Yan Yan was startled, then understood. Grandpa had been ambushed and nearly lost his life. If not for Xiao Man, he would have already had his Golden Core shattered and died of poison. As the only Golden Core cultivator in Wuji City, his death would leave the City Lord's Mansion without an advantage. Those who feared Grandpa would seize the opportunity to cause chaos and take over.
"I will tell Father and Grandpa, don't worry."
"Also, don't trust the people from the Seven Great Sects too much," Xiao Man cautioned, feeling uneasy. She couldn't believe that the old City Lord's injury had nothing to do with the Seven Great Sects.
Yan Yan nodded with a pale face. If the Seven Great Sects hadn't been involved, she still had confidence that the City Lord's Mansion wouldn't lose. But if the Seven Great Sects got involved, the City Lord's Mansion might not be a match for them.
"Xiao Qin, you..." Can you stay? Yan Yan really wanted Xiao Man to stay, but thinking of Xiao Man's companions in the Roland Mountain Range, which was more dangerous than Wuji City, she couldn't be too selfish. "Take care, Zefang, you too."
"Take care." Xiao Man handed Yan Yan a box. "This contains a poison bomb I made myself, with ten detoxification pills inside. Detonate it in an emergency, and it can incapacitate everyone and every beast within a thousand-meter radius, but it's useless against cultivators above the Golden Core stage."
Yan Yan took it and carefully put it away. "Thank you."
Xiao Man took Zefang and left the city. As soon as they exited the city, they were followed. Xiao Man glanced at the person behind them with the corner of her eye and entered the Roland Mountain Range with Zefang.
It was easy to track someone in Wuji City, but the Roland Mountain Range was different. The Roland Mountain Range was teeming with ferocious beasts, and one could encounter them just by wandering around. To track someone in the Roland Mountain Range, one needed not only good cultivation but also a thorough knowledge of the terrain.
"Where are they?" After following for a while, the pursuer lost track of Xiao Man.
"Fellow cultivator, are you looking for me?" Xiao Man stood with her arms crossed, leaning against a tree trunk, looking at the pursuer with amusement.
The person's expression remained unchanged. "Fellow cultivator misunderstands. I am merely looking for a fellow disciple and am not tracking you. Fellow cultivator..."
As the man took a step forward, he felt a sharp pain under his foot. He tried to withdraw his foot, but roots and vines erupted from the ground, instantly grabbing him. The man cried out in surprise and was then wrapped into a ball by the emerging vines.
Xiao Man's lips curved. "Zefang, let's go."
Zefang followed beside Xiao Man, his face full of curiosity. "That's Devil Pepper Vine, isn't it? Where did you find something like Devil Pepper Vine?"
"In the Roland Mountain Range, are you afraid you can't find Devil Pepper Vine?" Xiao Man's lips curved. "I have a medicine that specifically attracts Devil Pepper Vine, and unfortunately, I sprinkled quite a bit on that fool."
Zefang thought of being chased by Devil Pepper Vines and burst into laughter. "Xiao Qin, you are too wicked."
"He was tracking us with unclear intentions. Such unstable factors should be eliminated early. After all, the Roland Mountain Range is full of accidents, and who knows if he might stab us in the back at a crucial moment."
"Xiao Qin, do you want to learn alchemy?" Zefang remembered Xiao Man asking Yan Yan where she could buy an alchemy furnace.
"Yes, but I know nothing about alchemy."
Zefang immediately began searching his spatial ring. After a moment, he pulled out a pill book and an alchemy furnace. "I have these, take them."
Xiao Man took them in surprise. The pill book Zefang gave her contained very practical pill recipes that were commonly used. As for the alchemy furnace, she couldn't tell its quality.
"Good heavens, girl, the young man you picked up is truly rich! He even has a 'Ascending Dragon Cauldron'!" Old Qin's voice rang out.
"Is the 'Ascending Dragon Cauldron' very powerful?"
"The Jun Fei'er you met today couldn't afford such an alchemy furnace," Old Qin tutted twice. "How many good things are in that young man's spatial ring? Don't you want to rob it and take a look?"
"Ancestor, even if you are my ancestor, I won't be polite if you try to rob my friend's belongings!"
Old Qin chuckled awkwardly. "Wasn't I just testing you? After all, you are greedy for wealth. Who knows if you might endanger your friend's life for treasure?"
"What, do you think I'm that shameless?"
Old Qin stroked his beard. "I'm just afraid you'll go too far down the path of shamelessness, so I'm reminding you!"
When Xiao Man returned to their campsite, she didn't see Xiang Jian and the others. There was only a mess, as if they had been through a fierce battle.
"They seem to have been attacked," Zefang looked at Xiao Man. "The attackers were..."
"Humans." Xiao Man's expression was cold. Xiang Jian and the others wouldn't go looking for trouble, especially with the Seven Great Sects flocking to Wuji City for recruitment and most of them training in the Roland Mountain Range. Xiang Jian was now at the middle stage of Foundation Establishment, and with Poison Lady, a master of poison, they must have been attacked by experts.
"Those who have the ability to attack them are likely from the Seven Great Sects."
Xiao Man lowered her gaze. The Seven Great Sects outwardly coexisted peacefully, but secretly they engaged in constant conflict, vying for control of Wuji City and good cultivation talents. She didn't know why Xiang Jian and the others were attacked, but she hoped it wasn't the worst outcome, and that the attackers weren't Xiang Jian's enemies!
"The traces are still fresh, and there aren't many signs of struggle, indicating that the opponent had experts suppressing them," Xiao Man frowned. If there was a Golden Core cultivator among the opponents, what would she do?
"Although there are signs of a fight at the scene, there are no bodies. This suggests that the opponent didn't intend to kill them and might have taken them away for other reasons."
"Zhu Qing, find them." Xiao Man summoned Zhu Qing, who instantly disappeared into the grass.
"The Roland Mountain Range is so vast, how can Zhu Qing find them? Moreover, there are many high-level demonic beasts here. If Zhu Qing stumbles into the territory of a high-level demonic beast, won't it be dangerous?"
"I left marks on each of them. Zhu Qing will follow the scent of the marks. As for high-level demonic beasts, this little thing is better than me at seeking advantage and avoiding harm." Xiao Man leaped onto the treetop, gazing into the distance. She had chosen this spot because it was high and allowed her to survey the surroundings, making it difficult to be ambushed. Yet, Xiang Jian and the others were attacked, indicating that the opponents arrived very quickly, leaving them no time to react.
"How many Golden Core cultivators did the Seven Great Sects send this time?"
"At most two per sect. Golden Core cultivators are not like cabbage found everywhere. The reason they sent Golden Core cultivators is also for them to find their direct disciples," Zefang explained. "Among the Seven Great Sects, the highest cultivation level is only early Nascent Soul."
Xiao Man quickly moved in another direction. Zefang hurried to follow. Xiao Man's speed was astonishing, leaving only an afterimage. A flicker of surprise flashed in Zefang's eyes. With that speed, even a Golden Core cultivator couldn't catch her, could they?