Temporary Allies

Li Nanzhu opened her mouth, momentarily unsure of how to answer.

Deep down, she certainly wanted to go. After all, this was a significant opportunity for Cang Dongqing, so she naturally had to take a look. However, she could not represent the Five Elements Dao Sect, much less her senior brothers and sisters.

"If Little Junior Sister wants to go," Feng Qingping suddenly spoke, her hand resting steadily on Li Nanzhu's shoulder, "we will naturally go together." A hint of a smile flashed in her eyes. "If we can take this chance to make the Five Elements Dao Sect famous in the cultivation world once more, it wouldn't be a bad choice."

"In that case..." Rong Yuying’s round fan lightly tapped her chin. "Then, regarding the Sect Competition..." Her gaze swept over Feng Qingping's array disk. "Shall we cooperate when the time comes?"

Feng Qingping, who was about to return to check on Feng Weilan's injuries, replied without turning back, "Whatever Little Junior Sister decides."

Rong Yuying was stunned. She clearly hadn't expected the other party to hand the decision-making power to Li Nanzhu, and Li Nanzhu was equally surprised that her 5th Senior Sister had entrusted her with this choice.

"It would be our honor to travel with the senior sisters of the Hehuan Sect," Li Nanzhu replied quickly, following the flow. "However, if our luck is poor and we happen to be matched against each other..."

She didn't finish her sentence, but the meaning was clear—cooperation was fine, but if interests conflicted, neither side would show mercy.

Hearing this, Rong Yuying lightly covered the corner of her lips with her round fan, a flash of admiration appearing in her eyes.

She naturally understood the implication in Li Nanzhu's words, but she wasn't surprised. After all, in the cultivation world, true allies were few and far between; most were merely temporary companions driven by common interests.

"That is natural," Rong Yuying accepted with a beaming smile, her voice soft yet firm. "As for the final ranking, it will depend on our own abilities. We of the Hehuan Sect will not be polite either."

The two looked at each other, sharing a tacit understanding.

Their relationship had not reached a point where they would yield for one another.

But this was enough.

Rong Yuying hadn't come for some deep friendship in the first place. She valued Feng Qingping's expertise in arrays. If they could look out for each other during the competition, the Hehuan Sect would have a better chance of winning in the team battles.

As for Li Nanzhu and Feng Weilan? In her eyes, two Foundation Establishment stage cultivators couldn't cause much of a stir.

"Then it's settled," Rong Yuying said, lightly waving her round fan with a relaxed tone. "With your help in the competition six months from now, my confidence has increased quite a bit."

Li Nanzhu nodded, her smile remaining gentle. "I look forward to competing on the same stage as you, Senior Sisters."

Feng Qingping's array disk slowly rotated in her palm, the flickering green light illuminating her calm profile. She clearly had no objections to Li Nanzhu's decision. Meanwhile, Feng Weilan's gaze merely swept over the Hehuan Sect members indifferently. Though he didn't speak, his meaning was also clear—if it came to a fight, he would never show mercy.

A brief rest, with each side harboring their own thoughts.

After the verbal agreement for cooperation was reached, the atmosphere in the mine remained harmonious, but both sides knew that this 'friendliness' was limited to times when their core interests were not at stake.

The Hehuan Sect disciples retreated to the other side of the mine to rest. Rong Yuying tapped her storage bag and took out several bottles of healing pills to distribute among her injured sect members.

Her gaze occasionally drifted toward the three from the Five Elements Dao Sect, lingering for a moment on Feng Qingping's array disk as she mentally calculated how to maximize the utility of this cooperation during the competition.

On Li Nanzhu's side, Feng Qingping had begun helping Feng Weilan recover from his injuries, her spiritual energy flowing through her fingertips as she smoothed out the turbulent aura within him.

Li Nanzhu sat nearby, taking a few qi-recovery pills from her medicine pouch and slowly regulating her breath.

'Little Junior Sister,' Feng Qingping’s voice sounded in Li Nanzhu's mind, 'this woman Rong Yuying is meticulous and calculating. Cooperation is cooperation, but do not trust her fully.'

Li Nanzhu didn't make any unnecessary movements, responding mentally as well: 'Rest assured, 5th Senior Sister. I'd rather trust the rocks in this mine than trust her.' She paused, then added, 'However, since she values your array skills, she will be an excellent partner during the early stages of the competition.'

Feng Weilan looked up, his voice also echoing in Li Nanzhu's mind: 'Allies when interests align, enemies when they clash.'

'Exactly,' Li Nanzhu replied. Although she was a bit surprised that her 6th Senior Brother could also project his divine sense, she realized that in a sect where everyone was a villain, there were no simple characters. This was within her expectations. 'So, we must be prepared—when the critical moment comes, we cannot yield an inch of what we must fight for.'

Feng Qingping’s eyes flashed with approval, and she said no more.

Inside the mine, the light of the night-luminescent pearls flickered slightly, reflecting the various thoughts of everyone present.

Temporary allies, future rivals.

Li Nanzhu was about to resume her breathing exercises when she suddenly felt she had forgotten something. She couldn't quite remember what it was, so she frowned in deep thought.

"Ka-ka!" Suisui finally made a sound. It had been staying quietly by the side while Li Nanzhu and the others were discussing serious matters. Seeing Li Nanzhu deep in thought, it finally piped up.

"Hmm? Suisui? What is it?" Li Nanzhu patted Suisui, still thinking. It wasn't until Suisui firmly grabbed her sleeve and dragged her toward a certain direction that she remembered what she had forgotten!

That Golden Core evil cultivator!

She had tossed him into a corner earlier. Clad in black, he almost blended into the darkness if one didn't look closely. Coupled with the overwhelming amount of information she had just received, she had truly forgotten about him!

And as for the others... Li Nanzhu looked around. It was obvious they had forgotten him as well.

Li Nanzhu: ...It's good to know I wasn't the only one who forgot.

"Ahem," Li Nanzhu stood up and gave a light cough, drawing everyone's attention. "Shouldn't we deal with that evil cultivator?"

Rong Yuying's round fan suddenly froze.

Did that mean their entire conversation had been heard by that person? Even if the evil cultivator was currently unconscious, who knew if he was faking? If he had some special way of transmitting messages...

In the next instant, Rong Yuying had flashed to the front of the evil cultivator, her five fingers forming a claw aimed straight for his throat—only to be blocked by Feng Qingping's array disk at the last inch.

"What's the rush?" Feng Qingping nudged the evil cultivator's body with her toe, making it flop like a rag doll, yet there was still no reaction. "He can't hear anything, and he won't live past tonight. I placed a restriction on him along the way—his five senses are sealed and his spiritual energy is severed. Unless I personally undo it..." She paused, her lips curving slightly. "He's quieter than a rock."

The spiritual energy at Rong Yuying's fingertips slowly dissipated, but the murderous intent in her eyes did not fade—a living evil cultivator was always more valuable than a dead one.

"Well then..." Li Nanzhu crouched down, a small flame igniting at her fingertip, casting jumping shadows on the evil cultivator's pale face.

"It's time to pry some information out of him."