Seeing everyone waiting quietly, Lan Xiaobu and Ni Jiansheng joined them in silence after arriving.
Two days later, another dozen or so monks showed up, and a burly, bearded man stepped forward. “Friends, we’ve got enough people. Let’s make a plan and get started.”
“Agreed, it’s time to move. But first, we need a leader, or we’re just a scattered mess,” a pale-skinned male monk added.
“I nominate Brother Guang. He’s been Ninth Turn for years and outshines me in array mastery,” a lean monk said, his aura marking him as another Ninth Turn powerhouse.
The pale-skinned monk nodded, “I back Brother Guang to lead.”
Others chimed in, agreeing. Lan Xiaobu didn’t know this “Brother Guang,” but his focus was Breath Soil, not who led, it didn’t matter to him. With Breath Soil, his Dark Wood fragment could survive, maybe even sprout. His Longevity Dao Tree could gain a new darkness law.
The bearded man spoke, “Since you all choose me, Guang Ping, I’ll take the lead on breaking this realm. First, let’s set up a defensive array outside. With enough of us here, latecomers shouldn’t join. Why should they swoop in after we’ve cracked the array, reaping the rewards?”
“Absolutely agree,” the crowd echoed. No one wanted to split their haul further.
Under Guang Ping’s direction, they quickly built a strong defensive array. Lan Xiaobu didn’t sit it out, casually crafting a few array flags to reinforce it, though his contribution was minor.
The array hit peak ninth-grade divine level, proof of Guang Ping’s skill. Lan Xiaobu noticed he’d also etched a trap-kill array, ready to trigger anytime.
He wasn’t the only one who spotted it, but no one cared, and neither did he. Facing a crowd of Ninth Turn and below Saints, he didn’t even bother with his ruleless array flags.
Once the array was set, Guang Ping said, satisfied, “Some didn’t pitch in, but since I said everyone here’s a partner, I won’t hold it against them.”
Lan Xiaobu thought, what a sham. Saying he wouldn’t target anyone meant he definitely would.
“But when we divide the loot, I hope those who worked get first pick,” Guang Ping added, baring his true intent.
Only a dozen hadn’t helped, and with Guang Ping’s words, they stayed quiet. They’d felt their array skills were too weak to join in with Ninth Turn Saints.
No one objected, so Guang Ping nodded, “Since we’re aligned, next up, loot distribution after we crack the Nether Lord’s hidden world.”
Everyone hushed, many had specific targets in mind.
Guang Ping continued, “The Nether Lord’s got plenty of treasures. I hear he once snagged nearly a thousand chaos divine spirit veins…”
Gasps rippled through, even Lan Xiaobu sucked in a breath. A thousand chaos divine spirit veins? He’d thought himself richer than most Ninth Turn Saints with the 108 from the Abandoned God Abyss, what was a thousand?
Most monks, even Ninth Turn Saints, dealt in top-grade divine spirit veins, chaos ones were rare.
Lan Xiaobu’s mind stirred, if he could snag Breath Soil and some chaos veins, that’d be sweet.
His stash of top-grade veins was mountainous, but he’d burned through many of the chaos ones from the abyss. At his level, regular top-grade veins were less useful, chaos ones still packed a punch, tied to his Origin Dao, born from himself, perfect for his cultivation.
As for splitting with this crowd, he didn’t sweat it. Crack the realm, and it’s finders keepers.
Guang Ping went on, “Besides chaos veins, the Nether Lord’s big prize is the Nether Dao Scroll, though it might not be here, just a maybe. Then there’s Breath Soil, likely the world’s top treasure. I’m sure it’s here.”
Murmurs broke out. Guang Ping waited for them to die down, “But Breath Soil won’t be much, maybe fist-sized, enough for one, three at most. So, dividing it’s the real issue.”
“No issue, once we’re in, it’s finders keepers,” a young male monk said.
Eyes turned to him. Lan Xiaobu admired the guy, just a Sixth Turn Saint, but bold.
Lan Xiaobu bet Guang Ping would snap at him. Guang Ping knew it was finders keepers, raising the issue meant he, as leader, wanted a claim. Lan Xiaobu smirked, leader or not, even if Guang Ping cracked the world solo, he’d still fight for Breath Soil.
“Your way, effort doesn’t matter, it’s all luck for the good stuff? Those who worked hardest get screwed?” Guang Ping sneered at the Sixth Turn monk, voice dripping with disdain.
“A measly Sixth Turn, what’s he doing here?” the lean Ninth Turn who’d backed Guang Ping snorted, his domain surging toward the young monk.
The Sixth Turn wasn’t weak, his domain held firm against the Ninth Turn’s pressure despite the gap.
“Huh, not bad, no wonder he’s mouthing off,” the lean monk said, his aura spiking, ready to strike.
The young monk’s face tightened, he’d blocked the domain, but in raw power, he was no match for a Ninth Turn.
Then a lazy voice cut in, “Did he say anything wrong? Who worked harder, I didn’t see? Being leader means more effort? Step down, let someone else try. We all pitch in, so it’s finders keepers. What, you want others to hand you their loot? Why not hire a nanny to spoon-feed you?”
The blunt words stunned the crowd, eyes locking on the speaker, another young monk, younger than the Sixth Turn.
It was Lan Xiaobu. Ni Jiansheng stared, shocked. He’d known Lan Xiaobu wasn’t simple, stopping a Ninth Turn like him to chat, but this bold, calling out not just one Ninth Turn, but Guang Ping too?
“Who are you?” Guang Ping fixed on Lan Xiaobu.
Lan Xiaobu said coolly, “Who I am doesn’t matter. I worked on the array, and when we break this realm, no one’s taking what I find, that’s all.”
The lean monk frowned, eyeing Lan Xiaobu, sensing him as First Turn one moment, Ninth the next, unable to pin him down. Unsure, he held back.
Lan Xiaobu waited for Guang Ping to snap, another Ninth Turn world to claim.
To his surprise, Guang Ping just paused, then laughed, “Fine, some disagree, so we’ll do as this friend says, everyone works, finders keepers.”
Lan Xiaobu wasn’t shocked, he and the Sixth Turn spoke for the crowd’s interest. Guang Ping, strong as he was, couldn’t take on a hundred.
“Let’s do this, the array’s gotta be broken by force,” Guang Ping said, ignoring Lan Xiaobu, pulling out a heavy long saber.
Everyone knew he wasn’t ignoring Lan Xiaobu, if Lan Xiaobu grabbed Breath Soil, Guang Ping would be the first to jump him. Without it, talk was pointless.
As Guang Ping unleashed his treasure, others followed, Dao charms flared, divine techniques blasted the foggy void ahead.
Lan Xiaobu raised his Longevity Halberd, but his eyes caught a gray-robed monk, unremarkable, yet his Dao aura felt familiar. In a breath, Lan Xiaobu knew, this was the Nether Saint himself.
