Old Ghost Feng

Azure light, crimson brilliance, and a dark shadow beneath the sea's surface. In the midst of the pursuit, the distance between them gradually widened. The expressions of the three demon kings shifted. Among the three demons, the frog-fish possessed extraordinary innate abilities. The one-legged divine bird was not only exceedingly powerful in cultivation, but its movement arts were also seldom matched even among the demon race. If an isolated human Nascent Soul cultivator were entangled by them, the odds of escape would be virtually nonexistent. Yet now, they had encountered someone whose flying speed surpassed their own. "A Thunder Escape technique!" the little fox cried out in a crisp, sharp voice. "There's no mistake—it's definitely Thunder Escape!" "Thunder Escape... Such an innate divine ability is rarely seen among humans. The difficulty of cultivating it far exceeds that of the equally swift Wind Escape arts. None of the top human factions are known to possess such a secret technique. Where on earth did this fellow come from?" the frog-fish transmitted via divine sense. Its tone was hurried, struggling to keep pace. The one-legged divine bird pondered aloud, "They might not lack such treasures; perhaps no one could master it for generations, leaving it shelved away, only to resurface now that someone with sufficient talent has appeared. As you said, Thunder Escape techniques are extraordinarily difficult to practice. In our demon race, even bloodlines with an innate affinity for thunder and lightning often fail to comprehend Thunder Escape... That lightning art he used earlier, combined with his Thunder Escape divine ability, suggests he might be a pure lightning cultivator. Human lightning cultivators mostly hail from Jianglei Mansion, but Jianglei Mansion is extraordinarily distant from here. Why would he appear in these waters? What's more, his aura is depleted, as if he just fought a fierce battle with an enemy." The little fox remarked, "He is a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator, after all. Aside from our demon realm, where in the vast world could he not roam? Rumor has it that cultivators of Jianglei Mansion possess fiery temperaments and make enemies wherever they go. I wonder what kind of opponent he ran into—could it have been one of our fellow Daoists?" The one-legged divine bird paused, its expression shifting slightly. "No warning transmissions have come from elsewhere. Could it be..." The frog-fish transmitted again, offering comfort, "Our other Daoists travel in groups, so they wouldn't easily be slain by a single person. Still, for an expert like this to appear without warning in this sea region—whether he is just passing through or a helper invited by Old Ghost Feng—we cannot let him leave! Otherwise, if Old Ghost Feng gains such a powerful ally, he will be all the harder to deal with! Encountering him precisely while he is weakened is a godsend." Both the little fox and the one-legged divine bird agreed with the frog-fish's reasoning. Watching the streak of azure light pull farther and farther ahead, the frog-fish grew increasingly anxious. "Daoist Hu, how much longer until your injury heals? I can burn my true blood to dramatically increase my speed for a short time, but I need your help." The little fox looked down at its hind leg; the wound was already showing signs of mending. The three demons shared a deep bond, and the little fox instantly understood the frog-fish's intention. The fox possessed a secret art that complemented the frog-fish's natal divine ability, capable of boosting its power when used in tandem, though it required advance preparation and complete focus to execute. Even so, hesitation flickered in the fox's eyes. "Pursuing him alone might be too reckless... Humans rely heavily on magic treasures, yet he only unleashed a single top-tier lightning art; we don't even know what his natal magic treasure is. Furthermore, he has a Nascent Soul-stage puppet guarding him. My senses for danger have always been keen, and just now I felt a faint threat to my life radiating from him—not merely from that lightning art..." Lingering dread gripped the little fox. Had its companions not intervened in time, it might have already perished beneath that heavenly lightning! The one-legged divine bird chimed in, "If I were to face him alone, the outcome would be uncertain as well. A cornered beast still fights. Even weakened, he is not to be underestimated. Why not simply tail him like this? I'd like to see how long he can hold out. Once his true essence runs dry, he will be at our mercy." The frog-fish fell silent for a moment before replying grimly, "The commotion is too great. If we keep pursuing him, I fear it will draw Old Ghost Feng. I only need to tie him down for a short while until Daoist Bi Fang catches up. As long as I'm careful, protecting myself won't be an issue. From the clash earlier, his Nascent Soul puppet is nearly at the end of its rope—it poses no real threat..." Bi Fang was the daoist title of the one-legged divine bird. Its appearance was a far cry from the mythical divine beast Bi Fang; their only commonality was possessing a single leg, which it had leveraged to adopt such a grandiose title. In the end, Bi Fang and the little fox were persuaded by the frog-fish. Before long, the black vapor lingering in the little fox's wound was completely purged, and the flesh began to knit together. Exhaling a breath of turbid air, the little fox let out a low growl. Bi Fang dropped its altitude, skimming right above the sea's surface, while the frog-fish swam vigorously closer. A faint golden glow flashed in the fox's demonic eyes. Strange runes wove together within its pupils before condensing into a svastika seal that shot toward the center of the frog-fish's brow. As the seal left its body, deep exhaustion washed over the little fox; evidently, this secret art was immensely taxing. The frog-fish offered no resistance, allowing the seal to sink into its flesh. Instantly, a layer of golden radiance rippled across the frog-fish's body, transforming it into a shimmering, golden fish. A moment later, the golden light receded. The frog-fish's belly swelled, and muffled thunder rumbled within its body. Kicking forcefully with its hind legs, it opened its maw wide and spewed a sphere of light woven of green and gold, which draped over its body like a sheer, transparent garment. Strangely, its speed did not increase. The dark shadow beneath the water remained clearly visible, still trailing behind Bi Fang. Meanwhile, Qin Sang's thoughts raced as he fled, contemplating ways to shake off his pursuers. Noticing the enemies falling behind, Qin Sang felt a slight relief, though he remained on high alert. Right then, the Heavenly Eye Butterfly detected an anomaly beneath the water. Qin Sang's gaze turned cold, and his hand hidden inside his sleeve tightened firmly around a demonic banner. *Crash!* Without warning, the sea's surface erupted, and a figure shot into the sky. It was the frog-fish! Giving Qin Sang no time to react, a brilliant glow of green occupied the empty air ahead, blanketing his path. Caught off guard, Qin Sang plunged straight into it. Buffeted by the green light, not only was Qin Sang's escape art disrupted, but his mind also grew momentarily dazed, his eyes turning dull and vacant. The frog-fish let out a harsh, cackling laugh. The green light was its proudest divine ability, capable of restricting enemies while carrying a lethal poison. Using this technique alone, it had ambushed and slain countless foes far stronger than itself. In his haste to flee, how could this fellow possibly withstand such an ambush? Swishing its tail, the frog-fish swam into the green light, ferocity blazing in its eyes as it prepared to deliver a fatal strike while Qin Sang was dazed. In the next instant, that ferocious glint turned to sheer horror. *Whoosh!* A demonic banner burst from Qin Sang's sleeve. Nine Nether Demonic Fire surged out right behind it, taking the shape of a fiery dragon. The moment the demonic fire manifested, the green light proved entirely incapable of holding it back. Like dry weeds before a gale, the demonic fire tore straight through the green light, lunging toward the frog-fish with overwhelming fury. Through the roaring flames, the frog-fish caught Qin Sang's sneering gaze and spotted a layer of Poison-Warding Armor cloaking his body. Regret instantly consumed it. During their clash earlier, the Nascent Soul talisman puppet had already experienced the potency of the green light. Knowing it was lethally toxic, Qin Sang had awakened the fat silkworm in advance to guard against the frog-fish.