Tang Xiye was nowhere to be seen now, her life or death unknown, only that she had been taken away by the demonic eagles.
Yan Jiaojiao looked at Jiang Yiling. "Unclaimed realms are extremely dangerous. It is indeed too risky to keep people like Yan Ruxue and Chen Bingbing by our side."
Chen Bingbing merely lowered her head and said nothing, but Yan Ruxue immediately cried out, "Yan Jiaojiao, I told you I was coerced. I am also a victim. Are you still going to take advantage of my misfortune?"
"You were an accomplice!" Even in her weakened state, Wen Jinshu couldn't help but retort, glaring at Yan Ruxue. The experience within the serpentine dragon's intestines had been utterly suffocating, and she could not forgive Yan Ruxue.
Yan Ruxue, finding herself isolated, could only turn her pleading gaze back to Jiang Yiling. "I'm sorry, Senior Brother Jiang. I truly know I was wrong."
"Then you should leave on your own," Jiang Yiling said, showing no mercy. "Otherwise, I will deal with the traitor who betrayed our fellow disciples right here."
Chen Bingbing was startled by his words and looked up in fear.
Yan Ruxue's face turned deathly pale, tears streaming down her cheeks. "I was truly forced. You all know how domineering Tang Xiye is. Who would dare disobey her? I didn't know there would be such serious consequences..."
Perhaps it was Yan Ruxue's pitiable cries, or perhaps everyone had deeply felt Tang Xiye's behavior, but a female disciple hesitantly spoke up, "That's true. Tang Xiye has absolute authority. If she forced me to do something, I can't guarantee I'd dare refuse her."
Seeing that everyone was in agreement, Yan Ruxue pleaded even more earnestly, "Really, if I had known it would attract the serrated earth dragon, I would have definitely refused. It's just that my cultivation is insufficient, and I didn't see through Tang Xiye's scheme. Please give me another chance!"
Yan Jiaojiao had always known Yan Ruxue to be a talented actress. Indeed, with her tearful plea, some people immediately wavered, their faces showing a hint of pity.
Jiang Yiling sighed. "Very well. But if you harbor any further ill intentions, I will expel you from the sect in place of the sect leader!"
Yan Jiaojiao and Chen Bingbing were overjoyed and immediately expressed their thanks.
Xiao Su stood aside with a grim expression and said to Jiang Yiling, "You are the senior brother, and your decision is your own. I have nothing to say. I hope you won't regret it."
Jiang Yiling opened his mouth to comfort Xiao Su and Wen Jinshu, but before he could speak, Xiao Su supported Wen Jinshu and turned away, refusing to engage with Jiang Yiling any further.
Yan Jiaojiao then asked Jiang Yiling, "What are your plans next?"
Jiang Yiling was also quite troubled. He had entered the unclaimed realm twice before, and this time was a heavy loss compared to the last.
After a long pause, Jiang Yiling said, "Let's continue to search for treasures. That is the purpose of our expedition."
"What about Tang Xiye and the other two disciples?"
"Tang Xiye has already violated academy rules. Since she was captured by the demonic eagles, there is nothing we can do. Master Xuan Chen will likely not blame us when he finds out." Jiang Yiling no longer wanted to expend their dwindling manpower searching for them. "The other two disciples were seriously injured at the time. It's estimated they became food for the demonic eagles as soon as they were captured."
Yan Jiaojiao nodded. In reality, she could have used her beastly pressure to search, but since Jiang Yiling had said as much, she didn't want to stir up trouble, especially not for Tang Xiye's sake.
Thus, after a brief rest, everyone resumed their journey. However, due to the two successive attacks, everyone's morale had plummeted, and they lacked the enthusiasm they had at the beginning of their treasure hunt.
Since Jiang Yiling had lost his treasure-seeking compass, he could only rely on his spiritual energy perception. The treasures he found were ordinary, and even after everyone distributed them, they didn't seem particularly happy.
The only fortunate thing was that their journey thereafter encountered no more attacks. As dusk began to fall, everyone had obtained a treasure of their own.
Jiang Yiling then ordered everyone to set up camp and rest, preparing to collect and submit treasures for the academy the next day.
The tents were quickly erected, and everyone took out food from their Qiankun bags to start a fire and prepare their meals. The atmosphere remained as somber as before.
After eating in silence, everyone returned to their respective tents to rest. If it weren't for the occasional sounds, their actions would have been as silent as the silent films Yan Jiaojiao had watched in her previous life.
The night in the unclaimed realm seemed exceptionally deep, and even the moonlight was dimmer.
Yan Jiaojiao felt restless, sensing that something was about to happen. She decided to sit cross-legged and begin cultivating.
The spiritual energy in the unclaimed realm was mixed, making it difficult to absorb it properly for cultivation. Yan Jiaojiao tried for a moment with little effect, and her mind became even more agitated. She could only cultivate while extending her spiritual consciousness outward.
The unclaimed realm was vast and boundless, appearing even more tranquil in the darkness. Yan Jiaojiao's senses and spiritual consciousness spread out like threads woven into water. After confirming there was no danger nearby, she felt a slight sense of relief.
Unexpectedly, just as Yan Jiaojiao was about to withdraw her spiritual consciousness, she heard a sharp scream. Hesitating for a moment, she ultimately extended her spiritual consciousness in that direction.
Extending for several miles, the scream became clearer. Yan Jiaojiao realized that she had found the demonic eagles' territory!
This meant that the scream was likely from Tang Xiye and the other two disciples!
Yan Jiaojiao no longer hesitated; her spiritual consciousness surged towards the mountain peak.
On the mountain peak, there was a large nest. The demonic eagle stood menacingly by the nest, where two figures lay, mangled and bloody.
They had too many pecking wounds and were on the verge of death.
It turned out that demonic eagles were naturally cruel and enjoyed toying with their prey before eating them, much like a cat playing with a mouse. They would torment their prey until they were near death before swallowing them whole.
These two disciples were clearly beyond saving. The moment Yan Jiaojiao recognized their appearances, the demonic eagle opened its sharp beak and swallowed them one by one.
Yan Jiaojiao quickly withdrew her spiritual consciousness, unwilling to witness this brutal scene any longer.
As her spiritual consciousness returned to her body, Yan Jiaojiao immediately stopped cultivating. Thinking of what she had just witnessed, Yan Jiaojiao found it almost unbearable.
She wondered if it was because she had been an ordinary person for too long, or if the benevolent bones within her had assimilated her. After a moment of recuperation, Yan Jiaojiao finally recited a sutra for rebirth, guiding the two tragically deceased disciples to transcendence.
After finishing this, Yan Jiaojiao carefully considered. The scene she had just witnessed made it clear that Tang Xiye had not been captured and eaten by the demonic eagles.
Then, where had Tang Xiye gone?
Yan Jiaojiao suddenly felt a chill run down her spine. Since entering this place, Tang Xiye had displayed extreme aggression. If she were unharmed, what could she be doing alone in this vast, unclaimed realm?
Just as Yan Jiaojiao became vigilant because of this, she heard a faint, unusual sound from outside the tent!