With the situation overwhelmingly in their favor, none of the three groups paid the slightest attention to the insignificant Lu Ye. After all, a divine sense probe revealed he possessed only a cultivation at the Third Stage of the Saint King Realm. Right in front of him, they were ready to discuss how to divide the spoils.
Someone willing to spend forty million Saint Crystals at an auction likely had more Saint Crystals left on him. Moreover, the items he had won were excellent treasures, more than worth dividing.
The three groups were of humble origin; the forces they belonged to were small, comparable to Lu Ye's Flowing Cloud Valley. Otherwise, they wouldn't be resorting to robbery and murder. True cultivators from major sects, constrained by strict sect rules, were generally more disciplined.
Such a fat sheep, right before their eyes, made everyone salivate. Each side felt their own strength was superior and thus entitled to a larger share. In moments, the three Void Return Realm cultivators were actually arguing, spittle flying, none willing to yield an inch.
Lu Ye stood there with an indifferent expression, showing no sign of panic whatsoever, as if they weren't talking about him at all. On the contrary, his expression grew increasingly impatient.
As he watched the three grow more vehement in their quarrel, Lu Ye finally couldn't hold back. He gave a cold snort. "Useless wastes, more hindrance than help!"
The moment these words left his lips, the three Void Return Realm cultivators stared at him in astonishment. The one surnamed Cheng made a show of cupping his ear and cried out in surprise, "Kid, what did you just say? If you've got the guts, say it again!"
"I said you're nothing but a group of wastes. Here you are, plotting robbery and murder, and you haven't even killed the person yet before you start arguing over how to split the loot. Truly laughable. Do you really think you've got me, Lu, figured out?" A mocking and contemptuous smile played at the corner of Lu Ye's lips.
Cheng's face darkened, his expression turning fierce. He gave a low, sinister chuckle. "You two, this kid's tired of living. Since he's so eager to die, why don't we oblige him first, and then we can sit down and discuss properly?"
The other two, having been similarly provoked by Lu Ye's arrogant words, naturally saw no reason to disagree.
The cultivator surnamed Cheng let out a ferocious laugh and waved his hand. "Grind him to paste for me! I want him to regret ever being born!"
At his command, numerous Saint King and Entry-level Saint Realm cultivators simultaneously summoned their artifacts, poised to attack. Just then, Lu Ye's expression abruptly changed, becoming utterly sinister. He burst into hearty laughter: "You think a bunch of wastes like you can plot against *this Sovereign's* life? In over a hundred thousand years, you are the boldest I've ever seen!"
"What?" The three Void Return Realm cultivators were stunned, a strange sense of unease rising inexplicably in their hearts, as if something terrible was about to happen.
After his wild laughter, Lu Ye swept his hands, and suddenly, streaks of blood-red light shot out, hurtling towards each of the cultivators present.
From within those blood-red lights came a bizarre chittering sound, like some living creature, causing everyone's face to change drastically as they hurried to defend themselves. But a despairing scene unfolded: whether they attacked or defended, they were utterly powerless to stop the blood-red lights from approaching. Not to mention the Saint Kings and Entry-level Saints, even Cheng and the other two Void Return Realm cultivators were all struck.
The blood-red lights wavered slightly, completely disregarding their protective Saint Energy. With a wriggle, they burrowed directly into their bodies and vanished.
"What was that?!" Cheng cried out in horror, stumbling backward several steps involuntarily. His face pale, he hastily sent out his divine sense to inspect himself.
But to his bewilderment, he found nothing amiss. His Saint Energy flowed smoothly, his meridians were clear, and his divine sense was entirely unaffected. So what had those blood-red lights done?
Having cultivated for so many years, this was the first time Cheng had encountered something so bizarre. Suspicious, he turned his head to look at the other two Void Return Realm cultivators and found them just as skeptical as himself, their expressions flickering uncertainly, obviously having found no useful information either.
After releasing those blood-red lights, Lu Ye made no further move. He simply stood there, gazing at them with a look of contempt. He snorted dissatisfiedly: "Originally, I hoped to lure out some useful people, but I didn't expect only you three wastes to show up! Very well, you might still be of some use. From now on, you will obey my commands!"
"Lure out?" Cheng's brow furrowed upon hearing this. He pondered for a moment, then his face changed dramatically. "You were deliberately so extravagant at the auction just to attract people to rob you?"
The other two Void Return Realm cultivators instantly grasped the situation as well, their gazes towards Lu Ye turning wary.
Regardless of what this man ultimately intended, the mere fact that he had set such a trap was enough to raise suspicions. Furthermore, no one knew what those blood-red lights actually were.
"You have no right to question. Obey my commands obediently, and I may spare your lives. Otherwise..."
"Otherwise what?" Cheng was clearly unwilling to sit and await his fate. Or rather, he didn't believe those blood-red lights could possibly have any profound effect, given that he currently felt no discomfort whatsoever.
Perhaps the other party was just putting on an act to mystify them! He consoled himself.
"Otherwise, the outcome will be very miserable!" Lu Ye grinned, his smile utterly treacherous. No sooner had the words left his mouth than Cheng suddenly clutched his head with both hands and let out a piercing scream. The howl was as if he were being sliced by a thousand knives, horrifying everyone present.
In just three brief breaths, Cheng's clothes were soaked through with sweat. He doubled over like a shrimp, guttural, beast-like roars escaping his throat, revealing his agony. His entire skin flushed red, as though his body might explode at any moment.
"What exactly did you do to Brother Cheng? And what was that earlier thing?" The other Void Return Realm cultivator's eyes trembled slightly as he asked in a shocked voice.