Could it be that I am the cruel villain?-Chapter 804 - 460: I’m Afraid They Won’t Start Fighting_3

"Yo——"

The strange sound didn't alarm the many disciples of the Divine Thunder Valley, because Spirit Communication Stones were everywhere on both sides of the channel, and the cacophony had long numbed them as they hurried along.

Walking at the front, Lei Chuyu felt a surge of unease in his heart. His strength was formidable, yet he was particularly inept at defending against illusions and attacks on the Divine Soul. Protecting himself was not a problem, but thinking of saving others was nothing more than wishful thinking.

"Woo——"

The air current deep in the channel continued, making it hard to distinguish whether something was roaring or if it was the wind and waves caused by splashing water. The five of them were moving forward in a semi-conscious state, and the howling ahead showed no signs of stopping. Suddenly, Lei Chuyu shuddered!

He noticed that the black water in the channel had long stopped flowing; it was a pool of dead water.

"Be careful!"

He let out a shout!

The other four disciples, whose realms were slightly lower, all had somewhat bewildered expressions. They even failed to notice that the distant howling was getting closer and closer. Accompanied by the shout, they finally regained some clarity, instinctively casting Daoist Skills and wielding Magic Treasures, but what happened next was terrifying.

Splash!

The dead water surged again, soaking the hems of their pants.

Once more, the black water in the channel spread and rose into a bizarre arc that defied the laws of physics, almost visible to the naked eye, as if the water was avoiding something. The control over Spiritual Energy and the Five Elements was at an appalling level.

Finally, under the watchful eyes of all five, a figure appeared in front of the disciples of Divine Thunder Valley—an ancient-looking guardian of the Water Gate Pass, with only one arm and the original form of the Clan Leader of the Yuan Family, the Ape Heart Tribulation.

For a moment, everyone held their breath.

Though it was a stone statue, the face was lifelike, and the Spirit Communication Stone subtly changed according to the expression of the Divine Soul. It was hard to determine what it was or the intent behind its presence, but judging from the current scene, it certainly wasn't friendly.

"Senior."

Lei Chuyu spoke up.

One hand was frantically signaling to the other four behind his back. Being longtime fellow disciples, they naturally understood it was a signal to retreat, and they subtly and cautiously began to step back slowly.

"Junior has just arrived at this treasured land and did not know this was Senior's territory. If there's any offense, please forgive us. We'll be leaving immediately."

His voice remained steady, and the Hou Clan Leader seemed less hostile than before, appearing somewhat calmer. Upon seeing Lei Chuyu and hearing his words, he even nodded. 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

"This is... Water Gate Pass, an important place. You young ones must leave... quickly."

The words were intermittent, entirely contrary to his earlier demeanor. Now, this remnant soul retained only consciousness and his obsession from life, but the nature of this Hou Clan Leader was not particularly bad; at least, he wouldn't get angry at kids for no reason.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Lei Chuyu also bowed before deciding to turn around. But suddenly, the previously calm expression of the Hou Clan Leader turned ferocious!

"Why do you... carry the scent of insects, Gu Worms, from the Southern Border... Ugh ugh ah ah! Return my Water Gate Pass, die, all must die!"

Before he could turn back, he realized that the Water Monkey had already appeared behind him, his pupils constricting. Before he could react, a heavy punch landed on his body!

Rumble——

The mountain's destruction continued.

About seven or eight miles away, the other four were all sitting inside an old, dry stone cave filled with various bamboo slips and parchment in front of them.

There were records on Sword Dao, Five Elements Taoism, and even cultivation techniques from the Southern Border. Although many were incomplete, they still contained a wealth of useful information.

Particularly, the content on Gu Worms showed a lot of study. Even Cen Yueyue felt that the experiences summarized by these ancestors were quite useful. When people from the Southern Border came before, the Yuan Family dared to invite trouble, meaning they were certainly well-prepared.

At the moment, these bamboo slips found in various caves were likely the research conducted by the Yuan Family members back then, aimed at gaining an upper hand if conflicts arose. Unfortunately, it was a miscalculation, but the commotion from afar caught their attention.

"Actually, the reputation of this Hou Clan Leader in Dongyue was highly polarizing."

Qingluan simply held an ore lamp, aware that lighting a candle in such an unventilated setting was suicidal, which was proven when Cen Yueyue fainted earlier.

"We only mentioned how he defected and profited, but in the eyes of many, he was extremely loyal. This remnant soul isn't for seeking the Daoist path, but to guard this Water Gate Pass."

"But his loyalty wasn't towards Dongyue or the Royal Family, but to the Emperor, or he obeyed only the Emperor's orders."

"According to the elders in my family, the Hou Clan Leader had a life-saving friendship with the Emperor. After stepping down and the new emperor's ascension, losses to many old family interests were indeed inflicted to elevate his confidant, and Water Gate Pass was divided, with more than half its territory ceded."

"Perhaps from that moment, he had already stopped caring."

Qingluan's voice was gentle, recounting these tales didn't bore anyone, instead, listening became more intriguing. At this moment, Jiang Feng noticed Cen Yueyue was fiddling with something behind her back.

Looking closely, it was the mass of red Mother Worm somehow already in her hand.

"What are you doing?"

His expression was filled with confusion.

Miss Cen replied innocently, "That Water Monkey is very allergic to Xu Huoyao, right? I was worried they wouldn't fight."

Rumble!

Seeing the nearby shaking stone walls, the fierce battle in the distance was perceptible even miles away. Wanting to say something, they could only muster a helpless smile.

"Alright, let's go intervene in the fight, come on."