Zhang Ergou and Lin Yichen, Li Yao, and Wang Teng were happily dividing the spoils of their robbery.
Unbeknownst to them, a force was rapidly gathering to target their team.
...
"This is it. This is where we last encountered those four men in black."
Most of the disciples from the Liuhai Sect had already gathered.
Except for the two who were robbed by Zhang Ergou and his companions at the very beginning, and Li Yi, who was killed by Zhang Ergou.
Leading them was Ling Feng'er, the saintess of the Liuhai Sect.
"You're saying those four not only beat you up but also robbed you of all your possessions?"
Ling Feng'er's eyes widened, finding it hard to believe the scene before her.
Yet, the empty-handed Liuhai Sect disciples and their battered bodies bore witness to the ironclad truth.
"Saintess, do you think it might have been the work of people from the Piaomiao Sect?"
Someone had already cast suspicion on the Piaomiao Sect.
"What do you mean?" Ling Feng'er frowned.
"Saintess, look, since entering the secret realm, only our Liuhai Sect disciples have been robbed. Doesn't that seem too strange to you?"
The person who had just suspected the Piaomiao Sect continued.
"Moreover, before entering the secret realm, we had a fierce battle with the Piaomiao Sect. Although we lost that battle miserably."
"It's not impossible that the Piaomiao Sect people are deliberately targeting us."
Ling Feng'er nodded, finding her junior disciple's words reasonable.
After becoming the saintess of the Liuhai Sect, her status had soared, and all disciples of the same generation could only be called her junior disciples.
"Since you say those four left not long ago, they must not have gone far. Let's search for them together and find them."
Ling Feng'er said coldly. With her leading the team, these Liuhai Sect disciples being robbed was equivalent to a slap in her face. How could she be in a good mood?
Without further ado, Ling Feng'er led a group of Liuhai Sect disciples in a carpet search.
Effort paid off.
They actually discovered the cave where Zhang Ergou and his companions were hiding.
"Saintess, we've found a cave ahead. There seem to be signs of activity."
A disciple sent to scout returned to report.
"Don't panic. Tell me in detail." Ling Feng'er stopped what she was doing and signaled the disciple to explain what they had seen clearly.
The Liuhai Sect disciple recounted everything they had seen.
The more Ling Feng'er listened, the more convinced she became that the cave was the hiding place of the four culprits.
Then, Ling Feng'er emitted a strange sonic wave, and the disciples who had been sent out to scout quickly regrouped.
Over a dozen Liuhai Sect disciples headed straight for the cave where Zhang Ergou and his companions were. Sudian Novel Network
...
"Damn, someone's coming!"
Although Ling Feng'er had instructed the Liuhai Sect disciples to conceal their auras, some disciples with less refined cultivation had failed to hide their presence completely.
This allowed Zhang Ergou, whose divine soul power far surpassed that of ordinary people, to quickly detect their approach.
"What? Someone's coming?"
Lin Yichen, Li Yao, and Wang Teng were instantly shocked.
They were still happily dividing the spoils, and they had already been caught up.
Furthermore, they had tried their best not to leave any traces after each battle. Even if someone knew it was them, they shouldn't have found them so quickly.
This didn't make sense!
However, before the three could dwell further, Zhang Ergou waved his hand, collecting all the loot on the ground.
"Now is not the time to be discussing these things."
"We need to determine how many people are coming, their cultivation levels, and if they are our enemies."
Zhang Ergou quickly analyzed the core of the problem.
Lin Yichen and the others nodded quickly.
"This cave is no longer safe. Fortunately, we were prepared when we came in. We'll retreat from the back of the cave."
Ling Feng'er and her group would never have imagined that there was a way out from the back of the cave where Zhang Ergou and his companions were hiding.
They would certainly not have thought that Zhang Ergou and his companions would quietly leave from the rear.
"However, before we leave, let's give these approaching friends a little welcome gift, hehe."
Zhang Ergou chuckled sinisterly. Lin Yichen and Wang Teng immediately understood his intentions.
They wasted no time. Although Li Yao was a bit confused, her hands didn't stop moving.
Zhang Ergou casually moved a few stones from the entrance of the cave.
Then, he circled the cave and scattered several spirit stones in different directions.
"What is this? Junior Brother Ergou is also an array master?"
Li Yao exclaimed in surprise, watching Zhang Ergou's actions.
Lin Yichen and Wang Teng had also never seen Zhang Ergou display such a skill, and they both shook their heads.
Indicating they didn't know.
They did know that Zhang Ergou could refine pills, but they were unaware of when he had learned to set up arrays.
In fact, Zhang Ergou's array skills were something he had recently learned from Elder Xue Shan.
Normally, in such a short period, even if someone studied, they would only grasp the superficial.
However, Zhang Ergou possessed too many treasures, and Elder Xue Shan, being a soul body, lived directly in Zhang Ergou's sea of consciousness.
What he explained was directly transmitted to Zhang Ergou through their souls.
This made absorption much easier.
Additionally, Zhang Ergou possessed the monstrous ability of the Six Paths of Reincarnation Eyes and a pocket dimension capable of extending cultivation time via the black iron ball.
While Zhang Ergou's current array level might have some gap compared to some grand array masters, he could still set up fourth and fifth-grade arrays with ease.
Zhang Ergou ignored the surprised looks from Lin Yichen and the others. After completing his actions, he took out over a dozen dark, nondescript objects from his storage ring.
These were treasures that Zhang Ergou had specifically purchased from Wu Dafei at the Wanbao Pavilion after participating in the outer sect competition of the Piaomiao Sect. Most of them had already been used against Zhuge Wen and his group.
However, some remained, and he hadn't found an opportunity to use them.
Now was a perfect chance.
Zhang Ergou casually threw the dozen dark objects onto the ground, then called out to Lin Yichen, Li Yao, and Wang Teng to leave from the back of the cave.
Before they departed, the scene at the cave entrance remained the same as when they were there, as if nothing had changed.
...
After emerging from the back of the cave, Zhang Ergou and his companions did not leave immediately. Instead, they ascended the mountaintop to survey the area.
Indeed, under their patient waiting, a group of Liuhai Sect disciples, led by Ling Feng'er, rushed towards the cave.
"Holy cow, no way, so many people!" Wang Teng's eyes widened.
Li Yao and Lin Yichen's complexions weren't much better.
If not for Zhang Ergou's quick thinking, they would likely have been surrounded by now.
"Beware of a trap!"
As they neared the cave entrance, Ling Feng'er commanded her disciples to slow their pace.