The middle-aged man's figure moved, about to step forward, when the young Daoist shouted, "Li Can, you, an outsider cultivator, dare to steal my things? Do you still want to mingle with our Wang Family?"
Anger flashed across Li Can's face, but he eventually stopped in his tracks, "I'll give it to you, Junior Brother Wang Shou."
Wang Shou snorted coldly, commanding his Flying Sword to slash at Jiang Qingfeng, "Kill this little girl, and everything on her will be mine!"
Jiang Qingfeng fell to the ground in despair, her thoughts once again drifting to the young Baitao. She struggled, trying hard to stand up.
Today is the day I die! But there's a small window on the other side of the wooden hut, and I hope I can buy some time for Taotao to escape…
It's all my fault for not having foresight, following such an incompetent Sect Leader! If I had left him earlier—
"Watch the Magical Artifact!"
Suddenly, a loud shout was heard, and an object cut through the sky, heading towards Wang Shou. Wang Shou hastily turned his longsword, cutting in a half-circle to strike the object in the air.
With a crisp sound, a porcelain bowl shattered in mid-air, and the black-brown potion inside splashed out, dousing both Wang Li and Jiang Qingfeng.
"Bastard!" The two cursed furiously, looking towards where the porcelain bowl had flown from, only to see a young man sitting against the wooden door.
"Lu Qian!" Jiang Qingfeng exclaimed.
Lu Qian leaned against the door weakly, face pale, one hand clutching his chest, with blood seeping through his fingers. He nodded towards Jiang Qingfeng and said in a deep voice, "Senior Sister, I've come to rescue you."
"I'll kill you!" Wang Shou roared and was about to charge. However, Li Can cried out, "Wait! He's Lu Qian! The new Sect Leader of Yunshan Sect!"
Wang Shou's eyes widened as he recalled the image from memory, then he was overjoyed, "Good! Good! This is my chance to rise to fame, who would have thought I'd catch such a big fish today!"
Li Can, raising his Flying Sword, cautioned, "Be careful, he might have some powerful Magical Artifact on him."
"Look at him, I could topple him with one finger." Wang Shou said dismissively, but nonetheless, paused his steps, taking out a Communication Talisman.
"If I were you, I wouldn't use that Communication Talisman," Lu Qian suddenly spoke, "I possess the Yunshan Sect's three hundred years' secret treasure. Are you sure you want to notify others and share the spoils?"
Secret treasure! Secret treasure! Hearing these words, both Wang Shou and Li Can's breaths hitched, their gazes locking onto Lu Qian.
"Where's the secret treasure?" Wang Shou demanded fiercely.
Lu Qian slowly moved his hand away from his chest, a pool of blood slowly oozing out, a horrifying sight: "I'm gravely injured, barely able to move, and my Senior Sister's power is weak, definitely no match for you two. So, I propose a condition: exchange the Yunshan Sect's secret treasure for our lives, how about that?"
Jiang Qingfeng looked at Lu Qian in a daze, feeling that this Sect Leader Junior Brother suddenly seemed unfamiliar.
"We could kill you and still get the treasure; everyone knows the treasure is in the Yunshan Sect Leader's Ring," Li Can said.
"True, but I've hidden the ring." Lu Qian displayed his empty hands, "You could certainly kill me and search slowly, but are you sure, during the process, no one else will come? In broad daylight, even if the treasure is found, it must be handed over to the family, how can it be embezzled?"
Lu Qian smiled, slowly counting on his fingers, "What's in the secret treasure? I'll tell you, there are spirit stones and Spirit Pills piled into mountains, Yunshan Sect's Secret Manual leading directly to the Golden Core Dao, the Spiritual Artifacts of former Sect Leaders Elders, even Magical Treasures. With it, leaving the Wang Family and founding your own sect wouldn't be difficult."
Each item mentioned made their hearts race, eyes flashing golden, mouths dry, even their hands were sweating. Both were only Mid-Stage Qi Cultivators, possessing a few hundred Spirit Stones was the limit, now with such a treasure at hand, they felt as if they were floating in the air.
"Alright." Wang Shou's voice was dry, "I agree, give me the ring and I'll spare your lives."
"Words alone aren't enough; how can I trust you?"
Li Can hurriedly said, "We can swear an oath! Swear by the Dao Heart! If violated, each breakthrough will cause a Dao Heart backlash, halting progress for life."
"Great." Lu Qian nodded, both eagerly stretching their necks, faces flushed, waiting for Lu Qian to produce the ring.
But Lu Qian suddenly smiled, "However, there's just one ring."
"Who should I give it to?"
The scene suddenly fell silent.
"Of course, to me!" Wang Shou stepped forward, glaring fiercely at Li Can, "You, an outsider cultivator, don't try to compete with me! Once I have the treasure, I'll naturally reward you."
Li Can's eyes turned red, gritting his teeth, not speaking, his jaw muscles bulging.
Lu Qian's low voice rang, "Two people sharing, huh…"
"What if, after sharing, one gets stabbed in the back? What if someone betrays and informs the Wang Family afterward?"
Their breaths grew heavier.
The atmosphere changed distinctly! Jiang Qingfeng watched it all in shock; just now, Li Can would spare her a glance, clearly wary, but now, both men's stances subtly shifted, fingers discreetly pinching Spells, eyes locking onto each other.
Her incredulous gaze returned to this Sect Leader Junior Brother. He sat there, wounded, face pale as paper, yet with a few words, he took control of the scene.
Suddenly, she spotted Lu Qian making a tiny hand gesture at her.
"Senior Brother." Li Can suddenly spoke, voice raspy, "Don't fall for it, we can't fight amongst ourselves now. Give him the ring as long as he swears by the Dao Heart to give me thirty percent, and I can swear not to fight for more, not to inform."
Bad! Jiang Qingfeng grew tense again.
Wang Shou felt his face heat up, staring intently at Li Can, squeezing words through clenched teeth, "Fine."
At that moment, Lu Qian suddenly pointed behind them, shouting, "Who's there!"
The two turned abruptly, seeing a vague figure hidden among the dense shadows of the trees! In high tension, they yelled, triggering the already prepared Spells, sending two Flying Swords to stab at the figure.
Now!
As the Flying Swords left their sides, Lu Qian shouted, "Move!"
Another sword rose, accompanied by the sound of thunder!
With a puff, a Flying Sword shot through the gap in the wooden door, beheading Wang Shou, controlled by Lu Qian!
A hairpin shot up, piercing Li Can's chest, from Jiang Qingfeng who lay fallen!
"You... you!"
Li Can spat a mouthful of blood, collapsing to the ground, his regretful gaze falling on the distant, vague silhouette, now pierced by two Flying Swords, revealing itself to be just a bundle of branches covered with clothes!
In the next moment, a small girl emerged from the bushes.
"Taotao!" Jiang Qingfeng joyfully shouted.
But Jiang Baitao cried, "Sect Leader Junior Brother!"
Lu Qian forced a smile at her, the wound on his chest gushing blood, his vision darkening, body collapsing heavily, only managing to utter two final words, "Destroy… evidence…"