"Now you realize your mistake? What exactly did you do wrong?"
Luo Cheng glanced at Qi Ting, his tone indifferent.
"I... I shouldn't have spoken carelessly. I shouldn't have conspired with the Lin Family to ambush you..."
At this moment, Luo Cheng appeared like a demon in Qi Ting's eyes. Without the slightest hesitation, she spilled everything that had happened in the past few days as if emptying a bamboo tube of beans.
Luo Cheng listened quietly, then said in a contemplative tone, "So, this time targeting our Luo Family was the Lin Family's idea?"
Qi Ting nodded vigorously. "Advancing the Hunting Festival and the plan to ambush you midway were all proposed by the Lin Family Head, Lin Canglang. He wants to devour your Luo Family step by step. He promised my father that if it succeeded, we Qi Family would get thirty percent of the benefits."
"Lin Canglang, oh, what a shrewd move!"
Luo Cheng let out a cold laugh, shaking Qi Ting off and saying calmly, "If you want revenge, you can come find me anytime."
After speaking, Luo Cheng quickened his pace and darted into the forest to the right.
It wasn't until Luo Cheng disappeared that Qi Ting collapsed to the ground, her expression dazed and lost.
Everything that had just occurred felt like a dream!
No—more unreal than a dream!
A so-called "wasted martial soul," someone she had deemed utterly insignificant, had managed to render her powerless to resist!
And she was at the Body Tempering Ninth Layer Realm and had awakened a Five-star Martial Soul!
"Could it be that he has already..."
A thought lightning-flashed in Qi Ting's mind, and her eyes widened as she began trembling uncontrollably.
Swish!
Luo Cheng moved swiftly. As he ventured deeper into Moon Ring Valley, pockets of One-star Intermediate Demon Beasts began appearing intermittently, even occasionally some One-star Advanced Demon Beasts.
Luo Cheng paid them no mind. Any beast that foolishly crossed his path was instantly killed with a single punch.
For someone like him now, One-star Demon Beasts were no longer a challenge at all.
"It should be around this area..."
After another stretch of trekking, Luo Cheng gradually slowed down.
By his estimation, the Lin Family should be somewhere in this vicinity.
He hadn't gone far when Luo Cheng abruptly halted.
Ahead, there were sounds of a fierce battle accompanied by periodic beastly roars.
A glimmer of sharpness flickered in his eyes, and Luo Cheng bolted toward the source of the commotion.
The sounds of fighting soon ceased.
In the forest, there lay the corpse of a Demon Beast resembling a leopard but fully jet-black in color.
Beside the carcass stood two people—two of the Lin Family's contestants other than Lin Yun.
The two shared a resemblance, clearly brothers, named Lin Kong and Lin Cheng, both at the Body Tempering Eighth Layer Realm!
The older of the two, Lin Kong, glanced at the body of the venomous leopard and said with relief:
"Good thing we brought Detoxification Pills; otherwise, encountering this Poisonous Forest Leopard would have been a real problem!"
Lin Cheng severed one of the Poisonous Forest Leopard's ears and sneered. "I don't even think we need to bother hunting these beasts. As long as we deal with Luo Cheng and his group, the first place in this Hunting Festival will be ours for the taking."
Lin Kong said, "That might be true, but with so many people watching—and even the City Lord present—we still need to put up appearances."
Lin Cheng chuckled, "I really wonder what that trash Luo Cheng is thinking, daring to take on a bet with Lin Yun. I can't wait to see his face when he admits he's garbage in front of everyone. Heh heh!"
"Is that so?"
A crisp voice suddenly emerged nearby.
"Who's there!"
The two brothers quickly turned their heads and their pupils widened. "Luo Cheng!"
"What are you doing here!" Lin Kong asked, surprised.
Luo Cheng scanned his surroundings and said flatly, "Where's Lin Yun?"
Lin Cheng sneered, "Why should we tell you?"
"Why?"
A gleam of coldness flashed in Luo Cheng's eyes as his whole body lunged forward like a predatory leopard.
"Trash! You're courting death!"
"Get him!"
The brothers' eyes turned vicious as they charged together.
Bam! Bam!
But in just an instant, the two were thrown back even faster than they had advanced, crashing to the ground with their right arms twisted unnaturally and howling in agony.
"H-how are you so strong?"
Lin Cheng stifled his immense pain as he stared at Luo Cheng in terror.
Luo Cheng walked toward him step by step, pressing his foot down on Lin Cheng's left hand while baring his teeth, "Now will you tell me where Lin Yun is?"
"Ahh! Ahhh! I'll tell you! I'll tell you..."
Overwhelmed by pain, Lin Cheng screamed, not daring to hold anything back.
Luo Cheng listened, his brows gradually knitting together. "Lin Yun went looking for me?"
"That's right. Originally, the Family Head's plan was to have the Qi Family ambush you. But Lin Yun wanted to teach you a lesson personally, so he split off from us the moment we entered the forest and went to find you alone!"
Lin Cheng, drenched in cold sweat from the pain, spilled everything without hesitation.
"Damn it!"
Luo Cheng's expression darkened as he suddenly thought of Luo Qingwan and Luo Zhixing!
The two of them definitely couldn't handle Lin Yun!
"I just hope Lin Yun hasn't found them yet. Damn it all!"
Scowling with rage, Luo Cheng stripped the brothers of their Demon Beast Materials, stomped hard on Lin Cheng's left and right hands until they fractured, and then dashed back into the forest.
"Ahhh!"
Lin Cheng's blood-curdling screams echoed through the woods.
Luo Cheng pushed his speed to the limit, sprinting through the forest. Any beasts that crossed his path met their end with a single punch.
He hadn't expected Lin Yun to directly target him!
Half an hour later, as Luo Cheng was racing forward, a faint groan reached his ears, causing him to halt immediately.
Following the sound, Luo Cheng moved closer, and his pupils contracted slightly.
In the woods ahead, Luo Zhixing lay on the ground, his limbs twisted at grotesque angles, barely clinging to life!
Luo Qingwan was in no better shape; both of her arms were broken and drenched in blood. Her once fair and delicate face was now as pale as paper.
"Luo Cheng!"
Seeing Luo Cheng, Luo Qingwan's eyes reddened. Biting her lips hard to avoid breaking into tears, she said:
"Not long after you left, Lin Yun showed up. We were no match for him. Zhixing tried to argue on your behalf and got his limbs broken by Lin Yun..."
"Lin Yun!"
Bang!
Luo Cheng was livid. His blood-shot eyes glared as he punched a nearby tree, shattering it in one hit.
Steadying his emotions with effort, Luo Cheng said in a deep voice, "We're leaving!"
"Leaving?"
Luo Qingwan frowned faintly. "But all the Demon Beast Materials we hunted were taken by Lin Yun..."
"That doesn't matter anymore."
Luo Cheng shook his head. This Hunting Festival had long lost its significance as far as hunting Demon Beasts was concerned!
He picked up Luo Zhixing onto his back, helped Luo Qingwan to her feet, and started walking step by step out of the valley.
The sun gradually set, its rays casting a dreamlike hue over Moon Ring Valley.
On the high platform, everyone's eyes were fixed toward the direction of the valley, filled with anticipation.
"Almost time."
"I wonder if Luo Cheng and his group had a smooth experience."
On the Luo Family's side, Luo Mingshan and the others watched anxiously.
It had been nearly two hours since the start of the Hunting Festival. According to previous experience, the participants should have returned by now.
In contrast, the mood among the Lin Family and Qi Family members was far more relaxed.
Lin Canglang and Qi Fusong sat chatting and drinking, already confident of victory!
"Look, someone's coming back!"
"It looks like the Luo Family's group!"
"Wait, they seem badly injured!"
Suddenly, a wave of murmurs erupted from the high platform.
The figures emerging from the forest were none other than Luo Cheng and his companions!
"Cheng'er!"
"What happened!"
Seeing the bloodied state of the trio, Luo Mingshan and the others' expressions immediately shifted!
Conversely, the smiles on Lin Canglang and Qi Fusong's faces only grew wider.
Seeing Luo Cheng and his group in such a miserable state, their plan seemed to have worked perfectly!