CHAPTER 548: CHAPTER 298: THE PRIMORDIAL MAIDEN

"Who dares disturb my peace?" The voice of the girl in violet was icy and authoritative, exuding an imposing presence that allowed no room for negligence.

Xing Lie swallowed hard, forcing himself to speak, "We are Martial Artists seeking treasure here. We had no idea that Senior was present. If we have offended you, we humbly beg for forgiveness."

Gu Sheng clasped his fists as well and said, "Senior, we did not intend to intrude. We merely detected something unusual here and came to investigate."

The girl in violet raised her brows ever so slightly, a strange light flickering in her amethyst eyes. "Oh? You two certainly have some nerve. However, disturbing my peace always comes with a price." As she spoke, she waved her hand lightly, sending out a ribbon of violet energy that shot straight toward Gu Sheng and Xing Lie.

The two were terrified and quickly dodged aside. Yet, the violet energy seemed almost alive, relentlessly pursuing them, leaving them in imminent peril.

"Wait, Senior! Let’s talk this through!" Xing Lie shouted as he ducked and weaved. He knew with certainty that neither he nor Gu Sheng could withstand the attacks of this girl in violet.

Delaying for time and searching for an escape were their only options.

Gu Sheng grasped this as well. He took a deep breath, channeled his inner Cultivation Technique, and a golden radiance enveloped his body. He struck out with golden palms in rapid succession, attempting to block the violet energy ribbon.

But their strength was worlds apart. Those golden palms were utterly insignificant in the face of the violet energy ribbon.

Soon, Gu Sheng was pushed into a desperate situation.

As the violet ribbon was about to strike his body, he suddenly shouted, "Azure Vine Demon Soul, corrode!"

With those words, green vines surged out around him, writhing as if alive, furiously lunging toward the violet energy ribbon.

Under the corrosive power of the vines, the once indomitable violet ribbon began to dissipate bit by bit.

Seizing this chance, Gu Sheng quickly retreated and regrouped with Xing Lie.

The two exchanged glances, each seeing the shock and fear in the other’s eyes.

"Thank you, Senior, for showing mercy!" Gu Sheng clasped his fists towards the girl in violet.

He knew full well that escaping unscathed this time had been sheer luck. If not for the sudden activation of the Azure Vine Demon Soul, the two of them would likely have met a tragic end.

The girl in violet frowned slightly at the sight. "You were actually able to withstand a strike from me? It seems you two are not so simple after all."

She scrutinized Gu Sheng and Xing Lie once more. "Speak. What is your true purpose for coming here?"

Upon hearing her demand, Xing Lie’s mind raced, and he quickly said, "Senior, you may not know! The two of us were sent by our clan to investigate the anomalies in this ancient mine. The elders suspect that a great treasure may be hidden here, so we were dispatched to scout the area!"

"Oh? Sent by your clan?" A playful smile appeared at the corner of the girl’s lips. "If that’s the case, then why don’t the two of you stay here and keep me company? Who knows, perhaps if I’m in a good mood, I might even share some secrets about this ancient mine with you!"

"Huh?!" Xing Lie’s face fell instantly, and he looked helplessly at Gu Sheng. "Brother Gu, what do we do now?"

He had absolutely no desire to stay here and chat with this obviously dangerous girl; angering her could mean disaster for both of them!

Gu Sheng hadn’t anticipated this twist either. After a moment of thought, he responded, "Since Senior desires our company, we juniors will gladly comply."

With that, he sat cross-legged on the ground and began to converse with the girl in violet...

In the time that followed, Gu Sheng and Xing Lie exhausted every topic they could think of to amuse the girl in violet. They spoke of the landscapes of the Northern Territory, shared martial world gossip, even recounted trivial family matters. They left no stone unturned, all in the desperate hope of pleasing this daunting figure and earning their freedom.

To their dismay, no matter how hard they tried to entertain or flatter her, the girl in violet remained expressionless, her icy demeanor seemingly impenetrable.

This left the two of them increasingly frustrated and helpless. They even began to wonder whether she could truly understand what they were saying...

Just as they were on the verge of giving up, the girl in violet suddenly spoke, "Enough. I’ve heard enough of your nonsense. Now, let’s get down to business, shall we?"

Hearing that she was finally willing to talk, Xing Lie and Gu Sheng immediately perked up.

The ancient mine grew more foreboding, the tension in the air palpable. Standing on the edge of the pit, facing the unyielding girl in violet, Xing Lie and Gu Sheng could only feel a sense of helplessness and dread.

"Please, Senior, understand!" Xing Lie pleaded loudly, hoping to justify their intentions. "We truly were ordered by our family to investigate the anomalies of this mine. We have no other objectives. We beg Senior to be merciful and let us leave!"

Gu Sheng nodded in agreement, adding, "Indeed, Senior, we are merely carrying out orders. We bear you no ill will and have no wish to oppose you. If you would let us go, we would be endlessly grateful!"

The girl in violet let out a cold chuckle, clearly unconvinced by their explanation. Her amethyst eyes glimmered with a piercing chill, as if she could see straight through their souls.