THINKING

Hearing this, Xie Tianxiao began to ponder whether he should go and claim the secret cave for himself.

After all, even the smallest prey is still meat. Moreover, many Dou Wang and Dou Huang would surely be vying for the Dou Zong cave. He could easily assert his dominance, and if anyone dared to resist, he would just kill them. Then, he could take all the valuable treasures from the secret cave, earning himself a nice little profit.

And as for whether a half-Saint would need the belongings of a mere Dou Zong?

What a joke. The fact that I, a half-Saint, am taking your things is a recognition of your worth!

And who cares about something given for free?

He is already so powerful, and unlike other protagonists who have to consider everything from all angles, he could just go wherever he wanted. If resources could be obtained by merely showing his face, then why not?

Seeing Xie Tianxiao lost in deep thought for so long, Feng Jing cautiously asked, "Senior, if there's nothing else, may we take our leave?"

"Alright,Go ahead."

After a moment of silence, Xie Tianxiao nodded slightly, then added as if he just remembered something "The agitation of the magical beasts in the mountains was caused by me. You don't need to worry about it, things will calm down soon."

"Pfft ? Who do you think you are, claiming you caused the magical beasts to stir?" the red-robed girl muttered under her breath, a hint of disbelief and mockery in her tone.

"Third Junior Sister, mind your words," Feng Jing immediately reprimanded her. He then turned back to Xie Tianxiao and said, "Senior, our Third Junior Sister grew up in the sect and hasn't seen much of the world. Please don't take her words to heart. We will leave now."

"Go on," Xie Tianxiao waved dismissively, not taking the comment to heart.

She was just a small-town girl, he wasn't going to kill her over a careless remark.

Seeing that Xie Tianxiao wasn't offended, Feng Jing let out a sigh of relief. Whether or not the magical beast's agitation was his doing, Feng Jing couldn't afford to offend this likely Dou Ling-level expert in front of them.

He feared that if Xie Tianxiao got upset, he might kill them all and then just leave. Even if their backing was strong, finding him afterward would be nearly impossible.

"Let's go," Feng Jing said, leading the group away quickly, disappearing from Xie Tianxiao's sight.

Xie Tianxiao remained silent as they left, not bothered by the words of a mere Dou Shi rank girl. At most, when he went to claim the Dou Zong secret cave and encountered their sect, he might just take a bit more of their valuables. He certainly wouldn't dwell on it.

"Hmm, it seems I need to change my plans. I'll go grab the free goodies from the secret cave first, then head to Wutan City." Xie Tianxiao muttered to himself, rubbing his chin.

With that, he teleported away.

Lan Shan Empire, Imperial Capital.

The group of four was making their way back to the imperial city.

"Senior Brother, I know you stopped Third Senior Sister from speaking out of concern, but why did you have to be so deferential to that man in black?" the green-clad girl asked, still puzzled. "Even if he's stronger than you, he's probably only at the Dou Ling level, right?"

The green-clad girl hailed from the imperial city, where the emperor was her grandfather—a peak Dou Wang expert. In Lan Shan, her grandfather was considered the strongest, so she didn't feel the need to regard a Dou Ling-level expert with much respect.

"Exactly. Just because he's a bit stronger, does he think he can claim that he caused the magical beasts to stir? Who does he think he is, a Dou Huang?" the white-robed man, known as Second Senior Brother, added indignantly.

"Yeah, Senior Brother, even if he's a Dou Ling expert, as long as we mention Little Junior Sister's and Second Senior Brother's identities as members of the Chu family, and your status as the top disciple of Fengyue Sect's sect master, he wouldn't dare touch us," the red-robed woman chimed in.

Feng Jing, hearing his Little Junior Sister's question, calmly replied, "You don't understand, Junior Sister. When that man appeared, his aura made me feel suffocated, but it was so fleeting that you might not have sensed it."

He then turned to the other two and frowned, "Junior Sister is still young and doesn't understand, but have you two been in the imperial city for too long that you've forgotten basic respect for the strong?"

"Even if he's not truly above Dou Ling, the fact that he could appear before us without us noticing suggests he has a powerful background. And some strong individuals have strange temperaments. If he had decided to kill us and then fled to another region, do you think your families would be able to find him?"

"Or do you believe that your families would mobilize large numbers of people across the continent to hunt down a Dou Ling-level expert just for you?"

Upon hearing this, the white-robed man and the red-robed woman swallowed nervously, suddenly feeling a sense of fear. They now understood their Senior Brother's caution.

The Little Junior Sister also seemed to realize something, replying honestly, "Senior Brother, you're really smart. You've thought through all these complicated relationships. No wonder you're the top disciple of our sect's younger generation."

Feng Jing smiled and said, "You flatter me, Junior Sister. Once you've had more experience, you'll understand. Don't be like your Second Senior Brother and Third Senior Sister, who are like frogs at the bottom of a well. They'll suffer for it eventually."

The green-clad girl blushed slightly and replied, "Yes, Senior Brother, I understand."

Behind them, the Second Senior Brother clenched his fists as he watched the green-clad girl's shy demeanor toward their Senior Brother. He sighed inwardly, then released his grip.

He had always had feelings for his Junior Sister, but she only seemed to be interested in their Senior Brother, the cultivation fanatic, which made him uncomfortable.

Noticing his discomfort, the red-robed woman asked, "Second Senior Brother, what's wrong?"

The white-robed Second Senior Brother glanced at her, forced a smile, and replied, "Nothing, Third Junior Sister."

The red-robed woman's eyes flickered for a moment, then dimmed as she looked away with a sigh, not pressing the matter further.

Feng Jing nodded slightly, then turned to the two of them, "Alright, stop dawdling. Let's go. I still need to report this to the emperor."

"Yes, Senior Brother!" they replied in unison.

Meanwhile, far away in the Lan Shan Empire, Xie Tianxiao was unaware that his casual actions had left a deep impression on these people.

And Don't wonder why our protagonist wants to go to a Dou Zong's cave. If you ask, it's because the protagonist wants to show off and at the same time, get used to this world.

It's basically like playing a game and getting your first big haul of resources. That's why, after arriving outside the secret cave, he even watched the Dou Huangs fight like chickens pecking at each other.

And of course, strong people like to make a grand entrance at the last minute and enjoy the adoration of the masses, which is a very normal thing to do.

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END