This was the White Tiger Domain—a place bathed in blood, ruled by violence, and devoid of mercy. Here, killings happened every day. No one cared who lived or died. Unless you had a powerful enough backing, your life meant nothing more than dust in the wind.
Lin Feng Qiang looked down at the ragged group before him, his expression mocking. "This is the White Tiger Domain," he said coldly, his voice sharp and clear. "Here, strength is everything. If you don't have the power or someone strong behind you, you're nothing but meat for the slaughter."
He narrowed his eyes and let a smirk crawl up his face. "And since we're talking about luck, I'd say this isn't your lucky day. But who knows... if you happen to contribute something valuable when we get what we came for, you might be allowed to pick at the scraps we throw away. That is... if any of you are still breathing when this is all over."
The words sounded cruel, but in the eyes of those desperate cultivators, they carried a sliver of hope. Even if it was just crumbs, it meant survival.
Lin Feng Qiang saw it—the flicker of hope in their eyes. His smile turned twisted. Slowly, he turned his gaze toward Ling Hui, who was still kneeling on the ground, one knee dug into the dirt, blood trailing down the side of his mouth.
Not a single cultivator from the Dustless Sword Sect moved to help him. They stood indifferent, watching. This was the cultivation world. The weak were prey, and the strong took what they wanted. Showing compassion was considered a weakness. Ling Hui's suffering was nothing more than background noise.
He reached for his storage bag, hoping to retrieve a healing pill for himself, but just then, a voice echoed through the cavern.
"It seems the rumors are true. The Purple Cloud Sect really doesn't value human lives at all, does it?"
The voice was beautiful, melodic—like wind chimes touched by a gentle breeze. It echoed softly yet carried an authority that made everyone pause.
Cultivators stiffened. Who could possess such a beautiful yet commanding voice?
"Who's there?!" Lin Feng Qiang snapped, instantly turning in the direction the voice had come from. His voice roared like a beast provoked. "Come out!"
He didn't care how pleasant the voice sounded. Anyone who dared question his authority was courting death.
The surrounding cultivators instinctively stepped aside, clearing a path. The tension thickened.
Through the gap, a woman stepped forward at a steady, unhurried pace. She was followed by five others—three men and two women—all of them walking with their heads held high. Their eyes were filled with disdain as they scanned the gathered cultivators, as though they were merely insects buzzing around a treasure.
The woman in front, however, drew everyone's attention. Her beauty was breathtaking—comparable to, if not surpassing, that of Ying Zi Yi and Liu Yi Lin. Her long black hair flowed behind her like a silk ribbon caught in an unseen current, and her ethereal aura set her apart from anyone else present.
"I see I'm not too late to the party," she said with a faint smile.
Lin Feng Qiang blinked. Then recognition hit him. "Miss Zhao Yu Xuan!" he exclaimed, quickly replacing his scowl with a respectful smile. "I didn't realize it was you."
"Of course not, Mister Lin," Zhao Yu Xuan said casually, barely glancing at him for more than a second before turning her gaze elsewhere.
That second of attention—and the immediate withdrawal of it—made Lin Feng Qiang's smile falter. He clenched his fists at his sides. Once again, he had been brushed off like an annoying fly.
Ming Yu Han stepped forward, his tone overly polite. "Miss Zhao, what brings such an esteemed guest to this humble place?"
Before she could answer, one of her followers spoke. "Naturally, Senior Sister is here for the herb."
"But isn't Miss Zhao the daughter of the Vice Sect Master of the Willow Leaf Sect?" Ming Yu Han questioned aloud. "With a background like that, how could she be here fighting over herbs in a cave?"
Zhao Yu Xuan's eyes flashed. "Mister Ming," she said, her tone suddenly sharper. "Don't try to mislead me with words. I heard that the herbs inside this cave are a lot. The herb worth my attention is extremely rare—something that even high elders would covet. I'm not interested in the rest, but the one guarded by the two demonic beasts... that one is mine."
Her tone was commanding, leaving no room for negotiation. Her status clearly dwarfed the others.
Even though Ming Yu Han and Lin Feng Qiang were geniuses of their sects, and had some level of talent, when it came to true power and influence, they fell short of Zhao Yu Xuan. Her presence was like a queen among generals.
"Miss Zhao," Ming Yu Han said, carefully choosing his words, "your status is indeed great. But surely, you understand that the herb inside belongs to no one. It will go to whoever can claim it."
"Of course," she replied smoothly. "Then let's see who has the strength to take it."
She smiled. It was elegant and cold—and it sent a wave of regret down Ming Yu Han's spine.
How could he forget that even among the prodigies of great sects, there were those like Zhao Yu Xuan—disciples of the Willow Leaf Sect, famed for their peerless speed—moving like wind-blown shadows, always a step ahead and far beyond the reach of ordinary cultivators?
The others also gave him sour looks.
"Cough... Lin Feng Qiang," Ming Yu Han said quickly, changing the subject. "What's the plan? Don't just stand there."
"Hmph!" Lin Feng Qiang scoffed, but chose not to argue. His eyes turned back to Ling Hui, who still knelt. This time, he reached into his storage bag and pulled out a small jade vial sealed with a cork.
He opened it and drew out a yellow pill. "Take this," he said, tossing it to Ling Hui. "It's a mid yellow-tier pill. It should help heal most of your wounds."
Ling Hui caught the pill with reverent hands. "Thank you, Lord! I won't let you down!"
"Hurry up and heal. I need you to lead the weaker cultivators as bait."
"Yes, Lord!" Ling Hui immediately swallowed the pill and sat cross-legged to absorb its effects.
Someone nearby let out a mocking chuckle. "Lin Feng Qiang, you really gave away a mid yellow-tier pill? Are you feeling generous today, or just so confident your trap will work?"
"Hmph. Do you think I did that for free?" Lin Feng Qiang sneered. "Five percent of all herbs harvested will be mine. Anyone have objections?"
"No, of course not," Ying Zi Yi said with a cold smile. "Unlike you, we're not rich enough to throw pills around. I suppose only Miss Zhao can afford to treat mid-tier pills like candy."
All eyes turned to Zhao Yu Xuan.
"I've already said—I'm only here for the herb guarded by the demonic beasts," she replied, unfazed.
"Then it's settled," Lin Feng Qiang said proudly. "I take five percent more."
An hour passed.
Ling Hui opened his eyes and stood up. "Lord! My injuries are mostly healed. I can proceed without issue."
"Good. You and Lang Feng, the leader of the Wolf Mercenary Group, will lead the charge with no less than 20 of the surrounding cultivators. Draw the beasts' attention while we go for the herb. You're in charge."
"Yes, Lord!" Ling Hui said with renewed vigor.
Lin Feng Qiang turned to Lang Feng.
The mercenary leader's face twisted with frustration, but when he looked back at his group—seeing the fear in their eyes—he understood they had no choice.
He stepped forward, bowed, and forced a smile. "Yes, Lord. The Wolf Mercenary Group is at your service."
"You've made a wise choice," Lin Feng Qiang said, smiling at last. "Now go. For complying, the rest of your mercenaries can stay behind. It would be unwise for them to die needlessly—they're still useful to me in the coming days. Go and gather the surrounding cultivators. Make sure they follow your lead."
"Yes, Lord!" the two leaders shouted, rallying their groups and heading out to assemble the others.
Lin Feng Qiang turned to his sect members. "Liu Yi Lin and I will enter the cave. The rest of you stay behind. You're still in the Qi Condensation Realm. It's too dangerous inside."
"Yes, Senior Brother!" they answered without hesitation.
Ming Yu Han addressed his people. "I'll go in with Zi Yi. The rest of you remain outside. Guard the entrance."
"Yes, Senior Brother!" came the response.
Zhao Yu Xuan looked at her followers. "Only I will enter. Nothing must go wrong out here."
"But..."
"Enough. I said I'll be fine. Follow my orders."
"Yes, Senior Sister."
Moments later, Ling Hui returned.
"My Lord, everything is ready. The cultivators are assembled and awaiting orders."
"Excellent." Lin Feng Qiang's gaze turned toward the cavern's depths. "Make sure they follow us closely. It's time."
The reason each group left cultivators outside was simple—no one truly trusted one another.
Although they were cooperating for now, betrayal could come at any moment.
By stationing their sect members at the entrance, they ensured two things: a deterrent against opportunistic outsiders, and a layer of protection in case the others turned on them once the treasure was found.
"Please be careful, Sister…" Ling Xin Yi said softly, her eyes filled with worry as she looked at her elder sibling