Chapter 121: Brazen Boasting

"Hmph, to sum it up, this guy has some nerve! What a shameless boast!"

Thinking this to himself, Lin Hao spoke aloud without reservation, "That won't be necessary. To be honest, I left Tianyu Mountain before the barrier appeared, and now that I've stumbled back in, I have no idea how to leave. I think it's best we don't travel together, lest there be misunderstandings or further sneak attacks, don't you agree?"

Lin Hao’s veiled criticism—implying he feared Song Yi might strike from the shadows and that he had seen through Song Yi’s earlier actions—left Song Yi’s face cycling between shades of green and white. He had not expected Lin Hao to be so blunt. Anger flared within him, a mix of resentment and humiliation.

Lin Hao paid him no mind; once he finished speaking, he simply walked down the path he had originally intended to take. Song Yi could only stand there, face flushed, watching helplessly as Lin Hao walked away. He had truly intended to build a good relationship with Lin Hao, but after such words, it was not in Song Yi's nature to shamelessly follow him. He could only seethe with secret rage, glaring hatefully at Lin Hao’s departing back, a flicker of murderous intent crossing his eyes before he composed himself.

At this moment, the four men under his command stood by, looking indignant. "Senior Brother Song, should we...?" One of them made a throat-slitting gesture.

Hearing this, Song Yi found an outlet for his pent-up fury. If he couldn't vent on Lin Hao, he could certainly vent on his subordinates. He immediately retorted with scathing sarcasm, "What? Why don't you go then? Do you really think you're a match for him?"

The mockery caused the subordinate’s face to flush with shame, and he dared not speak another word. Song Yi then looked at the surrounding carnage, his brows furrowed. Ultimately, he ordered his men to help the members of their own sect to their feet. As for the members of the other sect, he ignored them entirely, taking the Tiger Crystal they had snatched earlier before departing.

Meanwhile, about seven or eight hundred meters away, Lin Hao stopped at an entrance and called out, "Come on out, Senior Brother. Hmm? You’ve been watching a good show for quite a while now; you must be tired."

As soon as Lin Hao spoke, the trees rustled, and something landed with a heavy "thud!" beside him. Lin Hao was not at all surprised; he turned to look at Cao Yi.

Cao Yi stood there, perfectly composed, showing no embarrassment at being discovered or exposed. He looked at Lin Hao and said, "Not bad, quite impressive, challenging two sects all by yourself. If this were outside of Tianyu Mountain, you would have made a name for yourself overnight and become a legend across the entire cultivation realm."

There was a clear hint of irony and mockery in Cao Yi's tone, implying that Lin Hao was nothing but a troublemaker who managed to start a fight wherever he went.

Lin Hao frowned slightly, looking at Cao Yi with a half-smile. "Hardly, hardly. Not nearly as impressive as you, Senior Brother. Tell me, was the show you were watching just now entertaining?"

His words carried a clear accusation: Cao Yi had watched him fight alone while sitting safely on the sidelines, offering no help, and yet now he had the audacity to mock him.

The rebuttal left Cao Yi speechless for a moment. He pursed his lips, his expression turning cold. Shifting the subject, Cao Yi asked, "Do you really not know how to get out? Why is everyone so convinced that you possess a treasure and know the way out of Tianyu Mountain?" He eyed Lin Hao with visible skepticism.

"That’s because they’re foolish and greedy. If I knew how to get out, I would have left already; I wouldn't be wasting time dealing with them. However, it seems all the sects that entered are still alive. I don't know who else we might run into next. We should reach the gates of Tianyu Mountain as quickly as possible; I have no desire to get into another scrap with these ignorant people." With that, Lin Hao hurried forward.

Cao Yi raised an eyebrow. "Are you saying there are still many enemies waiting for you? What kind of heaven-defying, resentment-inducing things have you done to cause trouble everywhere you go?"

"I’d like to know that myself. It seems like trouble finds me; I never go looking for it," Lin Hao said with an indifferent shrug.

In truth, Lin Hao didn't understand it either. Nothing ever went smoothly for him, especially since being teleported to Tianyu Mountain. He felt more frustrated than anyone. Dealing with other sects was one thing—annoying, but manageable. However, he hadn't forgotten the indigenous people he had encountered within the mountain. If he were to run into them again—given the profound strength of that elder—even the current Lin Hao wasn't confident he could win.

He didn't know what schemes the indigenous people might be plotting, or how many other elders like that one existed. The mere thought made him frown, a contemplative look crossing his face. Shaking it off, he quickened his pace; it was better to avoid trouble. After all, the Qilin had warned him sternly to leave, and his own intuition told him that great danger lurked within this mountain. These omens, the strange fluctuations, and the sudden appearance of the barrier all suggested that something turbulent was happening. Who knew if the indigenous people were behind it? Even if the other sects were still trapped inside, who was to say it wasn't an indigenous conspiracy? Regardless, Lin Hao had only one goal: to get out of here as quickly as possible.

Seeing Lin Hao suddenly accelerate, Cao Yi felt a surge of doubt. Thinking back to their conversation, and seeing that Lin Hao didn't seem to be lying, he began to wonder if he should really keep following him. Cao Yi now viewed Lin Hao as a magnet for trouble; there was no peace where he was. If they encountered another situation like the last one... Cao Yi frowned. He felt that sticking with Lin Hao would only lead to more complications. Slowly, he began to slacken his pace.

Lin Hao, however, was moving rapidly, paying no mind to Cao Yi. The distance between them grew. When Lin Hao realized Cao Yi was gone, he turned back to find that Cao Yi was nowhere to be seen. He could guess the reason well enough. He felt no confusion and made no attempt to go back for him. He simply smiled and continued along his own route. Since Cao Yi didn't trust him, he could wander Tianyu Mountain on his own.

After Cao Yi left, he found himself aimlessly wandering the mountain, unsure of which way to go. He only recalled the general direction Lin Hao had mentioned, so he followed that path, albeit while avoiding Lin Hao.

In truth, what Lin Hao didn't know was that while the terrain hadn't changed drastically after the barrier appeared, the paths themselves had shifted. Cao Yi, relying only on intuition and an unfamiliarity with the landscape, slowly drifted off course. Instead of heading toward the exit, he was inadvertently moving toward the territory inhabited by the indigenous people.

Lin Hao, meanwhile, walked for a while before realizing something was wrong. Based on his initial estimation, he should have reached familiar landmarks by now. When he stopped, the sky was already darkening. He noticed the road looked unfamiliar. Closing his eyes, he used his spiritual sense to scout the surroundings, only to find no familiar paths. In fact, he realized the direction he was heading was the exact opposite of the exit.

Opening his eyes in surprise, Lin Hao stopped walking.

Back on his end, Cao Yi continued along the path he thought was correct. As the sky turned dark, he too felt a sense of unease. The path was deathly quiet—not even the sound of a cicada could be heard. He hadn't encountered anyone from other sects, nor had he seen any strange beasts. Cao Yi grew alert; in his experience with various secret realms, this was highly irregular. As night fell, he stopped in his tracks. He ate some provisions from his storage bag and settled down to rest against a tree, staying vigilant.

The first half of the night passed peacefully. By the second half, Cao Yi’s guard had slipped, and he closed his eyes to cultivate. Suddenly, a wisp of black substance drifted into his meridians, seeping in unnoticed as he continued to absorb spiritual energy. The black substance slowly crept toward his brain, and Cao Yi felt his consciousness begin to drift.