Stalemate

The three sat down to divide the spoils. As a Nascent Soul Patriarch, Old Demon Pei had amassed a fortune. Magic treasures, spiritual materials, elixir pills, spirit stones—he had it all. Si Di and Jinglin insisted that Qin Sang take the lion's share, and Qin Sang did not stand on ceremony. He first selected the items he needed urgently, filling his Qianjun Ring. His wealth had long failed to match his status and cultivation base. Having now claimed the belongings of a Nascent Soul, he finally no longer looked so impoverished. However, even though he took several magic treasures, none were truly to his liking. Although Old Demon Pei's lifebound magic treasure was high-grade, in the hands of an outsider its might would be severely diminished. They were far inferior to the Twelve Demon Banners and the ebony sword. He could only use them temporarily, or bestow them upon younger generations in the future. Si Di and Jinglin split the remaining items equally, both quite satisfied. "Once our battle merits are reported, there'll be even greater rewards waiting for us!" Jinglin said cheerfully. Slaying a Nascent Soul of Sin Abyss on the battlefield was no small feat; the Two Domains Alliance had never been stingy with rewards. Though Qin Sang was the one who struck the killing blow, he could hardly have succeeded without their cooperation, so the three decided to divide the battle merits equally. "Fellow Daoist's astonishing display scared Chanling and Old Demon Tan out of their wits. After that, their only thought was to withdraw, without any will to fight. Now that Sin Abyss knows of Daoist Mingyue's name, they will certainly investigate you in secret and do everything they can to target you," Jinglin kindly warned. Qin Sang was not worried. Laying an ambush for him would not be easy. Of course, caution was still necessary. There were countless divine abilities in this world; one might well run into an opponent who countered one's own methods. Qin Sang expressed his thanks, then turned to Si Di. "My fire banners and thunder arts are meant for killing enemies. At most, Sin Abyss can prepare a few defensive measures against them in advance, which will have little impact. Fellow Daoist Si, on the other hand, is in a different position. Having exposed your life-saving divine ability before Chanling and Old Demon Tan, you must be extremely careful in the future." Qin Sang greatly admired Si Di's decisiveness and courage. It was exceedingly rare for a Nascent Soul Patriarch to willingly act as bait and risk his life. Swapping places with his lifebound magic treasure was undoubtedly an exceptional tool for escape. But once others knew of it and took precautions, its effectiveness would be drastically reduced. Upon hearing this, Si Di and Jinglin suddenly looked at each other and burst into laughter. Qin Sang was puzzled. Smiling, Si Di gave a brief explanation: "Fellow Daoist Mingyue might not know, but the requirements to use that Daoist art of mine are exceptionally strict; it's impossible to cast during an ordinary battle. First, it requires the Cold Bell Grand Array, and second, I laid preparations here months ago before I could pull it off. If our enemies direct their efforts toward countering that Daoist art, that would be all the better for me! Moreover, with the battle merits earned this time, I can finally exchange for a spiritual material I've coveted for a long time. Once it is integrated into the Yuejin Mirror, the treasure will undergo a qualitative transformation. When the time comes, I can turn their own schemes against them and make them trip up again..." "To think Fellow Daoist calculated even that far ahead. Impressive, truly impressive." Qin Sang secretly marveled. These old Nascent Soul monsters were indeed none to be trifled with, laying one trap after another. "Ever since Fellow Daoist Si took charge of Sandie Pass, the two fiends, Pei and Tan, have never gained the upper hand. He relies on far more than just his cultivation!" Jinglin praised. Si Di repeatedly demurred with modest remarks. Having joined hands to slay the enemy, their relationship was noticeably closer than before. Si Di and Jinglin grew increasingly warm toward Qin Sang, and they were tactful enough not to probe into the demonic banners or the Thunder Command Art. Guided intentionally by Qin Sang, the conversation turned to the Nether Crystal Pagodas and the Soul-Extinguishing Awl. "In the past, the Profound Shield Talisman couldn't completely block the Soul-Extinguishing Awl either, but it could buy enough time for us to evade safely. Whatever secret technique Old Demon Pei used, the awl's power was far greater than before. We must take this situation seriously. I shall send a message to Fellow Daoist Zhenyi at once," Jinglin said gravely. His wounds were not yet healed, and whenever he spoke of the Soul-Extinguishing Awl, his voice was filled with deep apprehension. With the Profound Shield Talisman having proved ineffective, the Two Domains Alliance had to find stronger defensive measures as quickly as possible. Si Di added, "That kind of Soul-Extinguishing Awl likely cannot be unleashed at will. I noticed that Old Demon Pei seemed abnormal at the very end. The two of you were closer, so you must have seen it more clearly than I did." The two looked toward Qin Sang. Qin Sang nodded slightly. "Fellow Daoist Si is correct. Before Old Demon Pei released the Soul-Extinguishing Awl, he aged by several hundred years in an instant, as if most of his vitality had been drained away." Pondering for a moment, Jinglin's expression shifted drastically. "Old Demon Pei sacrificed himself to the Nether Crystal Pagoda! That thing truly is an out-and-out wicked artifact!" "Given how much those old Nascent Soul monsters cherish their lives, they wouldn't sacrifice themselves unless forced into a corner. Still, we must take great precautions. Old Demon Pei managed to injure both of you even in his rush; if someone were to willingly make such a sacrifice as part of a premeditated plot, there's no telling how much devastation it might cause," Si Di said in a heavy voice. ... The three held a private discussion for a full hour. Qin Sang inquired in detail about various matters regarding Sin Abyss, especially the Nether Crystal Pagodas, but found no useful information that he sought. After seeing Jinglin and Si Di off, Qin Sang sat cross-legged on the ground, his thoughts uneasy. Intuition told him there was a high likelihood the Nether Crystal Pagodas were connected to the ancient demons, but without a shred of evidence, it was impossible to bring it up openly. 'Now that the enemy has suffered such a crushing defeat, Sandie Pass should be quiet for a while. It's time to head to Mount Shiqu to see Senior Sister. Whatever happens, I must find a way out for myself first...' Qin Sang thought. The Demon Sovereign slaughtered Nascent Souls like mowing grass. While Qin Sang did not mind doing his part to resist Sin Abyss, he had no intention of throwing away his life. As for being scared into hiding a hundred and eight thousand li away right now, that was unnecessary. Sin Abyss wasn't powerful enough to warrant that; there might be more to this than met the eye. ... After the great battle, calm returned to Sandie Pass. They finally received word from Mount Shiqu. This time, Sin Abyss had mobilized almost all its forces with tremendous momentum. Sin Abyss had laid deceptive diversions, making Mount Shiqu and several key strongholds in the vicinity their primary targets. Fortunately, the Two Domains Alliance had prepared beforehand, inviting the Demon Kings to join the fray early on. Though caught off guard at first, as reinforcements arrived, they gradually checked Sin Abyss's offensive and stabilized their lines. The most inspiring news, without a doubt, was Sandie Pass slaying an enemy Nascent Soul despite being outmatched in overall strength. The name Demon King Mingyue spread rapidly, shooting to renown. A few days later. Qin Sang sought out Jinglin and Si Di, stating that he needed to make a trip to Mount Shiqu, his pretext being to bring back the lesser demons from Thousand Mountains Bamboo Sea. Having already exchanged his merits for the coveted treasure, Si Di was beaming and said with confidence, "That fellow Chanling is timid as a mouse. Before thoroughly investigating Fellow Daoist's divine abilities, he certainly won't dare make a move easily. Rest assured, Fellow Daoist—once you bring them here, we will take good care of them." ... Mount Shiqu. This was originally an important city belonging to the Celestial Alliance. The mortals within had all been evacuated, leaving the vast city desolate. Mount Shiqu was heavily guarded. Qin Sang declared his identity and was granted entry into the city. A Core Formation stage cultivator guided Qin Sang into a grand hall within the City Lord's Estate, then hurriedly went to report to Daoist Zhenyi. Daoist Zhenyi was personally overseeing Mount Shiqu, while Demon Monarch Tongyou was stationed at Wangdong City. Others, such as Senior Sister Qingjun, were also at Mount Shiqu, while Dongyang Bo assisted Demon Monarch Tongyou at Wangdong City. The experts of the Celestial Alliance were similarly split between the two locations.