26: Almost everyone was killed, and there are still good people left?

Deep within the Secret Realm, in a sunny valley filled with swirling Spiritual Qi.

Mysterious Ink was comfortably coiled atop a warm boulder, his massive python body stretched out, leisurely inhaling and exhaling the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi, enjoying a rare moment of "idling."

Meanwhile, in various parts of the Secret Realm hidden from his sight, a bloody hunt against the Liu and Wang Families, ignited by his own hand, had already begun.

Beside a damp marshland, a five-man squad from the Wang Family was cautiously harvesting a First Tier High Grade Spirit Medicine called "Ink Jade Lotus."

"Quick! Quick! This is good stuff; it's worth at least fifty Spirit Stones outside!" the leading Wang Family Disciple whispered, his face filled with excitement and greed.

However, just as they were about to succeed, a dozen figures filled with murderous intent appeared quietly from the dense forest on all sides like ghosts, surrounding them completely.

"Who goes there?!" The Wang Family squad was shocked, immediately drawing their weapons and gathering back-to-back, watching these uninvited guests vigilantly.

When they saw that the newcomers were all dressed as Loose Cultivators, and the leaders only had the aura of the fifth or sixth level of Qi Refining, the tension in the heart of the leading Wang Family Disciple instantly turned into deep disdain and arrogance.

"I was wondering who it was; turns out it's just a bunch of blind Loose Cultivators!" He snorted coldly and shouted in a condescending tone, "We have already laid claim to the Spirit Medicine here. If you know what's good for you, get lost immediately! Otherwise, don't blame us for being impolite!"

In his view, bringing out the golden signboard of the "Wang Family" was enough to scare off this rabble.

However, the response he received was a series of cold sneers from the Loose Cultivators, filled with mockery and pity.

"Wang Family?" The leading burly Loose Cultivator, who was the very guy who had knelt and called Mysterious Ink 'daddy' that day, grinned hideously, shouldering the broadsword in his hand. "We are specifically here to kill people from your Wang Family!"

Before his voice even faded, he waved his hand fiercely!

"Brothers! Do it! Leave none alive!"

"Kill!"

A dozen Loose Cultivators rushed forward like starving wolves, fearless of death!

The Wang Family squad was instantly stunned.

They couldn't fathom what had gotten into these Loose Cultivators. Were they crazy?! How dare they take the initiative to attack people from the Three Great Families?!

However, the outbreak of battle gave them no time to think at all.

Two fists are no match for four hands, let alone when facing this group of desperate outlaws who had already received orders from Mysterious Ink and were determined to kill!

In just half an incense stick's time, this Wang Family squad was completely slaughtered, unable to even send out a single message for help.

Similar scenes continued to play out in every corner of the Secret Realm.

A team from the Liu Family, after surrounding and killing a guardian Yao Beast, hadn't even had time to collect the spoils before they were ambushed by a sudden squad of Loose Cultivators, leaving them in disarray with heavy casualties.

"They're crazy! These Loose Cultivators have all gone mad!"

"They are hunting down people from our Three Great Families!"

Panic, like a plague, spread rapidly among the Disciples of the Wang and Liu Families.

Finally, after losing nearly one-third of their manpower, the leading geniuses of the Wang and Liu Families—Wang Teng and Liu Mang—finally realized the severity of the problem!

They simultaneously issued an emergency assembly order to all Disciples of the Three Great Families within the Secret Realm!

"All Disciples of the Three Great Families, listen up! The Loose Cultivators are rioting with malicious intent!

I propose that we temporarily set aside our prejudices and join forces to exterminate all Loose Cultivators, then divide the Secret Realm!"

Wang Teng's voice, carried by a Secret Technique, spread across most of the Secret Realm.

Liu Mang also immediately echoed: "Correct! Once we have cleared out these reckless Loose Cultivators, we will then rely on our own abilities to determine the ownership of this Secret Realm!"

Beside a waterfall pool, the Ye Family leader, Ye Hao, was completely bewildered when he received this news.

Loose Cultivator riot? Hunting down Three Great Families Disciples?

He glanced at the dozen or so Ye Family Disciples resting beside him, who were almost completely unscathed, and then looked at the Storage Pouches filled with harvest, his face filled with great confusion.

Didn't feel it?

Except for two Disciples who accidentally died under the claws of a guardian Yao Beast while harvesting Spirit Medicine, their Ye Family hadn't suffered any losses at all!

Just then, a Ye Family Disciple responsible for scouting information ran back with a strange expression.

"Brother Hao! Outside... it's spreading like crazy outside! They say the Loose Cultivators are crazily hunting down our Three Great Families' people, and the people from the Wang Family and Liu Family have almost been killed off by half!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the Ye Family Disciples present were in an uproar.

"What?!"

"Impossible, right? How come we don't feel anything at all?"

"Exactly!" A Ye Family Disciple who had just regrouped jumped out, saying indignantly, "Brother Hao! This is definitely a conspiracy by the Wang and Liu Families! They want to trick us into being cannon fodder!"

"That's right!" Another Disciple immediately chimed in, "Let me tell you, my experience just now was simply outrageous!"

He cleared his throat, attracting everyone's attention, and then vividly recounted: "Just now, in order to chase a Spirit Rabbit, I accidentally stumbled into the territory of a Late First Tier 'Iron-Backed Bear'! Just as I was about to be slapped to death by that beast, guess what happened?"

"A squad of seven or eight Loose Cultivators, like Heavenly Gods descending to earth, suddenly rushed out! Without a word, they hacked furiously at the Iron-Backed Bear and solved the problem in a few quick strokes!"

"I was so scared at the time, thinking they wanted to kill me and steal my treasure. But they helped me up, asked if I was injured, and kindly warned me that it was dangerous here, telling me to leave quickly. From beginning to end, they didn't even glance at the Spirit Rabbit in my hand!"

"This... this is simply a good person!"

His words were like opening a floodgate, immediately resonating with the other Ye Family Disciples!

"Yes, yes, yes! I encountered it too! I found a stalk of 'Qi Condensation Grass' and was just about to harvest it when a squad of Loose Cultivators came over. My heart went cold, thinking there was definitely going to be a fight. But their leader just smiled at me, said 'Brother, you continue,' and then led his people away, taking a detour!"

"Me too! They even gave me directions!"

For a time, the Ye Family Disciples spoke up one after another, recounting the various "encounters" they had experienced.

Without exception, the Loose Cultivator squads they encountered were simply synonymous with "good people"!

Not only did they never lay a hand on them, but they were accommodating in every way, and even happy to help others!

Listening to everyone's chattering accounts, the Ye Family leader, Ye Hao, had an increasingly surprised expression on his face.

He was silent for a moment before speaking slowly, his voice carrying a hint of oddity.

"Actually... I encountered this situation too."

"Just an hour ago, I discovered a First Tier Top Grade 'Purple Blood Orchid' on a cliff wall. Just as I was preparing to fight the guardian Yao Beast, a powerful squad of more than ten Loose Cultivators happened to pass by."

"Faced with such a Spirit Medicine, not only did they have no intention of fighting for it, but their leader even cupped his hands very politely to me, greeted me, and then led his people away directly."

As soon as these words were spoken, the whole place fell into dead silence.

All the clues, at this moment, connected! There was only one truth!

Ye Hao slapped his thigh fiercely, a flash of "sudden realization" appearing in his eyes!

"I understand! This is simply a trick by the Liu and Wang Families!"

"They want to borrow a knife to kill! They deliberately spread rumors to lure us into conflict with the Loose Cultivators so they can reap the benefits!"

"Even those so-called 'rioting Loose Cultivators' are actually people from their two families in disguise! The purpose is to find an excuse to attack our Ye Family!"

This "reasonable" deduction was immediately unanimously agreed upon by all the Ye Family Disciples!

"That's right! It must be like this!"

"Too insidious! We almost fell for their trap!"

Ye Hao made a prompt decision and immediately, as the leader, issued an order to all Ye Family Disciples still in various parts of the Secret Realm!

"All Ye Family Disciples, listen up! Do not participate in this matter! This is a trick by the Liu and Wang Families, intending to sow discord between us and the Loose Cultivators! Remember, Loose Cultivators are all good people!"

When Wang Teng and Liu Mang received this "order" from the Ye Family, they were so angry they almost vomited three liters of blood on the spot!

Looking at their own teams that had suffered heavy casualties and were all injured, and then looking at that "righteous" declaration from the Ye Family, they only felt a surge of evil fire rushing straight to their crowns!

Good people?! Good your grandmother's leg!

Our two families' people have almost been wiped out by that group of "good people"! And you Ye Family actually say they are good people?!

And what the hell, a conspiracy?! Is there anything more frustrating and outrageous in this world?!