Chapter 25: Coordinated Threats

"Shut your mouths, all of you!"

"Everything we are carrying on our backs was pilfered from another's hard-won victory. Do not keep calling them 'Death Gods' anymore."

The eldest man rebuked the group, his expression etched with helplessness. "Running into that situation was a pure accident. Keep this matter buried deep in your bellies."

Song Junyu, witnessing this scene, loosened her grip slightly. The leader seemed somewhat upright. Naturally, she did not want to become a common butcher who killed at whim, but now that others knew of her actions...

Lu Ling, standing beside her, seemed to sense her hesitation and suddenly gestured that she would handle it. Before Song Junyu could react, Lu Ling leaped down.

In an instant, the wind and sand ceased, and the forest leaves fell still.

"Who's there?!"

The eldest man raised his hand, quickly shielding the others behind him. The rest of the group stared in terror at this sudden arrival. Could it be... the very "Death God" they had been whispering about?

Lu Ling deliberately wore a playful expression. "Tell me, what are you carrying on your backs?"

Wang Mo, the eldest, clenched his fists, his heart drumming against his ribs, yet he stepped forward and bowed. "It is spirit beast meat."

Lu Ling asked, "Oh? This assessment ground is barren in the extreme; where would you find a spirit beast?"

Cold sweat beaded on Wang Mo's forehead. He could keenly feel the overwhelming pressure radiating from the person before him. It was far beyond what he, a fifth-level Qi Refiner, could withstand, let alone his junior brothers behind him.

He lowered his head, steeling himself, and after a moment, spoke with the resignation of a man facing death: "We saw it while the junior sisters were fighting... but we truly had no intention of interfering. By the time we understood the situation, you were already locked in combat."

Lu Ling tilted her chin, eyeing them with haughty scrutiny. "Is that true?"

"I dare not deceive you!"

Lu Ling let out a cold snort. "Since you saw, you should also know why we acted that way. Zhao Sui intended to bully the two of us."

Wang Mo's expression relaxed, and he replied repeatedly, "We have all heard rumors of what kind of person Zhao Sui is. Do not worry, Junior Sister; we took the spirit beast meat to sell, which was already a breach of greater rules. This matter today will go no further."

Lu Ling glanced at the people behind Wang Mo, her gaze icy and threatening. "It had better stay that way. Seeing as you are so sensible, I will spare you."

Wang Mo realized instantly that she did not intend to seize their identity jade tokens. Overjoyed, he looked up and said, "Thank you, Junior Sister!"

With that, he hurriedly led his fellow disciples to retreat.

"Wait."

Lu Ling called out to them again. "Do you intend to walk out carrying it like that?"

Wang Mo was silent for a moment before nodding. "...We have not yet acquired the resources to purchase a storage ring capable of holding spirit beast meat."

Wang Xinglong, hidden in the shadows, could no longer restrain himself. He rummaged through his own storage bag and tossed out a ring. He intentionally lowered his voice, adopting a tone he thought sounded intimidating: "Take it. You are embarrassing yourselves."

Wang Mo stared at the storage ring on the ground, utterly stunned. "This is for us?"

"Naturally."

Wang Mo’s eyes turned red in an instant. He turned around and bowed deeply and respectfully. He understood perfectly well why they had given him the storage ring. It was because the matter involved matters of life and death, and if they were to walk out carrying the meat openly, it would be too conspicuous and inevitably invite suspicion. They could have simply chosen a more direct solution—to deny everything and kill him off. He and his junior brothers were merely lowly servants from outside the mountains; who would care about their lives?

"Take it," Lu Ling commanded, waving her hand.

Wang Mo looked at his expectant junior brothers, gritted his teeth, and without further hesitation, picked up the ring. "I, Wang Mo, swear here: if a single word of this leaks out, may my path to immortality be forever barred!"

"Senior Brother!" The juniors were shocked, never expecting him to swear such a ruthless oath.

Wang Mo offered no explanation and quickly led them away.

Song Junyu’s figure gradually emerged from the dim forest. She glanced at Wang Xinglong. "You don't seem like the type of generous soul who tosses gold to strangers. Tell me, why did you give it to him?"

Wang Xinglong scratched his head sheepishly. "Wang Mo is a good man. All those junior brothers of his are orphans he took in."

Song Junyu’s expression shifted slightly. "A brother acting as a father, then..."

So be it. Since she had chosen kindness today, she would bear the cost of that kindness; there was no need to struggle with it. On the path of the Great Dao, though she had yet to grasp its essence, blind slaughter would certainly never lead her to the summit.

She did not notice the golden lightning within her body pulse gently, as if responding to her inner thoughts.

Once Wang Mo and his group were far away, Lu Ling and Wang Xinglong looked back at Song Junyu.

"What is the plan now?"

Song Junyu arched an eyebrow. "Follow them."

Wang Xinglong asked, "Why follow them?"

Song Junyu chuckled softly. "If we want to come out on top, we must naturally plunder everyone capable of being plundered. Just because we won't rob them, doesn't mean others won't."

Wang Xinglong’s eyes lit up, his round face breaking into a cunning smile. "A brilliant strategy—casting a long line to catch a big fish! That way, we can sweep up everyone who tries to steal their identity tokens without lifting a finger! You really are something, Liu Yu!"

Song Junyu did not reply, turning her gaze instead toward the unconscious person they had hidden in the shadows. Honestly, she had no need to waste energy caring about Li Zhaodi’s plight. Yet, every time she saw the whip marks on her face, she was reminded of her own naive past.

So be it. If someone had saved her back then, she might not have ended up in a situation where she dared not even reveal her own name. Consider it an act of accumulating merit.

Wang Xinglong noticed her gaze and leaped down, preparing to carry the person, when he heard a faint cough.

"...Cough, cough."

Li Zhaodi felt as though she had endured an endless night, and now, flickering white light drifted before her eyes. When she struggled to open her lids, she saw several gazes fixed upon her. She instinctively hugged her body, trying to shrink away, when she heard a voice that was both strange and familiar: "It’s me."

Li Zhaodi’s eyes widened, staring unblinkingly at her. As she watched, tears began to stream down her face uncontrollably.

"Liu Yu..."

"I don't want to enter the sect anymore... I am just a piece of trash who can't even protect herself..."