Upon entering the castle, Lin Yun immediately spread his divine sense, scanning the various structures within.
Under his divine sense, he found nothing unusual, nor any signs of life in the castle. It seemed like an ordinary abandoned mansion.
The more normal it appeared, the more uneasy Lin Yun felt.
If it were truly an ordinary mansion, how could two Tribulation Realm cultivators have perished here?
As it was now dusk, the sky was darkening, and the castle was eerily silent. The only sound was the group’s footsteps.
“Everyone, look!” Si Yuanfu from the Primordial Gate pointed ahead.
Two bodies came into view!
About two hundred metres away, they lay on the plaza.
“These must be the two Tribulation Realm cultivators who entered,” Lin Yun murmured.
“This plaza doesn’t seem unusual. How… did they die?” Si Yuanfu exclaimed in shock.
The six instinctively halted.
The less visible the danger, the more uneasy they felt.
“Lin Yun, take the lead and scout ahead,” Bao Gang ordered.
Lin Yun’s brow furrowed slightly. “Why me?”
Wasn’t this clearly making him a shield, to face any danger first?
Bao Gang’s tone left no room for argument. “I’m the team leader. I don’t need a reason to assign you to the front! If you insist on one, it’s because your defence is strong, as everyone knows. It’s perfectly reasonable for you to lead.”
The other immortals remained silent, clearly preferring someone else to take the risk.
“Fine, I’ll go first,” Lin Yun said, moving forward without further argument.
“Lin Yun, I’ll go with you,” Mo Qing quickly stepped up, staying by his side.
“Mo Qing, come back! The danger ahead is unknown. Stay with your senior brother, and I’ll protect you!” Bao Gang shouted.
Lin Yun also spoke. “Mo Qing, stay behind.”
After all, he wasn’t sure what dangers lay ahead.
The unknown was the most unsettling.
“Lin Yun, we agreed to face life and death together,” Mo Qing said with a slight smile.
“Alright, together then,” Lin Yun returned a warm smile.
The two proceeded side by side.
“Junior Sister Mo Qing, come back!” Bao Gang called repeatedly, but Mo Qing showed no intention of turning back.
Ahead.
“Senior Sister, when you signed up for this exploration, you must have faced opposition and persuasion from the Shadow Hall, right?” Lin Yun asked as they walked.
“Yes, they didn’t want me to take the risk. The Shadow Hall sees me as a future pillar, but I was determined to come,” Mo Qing said.
“Because of me, I’ve put you in danger,” Lin Yun said.
Mo Qing smiled. “Not at all. This is a form of training. Risks and opportunities go hand in hand.”
As they spoke, they neared the bodies of the two fallen Tribulation Realm cultivators.
Lin Yun slowed his pace, gripping his Silver Peak Sword, fully alert for any sudden danger.
Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!
Suddenly, countless arrows formed of ice crystals shot from the left, their speed astonishing and their power terrifying, like a barrage of ten thousand arrows.
“Mo Qing, be careful!” Lin Yun shouted, swiftly swinging his sword to defend.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
His sword turned into a streak of light, slashing through the ice arrows.
Mo Qing also drew her sword, striking rapidly.
Moments later, the attack ceased.
Lin Yun and Mo Qing had blocked all the ice arrows.
“Senior Sister Mo Qing, are you hurt?” Lin Yun turned to ask.
“No, an attack like that can’t harm me,” Mo Qing said with a gentle smile, like a spring breeze.
“These ice arrows were quite powerful. Even an ordinary First Eternal Realm cultivator would struggle to handle them. I wonder who set this up,” Lin Yun remarked.
He approached the bodies of the two Tribulation Realm cultivators, collecting their weapons and storage rings.
Lin Yun could now tell they had likely died under the ice arrow attack, unable to withstand it with their strength.
“Senior Sister, this counts as a gain. This storage ring is yours,” Lin Yun said, offering one to Mo Qing.
“The resources of Tribulation Realm cultivators are substantial, but they don’t hold much value for me. You keep them,” Mo Qing said.
Immortals used Heaven-grade weapons and cultivated with Bright Moon Crystals. The Saint-grade weapons and Tribulation Pills of Tribulation Realm cultivators were useless for their cultivation, especially since Mo Qing had the Shadow Hall’s full support.
“Alright, I’ll take them then,” Lin Yun grinned, keeping both storage rings.
These spoils could be converted into Universe Crystals, which were useful to him.
“Senior Sister Mo Qing, let’s keep moving,” Lin Yun said, continuing forward with her.
After seeing that the ice arrow attack posed little threat, Bao Gang and the other four began advancing.
Lin Yun and Mo Qing crossed the plaza without encountering further danger, though they remained vigilant.
When Bao Gang’s group passed through the ice arrow zone, they also faced an attack but blocked it without injury.
By now, Lin Yun had reached the entrance to the castle’s main hall.
He didn’t enter immediately, instead waiting for Bao Gang and the others.
Soon, the four arrived.
“Lin Yun, hand over the storage rings you took from the two Tribulation Realm cultivators,” Bao Gang demanded, extending his hand with an authoritative tone.
“Why should I?” Lin Yun asked, looking at him.
“Those are the team’s spoils, to be shared among us. What, you plan to keep them all?” Bao Gang sneered.
“Mo Qing and I took the lead and faced the danger. These belong to us. She didn’t want hers, so they’re all mine,” Lin Yun said calmly.
“That’s not fair, Lin Yun,” Si Yuanfu from the Primordial Gate said.
“Exactly, Lin Yun. We all have roles in the team. You lead because of your strong defence. The spoils should be shared,” Gu Yangqiu from the Heavenly Qian Empire chimed in.
Si Yuanfu from the Primordial Gate and Gu Yangqiu from the Heavenly Qian Empire both voiced their agreement.
