We Need to Go Zero-Problem First

Xianling Nan and Xianling Qi looked at each other, both stunned. Xu Mu before them held too many secrets.

Besides, after these two corpses fell, Xu Mu’s expression showed no trace of panic, clearly indicating he still had a backup plan.

In the end, Xianling Nan simply stood up from the ground without letting Xianling Qi make a move.

“Xu Mu, I won’t attack you anymore. Our target is the Lao Shi clan; there’s no need to waste energy on you all.”

Xianling Nan said to Xu Mu.

In the distance, Xianling Qi silently nodded. Indeed, that was true.

Xu Mu was far stronger than they had imagined. For instance, just now, aside from these two corpses, that young man over there was also terrifyingly powerful.

He hadn’t participated in the Martial Arts Tournament, yet his talent was no less than those prodigies. Although he had only just reached the peak of the Grandmaster realm, he could easily kill those in the Transcendence realm.

Alone, he had taken down several dozen experts.

These White Stone clan members were all elites from their two major tribes.

And Xu Mu hadn’t even made a move yet.

“Since you’re not attacking me, I’ll get to work!”

Xu Mu instantly flashed a hundred meters away, raised his hand, and gathered over a dozen White Emperor Holy Swords together, like an earth-boring machine.

They blasted a hole about ten meters wide into the ground below.

He immediately jumped in, raised his hand, and froze two parasitic insects in ice.

After everything was done, he leapt back out of the hole.

Both of these Shadow Servant Insects were within Xu Mu’s perception, so he could easily locate them.

“Brother Mu! What are you doing?”

Chen Xuan walked over from a distance, his hair slightly disheveled and his body injured.

After all, he had fought against so many opponents alone, and quite a few were stronger than him.

“These are the Shadow Servant Insects controlling them. I’ve captured them.”

Xu Mu raised his hand, revealing two black ice cubes with red Shadow Servant Insects inside.

“Do you mean that Zhi Ting discovered the corpses were missing and sent the insects back?”

Chen Xuan mused.

“Yes, most likely that’s the case.”

Xu Mu took two mineral water bottles from his storage space, let the ice melt a little, and stuffed both insects inside.

Then he screwed the caps tightly.

“Brother Mu, how about we put the water bottles in my woven bag? Insects are living creatures and can’t be stored in a spatial ring.”

Chen Xuan extended his hand.

Xu Mu didn’t hand them over immediately but first tried to put the water bottle into his storage space to see if it worked.

As expected, as soon as he placed it inside, black text appeared before him:

【Note: Current storage space level is insufficient to store living beings】

Seeing this message, Xu Mu nodded to himself.

However, this statement also implied another meaning: if the storage space level were high enough, it could store living things.

What did that mean?

In the future, as he continuously upgraded the storage space, Xu Mu could even put people inside.

That was quite terrifying.

This storage space could only be opened by him. If he faced danger later, he could hide his own people inside.

If he needed to attack an enemy, he could also conceal experts inside in advance and, when necessary, drop them down as a surprise force.

“Living things really can’t be stored. Old Chen, here you go.”

Xu Mu smiled and handed the water bottle to Chen Xuan.

“My master said that even a Heavenly Dao-level formation couldn’t create a spatial ring capable of carrying living beings.”

Chen Xuan opened his woven bag and tossed the bottle inside.

As they chatted, Xianling Nan and Xianling Qi walked over together from afar.

Xianling Qi took the initiative to ask, “Xu Mu, have you allied with the Lao Shi clan?”

“No! I haven’t even met the leader of the Lao Shi clan. How could I ally with them?”

Xu Mu glanced at Xianling Qi.

“You’re lying! Then why did you rescue that vixen from the Hu Nu clan?”

Xianling Nan glared at Xu Mu and demanded.

“That’s because I just came in from the outside world, and she didn’t show any hostility toward me for being a descendant of Yan Huang.”

Xu Mu looked calmly at Xianling Nan. “She’s such a gentle person; of course, I would treat her sincerely in return.”

Hearing this, Xianling Nan narrowed her eyes again, a chill emanating from them.

“Xu Mu, do you mean you saved the Hu Nu clan solely because of the person Hu Nu A Si?”

Xianling Qi inquired.

“Exactly. The Lao Shi clan arbitrarily sent those captives and rebels to the outside world, which has already endangered our safety. How could I possibly ally with people like that?”

Xu Mu shrugged.

“Great! Xu Mu, then you can ally with us.”

Xianling Nan’s face showed a hint of a smile upon hearing this.

“Don’t dream. I won’t ally with you either. I know your character from Shao Tian—you’ve always wanted to attack our outside world, bearing a deep grudge against us. You are my enemy too.”

Xu Mu waved his hand at Xianling Nan.

“Brother Mu, they’re not talking about an alliance; you’d be unilaterally helping them. What benefits can they bring you?”

Chen Xuan added from the side.

“You’re right.”

Xu Mu nodded. “I’m not lacking in heavenly treasures or cultivation techniques.”

“Xu Mu, you completely don’t understand. Our clan does hate you, but we have more restraint than the Lao Shi clan.”

Xianling Qi suddenly said, “Anyway, the patriarch is already dead, so I have no reason to deceive you. I can tell you about the patriarch’s imperial tactics.”

“Oh?”

Xu Mu looked puzzled. “What do you mean?”

Even Xianling Nan looked at Xianling Qi with curiosity. In lofty terms, a saintess was the totem of a race, but in simpler terms, she was just a mascot.

Previously, the patriarch’s important meetings were almost always held among the elder council or with a few experts within the Xianling clan, never involving Xianling Nan.

She had never been exposed to the clan’s core secrets.

“The patriarch’s goal was simple: to create a strong enemy for our clan, which would increase our cohesion.”

Xianling Qi explained. “So, the descendants of Yan Huang were the best choice because you are far away from us and won’t engage in direct conflict.”

Xu Mu and Chen Xuan both nodded in agreement. This was indeed true.

Just like the countries in the outside world, every nation also needs to set up an enemy for itself.

That way, internal chaos can be avoided, because everyone knows that if they fall into disarray, the enemy will take advantage and lead them to ruin.

“We’ve never intended to fight you. There are too many foreign races; unification is impossible. Relying on a single race to fight against you Yan Huang people is nothing but wishful thinking.”

Xianling Qi paused and continued, “We’re even more unwilling to be cannon fodder. If we dared to provoke a war in the outside world, we would be doomed.”

Hearing this, Xianling Nan frowned. She had never heard such things before.

“There have been foreign races that provoked trouble in the outside world. They vanished overnight afterward. But other foreign races did not hold individual Yan Huang people accountable. The reason is simple: no one wants to be the first to stick their neck out. Everyone wants to be the fisherman who benefits last.”

Xianling Qi suddenly looked at her companion. “That’s why we need Xianling Nan.”