Chapter 1984: The treasures at the bottom of the lake are about to be revealed
"Are you threatening me?" Margaret asked calmly.
"You can understand it as... advice," Enzo said with a meaningful smile. "Miss Margaret, those who recognize the current situation are wise. You're a smart person, and I believe you should know how to choose."
In the southwest, the three major sects were highly respected. Among them, the Wanderer Dragon Sect was universally recognized as the first, followed by the Flying Snow Sect in second place, and the Gold Blade Sect in third.
With the combined power of the Flying Snow Sect and the Wanderer Dragon Sect, they could easily dominate the region. Looking across the entire southwest territory, who dared to confront them directly?
"Sorry, I'm afraid to disappoint you. I stick to what I said. Either we share equally, or there's no deal," Margaret's tone remained unchanged.
"Hmm?" Enzo's face darkened, and he said sharply, "You wench! Don't offer a toast only to drink a forfeit!"
"Outrageous!"
Margaret's captain of the guard was furious, drawing his sword menacingly. Disrespecting their lady was a line they wouldn't allow to be crossed.
Once the captain moved, dozens of elite guards unsheathed their swords, displaying a restless demeanor.
"Young Master Enzo, it's better to choose your words wisely. Otherwise, once my subordinates act impulsively, they can do anything," Margaret's eyes turned cold.
"Fine! Very well!"
Enzo gritted his teeth and said ominously, "It seems you haven't realized the severity of the situation. Offending both our Flying Snow Sect and the Wanderer Dragon Sect, do you know what consequences you'll face?"
"I don't offend others unless provoked. If someone provokes me, I will retaliate," Margaret said without changing her expression.
"Hmph! I think you won't understand until you see the coffin!" Enzo was angered. Just as he was about to erupt, he was stopped by Marcel beside him, who raised his hand to signal for calm. "Brother Enzo, stay calm. Let me handle this matter."
Marcel approached, stared arrogantly at Margaret, and said, "Miss Marcel, to be frank with you, the experts of our Wanderer Dragon Sect and Flying Snow Sect are on their way and will join us soon. If you cooperate with us now, not only will you be safe, but you may also gain some treasures. On the contrary, if you insist on being our enemy, it's like a moth throwing itself into the fire, seeking its own destruction!"
"As far as I'm concerned, you are the ones unrelated to me. Why should I abandon my friends and choose to cooperate with a bunch of unrelated people like you?" Margaret retorted.
"If you don't cooperate with us, do you think you can successfully seize the treasure today?" Marcel narrowed his eyes.
"Whether or not we can find the treasures depends on each individual's ability," Margaret replied nonchalantly.
"So, you're not going to cooperate?" Marcel's expression gradually turned cold as he glanced at Miguel, who was pretending to sleep on a tree, and said loudly, "Senior Miguel, what are your intentions?"
Of all the people present, he could ignore everyone else, but Miguel was an exception. As a martial arts master and one of the top five strong individuals in the southwest, Miguel ranked high in both strength and reputation.
Unless absolutely necessary, even the Wanderer Dragon Sect wouldn't want to openly clash with such a powerful figure.
"I have no interest in your previous grudges. Anyway, I will choose three items from the treasures at the bottom of the lake first. The rest, you can distribute among yourselves. It has nothing to do with me."
Miguel lay on the tree trunk, hands behind his head, legs crossed, adopting an indifferent posture as if the matters at hand didn't concern him.
"Good! With Senior Miguel's words, I can rest assured!" Marcel nodded. Internally, he was already calculating, and his gaze swept back to Margaret. "Miss Margaret, did you hear that? Now that you've lost your backing, how do you plan to contend with us?"
As long as Miguel didn't intervene, the elite members of the Wanderer Dragon Sect and Flying Snow Sect were more than enough to handle these small fry. Of course, some casualties were inevitable.
"Even if Senior Miguel doesn't take action, you people won't gain any advantage," Margaret said casually.
"Exactly!"
Holding a knife, Adriel stepped forward and shouted, "With the Gold Blade Sect and Duck Sect here, we won't allow you to act recklessly!"
Several disciples of the Gold Blade Sect followed suit, their eyes watchful. Though their numbers were not large, their momentum was by no means inferior.
Mainly due to Margaret's bold and honorable behavior, she had earned their respect. For the sake of their interests, she dared to confront the Wanderer Dragon Sect and Flying Snow Sect head-on, a courage that was truly admirable.
As women, there was simply no comparison between Margaret and Aria in this regard.
"Brother Marcel, it seems negotiations are impossible. Let's just attack!" Enzo lowered his voice. "Adriel is already injured and not to be feared. As long as we join forces to deal with that guy Dustin, the rest of these lackeys are not worth mentioning!"
Upon hearing this, Marcel licked his lips, a glint of fierceness in his eyes. Miguel had made it clear he wouldn't interfere, so the biggest threat to them now was Dustin, who had defeated them before.
But as long as he and Enzo joined forces, dealing with Dustin should not be a problem.
At this moment, the sky gradually darkened. Both sides were on edge, ready to strike at any moment.
"Hiss!"
Marcel, with a dark expression, slowly unsheathed his treasure sword. Just as he was about to give the order to attack, a sudden change occurred.
From the depths of the lake, a large number of water splashes suddenly erupted.
"Gulong, Gulong..."
The water splashed continuously, emitting a loud sound. From this central point, ripples spread rapidly in all directions, gradually converging into waves.
"Hum!"
At this moment, accompanied by a loud roar, a dazzling white light suddenly shot out from the bottom of the water, piercing the sky.
This white light seemed to be a pillar connecting heaven and earth, dazzling and awe-inspiring.
As soon as it appeared, it illuminated the entire lake as if it were daytime.
After the white light appeared, a huge vortex formed where the water splashed, and it continued to expand.
The vortex spun faster and larger, and a large amount of lake water was drawn into it.
In the astonished eyes of everyone, the lake water began to recede at a visible speed.
In just a few minutes, it had contracted by more than ten meters.
"Look! The tide is receding! The treasures at the bottom of the lake are about to be revealed!" Aria pointed to the center of the lake, both surprised and delighted.
