Am I the only good person in this cultivation world?

In an instant, terrifying flames shot into the sky!

The sound of metal clanging and thunder roared, the sky was filled with deafening explosions, the clouds were in disarray, and the earth trembled!

Cao Xuan, who was at the very center of the explosion, disappeared completely in the world-destroying thunder and fire before he could even shout.

Not far away, Yao Han was using all his strength to desperately defend himself!

He retreated continuously on the Impermanence Boat, throwing out all the defensive talismans from his storage bag: the Netherworld Veil, the Golden Light Shield, the Burning Shadow Whip, the Shattering Moon Axe, and even the Azure Sea Echo Flute, all to withstand the aftershocks of the explosion.

Even so, he didn't look good. He was covered in dust, his Taoist robe was ripped to shreds, and the shockwave caused his internal magical power to surge and fluctuate. He spat out several mouthfuls of blood, his mouth filled with a metallic taste.

He kept swallowing pills and retreated dozens of feet away. After a long time, the violent storm finally subsided, and at the center of the explosion, only a large circular crater remained.

Such astonishing power was naturally not from a landmine—he feared that Cao Xuan might have some other means of self-defense, so he directly used a heavenly thunderbolt, hoping to kill the enemy in one blow!

However, it seems he was overthinking things. This person had been blown to smithereens by Tian Leizi, leaving not even a trace, not even a storage bag.

This wasn't the first time he'd used this thing; he'd used it once or twice before when he was at a disadvantage in battles.

But I never realized Tian Leizi was so powerful before!

Looking at the still-smoking crater on the ground, Yao Han felt lingering fear.

Damn it, he almost blew himself up!

He couldn't help but swear.

It can only be said that this thing is relatively easy for Core Formation cultivators to deal with, but it is still too brutal for Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment cultivators.

Yao Han pressed his hand to his chest. When the Qiankun bag exploded just now, it reacted again, as if it had turned into a warm stone, making his chest feel hot.

He tossed a few more pills into his mouth, not even having time to refine them, and then rode the Impermanent Boat towards the direction where the group had set up the formation.

……

"This magic array is truly profound! Although it is based on the most basic maze array, it also contains the five elements patterns. I estimate that even a Foundation Establishment cultivator would not be able to find a way to break it once they entered it."

Song Zhiyu manipulated the array plate in his hand, praising it repeatedly.

The three people and the snake were hiding in a secluded corner of the magic circle.

"Even Foundation Establishment cultivators can't crack it? Zhiyu, are you serious?"

Song Zhiyu glanced at her husband with amusement:

"Why would I lie to you? Do you think all those books I bought were just for nothing? Puppets, magic arrays, spirit snakes, magic artifacts... Brother Yao is truly unfathomable. Ordinary Qi Refining cultivators don't have so many tricks up their sleeves."

"Since this magic array is so powerful, we can rest assured for now. Let's just hope that Brother Yao can successfully lure this person here."

"My brother will definitely be fine."

Yao Ailan held the sharp spear firmly on the ground, staring intently in the direction where Yao Han had disappeared.

Yunli and Zhiyu exchanged a glance, and the former transmitted his voice to his wife:

"Zhiyu, do you think Brother Yao will really come back alive?"

"It's difficult. After all, the other party is a Foundation Establishment cultivator, and the difference in their cultivation levels is too great. However, Brother Yao is cautious and meticulous by nature, and he shouldn't do anything rash. Otherwise, why would he entrust the formation to us? Wouldn't it be safest for us to hide in the formation together? Since he did this, there must be some other means he's not telling us."

"I hope so."

Less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea passed, and just as the group was cautiously on guard, they suddenly felt the ground beneath their feet tremble violently, and a faint breeze and ripples of air rushed towards them.

Immediately afterwards, a deafening explosion rang out not far away, and the thick smoke in the air and the surrounding area for miles around were clearly visible.

The group was startled, their expressions changed, and they gripped their magical artifacts tightly, looking towards the source of the sound.

Just as they were on high alert, Xiao Yuan, which had been coiled on Ai Lan's shoulder, suddenly raised its snake head and let out an excited hiss.

"Xiaoyuan's reaction... means his brother is back!"

Sure enough, as soon as the words were spoken, a familiar cloud of black smoke came with the wind and gradually approached where they were.

"Lan'er, Brother Yunli, Miss Zhiyu, quickly put away the magic array, we must leave soon!"

Upon hearing Yao Han's telepathic message, the group immediately began to act, quickly retrieving all the scattered array flags, puppets, and other items from the mountains.

While they were busy, Yao Han took out a brand-new Taoist robe from his storage bag and changed into it. He then used a cleansing spell to make himself cleaner.

However, his face remained pale, and his hands trembled as he made the hand seals. The aftershocks of the golden thunderbolt explosion had seriously injured him.

After getting everything ready, the Impermanent Boat circled the valley once, picked up all the people, and flew away into the distance without looking back.

"Brother Yao, that Foundation Establishment cultivator just now..."

"He was Cao Ye's brother, Cao Xuan. Don't worry, I've already killed him, he won't be coming after us."

The moment the word "execute" was uttered, the expressions on their faces became incredibly varied. Yun Li and Zhi Yu were utterly shocked and incredulous, while Ai Lan's eyes widened, her beautiful pupils sparkling.

"However, the commotion we caused just now was too great and attracted too much attention. I estimate that it won't be long before nearby cultivators come to investigate. So we should leave as soon as possible—we'll deviate from the original plan for now and take a detour to avoid being chased again. This was my decision on my own initiative, and it's all for safety. Please don't mind... Hmm, why aren't you saying anything?"

Zhou Yunli's mouth gaped open so wide it could almost fit two eggs. It took him a long time to recover before he forcefully cupped his hands in a salute:

"What's there to mind! In the cultivation world, strength is paramount. Brother Yao, to be able to kill a Foundation Establishment cultivator while only at the Qi Refining stage is unheard of in the world. Such strength is truly admirable!"

"Brother Yao is so powerful, this trip is naturally up to you. We don't have anything urgent, so safety is our top priority," Song Zhiyu added.

"Hehe, I told you! My brother's amazing! He can wipe out Foundation Establishment and Core Formation cultivators with a flick of his wrist!"

Yao Ailan smiled happily, revealing a set of pretty white teeth.

"It was just a fluke. Let's leave first, otherwise I won't feel at ease. Dealing with one person is fine, but if there are two more, I won't be able to do anything about it."

He took out some spirit stones from his storage bag and piled them on the boat. He instructed the others to replenish the boat's mana every now and then, and had Xiao Yuan stand guard around him. Then he sat down on the boat, closed his eyes, concentrated, and refined the pills.

This battle can indeed be described as a stroke of luck; the fact that he didn't perish in Tian Lei Zi's self-destruction was a stroke of good fortune amidst misfortune.

Looking back at the several battles since he emerged from seclusion at Renxian Mountain, his opponents all lost because of their carelessness.

It wasn't that they were too weak or lacked resources, but rather that they misjudged Yao Han, thinking they could overpower him with their cultivation level, and thus let their guard down, only to suffer a terrible fate in the end.

Only the battle against the Blood Ants was truly exhilarating. The two schemed and used every trick in the book, but in the end, the opponent was outmaneuvered and failed.

While victory is certainly gratifying, Yao Han is also learning from his mistakes. He won by being cautious and discreet, and he may well lose in the future by underestimating others.

Never underestimate anyone. Only by surviving can one be qualified to continue on the path of cultivation.

A shimmering light flowed around him, and the metal within his body clashed. The pills he swallowed were enveloped by streams of brilliant golden magic power, which refined them into a torrent of medicinal power that surged through his internal organs, limbs, and bones.