The team continued forward.
Everyone was cautious along the way.
Because they were getting closer to the Witch God Sect’s headquarters.
About an hour later.
The forest ahead was shrouded in a white mist, making it look like a fairyland.
“Not bad scenery here. If we built a resort, it might do well.” Long Ye said with a smile.
Ye Qiu said: “Before the resort is built, people would be dead.”
Long Ye was stunned: “What do you mean?”
Ye Qiu pointed at the white mist: “That’s miasma, highly toxic. Inhale it, and you’re dead.”
“Damn!” Long Ye jumped in fright and asked: “What do we do now?”
Ye Qiu looked up at the sky: “In two hours, the sun will set, and the miasma will dissipate.”
Tang Fei quickly asked: “Are you saying we wait here until the miasma clears?”
Ye Qiu didn’t answer Tang Fei but asked Qilin: “The item isn’t buried in that forest ahead, is it?”
“No.” Qilin replied: “Pass through that forest, go another ten kilometers, and you’ll see some ancient tea trees. I buried the iron box under one of them.”
“Good.” Ye Qiu then said to Tang Fei: “We can’t wait here until sunset. We’ll detour around this forest.”
“Alright.” Tang Fei nodded.
The group changed course, bypassing the miasma-filled forest.
Along the way, they encountered three groups of Witch God Sect members, dozens in total, all taken out by Ye Qiu.
Finally, before sunset, Ye Qiu saw the ancient tea trees Qilin mentioned.
From fifty meters away.
The trunks of those tea trees were thicker than bathtubs, towering dozens of meters high, with lush branches and leaves.
Ye Qiu said to Long Ye: “If you want to make money, you could send people to harvest tea leaves every year.”
Long Ye scoffed: “What are tea leaves worth? Besides, with just a few trees, how much could you harvest?”
Ye Qiu laughed: “Don’t underestimate these trees. They’re wild, thousand-year-old tea trees. With good processing, a gram of tea could sell for hundreds of thousands.”
“What?” Long Ye was shocked.
At that moment, Qilin pointed to the thickest tea tree: “The iron box is buried under that tree. Ye Qiu, wait here, I’ll dig it up.”
“Wait!” Ye Qiu stopped Qilin.
“What’s wrong?” Qilin looked at Ye Qiu, puzzled.
Ye Qiu scanned the surroundings, then said loudly: “No need to hide, come out!”
Tang Fei and the others were startled, raising their guns, ready to fight.
But no one appeared.
“I’m telling you, if you don’t come out, I’ll personally send you to your graves!”
Ye Qiu’s voice carried a chilling murderous intent.
Five seconds later.
“Hahaha…”
A burst of laughter rang out.
Then, several figures emerged from behind the ancient tea trees.
Five men!
Four were elders, dressed in grey robes with swords at their waists, nearly identical in height and appearance.
Quadruplets!
The fifth was a young man in his twenties, holding a bow with a quiver on his back.
Ye Qiu glanced at them, noting their cultivation—all comparable to Dragon List experts.
His gaze lingered on the young man for two seconds.
At just over twenty, with such strong cultivation, his martial arts talent was remarkable. Given a few more years, he could break into the Dragon List’s top ten.
Su Xiaoxiao saw the young man and shouted: “Brother Hai, save me!”
The young man looked over, saw Su Xiaoxiao, and his face lit up with joy: “Xiaoxiao, how are you back?”
“They captured me, Brother Hai, save me!” Su Xiaoxiao urged.
Their relationship seemed close.
“Don’t worry, Xiaoxiao, I’ll save you.” The young man said, drawing a bamboo arrow from his quiver and aiming at Ye Qiu.
Then, he glanced at the four elders: “Masters, do we really have to do this?”
The four elders nodded simultaneously.
The young man took a deep breath, as if making a critical decision, then suddenly turned his arrow towards Su Xiaoxiao and drew the bowstring.
Whoosh!
The bamboo arrow shot towards Su Xiaoxiao.
Ye Qiu flicked a sword qi, shattering the arrow.
Instantly, the four elders and the young man’s gazes locked onto Ye Qiu.
That single sword qi made them realize this young man was no ordinary opponent.
Su Xiaoxiao was in disbelief. She never imagined the young man would try to kill her. Tears streaming, she asked: “Brother Hai, why? Why do you all want to kill me?”
“Xiaoxiao, I’m sorry, I don’t want to, but orders from above leave me no choice.” The young man said apologetically.
Su Xiaoxiao angrily said: “I’ve never done anything to betray the Witch God Sect. Why does he want to kill me?”
The young man shook his head: “I don’t know the reason. I’m just following orders.”
Ye Qiu picked up a hint from their conversation and said: “Su Xiaoxiao, see? This is the Witch God Sect you serve!”
“You’re loyal to them, yet they want you dead.”
“Is such an organization worth your loyalty?”
Ye Qiu stepped forward.
Qilin and Tang Fei moved to follow, but Ye Qiu stopped them: “No need to come. Just a few nobodies. I can handle them alone.”
Nobodies?
Hearing Ye Qiu’s words, the four elders and the young man were furious.
They held high status in the Witch God Sect, yet this unknown young man dared to belittle them—unacceptable.
Swish!
The four elders drew their swords simultaneously, and the young man nocked another arrow.
One elder shouted: “Kid, draw your sword. We’ll give you a dignified death.”
Ye Qiu sneered: “Draw my sword? You aren’t worthy.”
Then, he stepped forward.
His body moved like lightning, appearing before the four elders.
“Kill!” The elders charged at Ye Qiu.
But before they could get close, Ye Qiu’s fists struck first.
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
Four punches landed, and the elders’ bodies exploded on the spot.
Whoosh!
A bamboo arrow shot towards Ye Qiu.
Ye Qiu caught it with a grip, then flung it back. The arrow turned into a streak of light, piercing the young man’s heart.
Thud!
The young man fell to the ground.
Not yet dead, he looked at Su Xiaoxiao and said weakly: “Xiaoxiao… run… leave Miaojiang… never… never come back…”
His head tilted, and he breathed his last.
Su Xiaoxiao looked at the young man, tears streaming down her face.
“Qilin!” Ye Qiu called.
Qilin understood, quickly ran to the base of an ancient tea tree, dug up an iron box, and handed it to Ye Qiu.
