Male Inferiority and Female Supremacy in the World of Immortal Cultivation
Chapter 380. The path of dreams is strewn with thorns

Chapter 380: 380. The path of dreams is strewn with thorns

Zhuang Hongyu delivered the medicinal soup to Fang Zhou alone, yet he didn’t know that Li Yuanming did the same, personally giving the soup to Luo Jingsong and the other two.

After spending several days together, the three had little guard against Li Yuanming, and drank the soup directly, then collapsed.

Collapsing didn’t mean they were dead, just unconscious.

When the three woke up, they found themselves tied up and thrown in an empty room.

The Spiritual Energy within them was also disrupted due to the poisoning, unable to be mobilized.

Gou Cheng tried to use the Ripple Divine Skill to break free from the ropes, but unfortunately, his limbs were too weak to muster any strength.

However, he didn’t give up, continuing to try and use the Ripple Divine Skill to break the ropes.

"That bowl of medicinal soup!!"

Luo Jingsong’s face turned pale, immediately realizing where the problem lay, understanding that only Li Yuanming could poison all three of them without raising any suspicion.

"Why would this happen!!?"

Shen Hao shouted angrily, his eyes turning blood-red with rage.

First it was Zhu Feng, now it’s Li Yuanming. Their small team only had a few people, yet there were so many traitors.

Especially Li Yuanming, who was a big financier of their group. If even he had issues, what was the point of their team’s existence?

Gou Cheng remained silent, but recalled Fang Zhou’s words from a few days ago.

Defense from just a few of them wasn’t enough, there were too many enemies.

"Don’t worry, we still have a chance!"

Luo Jingsong consoled the two of them: "Zhuang Hongyu might also be in trouble, but I believe Brother Fang is fine."

"That’s right, Brother Fang is so formidable, and I’ve noticed he’s always been vigilant, unlike us who got lax; he’s surely alright."

Although Shen Hao’s tone sounded like he believed in Fang Zhou, it was more like he was trying to reassure himself.

If even Fang Zhou was caught, then they were truly finished.

Gou Cheng still remained silent, but he knew Fang Zhou best, and therefore knew that with him around, there was definitely no danger.

Yet with an incident like Zhu Feng, and now possibly another like Li Yuanming, even Gou Cheng was quite shaken.

Why was the path to their dreams filled with thorns? Zhu Feng and Li Yuanming were also men, why betray others just like them?

Gou Cheng once again could not help but recall Fang Zhou’s words.

Do not use gender to distinguish friends from foes!

Gou Cheng admired Fang Zhou immensely, his words were truly gems, with every sentence verified.

With a creak, the tightly shut door was suddenly pushed open as Li Yuanming walked in.

"Li, you old thief, you..."

"Shut up!"

Luo Jingsong stopped Shen Hao from cursing out loud, and calmly looked at Li Yuanming, asking: "Senior Li, what do you mean by this?"

Li Yuanming didn’t mind Shen Hao’s curses, but instead praised Luo Jingsong, smiling, "Jingsong, you are indeed the one I think the most of, calm and composed even in danger."

Luo Jingsong forced a very awkward smile, "Senior Li, you flatter us. Now we juniors are very confused, unaware of how we might have offended you, hoping you could enlighten us so we may understand before we die."

"Rest assured, you will not die."

Li Yuanming shook his head, "You will live on, striving for our dreams."

Although Li Yuanming’s words were pleasant, the three no longer believed him.

Li Yuanming didn’t expect a few words to subdue them, instead he continued, "I did this to prevent another Zhu Feng from appearing among you!"

Shen Hao laughed angrily, "You’re crazy? Do you think there’s another spy among us three?"

Li Yuanming smiled, "Just because there’s not now doesn’t mean there won’t be later. Mr. Fang’s words were very insightful; prevention is better than cure, there are too many enemies and you would eventually be dismantled one by one, better that I have control from the start."

If Fang Zhou knew his words were so twisted, he would surely make this guy copy his original words ten thousand times.

Luo Jingsong stopped Shen Hao from cursing further, and asked Li Yuanming, "What do you plan to do?"

Li Yuanming pulled out a small porcelain bottle from his sleeve, opened it, and poured out a few black pills.

"To ensure your loyalty, I will have you take this poison, for which only I have the antidote. Whoever dares to be disloyal to me will die from the poison. As long as you remain loyal, the poison is as good as non-existent, posing no impact on you."

Not just Shen Hao, even the usually silent Gou Cheng, upon hearing this, revealed a look of coldness in his eyes.

Luo Jingsong smirked, "Senior Li, you might have misunderstood. Although you have greatly aided our group, we are partners, not subordinates, and loyalty doesn’t come into it."

Li Yuanming, however, disagreed with Luo Jingsong’s statement, smiling, "Jingsong, you’re the one who misunderstood. Without my help, you all are nothing; without me selecting targets for you, you’d just flounder like headless flies, achieving nothing."

Luo Jingsong let out a cold laugh, "But I feel, Senior Li, that your take was much larger, where did the vast wealth of those targets we eliminated go?"

This statement shocked everyone else in the room.

The smile on Li Yuanming’s face gradually faded, "You already found out?"

Luo Jingsong met Li Yuanming’s eyes directly, "Yes, I investigated afterward, those targets we eliminated were all wealthy, and their fortunes vanished after death. Can you claim it wasn’t your doing?"

Li Yuanming remained silent, while Shen Hao shouted loudly, "Jingsong, why didn’t you say so earlier?"

Luo Jingsong observed Li Yuanming’s gradually indifferent expression, while answering Shen Hao’s question, "At the time, I had no proof, just some suspicions. Only after coming here did I confirm that he’s living here with no income, from where does he get the constant funds to support us?"

There was one thing Luo Jingsong didn’t say; he didn’t actually care about Li Yuanming using their group to make money, as long as their goals aligned.

But now it seemed Li Yuanming wasn’t satisfied.

Li Yuanming was silent for a long time, suddenly chuckling, "Jingsong, you are truly clever. Since you had long suspected me, why were you so easily poisoned?"

Luo Jingsong’s expression was strange, "I really didn’t expect you would actually make a move on us!"

Their group trusted Li Yuanming so much, a trust built over three years of support, poisoning them seemed like throwing away hard-won trust like garbage.

With both sides tearing their masks, did Li Yuanming really think he could control them forever?

Luo Jingsong and the others certainly wouldn’t be resigned to being controlled, instead finding chances to detoxify and retaliate.

The ultimate result would definitely be either you or me perishing, this move was truly the worst of the worst, foul-smelling.

Li Yuanming showed a look of helplessness and sighed, "I had no choice either!"