Chapter 9: Isn't it a bit disrespectful not to take it?

Given his personality, there was a two-hundred-percent chance he wouldn't go snooping.

Knowing there was something fishy going on and still going to take a peek—that was just asking for trouble.

And what if it was a trap set specifically for him by someone who knew he was carrying a fortune in his pockets, just waiting for him to take the bait so they could snatch his demon cores?

But.

This time.

He still followed his heart.

Whatever happens, happens.

It has nothing to do with me.

He had already earned quite a few demon cores along the way; only those who are content can live longer.

After checking his traps one last time and confirming everything was in order.

Zheng Tuo didn't take a single extra step.

He returned to his safe house.

Quietly waiting for Li Jun and the others to fight their way up and complete the assessment.

But...

Just because you don't go look at that light, doesn't mean others won't.

"Awoo..."

A wolf howl, sounding like it was tearing through the air, came from the glowing spot.

Then, a delicate shout rang out.

Someone was fighting the Wolf King; it sounded extremely intense.

"I told you so, there’s definitely a trap. Those old geezers from the Luoxian Sect aren't good birds. Good thing I’m cautious, otherwise, my demon cores would’ve been goners."

Zheng Tuo was even more convinced that the path he had chosen was the right one.

"Rumble..."

The battle at the glowing spot was fierce.

And it was gradually moving closer to Zheng Tuo’s safe house.

Zheng Tuo frowned.

What the hell!

I was just making a simple comment, did you have to lead the fight over here?

As he thought this.

"Thump, thump..."

A nimble figure, like a civet cat, landed steadily on top of Zheng Tuo’s hideout.

It was a young girl, tall and slender, with long, fiery red hair draped over her shoulders. She wore red-feathered battle armor and held a ten-foot-eight fire-tipped spear. She was imposing and heroic, looking every bit like a female war god.

The curvaceous girl’s eyes were like lightning, scanning the surroundings.

After confirming no one was there, she took a palm-sized red treasure box from her bosom.

She carefully buried the red box in the soil at her feet, then stood up and left quickly.

No sooner had the girl left than Zheng Tuo felt a foul wind hit him.

The Wolf King was the size of a young calf, its wolf eyes blood-red, and its entire body exuded a biting murderous intent.

A Tier 3 Wolf King!

Holy crap!

Zheng Tuo’s heart jumped to his throat; he didn't even dare to let out a fart.

What the hell is going on!

How could a Tier 3 Wolf King appear here?

This is playing for keeps!

If this Wolf King joined the battle down the mountain, everyone below would be finished.

Even Li Jun would be killed in seconds.

Fortunately, he was well-prepared.

He had ten concealment talismans stuck to his body.

From head to toe, every trace of his aura was masked.

Even though the Wolf King’s strength was as high as Tier 3, as long as he didn't move, it would be difficult for the beast to discover him.

The Wolf King was clearly tracking the curvaceous girl.

It poked its nose out and sniffed.

It didn't smell where the red box was buried.

But it did catch the scent left behind by the girl.

Its four hooves pushed off, and it turned into a foul wind, chasing in one direction.

Zheng Tuo didn't move.

He stayed quietly in his safe house.

He believed.

The safe house he had spent three years painstakingly developing was absolutely reliable.

As long as he didn't expose himself.

Even a Tier 7 Qi Refining Wolf King wouldn't be able to detect his existence.

Yes.

He was just that confident.

The wait didn't last long.

Fighting sounds came from afar.

Presumably, the Wolf King had caught up to the girl, and the two were fighting.

So...

Zheng Tuo’s gaze turned to the spot where the red box was buried.

To steal something while risking being hunted by a Tier 3 Wolf King.

It must be worth more than a Tier 2 beast core.

What kind of spiritual object could be better than a Tier 2 beast core?

After confirming no one was around, Zheng Tuo left his safe house.

He put on his gloves, carefully scraped away the soil, and retrieved the red treasure box the girl had just buried.

The box was exquisite, made of porcelain.

It had a fiery red lotus emblem on it; it was clearly a woman's item.

To be cautious.

Zheng Tuo took an array disk from his backpack.

A First-Grade Concealment Array.

Like the First-Grade concealment talisman, it could mask one's aura.

It was definitely much more effective than the talisman.

At the same time, the concealment array was also a type of defensive array.

Once activated, the five-meter radius around Zheng Tuo was sealed, and no aura would leak out.

After setting it up.

He placed the red box inside the array.

He stayed outside the array, using a prepared twig to carefully open the red box.

The red box opened easily.

There were no harmful traps, nor any violent burst of spiritual energy.

Zheng Tuo looked inside.

In the box, a piece of incomplete, ancient-looking white jade lay quietly.

Looking at it, there was nothing special about it.

It looked like a knock-off from a second-hand street stall, completely worthless.

Although he didn't know what this thing was for.

But since it was being fought over by the girl and the Wolf King, it had to be a good thing.

He’d put it away first and study it slowly later.

He took a white porcelain box from his backpack.

The white porcelain box, like the red one, could isolate aura; they were the same type of item.

He placed the incomplete ancient jade into his white porcelain box and tucked it away carefully.

He looked down at the empty red box.

Zheng Tuo felt a sense of resistance in his heart.

The incomplete ancient jade that the girl had risked her life to snatch.

He had taken it so easily.

It felt so thrilling.

Pah!

It felt inhumane, lacking professional ethics.

But since the thing was right in front of him.

If he didn't take it, it would be a bit disrespectful to her, wouldn't it?

Forget it.

Zheng Tuo took a steamed white bun from his backpack.

"Little Miss Curvy, let me tell you, a steamed bun might be worthless to others, but it means a lot to me. When I was a kid, my family was poor, and we only ate coarse grains. If I could eat a white bun, I wouldn't trade it even if someone made me the Jade Emperor. So, I’ve had a habit since I was little: whenever I eat a white bun, no matter how bad my mood is, it gets better. Eat it, eat it. People have to face setbacks to grow up. Next time, remember, keep good things on your person. Any behavior of hiding spiritual objects is just being a hooligan, and for hooligans, I will definitely strike back hard."

Zheng Tuo had intended to trade his most precious steamed bun for the ancient jade.

But...

He looked at the bun lying in the red box and felt very reluctant.

Better not.

What if she tracked him down by the smell of the bun?

After all, he was the only one in the entire Mortal Realm who knew how to make that specific bun.

In the future, they would all be disciples of the Luoxian Sect.

Better safe than sorry.

That girl looked like she had a fiery temper.

Pah.

She looked like she had a fiery temper.

A Tier 2 Qi Refining cultivator daring to wrestle with a Tier 3 Wolf King.

If she caught him, she’d skin him alive, string him up, and eat him with bean paste.

To be cautious.

He put the red box back into the soil.

He cleaned up the area.

Zheng Tuo didn't hesitate to move his safe house, continuing to lay low and wait for Li Jun and the others to fight their way up.

"Boom, boom, boom..."

Explosions came from afar.

The battle involving Li Jun and the others had reached a fever pitch.

Both sides were locked in a desperate struggle, the sky turning dark and the sun and moon losing their light.

I have to say, that grandson Li Jun is truly brave and invincible.

Holding a silver-white immortal sword, like a war god, he led everyone to carve out a bloody path.

"Charge! Victory is right before our eyes!"

Li Jun was covered in blood, holding his silver-white sword high, ordering everyone to charge.

"Charge!"

"Charge!"

"Charge!"

The crowd’s blood was ignited, and they howled as they rushed toward the Sunset Mountain platform.

"Go! Go! You guys are the best."

Zheng Tuo hid in his safe house, watching Li Jun and the others charge for their lives, offering them spiritual encouragement.

As everyone was charging desperately at the front.

Suddenly!

A gust of wind blew at the entrance of the Sunset Mountain platform.

The Tier 3 Wolf King stepped forward with a nimble gait, blocking everyone's path.

(End of chapter)