For two days, the two of them quietly waited at the exit.
During these two days, the area was calm and no unusual phenomena occurred.
Not many people emerged from the ruins; only five or six in total over the two days.
These individuals were all men, so they were of no concern.
However.
At this moment.
A carriage slowly approached, instantly raising the alertness of Ye Cangtian and Cheng Hai.
After a short while, the carriage arrived beside the exit and the door opened.
A woman in white, supported by a man.
"Haha, those people from the Dark Association are truly foolish. With just a small ploy, they were played like puppets."
"A faction like this, a bunch of trash, yet they dare to stand equal with the Bright Hall and the Hidden Group. Pui! What shamelessness!"
The exit lay directly ahead. Once they stepped out, they would enter the boundless desert. By then, even if the Dark Association wanted to pursue them, they would be powerless.
Therefore, the man was immensely proud at this moment. To be able to escort a burden to the exit was a feat of considerable achievement.
"Mr. Badak, you must keep your promise!"
"You agreed with Brother Ye to rendezvous with him here…"
Hearing the man's words, the woman in white's expression changed instantly.
She knew her worth; to any faction, she possessed infinite appeal.
And once she left with the other party, it would be like escaping a wolf's den only to enter a tiger's lair. Rescuing her then would be even more difficult.
"Haha, Shangguan Yanran, are you and Ye Cangtian both fools?"
"Do you think I will keep my promise? Or are you unaware of your own value?"
"Let me tell you, you have no other choice now but to follow me! Your Brother Ye is still waiting for my news in the ghost city!"
Upon saying this, Badak's smile grew even more pronounced.
He had no intention of fulfilling his promise; he was merely deceiving Ye Cangtian.
And who was Ye Cangtian!
He was the person Nancy dreamed of defeating, yet he, Badak, was playing him around. Needless to say, Nancy's future attitude towards him would certainly change greatly.
As for the matter of killing Xuan Qi, that was also very simple.
It was merely a matter of letting Ye Cangtian wait in the Dark Association for a while. After he sent Shangguan Yanran back to the Bright Hall, he would return.
Even if Ye Cangtian knew about this, for Shangguan Yanran's sake, he would have to accept Badak's coercion and join forces to kill Xuan Qi.
"Badak, you are mistaken. Miss Yanran may have another choice!"
Just as Badak's voice fell, a shadowy figure flashed lightning-fast towards the carriage.
This person, with a sneer on his face, was none other than Xiao Feng, who had been tailing them all along.
He had to reveal himself. Otherwise, if the other party took Shangguan Yanran out of the ruins, even the Hidden Group would find it difficult to rescue her.
Seeing Xiao Feng, Shangguan Yanran was visibly excited. She knew Ye Cangtian would have planned everything.
However, before she could step forward, her neck suddenly felt a sharp pain, and she fainted.
"Haha, I knew it. Ye Cangtian must have a contingency plan."
"But I didn't expect it to be you, and only you. Tell me, can you stop me?"
It was Badak who had made the move. Naturally, he wouldn't allow Shangguan Yanran to cause trouble here. He then turned his gaze to Xiao Feng and burst into laughter.
He admitted Xiao Feng had some skill, but in his eyes, it was not enough. Trying to rescue someone was simply wishful thinking.
"Whether I can stop you is not for you to decide."
"I will prove it to you with my actions!"
Xiao Feng's gaze was icy, showing no fear. Although the other party had some reputation, he was not a pushover either.
Without a word, the two drew their weapons, looking as though they were about to engage in a fight to the death.
At the same time, in a certain corner around the exit, Ye Cangtian and Cheng Hai watched all this unfold, their eyes showing faint smiles.
"Heh heh, I didn't expect another small fry to show up."
"But the outcome was as expected. How could the cunning and deceitful Bright Hall truly cooperate with the Hidden Group?"
"That Ye Cangtian is truly too naive! Now he's lost the lady and the soldiers!"
Cheng Hai said with a playful whisper, showing no intention of appearing. It was clear he was waiting to reap the benefits of their conflict.
Ye Cangtian, on the other hand, though smiling broadly and constantly agreeing, felt a hint of worry.
If Badak and Xiao Feng were to both suffer heavy losses, neither of them would be able to escape.
Furthermore, the rescue of Shangguan Yanran would also be doomed to failure!
It was simple: facing Cheng Hai alone, he had no confidence. If he were defeated, Shangguan Yanran would inevitably fall back into the hands of the Dark Association.
With this thought, Ye Cangtian glanced at Cheng Hai and said, "My lord, why don't you and I make a move, each taking one opponent? This way, we can save some time."
"What's the rush?"
"Isn't it good to watch the show?"
Cheng Hai replied impatiently. Everything was within his control now, and no one could escape.
Besides, after the tedious waiting for so long, it was time to enjoy some entertainment.
Hearing this, Ye Cangtian said, "Lord Cheng Hai, but that Ye Cangtian hasn't shown himself yet. I'm afraid prolonged delay might lead to unforeseen variables. Also, if we resolve this quickly, we can support the branch and reduce some battle losses…"
Hmm?
Upon hearing this, a change came over Cheng Hai's eyes.
That Ye Cangtian was only at the Profound level; he hadn't put him in his sights.
However, he had to consider the other ants from the Bright Hall and the Hidden Group.
To have hidden within the Dark Association for so long and to participate in this mission meant they must possess a certain strength.
And to rescue Shangguan Yanran, they would surely fight to the death to stall the branch personnel. In that case, the branch would suffer heavy losses.
Now, with himself here, causing heavy losses to the branch would be quite embarrassing, and it might even incur the displeasure of Lord Xing Yuan.
With this in mind, Cheng Hai slowly nodded and said, "Alright, choose an opponent yourself!"
Ye Cangtian nodded, then stepped out from the shadows.
"Do you two think you can leave alive?"
"So you're fighting here, preparing to contend for Shangguan Yanran's allegiance?"
"How laughable! Have you forgotten what this place is?"
As the voice echoed, Badak and Xiao Feng, who were just about to attack, froze abruptly and turned their gazes in unison towards the source of the sound.
Upon seeing Xuan Qi, both of them were startled, and excitement flashed in their eyes.
For Xiao Feng, it was genuine. He knew that Xuan Qi was Ye Cangtian, and with his arrival, Shangguan Yanran would be saved.
As for Badak, his target had appeared on his own – a golden opportunity.
If he could eliminate Ye Cangtian and then rescue Shangguan Yanran, it would be absolutely perfect.
Thinking this, he looked at Xiao Feng and said, "Xiao Feng, it seems our grudges must be set aside. With a great enemy before us, how about we join forces?"
Badak harbored considerable apprehension towards Ye Cangtian, and for the sake of caution, he decided to team up against him.
On the other side, Xiao Feng snorted upon hearing this and said, "We can join forces, but how can I trust that you won't betray me in secret?"