Chương 161: Chapter 50:The Mantis Stalks the Cicada, the Oriole Behind; Obtaining the Mu Jade Sword

Cultivator Li let out a chilling, rasping laugh.

"My fellow Daoists speak the truth. I, Li, recognize that I lack the strength to carry this Mu Jade Sword out of the Trial Realm alive. I am prepared to surrender it, but I find myself in a quandary—which of you three should I entrust with such a treasure?" As his voice faded, the expressions of the three men shifted. Their eyes darted between one another, flickering with suspicion and deep-seated caution.

Though they had formed a temporary alliance to maximize their gains within the Trial Realm, they were strangers at heart. Handing the Mu Jade Sword to any one of them would instantly shatter their fragile truce. After a tense silence, none of the three dared to speak first.

"Hmph! What is this?" Li sneered, his gaze dripping with mockery as it swept over his pursuers.

"You three hunted me with such unity of purpose, yet now, you lack even the most basic trust?" Cultivator Chen's eyes flickered. He cupped his hands toward his two companions.

"Fellow Daoists, why not let me hold the Mu Jade Sword for now? Once we have dealt with this man, we can discuss its final distribution in peace."

"Absolutely not!" the thin cultivator snapped, his face darkening.

"I also disagree," the grim-eyed cultivator added, his voice low and heavy with distrust. Chen's face soured instantly.

"Then, by all means, how do the two of you suggest we handle this?" The thin man and the grim-eyed cultivator exchanged a look, both appearing troubled. After a long pause, the grim-eyed man spoke slowly.

"If any one of us holds the sword, the other two will never be at ease. Therefore, we shall place it a hundred paces away. Then, the three of us will settle this through combat—each relying on their own prowess!" He paused, his gaze sharpening.

"But before that, we must swear a Heart-Demon Oath. Until a victor is decided, no one shall attempt to seize the treasure and flee. What do you say?" Chen and the thin cultivator pondered for a moment before nodding slowly, accepting the terms.

"Hmph!" Cultivator Li was no fool. Seeing them reach an agreement, he reached into his storage bag and produced the Mu Jade Sword, while simultaneously gripping his Trial Stone.

"The Mu Jade Sword is here. Fight for it as you wish. I shall take my leave—see you in the Holy Land!" With a cold laugh, Li hurled the sword into the distance. Simultaneously, he crushed the Trial Stone. A spatial ripple erupted, and his silhouette vanished into the shimmering light of the teleportation array. Stolen story; please report. With Li gone, the remaining three stared at each other with predatory intensity, though their peripheral vision remained locked onto the Mu Jade Sword lying a hundred paces away.

Greed burned in their eyes.

"I have collaborated with you two for days," Chen sighed, his voice tinged with false regret.

"I truly did not wish for us to come to blows today."

"Save your hypocrisy," the grim-eyed cultivator spat.

"We have spent enough time together to know exactly what kind of men we are. We've decided to fight, so stop this pathetic posturing." The thin cultivator nodded, his wariness of Chen deepening.

"Exactly."

"Hehe, since you both insist on being so blunt, I shall say no more," Chen chuckled. His tone suddenly turned glacial.

"Instead, I shall simply send you both on your way!"

"What?" the thin man barked, his face paling.

"Do you truly believe you can slaughter the both of us alone?"

"You are far too arrogant," the grim-eyed man sneered.

"Our cultivation bases are nearly identical. Furthermore, we both hold Trial Stones. Even if we cannot win, we can certainly escape. Why don't the two of us join forces, finish this fool, and then decide the sword's fate?"

"A brilliant suggestion!" the thin man agreed. They turned toward Chen, their eyes filled with killing intent. Yet, Chen did not flinch. Instead, a mocking smirk played on his lips.

"Three days ago, when we killed that peak Level 2 Profound Yin Water Snake, you both consumed several Peiyuan Pills I provided to recover your essence. Do you remember?" Panic flared in their eyes.

"Nonsense! I inspected those pills; they were untainted! You cannot bluff us!"

"The pills themselves were indeed pure," Chen's grin widened as he produced a strange, bell-shaped artifact.

"However, I added several Gu seeds to them. They have already attached themselves to your meridians. If I activate this bell, those larvae will burst from their shells!" Before they could react, Chen surged his essence into the artifact and shook it. Ding... ding... ding... The crisp chime echoed with a haunting power. Instantly, the two cultivators collapsed. Cold sweat poured from their brows as their skin turned a sickly, bruised black within seconds.

Toxic blood sprayed from their seven orifices, and they slumped to the ground, dead before they could even scream.

"Hmph. I intended to let you live a few more days, but your greed for the Mu Jade Sword forced my hand," Chen sneered. He expertly stripped the corpses of their storage bags and valuables, his movements even more practiced and efficient than Reyn's. After incinerating the bodies with a flick of a fireball, he blurred toward the Mu Jade Sword.

"Hehe, I, Chen Yuanyuan, was never meant for mediocrity! Even if my cultivation isn't the highest, killing my peers is child's play!" His heart hammered with excitement.

"A Mu Jade Sword within days of entering the Trial Realm... if my luck holds, I might collect half of them! Then, I could train beside the Mu Family's Nascent Soul Ancestor for three years. With such an opportunity, I will soar to the heavens and surely reach the Golden Core stage!" His eyes blazed with feverish ambition as his hand reached for the sword. But in that heartbeat, a streak of cold light flashed through the air. Chen felt a sudden, sharp sting.

Before he could process the sensation, his vision spun wildly. His head soared into the air, his eyes wide with disbelief. As his head hit the dirt and rolled, he saw a black-robed figure emerge from the shadows. A bitter realization filled his fading consciousness before the light in his eyes finally extinguished.