Chapter 118: Complaining Silently to Himself

Although Lin Hao did not know which sects these people belonged to, he felt certain that if he were to reveal himself, they would desire nothing more than his death. After all, he was the only one who had managed to lead the Qingfeng Sect out of the mountain, while all the others had been left behind. Even though he had warned them earlier, human nature being what it is, Lin Hao did not expect them to show any gratitude.

Therefore, when Cao Yi suggested interfering, Lin Hao immediately shook his head, advising that they wait for the two factions to exhaust each other before slipping away quietly. Lin Hao truly did not want to cross paths with them; with so many people, who knew what complications might arise? He had no desire to invite further trouble. Cao Yi simply nodded calmly upon hearing this, offering no objections to Lin Hao's suggestion.

The two remained in the tree, watching the chaotic battle unfold below. Just as the spectacle grew intense, Lin Hao, resting his hand on a branch, suddenly felt something cool and skin-like brush against the back of his hand. He initially thought it was Cao Yi’s hand and was surprised—why would Cao Yi suddenly grab him? But when he turned his head, a flash of horror darted through his eyes, and his heart skipped a beat. It was not Cao Yi’s hand; the body and head of a giant python were resting right on his arm.

As Lin Hao turned, he found himself staring directly into the eyes of the serpent. Startled by the sudden appearance of the behemoth, he lost his balance and plummeted from the tree with a loud crash, immediately drawing the attention of the combatants below. Cao Yi, hearing the commotion, turned to look. Upon seeing the python, he remained composed and drew his fan. With a single wave, he swiped the serpent off the branch, causing it to fall right alongside Lin Hao. It nearly crushed him, but Lin Hao reacted quickly, darting aside just in time. The python slammed into the ground beside him.

Lin Hao glanced at the snake and then turned his gaze toward Cao Yi. Although Cao Yi’s expression remained indifferent, Lin Hao could detect a hint of mockery in his eyes. He gritted his teeth; his senior brother was definitely doing this on purpose.

The dazed python, seemingly slow-witted from the fall, shook itself, stood up, and opened its massive maw, lunging at Lin Hao. Seeing this, Lin Hao quickly drew the Cloud-Swallowing Arrow and with one swift strike, severed the python’s head. The creature had only just begun to develop a rudimentary consciousness and possessed little real strength; for someone of Lin Hao’s current caliber, it was a trivial task—easily dispatched with a single blow.

However, in that split second, Lin Hao had exposed his presence.

The position where he and the python had fallen was not far from the fighting factions. Upon noticing the disturbance, they immediately ceased their intense battle and turned their gaze toward him, full of vigilance, fearing the arrival of a third party. When they saw only a single person, they breathed a sigh of relief, yet seeing how easily Lin Hao had slain the giant python, they quickly adopted a guarded expression.

The two groups exchanged glances, halted their fighting, and began to advance toward Lin Hao. Feeling their eyes fixed upon him, Lin Hao glared resentfully at Cao Yi in the tree before turning to face the approaching factions.

Initially, due to the distance and the fact that Lin Hao was not facing them directly, they had assumed he was just a straggler from some sect. But now, seeing him up close, someone suddenly exclaimed in shock: "It's Lin Hao of the Qingfeng Sect!"

This cry caused a stir among everyone present. The members of the two factions rushed forward to confirm, surrounding Lin Hao with an aggressive air.

"It really is Lin Hao!" they shouted in disbelief.

Lin Hao thought to himself, *This is bad.* However, he maintained a calm facade and feigned ignorance. "My fellow disciples, why are you so surprised?"

Seeing his reaction, their expressions turned hostile. One male cultivator stepped forward and questioned him sternly: "Lin Hao, why are you still here? Didn't the Qingfeng Sect leave long ago? How did you get back in?"

"Um, about that..." Lin Hao was at a loss for how to answer.

Everyone was indeed stunned to see him here. At the time, Lin Hao had frantically led the Qingfeng Sect toward the gates of Tianyu Mountain, and as he passed their respective groups, he had urged them to leave immediately. Back then, however, no one had paid him any mind; they had assumed it was a ruse by the Qingfeng Sect, suspecting that Lin Hao had discovered some treasure and was using a pretext to clear the area so his sect could claim the spoils for themselves.

Because of this, no one had believed his warnings. If they had known the mountain was becoming dangerous, they would have kept it to themselves and fled immediately—they would never have warned rival sects. None of them had expected Lin Hao to be so kind. When the real disaster struck, they were filled with regret, which quickly turned into hatred for Lin Hao for not being clearer or forcing them to leave, leaving them trapped inside.

For days, regardless of their sect, they had been cursing Lin Hao and the Qingfeng Sect. Such is the nature of some: they never acknowledge their own faults. Just like the elders who had provoked Lin Hao previously, they only invited their own demise.

Now, they could not believe they were seeing him again. After a moment of shock, they began to vent their pent-up anger through snide remarks. After the Qingfeng Sect had left, a massive earthquake had occurred, followed by the appearance of a barrier that trapped everyone within Tianyu Mountain. They had tried to contact the outside world, but all communication talismans and artifacts were useless. Totally cut off, they had found no secret treasures, only mutated, frenzied beasts. They were frustrated, desperate to find the mountain's secrets and a way out, while also fighting over the few scraps of treasure—like the tiger crystal they had been battling over just moments ago.

Seeing them turn their hostility toward him, Lin Hao inwardly lamented his luck. He shot a cold look at the dead python; if not for that creature, he wouldn't have been exposed. He had no way to answer their questions, as no one would believe the truth.

As Lin Hao hesitated, their expressions grew even uglier. A man in green robes stepped forward and asked, "Lin Hao, when you told us to leave the mountain, did you know something? How are we supposed to get out now?"

His question lit up the eyes of the others. Dozens of gazes, like those of starving wolves, made Lin Hao shiver.

Before he could answer, another man pushed forward, sneering, "Or maybe you never left at all and were just lying to us? Tell us, did you find some other treasure and trick us into leaving so you could keep it for yourself?"

"That's right! Did the Qingfeng Sect find something? Is that why you're still here?" others chimed in. Most of the crowd agreed, their eyes turning greedy.

"Is that really the case?" the man in green robes asked, ignoring the others and staring intently at Lin Hao, waiting for a reply.

Lin Hao, seeing their hostile attitudes, finally spoke up, his voice hardening: "Of course not. I truly left, as you all saw. I led every member of the Qingfeng Sect out. As for why you didn't leave, you should ask yourselves. I gave a kind warning; if you ask me now, how could I possibly know how to get out?"

Lin Hao’s tone became sharp and unyielding. He did not bother to explain why he had returned. His demeanor shifted from friendly to cold, and as his aura flared, the pressure of a powerful cultivator surged toward them.