Flight

His divine sense swept across the lotus seed. It did not appear to be a magical treasure, for text was surfacing upon it like a secret technique of some cultivation art. Just as Qin Sang was about to investigate further, he heard Bai's warning. He hurriedly withdrew his divine sense and stowed the lotus seed away. "Outside!" Bai said in a grave voice. Qin Sang looked out. In his entanglement with Old Devil Mou, they had already reached the foot of Yitian Peak. A thin mist drifted around them, shrouding everything in a blur. Stonewood forests stretched out alongside undulating ridges. Not a single figure was in sight nearby. Yet with Bai's warning, Qin Sang also sensed faintly that eyes were watching. He immediately activated his Heavenly Eye divine ability. His vision pierced through the Spirit-Suppressing Domain, allowing him to vaguely make out layers of mountain silhouettes beyond its boundary. Atop one of the peaks, several figures were actually standing, gazing in this direction. *Why are there so many people here? Was Old Devil Mou heading straight into a trap?* Qin Sang was startled. He had assumed that Old Devil Mou, severely wounded and near death, would certainly flee alone and avoid seeing anyone. Clearly, this group had been hiding nearby all along, right in the path of Old Devil Mou's escape route, and had been drawn out by the commotion of Qin Sang ambushing and killing him. The number of cultivators entering the Inner Hall was limited. The Inner Hall was vast, with countless secret realms, and even fewer cultivators ventured to the Secluded Valley and the Spirit-Suppressing Domain. What scheme could bring so many people together to keep watch outside the domain? Were they subordinates of the Demon Lord, or another faction entirely? *No, that's not right!* Qin Sang noticed something strange about these figures—some had horns growing from their heads, and others actually had tails! "Demons! Transformation stage great demons!" Inside the Hall of Seven Kills, even in the Inner Hall, there were only vicious beasts. Top-tier vicious beasts were no weaker than Transformation stage great demons, but for some reason, their savagery eroded their intellect, and a beast that had undergone transformation had never appeared. These demons had definitely infiltrated from the outside. Back then, when the Nine Phoenix King threw the long plume into the immortal restriction, her true purpose had indeed been to smuggle herself into the Inner Hall—and not just her alone; so many great demons had entered at the same time. What was their purpose in lurking at the edge of the Spirit-Suppressing Domain? Almost by instinct, Qin Sang circulated the disguise secret technique passed down to him by Yuan Zhu. The Transformation stage great demons were likely gathered outside the Spirit-Suppressing Domain because their cultivation was insufficient, subjecting them to its suppression. However, that did not mean only these few great demons had entered the Inner Hall. If there were late Transformation stage great demons, they might well already be inside the Spirit-Suppressing Domain, lurking who knew where. Thoughts raced through Qin Sang's mind. Although the great demons could not enter for the time being, he had no wish to make enemies of them or draw their scrutiny. This secret technique allowed Qin Sang to take on a faint trace of a Transformation stage great demon's aura, which could confuse their judgment and muddy the waters. Yet when Qin Sang caught sight of a tense, pretty face among the crowd, his heart dropped, and he silently cursed his luck. The Nine Phoenix King was there as well! The last time they had met was when the Witch Clan opened the Outer Hall for the second time. Back then, he had disguised himself as a demon and crossed paths with the Nine Phoenix King before feigning death and plunging into a gale. Looking at the Nine Phoenix King's expression now, she had definitely recognized him. *** Outside the Spirit-Suppressing Domain. The demon kings poked their heads out, looking toward Yitian Peak with varying expressions. They had concealed themselves here to await the Flood Dragon King and the Nine Lives Mysterious Turtle stealing the dragon carcass, yet they had unexpectedly witnessed a fine show of a human Nascent Soul cultivator being hunted down. "How could it be him?" Seeing Qin Sang, the Nine Phoenix King felt he looked very familiar. She finally recalled that he was the demon outcast she had thought dead for certain. When the other demon kings heard the Nine Phoenix King's description, every one of them was astonished. "The last time the Hall of Seven Kills opened, he was merely a little Demon Core stage demon. In such a short time, there is no way he could have surpassed us! How could he come and go as he pleases in the Spirit-Suppressing Domain? And hunt down a Nascent Soul alone? Could you be mistaken?" The restrictions of the Spirit-Suppressing Domain treated all beings equally; they did not single out the demon race. "The power of that heavenly thunder earlier really wasn't that strong." "The strength of the black fire is hard to gauge. It even gave me a sense of trepidation." "His aura is very strange..." The demon kings broke into hushed discussion. "I cannot be mistaken! It is him!" The Nine Phoenix King glared fixedly at Qin Sang. If this person were truly an outcast of the demon race who had cultivated the Blood Igniting True Art, he would have lost any chance of undergoing transformation. If he were human, his cultivation could not possibly be higher than hers, or he would have captured her directly back then to seize the Heavenly Phoenix Plume and the Heavenly Phoenix True Feather. To think he had dared to wander right under her nose, and she had failed to notice! Unforgivable! Humiliation flared into rage, and the Nine Phoenix King declared resolutely, "The Hall of Seven Kills has always been occupied by humans... This person must possess a treasure that can withstand the suppression of the Spirit-Suppressing Domain!" Before her voice had even faded, a streak of crimson light sliced through the thin mist. Without the slightest hesitation, the Nine Phoenix King brought forth the Heavenly Phoenix True Feather. The demon kings exchanged glances and did nothing to stop her. Her deduction might well be correct; if she seized that treasure, they too would have a chance to enter the Spirit-Suppressing Domain to search for the carcass. Unfortunately, they lacked a Heavenly Phoenix True Feather and could only watch from the sidelines. *** Seeing that red light, Qin Sang immediately recalled that shocking scene from years ago, when the long plume had displayed terrifying might, breaching the immortal restriction and sending tremors rippling through it. Could this treasure also ward off the restriction of the Spirit-Suppressing Domain? *Swish!* Qin Sang cursed silently and turned on his heel to flee in an instant. Unexpectedly, the long plume seemed to possess a teleportation ability akin to that of a Nascent Soul. Like a ghost, it entered the Spirit-Suppressing Domain one moment, and in the next, Qin Sang's vision was flooded with blazing red. Within the red light, a long plume loomed faintly as a shapely silhouette gradually solidified—it was none other than the Nine Phoenix King. His path ahead was cut off! Alarmed, Qin Sang did not pause for a second, immediately changing direction. The long plume descended from above, its flames forming a barrier as the Nine Phoenix King's figure emerged. By drawing upon the power of the Heavenly Phoenix True Feather, she had successfully penetrated the Spirit-Suppressing Domain. *Whoosh!* Blazing flames danced wildly. The might of the Heavenly Phoenix True Feather burned fiercely. The Nine Phoenix King sustained the feather's power with all her might. Flames wrapped around her body like a brilliant robe of sunset clouds, making her look like a true heavenly phoenix stepping out from the void. Her breathing was ragged and her face flushed red. Feeling immense strain, she had to steady her stance first and could not give chase to Qin Sang immediately. Seeing the three-colored escape light wrapping Qin Sang, a flicker of surprise flashed in her eyes. This person's escape art far surpassed that of an ordinary Core Formation stage cultivator, and since she had to divide her attention to sustain the Heavenly Phoenix True Feather, catching him would take some effort. Shifting her thoughts, the Nine Phoenix King settled on a strategy and transformed into a streak of red light, pursuing him relentlessly. *Swish! Swish!* The two raced through the stonewood forest in a high-speed chase, their escape lights streaking across the stone trees and bringing down vast swathes of them in collapse. Qin Sang tried several times to flee toward Yitian Peak, but each time he was intercepted and turned back by the Nine Phoenix King. Her intention was obvious: she wanted to force him out of the Spirit-Suppressing Domain. The Star Conch had already been used, and the Nine Phoenix King would never give him the opening to cast the Thunder Command Art. Relying solely on his nine demonic banners, Qin Sang dared not halt to trade blows with her. *Boom!* The Nine Phoenix King struck, sending a vast sheet of rosy light hurtling toward him in the shape of a phoenix. The phoenix was formed of countless tiny feathers imbued with unimaginably violent power. It easily plowed a corridor through the stonewood forest, pulverizing every stone tree in its path into fine dust. Qin Sang felt a wave of searing heat crash over him. Severe pain racked his whole body, giving him the terrifying sensation that he was about to be burned to ash. Between himself and a true Transformation stage great demon, there remained an undeniable gulf!