I am a full-level celestial master, you let me enter the strange talk of rules?

Zhang Yangqing and the chairman divided the four items they obtained into two equal parts and kept them close to their bodies.

For powerhouses of their caliber, these items are more of a bonus or a backup plan for special situations; they have no immediate plans to plunder more.

Only the golden leaf obtained from the tree remained quietly in Zhang Yangqing's palm, radiating a warm luster, its specific purpose remaining a mystery.

The chairman leaned over to take a look, frowned, and said, "What's the use of this thing? There's no explanation, and it's only in this area. What if we experiment with it haphazardly and use it up? Wouldn't we be at a loss when we need it at a crucial moment?"

Zhang Yangqing pondered for a moment and speculated, "I guess its effect may be similar to its original owner's ability, which is to soothe and purify. Perhaps it can suppress negative emotions such as rage and bloodlust caused by external influences at critical moments and keep the mind clear."

The chairman, upon hearing this, found it quite reasonable and nodded.

He wasn't very interested in things that were more auxiliary or spiritual, so he waved his hand and said, "Then you keep it. This thing isn't very useful to me."

He has more faith in his own strength and will.

Zhang Yangqing did not refuse and carefully put away the golden leaf.

The two stood atop a tall tree, their gaze sweeping over the silent village below.

Those houses with an obviously unusual atmosphere and signs of outsiders stood out like different colored pieces on a chessboard.

A sharp glint flashed in the chairman's eyes as he said, "Isn't it time to make contact with those 'outsiders'? Perhaps we can dig out crucial information about the Immortal Tree and the Ship of Life and Death from them."

He could see the abnormalities in these houses, which was already quite remarkable, and Zhang Yangqing didn't need to remind him further.

However, Zhang Yangqing shook his head, his tone serious: "This might be a trap in itself. Didn't you really see that?"

The chairman was stunned at first, then it was as if a thunderbolt had exploded in his mind. In an instant, everything became clear, and he couldn't help but curse under his breath: "Holy crap! How the hell did you figure that out?! I always felt that something was off, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it! So that's it!"

After Zhang Yangqing's prompting, he immediately realized what was going on.

The "outsider atmosphere" that these houses "deliberately" create, so out of place with their surroundings, could very well be a trap carefully set up by those outsiders who are trapped here with ulterior motives.

Rule 8 clearly states: "There are many trapped outsiders in Undying Mountain who want to escape; they are in danger."

They long to leave, and the condition for leaving is likely to be the hunting of new outsiders!
So these conspicuous houses, seemingly shouting "I'm an outsider, come quickly," are likely bait, specifically designed to lure newcomers like them, chosen ones seeking to find their kind and gather intelligence, into their trap.

Once you step inside, it's like entering a dragon's den or a tiger's lair; getting out will be difficult.

Of course, other chosen ones might be able to get away with it if they disguise themselves well, act like natives, and not have their identities exposed.

However, once confirmed as a "new outsider," the most dangerous situation will immediately be triggered, and whether one can escape will depend entirely on one's own strength and survival skills.

The chairman's ingrained thought process made him overlook this most fatal point: the roles of hunter and prey can switch in an instant.

"Then what should we do?" the chairman asked humbly, having completely abandoned any arrogance that came with his strength.

Zhang Yangqing's gaze was deep as he reminded him, "Do you remember the first time we encountered the dockworkers?" The chairman understood immediately, a glint of light flashing in his eyes: "I get it!"

They acted as "hunters," taking the initiative to steal the laborer's clothes.

But then a twist occurred: the laborer was actually pretending to be weak to lure the outsiders into attacking him.

Now, they need to learn from that laborer and become "bait" to lure the snake out of its hole!

While the two of them were observing the village from the tree, the villagers, whether natives or outsiders, were certainly also observing them.

They were dressed in indigenous laborers' clothes and were traveling in pairs. To the lurking outsiders, their target was unclear and the risk was high, so they would not easily take action.

But if they are alone and appear "weak" or "injured," or even subtly reveal that they are also outsiders.

Therefore, those greedy outsiders who are eager to find "prey" to fulfill their escape conditions may not be able to resist and will see them as potential targets.
In this way, they can lure potential enemies out of their carefully constructed and trapped "safe houses" and deal with them in the open, turning the tables and turning the tables.

Once the plan was agreed upon, the two immediately took action.

A moment later, in a relatively secluded alley in the village, the "injured" chairman appeared.

He deliberately suppressed most of his breathing, walked with a slight limp on one leg, covered his lower abdomen with his left hand, and had a look of "pain" and "exhaustion" on his face. His breathing also seemed a little heavy.

And unintentionally, he used a medicine bottle that didn't exist in this world and had a different atmosphere, thus revealing his identity as an outsider.

Alone, he staggered toward the outskirts of the village, toward the area where the fog had not yet completely dissipated, as if he wanted to find a quiet place to heal his wounds.

His "weak" and "lonely" appearance as an outsider quickly attracted attention.

Just as the chairman stepped out of the village and into a woodland filled with twisted and strange trees, a ghostly black shadow silently appeared from behind a dead tree and hung far behind him.

The shadowy figure moved almost silently, its aura perfectly concealed, like a venomous snake lurking in the shadows. Its cold eyes were fixed on the chairman's "staggering" back, filled with greed and murderous intent.

Meanwhile, at a higher vantage point, Zhang Yangqing, perfectly concealing himself using the dense foliage and his own stealth skills, was like the most patient hunter, his purple eyes coldly observing everything below, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

The trap had already been set, just waiting for the prey to take the bait.

The chairman felt the charade had run its course long enough. They were some distance from the village, and the surrounding area was relatively open, making it a good time to act. He secretly received a signal from Zhang Yangqing, confirming that there was only one person following them and no other ambushes nearby.

So he stopped pretending altogether, abruptly stopped, turned around, and his gaze shot like lightning to a strange grove of trees shrouded in shadow behind him. He said coldly, "You've been following me for so long, what can I do for you?"

The stalker hiding in the shadows clearly did not expect the chairman to suddenly launch an attack, and instantly transformed from a "weak and injured person" back into a powerful figure full of energy and with a profound and imposing aura.

It (or rather, she) was startled, immediately realizing she had fallen into a trap, and without hesitation turned to flee! (End of Chapter)