Star Martial Soaring Cloud

As the sun began to set, long shadows were cast by the mountains in the north of the Demon Island.

Three figures moved through the dense forest high above, finally stopping on a secluded cliff.

Leading the group was a burly monk, followed by a man and a woman, namely Yuan Kong, Wang Xiao, and Su Qinhe.

Yuan Kong led the two up the cliffside boulder with practiced ease. It was an excellent ambush point, with a wide field of vision and dense bushes that made it difficult to be detected.

"Shh-"

Yuan Kong raised a finger and put it to his lips, signaling the two to be quiet.

He parted the branches and leaves in front of him and gestured downwards with his lips.

Wang Xiao looked in the direction he indicated.

Below is a narrow valley, flat in terrain and surrounded by dense forests.

In the very center was a flat rock, more than ten feet in circumference, with a smooth surface.

Behind the rocks was a mountain wall covered with thick vines.

The vines were as thick as a child's arm, with lush branches and leaves, completely covering the entire mountainside.

"Is this the place?" Wang Xiao asked in a low voice.

Yuan Kong nodded, a hint of smugness flashing in his eyes: "How about it, discreet enough, right?"

Wang Xiao didn't reply, but simply surveyed the surrounding terrain.

This place is easy to defend and difficult to attack, with a wide field of vision; it is indeed a good place to hide things.

He turned to look at Yuan Kong, remembering the agreement the two had made.

"I can help you this time," Wang Xiao said at the time, "but I have conditions."

Yuan Kong blinked: "Brother Lu Yang, please speak."

"After it's all over, you'll have to help me out once too."

Upon hearing this, Yuan Kong grinned and said, "No problem! I agree! But let me make this clear: if the opponent is too strong, I won't risk my life. Don't blame me for running away if I can't win."

"The Demon Island is full of cultivators who leap over fish, how strong can they be? Don't worry!" Wang Xiao said with a smug smile, but he didn't tell the truth about Lin Shisan's situation. He planned to have Yuan Kong take the lead.

As for whether you can run or not? That depends on your skills!

You cheat me once, I'll cheat you once; it's only polite to return the favor.

"As for the profits this time, we'll split them 50/50."

Wang Xiao nodded: "Deal."

He couldn't help but roll his eyes when he recalled Yuan Kong patting his chest and guaranteeing, "Brother Lu Yang, don't worry, follow me, and I guarantee you'll live a life of luxury."

It was rare to see this monk act so upright and generous, but this composure only lasted for a moment.

Before long, Wang Xiao led Yuan Kong to Su Qinhe.

Upon seeing Su Qinhe, Yuan Kong, who had just been arm-in-arm with Wang Xiao, instantly changed his demeanor. He clasped his hands together and bowed deeply, his appearance unusually solemn, yet his face was plastered with an eager smile, his tone exaggerated yet respectful: "Amitabha! Fairy Su, this humble monk is guilty, this humble monk is guilty!"

Su Qinhe was taken aback: "What makes you say that, Master?"

Yuan Kong said with a sorrowful expression, "This humble monk was delayed by some matter and was unable to keep the appointment on time, causing Fairy Su to venture into danger alone and almost fall victim to the Heavenly Yi Sect! I am so sorry!"

As he spoke, he pointed to Wang Xiao beside him: "Fortunately, Brother Lu Yang did not fail in his mission, otherwise this humble monk would be guilty beyond redemption! I wonder if this lad has offended the fairy in any way? If so, this humble monk will certainly uphold justice for the fairy and will not show favoritism!"

Wang Xiao's eyelids twitched as she listened.

This monk is quite convincing in his disguise.

Su Qinhe looked at Yuan Kong, then at Wang Xiao, and said with immense gratitude, "Master, you flatter me. I am more than grateful to you and Lu Yang for saving my life."

"That's good, that's good!" Yuan Kong breathed a sigh of relief, patting his chest. "Don't worry, Fairy Su, this is what we should do. I, the monk, will definitely protect you on Demon Island! I'll brave mountains of knives and seas of fire, even unto death!"

Wang Xiao couldn't listen to this any longer and coughed lightly: "Alright, let's get down to business."

Yuan Kong then put away his compassionate expression and lowered his voice, saying, "The reason I came to see Fairy Su and Lu Yang today is because of an extraordinary opportunity."

"An opportunity?" Su Qinhe frowned slightly.

Yuan Kong looked around mysteriously and said, "Robbery!"

Su Qinhe was taken aback: "Robbery?"

"Yes!" Yuan Kong's eyes lit up. "Rob a villain!"

Su Qinhe frowned even more deeply, and looked at Wang Xiao with a questioning look in her eyes.

Wang Xiao shrugged, indicating that he had only recently found out as well.

"Master," Su Qinhe said cautiously, "this... robbery seems inappropriate, doesn't it?"

Upon hearing this, Yuan Kong's face turned righteous and awe-inspiring: "Fairy Su, you are mistaken! That villain is utterly wicked, often abusing his power to bully the weak and committing all sorts of evil! Our robbery of him is to rid the people of this scourge, and to act on behalf of Heaven!"

He clasped his hands together, looked up at the sky, and said with a devout expression, "This is guided by Buddha to save all living beings!"

Su Qinhe was stunned by his words and didn't know how to refute them for a moment.

Wang Xiao watched from the side, his lips twitching. He secretly thought to himself that this monk always managed to bring up Buddha's twisted logic, and his skin was incredibly thick.

The three men lay in ambush on the boulder. Before long, a figure dressed in a gray monk's robe appeared on the stone platform below.

The monk was slightly overweight, with a cautious look in his eyes. He was clearly a disciple of the Sumeru Sect. He walked with light steps, indicating that his cultivation was not weak.

The monk walked up to the vines, but instead of rushing in, he carefully examined them from all sides.

First, he tiptoed and peered into the surrounding woods for a while, then bent down to examine the corners of the stone platform.

His gaze swept across the surrounding trees, and he even glanced twice at the direction where the three were hiding, startling them so much that they immediately held their breath.

Fortunately, they were well hidden, and the monk did not notice anything unusual.

After confirming that no one was following him, the monk reached out and gently parted the vines.

Behind the vines, a dark cave entrance suddenly appeared.

The monk darted inside, and the vines immediately fell, completely covering the entrance once again.

Wang Xiao watched this scene and couldn't help but secretly click his tongue in amazement.

This cave is truly hidden to the extreme.

If we hadn't laid an ambush beforehand, there would have been absolutely no clue from the outside.

Wang Xiao turned his head, his expression turning strange, and looked at Yuan Kong, his tone unfriendly: "This is the villain you were talking about?"

Yuan Kong remained unfazed, even managing a slight smile.

Su Qinhe also recognized the man's attire, paused slightly, and then said, "Isn't this Master Yuanjie?"

She looked at Yuan Kong: "You must be Master's junior brother, right?"

Wang Xiao sneered, "Fine, you even want to steal your own junior brother!"

Upon hearing this, Yuan Kong showed no shame whatsoever. Instead, he waved his hand confidently and said, "He's my junior brother, not yours. I'm not worried, so why are you all getting anxious?"

He sighed, his face filled with compassion: "Amitabha! Haven't you two benefactors heard the saying—'A common man is innocent, but possessing a treasure is a crime'! Five Immortal Ephemeral Flowers—what a terrible calamity this is! I'm now taking this calamity upon myself, sacrificing myself for others, and yet I still have to endure your doubts..."

He clutched his chest, heartbroken, and cried out, "Do you know how hard it's been for me?"