On the way back.
Liu Yue was somewhat unsure how to interact with Zhang Ergou.
Facing Zhang Ergou, he felt a bit flustered.
He had personally witnessed Zhang Ergou wave his hand, causing hundreds of men and horses to fall from their mounts, completely losing all signs of life.
Liu Yue knew that those people had completely lost their lives.
Faced with such a terrifying Zhang Ergou, Liu Yue truly didn't know how to approach him.
Yet, Zhang Ergou remained utterly composed.
This made Liu Yue feel that he was even more mysterious.
"Brother Liu, I have already obtained the name of the traitor from those men."
Zhang Ergou no longer hid anything from Liu Yue.
At the moment before losing their lives, the ugliness of human nature was fully exposed by those men.
As Zhang Ergou had guessed, Qi Yan indeed had a problem.
"What, you say Qi Yan has a problem?" Liu Yue would never believe that Qi Yan, who had always followed him, was a traitor.
Ever since the Scarlet Fire Demon Slaying Squad was formed.
Qi Yan had been with Liu Yue, considered an absolute veteran of the Scarlet Fire Demon Slaying Squad.
Liu Yue could never believe that Qi Yan would betray them.
"Brother Ergou, could it be that those people were deliberately slandering him, trying to create a rift within us?"
Zhang Ergou turned to look at Liu Yue, his voice somewhat cold.
"I used soul-searching on those who led them. I doubt their thoughts would deceive me!"
Liu Yue was greatly shocked. To use soul-searching, one's soul strength must be incredibly potent.
Generally, only cultivators in the late Golden Core stage could perform soul-searching on cultivators in the Foundation Establishment stage.
If within the same major realm, unless one's soul strength was exceptionally strong, backlash was a common occurrence.
Therefore, without an absolute cultivation advantage, no one would foolishly attempt soul-searching.
Liu Yue's expression changed completely. Previously, he had only been surprised by Zhang Ergou's ruthless actions and calm demeanor.
Now, the way he looked at Zhang Ergou was filled with reverence.
It was the reverence of the weak facing the strong.
If Zhang Ergou could easily perform soul-searching on those leaders, then dealing with him would be child's play.
He thought he had sufficiently overestimated Zhang Ergou's cultivation and strength, but in the end, he still underestimated him.
"Senior, I apologize for my earlier transgressions. Please do not blame me."
Liu Yue bowed slightly, his expression somewhat nervous.
"Haha, Brother Liu, there's no need for such formal etiquette between us. We can still address each other as brothers."
Seeing that Zhang Ergou bore no ill will, Liu Yue breathed a sigh of relief.
"However, I would ask Brother Liu to keep my cultivation a secret and not reveal it."
Having his cultivation discerned by Liu Yue, Zhang Ergou neither admitted nor denied it.
...
After knowing for certain that Qi Yan was the traitor, Liu Yue's attitude also changed.
When they returned, Qi Yan was still eagerly anticipating their arrival.
However, upon seeing that the two who appeared were Zhang Ergou and Liu Yue.
A flicker of surprise and disappointment flashed across his face.
"Are you very disappointed, Brother Qi Yan?"
His expression had not escaped Zhang Ergou's observation.
"Brother Ergou, what do you mean by that? I am overjoyed to see you both return safely. Why would I be disappointed?"
Qi Yan certainly would not admit his inner disappointment.
He just didn't know why the Demon Slaying Squads he had notified hadn't dared to show up yet.
He had notified over a dozen Demon Slaying Squads.
The goal was to ensure Zhang Ergou could be subdued.
But he hadn't expected that two Demon Slaying Squads would try to monopolize the treasures on Zhang Ergou.
They had come to track the Scarlet Fire Demon Slaying Squad ahead of others.
However, before they could even get close, Zhang Ergou had detected their traces.
The two Demon Slaying Squads that had arrived earlier were all killed by Zhang Ergou's mysterious methods.
This made Qi Yan even more convinced that calling several more Demon Slaying Squads yesterday was the correct decision.
Although there would be more people to share the spoils, he had absolute confidence.
After Liu Yue and Zhang Ergou left.
He could already foresee the fates of Zhang Ergou and Liu Yue.
Therefore, he didn't even bother to wake up the other members of the Demon Slaying Squad.
As long as Zhang Ergou and Liu Yue were killed.
Not only would he get a good share of the treasures on Zhang Ergou, but the entire Scarlet Fire Demon Slaying Squad would also have to listen to him in the future.
Qi Yan certainly didn't want anyone to disrupt his plan.
But what awaited him were Zhang Ergou and Liu Yue.
This made Qi Yan feel a sense of confusion and a hint of panic.
Especially when Zhang Ergou asked that question.
"What do I mean, Brother Qi Yan doesn't understand yet?"
Zhang Ergou gave a cold smile.
"I truly don't know what you mean, Brother Ergou."
Qi Yan stated emphatically.
"Qi Yan, I always treated you as a brother. Why did you betray us?"
Seeing Qi Yan still playing dumb, Liu Yue finally couldn't hold back.
"Big Brother, what do you mean?"
"What do I mean? How long are you going to hide it? Do I need to spell out what you've done?"
Liu Yue's already dark complexion turned even darker.
"Haha, since you already know, then I have nothing more to say. Kill me or dismember me as you please."
Seeing that his scheme had been exposed, Qi Yan completely dropped the pretense and put on a defiant facade.
"Why? Why did you do this?"
Liu Yue looked at his former brother with utter heartbreak.
Even now, he couldn't quite comprehend why a brother he had fought alongside with for so many years would betray them.
"Why? Haha, you actually ask me why."
Qi Yan looked at Liu Yue as if he were an idiot.
"My good Big Brother, I've worked my life for the Scarlet Fire Demon Slaying Squad all these years, but what have I gained?"
"And this brat who appeared out of nowhere, possessing treasures yet not knowing how to be discreet."
"Even more infuriating is that he gave you, Big Brother, an entire bottle of Grade Three pills, yet you didn't give me a single one!"
Intense jealousy and greed had driven Qi Yan to a state of frenzy at this moment.
"Since you've discovered it, then I have nothing more to say."
Zhang Ergou was somewhat surprised by Qi Yan's answer.
He hadn't expected that the very ordinary Grade Three pills in his hand would be the root cause of this disaster.
A man is innocent until he possesses a treasure, but a treasure brings disaster.
But Grade Three pills weren't that precious!
A million herbivores stampeded through Zhang Ergou's mind.
He had also witnessed the plight of low-level cultivators.
He even felt some sympathy for these low-level cultivators, but sympathy didn't make him consider letting Qi Yan go.
Zhang Ergou was never a saint.
How could he easily let go of someone who wanted to take his life?
No matter what excuses that person had.
...
The next day, when the team set off again.
The other members quickly noticed something different: Qi Yan had inexplicably disappeared.
However, neither Liu Yue nor Zhang Ergou seemed inclined to explain.
The atmosphere became somewhat somber.
...
"There's movement ahead, everyone be careful."
As they passed through a dense forest, a gust of wind sound entered Zhang Ergou's ears.
Heeding Zhang Ergou's warning, the members of the Scarlet Fire Demon Slaying Squad immediately tensed up.