The surroundings were filled with dense bushes, appearing ordinary at first glance.
"Everyone has arrived."
Du Chang approached from the side, his gaze falling upon the cultivators before him. "I've been observing this area for a while. This jungle is larger than we anticipated. Perhaps we should split up and search in different directions."
Disciples from Sheng Tian Academy followed behind him.
Sheng Linglong stood quietly, her attention subtly drifting towards Feng Ninghe.
At the very back of Sheng Tian Academy, two familiar figures stood.
"It's them!"
Bai Niannian exclaimed, as if she had discovered something. A hint of anger flickered across her delicate features. "They actually joined Sheng Tian Academy!"
Following Bai Niannian's gaze, Feng Ninghe immediately spotted Lin Yuran and Ji Binyu not far away.
As the familiar figures entered her sight, Feng Ninghe's eyes narrowed instantly, a faint glint appearing in them.
Even Feng Linyuan couldn't help but furrow his brow. "Them again. Who knows what wicked schemes they're brewing this time."
"Then let them brew," Feng Ninghe said, her cool voice devoid of any emotion. "If they don't have the chance to scheme, they won't have the opportunity to cause trouble."
Bai Niannian's eyes lit up, a hint of excitement in her voice. "Master, have you already figured out how to deal with them?"
Feng Ninghe did not immediately reply to the question. Her exquisitely carved features turned cold in an instant.
Those two had been trying to take her life for more than a day, resorting to underhanded tactics repeatedly. She was no living Bodhisattva, willing to overlook everything. Today might be an opportunity...
Pu Yin cast a look of mild approval at Du Chang and softly agreed, "I also believe we should split up. The map only marked the general location, not the precise spot. Splitting up will be more efficient."
Without further hesitation, everyone quickly dispersed.
Not far away.
Sheng Linglong subtly turned her gaze towards the two figures behind her, her voice deliberately lowered. "It's up to you today. If you handle this to my satisfaction, I will reward you handsomely!"
Lin Yuran chuckled softly. "Miss Sheng, rest assured, we will not disappoint you."
Hearing the woman's voice, Sheng Linglong withdrew her gaze. She had repeatedly assured Du Chang that she would not act rashly. By using others, no suspicion would fall on her. Even if something went wrong in the end, the blame would fall on Lin Yuran, and she would be uninvolved.
"Look!"
"Puppets! There are so many puppets here!"
Suddenly, a scream erupted from the crowd. Everyone turned their attention to where the scream originated.
Inside a cave.
The puppets hidden within the cave seemed to sense something and suddenly sprang out. The cave didn't appear large, yet a dense swarm of puppets continuously crawled out. This sight sent shivers down the spines of the cultivators. To think there were so many puppets here.
Even Feng Ninghe's brow furrowed, and she watched the scene with caution. "This was just a marker on the map, and it hides so many puppets. It's hard to imagine what the situation would be if the puppets in other areas went berserk simultaneously."
The hidden puppets, if they appeared all at once, would be enough to destroy the Dragon Realm.
Pu Yin drew a long sword without hesitation and charged towards the puppets, shouting, "Disciples of the strongest academies, obey my command! These puppets are enemies to all! Kill them!"
The cultivators did not falter, drawing their swords and charging forward.
However, amidst the crowd, two figures did not engage in the fight. Instead, they feigned involvement. These two were Lin Yuran and Ji Binyu.
Lin Yuran's eyes darted around frantically, a hint of anxiety creeping into them. "There are too many people around Feng Ninghe. Even without the King of Hell, it's not easy to make a move against her."
Seeing her anxious demeanor, Ji Binyu boldly took Lin Yuran's hand and whispered, "Why don't we create some chaos and then seize the opportunity to act..."
Everyone was desperately fighting the puppets. The number of puppets here was far greater than they had imagined. They failed to notice a sturdy figure leaning against a large tree.
A man with a cold, slightly wicked expression looked down at the cultivators battling the puppets.
"A bunch of ants."
"To think they'd try to fight puppets. It's simply a fool's dream."
The man scoffed, his voice laced with disdain. In the next moment, he seemed to notice something and his gaze fell with great interest upon a woman.
The woman was dressed in white, holding a crescent bow. Her cool yet radiant face was breathtakingly beautiful.
Feng Ninghe raised her hand slightly, and several sharp arrows shot out, striking the puppets fiercely. Suddenly, as if sensing something, she turned her head and looked around. She vaguely felt someone watching her. The surrounding cultivators were all struggling against the puppets, and there was nothing unusual. After a moment, she withdrew her gaze.
The man leaning against the tree seemed to find something amusing. A slight smile played on his lips, his gaze fixed on the woman. "I want to see what charm you possess to bewitch my foolish brother."
"There are more and more puppets!"
"If we hadn't prepared so much for this expedition, we would have already become food for these puppets!"
The cultivators frantically scanned their surroundings, their voices tinged with urgency. The sheer number of puppets was overwhelming.
Pu Yin's expression was icy, her movements becoming faster. "No matter how powerful these puppets are, they must be eliminated! These are not the only puppets. For future peace, we must give our all!"
Everyone understood the gravity of the situation. Once these hidden puppets erupted, the entire Dragon Realm would be in peril.
Du Chang looked around cautiously and suggested, "Why don't we split up? This will help disperse the puppets."
Pu Yin readily agreed. "Then let each lead their academy's disciples forward. Regardless, we must annihilate all the puppets here! Other academies have also split up to deal with other puppet nests."
Suddenly, a gust of wind swept through. The wind kicked up sand from the ground. The swirling sand obscured their vision. The wind came unexpectedly, and everyone looked around in surprise. "Why did it suddenly start blowing? And why is it so strong?"
Unable to see their surroundings clearly, the cultivators huddled together.
At this moment, Feng Ninghe raised her eyebrows. A sense of foreboding tightly enveloped her heart. She sensed a familiar aura.
Xiao Zhao also tensed up, its sapphire eyes constantly scanning the surroundings, and it softly reminded, "Master, I feel uneasy. Be careful!"