Unfortunately, such a tender gaze did not make her fall for it. Instead, she said coldly, "Thanks, but I don't need it."
A flicker of gloom passed through Ye Yutian's eyes, but it vanished without a trace, leaving only calm.
Chu Tiankuo was stunned by Ye Lanshan's strength at this moment, inwardly relieved that he had already administered the Weak You Pill. Even if they were powerful now, in a day they'd be powerless and at their mercy.
"Help... help me..." A faint, breathy female voice came from the ground.
Ye Lanshan looked down to see a woman covered in blood and flesh, her arms marked with snake bites, clearly beyond saving.
Yun Di glanced weakly at the woman and sighed, "Alas, with injuries this severe, even my uncle couldn't turn things around, could he?"
"Yeah, with wounds this bad, even a god couldn't save her." Chu Tiankuo nodded in agreement, his eyes showing grief, yet he stood still, unmoved.
"Captain, you can save her, right? I beg you, please save her." The sole survivor besides Chu Tiankuo and the old man dropped to his knees and grabbed Chu Tiankuo's leg.
Chu Tiankuo helped him up and sighed inwardly, "It's not that I'm unwilling to save her, but the poison has seeped into her marrow. Even a god would be powerless."
"No, that can't be. You haven't even looked closely—how can you say she can't be saved?" The man shook his head frantically. Suddenly, as if struck by an idea, he whispered threateningly, "If you don't save her, I'll tell the团长 all your secrets."
"You—" Before Chu Tiankuo could finish, the man sprayed blood all over his face.
He slowly looked down to see a hole suddenly appear in the young man's abdomen.
"Hmph, if they don't obey, just kill them. So indecisive—I don't know why the master chose you." The old man snorted coldly, swiftly killing the woman as well.
Ye Lanshan and the other two watched this farce indifferently, not intervening. Seizing the moment, Ye Lanshan fed Yun Di another pill and squeezed out the snake venom. Black blood splattered everywhere until a hint of red appeared, then she rewrapped the wound with bandages.
"Do you always act so recklessly? Killing them openly like this—how do you expect Luo Yunlan to trust us and follow us?" Chu Tiankuo hissed angrily in the old man's ear, his eyes red with fury.
Just as Chu Tiankuo was seething, Ye Lanshan's indifferent voice rang out, "Since your conflict is resolved, let's go. Oh, by the way, do you know where the real phoenix is?"
Chu Tiankuo whipped his head around, only to find Ye Lanshan completely unafraid of their killing of teammates.
"You..." The old man was equally surprised. He had been ready to threaten them with poison, but Ye Lanshan seemed utterly unaffected and still willing to go with them.
"I knew your intentions from the first night we traveled together. We're only going with you because we happen to be searching for the phoenix. Now that your team's issues are settled, lead us to the phoenix's territory." Ye Lanshan's tone was cold, her gaze icy, making it impossible to guess her thoughts.
Even Yun Di stared at her in surprise. "Are you crazy?"
"Heh, I was planning to threaten you with poison, but since you're so cooperative, let's go." The old man seemed to grasp Ye Lanshan's intent.
"Fine, take the shortest route. I don't have time to waste." Ye Lanshan's eyes gleamed with arrogance, seemingly unaware she had been poisoned.
"This is where the phoenix dwells." After a day and night of travel, the old man led them to a place where magma churned.
"Are you trying to fool me? The phoenix perches only on wutong trees, eats only bamboo seeds, drinks only from sweet springs, and stops at what's clear—it's non-contending. Why bring me to a magma vent?" Ye Lanshan felt the waves of heat and doubted the phoenix would be here.
"You must have heard that the phoenix fell from the sky here, gravely wounded and near death. We brought you here because this is where it heals." The old man smirked eerily, crept behind Ye Lanshan, and shoved her into the magma.
"Ye Lanshan!"
"Lanshan!"
Before Ye Yutian and Yun Di could react, they saw Ye Lanshan plunge into the magma.
"If she dies, you'll all be buried with her." Ye Yutian now radiated danger, a deathly aura enveloping him, suffocating the old man and Chu Tiankuo.
Meanwhile, as Ye Lanshan fell into the magma, she immediately wrapped herself in Red Lotus Karmic Fire, emerging unscathed.
She sank with the magma's force, eventually dropping into a cave. Inside, countless bones lay scattered, seemingly from years past. The cave was eerie and dark, nothing like a phoenix's habitat.
Could they have deceived me? Are they from the Holy Land? Did they know I was seeking the phoenix and set this trap to kill me here?
No, that's not right. Even if they wanted me dead, they'd first strip me of my Red Lotus Karmic Fire. But if they're not from the Holy Land, why claim this is the phoenix's dwelling to lure me to my death? Ye Lanshan felt a sudden loss of control over everything.
Just as her thoughts wandered, a cry interrupted her. She bent down, carefully stepping through the cave entrance, and slowly, the narrow space widened.
Inside sat a man in a red robe with a silver mask. Nearby stood an egg, its surface etched with ancient, mysterious patterns, flickering with red light as if ready to hatch.
"You seem talented. If I absorb your flame, mine could rival the phoenix's nirvana fire, and then the phoenix will be mine." The red-robed man spoke maniacally, yet his gaze was clear.
Unsure of his strength, Ye Lanshan dared not act rashly. She subtly edged closer to the egg, quietly gathering her mystic power.
"What, you want the phoenix too? No matter. Just offer me your flame quickly, and you can take this phoenix egg if you wish." The man stood and strode toward her, his eyes coaxing.
"Water Blossom Dance!" As he neared, Ye Lanshan unleashed her mystic technique.
"You're not a fire mystic." The red-robed man retreated instantly, his gaze cold, his tone tinged with suspicion.
"You call this a phoenix egg?" Ye Lanshan ignored his question, pressing her hand firmly onto the egg.
"So, you're a dual water-fire mystic? This just got interesting." The red-robed man licked his lips and swiftly lunged at Ye Lanshan.
"So you can absorb others' strange flames." Ye Lanshan clutched her wounded shoulder, her eyes finally turning serious.