Chapter 2846 — Return to the Five Fiends Mountain Range

"Leader, those trial spirit medicines were all in Zhang Naipao's pack, not on Demon Eight here. But Demon Eight did have some Minor Restoration Pills on him!" Li Ciba searched Demon Eight's body and pulled out several Minor Restoration Pills, which he then moved to hand to Wei Zhao.

"Oh, Minor Restoration Pills. You few split them among yourselves." Wei Zhao waved his hand, signaling that he had no need of such things. At the thought that Zhang Naipao had carried off the trial spirit medicines, Wei Zhao felt rather glum: "If I'd known, I would have snatched his trial spirit medicines first and worried about the rest later!"

"Forget it, Leader. We're already thrilled with this outcome—our hatred is avenged. Even if we don't pass the trial, it doesn't matter." Li Ciba was philosophical about it. "Besides, you're the one who killed Demon Eight, Leader, so the Minor Restoration Pills are naturally yours. How could we take them?"

"Ha, I've no use for them—I'm an alchemist too," Wei Zhao said with a smile, saying nothing more about the rest.

"Ciba, since the Leader has spoken, let's just split them," Zhao Qitan said to Li Ciba, knowing Wei Zhao's character—his word was his bond.

"Fine, then many thanks to the Leader!" Li Ciba glanced at the number of Minor Restoration Pills—five remained—and said, "Brother Zhao, you were with the Leader first, so you're our senior as well. Of these five Minor Restoration Pills, you take two, and the rest of us three will have one each."

"This... all right then." Zhao Qitan did not refuse, and nodded.

The two Night Palace disciples, seeing that things had gone badly, were preparing to flee, but out of fear of running into spirit beasts they hesitated, dithering at the entrance to the safe zone—where Feng Shipian spotted them and barred their way outright: "You two, where do you think you're going?"

"Uh... Young Master Feng, we've rested enough here, so we were preparing to leave..." Night Palace Disciple A said, somewhat haltingly.

"Oh? Leaving just like that? Not planning to account for anything?" Feng Shipian looked at them with a half-smile, recalling how, when they had first arrived, the two had borrowed the tiger's majesty to intimidate them—and he felt the thrill of revenge.

"Young Master Feng, it was Zhang Naipao who robbed you of your spirit medicines before; it had nothing to do with us. We were only trying to protect ourselves—our apologies..." Night Palace Disciple B said hastily.

"Is that so? Then what about the trial spirit medicines on you? Weren't those taken from our hands?" Feng Shipian asked mildly.

"This..." Night Palace Disciple A's expression froze, but he had no choice. He could only fish the trial spirit medicines from his pocket and hand them to Feng Shipian. "There, we've returned them to you. Can we go now?"

"Hold on. Let's ask the Leader." Feng Shipian did not let them go outright, but looked toward Wei Zhao, who was walking over.

"Let them go. Keeping them serves no purpose," Wei Zhao said with a wave of his hand.

"Well? Get lost!" Feng Shipian barked at Night Palace Disciples A and B.

"Yes, yes! Thank you!" The two Night Palace disciples rushed off without once looking back...

Wei Zhao cradled the Heavenly Thunder Pig and circulated the second layer of the Xuanyuan Dragon-Taming Art, swiftly healing its injuries. He was anxious at heart, deeply worried about Yang Qiqi's situation—Yang Qiqi had gone to the Five Fiends Mountain Range alone. He had no idea what she was searching for there; apart from the Five Fiends Dragon, Wei Zhao truly could not think what else the place held. And if it was the Five Fiends Dragon that Yang Qiqi sought, how could she possibly be a match for it?

Granted, Yang Qiqi always repaid kindness with enmity. But seeing that she was his fellow disciple, and that she might be searching for spirit medicines on behalf of the Ninth Princess, Wei Zhao had to go save her no matter what.

So at this moment Wei Zhao had no mind to spare for the fate of those two Night Palace disciples. They were just a pair of sycophantic lackeys who trimmed their sails to the wind; if they left, so be it. Wei Zhao could not be bothered with such people.

Having swiftly healed the Heavenly Thunder Pig's injuries, Wei Zhao had also recovered a good deal of physical strength and true qi. Though not fully restored, he truly did not wish to delay any longer—the sooner he set out, the sooner Yang Qiqi would be safe. No one could predict what state she was in now.

"Leader, are you well?" Throughout Wei Zhao's healing, Feng Shipian, Li Ciba, Ge Xian, and Zhao Qitan had kept watch over him as his guardians. Seeing Wei Zhao open his eyes, Zhao Qitan asked at once.

"Not bad. Did someone come by just now?" Wei Zhao asked.

"Yes. Two cultivators wanted to take shelter here, but Feng Shipian drove them off," Zhao Qitan said. "They had barely left when a passing spirit beast finished them off..."

Wei Zhao nodded. Cruel as it seemed, such was the way of the cultivation world—and all the more so in the trial grounds, where the strong preyed on the weak and no principle held sway. Feng Shipian had feared the two would disturb Wei Zhao's healing, so driving them off forcefully was only reasonable; not robbing them of their spirit medicines besides was already very kind.

And though Wei Zhao had been within the jade pendant's space, he had roughly understood what was happening outside. When the two first came in, they had harbored ill intent; only after Feng Shipian and Li Ciba both revealed Heaven Rank strength did they shrink back and refrain from making trouble—and especially after seeing the corpses of Demon Eight and Young Hero Yang on the ground, they had hurriedly withdrawn. They must have taken both deaths for Feng Shipian's work.

"And there's something else... During the time you were healing, Leader, the spirit beasts passing through the safe zone clearly increased. They seem to be going berserk, and there are many more than before," Ge Xian said.

"Is that so?" Wei Zhao frowned. What spirit beasts going berserk signified, he did not know—but for the trial participants who had come here, it was certainly no good thing.

"Indeed. We don't even dare go out!" Li Ciba said.

"Zhang Naipao and his men are finished. With you here, you shouldn't be bullied anymore, so I can set my mind at ease." Wei Zhao rose to his feet. "Now I must make a trip to the Five Fiends Mountain Range. Wait for me here."

"The Five Fiends Mountain Range? Leader, you're going to find Yang Qiqi?" Zhao Qitan immediately guessed Wei Zhao's purpose.

"Correct!" Wei Zhao nodded. "The Five Fiends Mountain Range is extremely dangerous. I must go find her."

Feng Shipian, Li Ciba, and Ge Xian were somewhat worried, but said nothing—Wei Zhao's decisions were not theirs to change. So Feng Shipian said, "Leader, go find Yang Qiqi with an easy mind. With Zhang Naipao's lot gone, as for the other cultivators, with my and Li Ciba's strength, I'm confident we can handle them." (To be continued)

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