Chapter 4286 — Discovered

"Who knows? Maybe someone got here before us," Chang Daoping said, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly.

"Then that makes it even more abnormal. No one ever thinks they have too much Star Ink Milk. If someone had come here before us, they'd have scooped up every last drop—there's no way they'd have left this much behind. At most they'd have left only what dripped after they departed. Counting from the moment the miasma cleared, that would be a small bottle's worth at best—not a full six bottles!" Wei Zhao shook his head firmly.

There was more he did not say. Where Star Ink Milk was concerned, everything from how to enter the Aoduo Cultivation City ruins to the precise location of this altar was a jealously guarded secret. Chang Daoping was not the only one who kept such things close; everyone else surely did the same.

So the number of human cultivators in this world who could actually come here and take Star Ink Milk must be pitifully small. The odds that someone had happened to arrive just ahead of them were in truth very low—and even if someone had, they could not have made the whole journey here without leaving a single trace.

"Then... perhaps the Star Ink Milk doesn't drip this fast all year round? Or perhaps someone can ignore the miasma and come for it at other times—a few months ago, say?" Chang Daoping tried again.

This time Wei Zhao had nothing to say. If pressed, neither of Chang Daoping's possibilities could be ruled out. After all, no one would stand guard here the whole year through, and no one knew the true rhythm of the Star Ink Milk's dripping.

As for the latter possibility—he and Huang Xiaotao had just killed a man in gray not long ago. The fellow had been a Nascent Soul expert, and he had descended from the sky like some giant bat; the miasma seemed not to hinder him in the least. So it was not impossible that others could ignore the miasma's threat as well.

"And there's this. Leave Star Ink Milk sitting too long, and it might simply evaporate into thin air," Chang Daoping added. His expression remained placid, but a close look at his eyes would reveal that his gaze was flickering more than before.

"Perhaps," Wei Zhao said with a noncommittal shake of his head, his suspicions deepening. The more Chang Daoping explained, the more it showed there was something dubious here. Otherwise, given the man's temperament, he would not be talking this much without some special reason.

Still, Wei Zhao did not press further. Matters had come to this point; whatever the explanation, it made no difference now. What was done was done—missing out on the Star Ink Milk this time was a certainty set in stone.

Seeing Wei Zhao fall silent, Chang Daoping let the corner of his mouth curve up ever so faintly, then asked, "Well? Anyone who'd worn themselves out getting here only to go back empty-handed would refuse to accept it—it's only human nature. Would you two like to stay here a few days, as I suggested? But if you do, we'll have to go on ahead. We can't wait here for you."

Go on ahead? Wei Zhao frowned at once at these words. Chang Daoping and his people leaving first, while he and Huang Xiaotao stayed behind?

Only a fool would stay here! Unable to resist the lure of Star Ink Milk, an ordinary person might well give in to such an impulse—but Wei Zhao was not so bewitched.

Once Chang Daoping left with the others, whether he and Huang Xiaotao could even get out would become a question—and this ruin was plainly fishy. Even if they had met no danger so far, who could guarantee the days ahead would stay this calm?

"Forget it. We'd better leave with Brother Chang. Staying here on our own is more than we dare," Wei Zhao said with a shake of his head, exchanging a glance with Huang Xiaotao.

"Very well." Chang Daoping gave a faint nod, and inwardly his opinion of Wei Zhao rose another notch. A man who could resist the temptation of Star Ink Milk was a rare thing in this world. What a pity he was not one of their own—otherwise there would have been no need to play tricks and cheat him out of his share.

As for the rest—Cao Shishi, Luo Tuoxiang, and the others—every one of them was gloating. Forced to travel with these two bumpkins of such meager strength, and then, when breaking the Moon Shadow Formation, even outsmarted to boot—they who had always thought so highly of themselves had been squirming with discomfort. But now, all at once, they felt balanced again, brimming with a sense of superiority.

Chang Daoping at once led the group down from the altar, and Wei Zhao and Huang Xiaotao had no choice but to follow. But before leaving, Wei Zhao had a thought and drew what remained at the bottom of the little stone basin into a spirit-jade bottle in his jade pendant's space.

Better than nothing. The dregs together amounted to no more than a tiny speck, but little as it was, it was still Star Ink Milk—better than none at all.

"Hm? What's that fluctuation of true qi?" Ahead of them, Chang Daoping suddenly stopped and turned around, frowning as he asked. The others exchanged looks as well, their gazes full of suspicion, until at last they all settled on Wei Zhao and Huang Xiaotao.

Wei Zhao started at the sight and gave a fright, cursing inwardly. Just as he had feared...

Drawing external objects into the jade pendant's space inevitably produced a ripple of true qi, though it was exceedingly faint and ordinary people could not detect it. But an expert of Chang Daoping's caliber, at such close range, had indeed caught a hint of it. He really had been reckless just now.

"My apologies, Brother Chang. I was a little angry just now and couldn't keep my feelings in check." Wei Zhao's expression turned flustered at once, yet he forced himself to look composed—a perfect match for the content of his words, leaving no room for doubt.

"Couldn't keep your feelings in check? Heh heh, then you'd better get moving, boy! I was really afraid you'd fly into a rage and take some reckless path! Hahahaha!" Luo Tuoxiang laughed wildly at this, utterly without restraint.

Cao Shishi and the others all wore mocking expressions too. A mere early Golden Core cultivator dared to be dissatisfied? The man didn't even know how the word "death" was written!

Only Huang Xiaotao, watching this scene, wore a strange expression beneath her veil. Given her closeness with Wei Zhao, even though he had never told her about the jade pendant's space, he had never deliberately hidden it from her either, and she could guess a thing or two.

All these people were completely in the dark, yet each one was so full of himself—it was simply exasperating.

And if it really came down to strength, apart from Chang Daoping, that Nascent Soul expert, who among those present was a match for her and Wei Zhao? They were all pitiful creatures who could be cut down in a single move—frogs at the bottom of a well who knew nothing of the heights of heaven and the depths of earth! (To be continued) R655

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