Because the trees, weeds, and shrubs were so dense, there was no path, and it was easy for a group of people to get lost once they entered. Fortunately, the area wasn't that large, so with enough probing, they could still find the right way.

After avoiding six or seven traps in a row, even William Harris was getting annoyed. How could there be so many traps inside a sect? It was simply baffling.

There really shouldn't be so many traps within a sect. A thought flashed through William Harris's mind—were these set up on purpose? But why? He truly couldn't figure it out.

"Boom!"

Suddenly, a loud explosion sounded not far away.

Immediately after, a whistling noise rang out. The three of them instantly recognized it as the sound of flying swords slicing through the air. William Harris said, "Let's go take a look!"

In his memory, there should be a large plaza over there.

"Screech, screech..."

A strange sound, like a sharp knife scraping across a flat board, shrill and piercing, made the treetops tremble. Instantly, William Harris frowned and said, "What is that sound? It's so unpleasant. Let's hurry over and see."

The three of them sped up and soon saw the plaza not far ahead. They hid among the trees, watching as a fierce battle raged on the plaza.

It was a huge plaza, covering over a thousand square meters, surrounded by eighty-one massive stone pillars. Each pillar was carved with all kinds of strange insects. Near the center were seven red pillars, and from these seven red pillars extended more than a dozen silver chains, binding a gigantic insect over seven meters long.

A single-tailed venomous scorpion!

This was a method once popular in sects, but now no sects had such giant venomous scorpions anymore. Similar scorpions had long gone extinct. Who would have thought there was still one left here?

William Harris suddenly whispered, "Something's not right. Why is this scorpion so huge? What is this thing?"

Brian Brooks was very surprised when he saw it clearly and said, "Isn't that just a big scorpion?"

Earlier, the pillars had blocked the view of the scorpion's single tail, so at first glance, it looked like something strange. Who would have thought it was actually a giant venomous scorpion.

Grace Morgan said, "What are those people trying to do?"

There were six cultivators in total, besieging the scorpion.

William Harris quickly noticed something odd, because among the seven red pillars, in the center, there was a round jade table with a restriction placed on it.

On the jade table sat four jade boxes. He could tell at a glance that these were so-called pill boxes, specifically for storing spirit pills. No wonder someone wanted to kill the scorpion.

These spirit pills were very tempting, but William Harris noticed something off. The pill boxes were in the wrong place; it looked more like a trap.

Brian Brooks, however, was itching to try and said, "Those little guys are too weak, they can't possibly beat the scorpion. How about... we go snatch it?"

William Harris replied calmly, "Not being able to beat it is their good fortune..."

Brian Brooks asked in confusion, "What?"

Grace Morgan said, "Stupid old bear! That's a trap! Seven red pillars plus the chains are a restriction in themselves. Once someone rushes in, they'll become food for the scorpion... This scorpion is empowered by the restriction. It's weak now only because it's been confined for too long and hasn't recovered yet."

Brian Brooks got angry and said, "You're the stupid one!"

William Harris felt a headache coming on. These two were natural opposites, always bickering after just a few words. He said, "Maybe there really are spirit pills in those boxes, but they're not easy to get."

William Harris was an expert in formations and restrictions. With a little attention and calculation, his expression changed. He said, "No one go in. This is no ordinary trap. These idiots attacking the scorpion will definitely lure other cultivators in to fight over it. Once those seven red pillars are broken, the whole trap will be triggered, and it'll be very hard for anyone who goes in to make it out alive."

Brian Brooks didn't understand and said, "If we go in, the formation shouldn't be able to trap us, right?" He was very confident in his own strength.

William Harris said, "If you go in alone, I guarantee... you won't make it out alive!"

Ah!

Brian Brooks really didn't believe it. He said bluntly, "I don't believe it! No way!"

William Harris said, "See those eighty-one stone pillars? There's an even bigger, fiercer formation set up there. Once enough people go in and the red pillars are broken... heh, at that point, the formation will be activated. Do you still think you can escape? I, for one, am not confident I could get out."

Brian Brooks was dumbfounded. He knew William Harris was a master of formations, skilled in all kinds of restrictions and arrays. He said, "Are you serious?"

Grace Morgan couldn't help but say, "Then why don't you go in and try, hehe."

She looked mischievous, which immediately made Brian Brooks too scared to act rashly.

William Harris also found it funny and said, "There's nothing here we need... let's go!"

Chapter 12: Greed

Such an obvious trap, and people still want to go in—William Harris wasn't that foolish. But it did make him more cautious; this place was truly full of danger at every step.

Just then, Charles Bennett arrived with two cultivators. He was very cautious, making the two cultivators go in first while he stood at the edge of the plaza to observe. He quickly noticed the jade table and jade boxes, realizing they were pill boxes, but he still didn't go in, continuing to watch from outside.