Schemes.

Yuan Huan turned to face the disciples once again.

"Okay, enough talking, you must all gather back here in seven days. If you fail to make it back here in time, you are automatically disqualified. You may leave now."

The disciples gathered into teams of similar ages and cultivation before heading to the forest. Ling Jun, turned to leave with his group of four. He checked to make sure his spatial sense still worked. It seemed the treasure was unable to block him.

Before they left though, Ling Jun leaned forward and whispered into Ling Ji's ears. "Meng Li seems to be glancing over here occasionally, maybe you should try inviting her?"

Ling Ji's eyes widened. "Really?" He whispered excitedly. He turned his head to look and sure enough Meng Li had just turned her head as well. Luckily for Ling Jun, this coincidence had occurred just when he needed it.

Ling Ji quickly sorted himself out, before politely extending an invitation to Meng Li. He didn't notice Ling Jun behind him raise his right index finger and tap his ear.

Meng Li joined increasing their group of four to five and strengthening the whole team by quite a percentage. Ling Ji couldn't help but feel smug about himself. Yet he still wore his trademark cool and casual smile. Some of the boys looked over in envy, yet they knew their place and hurried into the forest.

Seeing this Ling Ji grew even more prideful yet he knew the deal wasnt done yet. Now came the part where he somehow saved the damsel in distress, before she really fell in love with him. He kept his focus sharp in preparation for such an opportunity, and was figuring out ways to create such opportunities by himself in case she never got placed in danger. Of course, he had forgotten that she was stronger than him by quite a margin.

While Ling Ji was fantasising, Meng Li was wondering why Ling Jun had changed the plan last second. The only reason he would do so was if she herself was in danger. Otherwise he would never risk exposing their relationship. But she wondered how she could be in danger. It wasn't that she was stupid, or that Ling Jun was exceedingly smart, instead it was simply the result of Ling Jun's spatial sense.

Without that, neither of them would have had a single clue about anything. At most they would be slightly on guard.

It didn't take long for Meng Li to figure out the gist of what was going on. The only threat here was Yuan Huan himself. Even Wen Shi could pose only slight threat to either of them unless she had some insane trump cards. She casually glanced backwards noticing Yuan Huan's gaze on her. Her glance passed by him to reach her father.

She noticed his tightly clenched hands as he stared at her, trying to disguise his guilt. She was not disappointed at all when she saw that. She was actually indifferent towards it. She had ran out of disappointment towards her father the first time he abandoned her.

She turned back around, so no one could see the icy cold smile that had slipped onto her pretty face. It gave it a strange sort of charm, like a lotus of ice blooming in the midst of a freezing lake. Ling Jun noticed that the smile had appeared after looking at her father, yet he decided not to pry. Yet he had not noticed his own expression turning extremely cold. Anyone who harmed Meng Li would definitely pay the price.

They entered the forest as a group of five. The three sixteen year olds decided to quickly get 20 cores of peak fourth stage beasts before all five worked on taking down peak sixth stage beasts. While it seemed like this was a loophole to exploit, only extremely few youngster would qualify for elders to secure their cores for them.

Most would focus on themselves as they weren't sure whether they could succeed themselves. Why would they help someone else succeed if they might not themselves. Even if they did succeed, they wouldn't help others. It was simply human nature to derive pleasure from others misfortune.

Within half a day, they had secured the necessary cores for the two younger cultivators. Ling Jun had decreased the range of his spatial sense to 300 metres. The advantage was that he could keep it on for pretty much the whole week. He didn't know when Yuan Huan would attack so it was best to keep on the lookout at all times.

Truth be told, Ling Jun was nervous. This was a real threat to him. He could probably barely contend with a first stage spiritual cultivator, or kill him if he exposed his trump cards but it was a different case with second stage. And this Yuan Huan was close to a breakthrough to third stage. Even if he and Meng Li teamed up, Yuan Huan could simply run away if things got rough, and both him and Meng Li would be exposed.

Yuan Huan needed to die.

...

Yuan Huan was currently following Wen Shi secretly, watching out in case she endangered herself, however unlikely. He decided to follow her for three days before leaving. He was being cautious, in case the other two had followed him secretly to check, even though it was not likely as they would be punished for interfering.

However, he didn't mind waiting three days, as he would still have more than enough to abduct Meng Li, as well as fulfil his deal with Tang Zhelan. He couldn't wait to partake of Meng Li. He licked his lips in anticipation. The truth was, while true that Shi Kun had asked for Wen Shi, he was abducting Meng Li of his own will. Shi Kun would not find out about this. Shi Kun's name had been used as a threat.

...

Three days passed.

Back outside the forest, the various clan leaders and the two disciples were gathered waiting.

The two disciples had been cultivating for the past three days. Not willing to disturb them, Wen Hui and the other three had gathered by themselves. Ling Yijun decided to finally expose Tang Zhelan's crime. He couldn't wait to see the look on his face. Although he was slightly suspicious as to why Tang Zhelan would allow his ploy to be exposed in such a way, after thoroughly thinking about it, he couldn't see a way in which he could redeem himself.

Tang Zhelan had always been an extremely power hungry bastard, so considering the results of the tournament three months ago, Ling Yijun assumed he had been too hasty and made a mistake.

All of a sudden he had a thought. The rules had changed last minute to accommodate Meng Li's abduction. If Tang Zhelan had somehow convinced Yuan Huan to do his bidding...No, that was impossible. How could Tang Zhelan predict that he would enter the forest himself. And most importantly, none of them had anything that could convince a proud outer sect to do their bidding. He quickly threw that thought out of his mind.

"Tang Zhelan... I received a strange bottle of poison along with a note some time ago."

Neither of the men missed how Tang Zhelan's eyes widened slightly.

Ling Yijun and Meng Jian turned to Wen Hui. Ling Yijun had considered not telling the Meng clan about the poison, yet he knew that if the Meng clan's disciples died, there was no telling if the Meng clan wouldn't erupt with a dying counter attack bringing mutual destruction. It was safer to take out the Tang clan. Even if they tried counter attacking, The joint forces of the Meng and Ling clans would be able to suppress them.

"City lord, we implore you to seek justice for us. Had Tang Jun not righteously warned us of the danger, both our clans younger generation may have perished unfairly. Tang clan has committed a serious offence and should be executed immediately!"

Wen Hui frowned as he looked over at Tang Zhelan. "Do you have anything to explain yourself?"

Just as Tang Zhelan was about to call for insufficient evidence, Lin Yijun pulled out the disciples badge, upon which was written Tang Jun.

"We even have the disciple as a guest in a compound, would you like to met him?" Both Meng Jian and Ling Yijun smirked, though Meng Jian's was still forced. It seemed the matter from earlier still weighed heavily on his mind.

Wen Hui glared at Tang Zhelan. "Still want to deny?"

Tang Zhelan was about to beg for mercy, when his face abruptly changed and he burst out laughing.

"Hahahah....you fools, you think your disciples WOULD have perished? Hahah...They WILL perish!"

The other three were taken aback before unease crept up into their stomachs.

"What the fuck do you mean, bastard?"

"Do you really think that Yuan Huan would enter into the forest, breaking sect rules in order to look out for one particular disciple. No, he already planned to enter beforehand, when I made a deal with him!

"All your disciples will be killed and there is nothing you can do about it! If you dare enter now, the sect will come to eradicate your entire clans!"

"What!" All three men wore shocked expressions. How did Tang Zhelan manage to convince Yuan Huan? But that wasn't important anymore.

"What makes you think I wont slay you where you stand!" Wen Hui snarled. He drew his sword, as though the wrong answer would instantly get him killed.

"Hah. Two reasons. One, because of this..." He pulled out a red token, the same red token Yuan Huan had possessed.

"He even went that far?! What the hell did you give him?" Meng Jian exclaimed in shock. A flash of grief appeared in Tang Zhelan's eyes before quickly disappearing. Yet it could not be hidden from the group. However, before they could say anything, Tang Zhelan continued.

"...And secondly, If you exterminate the Tang clan, there will be no talented youngsters left in Xin city, and in the inter city tournament two years from now, Xin city would place dead last. That also means you will get the least resources out of all cities, and the gap would only widen with time." Tang Zhelan had really thought this through.

Much as Wen Hui hated to admit it, Tang Zhelan had won this round. He couldn't even execute him as that would cause the clan to hold a grudge which wouldn't be helpful at all. At most, he could turn certain elders into scapegoats and have them executed.

Meng Jian and Ling Yijun stared in shock for a few moments before bursting into anger. They tried to attack Tang Zhelan yet were stopped by Wen Hui who was three grades above them in cultivation. Their outburst however, woke the two disciples from their cultivation.

"What the hell are you guys doing?...Ah. It's been three days already hasn't it? I guess it time to talk." Shao Yuhui said as she stretched her body.

Meng Jian and Ling Yijun both paused, before their eyes lit up with hope. Upon seeing this Wen Hui shook his head at their idiotic behaviour whilst Tang Zhelan's eyes held nothing but disdain.

Normally the clan heads would not act so idiotic but today they were both panicked. Their clans were about to lose their lifeline so they could not think clearly.

They both turned and looked at the two disciples with hope.