Chapter 31: A Fragile Alliance

By this point, the affairs of the Gu family no longer mattered. What was important now was entering the forbidden grounds and letting each group claim what they needed.

The armed squad went in first. They were dressed in protective suits, carrying large canisters on their backs, and wielding strange spray guns. After they had been inside for a while, Gu Mingyu led her team forward. Zhang Kai followed at the rear.

Upon entering, the space suddenly opened up before them—a vast cavern within the mountain. The place was pitch dark, impenetrable by sight, but the advance party had already placed glowing objects here and there. These objects, each about the size of an egg, shone with a bright light, though it was unclear what they were made of. With dozens scattered around, the cavern was not as bright as daylight, but everything was now clearly visible.

They truly were well-prepared, Zhang Kai thought to himself, marveling at how organized action always seemed to have the upper hand over solo ventures. Still, he remained calm; organization was nothing compared to cheating fate itself.

As he was musing, a sudden flurry of whistling sounds erupted, accompanied by screams of pain. Arrows whizzed through the air—someone had triggered a trap. Zhang Kai snapped to attention and saw that several unlucky members of the scouting team had fallen. The others tried to retreat, but the arrows came thick and fast, impossible to outrun, and in moments, half the scouting party was wiped out.

Gu Mingyu’s group hurriedly halted, watching the situation with vigilance. The arrows shot out from a section of the cavern wall, though no one could tell what had triggered the mechanism. After a short while, the arrows ceased.

Gu Mingyu stepped forward to examine the scene, her expression grim. “These traps are terrifying. The arrows are no ordinary projectiles—crafted from spiritual metal, their penetrating power is exceptional. Even my specially made triple-layer high-fiber suit couldn’t withstand them.” She picked up an arrow to inspect it as she spoke.

“That’s hardly surprising,” replied Master Chongming. “After all, the one who took refuge here was the Lord of Long Ridge Mountain. As the ruler of an entire range, if nothing else, he would certainly have no shortage of spiritual materials.”

“But we’ve only just crossed the threshold. If there are a few more traps like this, none of us may survive,” Gu Mingyu said heavily.

“I think it’s best not to waste more manpower,” Twin Tails chimed in. “Since we each seek something here, we should all contribute. When exploring a forbidden ground, secret arts are the most effective and convenient. What do you all think?”

The group exchanged glances, but no one answered. Everyone had their own hidden cards, but those were their lifelines. With spiritual qi only just beginning to return, their power reserves were low—how many times could they use their secret arts? Who could guarantee that, after spending their strength now, they wouldn’t encounter something even more fearsome later?

“What’s this? All of you want the spoils but refuse to take risks? If that's the case, why bother working together? Now that we're inside, we might as well split up. Each should rely on their own skills—the treasures go to whoever claims them first.” Twin Tails sneered.

“If you say so, why don’t you lead the way? The demonic sect has thousands of years of heritage and countless secret arts. How about you show us what you’re made of?” Master Chongming retorted, his gaze meaningful.

Twin Tails’ eyes turned icy. “My killing arts are far more interesting—would you like to see them firsthand?”

“I fear you haven’t even established your foundation yet. Your secret arts may not be lethal enough,” Master Chongming replied coolly, squinting at her.

A chilling aura rose from Twin Tails—no one without a few lives on their hands could exude such murderous intent.

“Enough. We’re all here for cultivation—there’s no need for hostility,” Gu Mingyu stepped in to mediate. “Still, I think Tingting has a point. My team led the way, and as you all saw, we couldn’t even identify the traps, suffering heavy losses as a result. Time is short. If we keep holding back, we’ll all leave empty-handed.”

A heavy silence settled over the group.

“We should split up. Frankly, I don’t trust any of you,” the Bone Gate youth finally said, a mocking smile on his lips, especially as he glanced at Twin Tails and Master Chongming.

“And does the legendary Bone Gate, who crafts incenses from the bones of myriad spirits, have any right to judge others?” Master Chongming countered, clearly unwilling to back down.

“In that case, I’ll take my leave.” With that, the Bone Gate youth looked to the fortune-teller. “Old Zhou, let’s go.”

The fortune-teller sighed. “So be it. I wish you all success. Time is fleeting—do as you will.” He then looked at Zhang Kai. “Fellow Daoist Zhang, would you care to join us?”

“Fellow Daoist Zhang, I’d also like to invite you. Whatever others may do, I swear before the Great Way itself, I’ll advance and retreat with you, and if I harbor any ill intent, may I perish without a grave,” Gu Mingyu said decisively, cutting in as soon as she saw the fortune-teller extend his invitation. She looked at Zhang Kai with anticipation.

“I’ll say the same, Fellow Daoist Zhang. If nothing else, I’m willing to share all my gains with you,” Master Chongming added sincerely.

Zhang Kai: What the…?

He was utterly bewildered. One moment they were allies, dividing up the spoils; the next, they were splitting up, ready to go their separate ways. And now, most baffling of all, he had suddenly become the center of attention. Was his strength so obvious? Had they all seen through him?

Still, Zhang Kai was already on his guard. This group—none of them were trustworthy.

Their identities were questionable, and their words even more so.

So, Zhang Kai smiled and said, “I think I’d better act alone.”

“Fellow Daoist Zhang, you know little about this forbidden ground. Going solo is extremely dangerous,” the fortune-teller urged, frowning. He hadn’t expected Zhang Kai not to trust even him. This boy—was he really so suspicious? Did he think Old Zhou’s maneuvering against the others was all honeyed words and hidden daggers? Couldn’t he see the truth?

“It’s fine. I’m mainly here to broaden my horizons, maybe study the Lord of Long Ridge Mountain if the opportunity arises. As for treasures, I’m well aware of my own limits—they’ll all be heavily guarded anyway. I’m not like the rest of you,” Zhang Kai explained, his expression earnest.

The group laughed. No one believed a word.

This kid was the most mysterious of them all—completely unreadable. But he was definitely capable; that much was clear. His talisman-drawing skills proved it. Even with the return of spiritual qi, everyone’s power was still weak, their abilities limited. Drawing talismans might seem simple, but to master it so quickly after the spiritual revival was a feat few could match.

A cultivator like this—anyone who didn’t try to win him over would be a fool.

“If that’s your choice, take care, Fellow Daoist Zhang.” With that, the fortune-teller and the Bone Gate youth quickly left, disappearing deeper into the cavern. The space was vast and shrouded in darkness, with many possible passages—finding any treasures was as much a matter of luck as skill.

As they departed, Zhang Kai also turned to go in another direction, hoping to avoid further entanglement with Gu Mingyu’s group. After all, the gap in strength was clear—they would only drag him down.