These two were none other than the Beastmaster Sect disciples in the Nascent Soul Realm who once tried to capture Evan Yang in Huangdu.
Them? Evan Yang could guess why they carried the aura of spirit beasts—because they were Beastmaster Sect disciples, always surrounded by spirit beasts. But what he couldn't understand was why, as Beastmaster Sect members, they were involved with the Demon Sect.
After leaving the inn, Evan Yang asked Gabe Little-Imp, "Are you sure the Demon Sect’s location is that room?"
"Yeah, that's right. The info I got from Tianqi Gate says that's where the Demon Sect is staying," Gabe Little-Imp replied with certainty.
That was odd. Evan Yang muttered to himself, wondering how members of the Beastmaster Sect could be connected to the Demon Sect.
So for the next while, Evan Yang focused his divine sense and hearing on the inn—the place where the Beastmaster Sect disciples were staying.
At first, he just saw those people coming and going as usual—nothing out of the ordinary. But one night, a few more people showed up in the room. Each looked perfectly normal, nothing special.
Evan Yang didn’t notice anything strange at first, until they started talking—then he realized these newcomers were from the Demon Sect.
"How’s it going?" one of the Demon Sect members asked the leader from the Beastmaster Sect.
"Yeah, it’s doable. As long as you Demon Sect folks give us that thing, we’ll deliver a thousand beasts to you," replied the Beastmaster Sect member.
"That took us a lot of effort to get from Sky Unity Sect. A thousand is too few." The Demon Sect member sounded dissatisfied.
"Just five pills, for a thousand spirit beasts—it's more than enough," said the Beastmaster Sect member.
"Too few. Add five hundred more," insisted the Demon Sect member, still wanting more beasts.
The Beastmaster Sect members exchanged glances, discussed among themselves, then said, "Add two hundred. Any more, and we won't trade."
The Demon Sect member pondered, then said, "Twelve hundred? Still not enough. Add another hundred, and that's final."
The Beastmaster Sect members discussed again, finally deciding, "Twelve hundred fifty. Any more, and the deal's off."
The Demon Sect member thought for a moment, then said, "Fine, twelve hundred fifty."
"Alright, that's more reasonable. When will you deliver?" asked the Beastmaster Sect member.
"Sky Unity Sect has been chasing us hard lately. We need to pick a place they can't reach," said the Demon Sect member after some thought.
"So where?" asked the Beastmaster Sect member, curious.
"Go to Bamboo-Hat Peak, three mountains north. Tomorrow night." The Demon Sect member gave the time and place to the Beastmaster Sect.
The Beastmaster Sect member nodded.
"Don't let anyone follow you," the Demon Sect member cautioned.
"Yeah." The Beastmaster Sect member knew that if anyone discovered their sect's connection to the Demon Sect, the consequences would be severe.
Then both groups withdrew.
After watching them leave, Evan Yang grew suspicious—what connection did the Beastmaster Sect have with the Demon Sect?
Evan Yang thought for a while, then went to find Gabe Little-Imp.
"Are you sure this info is real?" Gabe Little-Imp asked skeptically after hearing Evan Yang's explanation.
"Yeah. Just tell the Sky Unity Sect about this," Evan Yang told Gabe Little-Imp.
Gabe Little-Imp, now excited, hurried off with the news, eager to claim his reward.
After watching Gabe Little-Imp leave, Evan Yang closed his eyes, extended his divine sense, and observed the Sky Unity Sect member Gabe was meeting.
"Pill King Li? And those others must be elders." Evan Yang muttered after spotting the Sky Unity Sect group, curious what they'd lost to bring so many here.
The Sky Unity Sect members were shocked at the news. Although they had no idea how these beggars got the information, it was better than nothing. After rewarding Gabe Little-Imp, they began preparing for tomorrow.
Evan Yang also made his own preparations, wanting to see how the three factions would end up—and what kind of pill could make them all so concerned.
So, by the next evening, Evan Yang had already left Myriad City and found Bamboo-Hat Peak.
Bamboo-Hat Peak was tall and massive, shaped just like a giant conical hat covering the ground.
Evan Yang didn't go there directly, but hid on a mountain one peak away.
"Wait." Evan Yang muttered upon arrival.
Then he opened his divine sense and locked onto a region with Thousand-Mile Echo.
About an hour later, two groups appeared one after another atop Bamboo-Hat Peak.
"Did you bring it?" asked the Demon Sect member.
"Yeah. What about yours?" asked the Beastmaster Sect member.
"Yeah, all five pills are right here." The Demon Sect member took out a bottle.
The Beastmaster Sect member took out a box the size of a person. "All 1,250 spirit beast eggs are inside."
"Here." The two exchanged their items.
The Demon Sect member took the box, and the Beastmaster Sect member took the bottle.
Opening the box, they found it filled with densely packed small objects that looked like eggs. The Beastmaster Sect member opened the bottle, sniffed it, nodded, and both prepared to leave.
Just then, a group surrounded them.
They were Sky Unity Sect members, who shouted angrily, "Hand over the pills!"
The Demon Sect members were shocked to see Sky Unity Sect, but there was no escape. The Beastmaster Sect members were also terrified, afraid of being recognized, and tried to flee but had nowhere to go.
"Hand over the pills!" the Sky Unity Sect members demanded from the Beastmaster Sect member holding the bottle.
The Beastmaster Sect member was extremely frustrated. He'd risked being associated with the Demon Sect to get the goods, only to be caught red-handed.
Giving up the goods was impossible. The Beastmaster Sect member said, "They're ours now."
Sky Unity Sect didn't care who had the pills, only who held them.
"Hand over the pills, or none of you Demon Sect members will escape today." Sky Unity Sect directly linked the Beastmaster Sect members with the Demon Sect.
The Beastmaster Sect members exchanged glances, realizing they'd been identified as Demon Sect. They secretly sent messages to each other—not to reveal their true identity, or consequences would be dire.
Not only that, but the Beastmaster Sect members also secretly messaged the Demon Sect members.
Suddenly, the Demon Sect and Beastmaster Sect members attacked the Sky Unity Sect. The Sky Unity Sect members were stunned—the outcome was unexpected.
Caught off guard, the Sky Unity Sect members shouted, "Stop the Demon Sect! Don't let any escape!" Previously, they hesitated since they weren't sure who had the pills, but now, certain the pills were in hand, they wouldn't let anyone go.
But the Demon Sect and Beastmaster Sect joined forces, forcing the unprepared Sky Unity Sect to retreat.
If the Sky Unity Sect members hadn't been so numerous, the others would have escaped long ago.
Almost every Sky Unity Sect member had an opponent, and the Demon Sect and Beastmaster Sect members were each locked onto by someone from Sky Unity Sect.
'Damn it!' the Sky Unity Sect members cursed.
The worst off was Pill King Lee, who was being attacked by two Beastmaster Sect members—the same man and woman who had previously chased Evan Yang.
The whole Bamboo-Hat Peak was a battlefield. Several Nascent Soul experts were fighting, knocking down swathes of trees and even shaving off parts of the mountain. Others expanded the battle, running to the surrounding area.
One Beastmaster Sect member was attacked by a Sky Unity Sect disciple and released his spirit beast. 'Beastmaster Sect?' someone from Sky Unity Sect recognized them.
The others were shocked, and so were the Beastmaster Sect members. The one whose identity was exposed was extremely frustrated, but the only thing to do now was to eliminate the Sky Unity Sect members—kill them to silence them.
'Kill them all,' said the Beastmaster Sect member.
The Sky Unity Sect members were shocked, not expecting Demon Sect to have Beastmaster Sect members among them. The Demon Sect members were delighted, since now the Beastmaster Sect would share the blame—they were happy for the help.
Since the Beastmaster Sect members' identities were exposed, they had to kill everyone to keep the Beastmaster Sect's connection to Demon Sect secret.
Earlier, the Beastmaster Sect members suppressed their aura, but now they unleashed their spirit beasts, instantly boosting their strength.
The Sky Unity Sect members felt the pressure increase. Previously, they fought one person, but now they faced one person and one beast.
The Sky Unity Sect members' expressions changed. They planned to retreat, but couldn't—because the Beastmaster Sect wanted them dead.
'Beastmaster Sect, you're ruthless—teaming up with Demon Sect,' shouted a Sky Unity Sect member.
'If we kill you, no one will know,' shouted the Beastmaster Sect member.
A great battle broke out. Soon, Sky Unity Sect started to suffer casualties—several died.
The more deaths, the greater the pressure on Sky Unity Sect. Soon, the remaining Sky Unity Sect members were surrounded by Beastmaster Sect.
Pill King Lee hadn't expected such losses. Several experts around him had died; he was only at the Nascent Soul Realm. Here, he wasn't much of an expert—he was even a burden. Now, he was beset by two people and two beasts, a one-against-four situation.
One misstep meant death.
Evan Yang watched from the side, afraid Pill King Lee would die. Although Evan wasn't close with Sky Unity Sect, Pill King Lee had always seemed a good person and was friendly with Evan—he couldn't just watch him die.
So, secretly, Evan used a hidden technique against the two people and their beasts.
'Die!' shouted the two Beastmaster Sect members at Pill King Lee.
Pill King Lee was terrified as the two people and two beasts suddenly attacked with overwhelming force, just as they were about to reach him.
Pill King Lee felt a tremendous pressure—hard to resist. One slip, and he'd be doomed.
Pill King Lee was terrified, expecting to be gravely injured. Just then, the two attackers suddenly cried out, and their spirit beasts shook violently in midair, nearly falling.
'Who!' shouted the man, sensing an ambush. The woman also reacted, both producing a needle from somewhere on their bodies.