116: Zhao Long, Zhao Hu

"Xie Ning!"

Someone from the Mu Family saw this scene and let out a cry of alarm.

By the time Mu Tian and Mu Xiaolong looked back, they caught the sight of Xie Ning falling off the cliff. They were instantly struck with panic. Once he reacted, Mu Tian drew his black sword and glared at Fei Shanqiu: "Why did you do that?"

Simultaneously, he used the Beast Taming Technique with his other hand to summon Mu Eagle again, which dove down in pursuit of Xie Ning.

"It's simple. I was never on Xie Ning's side to begin with." Seeing he couldn't stop it, Fei Shanqiu simply ignored Mu Eagle and curled his lips nonchalantly.

Beside him, Mu Xiaolong, in a fit of rage, charged at Fei Shanqiu with his sword: "You damn bastard, I'll kill you!"

“Shit! Who cares about a moron like you!” Fei Shanqiu hurriedly scrambled away from the cliff's edge and took off running. However, his speed was too slow. Seeing he was about to be stabbed, he frantically shouted: “Why haven't you acted yet!”

A large green bird dove from the sky. Just as Mu Xiaolong was about to hit Fei Shanqiu, it flapped its wings, sending the former flying several meters away.

"Heaven-Shattering Falcon? It seems it's you again, Zhao Long."

As Mu Tian finished speaking, a group of over a dozen people walked over from the other side. The leader was indeed Zhao Long. Among the others, besides a few from the Flower Sect and Lingbei Academy, most were from the Zhao family.

Seeing Zhao Long arrive, Fei Shanqiu let out a long sigh of relief and rushed to his side in a few quick steps.

"The holy yuan fruit is mine to take; you are no match for me, so don't humiliate yourself." Zhao Long gave Mu Tian a faint glance before turning his head to pat Fei Shanqiu's shoulder, "Good work."

"It was nothing, heh heh, it's only what I should do." Fei Shanqiu bowed and scraped like a fat eunuch.

This scene made Mu Tian's blood boil. Gritting his teeth, he asked with a dark expression, "Fei Shanqiu, so you chose to betray the alliance and betray Xie Ning?"

"Ha! Betrayal? This Fatty remembers the time Xie Ning hit me. Why do you think I went to Xie Ning for protection fees in the first place? It was on Young Master Zhao's orders. From start to finish, this Fatty was never part of Xie Ning's group!" Fei Shanqiu boasted smugly, his fat face tilted so high he looked like he needed a punch.

"Damn it... we were played!" Mu Xiaolong stood up while clutching his shoulder. That strike from the Heaven-Shattering Falcon's wing earlier had almost broken his arm. He stared at Fei Shanqiu, his face contorted with rage.

Seeing Mu Xiaolong about to charge forward again, Mu Tian quickly held him back. Taking a deep breath to calm himself, he said, "You win."

The situation had changed so abruptly that everyone was still in shock. No one noticed that Mu Tian's Mu Eagle had yet to bring Xie Ning back up.

Even someone as shrewd as Zhao Long failed to notice this... Meanwhile, Lu Bingyun and her two companions, who had parted ways with Xie Ning, were riding the Flowing Fire Ice Lion. Following the guidance of a newly drawn map, they arrived outside a canyon rich in earth elements.

Inside the canyon, the roars of Yao Beasts could be heard from time to time. The sounds were largely similar, clearly coming from the same species.

Lu Bingyun stood outside the canyon, taking in the scene within. After checking the map, she turned and said, "This is the place he mentioned. Sisters, this is the moment to test the results of our cultivation. Show your true skills!"

"Yay! We're finally here! Don't worry, I definitely won't let him look down on me!" Xiao Ya wore a pair of three-bladed katars on each hand, with six slightly curved blades that were a full twenty centimeters long.

Lan Yu held a green longbow with blades on both sides. Carrying a quiver, she said, "Due to the rules, my dad wouldn't let me bring firearms, so this was all that's left. But I will definitely help him!" Her tone was firm at the end.

Lu Bingyun chuckled softly and drew a slender ice soul blade, which her father had commissioned specifically for her.

"Alright then. Let's go!"

With that, the Berserk Thunder Rabbit and Heavenly Star Bird were summoned, and the three girls and three beasts charged into the canyon.

As soon as they entered the valley, they were spotted by several Bronze Rank Earth-Splitting Beasts. They roared and charged, their tails thrusting out like falling spears. However, this move only worked against those encountering an Earth-Splitting Beast for the first time.

The three girls were no strangers to the Earth-Splitting Beasts and dodged easily. Lu Bingyun held her ice soul blade, and amidst the roar of Ice Snow, cold energy surged. With one slash, she split a Bronze Rank 3 Earth-Splitting Beast in two.

Xiao Ya and Lan Yu were not slow either. Xiao Ya and the Berserk Thunder Rabbit, Little Bucktooth, charged at the front; every strike of their iron claws left deep wounds. Whenever an Earth-Splitting Beast tried to flank them, Lan Yu would fire a timely arrow to draw its aggro.

For a time, the roars of Yao Beasts in the canyon were incessant. Accompanying the roars were the bellows of the Flowing Fire Ice Lion and Xiao Ya's shouts of 'A-da a-da a-da!'

One by one, earth cracking beast inner cores were placed into their backpacks.

They could even hold their own against one or two Early Stage Silver Earth-Splitting Beasts by combining the strength of the three girls and their three tamed beasts.

If Xie Ning were here to see this, he would be very surprised. Compared to the period of the Monster Taming College Entrance Examination, their strength had improved by leaps and bounds.

Just as they were fighting with abandon, over a dozen figures appeared outside the canyon.

"Careful," Lu Bingyun said softly. She then finished off the Earth-Splitting Beast in front of her with a single slash. The Flowing Fire Ice Lion also froze the several beasts it was facing and quickly moved to Lu Bingyun's side to protect her.

Xiao Ya and Lan Yu also ended their battles and gathered together, watching as the dozen or so people approached, gradually forming a perimeter.

As they drew closer, Lu Bingyun's trio couldn't help but frown.

"Zhao Hu? Is there something you want?" Lu Bingyun looked at the leader warily.

The leader of the enemies was indeed Zhao Hu, who had been burned by Xie Ning. He had recovered by now. He glanced around and then said displeasurably, "I thought Xie Ning would be here. It turns out that coward ran away."

"You're the coward! Your whole family are cowards! If you have something to say, say it; if you have a fart, let it out!" Xiao Ya’s sharp tongue was merciless.

Zhao Hu snorted coldly and drew his blade: "Humph! I swore before coming here that I would kill Xie Ning in this Secret Realm! It seems I won't have to do it myself now."

"What do you mean?" Lan Yu asked.

"What do I mean? Hahaha~ To think you don't even know that, yet you dare come to the Houtu Secret Realm!" Zhao Hu laughed smugly, then looked at Lan Yu with a playful expression. "Since he's not here, he must have gone to snatch the ruins. But did you think the ruins were that easy to take? Wrong. There is an existence there far more terrifying than the ruins' Yao Beasts!"

Lu Bingyun asked, "What is it?"

"My brother, Zhao Long!... That lunatic." Zhao Hu finished with a look of relief. He scanned the three girls and then said, "Forget it. Since he went to the ruins, he's as good as dead. I won't bother with him. I'll just take my anger out on you girls!"

The moment he finished speaking, he summoned his Green Tiger Vine and took the lead, swinging his blade toward Xiao Ya.

Clang~

The blade was blocked by Lu Bingyun. Xiao Ya then lunged with her iron claws, aiming straight for Zhao Hu's arm, but he dodged it easily.

Just as Zhao Hu was about to attack again, a long arrow shot toward him. He dodged it by a hair's breadth, but a bloody scratch was left on his cheek. He couldn't help but glare at the direction the arrow came from—it was Lan Yu.

"Very well, you have some skill. Let's see if those skills can save your lives under our assault!" After Zhao Hu spoke, a ruthless glint flashed in his eyes as he shouted, "Everyone, attack!"

The dozen or so people behind him all summoned their tamed beasts and charged forward.