Those rogue cultivators, seeing that Wan Lei had no intention of traveling with them, dispersed one by one to find other paths.

Tiansuanzi watched as everyone left, his eyes darting around. He chuckled and followed in the direction Wan Lei had gone.

Wan Lei and his companions hadn't gone far when they noticed Tiansuanzi trailing behind.

Wan Lei sighed, turned around, and looked at Tiansuanzi not far away, saying, "Fellow cultivator, why aren't you searching for treasures? What are you doing following us?"

Upon hearing this, Tiansuanzi first looked around warily to make sure no one else was around. Then, he quickly walked up to Wan Lei.

Wan Lei's expression remained unchanged, but he became vigilant. If he detected any ill intentions from this person, he planned to strike first.

Tiansuanzi sensed Wan Lei's caution and quickly raised both hands, saying with a grin,

"Fellow cultivator, don't misunderstand. I have no malicious intent. I just have some important information to share with you."

"Oh? You have information? Why didn't you say so earlier?"

Wan Lei said with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.

"There were too many people around just now, and those people are nothing but a bunch of strangers, neither friends nor foes. How could I let them know about something important?"

Tiansuanzi stroked his goatee, feigning mystery.

"Oh? Such important information. I doubt you'd tell me for free. What do you want in return?"

Wan Lei knew, of course, that there was no such thing as a free lunch.

"I don't want anything else, just your… trust."

Tiansuanzi said with a chuckle.

"Oh? My trust? Fellow cultivator, stop being so mysterious. Just say what you want directly. I like straightforward people."

Wan Lei said.

Tiansuanzi clapped his hands and said, "Fellow cultivator, you are indeed a straightforward person. Then I won't beat around the bush."

As he spoke, Tiansuanzi paused, then said the one sentence that Wan Lei cared about the most:

"I know where the Lightning Refining Pool is!"

Wan Lei and his companions were shocked to hear this and couldn't help but look at Tiansuanzi, their hearts filled with suspicion, unsure of how much of what he said was true.

"Where is it?"

Wan Lei stared at Tiansuanzi. He believed he was lucky enough to encounter someone who knew where the Lightning Refining Pool was, but he didn't believe that the person would tell him this important information for free.

"As I said before, over the years I've made many friends, knowing all sorts of people.

Just a few days ago, I saved a rogue cultivator who controlled beasts.

That rogue cultivator was being besieged, and I don't know what treasures they were trying to snatch. I am also the kind of person who helps others in need. In the midst of the chaos, I saved that person and used a Wind Riding Talisman. After escaping, I took that rogue cultivator to find a secluded place to heal.

But unfortunately, that rogue cultivator was poisoned by those villains and couldn't last much longer.

Before he died, he was grateful that I saved him and told me the origin of this cave abode, and also gave me a token.

It was also at that time that I learned that he was the grand-disciple of True Man Tao Dian, and this time he came out to travel.

The Lightning Refining Pool was sealed by True Man Tao Dian and hidden with formations. Without the sect's token, even if you knew the place, you wouldn't be able to open it.

Now, that token has fallen into my hands. It can be said that among the thousands of people who have entered, only I can open the seal of the Lightning Refining Pool."

"Since you have this token, you can just go and open it quietly, take it all for yourself. Why tell me?"

Wan Lei asked.

"The Lightning Refining Pool was left by True Man Tao Dian for his disciples and grand-disciples. Only a lightning-attribute cultivator like him can open it. Others can't open it even with the token. I am a wood-attribute cultivator, and you are a lightning-attribute cultivator.

We can completely cooperate. My request is very simple: the Lightning Refining Pool is useless to me, so naturally it belongs to you.

But all the treasures left inside and outside the Lightning Refining Pool will be mine. How about it?"

Tiansuanzi asked in a deep voice.

Wan Lei pondered for a moment. He really didn't think the other party's words were very credible, but he had no other choice.

If it was really as the other party said, that a token was needed to open the Lightning Refining Pool, then he could only cooperate with him.

What's more, the conditions the other party proposed were not too excessive.

"Two questions. First, why should I believe you? Second, why choose me? There are so many lightning-attribute cultivators here, from all the major families."

Wan Lei asked in a deep voice.

Tiansuanzi smiled coldly and said, "First, you can believe me, or you can not believe me. At worst, we'll just part ways. As you said, I'll go find someone else, and you can explore the location of the Lightning Refining Pool yourself.

Second, I chose you because I think you are a fairly upright person, and you are also generous to your companions.

Oh, right, I can tell that the two of you are definitely not Dao partners, at least not yet. Since you are not Dao partners, you gave this female Daoist a precious demon core without blinking an eye, which shows that you are a person who values your companions.

Such a person is worthy of my trust.

That is also why, when you asked me just now what I wanted, I said I wanted your trust."

As he spoke, Tiansuanzi paused, then continued, "That is one of the reasons for choosing you. You are not stupid either, and you know that it is impossible for me to choose to cooperate with those from large families and powerful forces.

Those people are too strong, they eat people without spitting out bones. It is entirely possible that they will kill me after they are done using me. Killing the donkey after it has done its work is the most common thing in the cultivation world.

So, the partner I want to choose must have good character, and cannot be too strong or too weak, so that if they betray me, I will have the power to protect myself."

After listening to Tiansuanzi's words, Wan Lei believed him seven or eight points. The other party's logic was reasonable.

"Alright then, Fellow Daoist Tiansuanzi, we are now officially cooperating.

I can guarantee that we will absolutely not do anything to betray you, but if you betray us, you will have to bear the consequences yourself."

Wan Lei narrowed his eyes into a dangerous arc.

"Don't worry, betraying you will not do me any good. This time, you are the ones benefiting from me.

Let's go, I'll take you quietly to the inner depths. The Lightning Refining Pool is in the deepest part. I don't know how many mechanisms and demon beasts we will encounter along the way. The person I saved didn't even have a map."

Tiansuanzi went directly to the front.

Wan Lei and his companions followed him forward.

Because this place was full of mechanisms and traps, and there were countless demon beasts lurking in the dark, they did not dare to fly too fast.

For a full hour, they avoided several ambushes and killed several demon beasts along the way.

But the cavern in front of them seemed to have no end. Too many forks in the road made them lose their way several times.

As the four of them were walking, they suddenly heard voices coming from a corner ahead.

The four of them quickly stood together, vigilantly looking ahead.

Before long, three or four people appeared at the corner, the leader dressed in colorful clothes, holding a fan.

It was none other than Duanmu Ao.

Duanmu Ao saw them at a glance, and then his seductive gaze unscrupulously swept over Qi Manyao's body.