Chapter 1257: When Confronting Someone, Undermine Them Behind Their Back

As they were navigating the mist, they all keenly sensed a chilling presence nearby that made their hair stand on end. Zu An had even prepared for a fight, but unfortunately, the other party never made a move, instead allowing them to successfully exit the formation.

“I also sensed danger, but I’m not sure of the opponent’s strength,” Yu Yanluo said. As the leader of her clan, with Medusa bloodline, she was naturally more sensitive than the other younger generation members present.

“At least a Grandmaster,” Zu An said in a deep voice.

“A Grandmaster?” Yu Yanluo was startled. She had originally thought that with their combined strength, navigating this place would be easy, never expecting there to be a Grandmaster here.

“A Grandmaster is nothing to fear,” Yun Jianyue said coldly. “My injuries have healed somewhat, and with Little An’s combat power, plus your Medusa clan’s abilities, we’re not without the power to fight a Grandmaster if it comes to that.”

“What about me?” Yan Xuehen’s face darkened. The other party had intentionally ignored her, which was clearly an insult.

Yun Jianyue smiled haughtily, “You can just stay behind and cheer us on.”

Yan Xuehen was speechless.

This vixen is truly annoying!

Just then, Yun Jianyue spoke again: “Originally, I didn’t have much hope for this so-called treasure. But now it seems there might truly be something here.” Whether it was the bizarre misty forest they just passed through or the powerful presence lurking in the shadows, everything indicated that this place was extraordinary.

Just then, gasps of surprise erupted from another direction. A group of people scrambled forward, as a large mountain had appeared ahead. Even from a distance, they could feel the rich elemental energy and boundless vitality emanating from it.

On the mountain, various exotic flowers bloomed, releasing a fragrant medicinal scent. Many unusual trees also bore vibrant, plump, and tempting exotic fruits. Clearly, none of these were ordinary.

Even Yan Xuehen and Yun Jianyue were surprised, recognizing some rare species among them that were uncommon even in White Jade City and the Holy Sect.

The other demon cultivators, however, went wild, scrambling towards the mountain.

Boom! A golden fist slammed directly in front of the crowd, kicking up a cloud of dust.

It was Lion Spirit, who had already blocked their path.

The expressions of many demon experts instantly soured. “Lion Spirit, what is the meaning of this? Are you trying to monopolize everything?”

Though young, Lion Spirit stood there with his hands behind his back, his face full of arrogance. “No particular meaning,” he said. “Heavenly treasures belong to the capable.”

This instantly provoked public outrage. “What a joke! Do you, Lion Spirit, think you’re the Demon Emperor, capable of suppressing everyone by yourself?”

Lion Spirit replied, “Of course not. It’s just that we’ve gone through countless hardships to get here, so what right do those who didn’t contribute have to a share?”

As he spoke, Princess Solon, Silver Shark Prince, Jin Shi, Princess Changning, Qiao Heng, Xiong Da Xiong Er, Ma Huang, Duan Tiande, and others all stood silently by his side. Evidently, they shared the same sentiment.

When they crossed the swamp earlier, it was these individuals who bore the brunt of the fighting. As a result, many others had slipped through during that time, which greatly displeased them.

Lion Spirit also specifically addressed Wu Liang, who was slumped on the ground: “Fatty, don’t worry. You contributed greatly just now, so you’ll get a share of what we find later.” Of course, this wasn’t out of kindness. It was because this place was simply too strange, and the fatty’s recent display had been startling, proving his value. They might still need him later, so naturally, they wouldn’t drive him away now.

Wu Liang chuckled, naturally accepting the goodwill.

On the other side, Yan Xuehen frowned. “Just moments ago, we were fighting side by side. Now that we’re out of danger, they turn their backs on us. These demon cultivators are truly heartless.”

Yun Jianyue, however, was unfazed. “I actually appreciate their approach. Ice Stone Maiden, you come from a noble background and have lived in comfort all these years. Everyone around you treats you like a goddess, so naturally, you only encounter good people. Unfortunately, the cultivation world is inherently cruel. The strong prey on the weak; it’s a natural law of the world.”

“There aren’t many spirit medicines here. With so many people sharing, there wouldn’t be much to go around. If I hadn’t been injured, I probably would have cleared everyone out immediately. I wouldn’t have left people to share the spoils like he is.”

Yu Yanluo stuck out her tongue. After being together for so long, she had only seen Yun Jianyue bickering like a young girl with Yan Xuehen. She had almost forgotten that Yun Jianyue was a terrifying demon overlord, feared throughout the land.

Seeing these aristocratic young masters group together, the other rogue cultivators’ expressions changed. They knew that united, these individuals were no match for them, and their morale immediately faltered.

Someone couldn’t help but say, “If you drive us back now, aren’t you just sending us back to our deaths in that misty forest?”

Lion Spirit said indifferently, “You can simply go around it. The forest doesn’t seem outrageously large to me. As long as you don’t enter and trigger the formation, it’s not impossible to go around. Alternatively, you can wait here, and when we return, we’ll take you out alive, considering we are all demon cultivators.”

The other rogue cultivators snorted. The situation was stacked against them. If a conflict truly broke out now, they might not even see the treasure before meeting their end here.

One by one, they stopped arguing with Lion Spirit and all detoured around to leave.

Of course, they wouldn’t choose to wait there for these aristocratic young masters to return. Instead, they wanted to try their luck on other paths.

Soon, the crowd dispersed, mostly leaving. Only about a dozen people remained.

Aside from the aristocratic young masters, the remaining individuals were their guards, servants, and the like. Immediately after, Lion Spirit’s gaze turned to Zu An and his companions. Yan Xuehen said coldly, “What, are we not qualified to stay either?”

“Not at all,” Lion Spirit said, smiling at her. “Thanks to your ingenious calculations just now, we were able to break out of the formation. You, young lady, are certainly qualified to stay, but as for this one…”

Zu An immediately chuckled. “So, after all that, you want to drive me away?”

Lion Spirit’s face hardened. “So what if I am? From start to finish, you haven’t exerted any effort. You’re completely useless. If you don’t leave, who will?”

“What about us?” Yun Jianyue chuckled, a dangerous glint in her eyes.

Lion Spirit replied, “Both young ladies can certainly stay. This prince can offer you more powerful protection.”

Qiao Heng, who was standing nearby, said coldly, “Lion Spirit, you’re going too far. You’re clearly trying to steal his women.” As he owed Zu An a favor from before, he naturally had to speak up for him.

Lion Spirit said arrogantly, “As the saying goes, ‘a good bird chooses its tree to nest,’ and women naturally should seek out the strong. This man only relies on the protection of women; what future does he have? If I want them, I’ll take them.”

Ma Huang, standing nearby, chuckled lewdly. “You’re so young, yet you already have such thoughts. Aren’t you afraid of straining your back, a little horse pulling a big cart?”

Lion Spirit was only about thirteen or fourteen years old, so saying such things indeed felt a bit out of place.

Qiao Heng was about to say more, when Duan Tiande, standing nearby, sneered. “What does his business have to do with you? It’s precisely because the Elf clan has too many bleeding hearts like you that it’s been declining.”

Princess Solon frowned. “The path ahead is uncertain, and you’re already starting to fight amongst yourselves?” For some reason, she always felt a profound and unfathomable quality about Zu An, so she stepped in to mediate.

Lion Spirit snorted coldly. “Is the princess planning to give him a share of her portion?” Why was this guy so popular with women? Even Princess Solon was speaking up for him.

Rage from Lion Spirit +110! +110! +110!...

Hearing him say this, Princess Solon was a bit displeased, but she said nothing further. She had to consider the interests of herself and her subordinates. She and Zu An had only met by chance and barely exchanged a few words. Naturally, there was no need to clash with the Lion clan’s young prince over a stranger.

The others watched coldly from the sidelines. Some wanted one less person to share the treasure, while others wanted to use Lion Spirit to test the mysterious guy’s strength. All of them wanted to see how the other party would react.