Chapter 28: The Smile Turns Sinister

The two disciples from the Crimson Flame Sect, each burdened with a large sack of spiritual herbs, were sprinting toward the exit of the valley, relying on their agile movements. Their faces were brimming with cheerful smiles, entirely oblivious to the four figures lurking in the nearby thicket.

Qingxi hid at the center of the grass, the smile on his face growing increasingly brazen. Since the disciples of Crimson Flame Sect dared to cross the boundary, they could hardly blame them for intervening. More importantly, if they succeeded, they could obtain a multitude of spiritual herbs, which could be exchanged for disciple points within their own sect.

Before arriving in this world, he had read thousands of online novels, familiar with countless schemes and tricks, and mastered endless ways of deceiving others. Today, he was determined to swindle the Crimson Flame Sect disciples beyond their wildest imagination.

Once the two Crimson Flame Sect disciples reached the predetermined spot, a net woven from vital energy rose from the grass, strands of spiritual silk wrapping around their bodies.

"Not good, it's an ambush!"

The two were startled, realizing they had fallen into a trap. Anger surged within them; they were dignified disciples of Crimson Flame Sect—who would dare to set such a brazen ambush?

"Strength Amplification!"

Though alarmed and furious, the two were seasoned practitioners, well-versed in martial arts techniques. They unleashed their skills, their strength surging, and managed to tear apart the spiritual silk.

But just then, four figures leapt from the thicket ahead, unleashing Vajra Fists and closing in instantly.

Bang! Bang!

Both were struck by four golden fists and fell to the ground.

"How dare you! Do you know who we are—"

The Crimson Flame Sect disciples roared in fury, but what greeted them was a barrage of hard fists, groans and screams echoing without pause.

In less than half a minute, the two Crimson Flame Sect disciples were beaten into swollen, pig-headed shapes, their strength utterly spent. The freshly picked spiritual herbs were seized, along with all their pills and their lower-grade spiritual swords, leaving them stripped of all possessions.

"What about their clothes? Should we take those too?"

"Crimson Flame Sect's shabby robes— not even a dog would wear them."

"Still, we shouldn't leave them behind. Let's take them first, then toss them in the latrine."

"Agreed, let's do it."

In their dazed stupor, the two Crimson Flame Sect disciples overheard this exchange, nearly coughing up blood in rage.

Soon after, they felt a chill as their clothes were stripped away, then were knocked unconscious.

It was a long while before the other Crimson Flame Sect disciples finally arrived. Upon seeing the herbs all gone, and their comrades lying bruised, swollen, and naked, the leading disciple let out a furious howl.

"It must be the Spirit Origin Sect!"

"Only they would dare such bold acts!"

The leader's eyes blazed with fury. "Search everywhere! Since they ambushed us, their numbers must be few and their strength weak, otherwise they would have surrounded us directly."

"Yes!"

The Crimson Flame Sect disciples, burning with anger, began their search based on the traces on the ground.

Elsewhere—

Qingxi and his companions, their bags bulging with spiritual herbs, ran happily toward the edge of Tiger Roar Forest.

"By the way, since Crimson Flame Sect is a semi-hostile sect, why did you spare their lives?" Qingxi recalled how, in countless novels, the cultivation world was a place where the weak were preyed upon, and disciples of rival sects would always fight to the death upon meeting.

Yet today, Nie Yu and the others hadn't struck to kill.

Nie Yu sighed helplessly. "I didn't want to spare them either, but we simply don't have the strength. If our sect could overpower Crimson Flame Sect, we would've done it long ago. Though the two sects are semi-hostile, and even if conflicts break out, at most there will be serious injuries, never fatalities."

"If someone is killed, the two sects might erupt into full-blown war, which would be disastrous," Nie Yu added, sounding ever more resigned.

Qingxi nodded in understanding. "Senior brother, although we can't kill them, the Crimson Flame Sect keeps provoking us. We can't just let it slide."

Nie Yu paused. "What do you have in mind?"

"They won't let this go. They must already be hunting us, and although they don't know exactly who attacked them, they're bound to suspect our Spirit Origin Sect. There will be conflict between our disciples. Rather than wait for them to strike, we should act first and set them up."

A sly grin spread across Qingxi's face. "How about this— we deliberately leave clues, and wait for them to take the bait."

Nie Yu, Tang Hai, and Tang Jiang fell into deep thought.

Their group was strong enough, but against a dozen Crimson Flame Sect disciples, they were outmatched— especially since the other side included a seasoned inner disciple at the twenty-fifth stage of Qi Refinement. If a fight broke out, they would certainly lose.

But Nie Yu, long troubled by Crimson Flame Sect, decided after hearing Qingxi's plan, "Alright, let's follow your lead."

"Then leave everything to me," Qingxi replied, smiling like an old fox.

Since entering Tiger Roar Forest, he had memorized all the scenery along the way, and with the system’s memory function, he had constructed a three-dimensional map of the area in his mind.

"There's a cave over there, home to a mid-tier humanoid beast. I think we can set a trap." Qingxi pointed in a certain direction, leading Nie Yu and the others in a brisk jog.

Arriving outside the cave, Qingxi halted immediately.

He could vaguely see, deep within the cave, the beast slumbering. He activated his data reading ability.

[Species: Demon Clan]
[Name: Earth-Armor Wild Boar]
[Grade: Human-tier, Mid-grade, Peak]
[Note: This beast is lightly asleep, has a sleep-loving and irritable temperament, and is covered in thick earth armor, able to withstand the blows of a thirty-stage Qi Refiner without dying. Aside from its slow speed and poor senses, it has no weaknesses.]

"Heh, now we've got a plan."

Qingxi's grin grew increasingly sinister, sending chills down the spines of Nie Yu and the others.

—

After the spiritual herbs were stolen, the Crimson Flame Sect disciples split into three teams, each led by a twenty-fifth stage Qi Refiner, and began their search.

At this moment, one team of five Crimson Flame Sect disciples followed the trail right up to the cave.

One disciple was about to rush in, but the leader stopped him with a raised hand.

"Wait. Something's strange about this cave. Those people may not be inside. To guard against deception, let's test it first."

With that, the leader signaled to the person beside him, who nodded, walked to the cave entrance, and unleashed a martial skill that made his palm shine brightly, illuminating the cave.

Just then, a stone from the cave ceiling fell, landing squarely on the head of the lightly sleeping Earth-Armor Wild Boar.

In the disciple's terrified gaze, the wild boar's eyes snapped open, cold and furious light flickering within them.

"Not good!"

The Crimson Flame Sect disciple realized the danger, but before he could dodge, the enraged wild boar charged out, its five-hundred-pound body sending him flying.

"Dodge!"

The remaining disciples sensed the peril and hurriedly retreated.

But unexpectedly, spiritual threads shot out from the dense forest above the cave, wrapping precisely around their bodies. Several nets of spiritual silk dropped, ensnaring them all.

They broke free in a second, but the furious Earth-Armor Wild Boar had already barreled into them.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The four remaining Crimson Flame Sect disciples were struck and sent flying, bodies numb as they collapsed to the ground.

They knew, without a doubt, they had been thoroughly set up.