Volume 10, Chapter 682 – You Dare to Fan the Flames

“What do you mean?”

Tang Yuning’s willow-shaped brows furrowed slightly, her face showing a wary expression.

“Did I not make myself clear enough? Who said only the living can be used as bait? The dead work just as well. The scent of the Golden Fate Blossoms on your bodies won’t disappear anyway. Since that’s the case, why waste a Protective Talisman?”

Elder Zheng mocked coldly.

“You’re a Grand Elder of the Immortal Alliance, yet you can speak such cold-blooded words?”

Tang Yuning rebuked angrily, instinctively retreating a few steps to stand closer to the other bait girls.

“Tang Yuning, don’t you understand yet? We were abducted by them. They’ll never let us leave this place alive.”

Jin Xue reminded her from the side.

“But among these girls, some were sent here by their families. In a way, they’re contributing to the Immortal Alliance. How can he stand by and watch them die?”

Tang Yuning said heatedly.

“Contributing? Don’t give them that undeserved honor. It’s just an employment relationship. The Immortal Alliance paid them compensation.”

Among the four great elders, Elder Gao retorted coldly.

“So what? There are only so many people who’ve taken Golden Fate Blossom seeds, and every year the Immortal Alliance needs to come in to collect more. If you don’t protect these girls, who will you hire in the future? As elders of the Immortal Alliance, do you not even understand the concept of sustainable development?”

Tang Yuning tried to reason with them.

“It doesn’t matter. The Immortal Alliance distributes Golden Fate Blossom seeds as rewards every year. If these girls die, naturally, others will take their place.”

Elder Zheng said dismissively.

“You wish! If all the bait dies this time, who would still be willing to send their daughters here? I refuse to believe you’ll rely solely on abduction!”

Tang Yuning gritted her teeth as she spoke.

“And why not? The Immortal Alliance rules the cultivation world. Who dares to oppose us? Just like your so-called relatives, they were sent to their deaths too.”

Elder Zheng spoke fearlessly, his arrogance unrestrained.

“You shameless bastard!”

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Tang Yuning cursed furiously, and the other girls also exploded, hurling insults one after another.

“Now, now, calm down, everyone. Peace brings prosperity!”

At this moment, Qi Huang suddenly leaped out from her Sea of Consciousness without warning, trying to smooth things over. “We’re all teammates here. Why make things so hostile? Harmony is the way to wealth!”

Everyone was startled by Qi Huang’s sudden appearance, and the surroundings fell into brief silence.

“You’re that Wenren… what’s-her-name’s doppelgänger?” Elder Zheng confirmed.

“Wenren Yu. After all this time, you can’t even remember someone’s name? Isn’t that a bit rude?”

Qi Huang said with obvious displeasure.

“Yes, yes, Wenren Yu. But why do you two look so different?”

Elder Zheng raised his doubt.

Others around them subconsciously nodded as well. Although both Qi Huang and Wenren Yu wore veils, their figures were completely different. The main body’s figure was decent at best, but this doppelgänger… her curves were so striking that even through her clothes, it stirred the imagination.

“Who said the main body and the doppelgänger have to look the same? My main body’s just a little glutton, so what? Or are you saying your doppelgängers are all perfectly identical?”

Qi Huang snapped back irritably.

“Who’s a little glutton?”

Cheng Hongling’s questioning voice suddenly rang out.

Qi Huang deliberately pretended not to hear her, then took out a stack of Protective Talismans and walked toward the girls. “Protective Talismans, right? I’ve got plenty!”

The girls were overjoyed and rushed to receive them.

“I don’t need one.”

Tang Yuning shook her head. Not only was she a princess of a kingdom, but she was also a cultivator at the Incarnation Realm. Naturally, she had her pride.

“These are Earth-grade Protective Talismans. Are you sure you don’t want one?”

Qi Huang reminded her calmly.

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“What? Earth-grade?”

Tang Yuning was stunned. Protective Talismans were divided into five grades: Heaven, Earth, Monarch, Kinship, and Master. An Earth-grade Protective Talisman emitted enough yang energy to make powerful malevolent entities, such as early-stage Golden Corpses or malignant specters, hesitate to approach.

Qi Huang couldn’t be bothered to explain further and directly shoved the talisman into Tang Yuning’s hand. She understood that this woman had a sharp tongue but a soft heart. Though Tang Yuning had a bit of a spoiled temper, she wasn’t cruel. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have just stood up for the other girls.

Around them, the disciples of the Immortal Alliance looked envious. To those malevolent spirits, their meager cultivation levels were far less intimidating than an Earth-grade Protective Talisman.

“You can just casually take out so many top-grade Protective Talismans? The Wenren clan sure is generous.”

Elder Zheng said mockingly.

“It’s nothing special. For our Wenren family, this is hardly worth mentioning. If Elder Zheng wants one, I can give you a talisman too.”

Qi Huang waved the talisman deliberately, clearly provoking hostility toward the Wenren family on purpose.

“No need to waste one. You’re all going to die soon anyway.”

Elder Zheng gritted his teeth as he spoke.

“Says who?”

Qi Huang asked casually.

“I say so.”

Elder Zheng replied coldly, then ordered his men, “Kill them all. Leave no survivors.”

“What?!”

The girls were struck as if by lightning, their smiles freezing instantly.

The female disciples of the Honghua Sect, however, continued laughing carefreely, they had clearly known this would happen.

“Why do you want to kill us? We came here willingly! We weren’t abducted!”

One of the girls asked in a trembling voice.

“Because you’re useless! You took the Golden Fate Blossom seeds, but you didn’t use Pink Bamboo Water to activate them. If I don’t chop you up and scatter the pieces, how many Golden Fate Blossoms do you think we’ll lure in?”

Elder Zheng explained arrogantly.

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“Are you even human?!”

The girls cursed furiously.

“Calm down, will you? Even if I don’t kill you, do you think you can leave here alive? Do you really think this Kapok Valley Treasure Land is your private garden, where you can come and go as you please? Better you die quickly by my hand than suffer endlessly under the spirits.”

Elder Zheng said mockingly as he ordered the disciples of the Immortal Alliance to move.

“Wait!”

Elder Kang suddenly raised his hand and said, “Elder Zheng, I need to clarify something. Are we still following the old rules this time? Each Grand Elder leads their own team, and the more Golden Fate Blossoms they collect, the greater the rewards?”

“Of course!”

Elder Zheng replied without hesitation.

“Then we need to settle how these bait girls are divided. Last time, the ones assigned to me were absolutely useless. I couldn’t even lure in a single Lightning Hawk. I ended up wasting my entire trip.”

Elder Kang said with heavy dissatisfaction.

The other three elders glanced at each other, knowing well that the quality of the bait determined their harvest.

“So, how do you propose we divide them?”

Elder Zheng thought for a moment and asked.

“I want absolute fairness. Everyone gets the same number and quality of bait.”

Elder Kang demanded firmly, knowing he had to perform exceptionally this time to secure a better position when everything was settled later.

“Are you out of your mind? In the cultivation world, strength reigns supreme. Since when has there ever been fairness?”

Elder Gao interjected coldly.

“Exactly. Our cultivation is higher than yours. Why should our bait be equal to yours?”

Another elder, surnamed Dong, chimed in. Though only slightly taller than Elder Kang, his rotund frame made him look like a walking ball.

“Your cultivation is higher than mine? Ha!”

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Elder Kang laughed angrily, then said, “We’re both at the mid-stage of the Divine Realm. What makes you think you’re stronger?”

“Because I’m ranked 28th among all elders of the Immortal Alliance, while you’re only 43rd.”

Elder Dong said confidently.

“I’m ranked 25th.”

Elder Gao added calmly.

“Rankings don’t necessarily reflect strength. At most, they prove you’ve contributed more to the Immortal Alliance.”

Elder Kang refuted sharply.

“You can’t contribute without strength. If you had the ability, why aren’t you contributing? Or are you just slacking off?”

Elder Dong accused mockingly.

Qi Huang, having finished handing out the talismans, stood beside her main body, watching the drama unfold. She hadn’t expected that before they even decided whether to kill the bait, the elders would start fighting among themselves.

“What’s the point of arguing? If you want to know who’s stronger, just fight it out.”

Yun Fei chimed in, fanning the flames.

“She’s right. Are you men or not? Even women pull each other’s hair when they fight, yet all you do is wag your tongues?”

Ruan Lingyu added fuel to the fire.

“Elder Kang, I believe in you! Since you were treated unfairly before, today’s your chance to settle the score and take back what’s yours, with interest! That’s what it means to be a real man!”

Qi Huang egged him on as well.

“You little brats… you dare fan the flames when you’re about to die?!”

Elder Zheng’s eyes blazed with fury.

“This isn’t fanning the flames. This is standing up for justice. I propose we settle the ownership of the bait through a duel.”

Elder Kang insisted stubbornly.