The incident with the Gui Ying was, in the end, nothing more than a brief interlude.
After a long while, the group no longer heard any unusual sounds nearby, and their uneasy feelings dissipated quite a bit.
“Maybe… that demon beast was just passing by with someone on its back?”
At the side, the Yuzhou City Lord’s Son scratched his head as he spoke.
Even so, as long as there was the slightest possibility that the person riding the Gui Ying had come for the treasure map, the group couldn’t help but remain anxious and fearful.
Of course, this didn’t include Lin Guiming.
He was a true disciple of Bixiao Palace, and when it came to fighting peers, he really wasn’t afraid of anyone.
After some hesitation, the group knew they still had to continue searching for the treasure map. After all, if they found it, they’d get their share of benefits.
The Mountain Forest was vast. To find the treasure map, they had no choice but to split up.
The group divided into small teams of three to five people, searching everywhere for clues about the treasure map.
Whenever they came across caves or similar places, they would carefully search inside.
Lin Guiming, however, acted alone.
He wasn’t looking for the treasure map at all, but continued searching the forest for the medicinal herbs he needed.
“Found it, Yuluo Flower…”
After gathering the last herb, Lin Guiming lifted his head and gazed into the distant sky.
He let out a whistle, and immediately a snow-white figure dove from the heavens, swooping rapidly toward the ground.
Taking the opportunity, Lin Guiming leapt up, and the Ling He glided by, catching him steadily.
He then ordered the Ling He to head in the direction the Gui Ying had gone.
After about half a quarter of an hour, having long since flown out of the mountain range, Lin Guiming finally caught sight of the Gui Ying again.
Atop the Gui Ying sat a young girl dressed in a violet robe, her clothes fluttering in the wind.
At this moment, she was giving chase to someone.
“Hand over the treasure map, and I’ll spare your lives!”
A clear, crisp voice rang out from the girl’s lips as she directed the Gui Ying to dive downward.
“As I thought…”
A faint smile curled at the corner of Lin Guiming’s mouth.
That so-called treasure map wasn’t in the Mountain Forest at all. The reason Luo Hao Sect had made such a show of sending the Third Prince and his men to search for it was nothing but a smokescreen—to distract and draw attention.
And that treasure map was probably not just something left behind by a cultivator at the Spirit Condensation Realm…
“Elder, what should we do?”
At that moment, on the ground, a middle-aged man and an elderly, white-haired man were running for their lives.
The old man gritted his teeth.
The girl behind them was clearly not someone they could contend with, but within this treasure map was a world-shaking secret—no matter what, they couldn’t hand it over!
“No matter what, we must get the treasure map back to the sect!”
The old man spoke as he glanced at the middle-aged man, saying, “In a moment I’ll give you the treasure map, then we’ll split up. I’ll pretend to have the map and draw her attention.”
“But…”
The middle-aged man hesitated, “But Elder, you’ll…”
“It doesn’t matter what happens to me. The treasure map must get back to the sect! As long as the sect can uncover the secret within, we’ll surely—”
A piercing shriek from the Gui Ying sounded behind them—the girl was nearly upon them.
“Hurry, there’s no time!”
The old man immediately pulled out the treasure map, seemingly about to hand it to the middle-aged man.
“Elder…”
The middle-aged man was moved, reaching out to take the treasure map.
“Bang—!”
A muffled thud rang out, and the middle-aged man was sent flying, crashing heavily to the ground.
Then, the Elder shouted, “What are you spacing out for? Go! Take the treasure map and run!”
With that, he bolted off in one direction.
The middle-aged man stared blankly for a moment. Looking at his empty hands, if he still didn’t understand, he’d be a fool.
“Damn it!”
He’d been played by that old fox…
Seeing the girl’s gaze fall on him, the middle-aged man gritted his teeth, forced himself up, and ran frantically into the distance.
The girl looked coldly at the two who had split up, then leapt from the Gui Ying’s back.
A slender sword appeared in her hand; in just a few steps, she caught up to the middle-aged man and pierced his throat with a single strike.
At the same time, the Gui Ying swooped down and drove its talons through the old man’s waist, leaving several gaping holes, then brought him before the girl.
The girl snorted coldly, her face full of disdain as she said, “Trying to escape? Do you really think so little of me, Song Xueyuan?”