As several black figures fell from the sky, Jiang Tian, his vision obscured, could only swipe his palm into the direction of the wind.
Bang!
Jiang Tian's palm wind soon met a falling black shadow, which was directly blasted aside.
But before Jiang Tian could react, several more heavy black shadows rained down on him.
Ah!
Puff!
Jiang Tian was smashed to the ground, spitting blood. Before he could even get up, more black shadows landed precisely on his body.
This was perhaps the most humiliating experience of Jiang Tian's life. He hadn't even seen his opponent, yet he was defeated by Zhang Er Gou. And he was a renowned cultivator in the early Golden Core stage. If this got out, he would be laughed to death.
Jiang Tian waved his hand, pushing away the black shadows pressing down on him. His touch felt smooth. This was because Zhang Er Gou had stripped the inner disciples of their robes.
"Go to hell for threatening me," Jiang Tian, who had just managed to stand up, took a dull blow to the back.
With a thud, Jiang Tian collapsed, unconscious.
At this point, aside from two other inner disciples in the early Golden Core stage, the remaining forty-seven, including Jiang Tian, Zhuge Wen, and Zuo Tian, had all been knocked out and tied up by Zhang Er Gou.
Zhang Er Gou was not going to let Jiang Tian off easily. He not only stripped him of all his valuables but also his clothes. Even more shamelessly, Zhang Er Gou went to the side, mixed some dirt with his urine, and smeared it all over Jiang Tian's smooth, bare body.
After finishing, Zhang Er Gou clapped his hands and circled the inner disciples with excitement. He also checked to make sure his "Immortal Binding Ropes" were secure.
...
"Someone's out! Someone's out!" Xiao Qing Yu, leaning against an ancient tree, was the first to spot someone emerging from the area shrouded in black smoke. He immediately shouted.
Everyone looked in the direction he pointed and saw a young man in a Taoist robe walking out of the black, misty area. However, his attire suggested he wasn't an outer disciple. Upon closer inspection, it was indeed inner disciple Zhuge Wen.
"Everyone be careful!" Lin Yi Chen immediately jumped down from the branch, his expression serious and wary as he eyed the approaching figure.
Xiao Qing Yu, Wang Teng, and others also instantly drew their weapons, their gazes fixed on the figure walking towards them.
"It's Zhuge Wen, one of the three early Golden Core disciples dispatched by the inner sect this time. I didn't expect him to be the one to come out. It seems Zhang Er Gou is in grave danger," Yu Lin said with a solemn expression, holding a long whip. He glanced at the indifferent Lin Yue Ru beside him and spoke in a low voice.
"It's just that the inner sect was too ruthless this time, sending out three early Golden Core disciples. What's more, these fellows all have a grudge against Zhang Er Gou."
"Alas, who can you blame? It's just that Zhang Er Gou is too much of a troublemaker."
"If he hadn't provoked some disciples from Xia Yang Peak, Qiu Yang Peak, and the Discipline Hall in the outer sect, Zhuge Wen and the others wouldn't be solely focused on him."
A wave of murmurs swept through the crowd. The disciples who had emerged victorious from the outer sect competition, excluding those eliminated earlier, had gathered around this area. They all expressed sympathy for Zhang Er Gou's predicament.
However, they were powerless. Facing three early Golden Core cultivators simultaneously, even if they all charged together, they would have no chance of winning. Let alone Zhang Er Gou alone!
From another perspective, they even had to thank Zhang Er Gou, as he had single-handedly drawn most of the fire, leaving them with nothing to do but wait here for the opening of the demon beast forest passage in three days before directly entering the inner sect.
But the person now appearing shattered their pleasant expectations. Even facing one early Golden Core cultivator, no one dared to relax. They had no time to mourn for Zhang Er Gou now, as Zhuge Wen was getting closer.
"Hey, my friends, why are you all standing here?" Suddenly, "Zhuge Wen" spoke.
"Ugh!" Lin Yi Chen and the others' faces went blank.
What was going on? Had Zhuge Wen gone crazy to greet them, outer disciples like this? And judging by his demeanor, he didn't seem to intend to attack.
Lin Yi Chen, Wang Teng, Xiao Qing Yu, Yu Lin, and even Lin Yue Ru, the top ten outer disciples, were utterly bewildered, exchanging confused glances at the "Zhuge Wen" who had greeted them.
"Hi, what's wrong? Did this trial scare you all?" Zhang Er Gou, seeing that Lin Yi Chen and the others weren't responding, also looked baffled. He took two more steps forward as he spoke.
Finally, Xiao Qing Yu couldn't hold back. He strode forward, wielding two large hammers, "Zhuge Wen, don't think we're afraid of you just because you're in the early Golden Core stage. We have dozens of late Foundation Establishment outer disciples here. We can grind you down to death."
Zhuge Wen? Zhang Er Gou suddenly understood. Earlier, in the area of black smoke, to get close to Zuo Tian and Jiang Tian, he had transformed into Zhuge Wen's appearance. After tying up Jiang Tian and the others, he had forgotten to revert back before leaving the area. No wonder these guys were looking at him like that, like he was their sworn enemy.
Understanding the reason, Zhang Er Gou's playful side kicked in. "Xiao Qing Yu, was it? You were my defeated opponent. You weren't my match even in the Foundation Establishment stage. Now I'm in the Golden Core stage, and you're still in Foundation Establishment. The gap between us is widening!"
"Zhuge Wen, you!" Xiao Qing Yu's face changed drastically, his eyes wide as he glared at Zhang Er Gou.
"What, not convinced? If you're not convinced, bite me!" Zhang Er Gou said, bursting into laughter.
Lin Yi Chen and the others hadn't expected Zhuge Wen to be so arrogant. Their faces immediately flushed with anger.
"Zhuge Wen, if it weren't for your luck, you might be standing with us right now. What are you being so arrogant about?" Wang Teng flashed to Xiao Qing Yu's side.
"Oh, isn't this Little Wang Teng? What, you're here too? Yoyo yoyo, your cultivation is still in the Foundation Establishment stage? Have you been cultivating for the past three years to the dogs?"
"Zhuge Wen, I'll fight you!" Wang Teng shouted and lunged forward.
"Eh, isn't that Lin Yi Chen? How come you also won the outer sect competition this year? I thought you'd stay in the outer sect for another three years!" Zhang Er Gou ignored the enraged Wang Teng and winked at Lin Yi Chen not far away.
"Zhuge Wen, stop with your sharp tongue. Even with our Foundation Establishment cultivation, we won't fear you," a hint of anger crossed Lin Yi Chen's stern face.
"Hahaha, that's hilarious!" Zhang Er Gou flicked his body and transformed back into his own appearance. Looking at the angry Lin Yi Chen and the others, he laughed until he couldn't catch his breath...
"Zhang Er Gou, you brat! You dared to trick us..."
With that, Xiao Qing Yu, Wang Teng, and the others lunged at Zhang Er Gou.