Fang Zhentian’s already chilled heart grew even colder. Having been on this island for so long, he hadn’t sensed any sign of life. How could an island like this not be strange? Yet now, Fang Zhentian—the man nominally his adoptive father but actually his biological father—was ordering him to scout the island’s situation. Wasn't this pushing him straight into the fire?

The few men he had called upon were men who had suffered the same fate as Fang Zhuguo. It seemed in the eyes of his father, they were truly nothing more than cannon fodder?

Sighing internally with profound sorrow, Fang Zhuguo accepted the command and left. No matter the bitterness in his heart, no matter the helplessness, he had to endure until his strength surpassed Fang Zhentian’s.

Watching Fang Zhuguo lead several brothers charging toward the island’s center, Fang Jiuyuan looked at his father with deep suspicion.

“Father, how could you let them go? What if they secretly pocket some rare treasure?”

“Pocket it? Heh heh, the greatest treasure is right there; how could they possibly pocket it?” Fang Zhentian chuckled lightly, completely unconcerned by his son’s words.

There, Fang Jiuyuan and the other youths looked blankly in the direction Fang Zhentian pointed. Beyond a single colossal peak, there was nothing else visible. Where was this rare treasure? Could his father truly detect a major artifact from such a distance?

“What you see is a mountain, a mountain shaped like a sword. But you do not know that it is a sword—a peerlessly malevolent sword. Jiuyuan, the sword energy you encountered that day originated from this very blade!” Seeing the confused expressions of the crowd, Fang Zhentian smiled faintly.

“Ah…” At these words, a collective gasp went through the young men present. It was actually a sword! Could such a massive sword truly exist in this world? Even if such a colossal sword existed, who could possibly lift it?

“But Father, since you knew this was a sword, why send them off?” Although horrified, Fang Jiuyuan still trusted his father’s words. The only thing he couldn't understand was why his father, having grasped the island’s secret, would dispatch Fang Zhuguo and the others deep into the interior.

“This island holds too many mysteries. How can I rest assured taking the sword before the truth is uncovered? None of you need rush. Even if there are other artifacts on this island, Zhuguo and the others must live long enough to enjoy them. You are my true sons!” Fang Zhentian’s eyes flashed with cold cruelty. Clearly, he was still dissatisfied with Fang Zhuguo and Ye Jingyu’s secret collusion back then. The other men present felt smug upon hearing these words; they were his real sons. Those bastards, no matter how strong they became, were merely dogs fed by the Fang family.

Meanwhile, Fang Zhuguo and his group navigated the woods with growing unease. This seemingly small forest seemed endless; they walked for ages without reaching an end. Moreover, the deeper they ventured, the more profound the silence became, giving even these capable men a prickling sense of dread.

“Zhuguo, I have a feeling Father sent us here to die. This place is genuinely too strange!” At this moment, the man named Zhu Yu spoke up nervously.

“Hmph, you still call him Father? He has never seen us as sons. We are nothing more than a drop of seed he carelessly released!” The man named Fang Lingluan complained bitterly, seething with indignation.

“Lingluan, don’t speak so loudly. With his power, he could be monitoring us the entire time!” Fang Tianya interjected after Fang Lingluan voiced his resentment.

“Hmph…” Fang Lingluan snorted coldly but said no more, fixing his gaze on Fang Zhuguo. The eyes of the others followed suit. Among them, Fang Zhuguo possessed the greatest strength, subtly leading the group.

“This place is indeed eerie. Father asking us to scout it out—saying it's sending us to die isn't far from the truth. But the fact that such sharp sword energy erupted here means there must be some wondrous treasure. Isn't this an opportunity for us too? Brothers, pull yourselves together. Whatever we plan to do, we must first survive!” Seeing all eyes fixed upon him, Fang Zhuguo spoke with solemn gravity.

“Exactly, we must survive! Not just survive, but become stronger! Only by being stronger can we seek justice from him!” After hearing Fang Zhuguo’s words, Fang Zhuyu shouted in affirmation.

“Look, there’s a cave over there!” Just then, Fang Tianya, walking on the far right, suddenly called out.

The men who had been discussing turned their heads and saw a cave not far ahead. Furthermore, they hadn't noticed when they had stepped into a clearing. Where were all the trees?

Seeing this, a wave of cold sweat broke out across the backs of the four men. What was happening? Had they entered some sort of formation? Yet they hadn't sensed any energy fluctuation whatsoever!

“When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Let’s go!” Fang Zhuguo suppressed the shock surging in his chest and took the first step toward the cave. The other three exchanged glances and followed closely behind Fang Zhuguo. After all, Fang Zhuguo was the strongest among them, a Ninth-Grade expert; being near him felt marginally safer.

The cave was pitch black. Not only was it invisible to the naked eye, but even divine sense seemed interfered with, unable to extend outward. They could vaguely make out things within three meters, but nothing beyond.

Fang Zhuguo led the way, moving forward almost purely by instinct, while the other three trailed closely, separated by only a single step.

But as they walked, Fang Zhuguo suddenly noticed an absence of footsteps behind him. He stopped involuntarily.

“Zhu Yu? Lingluan? Tianya?” Fang Zhuguo called out, but there was no response whatsoever.

Turning around abruptly, there wasn't a single person behind him.

“Zhu Yu, are you there?” Fang Zhuguo increased his volume, but the silent cave offered no reply.

Slap… Suddenly, a hand lightly tapped Fang Zhuguo’s shoulder. Every hair on Fang Zhuguo’s body stood on end…

“Zhu Yu, is that you?” Fang Zhuguo forced down the impulse to strike out with his palm, taking a step forward before rapidly spinning around. But this time, there was no figure in sight.

Slap… Another hand landed on Fang Zhuguo’s shoulder. This time, Fang Zhuguo hesitated no more, instantly striking backward with a reverse palm strike…