I courted death and then tried to escape, so the whole sect wants to get rid of me.

The insect twin cave, which was sealed off again, was dimly lit.

A dozen or so snake demons, their vertical pupils bloodshot and their scales standing on end in a frenzy, surrounded the figure in the center, making it impossible for him to get through.

The giant worm with the head of a bird was slowly twisting its slimy body, its turbid round eyes surging with undisguised greed and excitement.

Its sharp beak opened and closed, drool dripping down, as if it were eyeing its prey that was within easy reach.

Song Yao sat on the collapsed pile of stones, propped up on her legs, and slowly lifted the hood of her cloak to reveal a beautiful and delicate face, still somewhat childish due to her young age.

She abandoned her usual indifference, a mischievous smile curving her lips, her voice sweet and clear: "They've all run away, only us are left."

The Azure Water Sword rose into the air, its immense sword energy surging forth.

The monster inside the cave seemed to sense an astonishing pressure and instinctively shrank back.

But she smiled and asked in a very good-natured manner, "How would you like to play?"

No one answered.

After a half-second silence, the boy lazily flipped his wrist, and the Azure Water Sword swooped down with an almost terrifying pressure.

Amidst the piercing screams, she sighed softly, "If you're going to ask me a question, you'd better answer it obediently, otherwise it'll be difficult for me."

-

Outside the secret realm, the members of the Nine Saints Hall were in a state of utter distress.

Chen He, in particular, was so anxious he was almost in tears.

They went in all neatly, but came out one short!

Unfortunately, the one who was short of pill cultivators was also a pill cultivator.

How can a helpless little girl survive?

Or will they be devoured by those snake demons and that giant worm?!

Mingran drew her sword and rushed forward: "I can't worry about that now, get out of the way, I'm going to hack my way in!"

Chen He quickly pulled her back: "Don't be impulsive! We don't know exactly where Seventh Senior Sister is. If it collapses again inside, she'll be finished!"

Cheng Yue squatted beside the pile of rubble, her fingertips tracing the jagged cracks on the rock wall. Her voice remained relatively calm: "Here's what we'll do, Ming Ran. Go to the place with the canopy and ask Elder Jiu for help. We'll move the stones while we figure out a solution. The secret realm doesn't close for another half day, so we should have enough time."

As soon as she finished speaking, she bent down and picked up a piece of gravel that was half a person's height. Chen He and Yu Qun immediately reacted and followed suit.

Mingran nodded immediately: "Okay! I'll be back soon!"

She turned and left. Several disciples from other minor sects hesitated for a moment before stepping forward to help her.

They were all cultivators, and using spiritual power to move stones was relatively quick.

But before they had moved for long, a soft rustling sound of brocade robes rubbing together came from behind them.

Ye Chang'an strolled over slowly with several disciples from Taiqing Pavilion, toying with a mutton-fat jade pendant in his hand.

His gaze swept over the disheveled group, a smirk playing on his lips: "Oh, aren't these the Nine Saints Hall members? Where's one of your little beauties? Did she go in and not come out, and die in there?"

Yu Qun glared at him: "Ye Chang'an, what nonsense are you spouting?!"

"Ignore him."

Chen He pulled him back, his voice low, "Now is not the time to get entangled with him."

Ye Chang'an seemed not to hear him. He stepped forward, his tone suddenly turning cold, tinged with a sense of righteous indignation: "Speaking of which, if you hadn't messed around, the Insect Twin Cave wouldn't have collapsed. Now look what's happened, the Lotus Bird Grass is trapped inside. Shouldn't you compensate everyone for the mess you've made?"

Nobody paid any attention to them.

They're moving faster and faster.

Ye Chang'an's face was so dark it looked like it was about to drip water.

He curled his lips into a smirk, his gloomy gaze shifting to the disciples of the minor sects helping to move the stones: "You all have the leisure to help out, huh? What, have you found all the spiritual herbs and treasures? Why don't you bring them out and let this young master have a look?"

No one dares to provoke the Taiqing Pavilion.

The disciples, startled by his glare, immediately stopped fighting and retreated, exchanging bewildered glances.

Chen He and his companions, however, seemed oblivious to the commotion around them, continuing to move the rubble with their heads down.

Once we move the goods further inside, we can try to contact Song Yao using a teleportation talisman.

Ye Chang'an scoffed again, looking behind him: "Junior Brother Jiang, aren't you going to help your junior brothers and sisters?"

Jiang Jin and the Wen siblings, who had been standing there at some point, walked out side by side upon hearing this.

The three of them still looked disheveled from the fight, clearly having heard about what had happened, but were busy tending to their wounds.

Jiang Jin frowned and stepped forward, looking at Chen He and the others with a hint of impatience: "I told you not to be impulsive and to listen to me, otherwise things would have gotten to this point."

Cheng Yue didn't even look up: "A lackey of Taiqing Pavilion."

Chen He clearly had some issues with him as well.

Just now in the miasma forest, they actually made Seventh Senior Sister hand over the Golden Scale Snake Grass.

This involves the final outcome of the sect competition and the sect's reputation; it's not something that can be given away so easily.

But considering that he seemed to have a mission, he kept enduring it.

With his seventh senior sister's fate uncertain, his first reaction was to blame them?

Outrageous.

He said coldly, "Sixth Senior Brother, if you're not going to help, then please go away and don't bother us."

Jiang Jin was taken aback by their lack of respect, and his face flushed slightly.

Seeing this, Ye Chang'an slowly stepped forward, patted Jiang Jin on the shoulder, and said in a familiar tone, "Junior Brother Jiang, look at them, they are too ungrateful. In the entire Nine Saints Hall, you are the only one who knows what's good for you."

He paused, drawing out the malice in his words without hiding it: "I heard you've been trying to find out some things from Wushuang and Wumian. How about this, you tell them not to move, and I'll have Wushuang and Wumian tell you everything you want to know, okay?"

The Wen siblings neither agreed nor disagreed, calmly standing behind Ye Chang'an with slightly gloomy eyes, clearly still remembering the Golden Scale Snake Grass that had been stolen.

Jiang Jin looked at Ye Chang'an's calculating smile, then at the group of people who were busy moving stones. His knuckles clenched tighter and tighter, and a struggle flashed in his eyes.

If Lin Muzhen were to get into trouble, it would be too late to move the stones now.

If we're lucky enough to be safe, it's not too late to wait for Mingran to bring back reinforcements.

Moreover, we can also find out where Fifth Senior Sister is. It's a win-win situation no matter how you look at it.

He coughed lightly, stepped forward to stop Cheng Yue's movements, and said in a gentle tone, "Don't waste your energy. There's no time to move these rubble now. Even if you manage to dig it open, it will have collapsed long ago. It's better to stop now and wait for Junior Sister Ming to ask the sect elders to come and rescue us than to waste time like this."

Cheng Yue didn't even glance at him, her voice as cold as ice: "Get out of my way."

"Cheng Yue!"

Jiang Jin was slightly annoyed. "I'm your senior brother, and I have my own considerations. Doing this now is just a waste of spiritual energy; it's completely useless!"

Chen He quickly blocked his way, saying, "Sixth Senior Brother, no matter what happens, nothing is more important than Seventh Senior Sister's life!"

Jiang Jin tried to argue, "I didn't say her life wasn't important! I just said it's not too late to save her after Elder Jiu finds a way. I have more important things to do, and besides, she's far more important to me than you think!"