A flicker of killing intent crossed
How could she not see it — Lu Mingye was here to reap what others had sown. Until now, Shi Qinglu had been thoroughly convinced that
However, if Jiang Chen truly chose not to come out and instead fled outward, there was a real chance Lu Mingye would swoop in and steal the prize.
That was something Shi Qinglu simply could not allow.
The Hundred Sacred Grounds were determined to make a name for themselves on Myriad Abyss Island this time and vie for the position of alliance leader among the Ten Sacred Grounds. And she, Shi Qinglu, had her eyes set on the championship of the Genius Grand Tournament.
Her true competitors were few. Although Lu Mingye was a fellow disciple from the same sacred ground, he was undeniably a major rival.
If Jiang Chen — the most dazzling competitor of them all — could be eliminated, then Lu Mingye would become the single greatest threat.
After all, many of her techniques were known to Lu Mingye. As a genius of the Hundred Sacred Grounds, he would surely possess quite a few trump cards of his own.
So, deep down, Shi Qinglu harbored no small amount of wariness toward him.
If Lu Mingye truly intended to stick his nose in, Shi Qinglu would have no qualms about teaching him a lesson as well.
On her own home turf, even against Lu Mingye, she was confident she could make him pay a steep price.
Of course, once they left this core zone, with Lu Mingye's abilities, those poison formations she had set up on the periphery might not be enough to contain him.
After all, Lu Mingye had been a participant in this matter too. Before they dealt with Jiang Chen, they could still be considered allies — sharing a common enemy.
Now that Jiang Chen appeared to them as nothing more than a spent force, a wounded prey, the act of harvesting that prey had naturally devolved into an internal competition.
It was plain to see that while Lu Mingye was deliberately trying to provoke Shi Qinglu, he was equally wary of her.
He might have talked a big game, but in practice, he had no intention of stepping into the dense forest — especially keeping his distance from the core zone.
He wanted to hold the perimeter and wait for easy pickings. If Jiang Chen fled to the outer edge, he would surely sense it, and at that moment, he could crush Jiang Chen in a single blow.
This was a golden opportunity to make a name for himself. To rise to prominence by stepping over Jiang Chen's fallen body — that was practically the dream of every top-tier genius among the Ten Sacred Grounds.
Lu Mingye offered a faint smile, and his figure vanished from Shi Qinglu's sight. Clearly, he had decided to play the part of a patient hunter, waiting by the tree for his rabbit.
Shi Qinglu let out a cold snort, a trace of dark brooding flickering through her stunning eyes.
"No more waiting. That wretch Jiang Chen can't fly — he must be burrowing underground. Hmph. Even if I have to dig three chi deep into the earth, I'll drag you out!"
The thought no sooner crossed her mind than she raised her hand, and from the void a silver animal darted forth — a small creature that turned out to be a marten.
The marten's eyes were bright and spirited, unmistakably a remarkable spiritual creature. Its fur was sleek and glossy to an extraordinary degree, a genuinely pleasing sight.
"Little Sable, go search underground and find that brat Jiang Chen for me." Shi Qinglu, being a master of poisons, kept many spiritual creatures in her care. This spirit marten was one she was particularly proud of.
Lightning-fast and devastatingly venomous, this creature could pursue targets whether they flew through the sky or burrowed into the earth. Its speed was astonishing, and underground it moved as easily as treading on flat ground.
The spirit marten nodded, made an adorable little face, and with a swift whoosh, dove straight into the earth.
Shi Qinglu watched the marten disappear underground, and a confident smile curved her lips.
"Once the spirit marten goes underground, within a quarter of an hour it will certainly flush out that brat Jiang Chen. Never mind that he's poisoned and can't have gotten far — even if he had, with my marten's speed underground, it could easily run him down." Her mind brimmed with certainty.
A quarter of an hour passed, and a hint of confusion crept onto Shi Qinglu's face.
The spirit marten had been dispatched. By now, there should have been some sign of activity. Why was there still nothing?
Just as Shi Qinglu sat frowning in puzzlement —
*Shoo!*