While Leo lounged comfortably in the treetop, the two groups trapped inside the cave were anything but at ease.
The cave stank of blood and decay. The Black-Scaled Winged Wind Serpents that slipped through the net's gaps were cut down one after another by Vera's team, taking turns at the front. Over a hundred snake corpses littered the ground. They had harvested quite a few demon cores—a decent haul by any asure. But no one smiled. To keep their spiritual power up for the prolonged fight, and to stay ready in case the Evil Valley cultivators attacked, they had to burn through spirit stones. A day of constant fighting had consud a small fortune. And their situation hadn't improved one bit.
Vera's fair face was pale, drained. She said nothing. This was her mistake. She had misjudged the situation, and now her team was trapped. Back in the Palace, she had never been arrogant like so Foundation masters' children, but she had her pride. Now that pride lay shattered.
"Say, do you think Junior Brother Leo made it out?" Angus leaned against the cave wall, catching his breath. "Maybe he'll find a way to get us out?"
"Don't be ridiculous. He's lucky to be alive. What can one man do against a whole Evil Valley team?" The archer who had mocked Leo earlier—Winnie—scoffed.
"Hard to say. He survived on his own for over twenty days before he ran into us. What if he finds another Palace team and cos back?" Quiver had a better impression of Leo. She knew they were clinging to slim hopes, but what else was there?
"There's a rumor I heard..." Solon, sitting beside Angus, suddenly spoke up.
"What rumor?" Quiver asked.
"You know Lowell from Heavenly Summit Peak?" Solon said.
"Lowell? One of the top ten disciples in the Palace. Even if you haven't t him, you've heard of him. But what's he got to do with us?" Winnie snorted.
"I have a friend in Heavenly Summit Peak. He told that just before we entered the Bloody Battlefield, Lowell was beaten by so nobody from Azure Lotus Peak." Solon grinned.
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"What? Azure Lotus Peak? They've never had any standout disciples. Lowell lost to soone from Azure Lotus Peak? How co I never heard about it? You're always talking—hard to believe half of it." Quiver was skeptical. The others looked equally doubtful.
"Exactly. I was at the Combat Arena every day before we left. Lowell never fought anyone from Azure Lotus Peak." Winnie backed her up.
Solon scowled. "When have I ever made things up? It didn't happen in the arena. It was at Heavenly Summit Peak. The story goes—this Azure Lotus disciple crossed Lowell at the marketplace. Later, he happened to pass through Heavenly Summit Peak, and Lowell cornered him with his n. One of Lowell's lackeys, a guy nad Brash, got taken down first. Lowell couldn't save face, so he stepped in himself. He didn't win. Got banged up pretty bad too. Got so angry he almost used his lightning spear—a magic artifact. I heard so Foundation masters from Heavenly Summit Peak showed up to break it up. Lowell has connections, so he got off easy. His lackey took the fall. I heard it from soone who was there. It's solid."
"Nonsense. Sothing that big would have spread." Winnie shook her head. "Besides, if there's a Qi Refining disciple better than Lowell, how could no one know his na?"
"Lowell's not going to advertise that he lost to so nobody, is he? No wonder you haven't heard." Solon's face was red now, irritated by all the doubt.
"It's not entirely baseless," Vera said quietly. She had been lost in guilt and regret, but now she spoke. Her father was a Foundation master; she knew things ordinary disciples didn't. He had even told her to keep an eye on the Azure Lotus Peak disciples in the Bloody Battlefield. She hadn't expected all this.
"See? Even Senior Sister Vera says so." Solon puffed up.
"So what if Lowell was hurt? That doesn't an Leo was the one who did it." Winnie's friend, Frost, objected.
"Maybe not, but Leo is from Azure Lotus Peak. There are maybe three teams from there in the Bloody Battlefield. Sylas's team is gone—dead, scattered. Leo's still alive. That says sothing."
Angus, like Solon, had little patience for elite disciples like Lowell. Their backgrounds gave them advantages. Most of the Foundation Establishnt Pills from the sect competition went to them. For those without connections, breaking into the top ranks was nearly impossible. Maybe one or two in ten.
Vera and Quiver said nothing. In their current situation, they wanted to believe the rumor. They wanted Leo to be the one who had beaten Lowell. It gave them sothing to hold onto. One man against an Evil Valley team was still hopeless, but when you're trapped, you cling to anything.
"Senior Brother Blade, Quail hasn't co back either. No word." Lou kept his voice even, but the worry on his face was plain.
Blade paced back and forth, his face dark and brooding, like a wounded beast ready to lash out at anyone who ca too close. One glance at the others showed they were no better. Even Siren, who had been all smiles and fluttering lashes, sat silent, brooding.
Five people sent out. Five people vanished. No word. In this place, that ant one thing. Bandits? That would be bad enough. But the real fear was another sect's team lurking outside. They had already taken losses. They couldn't afford more.
"Senior Brother Blade, what do we do?" Siren's voice was soft, pleading.
Blade was silent for a long mont. "Tonight. When those Palace disciples are worn out, we pull out."
It hurt to say. They had been so close. But if another sect was out there, picking off his n, staying in this cave would trap them the sa way they had trapped the Palace team. Herbs could wait. Lives couldn't.
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