Chapter 246: Chapter 245: The Troubles of Happiness

Thus.

Half an hour later.

Xu Lingjun and Han Yun City had already left and regrouped. One of them was exceptionally talented and extremely skilled in tracking and reconnaissance, while the other had a direct cheat-like ability. Even in such a place, Xiaoya could scan traces infinitely.

Finding the other party was ridiculously easy.

The first thing they said when they met was…

“Be careful, Zhou Mu wants to team up with me to take your life!”

“Zhou Mu is jealous of your reputation and wants to kill you with me.”

After speaking.

Both Xu Lingjun and Han Yun City looked extremely serious and then froze simultaneously. They both took out a firework tube at the same time and said in unison, “He also gave me a signal device, told me to open this when I met you…”

Then, there was another eerie silence.

Xu Lingjun and Han Yun City looked at each other in surprise, only then becoming aware… Zhou Mu was even more insidious and manipulative than they had imagined; he had actually formed alliances with both of them simultaneously.

No martial ethics to speak of.

If there hadn’t been that previous camaraderie between the two, resulting in some mutual appreciation beyond the enemy status.

They might have started fighting upon meeting, and then escalated to the point of calling for reinforcements; Zhou Mu’s scheme might have actually succeeded.

“So, this guy is instigating both sides, wanting to watch us fight like tigers from a mountaintop while he profits from it?”

Xu Lingjun said somewhat puzzled: “It makes sense that he hates you because his mission has always been to target you, but he never succeeds. But why does he hate me? You probably don’t know, but our Pavilion Master has specifically instructed me that if I’m not confident in dealing with you, I could actually collaborate with Zhou Mu, which clearly shows our Pavilion Master greatly values him… but he…”

Han Yun City asked, “If you saw someone wealthier than you lavishly spending money, more arrogant and conceited than you, what would you say?”

Xu Lingjun thought for a moment and said, “Bah, isn’t it just two stinking coins? What’s so special about them?”

Han Yun City said, “That’s the principle; a man’s jealousy sometimes is quite unreasonable. He’s not as skilled as you, envies you, and wants to kill you, which is understandable.”

Saying so, he paused, his gaze falling on the two firework tubes.

He said, “But I’m sure he wants to kill not just you; it can’t be that simple. This kid might look gentle, but at heart, he’s a gambler. There might be something wrong with these two fireworks.”

“Whether there’s something wrong… we’ll know by looking.”

“True.”

Han Yun City and Xu Lingjun exchanged looks.

Then, they saw the same meaning in each other’s eyes.

Right now, beneath their feet was a vast stretch of icy river; even Marquis Xia Wu was submerged here. What’s the issue if a Zhou Mu also gets buried?

Although the people behind Zhou Mu were likely in league with Liu Zhiyuan, making his presence extremely important, meant to counter Han Yun City…

But unfortunately, having plotted and wanting to kill me, there’s no reason for me to spare your life.

“Let’s do it. I alone don’t have absolute confidence, but with you, I can’t think of any way Zhou Mu could escape!”

A mere glance, and the two understood each other’s intentions.

Both were incredibly daring; who’s afraid of whom?

Thus…

Half an hour later.

In a snowy, forested area.

Zhou Mu sat quietly in a snow pit, ice and snow falling on him without melting, soon burying him as a snowman.

He was waiting…

Waiting for a once-in-a-lifetime brilliant opportunity; if things went smoothly, he might be able to eliminate his two massive threats simultaneously.

Such a good opportunity mustn’t be rushed. It needed patience… the patience to remain steady…

Zhou Mu’s breath gradually emptied, really like a venomous snake, his heartbeat stabilizing, leaving no breath or sound.

He appeared just like a lifeless stone.

Just then, a sleek feline Demon Beast, searching for food, slowly passed by, not noticing him at all.

Until…

Boom~~~!

Boom~~~!!

Two clear explosive sounds ascended to the sky, two beams of dazzling light each shooting up, intertwining the moment they reached the sky.

Then, a more intense explosion occurred.

The two fireworks chemically reacted, exploding like a bomb, hailing countless highly corrosive fragments like ammunition downwards.

From the two fireworks downwards, nearly a thousand-meter radius was flooded with these highly corrosive, bullet-like falling fragments, creating unfathomable pits on the ice surface.

“They’ve met and started fighting!”

Hidden in the snow, Zhou Mu suddenly widened his eyes, revealing a look of joy.

Indeed, his instigation was effective. After having these cards in their hands, both became confident enough to want the other’s life, actively tracking each other down…

Now, they might already be dead under this splendid sulfuric acid bomb.

Even if they survived by luck…

They’re likely severely injured, only waiting for me to harvest the victory fruit.

Even though my mind kept telling me to remain calm, the more crucial the moment, the calmer I must be, considering the worst-case scenario… that is, they’re both not dead, retaining some fighting capabilities.

Mmm, indeed, there’s a strong possibility.

By that time, I’d have to stabilize both separately and then ambush to kill one first, then forcefully kill the other…

Both injured, with my abilities, this shouldn’t be much of a problem.

That’s already the worst-case scenario. At worst, I get heavily injured; how much worse can it get? Now my troubling question is…

Who should I kill first?

A blissful dilemma indeed.

Zhou Mu moved quickly.

Especially since the firework explosion site wasn’t far from where he’d been lingering…

In just two short minutes, he’d reached the destination.

At this battlefield ahead, smoke was billowing, signs of sulfuric acid corrosion everywhere, the ice surface scarred with menacing gouges.

It was evident that this area was just brutally ravaged…

But upon reaching here, Zhou Mu’s face froze.

Confused, he asked, “Where… are they?”

Indeed, these fireworks were something he’d obtained from the Pirate King, exceptionally insidious and malicious.

The sulfuric acid spread incredibly fast, logically leaving the two no chance of escape once they’d triggered the fireworks. Facing such an attack, even a Martial Artist of the Profound Realm would find it hard to escape alive. He’d factored in their prowess, and the Cultivation Techniques they practiced were likely formidable, meaning a chance they could survive.

He’d basically been cautious to the extreme.

But why…

“Are you wondering why the two of us aren’t here?”

Suddenly, Han Yun City’s voice, with a hint of mockery, sounded from behind Zhou Mu.

He sneered, “Even I didn’t expect you’d be waiting for us here… Zhou Mu, you have a deeply hidden mind. I thought you were on the first level, but didn’t expect you were on the fifth. However, you’d never have guessed I was at the atmospheric level.”

“You… you two…”

Zhou Mu looked in shock at the suddenly appearing Han Yun City and Xu Lingjun.

One in front, one behind, they completely blocked his escape route.

Xu Lingjun, with a hint of helplessness, said, “Sorry, although your proposal was tempting, compared to that, I preferred teaming up with Han Yun City to take you down first, and then the two of us could fight to the death. I just tentatively mentioned it to Han Yun City, unexpectedly, he agreed.”

“Yes, I agreed.”

Han Yun City sneered, “Fortunately, I agreed. Otherwise, if I really started fighting Xu Lingjun, if I really launched this firework… I probably wouldn’t have a life now, right?”

Recalling the terrifying spectacle of the firework’s brilliant burst.

Both had already distanced themselves greatly, yet still barely escaped being caught in it.

This Zhou Mu, his thoughts run too deep…

Keeping this man alive was like a thorn in one’s back.

Can’t let him live.

He slowly gripped the Blood Gun.

While Xu Lingjun clenched his fists, their eyes fixed on Zhou Mu filled with killing intent.