C20 One Fish in One Net

As the Crimson Moth swiftly flew away, Qin Mu hurriedly followed in pursuit.

Together, they embarked on the quest to find the mandragora.

Meanwhile, Qing Min was sipping tea and humming an unfamiliar tune, seemingly aware that his time was short and determined to savor every moment of life.

Suddenly, a loud "Bang!" erupted from the thatched cottage behind him, as if a bomb had gone off.

Startled, Qing Min sprayed the tea from his mouth.

"Ancestor, what's happened?" he exclaimed.

Paragon Ancestor, glaring at Qing Min, bellowed, "I sealed that well long ago! How could someone have broken in?"

Still bewildered, Qing Min inquired, "Which well?"

"The Gate to Pandemonium!" Paragon Ancestor roared.

A sense of urgency gripped Qing Min. "Someone went in?"

"Yes!" Paragon Ancestor replied, seething with anger.

A realization struck Qing Min. "Ling Siying! She must be the one!"

In an instant, like twin bolts of lightning, Qing Min and Paragon Ancestor appeared at the forbidden site.

Staring into the dark abyss of the well, Qing Min was momentarily lost in thought.

Could it be that this well led to the underground world? He recalled tales of an ancient battle where the Fire God and the Asura God wagered a war. The Fire God was defeated, and the Asura God demanded his natal fire seed. With no other choice, the Fire God complied.

But the Fire God had vowed, "I will send someone to reclaim it!"

The Asura God had agreed, and with his immense power, he forged a gateway to the underground realm.

Yet, despite the many valiant souls who ventured inside, none returned, meeting their end within its depths.

As the ages slipped by, the Great God vanished from this world. Paragon Ancestor, during his wanderings, stumbled upon this well and thus established the Skyhaven Clan.

He had always warned us against entering the Well of Fury, tasking the Skyhaven Clan with its protection.

But now, Ling Siying had dared to enter!

Qing Min was filled with regret. He had seldom spoken of the Well of Fury, but Ling Siying had overheard him once. She had been intrigued, playfully suggesting, "If you can obtain the Fire God's life fire seed, you'd be unbeatable under the heavens!"

Unexpectedly, Ling Siying had taken it to heart. But what made her suddenly decide to enter the Well of Fury?

"Ancestor! It's my fault for not keeping watch properly. Please allow me to enter the Well of Fury to rescue Ling Siying!"

Paragon Ancestor looked up at Qing Min and said, "It's futile. The Well of Fury only permits entry to those whose bone age does not exceed one hundred years. We are beyond that limit!"

Qing Min gazed at the Well of Fury, unwilling to accept this truth, and leapt towards it.

Yet, despite reaching the brink of the well, he couldn't fall in, as if an invisible barrier was blocking the entrance.

Paragon Ancestor sighed and said to Qing Min, "Go back! That place has claimed many over the millennia, and no one has ever returned. It's hopeless!"

Qing Min stood motionless, seemingly oblivious to Paragon Ancestor's words.

With another sigh, Paragon Ancestor stepped away and departed.

Meanwhile, the one responsible for Ling Siying's plunge into the Well of Fury was now trailing a butterfly in search of mandragora.

Qin Mu sensed something amiss and glanced toward the Skyhaven Clan, but detected no abnormalities. Scratching his head, he mused that perhaps Qing Shu was thinking of him, and resumed his pursuit of the Crimson Moth.

After a short flight, Qin Mu noticed the Crimson Moth slowing down, so he retrieved it.

"System! Scan for any traces of mandragora nearby!"

[Ding! System scanning.]

"The mandragora is to the southeast, at the base of the lowest mountain, inside a cave."

With the system's guidance, Qin Mu pinpointed his target—a modest hill concealed by its towering neighbors.

Without a moment's delay, Qin Mu set off toward the mountain.

Inside the cave, Sun Xing and Shen Bing had just returned.

Shen Bing, brimming with excitement, exclaimed, "Master, you've become so formidable! Why do we even need to join forces with those inferior sects?"

Indeed, Sun Xing and Shen Bing had just come back from visiting several sects.

Just recently, Sun Xing and his group visited the Stonehammer Clan to propose a joint attack on the Skyhaven Clan. Surprisingly, the leader of the Stonehammer Clan was reluctant, expressing concern over the Skyhaven Clan's formidable power and the risks of provoking them.

Undeterred, Sun Xing delivered a seemingly effortless palm strike that severely injured the Stonehammer Clan's leader. It was only after a venerable elder stepped forward and declared their participation in the assault on the Skyhaven Clan that the issue was resolved.

The other sects faced similar persuasion. With Sun Xing's formidable strength as leverage, they all consented to the collective offensive against the Skyhaven Clan.

In response to Shen Bing's query, Sun Xing spoke with a detached tone, "Currently, I'm not capable of defeating Qin Mu from the Skyhaven Clan. Therefore, we must unite all available forces to launch an attack. In the end, we shall reap the benefits."

Shen Bing voiced her concerns, "But what if those sects don't fully commit? If they feign their efforts, what will be our course of action?"

Sun Xing opened his eyes, casting a sidelong glance at Shen Bing, and explained, "These sects have had their share of disputes with the Skyhaven Clan over the past twenty years. They're now apprehensive that if the Skyhaven Clan grows too strong, retribution will follow."

"Moreover, with us at the helm, they can claim coercion in the event of failure. When weighed, attacking the Skyhaven Clan is decidedly more advantageous for them."

Upon digesting Sun Xing's rationale, Shen Bing quickly offered a sycophantic compliment, "Master, your insight is unparalleled. I'm in awe! Soon, this territory will be under your dominion!"

While Sun Xing took pleasure in Shen Bing's adulation, internally he affirmed with a cold resolve, "Indeed, this land will be mine and mine alone."

Qin Mu overheard the entire conversation with crystal clarity. Initially, he had contemplated eliminating the pair and claiming the mandragora for himself.

But now, it seemed unnecessary. If he acted now, the other sects harboring rebellious thoughts would surely back down.

If Qin Mu were to leave and Qing Min were to perish, the Skyhaven Clan could very well become prey to be divided among these sects.

It would be more strategic to let Sun Xing take them all down in one fell swoop.

As Qin Mu pondered the situation, he was preparing to take his leave. But just then, a voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Master, do you know the origin of this flower?" Shen Bing couldn't contain her curiosity any longer and voiced her question.

Sun Xing offered a smile and responded to Shen Bing, "What's the matter? Are you very interested in it?"

Shen Bing nodded emphatically.

"We can discuss it later. This flower was a gift from someone. Right now, we have urgent matters to attend to. Our first order of business is to annihilate the Skyhaven Clan and leave no one standing."

Realizing the flower was a personal gift to Sun Xing, both Qin Mu and Shen Bing were taken aback.