Inside the cave, an eerie stillness settled over the crowd. No one dared to move without the signal from their clan elders. Even the rogue Cultivators—often known for their impulsiveness—hesitated, keeping their eyes fixed on the emerald colored bow that lay solemnly at the center of the cave, exuding a quiet, commanding presence.
But amidst the crowd of hesitant cultivators, one figure broke the stillness—Xiao Wei.
He gave the bow only the briefest glance, his interest clearly elsewhere. As the others remained frozen in place, Xiao Wei slowly moved toward the far edge of the cave where patches of lush, verdant herbs grew wildly, basking in the Spiritual Energy that lingered in this ancient place. As an alchemist, he knew the value of these herbs—some were precious Tier 1 plants, and a few were even rare Tier 2 varieties. For Xiao Wei, who had no hope of contending for the powerful bow, the true treasure was in these herbs.
He crouched down and began gathering them carefully, placing them into his Storage Ring with a practiced hand. He didn't rush. His movements were fluid, reverent almost, as he carefully preserved the roots and stems, fully aware of their alchemical properties.
Hu Sun, noticing Xiao Wei's actions, frowned for a moment. Then, with a wave of his hand, he barked an order to the Hu Clan members nearby.
"Start collecting the herbs! They're very valuable!"Hu Sun shouted.
The others quickly caught on. Mo Clan and Xiao Clan disciples joined in, and soon even the rogue Cultivators could no longer hold back. They rushed toward the planets in the cave, scrambling for whatever herbs they could find. Within moments, the cave was a chaotic flurry of Cultivators plucking plants and jostling for the best patches.
Despite the frenzy around him, Xiao Wei remained composed. He didn't let the commotion distract him. He had already memorized the placement of the rarest plants and calmly worked his way through them, his fingers deft and efficient.
At the heart of the cave, only a few figures remained unmoved.
The clan elders and Shi Feng.
Their attention remained locked on the bow.
Shi Feng stepped forward, his voice calm but assertive.
"I hope you all understand. This bow belongs to my family. I ask that you let me take it."Shi Feng said.
Hu Sun let out a short, derisive laugh.
"Do you think we don't know what this is? That bow is a Tier 5 Weapon—the legendary Green Emerald Bow. With it, your ancestor slew the peak Tier 4 Fire Tiger centuries ago and etched his name into the history of Fu State."Hu Sun said, with his eyes full of greed.
There was a collective gasp from the crowd. Even those who had been plucking herbs paused momentarily, the realization of the bow's value hitting them like a wave. A Tier 5 Weapon was not just rare—it was an artifact of power capable of changing the fate of a sect.
But once again, Xiao Wei didn't stop. His hands continued to move, calmly harvesting a brilliant purple-stalked herb as if the revelation meant nothing to him.
Shi Feng's expression hardened. He remained silent for a moment, then he raised his bow, an arrow already notched. In a blink, the string was pulled taut, humming with compressed spiritual energy.
Whoosh!
The arrow flew like a streak of light, slicing through the air and narrowly missing Hu Sun's face. It embedded into the cave wall behind him with a sharp thunk, causing a spiderweb of cracks to ripple across the stone.
Hu Sun stood frozen. A bead of cold sweat rolled down his temple.
Shi Feng's voice was low and cold.
"I won't miss next time."
Everyone held their breath. No one doubted his words.
One of the Mo Clan Elder, who had remained silent until now, took a step forward, his eyes on Shi Feng.
"Brother Feng, I believe we can come to an agreement. If you reconsider the offer I made earlier, Mo Clan will support you in claiming the bow and leaving safely."the elder said.
That caused a stir among the other elders.
Shi Feng narrowed his eyes. He knew exactly what Elder Cao meant. The offer had been made earlier in secret—during their voice transmission while entering the cave. The details weren't clear to the others, but the implication was obvious. Mo Clan would back him, perhaps even offer sanctuary or resources, but it would come with a price.
His grip on the bow tightened slightly.
He had proven himself stronger than anyone else present. But he also understood that power alone wasn't always enough. Even with his Cultivation at the Fifth Layer of Martial Grandmaster Realm, fighting all the elders together—if they truly combined their efforts—would be dangerous.
He didn't respond immediately, the weight of the moment lingering as everyone waited for his decision.
After a moment of heavy silence, Shi Feng finally nodded.
"Ok, I agree"Shi Feng said with a calm tone, though his eyes gleamed with determination.
The Mo Clan elder beside him grinned with satisfaction.
"Good. Our clan will help you leave here safely."he said.
The atmosphere in the cave shifted instantly. The expressions of the Xiao clan and Hu Clan elders darkened.
"What's the meaning of this? Are your Mo Clan trying to pick a fight with the Xiao Clan and Hu Clan?"one of the Xiao Clan elders asked coldly, stepping forward.
The Mo Clan elder chuckled, his voice laced with arrogance.
'You will understand everything in a few months. Until then, be patient."he said with an evil smile.
Shi Feng glanced at them all and then began walking toward the bow. His robe fluttered behind him as he strode confidently through the herb-filled cavern.
None of the other clans moved to stop him. The Xiao clan and Hu Clans were seething, but they understood the situation clearly. With the Mo Clan openly backing Shi Feng and having just expended a great deal of strength fighting the Armored Snake, they were in no shape to start another battle.
They could only gather their own people.
Xiao Clan and Hu Clan elders order there clan members to fall back. And, reluctantly, the two clans withdrew, their members glancing back at the bow with resentment.
Shi Feng's steps didn't falter. He reached the Green Emerald Bow that rested on an ornate pedestal, its green sheen glowing faintly in the torchlight. With both hands, he grasped the bow.
The moment Shi Feng held the bow, a faint green aura surrounded him, as if recognizing its rightful owner. A surge of Spiritual Energy flowed through the cave, causing a gust of wind to ripple through the plants and robes of those who remained.
Without another word, Shi Feng turned and left with the Mo Clan elders and members escorting him. Their group disappeared into the depths of the passage, leaving behind only rogue Cultivators and Xiao Wei.
As if on cue, chaos erupted again.
"Stop running, give me that Tier 3 Dark Sun Plant!"someone shouted.
Xiao Wei turned just in time to see a rogue Cultivator sprinting away, clutching a glowing, black-leafed herb in his hand.
He was pursued by other rogue Cultivators, each desperate to get their hands on the rare plant. The cavern erupted into a brief frenzy. The once patient and quiet crowd transformed into a mob, scrambling to find any remaining herbs before they vanished entirely.
The value of a Tier 3 plant was no joke. In the Cultivation world, a single Tier 3 plant could fetch a small fortune or serve as the key ingredient in a breakthrough elixir. Even Martial Saints would fight over such a plant.
Amidst the chaos, Xiao Wei remained composed. He had already picked what he needed.
He stood in a quiet corner of the cavern, carefully storing a bundle of herbs in his Storage Ring. While everyone had fixated on the bow, he had taken advantage of their distraction and meticulously harvested everything within reach.
By the time the dust settled, most of the rogue Cultivators had run off, either chasing after the man with the Tier 3 plant or retreating with their own gains. Now, only three individuals remained in the treasure-laden cave.
Xiao Wei was one of them.
He looked around. The once lush cavern was now mostly barren, its vibrant greens stripped away by greedy hands. Only scattered stems and broken roots remained.
Still, Xiao Wei felt deeply satisfied. He had harvested over seventy Tier 1 herbs and twenty Tier 2 herbs—more than enough to support his alchemy for the next few months. This was a harvest he hadn't expected, especially after such fierce competition.
Just as he was about to leave, a voice called out behind him.
"This brother, what's your name?"
Xiao Wei turned around cautiously.
Two boys stood a few paces behind him. They looked to be about the same age as him and appeared somewhat alike—clearly brothers. Both wore simple but sturdy martial robes, and each radiated the aura of someone who had reached the peak of the Ninth Layer of the Martial Apprentice Realm.
Their expressions were friendly but curious, and there was a spark of sharpness in their eyes, as if they'd been observing him for some time.
Xiao Wei didn't respond immediately. He studied them for a moment.
He didn't sense ill intent for now, but he never assumed anyone was truly harmless—especially not in a place like this, where power and opportunity could twist anyone's heart.