NOVPUB```
"I appreciate your help, Uncle-Master."
Wang Ba said, took a Storage Treasure out of his sleeve, and handed it to Shen Ying.
"What are you doing? Take it back quickly!"
Shen Ying hastily refused.
"With the great battle upon us, and our fellow sect members still worrying about my unworthy offspring, how could I bear it? Uncle-Master, please do not let me feel uneasy... Once the great battle begins, I too will head over and contribute my strength."
Wang Ba said earnestly.
"Well then... I accept it on behalf of the fellow disciples from Fengyu Mountain."
Shen Ying hesitated for a moment before ultimately accepting the item.
Seeing this, Wang Ba also felt slightly relieved and then bid farewell to leave.
He flew in the direction of Juhai City to the north.
Shen Ying watched Wang Ba depart, and then quietly instructed the surrounding cultivators.
...
"When will we have to wait?"
Buried three feet underground, Wang Yi’an, watching the bearded elder with a hemp face lying beside him, who dared not utter a sound, couldn’t help but communicate telepathically.
The bearded elder’s face crumpled:
"Don’t send messages! Don’t talk!"
Wang Yi’an, upon hearing this and feeling uncomfortable, also had to tightly contain his own aura.
Another whole day passed.
Only then did he suddenly feel vibrations coming from the surrounding soil.
"We don’t have to hide anymore?"
Wang Yi’an thought to himself.
As he expected.
The bearded elder immediately whispered:
"Alright, it seems the Thief Cultivators from the Three Continents have left."
"We can get out now."
Saying this, he nonetheless remained still and patiently waited a while longer.
Seeing the confusion in Wang Yi’an’s eyes, the elder, considering the white porcelain bottle he was given, offered a tip:
"Being cautious isn’t a bad thing, this habit has saved my life many times."
Wang Yi’an pondered upon hearing these words.
After a while, the vibrations from the surrounding soil became increasingly pronounced.
He then heard Master Duan’s call, and the two of them broke through the soil above and jumped out.
Only to see the cultivators from the Treasure-hunting Team were already rapidly setting up various Concealment Arrays.
Then there were complaints:
"The Thief Cultivators from the Three Continents are really careful, patrolling around for a whole day before leaving."
Someone else said helplessly:
"No way around it, after all, this area already falls under the territory of the Thief Cultivators from the Three Continents."
Wang Yi’an’s expression changed upon hearing this, and he couldn’t help but turn to look at the elder:
"Weren’t we heading in the direction of Fengyu Mountain?"
Before the elder could reply, a cultivator nearby mocked:
"That’s right, if you head south from here for eighteen hundred li, you will reach Fengyu Mountain. You can go there yourself, as long as you’re not afraid of those Thief Cultivators along the way."
Wang Yi’an frowned deeply and turned to look at the elder:
"Mao Dao-you, what’s going on?"
The elder said helplessly:
"He is right. We are very close to the South Coast here; straight south leads directly to Fengyu Mountain. Our current location is strategic; we are waiting for the battle between the two Upper Sects of Fengyu Mountain and the Thief Cultivators from the Three Continents. We want to take early advantage of the terrain and seize the spoils of war when the opportunity arises."
"If you want to go to Fengyu Mountain, that’s the only chance, and even then only if the Upper Sects gain the upper hand in the battle... If they lose, you should run for your life with us!"
Wang Yi’an was initially stunned, then quickly realized the true intention of this group.
"They’re gambling!"
"Taking shelter within the benefits of the Three Continents ahead of time, they could immediately fight for the spoils of war should battle break out and Jin’s side prevails!"
"Aren’t they afraid of being killed by our people from the Wanxiang Sect and the Longevity Sect?"
Such thoughts involuntarily surfaced in Wang Yi’an’s mind.
These people were truly mad!
Completely different from the lowly, cautious images they presented during his previous interactions with them.
"Is this what it means to be a Rogue Cultivator?"
"Lacking resources, they would do anything to strengthen themselves, even bet their own lives!"
In that moment, Wang Yi’an suddenly understood something.
Something he could never come into contact with within his sect.
Thinking back to his own thoughts while within the sect not long ago, they now seemed incredibly naive.
"Here comes an easy mark!"
Just then, Master Duan, who had been vigilantly monitoring the surroundings, suddenly spoke up with excitement.
The previously somewhat lax Rogue Cultivators from the Treasure-hunting Team instantly came alive and gathered around Master Duan.
Master Duan sniffed the air lightly:
"This person reeks terribly, must be from Tubizhou! Middle-stage Golden Core, a big fat sheep indeed!"
Hearing it was a cultivator from Tubizhou, everyone revealed surprised delight.
Wang Yi’an was somewhat taken aback and quickly asked the bearded elder beside him:
"Why are Tubizhou Cultivators considered easy marks?"
The elder explained rapidly:
"The cultivators from Tubizhou generally have ordinary strength. At the same stage, their ability in magical combat usually falls short of our Rogue Cultivators’, but these Tubizhou Cultivators often carry quite a lot of good things with them. Killing one is enough to provide for a group of us for several years!"
"That exaggerated?"
Wang Yi’an was a bit astonished.
"Get ready! Don’t reveal yourselves!"
Master Duan uttered in a low voice.
Although Wang Yi’an didn’t fully understand the situation, he followed the elder’s lead and produced a Class II Magic Tool.
And just at that moment.
A muscular, brown-skinned giant clad in animal hide raced through the sky at great speed.
"Now!"
Master Duan shouted softly!
The five-color jade locust stone he had held ready was thrown with lightning speed, striking towards that figure.
The others below also quickly employed their abilities.
In a flash, spells, magic swords, magic maces, talismans... all sorts of radiant lights shone on the brown-skinned giant.
```
