"Should we take these two eggs?" Mu Qingge frowned, pondering.

At this moment, on the swampy ground, forces from the Myriad Beasts Sect and the Refining Tower were already engaged in battle.

The scene was chaotic, with beasts roaring and flashes of blades and swords. The brilliant collision of spiritual power lit up the night sky. Jin Gui was besieged by Hei Mu’s two spirit beasts, but he was still handling it with ease.

The other disciples of the Refining Tower weren’t so fortunate, having to contend with the disciples of the Myriad Beasts Sect while also guarding against sneak attacks from spirit beasts.

The battle was fought with extreme messiness, but there was no choice but to fight.

Feng Kunhai fended off an attack from a spirit beast and shouted to his side, "Everyone, hold on! We must stall the Myriad Beasts Sect!" His thoughts were clear; those who jumped into the underground labyrinth were from the Refining Tower. As long as they held the Myriad Beasts Sect here, once their disciples retrieved the treasures, the ownership would be settled. The Myriad Beasts Sect wouldn’t dare act rashly unless they wanted to spark a war between the two factions!

Hei Mu’s eyes turned fierce, and he retreated to Taishi Gao’s side, whispering, "Young Sect Master, find an opportunity to go down. We’ll hold these people back. The person below is certainly not your match."

Taishi Gao’s eyes were sullen. Hei Mu’s words made him nod.

With a gesture, the single-horned black panther transformed into a stream of light and flew into Taishi Gao’s waist bag. Taishi Gao carefully avoided the raging battlefield and stealthily approached the vortex entrance.

In the darkness of the night and amidst the chaos, no one noticed his movements.

The battle grew fiercer, with wounded humans and spirit beasts alike being mercilessly swallowed by the Endless Swamp.

Among them were both disciples of the Myriad Beasts Sect and the Refining Tower.

Ding Mao weaved through the crowd, occasionally launching sneak attacks or using his master’s abilities to escape danger, amazingly unscathed.

Suddenly, a beast claw lunged at him, frightening Ding Mao into a roll on the ground to narrowly avoid it.

Just after dodging the lethal claw, he saw Taishi Gao flit towards the vortex.

Ding Mao’s eyes shifted, and he too retreated from the battlefield heading towards the vortex.

As soon as he arrived, Taishi Gao jumped in. Not daring to delay, Ding Mao followed, and the two entered the vortex one after the other.

Hei Mu, who had been secretly watching over Taishi Gao, felt relief when he jumped into the vortex. But upon seeing another person follow, his eyes gleamed with a sharper killing intent.

...

"What exactly are these two eggs?" In the labyrinth below the Endless Swamp, Mu Qingge continued to ponder the origins of the two eggs.

Her goal was the Mixed Element Heavenly Extreme Flame, not the two eggs.

"Never mind, I’ll just take them first." Mu Qingge furrowed her brow and made a decision.

With a wave of her hand, the two eggs were stored in her space.

Almost instantly, the voices of Mengmeng and Yin Chen echoed in her mind.

"Such strong Fire Spirit Power!"

"Such a strong pressure!"

Mu Qingge was taken aback and asked, "What are you two saying?"

"Master Silver, there’s a fire spirit within this misty egg," Mengmeng promptly replied.

Yin Chen added, "I can sense a pressure from this colorful egg that only spirit beasts possess, but it’s different from the usual spirit beast pressure. I can only describe it as very, very strong."

Mu Qingge was stunned.

She thought to herself: ’It seems that the origins of these two eggs are significant.’ Suddenly, a flash of insight struck her, and she subconsciously said, "Could it be that the misty egg is the Mixed Element Heavenly Extreme Flame?"

After saying this, she couldn’t even believe herself.

The Mixed Element Heavenly Extreme Flame was newborn indeed, but could it actually be an egg?

Mu Qingge’s mouth twitched a bit, seemingly unable to accept the image of the Mixed Element Heavenly Extreme Flame.

She looked down at the compass in her hand.

Sure enough, after collecting the egg, the compass seemed to lose its function.

Mu Qingge shook the compass in her hand, the needle swinging along with her motion.

The Refining Tower came to find the Mixed Element Heavenly Extreme Flame, so she followed all the way, planning to be the mantis stalking the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind. This compass seemed to be key in finding the Mixed Element Heavenly Extreme Flame, and now that it had failed, eliminating technical issues left only one explanation: she had found the Mixed Element Heavenly Extreme Flame.

"What’s going on? Why can’t I sense it anymore?" Suddenly, a questioning voice came from outside the secret chamber.

Mu Qingge narrowed her eyes, immediately pressing herself against the wall, hiding in an inconspicuous corner.

Just as she hid, she saw a figure bend down, rushing in from outside, heading directly for the high platform where the two eggs had been placed.

’That is...’ Mu Qingge scrutinized him secretly, immediately recognizing the person: ’The Young Sect Master of the Myriad Beasts Sect, Taishi Gao.’

"Damn it!" Taishi Gao’s handsome features twisted into a snarl as he punched the high platform, covering it with a web of fine cracks.

"It must have been that Refining Tower brat who got them!" he growled with a malicious tone.

He muttered to himself, "I could always feel the spirit beast’s presence before, but now I can’t. They probably haven’t gone far!"

Spirit Beasts!

Mu Qingge suddenly understood.

It turns out, the Myriad Beasts Sect and the Refining Tower had different goals, yet they inexplicably had a fight?

Mu Qingge wouldn’t bother explaining the misunderstanding; presently, be it what the Refining Tower wanted or what the Myriad Beasts Sect desired, everything should now be stored in her space.

And something that entered her pocket wouldn’t easily come back out.

Since it was a misunderstanding, she thought somewhat impishly, let them continue misunderstanding.

Taishi Gao suddenly turned, looked as if he intended to pursue.

Suddenly, another person slipped through the door, and Mu Qingge squinted. Oh, it’s an old acquaintance!

Looking at Ding Mao, Mu Qingge sighed at her own luck once more.

Ding Mao had repeatedly provoked her, and she had tolerated it previously to avoid unnecessary complications. But now...

"It’s you!" Taishi Gao instantly recognized Ding Mao.

After all, outside, Ding Mao had dared speak against him and even tried to stab him with a sword.

Taishi Gao’s gaze immediately darkened viciously, staring at Ding Mao as though looking at a lifeless corpse. Ding Mao’s presence blocked Taishi Gao’s way.

He sneered coldly, "Fine, capture you and exchange you for treasures with your fellow disciples."

Ding Mao was stunned, his eyes darted, then he sneered, "With just you? I tell you, if you dare hurt me, my master won’t spare you. It doesn’t matter who you are, even as Young Sect Master, you’ll be beaten to a pulp! Hand over the treasure!"

"You dare demand treasure from me?" Taishi Gao’s eyes turned icy, and malice emanated from him.

With a wave of his hand, a flash of black light from his waist, the single-horned black panther appeared at his side, baring its teeth and staring menacingly at Ding Mao.

Ding Mao, under the panther’s gaze, was instantly chilled to the bone, drenched in cold sweat. His voice involuntarily trembled, "Don’t...don’t mess around!"

"So what if I do?" Taishi Gao mocked him with disdain.

"I... I tell you, my master is an Elder of the Refining Tower, even the dean needs to give way to him. If you harm me, wait for the Refining Tower to declare war on your Myriad Beasts Sect." Ding Mao continued to shrink back. The appearance of the single-horned black panther completely shattered his courage.

Taishi Gao’s eyes were cold, dismissing Ding Mao’s threats entirely.

He instructed the panther, "Bite off his limbs, don’t rush to eat him, keep him for later use."

The command made the panther issue a raspy growl, pushing off its forelegs towards Ding Mao.

"Ah—! Save me!" Ding Mao screamed as he was knocked to the ground by the panther.

The panther’s sharp claws dug into his shoulder blades, leaving behind bloodied punctures. Ding Mao howled in pain.

At that moment, he completely forgot he was a cultivator. In front of the panther, he could only beg bitterly. He regretted it, regretting why he followed Taishi Gao in alone, regretting even more provoking him verbally!

The panther howled again, opening its blood-red mouth to bite at Ding Mao’s wrist.

Taishi Gao had told it to sever Ding Mao’s limbs, not just sever the tendons like humans would, but truly bite off the hands and feet.

"Ah—!" Ding Mao felt his hand being forcibly bitten and torn off.

The agony nearly caused him to faint.

In the darkness, Mu Qingge watched his suffering with a gaze full of sympathy, yet she had no intention of intervening.

It’s rare to see them at each other’s throats, so she naturally enjoys the show.

She just didn’t expect that the Young Sect Master of the Myriad Beasts Sect, who appears so refined, would be so cruel-hearted. Such a person, if not killed before maturing, would grow to be a ruthless individual dominating a region.

"Ah, ah, ah—!"

When Ding Mao’s last foot was pulled off by the Single-horned Black Panther, he had already passed out from the pain.

If it weren’t for his Spiritual Power Cultivation automatically protecting its master and holding his heart, he would have died long ago.

After completing the task assigned by its master, the Single-horned Black Panther licked the blood on its mouth, and returned to Taishi Gao’s side, still unsatisfied.

Taishi Gao patted its horned head with satisfaction, took out a bloody bone from the Qiankun Bag, and tossed it into the Single-horned Black Panther’s mouth.

As he looked at Ding Mao lying in a pool of blood on the ground, his eyes were exceptionally cold and full of disdain.

Suddenly, the hair on the Single-horned Black Panther’s shoulder stood up, and its whole body was tense with vigilance. It adjusted its direction to look toward where Mu Qingge was hiding and let out a low growl of warning.

Taishi Gao’s eyes narrowed, and he also looked in Mu Qingge’s hiding direction, sharply questioning, "Who’s there? Come out!"

Mu Qingge’s brow slightly raised, feeling a deep appreciation for the sensitivity of the Single-horned Black Panther. She had merely leaked a trace of almost undetectable aura, yet it sensed it.

Wearing the Refining Tower’s raincoat, Mu Qingge stepped out from the darkness.

Upon seeing her outfit, Taishi Gao said, "Someone from the Refining Tower? You’re the person who came in earlier!"

He suddenly realized, and beside him, the Single-horned Black Panther also posed for battle.

Mu Qingge’s face was hidden under the raincoat’s hood, making it hard to see her clearly, only her slightly hooked red lips could barely be seen.

Her silence made Taishi Gao frown, "Hand over the thing, and I can spare you." He never expected that the person who descended earlier had found the thing but hadn’t left immediately and stayed to watch a good show.

The scene where he had the Single-horned Black Panther harm Ding Mao must have been witnessed by this person.

If they left here alive, it would surely bring trouble to the Myriad Beasts Sect.

Taishi Gao’s eyes flashed, and he already decided on the fate of Mu Qingge in his heart.

"The thing? I don’t know what you’re talking about. I only saw Senior Brother Ding being crippled by you," Mu Qingge said deliberately.

As expected!

Taishi Gao’s eyes coldly looked at her, thinking: ’I wasn’t wrong.’

"Not handing it over? I can search you after killing you!" Taishi Gao said coldly.

"Kill him!"

The Single-horned Black Panther received the order but did not act immediately. Instead, it held a trembling battle stance, letting out low whimpering sounds from its throat.

Seeing the Single-horned Black Panther not executing the order, Taishi Gao’s face changed drastically, and he kicked it hard.

"Kill him! I told you to kill him!" he said angrily.

Mu Qingge, however, remained standing still, watching the Single-horned Black Panther with a smile on her lips.

The pressure of a Purple Realm Strong Person was more than enough for a high-rank Spirit Beast, especially one that was tamed and had its strength halved. Moreover, she had Yin Chen secretly add a trace of aura to her pressure.

The pressure from a human might just be a suppression for a Spirit Beast.

However, the pressure of different levels between Spirit Beasts was an insurmountable barrier from birth.

Yin Chen was now a pseudo-divine beast with ancient divine beast bloodline, so dealing with a Single-horned Black Panther was way too simple.

If Yin Chen itself were standing here, perhaps this Single-horned Black Panther wouldn’t even have the courage to stand.

This kind of pressure, Taishi Gao couldn’t feel, so he only felt anger and a sense of betrayal due to the Panther’s abnormality.

He twisted the folding fan in his hand, pulling out a sharp dagger from behind.

He aimed at the Single-horned Black Panther’s neck, his voice cold, "If you don’t follow orders, what’s the use of keeping you?" With that, his hand sank, and the dagger stabbed into the Panther’s neck.

The Single-horned Black Panther probably couldn’t understand why its master would kill it even at its death.

Its desperate eyes stared at Taishi Gao, filled with a complex emotion. Blood flowed from the wound on its neck, while the Single-horned Black Panther silently fell to the ground.

After killing the Panther, Taishi Gao slapped his waist again, and a green light flew out, landing beside him, transforming into a high-rank Wind Wolf.

Mu Qingge raised her eyebrow, looking at Taishi Gao’s waist pouch with interest.

She was curious about how many Spirit Beasts were in that pouch?

"Kill him!" As soon as the Wind Wolf appeared, Taishi Gao ordered.

At this time, Mu Qingge had withdrawn her pressure. The Wind Wolf obeyed, opened its bloody mouth with sharp teeth, and pounced toward Mu Qingge. From it, a blue light blade also spewed out, attacking Mu Qingge.

The killing intent came overwhelmingly, but it didn’t change Mu Qingge’s expression at all.

She just let out a cold hum, and all the light blades about to hit shattered and disappeared without a trace.

The Wind Wolf rushed up to her, and without using Spiritual Power, she raised her hand, formed a fist, and struck directly using physical strength, hitting the Wind Wolf’s head.

Before the Wind Wolf could even let out a roar, its head exploded, crashing to the ground as a headless wolf.

This scene finally frightened Taishi Gao.

He exclaimed, "Who are you? A disciple of the Refining Tower could never be this strong!"

"Seems you’re not too stupid." Mu Qingge said calmly, slowly walking toward him.

Suddenly, Taishi Gao felt the surrounding atmosphere turn tight, as if it restricted his movements and stopped any resistance.

He felt as if his limbs were sinking into a swamp, heavy and hard to control. The air around him turned into the black swamp from the Endless Swamp, tightly engulfing him.

And that terrifying person was again slowly approaching him.

Taishi Gao felt he had never been so close to death.

"I am the Young Sect Master of the Myriad Beasts Sect, you can’t kill me! If you kill me, you’ll offend the entire Myriad Beasts Sect, and no matter who you are, you won’t survive in Rong Country!" Taishi Gao said urgently.

He seemed to forget that Ding Mao had previously said similar words to him in the same tone, and he still held Ding Mao in disdain, just as Mu Qingge now did to him.

Failed to survive in Rong Country? She was not even from Rong Country, so what did it matter to her?

Mu Qingge ignored Taishi Gao’s threat, continuing to walk toward him.

That silent oppression was more frightening than any real weapon, and Taishi Gao kept a close watch on Mu Qingge, afraid she would attack him.

As he said, he was the Young Sect Master of the Myriad Beasts Sect, having power below one person, but above thousands. There was still so much life to enjoy, endless wealth and luxury, beauties and wine yet to experience. How could he die here?

"Do you think that if I kill you, when the people from the Myriad Beasts Sect and the Refining Tower arrive, they’ll think you died by killing each other with Ding Mao?" Mu Qingge curved her lips into a teasing smile, like a child who loved pranks.

She wasn’t wasting time; rather, with the fight raging above, if she went up, she’d become a target.

Better to wait until they were all worn out, then look for an opportunity to slip away.

So in her wait, Taishi Gao and the unconscious Ding Mao became her diversion.

Mu Qingge walked up to Taishi Gao, reached out, and pulled the pouch hanging from his belt into her hand. Before his eyes, Mu Qingge directly wiped away the Spiritual Sense on it.

"Ah!" The removal of the Spiritual Sense made Taishi Gao cry out in pain.

The feeling was akin to a nail being driven into his head.

Mu Qingge didn’t care about Taishi Gao’s pain but instead invaded the pouch with her Spiritual Sense. Surprisingly, the result left her somewhat astonished.

She initially thought, as the Young Sect Master of the Myriad Beasts Sect, Taishi Gao would have many Spirit Beasts. But unexpectedly, apart from a peculiar-looking demonic bone-like flute, it was empty.

She didn’t know that for today’s trip, Taishi Gao had specifically undone several Spirit Beast contracts to leave enough Spiritual Sense for the day.

"What is this?" Mu Qingge asked Taishi Gao, holding the flute in her hand.

Seeing that flute, Taishi Gao’s face turned pale, and he clenched his lips without speaking.

"Not talking?" Mu Qingge’s tone became playful.

Taishi Gao felt a chill down his spine and exclaimed, "What do you want?"

Mu Qingge didn’t answer him but focused her gaze on the headless Wind Wolf.

This mere glance terrified Taishi Gao, hastily saying, "I’ll talk, I’ll talk." Afraid that a moment’s delay would render his own fate the same as the Wind Wolf.

"This is a Beast Taming Flute, blowing it can momentarily control nearby Spirit Beasts." After speaking, Taishi Gao’s face turned even paler.

The Beast Taming Flute is the treasure of the Myriad Beasts Sect. Because he is the Young Sect Master, he gets to use it.

Now, it has been taken away, and its purpose learned by others. He really feels the Beast Taming Flute is getting farther and farther away from him.

"Let me go and return the Beast Taming Flute to me. I will give you unimaginable rewards. Whether it’s gold, silver, or spirit beasts, I can give them to you!" Taishi Gao suddenly said.

It seems he’s planning to use another approach to persuade Mu Qingge to release him.

Without even fighting, he knows he’s no match for Mu Qingge. Moreover, he no longer has any spirit beasts on him.

Mu Qingge slowly shook her head, "I refuse."

"Why? Such good conditions, why won’t you agree? If you kill me and take the Beast Taming Flute, my Myriad Beasts Sect will endlessly hunt you down. What’s the benefit for you?" Taishi Gao desperately tried to persuade Mu Qingge.

Mu Qingge replied indifferently, "But you still want to steal my things."

What do you mean I still want to steal your things? Clearly, you’re the one trying to steal from me!

Taishi Gao was so angry he could spit blood, but he didn’t dare to refute openly.

He took a deep breath, calming his emotions, and said to Mu Qingge, "I won’t steal, definitely won’t. As long as you let me go, I’ll immediately leave with the people from the Myriad Beasts Sect and won’t trouble you."

With such conditions offered, plus the previous promises, Taishi Gao thought even an iron-willed person would be tempted.

However, just as he was eagerly awaiting Mu Qingge’s response, she still shook her head.

A feeling of being toyed with surged in Taishi Gao’s heart. His features twisted in rage, uncertain if it was due to anger or humiliation. "What exactly do you want?"

Mu Qingge grinned, "To eliminate future trouble, I think I should kill both of you."

After she finished speaking, without waiting for Taishi Gao’s reaction, she struck with her palm, directly hitting Taishi Gao’s vital spot. His body flew backward, crashing heavily against the platform behind him, and then bouncing forward to lie motionless on the ground.

’Dead just like that?’ Mu Qingge looked down at Taishi Gao lying in a pool of blood, frowning.

The Young Sect Master of the Myriad Beasts Sect seemed to have died too easily.

Mu Qingge found it hard to believe. She walked over, squatted, felt for breath and pulse. No breath, no pulse.

"Really dead?" Mu Qingge asked, surprised.

Her palm did indeed strike Taishi Gao’s heart vein, yet the force she used she knew wouldn’t take his life, at least not so quickly.

Nonetheless, Taishi Gao was unmistakably dead.

At least from a medical perspective, he was dead.

Mu Qingge slowly stood, her gaze not leaving Taishi Gao’s body.

At that moment, a faint groan came from behind Mu Qingge. She turned and raised an eyebrow.

Unexpectedly, Ding Mao’s life was quite tough. Despite such heavy wounds and a lot of blood loss, he awakened so quickly.

Compared to Taishi Gao, Ding Mao certainly held more grudges against Mu Qingge.

Mu Qingge walked over to Ding Mao. Her shadow enveloped him. Ding Mao barely opened his eyes and saw a person standing before him.

At first, he thought it was Taishi Gao, frightfully shrinking backward. Accidentally touching a wound, the pain made him curl up, rolling.

As his vision cleared, he saw the person wore their sect’s raincoat.

Ding Mao felt a spark of hope, "Junior Brother! Save me!"

But the person in front of him didn’t move.

Ding Mao was inexplicably shaken. "Junior Brother, I am Ding Mao, disciple of Elder Jin Gui. If you save me, my master will surely reward you."

He gave a firm promise, expecting a response.

But after a while, he was disappointed.

Suddenly, the person before him moved, raised a hand, pulled down the hood over their head, revealing an absolute stunning face.

Seeing this face, Ding Mao’s eyes shrank in fear.

Mu Qingge smiled playfully, "Ding Mao, look closely, who am I?"

"It’s you!" Ding Mao exclaimed.

He never imagined encountering Mu Qingge here.

Immediately, his eyes filled with terror.

"Back then, when you begged me to spare you, what did you say? Never appear before me again, not cause me trouble? Hmm?" Mu Qingge mocked, her eyes cold as ice.

Ding Mao felt a chill in his heart. In an instant, he seemed to forget the pain of his severed limbs and urgently worked his brain to resolve the crisis before him. "I... I didn’t come here looking for you. I am on a sect mission."

If at another time, Mu Qingge might have believed his explanation somewhat.

But Mu Qingge had followed them all the way. Bits of conversation between Ding Mao and Jin Gui had drifted into her ears.

They were indeed on a mission, but also, they had no intention of leaving her and her people alone.

"Are you sure you’re not lying to me?" Mu Qingge slowly lifted her foot, placing it on Ding Mao’s chest.

Yet Ding Mao felt like a massive stone pressed on his chest, making it hard to breathe.

"Cough, cough..." Ding Mao coughed heavily, blood spilling out from within.

In a panic, he nodded, "It’s true, true."

"Why do your eyes tell me you’re lying?" Mu Qingge said calmly, increasing the pressure of her foot.

Ding Mao hurriedly shook his head, only to vomit more blood.

Feeling his insides and meridians about to shatter, his body was in pieces.

"Tell me, how did you and your master plan to deal with me?" Mu Qingge asked suddenly, making Ding Mao freeze.

He widened his eyes at Mu Qingge, filled with disbelief.

"Won’t speak?" Mu Qingge raised an eyebrow, ready to increase her foot’s power.

Ding Mao quickly shook his armless body, "I’ll talk... I’ll talk... I told my master about your treasure, he was very interested. Promised to help me find you, and after subduing you, let me handle you, he only wants that treasure."

That treasure, of course, was the Beast Core Gun Mu Qingge fashioned using her past life’s knowledge with the present’s artifact refining techniques.

Mu Qingge sneered, "Seems you really can’t trust people too much."

Her words made Ding Mao feel terrified.

He hurriedly pleaded, "Spare me, please spare me. I won’t trouble you again in this life, no, the next life too."

"Your words are no longer credible." Mu Qingge gazed coldly, bit by bit increasing the force applied by her foot.

Spiritual Power, through her foot, entered Ding Mao’s body, transformed into countless streams, rampantly tearing through his organs, shattering his meridians.

Ding Mao’s face contorted in pain, unable to resist, feeling his life slipping away, his spiritual power vanishing.

"Devil... You’re a devil..." Ding Mao kept spitting blood, looking at Mu Qingge with nothing but terror and regret.

He regretted provoking this devil.

He despised himself for escaping once, why did he come back!

Ding Mao, engulfed in fear of Mu Qingge, finally perished.

Even in death, his eyes remained wide, filled with endless fear.

...

Above the Endless Swamp, the sky gradually lightened, and the whirling vortex began to calm, seemingly close to shutting this entrance completely.

The Myriad Beasts Sect and the Refining Tower’s people battled all night, with unspecified deaths and injuries. Now, only those with the strength to fight on were exhausted.

The original group of over two hundred people had dwindled to around a hundred.

Each side had lost nearly half their numbers.

Of course, the Refining Tower suffered the worst losses; without an advantage, the Myriad Beasts Sect saved more numbers thanks to spirit beasts.

Feng Kunhai’s weapon struck Hei Mu’s bone staff, sending out shock waves rippling outward, blowing those nearby away.

Feng Kunhai, not as skilled as Hei Mu, was shaken with a tightened chest, blood seeping from his mouth.

"Hei Mu, your Myriad Beasts Sect is about taming Spirit Beasts, why are you fighting for the Mixed Element Heavenly Extreme Flame? If you give up the competition this time, once I return to the Refining Tower, I’ll report to the Headmaster and ensure some compensation for your Myriad Beasts Sect. If you continue this entanglement, neither of us will benefit!" Feng Kunhai gritted his teeth and said.

If the losses weren’t so severe, he wouldn’t compromise so easily.

Who knew, just as he said this, Hei Mu immediately countered: "Who wants the Mixed Element Heavenly Extreme Flame? We came here looking for an outer world Spirit Beast! It’s your Refining Tower that’s meddling in this! What do you blacksmith artifact refiners need Spirit Beasts for?"

"What the hell do we need Spirit Beasts for!"

Wait!

Wait!

Both Feng Kunhai and Hei Mu were stunned at the same time, their old faces close together, both somewhat dazed.

"What did you say you were after?" Feng Kunhai, the first to react, asked.

Hei Mu, having some guess already, said: "Our Sect Master observed the celestial phenomena at night and discovered there was a Spirit Beast birthed in the Endless Swamp and specifically assigned us to find it."

"Our Headmaster also calculated that an Abnormal Fire was newborn in this place, a fortuity for our Refining Tower, so he specifically sent us here to retrieve it," Feng Kunhai also said.

Both men knew they were concealing something in their words, but it didn’t stop them from realizing a fact.

"Stop!" Hei Mu suddenly shouted.

Feng Kunhai quickly followed, shouting: "All Refining Tower personnel, stop."

The leaders of both sides suddenly called a halt, and the teams on each side surprisingly stopped.

However, when looking at each other, their eyes were filled with hatred.

Jin Gui’s figure flashed, coming next to Feng Kunhai, and asked, "Why did we stop suddenly?"

His questioning represented the voices of all in the Refining Tower.

Feng Kunhai’s mouth twitched hard, gritting his teeth, he said: "It was a misunderstanding."

Hei Mu also darkened his face towards the disciples of the Myriad Beasts Sect: "A misunderstanding."

A misunderstanding?

What does that mean?

Whether it was the people of the Myriad Beasts Sect or the people of the Refining Tower, they were all dumbfounded at this moment.

Jin Gui frowned, his face darkening as he said, "Feng Kunhai, what on earth is going on?" After fighting for so long and losing so much, and it turns out to be a misunderstanding?

Feng Kunhai’s expression was also extremely bad; he was responsible for everything this time, yet the losses were so great, he would be hard-pressed to explain it when he went back too.

Facing Jin Gui’s questioning, Feng Kunhai had no choice but to toughen up and say: "The things both sides want aren’t even the same!"

Hei Mu also had a cold face as he said: "That’s indeed the case."

What the hell?!

After fighting for so long, in the end, they were told they fought wrongly? Everyone should just shake hands and make peace?

Jin Gui snorted coldly: "Even if that’s the case, but now the Myriad Beasts Sect has killed many of our disciples, should this matter just be settled like this?" He said as his gloomy gaze swept over the people of the Myriad Beasts Sect.

Suddenly, he noticed that Ding Mao was missing and hurriedly called out: "Ding Mao! Ding Mao!"

Unfortunately, no one responded.

"Damn it!" Thinking of a certain possibility, a trace of panic flashed through the small eyes of Jin Gui.

No one knew the real reason why he was so concerned about Ding Mao.

In truth, Ding Mao was his illegitimate child!

Although it’s a melodramatic situation, Ding Mao was his only bloodline, and if Ding Mao died, it would undoubtedly cut off his bloodline inheritance!

"Who? Who killed my apprentice?" Jin Gui said hatefully.

Yin Zhe’s vicious gaze turned to the people of the Myriad Beasts Sect opposite, as if each one was his child’s killer.

His menacing look made Hei Mu dissatisfied. The latter frowned and snorted coldly: "Our Myriad Beasts Sect people and Spirit Beasts have also suffered significant losses, at most it’s a wash."

"A wash? Are your disciples’ lives comparable to my disciple’s?" Jin Gui aggressively said. His appearance seemed ready to resume the fight at any time.

His emotions rubbed off on Hei Mu’s anger.

The whole farce was already annoyingly confusing, and now someone dared to question him? It’s simply courting death.

Just when the conflict between the two was about to reignite, Feng Kunhai suddenly jumped out, standing between them to stop it: "You two, don’t be angry. Although the previous incident was a misunderstanding, many disciples were lost after all, and this matter certainly cannot be left like this. But now is not the time to argue. The most urgent thing is that we need to unite our efforts, complete our respective tasks first, and then discuss how to resolve this matter after reporting back."

His words were something Hei Mu could somewhat accept.

However, Jin Gui, who was solely worried about Ding Mao, completely disagreed: "No, if Ding Mao is not found, I want the people of the Myriad Beasts Sect to be buried with him!"

"What a big mouth!" Hei Mu’s eyes widened, his momentum rising instantly.

His cultivation level was higher than Jin Gui’s, and with one shout, it shook Jin Gui’s chest with pain.

Astonished, Jin Gui took a step back, clutching his chest as he looked at Hei Mu.

Hei Mu snorted disdainfully: "Old man didn’t strike you dead before, it was on account of your Refining Tower Headmaster. If you continue to be unreasonable, don’t blame me for being merciless!"

Jin Gui grinned hideously: "Old coot, don’t get smug and speak so righteously. Yes, your cultivation is higher than mine, but if I give my all, you won’t necessarily have it easy. If not, let’s fight it out!"

"Elder Jin, don’t be rash!" Feng Kunhai stopped him.

Jin Gui glared at him viciously: "Shut up! It was your great leadership!"

The words filled with resentment rendered Feng Kunhai speechless, with coldness hidden in his eyes.

Today’s events were indeed a misunderstanding, but due to being too much of a coincidence. Who knew the things both sides wanted would be in the same place? With mutual wariness, naturally, things wouldn’t be spoken so clearly, thus leading to misunderstandings.

Feng Kunhai believed that if someone else were in his place, the outcome would be the same.

Suddenly, the ground shook, and the whirlpool on the Endless Swamp disappeared.

A few things were spat out by the swamp, landing in front of everyone.

"What’s happening?" someone exclaimed in shock.

Feng Kunhai and Hei Mu, who obviously were more knowledgeable insiders, said simultaneously: "Channel closed, all things not belonging inside will be expelled!"

Upon closer inspection, what was expelled were the Young Sect Master of the Myriad Beasts Sect, his Spirit Beast, and another person.

"Ding Mao!" Jin Gui exclaimed involuntarily, rushing towards Ding Mao’s corpse.

Traces of bites from a Spirit Beast were on Ding Mao’s corpse, along with Taishi Gao lying beside him, made Jin Gui’s eyes redden. He gathered Spiritual Power in his palm and hurled it at Taishi Gao: "I’ll tear you limb from limb—!"

"Do not be reckless!" Hei Mu was shocked, and with a palm wave, the two forces dissipated in front of Taishi Gao.

Immediately after, Hei Mu instantly teleported in front of Taishi Gao, looking at the tragic death of the spirit beast beside him, hurriedly helped Taishi Gao up, and shouted: "Young Sect Master? Young Sect Master?"

The originally dead Taishi Gao unexpectedly coughed a few times under Hei Mu’s call and slowly regained consciousness.

This turn of events left the Refining Tower people internally shocked.

Just now, they clearly hadn’t sensed Taishi Gao’s aura.

The revived Taishi Gao gasped for breath and weakly said: "How fortunate, I managed to use the Turtle Breathing Technique of our sect in time, narrowly escaping. Elder Hei, you must avenge me!"

Hei Mu sternly asked: "Young Sect Master, who injured you?"

Jin Gui also asked at this moment: "You’re the one who killed my apprentice!"

Taishi Gao’s gaze shifted lightly to Ding Mao’s body with limbs severed, still weakly said: "I admit I had the Spirit Beast bite off his limbs, but the person wasn’t killed by me. There was another person inside, yet he was a disciple of your Refining Tower, who took everything."

"What!"

Everyone was shocked.

Feng Kunhai immediately searched around, but saw no suspicious figures.

Jin Gui suddenly said: "If he dared to kill Ding Mao, he certainly isn’t from the Refining Tower, there must be someone impersonating!"

Upon hearing this, everyone was even more shocked.

Feng Kunhai immediately said: "No matter who it is, after the channel closes, they will be expelled. He must still be in the Endless Swamp. We must search immediately and find him!"

His tone was vicious, seemingly holding Mu Qingge accountable for the loss on both sides, as well as the failure of the mission...