Chapter 2411: Preventive Measures

The woman must have cultivated an extremely profound secret art for concealing her aura, or perhaps she possessed a treasure with a similar effect. Otherwise, at such close range, the middle-aged man, a Hedao cultivator, would surely have detected her.

As the woman spoke, Lu Ye's face darkened. He truly couldn't fathom her intentions. Wasn't that the perfect moment for a sneak attack? Instead of acting, she uttered something completely irrelevant. Lu Ye suddenly suspected she might have a screw loose. Nevertheless, it didn't matter. As long as the two of them started fighting here, he could make an immediate escape. As for this cursed place, let whoever wished to come in the future.

As the woman's voice carried, the middle-aged man quickly turned and bowed respectfully, saying, "Greetings, Madam!" Gone was the domineering demeanor he had shown Lu Ye; now, he was utterly deferential. Lu Ye watched, dumbfounded!

These two… they aren't enemies, are they? Lu Ye had seen the middle-aged man searching for the woman earlier and assumed they were adversaries. That was why he had thought of luring the middle-aged man here, hoping they would engage in a fight. But if they weren't enemies, a fight was pointless. The middle-aged man's attitude clearly showed his great respect for the woman; in her presence, he was like a household servant. He even addressed her as 'Madam'!

A Hedao cultivator, humbling himself like a mere servant—who was this woman? Numerous thoughts raced through Lu Ye's mind, and a wave of despair washed over him. He had truly shot himself in the foot this time, with no way to express his bitter regret.

"I'm asking you a question," the woman's voice remained cool and clear, seemingly displeased. "What are you doing in my city?" The middle-aged man hastily replied, "Replying, Madam, I encountered an interesting young man on the road and exchanged a few moves with him."

The woman frowned slightly. "Fighting is not allowed in my city!" The middle-aged man was surprised. "Madam has her own Hedao City now?" "Just recently!" "Then I must congratulate Madam." The middle-aged man clearly understood the woman's temperament, always speaking in a way that pleased her.

The woman listened happily, her eyes narrowing as she spun in a circle, showing off. "This is the city. What do you think of it?" "Madam's Hedao City is surely the best." The woman became even happier, her eyes curving into crescent moons.

"Don't listen to his sweet talk, just fight!" Lu Ye cried out in his heart, though it was utterly futile. He clearly knew that since the middle-aged man and the woman were allies, his escape would likely be very difficult. What gave him some hope was that the woman had shown him no ill will, either before or now. Earlier, when he tried to leave, she hadn't stopped him. He simply needed her to maintain that stance.

Taking advantage of the woman's good mood, the middle-aged man finally mustered the courage to speak. "Madam, the Master wants you to return. You are alone out here, and he is very concerned about your safety." The smile and happiness on the woman's face visibly melted away. Like a petulant little girl, she turned her head and said, "I'm not going back. You go tell him I'm never going back!"

The middle-aged man cautiously said, "Madam, you know the Master's temper. I was ordered to come and ask you to return. If you don't, it will be very difficult for me." "Whether it's difficult for you or not, what does that have to do with me?" the woman said, as if it were obvious. The middle-aged man's expression was strained. "Please, Madam, have mercy!" "Are you forcing me?" The woman cast a sidelong glance. "I wouldn't dare," the middle-aged man lowered his head even further. "It's just that Madam has always been kind and compassionate; I presume you wouldn't want to make things difficult for your subordinates."

"Sigh!" The woman sighed heavily, her eyebrows furrowing, looking indecisive. The middle-aged man secretly glanced at her and immediately pressed on. "Madam, before I came out, the Master asked me to tell you that he knows he was wrong and will never make you angry again. As long as you return, he will listen to you from now on."

"Did he really say that?" The woman looked somewhat surprised. "Absolutely!" The middle-aged man looked up. "I can swear by the will of Star Abyss." "Then swear!" the woman said decisively. The middle-aged man blinked, cold sweat seeping from his forehead.

"Heh..." The woman suddenly laughed. "Just kidding. Come here, I'll tell you something, and you can relay it to your Master. He won't be angry when he hears it." The middle-aged man hesitated. Normally, private words would be conveyed through a voice transmission, but remembering Madam's eccentric nature and temper, he didn't dare to suggest anything. He simply turned his body and leaned his ear closer.

The woman leaned in, seemingly whispering something into his ear. Lu Ye had been observing coolly, simultaneously searching for his own escape route. He hadn't heard what the woman said at all; he even doubted if she had spoken. But as the woman finished, the middle-aged man was struck as if by lightning. His body violently trembled, and he roared, "Madam!" Simultaneously, he thrust out a palm!

The woman, however, was already prepared. Her figure floated lightly backward like a phantom, and the palm strike hit nothing but air. The middle-aged man's body swayed unsteadily, then he suddenly brought both palms together, striking his own head. This sudden turn of events left Lu Ye dazed, completely unaware of what had transpired. He had only seen the woman lean slightly closer to the middle-aged man, appearing to whisper something, and then the middle-aged man suddenly reacted violently, now even starting to harm himself. Yet, the woman stood not far away, watching with a cold expression.

"Ah!" A shrill roar erupted. The middle-aged man's body trembled violently, and then Lu Ye saw a horrifying, blood-soaked, worm-like creature crawl out of his ear. It seemed to drain all life from him. With the appearance of that strange worm, the Hedao cultivator who had just forced Lu Ye into a desperate retreat, bowed his head and died on the spot, utterly lifeless.

The entire process involved no bloody struggle. Lu Ye hadn't even clearly seen when the woman made her move. A chill shot straight to his head. Lu Ye had never sensed any hostility from this woman, but only now did he truly understand that genuine ruthlessness and venom were not always visible; it was the unseen that proved most insidious.

As if sensing Lu Ye's gaze, the woman suddenly turned and looked at him. Lu Ye's expression was solemn. Then he saw a smiling face. "Don't be afraid. I had no choice but to kill him. If he had gone back alive, my whereabouts would have been exposed. Someone told me this is called nipping it in the bud."

Lu Ye's expression grew even more solemn. If it was about nipping it in the bud, would she also kill him to ensure silence? After all, he had just witnessed that scene firsthand, and given how concerned the woman was about her whereabouts, killing him would be the safest course of action.