Sometimes developments are not as predicted, like at this moment, when the attack from the protector Yao Tiansha of Sky Thunder Valley seemed about to hit Yun Xiao's back. Instead of dodging, the young man shot forward two more feet.

"Bastard!"

Even though Yao Tiansha knew this movement would put Yun Xiao in a perilous position, he couldn't help but curse angrily.

After all, they were the last two of this generation's Thunder Children in Sky Thunder Valley. Any harm coming to them would be a stain on Yao Tiansha's reputation, especially when it happened right in front of him. Wouldn't that make him seem inept?

But Yun Xiao, determined to strike first even if it cost his life, left Yao Tiansha with little choice.

He hastened the speed of his attack, hoping to hit Yun Xiao before the two Thunder Children suffered a heavy blow, thereby preserving their lives.

Whoosh!

Yet, just when everyone, including Yao Tiansha, thought Yun Xiao would not evade or couldn't possibly avoid the protector's attack, the young man veered off the expected path, moving two feet to the side at the crucial moment.

Yun Xiao's maneuver was eerily similar to a movement Yao Tiansha had used when dodging an earlier ambush. But after moving two feet to the side, almost everyone's expressions turned strange, except for a few involved parties.

Because right where Yun Xiao initially stood, was Lu Zhang, the Earth Mine Child of Sky Thunder Valley, already gravely injured, lacking even the strength to move his body, and almost awaiting death.

What Lu Zhang hadn't expected was Yun Xiao would dodge at the last second. Was it because the incoming attack from behind felt like a deadly threat?

But in the next moment, Lu Zhang's thoughts changed, for Yun Xiao's attack may have disappeared, but another attack, fired from behind Yun Xiao, struck him, rendering him utterly incredulous.

This attack originated from Yao Tiansha, meant to take Yun Xiao's life. So, he held nothing back. With Lu Zhang already severely injured, he had no chance of survival.

"Damn it! Damn it!"

By this point, Yao Tiansha, realizing why Yun Xiao had waited until the last moment to dodge, roared in fury. That was to ensure he had no time to retract his attack.

In such critical circumstances, no one could ensure they would truly dodge a powerful blow. An error might lead to an untimely death.

Yet Yun Xiao defied expectations, showing cunning and avoiding the strike at the crucial moment. Even Yao Tiansha, halfway into the Earth Realm, couldn't retract his most powerful strike, directly killing Lu Zhang.

The peculiar expression in Lu Zhang's eyes bore this out, and as he died, he may have faced it without closure. He thought he might perish at the hands of the Earth Vein Mad Bear or Yun Xiao but never expected to die by Yao Tiansha.

Xu Changgui, watching nearby, was also stupefied and secretly relieved. He thought that if he were in such an unexpected situation, his fate might be no different from Lu Zhang's.

"Tut tut, Yao protector, what resentment do you have against Lu Zhang? You seem eager to silence him,"

A now retreating Yun Xiao taunted the two dazed individuals, provoking a shoe-throwing impulse among the onlookers.

Everyone saw clearly that Yao Tiansha didn't intend to kill Lu Zhang but to save him. Yun Xiao's clever scheming led to Lu Zhang's death.

Yun Xiao had gotten away with murder, but nobody could refute him. Lu Zhang did die by Yao Tiansha's hand, indisputably bloodless murder.

"You little bastard, I'm going to kill you!"

The already unsettled Yao Tiansha, spurred by Yun Xiao, nearly coughed up blood, his roar revealing intense anger.

"Hey, there's another Thunder Child, would you like to kill him too?"

Yun Xiao's face broke into an odd smile, his words calming Yao Tiansha somewhat. With Lu Zhang dead, Xu Changgui was now the only remaining Thunder Child in Sky Thunder Valley's younger generation.

If even Xu Changgui dies here, Yao Tiansha could imagine that after returning to Sky Thunder Valley, not only would his position as protector be at risk, but the days afterward would be extremely miserable.

Even in first-class forces like Sky Thunder Valley, cultivating talents such as Xu Changgui and Lu Zhang requires a great deal of effort.

If they all die, Sky Thunder Valley will fall into an awkward situation of lacking successors, and it is not impossible that over time, they might be squeezed out from the ranks of first-class forces.

The young man before them, despite only having an Origin Seeking Realm Early Stage strength, had some extremely strange methods. Xu Changgui, already seriously injured, is truly at risk of being unexpectedly killed in one strike by this young man.

To be honest, Yun Xiao's instantaneous reaction and speed just now truly filled Yao Tiansha, a half-step Earth Realm expert, with a great deal of apprehension; he dared not take such a big risk again.

Of course, it wasn't Yun Xiao's strength that Yao Tiansha feared. If it were a one-on-one fight, he had absolute confidence that he could kill this young man on the spot.

But this kid is extremely slippery. If they fight and he uses some movement technique to dodge his attacks, and then takes a shot at Xu Changgui, Yao Tiansha truly couldn't guarantee Xu Changgui's life.

"Hahaha, everyone, I'll go ahead!"

Just as Yao Tiansha was caught in indecision, a voice suddenly came from not far away. When he looked in that direction, he saw a gray figure leap onto the high stone platform and then disappear through the hole on the stone platform in an instant.

Only then did the "Yun Xiao" figure in front of Xu Changgui slowly disappear after flickering for a moment. It was obvious that it was another extremely lifelike shadow clone.

Seeing this, Yao Tiansha's face turned a mix of green and red. He knew he had been toyed with again, but even knowing it was a ruse, he dared not leave Xu Changgui's side easily; what if that kid was using diversion tactics again?

"Changgui Thunder Child, if you trust me, please leave here as soon as possible. I, Yao Tiansha, swear that I will definitely bring Yun Xiao's head to you!"

Yao Tiansha turned his eyes and said such words, even with some hidden grievance, because if it weren't for these two burdens, Yun Xiao would have probably died by his hands.

At this moment, Xu Changgui did not pretend to be strong. He knew that in his seriously injured state, he was probably no match for Yun Xiao in a single bout, staying here would only be a futile restraint on Yao Tiansha.

"Remember to gather the medicinal materials!"

Before leaving, Xu Changgui did not forget to instruct one more time. After all, unlike Yao Tiansha, he was here to participate in the Refining Cloud Mountain disciple selection, hoping that Sky Thunder Valley would gain another backing. However, without gathering the medicinal materials, they might not even pass the first round.

Given that Xu Changgui was seriously injured and only a few days were left before the one-month deadline, relying on himself to find the materials, let alone luck, even if he managed to find them by chance, he probably wouldn't be a match for those Vein Demon Guardians.

Xu Changgui knew that after he left, Yao Tiansha would certainly enter the stone platform cave to kill Yun Xiao at the earliest opportunity, and take the cave's materials in passing. In that case, the likelihood of completing the task was still quite high.

Regarding the conversation between the two, the others naturally did not hear it clearly. When they saw Xu Changgui's figure disappear from the peak of Xuan Yun, they couldn't help but sigh.

They sighed at how the esteemed first genius of Sky Thunder Valley, the Heavenly Thunder Child, had become someone else's burden, and marveled at how the young man named Yun Xiao could still turn the tables in front of the honorable half-step Earth Realm expert, finally gaining a significant advantage.

Though Yun Xiao who entered the cave might be trapped inside by Yao Tiansha, the previous impressive performances had already made the people unable to look down on Yun Xiao any longer.

As for the Spirit Fighting Commerce's genius Li Gongnian, he did not leave. Perhaps he felt there was no deep enmity between him and Yun Xiao, and the young man wouldn't dare to target a genius of the Spirit Fighting Commerce at this moment.

Of course, in Li Gongnian's mind, it was impossible to just pretend nothing had happened. However, at his current state with internal injuries, he knew he might not be able to defeat Yun Xiao, so he had to temporarily swallow his pride.

Whoosh!

Amid everyone's different thoughts, a sound of breaking wind came, as Yao Tiansha of Sky Thunder Valley, who now had no more worries, eagerly dashed upwards, disappearing with a flash into the entrance of the stone platform cave.

In the next moment, everyone, including Li Gongnian, had a gleam in their eyes, then their figures darted out, vying to enter the cave.

They were all coveting the potential Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures within, even if Yao Tiansha took the majority, they still saw a sliver of opportunity.