Over the next two days, the group hunted demon beasts as they traveled. With Ming Xuan leading the way, they made much faster progress.
Before long, they spotted a small sand dune. Atop the dune, a barrier enveloped three figures. The ones trapped inside were none other than Xue Yu, Mu Zhongxi, and Zhou Xingyun of the Changming Sect.
Ming Xuan looked at the people inside the barrier, his tone laced with a hint of jealousy as he turned to Ye Qiao. “Junior Sister, look at how relaxed Senior Brother and the others are.
“One is spacing out, one is squatting on the ground counting ants, and another is just lying there sleeping. While we're out here fighting demon beasts for our lives, they're slacking off inside a barrier.”
Ye Qiao leaned in and whispered, “Don't worry, Second Senior Brother. Later, we'll make Senior Brother and the others kill more demon beasts so we can take a break.”
Hearing this, the corner of Luo Qingyu's mouth twitched.
Wanting to order Senior Brother around... only you two could come up with that, she thought. If anything, it's more likely Senior Brother will order us to work instead.
And he'll call it 'training' to boot.
Ye Qiao raised her hand and patted the barrier firmly. It didn't budge at all. The three trapped inside showed no reaction, completely unaware that anyone was outside.
Standing beside her, Ming Xuan egged her on. “Quick! Junior Sister, bring out your secret weapon!”
Ye Qiao's eyes lit up at his words, and she grinned. “You got it, Second Senior Brother! I'll give Senior Brother and the others a wake-up call right now!”
With that, she pulled out the suona she had used on their first day in the secret realm from her space ring, aimed it at the three inside the barrier, and blew two sharp blasts.
The piercing, screeching sound of the suona exploded. It was so loud that Zhou Xingyun's hair almost stood on end.
Xue Yu looked utterly exhausted and shouted through the barrier, “We're on the same side! Stop messing around!”
Mu Zhongxi shuddered violently and leaped up from the ground, a look of sudden realization washing over his face.
“Holy crap! So you were the perverts going around the secret realm beating gongs, playing drums, and blowing the suona!
“Anyone who didn't know better would've thought someone from the Yueqing Sect was getting married!”
Ye Qiao was instantly displeased and retorted, “What do you mean, perverts? This is called the efficient utilization of resources!”
Ming Xuan quickly chimed in, “Exactly! Junior Brother, don't talk nonsense!”
Luo Qingyu added flatly, “Not me. Those two did it.”
Ye Qiao suddenly remembered something and warned them seriously through the barrier, “By the way, Fourth Senior Brother, the Bishui Sect's Eldest Senior Sister, Si Miaoyan, is a music cultivator. If you run into her next time, you must be careful.”
Xue Yu realized. “So you guys specifically used the suona, gongs, and drums to deal with a music cultivator?”
Ming Xuan patted his chest proudly. “You bet! You should've seen her. That Si Miaoyan from the Bishui Sect was covering her ears so hard, her entire face turned green from the noise. She kept screaming about how loud it was. It was an absolute mess!”
Hearing this, Xue Yu couldn't help but pinch the bridge of his nose and sigh. “I'm speechless. You two are truly something else. Only you could come up with such an underhanded trick.”
Ye Qiao raised her chin dismissively. “Third Senior Brother, don't worry about all that. Any weapon that can counter a music cultivator is a good weapon.”
Xue Yu found himself completely unable to argue with that.
Beside them, Zhou Xingyun noticed the group behind Luo Qingyu and froze. “The Wenjian Sect?”
“Oh, right! Silly me, I forgot to tell you.”
As Ye Qiao spoke, she casually retrieved an array-breaking talisman from her space ring and slapped it onto the barrier.
Crack!
With a crisp sound, the weak barrier trapping the three of them shattered instantly.
As the three stepped out, Ye Qiao lowered her voice and quickly explained to Xue Yu and the others, “The Wenjian Sect has formed an alliance with our Changming Sect now.
“The Yueqing Sect has already teamed up with the Bishui Sect. The Wenjian Sect had no other choice but to cooperate with us.”
Hearing this, Xue Yu's eyes widened in disbelief. “You actually dared to cooperate with the Wenjian Sect? Aren't you afraid they'll turn around and backstab us?”
Ye Qiao grinned, looking incredibly sly. “It's fine. It's not like we're good people anyway. Who's going to pit whom remains to be seen.”
Hearing this, Zhou Xingyun and the other two nodded in unison, instantly grasping the underlying scheme.
Just then, the Wenjian Sect group slowly walked over.
Catching sight of Xue Yu and Mu Zhongxi, Chu Xingzhi snorted twice in disdain.
Xue Yu raised an eyebrow and shot back, “Are you a pig? Why are you snorting so much for no reason?”
Chu Xingzhi immediately bristled and sneered, “You two trash have the nerve to talk about me? Weren't you also trapped by a formation and couldn't even get out?”
The moment these words left his mouth, Mu Zhongxi, who had the shortest fuse, lost his temper.
Ahhh! I'm going to hack this punchable guy to death!
Seeing this, Xue Yu and Ming Xuan quickly grabbed him from both sides to hold him back.
“Junior Brother, calm down.”
No sooner had the words left their mouths than Chu Xingzhi turned back around, his tone arrogant. “What are you three trash dilly-dallying for? Hurry up and move!”
This completely set off Xue Yu and Ming Xuan as well. “Fine! I'm absolutely going to poison or blow this guy to death!”
This time, it was Mu Zhongxi's turn to hurriedly step forward and hold them back. “Calm down! Third Senior Brother! Second Senior Brother!”
Meanwhile, Luo Qingyu and Ye Qiao watched the show with great interest, even pulling out melon seeds and cracking them open with a satisfying crunch, crunch.
Chewing on her melon seeds, Ye Qiao leaned close to Luo Qingyu and whispered, “Fourth Senior Brother, when do you think they'll actually start fighting?”
Luo Qingyu replied flatly, “Hard to say, but knowing Chu Xingzhi, there's a high probability he'll strike first.”
Ye Qinghan had noticed the two of them watching the drama from the side long ago. His gaze landed on Ye Qiao as he asked, “Where do we go next?”
Ye Qiao brushed the melon seed shells off her hands and said with a serious expression, “We'll follow the map. First, we go intercept the Yueqing Sect's demon beasts.
“Then, once they arrive, we can catch them like rats in a hole.”
Ye Qinghan nodded upon hearing this. He turned to the still-bickering Chu Xingzhi and the others, calling out in a deep voice, “Let's go. To the next location.”
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