The two continued walking forward along the mountain path.

Lai Li’an walked in front, but in his mind, he was plotting something else.

That Spiritual Herb should be quite an extraordinary treasure. If he could get his hands on it and sell it for money, or exchange it for something useful, that wouldn’t be bad at all.

It was a pity that he had just said right to Zhao Qian’s face, “This Venerable has no interest in the Spiritual Herb.” If he went back to snatch it now, it would be too humiliating.

Forget it. Lai Li’an withdrew his thoughts and continued walking forward.

The mountain path gradually became more rugged, and Su Wan’er’s brows furrowed tighter and tighter.

Her Spiritual Sense had remained in a state of high alert; not the slightest rustle in the wind within a radius of several miles could escape her perception.

Just a moment ago, she sensed a violent fluctuation of Spiritual Power coming from behind them.

People were fighting, and the commotion was not small.

Su Wan’er stopped in her tracks and looked back toward the direction of the bamboo forest.

“Senior,” her voice was somewhat solemn, “it seems… a fight has broken out behind us.”

Was it those three people? Lai Li’an’s heart tightened slightly, but his expression remained completely unchanged.

“Pay it no mind.” After saying that, he continued to walk forward.

Su Wan’er hesitated for a moment but still followed after him.

Although the behavior of those three people was suspicious, they weren’t bad people after all. If they really had run into trouble…

But since Senior said to pay it no mind, then she wouldn’t pay it any mind. Senior naturally had his reasons.

The two walked a little further. The fluctuation of Spiritual Power behind them grew increasingly violent, clearly indicating that the battle had reached a heated stage, and it faintly seemed to be drawing closer to them.

Su Wan’er’s pace grew slower and slower. Her Spiritual Sense involuntarily extended in that direction, trying to perceive more information.

“Senior!” Su Wan’er suddenly cried out. “Someone is coming this way! They’re moving very fast!”

Lai Li’an stopped in his tracks, his heart giving a sudden thump.

“How many?”

“O-one.” Su Wan’er sensed carefully. “His aura is very chaotic, and he is heading in our direction.”

Lai Li’an frowned slightly. “Halt.”

Su Wan’er immediately stood her ground, her hand already resting on the hilt of her sword.

A moment later, a figure stumbled out of the woods.

The man was covered in blood and his clothes were in tatters. He staggered a few steps before his strength finally gave out, and he collapsed to the ground with a heavy thud.

Lai Li’an fixed his gaze and recognized that face, Zhao Qian.

The Peak Foundation Establishment Cultivator who had been speaking with him in the stone pavilion of the bamboo forest not long ago.

At this moment, Zhao Qian lacked even a trace of his previous composure. He was covered in wounds, his robes were soaked in blood, and his face was as pale as paper.

Then, he saw Lai Li’an, and a wave of complex emotions surged within his eyes.

“F-fellow Daoist…”

His voice was hoarse, and every word he spoke seemed to exhaust the last of his strength.

“Save… save me…”

Before Lai Li’an could react, Zhao Qian spoke again. “Those people… are from the Blood Lotus Sect… They… they’re here…”

After saying this, Zhao Qian collapsed to the ground as if completely drained, gasping heavily for air.

Lai Li’an stood in place, his mind racing. People from the Blood Lotus Sect?

At this moment, deep within the woods, several auras were rapidly approaching.

One of the auras was deep and profound, carrying a suffocating sense of oppression.

It was a Golden Core! Lai Li’an’s heart suddenly tightened.

The System Panel popped up, its bright red text stinging his eyes.

Yin Wushe, Yin Wuji, just hearing these two names, it was obvious they were from the same family.

He had killed Yin Wushe, and now it seemed the man’s elder had come knocking.

Beside him, Su Wan’er’s face had already turned pale. Her Spiritual Sense was sharper than Lai Li’an’s, and she clearly perceived the terrifying nature of those four auras.

She subconsciously looked at Lai Li’an, her eyes filled with fear.

“Senior…”

Lai Li’an did not speak. His brain was working frantically, considering every possible countermeasure.

Fight? Unlikely. Although he had previously been able to kill a Peak Foundation Establishment with a single punch, the opponent had clearly been completely off guard, and this time there was also a Golden Core among those coming.

Between Golden Core and Foundation Establishment lay an insurmountable chasm.

Even if the Indestructible Vajra Physique could withstand a Golden Core’s attack, he had no means to fight back.

Running away was even more out of the question; he couldn’t fly at all.

Right at this moment, the System Panel suddenly popped up a new notification.

Lai Li’an stared at that notification, his eyes lighting up.

Right! Su Wan’er wasn’t the only one who could provide Cultivation Base conversion. If he could bluff this Golden Core, he would definitely reach the next level.

It was just that a Golden Core cultivator wasn’t that easy to fool. Foundation Establishment cultivators couldn’t see through his true background because the gap in their realms wasn’t large enough.

A Golden Core cultivator was someone who had truly seen the world. Trying to deceive a Golden Core was as difficult as ascending to the heavens.

However… Lai Li’an’s gaze flickered slightly.

Difficult did not mean impossible.

What kind of great storms hadn’t he seen over these past three years?

So what if it was a Golden Core?

He, Lai Li’an, was best at dancing on the edge of a blade.

In the woods, four figures descended from the sky.

At the head was a man in a dark red brocade robe. His facial features bore a fifty or sixty percent resemblance to Yin Wushe, but were much more sinister and profound.

His gaze swept over the three people in front of him, the corners of his mouth curling into a cold arc.

“Run, why aren’t you running anymore?”

Yin Wuji mocked with the attitude of a cat playing with a mouse. Zhao Qian lay sprawled on the ground, trembling all over.

Then, his gaze bypassed Zhao Qian and landed on Lai Li’an, looking him up and down.

“You have a helper?” Yin Wuji looked at Lai Li’an, his tone somewhat playful. “Pity, just a Peak Foundation Establishment.”

“Without a Golden Core, what can you do?”

As his voice fell, the three Peak Foundation Establishment Cultivators behind him simultaneously released their spiritual pressure, crushing down upon the group.

Su Wan’er’s face paled a few more degrees, her body trembling slightly. Beside her, Lai Li’an did not move; he did not even spare a glance at the three Peak Foundation Establishment Cultivators.

His gaze, from beginning to end, remained fixed on Yin Wuji.

Calm, indifferent, and carrying a trace of disdain.

Yin Wuji frowned. What was going on with this guy?

A Peak Foundation Establishment, facing the coercion of a Golden Core Master, should at least show fear, if not kneel and beg for mercy.

But this person had absolutely no expression on his face, as if he, a Golden Core Master, was nothing more than a leaping clown in front of him.

A surge of anger welled up in Yin Wuji’s heart.

“What is your name?” Yin Wuji asked.

Lai Li’an did not answer; he just quietly looked at Yin Wuji.

“This Seat1 is asking you a question.”

On the mountain path, the wind howled mournfully.

Lai Li’an still did not answer.

Su Wan’er stood behind Lai Li’an. Looking at that motionless back, the fear in her heart gradually dissipated for some unknown reason.

Zhao Qian lay sprawled on the ground. Struggling to lift his head, he looked at Lai Li’an; he couldn’t understand this person.

He was clearly only at Peak Foundation Establishment, yet facing a Golden Core Master, he was calmer than any cultivator Zhao Qian had ever seen.

Just what was this person’s background?

Ding!

Seeing the prompt on the panel, Lai Li’an’s heart stirred slightly. Zhao Qian had already started letting his imagination run wild.

He needed a breakthrough point, one that would make Yin Wuji start letting his imagination run wild as well.

Yin Wuji didn’t know what kind of backing Lai Li’an had to dare to be so arrogant, but figuring that avoiding trouble was better than inviting it, he said:

“No matter who you are, leave immediately, and this Seat can spare your life.”

Lai Li’an looked at him, the corners of his mouth curling into an extremely faint arc.

“Spare this Venerable’s life?”

He shook his head gently, as if he had just heard a joke.