Zhong Jinliu’s mouth was saying gentle, polite words, but the hand hidden behind his back secretly made a gesture.
The dozen or so cultivators of the Formless Ghost Collection around them understood, quietly spreading out and faintly forming an encirclement around the four of them.
Just as Zhiwei and the others did not trust Zhong Jinliu,
this Spirit Treasure Sect True Inheritor likewise did not trust Zhiwei.
At this moment.
It was precisely when they were opening the Golden Core Cave Mansion that these four suddenly arrived; it was hard not to suspect that they had come to reap the fruits.
Su Qingdai sensed the change in the surrounding atmosphere, and her palms couldn’t help but break out in a cold sweat.
This Zhong Jinliu clearly harbored killing intent!
Heh, this fellow is usually so gentle and refined; who would have thought his killing intent would be this heavy!
Mm...
Seems like I don’t actually need to be afraid of him?
With these three little ancestors here, plus me, this little Zhong Jinliu is no opponent at all!
Thinking this.
Su Qingdai’s courage swelled; adopting the air of a Fairy, she said icily:
"Zhong Jinliu, what are you trying to do? Secretly ordering cultivators to encircle us—could it be you intend to make a move on me?"
"True Inheritor Su, you jest. You are True Inheritor Yao Wang... among this generation of True Inheritor Yao Wang, isn’t your cultivation the highest, True Inheritor Su? How would I dare lay a hand on you?"
Zhong Jinliu accompanied his words with a fawning smile,
"I merely had them keep an eye on the surroundings, so as to prevent any Loose Cultivator with ill intent from coveting the Cave Mansion."
"Good that you know."
Su Qingdai snorted coldly.
The little girl and Jin’er exchanged glances.
Jin’er secretly transmitted her voice, muttering: "Eh? I thought Su was even more timid than me! Turns out she’s pretty domineering!"
The little girl curled her lips and said cleverly: "Su is just waving the tiger skin as a banner! She’s scared to death! Don’t forget she obediently acted as our cook for so long—if she weren’t afraid of dying, what cultivator would endure such humiliation!"
Jin’er suspiciously glanced at Qing Jun.
Why did she feel that Qing Jun would endure it?
Every time Master was too lazy to cook, she would order Qing Jun to do it. Sometimes Qing Jun couldn’t be bothered to move, but as long as Master cast her a look, she’d scamper over, stand on the short stool and flip the wok...
But Jin’er was also the clever Jin’er; she said admiringly: "Senior Sister Qing Jun is so smart! Saw right through Su at a glance!"
"Hehehe, right back at you..."
The modest little girl kept demurring.
On the other side.
Zhiwei’s expression was calm: "Taoist Zhong has misunderstood. We did not come here to seize treasure."
"Oh?" Zhong Jinliu raised his brows in a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. "Then Junior Sister Lu, this is..."
"If we had come to seize treasure, why would we not play the oriole behind the cicada? Why not wait until Taoist Zhong has broken open the Cave Mansion, then lie in ambush in secret?"
Zhiwei lifted her gaze and glanced at those cultivators who were drawing near.
These cultivators were all battle-hardened, yet under this young girl’s eyes, they couldn’t help a chill down their spines, their steps pausing slightly.
Hearing this, Zhong Jinliu was slightly taken aback.
Indeed.
If these few girls from Lingyin Sect truly wanted to seize treasure, they could have waited until he exhausted his strength breaking the restrictions and fought the remnant power of the arrays inside the Cave Mansion to mutual ruin before making their move.
Jumping out now would be needlessly making an enemy.
"Then why exactly have you come?" Zhong Jinliu sighed. "We’re on the same side; you might as well speak plainly."
"Merely to give Taoist Zhong a reminder."
Zhiwei’s eyes shifted slightly as she uttered something astonishing,
"Huayue cultivators are currently heading here to kill."
"What?!" Zhong Jinliu’s expression changed abruptly.
The people of the Formless Ghost Collection were even more shocked upon hearing this.
They too fancied themselves the true heirs of Songyang, and had always looked down on the Five Sects of Yan Country as a bunch of spineless weaklings, remaining hostile to the Ruins Country.
Hearing that Huayue cultivators were approaching, they couldn’t help growing tense.
Zhiwei continued unhurriedly:
"We sisters were passing through the outskirts when we happened to notice their traces. Those four were brimming with murderous intent, heading straight for this valley. Clearly, just like us, they heard from some Loose Cultivator that Taoist Zhong was opening a Cave Mansion here."
"Furthermore... Taoist Zhong reminded us earlier, and between the lines, it seemed you were telling us to be wary of Huayue cultivators. But... Taoist Zhong, you yourself should be even more wary of them, especially when you’re mingling with people of the Ghost Collection. Doesn’t that make you an even easier target?"
At these words.
Zhong Jinliu felt as though facing a formidable enemy.
Ever since Gu Tangyin brought Huayue cultivators to interfere in the Spirit Treasure Sect, he had sensed their bad intentions—these people wanted to directly turn the Spirit Treasure Sect into a puppet of Huayue!
Moreover.
Not long ago, inside the Grotto Heaven, he had led Ghost Collection cultivators in secretly purging the sect, executing quite a few Spirit Treasure True Inheritance who leaned toward Huayue Mansion...
"Could it be... they’ve found out?"
Zhong Jinliu muttered to himself, then his expression tightened,
"Many thanks for the reminder, Junior Sister! Taoist Friend Chen, halt the array-breaking for now. The mad dogs of Huayue Mansion have probably followed the scent here. Have the brothers form up immediately and prepare to meet the enemy!"
The gray-robed cultivator addressed as Taoist Friend Chen had been standing quietly at the forefront of the Ghost Collection crowd.
Though his aura was restrained, the occasional pressure he exuded had already reached the Sixth-Layer of Foundation Establishment; clearly, he was the leader of this group of Ghost Collection cultivators.
"The dog noses of Huayue Mansion are quite sharp."
Chen Shu sneered,
"I’ve long disliked that lot from the Ruins Country. Since they insist on meddling in Songyang’s opportunity today, then let them never leave! Everyone, form the Xuanyin Killing Array!"
Zhong Jinliu nodded, not forgetting to say to Zhiwei and the others:
"Junior Sister Lu, with a great enemy before us, I must ask you to assist from the side. So long as we repel Huayue Mansion today, there will definitely be a share of the Cave Mansion’s opportunity for Lingyin Sect!"
"Easily arranged."
Zhiwei nodded, summoned the Gourd Sword, and held it before her junior sisters as protection.
It was just then.
"Boom——!!!"
The miasma above the gorge was suddenly torn apart by a surge of violent Spiritual Qi!
A blade-light several zhang long, like something that could split mountains and sever peaks, came slashing down with a vicious strike.