A flash of killing intent flickered in Chen Yang’s eyes. Within the borders of the Kingdom of Qian dynasty, remnants of the Bare Body Sect were to be executed without mercy! Any force that colluded with the Bare Body Sect wouldn’t escape judgment either! Li Yanchu fell silent. There seemed to be a deeper layer of meaning behind all this. Chen Yang also appeared to know a bit too much. But then again, Chen Yang was a military officer of the Kingdom of Qian dynasty’s Court of Judicial Review, and also a registered outer disciple of Mount Longhu. His identity could indeed be trusted. Especially considering it was Chen Yang who had delivered the Clearheart Jade Pendant from the old Celestial Master to Li Yanchu, and later passed on the news of the Blissful Land’s opening. He was, without a doubt, a trusted ally. At that moment, the three southern barbarians lowered their heads and conferred for a moment. Then, one of the strong, broad-shouldered middle-aged men stepped forward. “My grandmother says that we’re close to Mount Jinting, and I don’t wish to stir up unnecessary conflict. To avoid trouble, she proposes that we split the strange fruit evenly and settle this matter peacefully!” His accent was somewhat odd. It clearly sounded like the stilted, unfamiliar Mandarin of someone from the southern tribes. Among the four disciples of the Longevity Sect, the most composed white-robed young man exchanged a look with his companions. Then he spoke up, “Very well. Whoever sees it, gets a share, that’s fair.” The implication was clear: Li Yanchu and Chen Yang were also included in the distribution. Once this young man spoke, the other members of the Longevity Sect said no more. It was obvious that he was the one in charge of their group. This update is available on novel•fire.net Only one bright-eyed, bold-looking girl still showed a trace of displeasure in her gaze; her temperament seemed quite fiery. Chen Yang and Li Yanchu exchanged a glance and then rose to their feet. The group headed toward the rear of the Daoist temple’s main hall, where the strange flower and fruit tree was located in one of the inner courtyards. As they approached the courtyard, Li Yanchu’s eyes sharpened. No wonder they were willing to share... So this apricot is that big? he thought to himself. Though the apricot tree appeared no different from any ordinary apricot tree in size... It bore only one fruit, yet that single apricot was as large as a human head! No wonder these people had recognized it instantly as an apricot, how could anyone miss it? The immortal apricot radiated a soft, hazy glow. From it emanated a subtle mysterious and otherworldly aura of wind and lightning. At the sight of the apricot, a flicker of greed surfaced in everyone's eyes. But then came the inevitable question, who would retrieve the immortal apricot? The composed young man from the Longevity Sect raised his voice and said, “Let us retrieve the apricot. Rest assured, by the name and reputation of the Longevity Sect, we will not act with treachery or deceit.” The old southern barbarian crone gave a sinister smile. “Everyone here bears witness, if you harbor evil intent, we’ll all strike you down together!” The steady youth remained calm and replied mildly, “Lin Sheng, go and pick the apricot.” A man stepped forward in response. He was dressed in white robes, young and handsome, with naturally charming peach blossom eyes. He didn’t look like a reclusive ascetic at all, but more like a graceful, flirtatious young noble from a wealthy family. Lin Sheng took out a jade talisman, a magical artifact from within this Blissful Land, and also formed a protective seal with his fingers. Only once his preparations were complete did he take a step forward to approach the apricot. Clearly, Lin Sheng was no fool; he had taken precautions beforehand. As his hand neared the apricot tree, streaks of lightning suddenly flared up around it. They weren’t the terrifying strikes of lightning magic, but more like a layer of natural defense. Lin Sheng’s expression shifted slightly, but he still reached forward. The divine jade talisman from the Daoist temple shattered with a boom! A faint white radiance emerged across Lin Sheng’s skin, which was an effect of the Longevity Sect’s cultivation method, making him appear ethereal and transcendent. The wind and thunder Daoist resonance surrounding the immortal apricot didn't possess immense offensive power; it was simply a manifestation of the immortal apricot itself. Therefore, it didn’t take Lin Sheng long to breach the barrier and step inside. “It worked!” Joy welled up in Lin Sheng’s heart, and he immediately reached out to pluck the apricot. All the cultivators nearby had tense, guarded eyes, staring unblinking at his every move. Suddenly, Lin Sheng froze, his movement halting mid-action, and his outstretched hand was suspended in midair. “What’s wrong, Lin Sheng!?” The composed young man frowned. Lin Sheng suddenly turned his head, but his body didn’t follow. His entire head twisted a full one hundred and eighty degrees in a grotesque, unnatural motion. His neck was forcibly snapped! All signs of life vanished instantly. Everyone was stunned, especially the disciples of the Longevity Sect, who immediately rushed forward. But Lin Sheng’s corpse began to slough off its flesh, and in no time, only a pale, bony skeleton remained. His flesh had peeled away like discarded clothing. The grotesque scene sent chills down everyone's spine. A living, breathing person, who was a cultivator with real cultivation, had just died in the most brutal way possible, right before their eyes. His flesh turned to sludge. A collective gasp rippled through the crowd. Though it wasn’t yet night, an eerie, chilling air instantly fell over them all. The composed young man’s face turned ashen, his expression dark and conflicted. Li Yanchu, meanwhile, frowned slightly. He hadn’t sensed anything unusual just moments before. It was as if Lin Sheng had died in an instant. “Strange... What kind of force could’ve killed Lin Sheng? Could this be the White Tiger Battlefield Formation?” Li Yanchu pondered silently. He glanced at Chen Yang and found his face expressionless, as calm as still water. It was impossible to read what he was thinking. The composed youth from the Longevity Sect finally spoke, his voice tinged with suppressed grief. “This immortal apricot contains vigorous life force, and it’s clearly a rare and peerless treasure. But just now, my junior brother died suddenly. There must be some hidden restriction within it! Elder, it should be your group's turn to retrieve the apricot.” His words carried a faint, unspoken bitterness and sorrow. The elderly crone from the southern tribes narrowed her cloudy eyes, and a sharp gleam flickered within them. “Heh heh... Young man, are you trying to pay your way in blood?” the old crone let out a cold laugh. The composed young man, Liu Dao’an, heard her and his gaze turned icy. “You were the one who proposed splitting the treasure evenly. Now one of us is dead, and you want to reap the reward without consequence?” The southern crone sneered. “You knew full well it was dangerous, yet still sent your junior to retrieve it. And now you want others to waste their lives weakening the restriction? You Central Plains folk really are duplicitous.” “I won’t send one of my own to die.” A flash of killing intent passed through Liu Dao’an’s eyes. “You barbarian, trying to sow discord among my sect? Your intentions deserve death!” With a clang, two young women beside him drew their swords, expressions cold and frosty. “How dare you slander Senior Brother Liu!” “I said it before, those not of our race cannot be trusted! Senior Brother Lin was clearly ambushed with southern gu poison!” The fiery-tempered young girl looked the most agitated, on the verge of lashing out. “Bullshit! You goddamn immortal bastards, screw your ancestors!” The southern tribesman from earlier broke into a stream of clumsy, foul-mouthed Mandarin, swearing up a storm. No one knew where he'd picked up so many creative insults. The hot-blooded girl struck without warning, thrusting her sword forward. Just then, white sword light flickering and surging at the tip like a restless flame. The southern warrior drew the curved saber at his waist and slashed fiercely to meet the attack; his move as ruthless and unyielding. At the same time, two venomous snakes shot out from his robes, lunging straight for the girl’s throat! Liu Dao’an shouted angrily, casting a spell with a sharp motion. He instantly struck the venomous snakes and smashed them into several pieces. What had started as a cooperative effort to retrieve the treasure had suddenly devolved into a life-and-death struggle between the two sides. Li Yanchu stood there utterly bewildered. This escalated way too fast...