After parting ways with Wu Yu, Barry did not choose to return the way he came. Instead, he took a few steps back and quietly hid behind a big tree to observe.
He also fully demonstrated his patience as a hunter, maintaining the same posture without moving for more than half an hour.
Seeing that there was still no sound inside the cave, he came out from behind the tree.
Barry tried to use his exceptional eyesight to observe the situation in the cave, but when Wu Yu went deeper into the cave, all that was left for him was pitch black.
"Why hasn't this kid made a sound after being inside for so long? Could he have been killed by the dragon's claw?" Barry muttered to himself, his words no longer showing any respect for Wu Yu.
“Or he really is a Saint-level powerhouse, and he’s inside negotiating with the evil dragon.” Barry made another guess.
Feeling he couldn't stay any longer, Barry chose to leave, slowly moving away from the cave along a different route he had in mind.
After walking two or three miles, just as Barry had expected, he encountered another group of people there, Violet and her party who had left the village the day before.
There are only a few roads leading to the Evil Dragon Mountains, but Wu Yu has less than a one percent chance of meeting Violet on the way, because the guide chose a different route from the start.
After seeing Violet and the others, Barry pretended to be casual and walked over. "Adventurers, what are you doing here?"
When strangers approached, Violet and her group of three became wary, but Manan and his companions remained calm.
Ma Nan had been directing something, but now that someone was approaching, he stopped. As the leader of the group, he stepped forward and said, "I remember seeing you in the village yesterday. You seem to be a hunter from the village. Are you here to hunt?"
Although he was the one who asked the question first, Barry still answered humbly, "Adventurer, I did not come to hunt. I am the adventurer you left in the village. He got up early yesterday morning and said he wanted to go up the mountain to slay a dragon, so he asked me to lead the way. He just entered the dragon's cave, and I dared not go with him, so I came back first."
Everyone present heard this, but Violet was the first to react. She pouted and said angrily, "Fine, I didn't expect Wu Yu to be so cunning. He said he wasn't interested in dragons just the other day, but it turns out he wanted to run away. How despicable! I must punish him properly. I've decided to confiscate the dragon's treasure that rightfully belongs to him."
Perhaps they went to the dragon's cave because they were worried about you, Ma Nan made the most reasonable guess. Looking at Violet's unconcerned expression, he couldn't help but feel a little doubtful. He tentatively asked, "May I ask, what is the strength of your companion?"
“Wu Yu is amazing. He’s a companion my brother acknowledges. They even went on an adventure together in the Death Gobi, one of the level four areas,” Violet blurted out. Like a child, she had an almost blind confidence in her elders, unilaterally believing that they were invincible.
Manan clearly didn't take Violet's words as a reference; he looked at the more mature Keldon.
Keton wasn't entirely clear about Wu Yu's strength. If he was weak, Wu Yu had recently defeated Baron Benson in a way that Keton couldn't comprehend. If he was strong, Wu Yu was just an ordinary person who hadn't even cultivated any fighting spirit. However, since Wu Yu was Violet's guardian, Violet should know his true strength.
Seeing Violet's high regard for Wu Yu, Keton said somewhat uncertainly, "He has never shown his true strength in front of me, but when he registered with the Adventurers' Guild, he claimed that his swordsmanship was unparalleled."
"Unparalleled in the world?" Ma Nan repeated in a low voice. This evaluation was far too high; it was an arrogant disdain for everyone else.
If anyone else said such a thing, he would definitely treat them as a liar. But if this liar's lie has not been exposed by the Adventurers' Guild, and they still dare to slay a dragon with this obviously fabricated ability, then he has to consider that the assessment may be true.
The strongest swordsman in the world right now should be the Sword Saint of the Empire. In their world, skill and strength are always on par. Just like the Sword Saint, he is also an eighth-tier epic powerhouse while being a Sword Saint.
If that guy named Wu Yu truly deserves the title of unparalleled, then even if his skills far surpass his strength, he must at least be a seventh-tier legendary figure.
It's true that the evil dragon is an eighth-tier dragon. Dragons generally dominate humans at the same tier due to their racial advantages. However, he's nearing the end of his life, and his strength is only a fraction of what it used to be. If he were to encounter an invincible seventh-tier legendary dragon at the same tier, the outcome would be uncertain.
Their plans have always been based on the existence of the evil dragon, but now, due to the intervention of a powerful figure, everything has become unpredictable. No, they need to speed things up.
A sense of anxiety rose in Ma Nan's heart, but he concealed it well. After recalculating in his mind, he stepped forward and spoke righteously.
“Even if your partner is strong, that dragon is no pushover. There’s no time to make preparations here anymore. How about this, Miss Violet, you and I will go and meet up with your companions first, while the rest of you continue to set up the evacuation facilities here?”
“Okay, let’s hurry up and find Wu Yu. I’m tired of staying here.” Violet said, not suspecting anything, but rather eager to agree.
"Wait a minute." Layton was worried about Violet leaving alone with Manan, so he suggested, "I'll come too. Only priests can attach our life marks to rabbits. There's no use for me staying here. It's better to go with you. It'll be easier to get things done with one more person."
The additional life imprint that Layton mentioned is exactly what they have been doing recently. Manan and his group bought more than a hundred rabbits and brought them all here. The priests can use blood as a medium to imbue these rabbits with the same life force as them, so that when they escape, they can use the rabbits to interfere with the dragon's ability to lock onto their aura.
But this matter was mainly handled by the priest in Manan's team, with Ella only able to lend a hand, while the others were just spectators.
Layton is not needed here, so his suggestion is quite reasonable.
But just as Manan was about to refuse, Violet spoke first, "Layton, no need. It's easier to be exposed if there are too many people. Besides, Uncle Manan is a sixth-tier professional. If he can't protect me, it's no use for you to go. Don't worry, Wu Yu is there too. I'll be fine."
“Alright then.” Layton hesitated for a moment, then looked at Ella beside him and, after weighing the options, had no choice but to give up.
Thus, Ma Nan and his team adopted a strategy of splitting into two groups.
Before leaving, Violet, as if still worried, reminded him again, "Layton, if you encounter any danger, don't worry about me. With Wu Yu here, I'm safe. You just need to protect your own life and Ella's life."
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