“Haha, you may have dealt with the demons, but the demon crystals are still in your hands!” An old man with white hair from the opposing team laughed.
At those words, Lin Yun and his four teammates felt a jolt in their hearts.
It was now clear, this group was indeed looking to rob them.
“Lin Yun, what do we do?” Captain Zhou Bocheng leaned toward Lin Yun, whispering.
Though he was the captain, during their time hunting demons in the mountains, Lin Yun had consistently made decisive calls in tough situations.
Lin Yun had gradually become the team’s backbone.
At this moment, Lin Yun’s teammates were visibly panicked and at a loss.
The opposing side had superior numbers and strength.
In the border, being robbed or killed by other teams was all too common.
Their lives might well end at the hands of this group.
Having faced countless dangers across the cultivation continent, Lin Yun had seen far worse, so he remained composed.
Lin Yun clasped his hands behind his back and said, “Fellow cultivators, the border mountains are full of demon crystals. You can hunt your own. Why covet ours? We’re all human, why fight among ourselves?”
“Haha, relax. Given your impressive performance just now, hand over the demon crystals, and we won’t take your lives,” the white-haired old man said with a smile.
Lin Yun’s gaze sharpened. “Sorry, these are our spoils!”
A young man in the centre of the group, dressed in a pristine brocade robe, stepped forward, holding a folding fan. “Hand them over, and they become our spoils. Refuse, and we kill you, making them ours anyway.”
His attire, spotless and unfit for border combat, and his domineering, arrogant words stood out.
The old man grew impatient. “Our young master has spoken. Hand them over, or do we have to kill you and take them?”
As he spoke, the old man unleashed a powerful aura.
Tongtian realm!
Indeed, this old man was a Tongtian realm cultivator.
“Tongtian realm?”
Lin Yun’s teammates, sensing this aura, were struck with fear.
They never imagined the opposing side would have a Tongtian realm cultivator.
Typically, Tongtian realm cultivators didn’t appear in this area.
They sought higher-level prey deeper in the border.
The demons here were beneath their notice.
Lin Yun quickly realised this Tongtian realm cultivator was a bodyguard for the young man in the brocade robe.
This young man likely had a significant background, able to command such a large group, including a Tongtian realm protector, allowing him to dominate this area without fear for his life.
“Lin Yun, a wise man doesn’t court danger. Let’s just hand them over,” Zhou Bocheng said.
“Yeah, let’s give them up. We can always hunt more crystals as long as we live. If we die, we lose everything.”
“Leave the green hills, and you’ll never lack firewood.”
The other three teammates also urged Lin Yun to comply.
With a Tongtian realm opponent, they had no will to resist.
Lin Yun took a deep breath and nodded. “Fine, we’ll hand them over.”
As Zhou Bocheng said, a wise man doesn’t court danger.
With the enemy outnumbering them and a Tongtian realm cultivator present, resistance was futile.
Sometimes, one had to bow to reality.
“We’ll hand them over!” Lin Yun called to the opposing side.
He took out his demon crystal and tossed it to them.
His teammates followed, throwing their three crystals.
“Haha, that’s more like it.”
The white-haired old man caught the crystals with a smile.
“Young master, here.” The old man handed the four crystals to the young man in the brocade robe.
The young man weighed the crystals in his hand, nodding in satisfaction.
“You can leave!” he said, glancing at Lin Yun’s group, fanning himself lightly, his eyes filled with contempt.
His words irritated Lin Yun, but with a Tongtian realm cultivator present, he could only endure.
“Let’s go,” Lin Yun said, turning to his teammates and the two rescued cultivators.
As they prepared to leave, the young man snapped his fan shut. “Wait!”
“We’ve given you the crystals. What more do you want?” Lin Yun asked, suppressing his anger.
“They can go. You stay!” The young man pointed his fan at Lin Yun.
“Me?”
Lin Yun was taken aback. What did he mean by making him stay?
“Why should I stay? Speak plainly,” Lin Yun said.
“Our young master told you to stay, so stay! Stop talking nonsense!” the white-haired old man barked impatiently.
Lin Yun took a deep breath, calming his anger. “Fine, I’ll stay!”
If Lin Yun were alone, he wouldn’t fear them.
Even if he couldn’t win, he could escape.
If alone, he would have cursed them out already.
But with his teammates to consider, he had to hold back.
He turned to his teammates and the two rescued cultivators. “Go, get out of here quickly!” Lin Yun said sternly.
Zhou Bocheng hesitated. “This…”
“No, you saved me. How can we leave you now?” the Initial Saint cultivator said.
“You’re badly injured and can’t help. Listen to me, go!” Lin Yun urged.
The Initial Saint fell silent.
“Zhou Bocheng, you’re the captain. Take them and leave,” Lin Yun pressed.
“Alright, we’re going!”
Zhou Bocheng nodded, leading the group away quickly.
They had no other choice; staying wouldn’t help.
Besides, they were just teammates, not bound by life-or-death loyalty.
Seeing his teammates disappear from view, Lin Yun felt relieved.
He didn’t know why they wanted him to stay, whether to kill him or something else.
But it didn’t matter now; he was alone.
“My teammates are gone. Now, young master, can you tell me why you kept me?” Lin Yun asked the young man.
The young man looked at Lin Yun arrogantly. “I saw your skills earlier. For the time being, join my team and work as my fighter.”
“Work as your fighter?” Lin Yun was stunned.
Was he trying to conscript him as free labour?
