First Clash

On Shouchen Island, the Nascent Soul talisman puppet held the messaging treasure. During this time, Master Feng had occasionally sent transmissions to update Qin Sang on the shifting situation. Other than that, no major events had occurred. The demonic turmoil had not yet reached this area, and the cultivators on Shouchen Island dared not disturb him. As such, the identity of the Nascent Soul talisman puppet remained unexposed. Qin Sang, meanwhile, was cultivating on a separate reef, turning a deaf ear to all affairs beyond his secluded redoubt. The messaging treasure vibrated. This time, the contents differed from before. The Nascent Soul talisman puppet stood straight up and flew out of Shouchen Island. Having sensed it in advance, Qin Sang was already waiting outside the island. "The Demon Kings are active in the western sea, and something is amiss?" Reading the vague message, Qin Sang was thoroughly perplexed. "Could it be that Bi Fang does not intend to attack the humans, but harbors some other motive?" Qin Sang pondered thoughtfully. The message instructed him to hurry and rendezvous alone without redeploying the defensive line, lest it prove to be a diversion by the demons. Given his agreement with Master Feng, such a request could not easily be refused. Qin Sang glanced at the silently standing Nascent Soul talisman puppet beside him. After a brief hesitation, he put it away, instantly transforming into a streak of lightning and heading northwest. The lightning tore across the sky. Qin Sang did not exert his full strength, aiming to conserve his condition as much as possible. He had already made up his mind. If they encountered the Demon Kings and became embroiled in a melee, he could stall Bi Fang for a time if given the chance to face him alone, but if he were besieged, he would never force the issue. Master Feng sent messages in rapid succession. As the rendezvous drew near, Qin Sang suddenly halted and released the Nascent Soul talisman puppet once more. With his divine soul imprint providing a distant link, there was no need to worry about losing the puppet. Plop! The Nascent Soul talisman puppet leaped into the sea, lurking motionless beneath the surface. Only after Qin Sang had departed and his escape light vanished past the horizon did the talisman puppet silently pursue, trailing far behind. Slaying demons was not the primary objective of this excursion, so Qin Sang repeated his previous tactic, sending out the Nascent Soul talisman puppet in advance as a contingency against unforeseen developments. After speeding along for a while longer, Qin Sang saw rolling waves up ahead in the distance. A treasure boat resembling a flying shuttle was skimming across the sea at blistering speed. "Fellow Daoist Mingyue, hurry aboard!" Master Feng's shout rang out. Qin Sang observed for a brief moment, then retracted his escape light and hopped onto the boat, finding all four Nascent Soul cultivators, including Master Feng, present. The vessel barely had room for four, but upon Qin Sang boarding, it expanded slightly. As Qin Sang landed, the boat's momentum remained as steady as ever, its speed not slackening in the least. Surveying the vessel, Qin Sang's eyes flashed with admiration, and he praised, "What a fine treasure!" Master Feng said with a smile, "Fellow Daoist Shen's Sea-Subduing Boat is an heirloom treasure passed down through generations. While its speed cannot match your Thunder Escape technique, it can carry passengers, and its consumption is far less staggering. As far as I know, in the entire Crescent Moon Realm, no similar treasure can rival this Sea-Subduing Boat. Likely only a behemoth like the Xuantian Palace possesses a superior collection." Island Master Shen steered the vessel while humbly demurring, "Fellow Daoist Feng exaggerates. The North Sea is vast and boundless, home to untold extraordinary figures and wondrous treasures. What little Shen possesses cannot hold a candle to them." Master Feng let out a hearty laugh, then turned solemn. "Fellow Daoist, please take a moment to regulate your breath and recover. A fierce battle may lie ahead." Qin Sang looked at the calm sea around them and frowned slightly. "Is the decisive battle at hand? Why do I see no armies from either race?" Master Feng explained, "Those Demon Kings have been acting stealthily, likely plotting some scheme. I have already ordered the nearby armies to mobilize; they will arrive shortly." Qin Sang nodded and casually sat cross-legged. He appeared to be replenishing his true essence, but in truth, he was sensing the position of the Nascent Soul talisman puppet. Master Feng and the others exchanged a glance, secretly congratulating themselves on their cunning, yet none of them noticed the Nascent Soul-stage puppet trailing far in their wake. The Sea-Subduing Boat cleaved the waves, speeding northwest. The expanse ahead grew increasingly desolate, and reefs became progressively rarer. Judging by the direction of the boat, it was drawing ever closer to the Storm Belt. After traveling an unknown distance, Master Feng, who had been sitting quietly on the boat, suddenly jolted awake. He flew into midair, his gaze turning grave as he looked toward the north. It was late in the night. The moon was bright and the stars were few. Within their field of view, only gentle ripples stirred the water; the surface of the sea was unnervingly tranquil. With the naked eye, nothing unusual could be seen to the north. Yet the Nascent Soul cultivators could clearly perceive several powerful auras speeding across the northern horizon, seemingly traveling in the same direction. Qin Sang and the others also detected those presences and flew up to Master Feng's side one after another, their expressions varied. The next instant, a streak of crimson brilliance abruptly flared on the horizon. The eagle demon and the frog-fish appeared in its wake. Clearly, Bi Fang and the other demons had also noticed their approach. "The Sea-Subduing Boat! How did Old Ghost Feng find us so quickly?" Bi Fang snapped, glaring at the Rainbow Rat perched on the eagle demon's back. The Rainbow Rat was beside itself with fury and cursed loudly, "He dared to steal the essence blood of my primary body! Hold them off—the Xuantian Palace traitor is hiding just ahead! Hurry!" Bi Fang snorted and pulled his gaze away. Flapping his wings with violent force, his speed surged drastically, transforming him into a streak of scarlet lightning. On the other side, Master Feng watched the scene unfold and realized that the worst-case scenario had come to pass: both sides had collided mid-route. Fortunately, he had brought Daoist Mingyue along; otherwise, they likely would have been no match for Bi Fang. "Fellow Daoist Qin, I'll leave that fellow Bi Fang to you! We will deal with the other Demon Kings!" Without waiting for an answer, Master Feng flared with azure light and dissolved into azure smoke, shooting forward. Madam Yue and the others likewise unleashed their respective techniques. For a time, rays of multicolored escape lights intertwined, completely shattering the tranquility of this sea domain. Qin Sang did not hesitate long either, tearing through the air with his Thunder Escape. As he flew, Qin Sang's eyes flickered with suspicion. The actions of these figures were rather strange; he had no idea what lay ahead that could make the powerhouses of both races vie for it like starving tigers pouncing on prey. His decision to release the Nascent Soul talisman puppet beforehand had been the right one. Thoughts racing, Qin Sang settled on a plan. He let out a cold snort and chose not to openly defy Master Feng's arrangement. Feigning ignorance, he gave direct chase to Bi Fang, calling out loudly, "Fellow Daoist, please wait! Since old acquaintances have reunited, why not stop and catch up?" "It's you!" Recognizing the Thunder Escape, Bi Fang was filled with shock and fury. He had long known that letting this person escape would make him a grievous thorn in his side, yet he never expected it to come true so soon, and at such a critical juncture! Even in a weakened state, this human had managed to escape from the three of them, making his full strength difficult to fathom. Old Ghost Feng was already troublesome enough, and now the opposing side had gained such a formidable helper. Bi Fang felt a twinge of unease. Rumble! Thunder shook the heavens. A thick bolt of lightning descended from the sky, striking first to ignite the flames of war as it crashed unceremoniously toward Bi Fang. Without a word, Qin Sang pointed his joined fingers, using the Thunder Command Art to blaze a path. Engulfed by the terrifying pressure, Bi Fang felt a violent power descending upon him, and the fleshy growth on his head felt on the verge of bursting. They had previously witnessed the might of the Thunder Command Art, where the cunning fox had nearly been blasted to death by a single bolt. How could Bi Fang dare to be careless? He frantically flapped his wings, angling his body sharply as he spat a burst of bloody light to hold back the lightning for an instant, narrowly dodging out of harm's way.