Chapter Twenty-Two: Walking Out Safely

  After a piece of dark fog blurred, several people's eyes suddenly lit up, and they finally walked out of this strange space.

  The outermost dark temple is actually just an illusion, but inside it's a vast space of unknown size.

  "I'd rather die than come to this damned place again" Zhang Yi wiped the sweat from his forehead, gazing at the majestic dark fantasy palace in front of him, which seemed to pierce the clouds like a specter. Thinking back to what had happened earlier, he still felt some lingering fear.

  This place, where life-threatening danger lurks at all times is secondary, what's most terrifying are the unknown creatures and unheard-of strange phenomena that exist here, which are a kind of perverted torture to people's minds.

  "Zhan Qi let out a long sigh and pressed his lips tightly together, as if even hearing this place would leave a shadow in one's heart."

  Zhan Xiu let out a breath, and his tense nerves relaxed slightly. Listening to his father's words, he raised his eyes and glanced at Ling Wushuang beside him, saying with a smile: "I'm afraid there won't be such an opportunity in the future."

  If it weren't for Wudang being there, even if they found the place, they wouldn't be able to enter safely. Even if they were lucky enough to get in, they would only take a few steps before becoming a pile of white bones.

  Just thinking about the countless white skeletons in that massive pit made Warzone's scalp tingle with numbness.

  At this time, they had already walked out of the outermost dark illusion temple, still in this space filled with dead air, but compared to the terrifying situation inside, some strange creatures they encountered outside were nothing unusual.

  "Roar——"

  In the dark and mysterious temple, a strange and eerie howl suddenly echoed, but it seemed to be suppressed by something, and only lasted for a moment. The gray area was calm again, and the silence returned as usual.

  "What is this sound?" Zhang Yi, as a high-ranking saint, was only affected by the sound that seemed to be coming from nowhere, and his legs went soft, unable to help but exclaim, "It's also too frightening!"

  Luckily they ran fast, otherwise, who knows what would have happened?

  Ling Wushuang also shrank her head, instinctively telling her that the dead objects and unknown creatures behind her had revived, but seemed to be stunned by something powerful, which is why they didn't swarm out.

  Ling Wushuang shook his head and didn't think much about it. He quickly waved his hand and said, "Let's hurry up and leave this place."

  Those puppets that attacked them before were at most divine, but now, it's likely that some king-level puppets have awakened, or perhaps there are some unknown powerful creatures, who knows what other ghostly things, if she had hesitated for just one more step, she would have been done for.

  "Come on, what are you still dazing around for? Hurry up and leave this haunted place, that's the real deal." Zhang Yi nodded in agreement.

  No one dared to stay for a moment, and quickly walked out towards the outside.

  "Not right!" Ling Wu Xiang suddenly stopped after taking a few steps forward, "What's going on?"

  She hastily turned her gaze to the distant horizon, but the dark phantom palace that should have been not far behind them had already disappeared without a trace. The pulling force in her mind also gradually receded, pointing to the obscure and distant sky.

  "What's wrong?" Zhan Xiu also looked puzzled, following her gaze to the back, but saw nothing, and was only stunned for a moment, without much surprise, as if he had already gotten used to such a strange situation.

  "Nothing much." Ling Wu Xiang shook her head thoughtfully, not saying anything more. However, she raised her hand and with a flip, an icy blue light flashed, and a beautifully crafted ice staff appeared in her hand.

  A blue-green light emanated from one end of the ice rod, flowing like a wave to the other end, flashing with a dazzling brilliance.

  "What's going on?" Ling Wu also felt puzzled. Everything was already in hand, but why did that familiar tug in his mind still exist?

  The thing in front of him, although it had the same breath as Qianli Qianfu, but the distant pull seemed to be stronger than the thing in his hand. Was this a fake? At this time, Ling Wushuang was also unsure.

  "Whatever." Ling Wu Xuan flicked her lips, not delving deeper into the matter. She flipped her hand and retrieved the icy-colored staff. At this point, going back would only lead to certain death. She hadn't lived long enough to be fed up with life yet. Maybe when she was stronger in the future, she could go back and investigate again.

  "Right, Unparalleled" War Repairs finally had the chance to ask, "What was it that you just suppressed in your Cauldron?"

  In the peerless treasure tripod, it was definitely locked with something. Looking at the movement, it seemed like... However, he soon denied the idea in his heart, and it should be some kind of treasure.

  "It's nothing, just two Death God puppets." Ling Wusuo's casual remark caused the people around him to stumble at the same time.

  "What did you say?!" Zhang Yi's uncle was so shocked that he exaggeratedly sat down on the ground with a thud.

  "Death God Puppet!?" War Qi's eyes bulged like a frog, pointing at Ling Wu Xuan with an extremely comical expression on his face. As the tribe leader, who was always calm and composed, he couldn't help but exclaim, "Wu Xuan, you actually brought that ghost thing out!"

  That's a divine puppet, equivalent to a mindless killing machine. If it gets out of control, who can stop it!?

  "Unmatched......" War's brow also dripped with cold sweat, his resolute and handsome face twisted slightly, revealing an expression of being at a loss for words, "You really can do anything."

  He will eventually be scared out of his wits by this No. 2 guy and die, the Death Puppet is not a kitten or puppy, he dares to catch it.

  Ling Wushuang coughed dryly and rubbed his nose tip with a sheepish expression, "Just happened to be convenient, just happened to be convenient"

  Zhang Yi's face turned bright red as he stood up, patted his butt, and gave Ling Wushuang a "who would believe you" look. Ling Wushuang's mouth twitched slightly, and he shrugged nonchalantly.

  Along the way, several people looked at Ling Wu Shuang with an eerie gaze, each one stranger than the last, keeping as much distance from her as possible.

  Looking at the strange eyes of several people, Ling Wushuang was very helpless, with dense black lines on her face. Was it so terrifying? How did she feel that she had become a dangerous element tied up with explosives.

  After a long journey, a faint green glow appeared on the dark horizon, indicating that they had entered the normal zone of Lu Ri Forest.

  Finally safe. Zhan Xiu let out a deep breath, revealing the first relaxed smile since entering this haunted place, like someone in the desert seeing an oasis.

  "I really can't believe it, I actually walked out of this place alive" Zhang Yi sighed repeatedly, his already bearded face now looking like a wild man's, with only his eyes moving rapidly outside. Ling Wushuang and others were not much better off, looking rather disheveled.

  "Squad leader, you're back!"

  Unexpectedly, many people still lingered around this week and had not left. Some of the vagabond tribe saw a few people walking far away and were excited to surround them. After waiting for so long, no one came back safely, and they really feared that something would happen.

  "Captain, Young Master"

  "Musou, you've finally returned"

  Hong Shu also smiled and waved in greeting, "Ling Wu Shuang".

  "Squad leader, how did you end up like this?" Hong Shu looked at the disheveled figures before him with puzzlement. Having safely entered and returned by the same route, he wouldn't have thought that Zhan Qi and the others would encounter such great danger.

  I'm still feeling a bit shaken, thinking back on it now, I'm still a little scared. But at the moment, my mood is quite good. "This old body of mine almost ended up here, from now on, no matter where I go, I won't come back to this place again."

  Hong Shu was taken aback, and saw the puzzled eyes of everyone on him. He couldn't help but laugh and said, "Let's go, we'll talk more inside the tent."

  A group of people walked towards the main tent, and Zhang Yi and others briefly told them about what they had seen and heard in recent days. Just listening to it made the crowd who didn't follow them in feel a chill run down their spine, and at the same time, they were relieved that they had returned in time.

  However, about Ling Wu's acquisition of something in the Dark Temple, or some strange phenomena on her body, under her indication, Zhan Qi and others kept their mouths shut and lightly skipped over it.

  And as for the death of Yao Sheng and others, from start to finish, they didn't mention it at all, which means they had never met Yao Sheng.

  "What kind of place is this, it's really too terrifying" Hong Shu was shocked and speechless for a long time, unable to recover. The thick death energy that could instantly destroy the body and spirit of a Saint-level expert, the deadly terrain where one wrong step would leave no bones behind, the strange and eerie dead creatures...

  It was unheard of, and upon hearing it, his back felt a chill.

  "However, the treasures inside are not few. The things we've obtained this time, I'm afraid, are more than what our nomadic tribe had accumulated over the past several decades." Zhan Xiuzhen stood behind him, a hint of a smile floating on her face.

  Not to mention, the things they got from the entire tribe before, just talking about what they got in the Dark Temple, are all precious treasures that can't be found outside. He even picked a handy divine weapon.

  "Haha, this is indeed!" Zhang Yi burst out laughing.

  In their haste, they searched for some treasures, fearing that even one in a million might not be found. Thinking of this, Zhang Yi couldn't help but feel a pang of pain, however, he also knew the truth that people should not be greedy, being able to come out alive was already the best outcome.

  Ling Wushuang also smiled, and only then did she remember the main purpose of this trip. She turned to look at Zhan Qi beside her and calmly opened her mouth: "Commander Zhan, I have something I'd like to discuss with you."

  Originally wanted to win over the vagabond tribe, but didn't expect that there would be such a twist, however the harvest was not small.

  "Unmatched Ling, what's on your mind?" After so many days of interaction, Zhan Yi and others had already regarded Ling Wusuo as one of their own.

  "It's come to this, then I won't beat around the bush either" Ling Wu Xuan's red lips curled up as she opened her mouth and said: "I, as the leader of the four major families, sincerely invite the Warlord to join the four major families"

  Ling Wu's face was smiling, but when Zhan Qi heard her words, he slightly furrowed his brow. If someone else had said this sentence, with Zhan Qi's straightforward and unpretentious personality, they would have probably been slapped in the face and told to leave.

  "..." Zhang Yi also furrowed his thick black eyebrows in distress.

  They are a nomadic tribe, wandering in the forest of sunset. They have been free for so long that they never buy into any power, not even the royal families of various countries. They do not fear anyone and naturally have no intention of joining any power.

  Zhan Xiu was taken aback and hadn't expected Ling Wushuang to come up with such an idea, but he remained expressionless, as if waiting for Ling Wushuang's next words.

  Ling Wushuang glanced at the expressions of several people, and smiled slightly before continuing: "Of course, my intention is not to have the Wanderer Tribe be incorporated into the four major families' sphere of influence."

  Zhan Qi had a meaning to listen on, he sat back in the main tent's high position, the majesty of the team leader suddenly appeared without remainder. He raised his eyes and looked towards Ling Wu Shuang in front, laughing out loud, "Little girl, you say something."

  At this time, as the leader of the vagabond tribe, Zhan Qi naturally had to consider the interests of the tribe first, but at the same time, he also gave Ling Wushuang an unusual friendship.

  "The Vagabond Tribe is still an independent group, listed as a guest tribe of the Four Great Families. The scattered cultivators of the tribe can enjoy the treatment of the Four Great Families' disciples. However, when the Four Great Families have orders, they also hope that the Vagabond Tribe will be able to unite and cooperate."

  Ling Wusuo's concise and precise words conveyed her meaning very clearly.

  "...like this..." Zhan Qi pursed his lips and fell into thought, seemingly considering Ling Wu's proposal. At this time, someone beside him, who was also in a high position within the Wanderer Tribe, spoke up first, "I don't know what conditions you have, Miss Ling, to make our Wanderer Tribe become the guest team of the four major families."

  His words were sharp and piercing, but he didn't mean to be deliberately difficult.

  "Yes, the Wanderer Tribe has always been independent, joining the Four Great Clans' Guest Keqing Team..." Some people around also gradually spoke up.

  "As far as I know, the Wanderer's Tribe is indeed the largest tribe of scattered cultivators, but it's not the only one." Ling Wu Xiang's calm smile and slow words drew everyone's attention in the main tent to her.

  "If I had the financial backing of the four major families, I think it's only a matter of time before we can merge many small tribes, including the Iron Wolf Tribe, under our flag. Believe me, I have a way to make this happen." Ling Wusuo's last sentence made Zhan Xiu laugh out loud, he really wondered if there was anything she couldn't do.

  "And the wandering tribe scattered cultivators in my mouth, enjoy the same treatment as the four major family disciples. I'm afraid that each of you is not very clear." Ling Wu Xiang smiled faintly and looked at Zhan Qi, as well as several elder-level figures beside him.

  "The little friend, please speak." Several elders looked at each other and were also somewhat curious.

  Ling Wusuo smiled calmly, "As a forest hunter, I think what you need most is healing and auxiliary pellets. As a disciple of the four major families, as long as you have the ability, you can get the pellets you want with your strength. And for healing pellets, every year, I can provide 20,000 to the Wanderer tribe, this quantity, only more not less."

  When the three words of "two million" came out of Ling Wu's red lips, several elders were shocked and stood up from their chairs one after another. Zhan Qi's face stiffened, apparently stunned on the spot.

  "Peerless, this..." Zhan Xi opened his eyes wide, how could he say something like that?!

  Musō is an alchemist. He believes that's not wrong, and even if she's a bit excessive, let's just say she's a sacred medicine master, refining heavenly heart dan and other healing dan medicines, at most only dozens of dan can be made at once. Although he's not an alchemist, this common sense, he still has it.

  20,000 pills, and what's more, 20,000 pills every year. Unparalleled is about to take out all the elixirs that have been refined for several years!

  "Zhan Ge, don't you believe what I'm saying?" Ling Wushuang's eyebrows slightly raised, smiling very relaxedly at the few people, as if giving them a process to accept.

  Twenty thousand simple healing pellets were nothing more than a half-day's work for her with the Shen Nong Ding in hand.

  "Believe" was just a slight consideration, but Zhan Xiu nodded and gave a firm word.

  Although what Ling Wusuo said was hard to accept and beyond their understanding, based on the time War Repairs had spent with him, he couldn't help but twitch his mouth corners - this guy wasn't someone who spoke empty words.

  Of course, there is another situation that needs to be ruled out, which is when she is deceiving people... but apparently, he should not, might not be the kind of person that Wudang wants to deal with.

  Ling Wushuang looked at Zhan Xiou entangled for a long time, finally settling with an exceptionally firm gaze, the corners of his mouth twitched slightly, did he really trust her that much? Ling Wushuang reached out to touch the tip of his nose, wouldn't that mean in the future he would sell him out and even help count the money himself?

  "This is too scary"

  "With strength, you can obtain auxiliary boost dan medicine, and every year, you can also get 20,000 healing system dan medicine!"

  ……

  Jian Zhan Xu and Zhan Qi both nodded slowly, confirming the truth of Ling Wu Shuang's words. The several elders and others in the tent were no longer calm, facing such a huge temptation, not many people could remain calm, although they didn't intend to yield, but they all wavered.

  Ling Wushuang took in everyone's expressions, giving them a long time to compose themselves before opening his mouth to ask: "Warlord, what do you think of my proposal?"

  Zhan Qi pursed his lips and remained silent, raising his eyes to meet Ling Wu's gaze with a blank expression. After a long while, he suddenly smiled, his expression seemingly helpless and compromising. "You little girl, you really have us in the palm of your hand. You've set such conditions, how can I not agree?"

  "The leader of the war group is indeed a straightforward person" Ling Wu Xiang smiled faintly, as if he had already expected the outcome.

  "Uh-huh, I think it's feasible." Several elders also nodded in agreement with Zhan Qi's idea. For their nomadic tribe, the temptation was just too great.

  "But this is also a bit scary, I have some doubts, can the four big families really offer such conditions?" Of course, there are also people who expressed skepticism about this.

  Ling Wushuang didn't get angry, and patiently replied: "Please rest assured, elders. The conditions I promised, naturally not one will be missing." As he spoke, Ling Wushuang's wrist lightly turned, and a small, lacquered red box appeared on the case table in front of Zhan Qi.

  Everyone looked at Ling Wusuo's eyes, somewhat puzzled.

  "This is the 20,000 Tianxin Dan I have prepared" Ling Wushuang's words, as light as a cloud and gentle as a breeze, shocked several elders to the point of jumping up, quickly approaching the lacquered red box while everyone's eyes stayed fixed on it.

  A small vermilion wooden box was opened, and a faint fragrance wafted out, filling the entire spacious tent, making everyone feel refreshed and invigorated.

  "As expected, it's Tian Xin Dan" Afterwards, several elders around him continuously exclaimed in shock.

  Inside the small, crimson-lacquered wooden box, neatly arranged, were one hundred slender, celadon-glazed porcelain bottles. Each bottle was filled to the brim with two hundred silver-white medicinal pills, their lustrous color and refreshing fragrance unmistakably indicating that they were top-grade, curative elixirs - Heaven's Heart Pills!

  "Peerless, you've even prepared for this." Zhan Qi's face was a picture of resignation, his smile tinged with helplessness. "Looks like you've been planning this for a long time."

  Ling Wushuang chuckled twice and did not refute, her purpose of this trip was to make the vagabond tribe become a guest team of the four major families, there's nothing that can't be acknowledged.

  Zhan Qi laughed and let out a long sigh, reaching out to pat the red lacquer wooden box in front of him. "If someone else had proposed such conditions, I'm not sure I would have agreed either."

  Material temptation was not enough to make him abandon his principles, let the vagabond tribe be bound, if it were someone else, he would definitely not agree.

  But this person is Ling Wushuang, she has saved the lives of thousands of people in the Flowing Drifter tribe time and again. This time, with such a huge gain, he can safely leave that strange area, all thanks to Wushuang's efforts. Most importantly, after getting to know her over this period of time, he saw almost endless potential in this little girl!

  It was all this that made him choose to trust without hesitation, and the 16- or 17-year-old girl in front of him could still bring what kind of miracle?

  Ling Wusuo calmly understood the meaning of Ling Qi's words, hooked his lips and smiled lightly, and replied: "If it were someone else, I might not have been able to propose such a condition."

  It's because of her understanding during this period of time and also because it's worth it that she would treat him with such sincerity.

  Zhan Qi was stunned for a moment, and then burst out laughing. This little girl really suited his taste.

  "But you little girl, are quite calculating"

  He couldn't help but admire Wú Duō's (Unparalleled) deep strategic thinking. Although from these conditions, no matter how you look at it, the nomadic tribe seems to be taking advantage of them, but in reality and from another perspective, she is actually using resources to cultivate her own power. The things she provided make a guest minister who follows the four major family rules stronger, which is beneficial for herself with no drawbacks.

  Ling Wushuang coughed dryly and laughed with a poker face, but he had already seen through all of this.

  "You," Zhan Qi stretched out his hand and pointed at Ling Wu Shuang, laughing somewhat helplessly, with a hint of doting tone in his words.

  However, it takes two to tango, and no one is forcing anyone, which is indeed not easy.

  "Unmatched, so that's what you were after all along!" War Repairs gaze returned from the entire box of Tian Xin Dan, looking at Ling Wu Suo, his stern face revealing a hint of a smile, jokingly saying: "If I had known your purpose earlier, I'm afraid I would have ditched you halfway."

  Is this an invitation for a wolf to enter his home?

  "But in the end, Big Brother Zhan still brought me here, didn't he?" Ling Wushuang's eyebrows slightly rose.

  Zhan Xiu had already lost count of how many times he had made a crying-laughing expression, and patted Ling Wushuang's shoulder twice. "Whatever you set your sights on, it's probably impossible to escape, but being calculated by you, is that an honor for us or not?"

  Ling Wushuang's mouth twitched slightly, and the two of them exchanged a glance before bursting out laughing.