I established the Eternal Immortal Clan by taming beasts.

This person is not Han Li, the ordinary cultivator who was actually Lin Che in disguise.

Instead, it was another rogue cultivator.

His aura was calm and steady, and his footsteps were silent, each step landing precisely on the hollows of the rock. He was clearly an experienced person with the strength of the mid-Foundation Establishment stage.

He held a delicate crossbow in his hand, with a second black crossbow bolt embedded in it.

The crossbow body was made of ebony and engraved with intricate patterns; the arrow tips gleamed with a cold, eerie light under the silvery glow.

"Good stuff, everyone who sees it gets a share." The middle-aged man's voice was calm, yet it carried an undeniable domineering air. His gaze swept back and forth between Lingzhi and the two people, like a hunter examining its prey.

The young man in the brocade robe's face darkened: "Do you know who I am? How dare you steal my things!"

"I don't care who you are." The middle-aged man put away his crossbow and drew a long, black sword from his waist.

The blade is long and slender, with dark red patterns engraved on the edge, like blood vessels, and a faint, fishy smell seems to emanate from it.

The old man in gray stood up and stood in front of the young man in brocade robes, staring coldly at the middle-aged man.

He had put away the jade shovel in his hand, and replaced it with a short sword. The blade gleamed with a cold, eerie light, and there were fine blood grooves on the edge.

"Fellow Daoist, this Timeless Spirit Mushroom was first discovered by my young master."

The old man's voice was hoarse yet steady, carrying a hint of negotiation: "There is always a first-come, first-served order in everything. If you are willing to leave, my young master will reward you handsomely."

"First come, first served?" The middle-aged man scoffed, holding his long sword horizontally in front of him, the tip slightly raised. "In this secret realm, there is only strength, not who came first!"

"You've brought a burden along, do you think you can beat me?"

The old man in gray's expression changed slightly.

He was old, his energy and blood were declining, and his strength was far from his peak.

The middle-aged man opposite him was in his prime, with a calm demeanor, and the blood-red patterns on his blade had a somewhat eerie quality, clearly indicating that he was not a kind person.

He wasn't afraid if he were alone, but he had a young master who needed protection...

While he was hesitating, the young man in the brocade robe could no longer contain himself.

"You fool, you're asking for trouble! You won't listen to reason, so you'll have to suffer the consequences!"

He flicked his longsword, and a faint flame appeared on the blade, leaping and swirling like a living thing.

He transformed into a streak of red light and stabbed towards the middle-aged man!

The sword tip tore through the air, emitting a sharp whistling sound.

The old man in gray's expression changed drastically. He wanted to stop him, but it was too late. He could only grit his teeth and follow.

He swung his short sword, which transformed into a streak of silver light, and thrust it from the side towards the middle-aged man's ribs, intending to draw the fire.

The middle-aged man snorted coldly and slashed horizontally with his long sword.

The crimson patterns on the blade suddenly lit up, and a stench of blood swept over, as if countless wronged souls were howling within the blade.

"Ding ding ding—"

The old man and the rogue cultivator clashed swords, sparks flying everywhere!

The young man's longsword was deflected by the sword energy before it even made contact with the opponent.

The young man in the brocade robe was so shocked that he staggered back several steps, his hands went numb, and he almost dropped his sword. A look of horror flashed across his face.

This isn't how I usually practice with Lao Wu!

Taking advantage of the opportunity, the old man in gray lunged forward, thrusting his short sword repeatedly, each strike aimed at the middle-aged man's vital points—throat, heart, and dantian—each strike swift and ruthless.

The middle-aged man remained calm and composed, wielding his long sword with impenetrable skill, blocking all of the gray-robed old man's attacks.

The clash of blades produced a piercing metallic scraping sound that echoed through the cave, making one's eardrums ache.

The two exchanged blows, fighting fiercely.

The spiritual energy surged, scattering fragments of stone. The silvery-white crystals trembled slightly in the shockwave, emitting a soft hum.

Lin Che, hidden behind a rock, watched the chaotic battle with a slight smile on his lips.

Because he sensed that another presence was approaching.

The breath was light yet steady, each step perfectly in rhythm, unhurried and calm, as if strolling in one's own backyard.

Just as the two sides were locked in combat, a figure slowly emerged from the passage.

A white dress, a veil covering her face, revealing only a pair of calm eyes.

It was the same person Lin Che had noticed at the valley entrance.

Her steps were unhurried, the hem of her dress lightly brushing against the pebbles on the ground without making a sound.

Her gaze swept over the three people who were fighting, her eyes showing no surprise or curiosity, only a calm, detached air, as if she were watching a play.

"What's there to argue about?" Her voice was flat, as if she were talking about something trivial: "I want this Ganoderma lucidum."

Lin Che detected a hint of cunning in that calm tone.

The young man in the brocade robe's face darkened. He sheathed his sword, stepped back, and glared angrily: "And who are you?"

The female cultivator in white did not answer.

She simply raised her hand slowly.

Three earth dragons, imbued with the power of a fully-fledged Foundation Establishment cultivator, burst forth from the ground in front of her!

Each one is as thick as a bucket, formed entirely of rock and soil, with its head held high and its body winding, exuding a suffocating sense of oppression.

They formed a triangular shape in front of the three people, completely sealing off the entire cave.

The young man in the brocade robe froze instantly, his mouth opening and closing, unable to utter a single word.

The other two had solemn expressions. The old man in gray was trembling slightly in the hand holding his short sword, while the middle-aged man's long sword was hanging low with the tip pointing to the ground. He no longer had the domineering aura he had shown earlier.

"Foundation Establishment Perfection?" the middle-aged man murmured, a hint of apprehension flashing in his eyes.

"What? You want to compete with me?"

Without the slightest hesitation, the rogue cultivator sheathed his sword and retreated.

With a flicker, he disappeared into the passage he had come from, his footsteps growing fainter and fainter until they vanished without a trace.

The young man in the brocade robe had a pale and bluish face, and his lips moved as if he wanted to reveal his identity.

"I am Cheng..."

But the old man in gray had already grabbed his sleeve and dragged him back the way he came.

"Young master, let's go!"

The two stumbled and disappeared into the passage, leaving only the sound of their hurried footsteps fading into the darkness.

"Hehe, that's more like it!"

The white-robed female cultivator chuckled softly, her clear, melodious laughter echoing through the empty cave.

She walked slowly to the Ganoderma lucidum and squatted down.

Her movements were unhurried; she extended two slender fingers, gently pinched the root of the Ganoderma lucidum, and twisted it slightly.

The Ganoderma lucidum fell to the ground with a thud, and a few drops of silvery-white sap seeped from the broken end, emitting a faint fragrance.

She took out a jade box from her sleeve. It was entirely emerald green, and the lid had fine spiritual patterns on it. It was clearly a precious item specially used to preserve spiritual plants.

She placed the Ganoderma lucidum inside, covered it, and put it into her storage bag.

Then she stood up and scanned every corner of the cave.

Only after confirming that there was nothing of value did he turn and leave, satisfied.

Her figure gradually blurred in the passageway.

Lin Che stepped out from behind the stone pillar, his gaze following the departing figure, a slight smile playing on his lips.

He nodded to the Azure Profound Realm Spirit and then quietly followed behind her.