CHAPTER 279: CHAPTER 279: THE THING DELIVERED TO THE DOOR (2)_1

Shangguan You pursued quickly through the night. She intended to find them, but whether *they* could find *her* was another matter entirely. Her body swiftly flickered into her personal dimension. After a bout of mischief and completely altering her appearance, Shangguan You, now a thoroughly disguised figure in black, quickly reappeared in the night.

Shangguan You increased her speed upon spotting the two dark figures ahead. She dashed towards the pair and abruptly blocked their path.

"Who are you?" Zhuge Ao coldly questioned the black figure obstructing them. Wrapped in black clothes, the large garments flapped in the wind. They could glimpse a white beard that kept flashing into view, suggesting a skinny and frail old man inside—yet also a formidable old monster capable of hovering mid-air.

"It is not your place to know who I am. If you’re wise, hand over the Fire Spirit Pearl. Otherwise..." Shangguan You’s voice, altered and villainous with age, rang out, followed by a heavy, contemptuous snort as she alighted upon the ground.

"Or what?" Zhuge Ao cursed angrily, eyeing the cloaked figure before him. He actually dares to covet our pearl! To think it’s *our* turn to be robbed! Is there any justice in this world? Can just anyone try to steal from *me*, Zhuge Ao? What a preposterous joke! Hmph.

"It doesn’t matter who you are or which Hidden World Family you belong to, but don’t forget the covenant all Cultivators must adhere to. You can’t steal from us," Shen Po spoke icily, the strong presence of the newcomer clearly perceptible to him.

"Cultivators’ covenant? Bullshit! All I know is, hand over the Fire Spirit Pearl or get buried in the earth. My fist is the only reason I need. Might makes right. The rest is none of my concern. Hmph!" Shangguan You taunted with aged arrogance.

Her old, arrogant voice continued. The three of them had now successfully landed on the ground. Once on solid earth, isn’t it all my domain? I’ll show them how I deal with them, Shangguan You mused.

"Cultivators, no matter the grievance, must not settle their scores in the mortal realm, to preserve its balance. Are you daring to break the law and become the enemy of all Cultivators?" Shen Po spoke in a heavy voice, taking a few steps back as he watched the figure before him.

"You can rob others, so why can’t I rob you? Spare me the talk and let’s see whose fist is mightier," Shangguan You snapped coldly. She had originally wanted to blow on her fist in a display of bravado, but then she remembered her fair, delicate hands and, to avoid exposing her identity, kept them hidden. After her tirade, her black figure swiftly lunged at the others.

"Since you’re courting death, I’ll indulge you," Zhuge Ao sneered, attacking Shangguan You.

"You were the first to break the rules, so don’t blame us for ganging up on you," Shen Po spoke gravely, scattering a handful of powder into the air.

"This old man doesn’t know fear," retorted Shangguan You fiercely, watching the two line up to attack together. A smirk curled her lips. "Earth Power, divide for me!"

At her command, the solid ground fissured visibly at rapid speed, engulfing Zhuge Ao and Shen Po directly into its depths. The ground collapsed so swiftly that the duo had no chance to react. As they slid downward, the soil above sealed back, trapping them underground.

"If you know what’s good for you, hand over the Fire Spirit Pearl, or this day next year will be your memorial," Shangguan You’s altered voice once again echoed in their ears.

"Dream on!" the pair resisted, their Spiritual Energy bombarding the encroaching earth as they tried to lift themselves upwards. But hundreds of meters deep, escape was impossible, and their strength insufficient.

One of them yelled, "Burn it with fire!"

"Hmph." Standing amidst the earth, Shangguan You watched them fighting desperately, her lips curling up. "Inferno Fire, burn for me." Flames billowed from Zhuge Ao, spreading through the surrounding earth and burning a path through it.

"Shield of Earth." With a softly spoken command, Shangguan You conjured a shield from the earth to block the Inferno Fire, trapping it within the soil. The flames roared, and the space Zhuge Ao had cleared heated up further as the fire rebounded back.

"Hahaha, so you like to burn yourselves, do you? Then let the flames grow even wilder!" Shangguan You’s aged voice resounded again. The earth beside her directly formed a throne, and she sat upon it gracefully, watching the show.

While they struggled for their lives, Shangguan You relished the spectacle. Clad all in black, she leisurely drank water and ate Spirit Fruit. Merely by lifting a finger, she had trapped them underground, leaving them powerless and enduring the torment of the flames. Large beads of sweat flowed down Zhuge Ao’s and Shen Po’s foreheads as the fire burned ceaselessly, and the space around them grew hotter and hotter.

"Who exactly are you? Our Zhuge Aristocratic Family is also a Hidden World Family. If you spare us, the Zhuge Aristocratic Family will consider you a friend," Zhuge Ao said, wiping sweat from his brow as he struggled to control the Inferno Fire.

"That’s right," Shen Po added, his voice grave. "I am Shen Po. Though my other skills may not compare to yours, Senior, my expertise in Medical Arts and poisons could surely be of use to you in the future. Why not spare us and let us out?" The poison he’d scattered earlier was useless; he knew then that they were in dire straits. They had faced stronger opponents before, but none had been immune to his poisons; eventually, all had fallen into their traps. Today, however, they had encountered a true madman.

"Zhuge Family? Worthless! When I was in my prime, the Zhuge Family was nothing more than a fly. Poisons, Medical Arts? Hmph! Presumptuous. Let me give you a taste of this old man’s latest invention, a freshly perfected concoction!" Shangguan You scoffed. The toxic powder in her hand was once again scattered into the air. Let’s see how you like this!

"Swallow this!" Shen Po’s face paled as he quickly fed Zhuge Ao an Antidote Pill from his hand. Trapped within the earth, they could only watch Shangguan You before them, utterly powerless. If we were on the surface, how could we possibly be subdued like this? It’s so infuriatingly helpless!