Zhou You's anger surged, "That doesn't give you the right to deceive and kill them!"

"They're but mere ants. In an apocalyptic world, it's survival of the fittest. Only by pushing human limits and reclaiming our place atop the pyramid can we rule the Earth again. Isn't that a worthy cause? Deaths are inevitable in chaos, and if they can propel the world's progress, then their deaths are justified."

"Scum! It would be fitting if you were dead. Every extra day you breathe is a waste of air!" Zhou You was furious. Life in the post-apocalyptic world was tough enough with external threats, let alone being harmed by one's own kind.

Shao Qi silently praised Zhou You's retort and stepped forward, "There's no need for more words. He's on the nation's most-wanted list. Killing him will earn us points."

Zhou You's eyes lit up at the mention of points, "Do his disciples also have bounties? Can I claim them too?"

"Don't worry, they're all yours."

"Although I don't care for those fools' lives, they're not easy targets. Since you've come, why not stay?" A stiff smile stretched across Master Wei's face, his expressions always seemed eerily unnatural.

He dropped a droplet of blood onto the ground, and suddenly a burst of red light emanated from him. A circular magic formation appeared, encircling both Zhou You and Shao Qi.

"So you were prepared."

"Just a habitual precaution against those around me. Did you think all my disciples are obedient? I know their secret desires. They think I've withheld powerful techniques from them. Fools! They're simply untalented and delusional. Deserving of their fates."

"Old man, if you don't treat others sincerely, don't complain when they plot against you. Birds of a feather," Shao Qi said nonchalantly, casually strolling forward, seemingly unafraid of the magic formation.

Zhou You wasn't sure if Shao Qi truly had the upper hand or was just bluffing, but his immediate concern was to break the formation.

Recalling their experience in the cave, Zhou You drew a circle on the ground with his foot, dislodging a piece of turf. Yet, the formation remained intact.

Master Wei looked down at them, smugly declaring, "All attempts are futile. Here, everything with energy will convert into spiritual energy for my cultivation."

"What makes you so confident you can subdue us both?" Shao Qi, now closer to Master Wei, could even aim his gun at him. But the weapon seemed less threatening than the enigmatic formation.

"Let's find out." Master Wei stood up, reciting an incantation. Red threads emerged from the ground, wrapping around the duo. Zhou You yelled, "Stop him! The formation is draining our spiritual energy!"

Zhou You fired at Master Wei, but the laser gun seemed malfunctioned within the formation.

Zhou You whispered to Shao Qi, "What's your plan?"

"Who said I had one?" Shao Qi replied innocently.

"You..." Zhou You was frustrated. Was Shao Qi's earlier bravado just bluster?

Considering his injuries, Zhou You realized Shao Qi was merely trying to get under Wei's skin, proving unreliable.

With a triumphant laugh, Master Wei said, "Within my formation, all energy will fuel my cultivation."

"How about this then? Ever heard of the TN39?" Shao Qi took out a small bomb from his pocket. At its sight, Master Wei paled and retreated rapidly, momentarily disrupting the formation.

Shao Qi quickly pushed Zhou You outside the boundary. Master Wei, after a few seconds, realized the bomb was fake and the formation reactivated. However, Zhou You was already outside its range.

Master Wei expanded his magical formation, chasing after Zhou You. Though Zhou You didn't grasp Shao Qi's intent, he swiftly retreated until the formation ceased its growth.

Zhou You estimated the diameter of the formation and concluded it must represent the limits of Master Wei's abilities. But due to this delay, Shao Qi was nearly ensnared by the red threads.

From a distance, Zhou You fired a shot at Master Wei. However, upon hitting the magical formation, the laser beam vanished, causing no harm.

Zhou You tried other weapons, but to no avail. "What the hell? Does this formation inherently have a barrier? Or can it only be exited and not entered?"

As he moved closer to help, Shao Qi yelled, "Get out quickly! Do you want to die here with me?"

Zhou You was perplexed. "Weren't you the one who wanted us to team up? Wasn't I supposed to be the main force? How did our roles switch so suddenly, with Shao Qi now saving him? He hadn't even unleashed his full power yet."

Seeing Shao Qi standing in pain, not even making a token struggle, looking resigned to his fate, Zhou You asked with concern, "Mr. Shao, are you alright?"

Shao Qi weakly glanced at him, then knelt down, eyes closed.

Zhou You was taken aback by Shao Qi's intense act, unable to discern truth from falsehood. Though the eyes can deceive, reason doesn't. Zhou You couldn't believe that Shao Qi could be easily subdued.

Nor could he believe that Shao Qi would venture out to capture someone without a plan. It wasn't in his character. But his silence was aggravating.

"Ha! It seems you're injured, and gravely at that. How foolish. Once I drain your life force, turning you into my puppet will be fitting. Such a perfect body shouldn't go to waste." Master Wei laughed triumphantly, increasing his absorption power, bathed in a red glow.