While the two girls looked somewhat confused as to why their martial brother was playing the devil's advocate, Shen Mi seemed to reach a decision. Looking at Xuhan, she said, "Brother Shang Kexi is right. A measly competition isn't worth Brother Feng Jun's safety. If collaborating with you foreigners can guarantee that Feng Jun and whoever else has been trapped there can return to our world, the trophy of this competition would hardly be counted as a big sacrifice."

The male disciple named Shang Kexi nodded along with her words like a chicken. For the sake of his own safety, Han Xuhan mirrored the action, fully showing his support for her decision.

"Well, I can facilitate an exchange of information between you and your trapped peers in that world fragment."

"What's in it for you?" Shen Mi said suspiciously.

Han Xuhan flashed her his most honest smile.

"Brother Feng Jun's gratefulness, and a future partnership over mutual interests with your sect. I haven't really given much thought about my gains, to be honest. Feng Jun and his compatriots' situation is quite dire, from what I've gleaned so far."

A long moment of silence passed between them, at the end of which, Shen Mi nodded, looking unsure of herself.

"To a happy collusion-I mean, collaboration, CHEERS!" Han Xuhan shouted loudly.

Gong! Doooommmm!

"What's with the racket?" she grunted in annoyance, perhaps for the first time realizing that something very tumultuous was taking place in the middle ring.

"That would be his teammates, sister Mi. Did you forget? This guy didn't come alone. Each invasion team has ten members. His other nine compatriots are fighting our defense team for the treasure," Brother Kexi explained.

"And that reminds me," added after him one of the girls. "What do we do with him? We can tie him up and use him to threaten them, thus diffusing the situation and foiling their attack plan. Each team can only attack each sect once a day. So forcing them to accept the defeat means we have one less opponent to worry about. It'll probably boost our ranking too."

Shen Mi exchanged a thoughtful look with her and then stared back at Xuhan.

"What do you think? If you want me to trust your words, how about collaborating with us to gift your team one defeat? Just go attack another sect, okay?" she said with a sweet smile.

Han Xuhan cursed under his breath.

Shit! Why was every random stranger he met so insidiously intelligent?

While Brother Kexi was trying to get Shen Mi to make a deal with him using which he wanted to attack the Phoenix Faction, Shen Mi was trying to use the deal to give the Phoenix Faction an advantage for all to see!

How would anyone dare to attack the Phoenix Faction over a collusion which benefitted their sect in more ways than one?

But both of them didn't understand a very tiny fact.

He, Han Xuhan, would have never stepped into their trap without an equally insidious plan of his own.

You want to use me? Fine, I shall let you.

Han Xuhan put his hands up, this time in a genuine gesture of surrender.

"Okay. Since I'm the one proposing the deal, I guess I'll need to show my sincerity."

Shen Mi's face lit up in delight. Her little scheme had borne the perfect result! Now, even though Leng Qing's prediction had come true, nobody could attack the Phoenix Faction over it!

"Brother Kexi, tie him up," she said gently.

Expression dark, the male disciple walked over, producing a short coil of rope from his pocket.

Why would anyone carry around that thing?

Han Xuhan couldn't help but be puzzled.

Right when Brother Kexi was about to put the rope around his wrists, Han Xuhan said, "You know you're breaking the rules of the event by doing this, right?"

All four of them froze.

"...What are you talking about?" Shen Mi said, trying to sound confused. Han Xuhan could clearly see her eyes darting around, a sign of someone trying to improvise quickly.

"None of you are from the defense team. Who gave you the right to touch me?" he answered with a question of his own.

"This again..." Shang Kexi sounded exasperated.

"Well, I can give them the right. I, Shen Mi, on behalf of the Phoenix Faction, bequeath Shang Kexi, Shang Wenjie, and Liu Xiang with the responsibility to-"

"Wait, wait, wait," Han Xuhan interrupted her midway. "How can you be sure that there are three spots left for them in the defense team? My brothers and sisters are already fighting your sect's defense team in the middle ring there. How can you guarantee that they haven't already chosen ten members of the defense team to fight off my teammates?"

"...."

Shen Mi looked stunned. Even Shang Kexi looked caught off guard.

"We could just go there," one of the girls suggested meekly.

"What good would that do if all ten members of the defense team had already been selected? None of you would be able to use me as a leverage against my teammates without breaking the rules and getting penalized heavily for the offense."

"...You sound like you have a suggestion ready already," Shang Kexi said, his eyes growing narrow.

Han Xuhan leaned forward and placed his hands inside the noose in his hand.

"Of course I do. The only way for you to be able to detain me right now is to make ME do something that would allow you to detain me."

Shang Kexi's eyes snapped wide open.

"You need to allow me to attack you, and that'll make me lose the immunity I have provided by the rules of this event," Han Xuhan explained.

"Oh! That's easy. Just punch Brother Kexi once. That'll do the trick," Shen Mi said in relief. Shang Kexi, however, wore the opposite expression. He was looking at Xuhan with a gaze one would use on a rare, dangerous beast, half-scared, half-marveling.

"Yes, it would. But I may be the one getting penalized for the offense then. I have already made a compromise by agreeing with your scheme against my team, my sect. I'm not suffering two losses in a row over a deal that is purely advantageous to you."

"State your condition," Shen Mi said, getting impatient with his roundabout routine.

"I knew this guy couldn't be trusted. He wants something from us. He must have been scheming since the start," one of the girls growled.

"Well, I can't deny that your help in a certain mission of mine could be quite useful," Han Xuhan said with a sigh.

"And that is?" Shang Kexi almost whispered, his eyes shining for some reason.

"Give me the accurate measurements of every subspace gateway around this floating island," he answered plainly.

"....."

"....."

"....."