The spiritual energy here was so dense it was almost liquid.
Chen Jie was so excited because he had confirmed that there must be treasures needed by cultivators nearby.
Xiao Ding and his group must have overlooked something, hence their belief that there were no other treasures here, and they willingly handed over the map to Chen Jie.
"Master, the location on the map is still several hundred meters away from us!" Lin Mengjiao said.
"No rush. I sense someone ahead. Let's approach slowly," Chen Jie said.
Lin Mengjiao was startled, thinking to herself that she hadn't detected anyone, yet her master had.
A few hundred meters away, a woman, accompanied by over a dozen experts, was investigating a cave.
"Is that Yang Siqing?" Chen Jie exclaimed in surprise upon seeing the approaching figures.
He hadn't expected the Yang family to find this place as well.
At that moment, Yang Wanli, the Yang family's steward, approached Yang Siqing, carrying a large instrument. He pointed to the cave on the mountainside and said, "Miss, according to the spectral analysis, that cave should be our destination."
Yang Siqing was overjoyed. "It seems my guess was right. Xiao Ding definitely missed something!"
She immediately pointed to one of her subordinates and instructed, "You, go in and take a look."
"Yes, Miss!"
The subordinate immediately took out climbing gear and agilely began to ascend.
From the shadows, Lin Mengjiao anxiously urged, "Master, shouldn't we go in and take a look too?"
Chen Jie gazed into the cave from a distance, sensing a terrifying aura within.
He waved his hand, saying, "No rush, let's observe first."
"This..."
Seeing Chen Jie's lack of urgency, Lin Mengjiao had no choice but to comply.
"Who's there!"
Yang Siqing suddenly looked around vigilantly and called out, "Who is it? Show yourself!"
Chen Jie gently placed a hand on Lin Mengjiao's shoulder, signaling her to remain still.
*Clap, clap, clap...*
A round of applause echoed.
Following the sound, over a dozen figures emerged from the forest, facing Yang Siqing.
Upon seeing this, Yang Wanli and his subordinates immediately shielded Yang Siqing, looking at the newcomers with caution.
"My sect sent over a hundred people to search this vast mountain for over ten days without finding this cave. I'm surprised to find others have found it. Truly unexpected!"
The middle-aged man leading the group said with a smile, his hands still applauding.
Yang Siqing felt a sense of immediate threat and asked, "Who are you?"
The middle-aged man replied, "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Yin Qiuran, from the Yin family of the provincial capital!"
"What!" Yang Siqing gasped.
Her heart sank with anxiety.
The Yin family of the provincial capital possessed assets worth hundreds of billions, a feat her own family, with mere tens of billions, could not compare to.
"You must be Miss Yang Siqing from the Yang family of Pingcheng, correct?" Yin Qiuran clearly recognized Yang Siqing.
"Indeed!" Yang Siqing replied.
"Very well, you may leave. Thank you for finding this place for me. This debt, the Yin family will owe the Yang family a favor." Yin Qiuran stated.
Yang Siqing immediately retorted, "Patriarch Yin, this cave is our discovery. It seems unreasonable for you to ask us to leave."
Before Yin Qiuran could respond, one of his subordinates bellowed, "You found this place for the Patriarch, it is your fortune! If you dare to babble further, do not blame us for restraining you and making you the Patriarch's plaything!"
Yin Qiuran reprimanded, "Silence!"
"Ah! Patriarch?"
Yin Qiuran's face darkened. "From your tone, anyone who can become my woman is eternally honored. Threatening others with this, are you not playing into their hands?"
The subordinate immediately felt remorseful. "Patriarch, I was rash. Then, let us subdue first and kill later!"
"That is more like it," Yin Qiuran said with satisfaction.
Yang Siqing's face turned crimson with anger.
Yang Wanli shouted, "Shut your mouth! You shall not insult my lady!"
Yin Qiuran's subordinate suddenly moved, rapidly approaching Yang Wanli.
"When did it become your turn, an old dog, to interrupt when we are speaking with your master? Seeking death! Mutilate your own mouth, and I might spare your life!"
As soon as he moved, a terrifying aura erupted from his body.
Yang Wanli's expression changed drastically, and he exclaimed, "Xuan level, peak?"
In his eyes, Xuan level peak was already considered a peerless master.
The next second, his collar was grabbed, and his entire body was lifted between the two groups.
Then, Yin Qiuran's subordinate roughly stomped on him. "You have three seconds to consider. My patience is limited!"
Yin Qiuran made no move to stop any of this.
"Stop!" Yang Siqing commanded.
"One, two, three. Time's up. Go to hell!" The subordinate stomped towards Yang Wanli's head.
If this foot were to land squarely, it would surely crush his skull.
*Swish!*
Suddenly, each of Yang Siqing's people drew a submachine gun from their waist and aimed it at the group.
Yang Siqing said with a cold expression, "If you dare to kill my steward, you all die!"
"You have guns, you think we don't?"
As Yin Qiuran's subordinate finished speaking, over ten people also drew pistols from their waists and aimed them at Yang Siqing and her group.
Between cultivators, the use of firearms was all the same.
Yang Siqing was extremely anxious. "Patriarch Yin, you tracked us all the way here, used us to find this place, and now you ask us to leave. Isn't that too overbearing?"
"Yes, I am that overbearing. If you blame anyone, blame your Yang family for being too weak. In my eyes, you are merely like ants!" Yin Qiuran declared.
From the shadows, Lin Mengjiao asked Chen Jie, "Master, should we help Miss Yang?"
Chen Jie asked in surprise, "Why should we help her?"
Lin Mengjiao replied, "If we save her, she can become your personal maid. Moreover, that Yin Qiuran might be related to Yin Chuji."
Chen Jie glanced at her and said, "We came here for treasures. We will not get involved in their conflict for now."
"Besides, this place is dangerous. We should proceed with caution," Chen Jie added, looking towards the cave.
As if to confirm his words.
*Ah!*
From inside the cave, the person who had just entered let out a piercing scream.
*Roar!*
The next second, a strange growl followed.
Immediately after, the person who had just entered the cave was thrown out like being hit by a colossal beast, landing before everyone and being smashed to pieces.
A python as thick as a water bucket, with horns on its head, slithered out of the cave.
It ferociously charged towards Yang Siqing and Yin Qiuran's group.
"What a thick giant python!" Lin Mengjiao exclaimed in awe.
Chen Jie's excitement grew. "That's not a python, it's a flood dragon!"
"What?"
Chen Jie explained, "It's a symbiotic flood dragon, evolved from a python. Its presence here indicates a treasure with strong spiritual energy nearby! It seems our gains this time will not be small!"
"Not good! Fire! Shoot!"
Below, Yang Siqing instinctively ordered.
Her subordinates, ignoring Yin Qiuran's men, opened fire on the giant flood dragon.
*Tutu tutu...*