacier. After a short while, plumes of white smoke rose from the treasure before it fell to the ground with a clatter.
"How is that possible?" Jiao Xuan turned pale with fright. In that one instant, he felt his connection to the treasure completely sever. He couldn't believe something so peculiar could exist in this world.
But in that blink of an eye, it was already too late for him to resist. Lin Yun's sword was at his throat.
"You'd best be cooperative. Otherwise, the sword in my hand will not spare your life."
Hearing Lin Yun's threat, Jiao Xuan took a deep breath. He cautiously looked around. The woman who had warned him earlier… surely she would step in to help at such a critical moment. But unfortunately, no matter how he searched, he couldn't see anyone else.
"If you're looking for the person who tipped you off, I think you can give up," Lin Yun said. "She never said she was actually here."
On the surface, Lin Yun was threatening Jiao Xuan, but in reality, he was observing every movement in his surroundings. He knew the person behind the scenes must still be watching.
Jiao Xuan looked at Lin Yun. "Who are you? Do you know that I am from the Myriad Evils Valley?" He said this to bolster his own courage, hoping to intimidate Lin Yun.
To his dismay, Lin Yun just gave a casual laugh. "That's perfect. I was just about to deal with the people from the Myriad Evils Valley."
Jiao Xuan was instantly silent. He had thought that by using his sect's name, he could at least make Lin Yun a little wary. He never imagined he had run into the great demon lord himself.
"You're the one who's been opposing us all this time." He had figured out Lin Yun's identity.
Lin Yun patted his shoulder. "You're a smart one."
Only then did Wen Da realize what had happened. Seeing his companion captured, he acted without hesitation. Gripping a long spear, he charged directly at Lin Yun.
But before he could even get close, a greatsword suddenly appeared and shattered his weapon.
"You're already injured. If I wanted to kill you, it would only take a single thought," Lin Yun said without even glancing at him.
Jiao Xuan quickly added, "Wen Da, give up! We are no match for this person! To have defeated so many experts from the Crimson Ghost Sect over these past few days… even in the Spirit Realm, this man must be illustrious!"
It had to be said, the flattery was delivered with seamless, silent precision.