C68 Enemies Always Cross Paths with Each Other

A dragon's breath swelled around Zhao Yafu, enveloping her.

Her eyes snapped open, curving into crescent moons as a smile spread across her face.

Yu Yuan, sensing the change, nodded at her across Yu Feifei, offering a simple "Congratulations."

"It was to be expected," Zhao Yafu replied, peering out from the mouth of a deep cavern. She took another breath and continued, "I've reached the Middle Period of the Yellow Court Stage. Unless I come up against those five anomalies from the major families, I fear no one—not even those a level above me in the Late Period of the Yellow Court Stage."

"Did you break through?" Yu Feifei asked, astonished.

Yuan Tine, equally shocked, turned to her, "You've really advanced in your cultivation?"

It had been three days since their farewell to Han Hui.

In that brief span, Zhao Yafu's cultivation had soared once more.

Yuan Tine remembered Zhao Yafu had just ascended to the Yellow Court Stage from the Spirit Accumulating Stage before the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area Trial.

How much time had passed since then?

From the Early to the Middle Period of the Yellow Court Stage in such a short interval?

Without witnessing it himself, he would have struggled to believe that such rapid progress was possible.

He was unaware that Zhao Yafu's innate talent for cultivation meant she should have reached the Yellow Court Stage—and even its Late Period like Yan Lu and Su Yan—long ago.

Her progress had been hindered by the young dragon's soul, trapping her at the Spirit Accumulating Stage.

Once that soul ceased to be a burden and became an asset, everything changed.

"Brother, I think I'm close to a breakthrough as well," Yu Feifei said with a sweet smile. "Just a bit more time, and I'll be there."

Yu Yuan hummed in response, "Don't hold back on using the Elemental Pill. Use it freely."

Both Yuan Tine and Zhao Yafu were key disciples within their family.

While Yuan Tine might not have realized it, Zhao Yafu was well aware that the Elemental Pills the Zhao family covertly acquired were supplied by the Yu family.

Zhao Yafu's heart brightened with realization—she was almost certain that the creation of the Elemental Pill had something to do with Yu Yuan.

"Boom!"

A dazzling firework erupted suddenly in the center of the deep pit, illuminating the once dim caverns in a flash of light.

"There's someone here!"

"They're from Darkmoon City!"

"At last, we've found them!"

Cheers of excitement echoed from above the pit, and among them was a voice Yu Yuan recognized.

"Shadowmoon City."

Yu Yuan chuckled and shook his head, remarking, "Talk about bad timing. These guys could've come at any time, but they chose to show up just as you've advanced to the Middle Period of the Yellow Court Stage."

A few days earlier, Yu Yuan had given three Shadowmoon City cultivators a harsh lesson for harassing Yu Feifei. They had left, deeming the situation too bothersome to stick around.

In Yu Yuan's eyes, the Shadowmoon City folks were never worthy adversaries in the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area—they were simply too weak.

"Yu Yuan, Zhao Yafu, do you have the guts to come up here?"

A voice, seething with frustration, called out from the wilderness above the pit, dripping with bitterness.

"Not him again!"

Yu Feifei frowned, "Brother, it's the same guy who pinched my face—the one you nearly ripped to shreds!"

Understanding, Yu Yuan nodded, "Let's go up and have a look. It's time to put an end to Shadowmoon City's nuisance. Otherwise, they might start thinking we're pushovers."

"Right."

Zhao Yafu agreed and briskly led the way, scaling the stone steps.

Yu Yuan and the rest quickly followed suit.

Upon emerging from the cave into the open wilderness, Yu Yuan unexpectedly spotted another group in the distance. His brow furrowed, and he called out with a hint of suspicion, "Eastgriffin friends, you wouldn't have intentionally led us here to be ambushed by Shadowmoon City because we refused your alliance, would you?"

There stood Han Hui, Wu Ji, and the Eastgriffin cultivators.

"Don't throw around accusations!" Wu Ji retorted loudly, "It's purely coincidental that we ran into the Shadowmoon City folks and then you."

Han Hui, paying no mind to Yu Yuan, addressed Zhao Yafu directly, "Little Sister Zhao, believe it or not, we have no ties with Shadowmoon City. We followed their shouting here from elsewhere, just to see what the commotion was about."

Zhao Yafu fixed her gaze on her, taking a careful look before smiling and saying, "Sister Han, I trust you're not one of those people."

"If it bothers you, we can leave right now," Han Hui added.

Her words were meant for Zhao Yafu and the people of Shadowhall alike. She didn't want any misunderstandings to arise at this moment, especially not the kind where they might think she was waiting to profit from their conflict.

"It's all the same to me," Zhao Yafu said with an easygoing air. "Stay and watch if you like, or leave if you prefer."

"No, please don't go. I'd actually prefer you to stay and bear witness," a young man from Shadowhall said with a sly grin, laughing in a dry, heh-heh manner. "Han Hui, rest assured, I won't misinterpret your intentions. And I'm not worried about you turning against us afterward."

He was brimming with confidence. "Yu Yuan, isn't it? You're the one who tore up my brother's face?"

His glare was intense.

"That would be me," Yu Yuan responded nonchalantly.

"Good! Very good!" the man said, nodding emphatically.

"Brother!" The youth whose face Yu Yuan had nearly torn, and who had been captured by Zhao Yafu, burst forth, pointing at Yu Yuan. "Just help me with that Zhao Yafu girl! I want to handle this Yu Yuan guy myself!"

"That's fine," the man said with a twisted smile, cautioning, "But remember, stick to the rules. You can't actually kill him. Anything short of that is fair game. Use your discretion."

"I've got it under control."

With newfound confidence, the vengeful youth charged toward Yu Yuan.

Zhao Yafu's brow furrowed slightly.

As she was about to intervene, the leader of Shadowhall unfurled a small green umbrella.

He twirled the umbrella lightly in his hand, and a screen of green spectral light shimmered from its edges.

Even standing over ten meters away, Zhao Yafu felt an overwhelming pressure engulf her, like a vast and boundless sea.

"Hu! Hu! Hu!"

Invisible torrents of spiritual power surged toward her the instant the umbrella was opened.

Zhao Yafu was at the forefront, bearing the brunt of the intense pressure.

With a huff, she stood her ground at the very front, unflinching.

Yet, aside from her, everyone else, Yu Yuan included, began to back away.

Step by step, they edged toward the deep pit that lay behind them.

"Zhan Tianxiang, don't do anything rash!"

Seeing the dire situation, Han Hui suddenly spoke up, "That pit behind them is bottomless. A fall would mean no remains left!"

"No need for your concern; I've got this under control," Zhan Tianxiang of Shadowhall retorted with a snort, unfazed.

The young man previously thrashed by Yu Yuan seized the moment to dart out, heading straight for Yu Yuan.

"Darkmoon City is so feeble," Wu Ji commented dryly. "They dare to call us the weak ones and themselves the strong? And they still refuse to ally with us?"

The other trial participants from Eastgriffin wore odd looks on their faces, shaking their heads subtly.

"Yuan Tine, Sister Zhao, it's not too late to change your minds and ally with us!"

In that moment, Han Hui of Eastgriffin called out emphatically.

Woo Ji, taken aback, asked, "Right now?"

"I prefer to lend a helping hand rather than kick someone when they're down," Han Hui declared.

Her implication was clear: if Yuan Tine and Zhao Yafu agreed, she was ready to join forces with the people from Eastgriffin and Darkmoon City to put the squeeze on Zhan Tianxiang.

"Han Hui, don't overrate your own importance," Zhan Tianxiang sneered, the corner of his mouth curling in disdain. "Even with your help, you'd still lose. Do you really think two sheep can take down a wolf if they band together? Keep dreaming!"

"Do you actually believe you're the wolf and we're the sheep?" Yu Yuan, continuing to retreat, said with a mix of sarcasm and incredulity, "Enough is enough."

"Oh," Zhao Yafu uttered, resigned.

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