These six cultivators were clearly not all from the same group. At a glance, their attire and bearing revealed at least three separate factions.
Moreover, these three factions had evidently formed a tacit alliance, their arrangement appearing quite deliberate.
That said, the trap they'd set here wasn't specifically aimed at Jiang Chen. They intended to rob any Sacred Land genius who happened to pass through.
The leader of the six was a genius from the Hundred Sacred Land. His surname was Qin, and his given name was Qin You. Within the Hundred Sacred Land, he was considered a top-tier talent, virtually guaranteed a spot among the top three of the younger generation.
Beside him stood a young man in similar attire, though strikingly different in appearance — a prematurely white-haired youth, his short white locks giving him a peculiar, almost outlandish look.
The remaining four hailed from the Omniscient Sacred Land and the Nirvana Sacred Land respectively.
These three Sacred Lands had always maintained close ties, practically operating as a half-alliance behind the scenes. Their bond ran deep.
And of the three, the Hundred Sacred Land held the leading position.
They had come here with the same goal as the Eternal Sacred Land — to vie for the seat of alliance leader. The Hundred Sacred Land in particular was practically starved for that position of supremacy.
Qin You had already received word that Jiang Chen was approaching their trap. He'd assumed this was a big catch — one who could hand over not just trial orbs, but also give the Hundred Sacred Land a satisfying chance to vent its frustration.
Unfortunately, right before reaching this spot, Jiang Chen had abruptly changed direction.
This made them suspicious. Was it a coincidence? Or had Jiang Chen deliberately avoided them?
"Senior Brother Qin You, we've already confirmed that last night, Hu Lei of our Omniscient Sacred Land fell at that brat Jiang Chen's hands."
The speaker was another genius from the Omniscient Sacred Land, dressed entirely in green that blended seamlessly with the island's lush foliage.
"So what?" Qin You sneered coldly. "Hu Lei was all guts and no brains. He charged in without any idea what kind of enemy he was facing. His defeat doesn't surprise me in the slightest. Even if he hadn't fallen to Jiang Chen, he would have lost to some other truly formidable opponent sooner or later."
In Qin You's mouth, even a top genius like Hu Lei seemed barely worth mentioning.
The green-clad genius from the Omniscient Sacred Land twitched his lips but said nothing more. Clearly, he was far from happy about Qin You's dismissive treatment of his fellow disciple — but with the Hundred Sacred Land so dominant and the alliance between them so strong, he swallowed his不满.
A genius from the Nirvana Sacred Land spoke up instead: "Jiang Chen is indeed remarkable. But being too remarkable is never a good thing."
The green-clad genius from the Omniscient Sacred Land asked curiously, "Why isn't it a good thing?"
"Think about it. After Jiang Chen took down Hu Lei, his reputation must have grown, right? Everyone would be even more wary of him now?"
"True. If we're being honest, Jiang Chen really is extraordinary. I'm starting to wonder — among the younger generation of our ten great Sacred Lands, can anyone truly match him?"
"Perhaps there is. Perhaps there isn't. But that's not the important part. There's an old saying — the tallest tree in the forest is the first to be felled by the wind! The more Jiang Chen stands out, the fewer friends he'll have. If, in the end, his strength provokes the vigilance of the majority, then everyone will unconsciously reach a silent understanding. Imagine it — if everyone joined forces to suppress Jiang Chen together, no matter how strong he is, could he withstand so many?"
It had to be said, this line of reasoning struck uncomfortably close to home.
Even Qin You showed an amused smile: "Junior Brother Ding, I must say, you've got a sharp mind. Indeed — that Jiang Chen shouldn't get too cocky. Otherwise, the day everyone turns on him won't be far off."