"To achieve great mastery in the Ice Soul Divine Light at only the early Nascent Soul stage—one could say it is unprecedented. Even I did not expect you could truly accomplish it before. Bing Yao has delivered a splendid gift to me."
Yin Changsheng looked at Liuli with delight and excitement, an eerie, wicked smile playing on his lips, as though gazing upon a rare and priceless treasure.
He made no attempt to conceal his emotional turbulence.
Whether it was because he believed victory was already firmly in his grasp and saw no need to hide it, or because Tong Lingyu had hit the mark and he had succumbed to inner demons, plunged into madness and unable to maintain his composure, was impossible to tell.
Hearing this, Qin Sang and Liuli exchanged a glance, instantly understanding Yin Changsheng's intentions.
At the same time, an incident flashed through both their minds.
During the grand wedding, Shanglu had disregarded his status as a branch leader to stage a farce of stealing the bride.
Everyone, including Qin Sang and Liuli, had assumed Shanglu's motive was to test Qin Sang. Never had they imagined that he was merely using the Body Cleansing Pool as a pretext to force Liuli's hand and test her attainment in that divine ability.
Tong Lingyu had made so many preparations yet suffered such a total defeat; Yin Changsheng had undoubtedly possessed accomplices.
Shanglu was one of them!
At the time, they had only thought of hiding Qin Sang's strength, unaware that Shanglu's real intentions lay elsewhere. Shanglu's actions had been far too deceptive—even Tong Lingyu had failed to see through them, let alone them.
"And you!"
Yin Changsheng's gaze shifted to Qin Sang. "Materializing divine sense at the mid Nascent Soul stage! Even better, the two of you are Dao companions! A pair of mandarin ducks sharing the same fate, just barely meeting the requirements of the Luoyin Blood Pool. The heavens have treated me well, delivering two geniuses to me at the final moment! Haha..."
Yin Changsheng burst into laughter, his voice echoing through the underground cavern. With his goal within reach, he was in high spirits.
Yet to Qin Sang's ears, the laughter reeked even more strongly of madness.
Three ice platforms in the Luoyin Blood Pool.
The final ice platform was intended to ensnare both him and Liuli in one fell swoop.
Qin Sang wished he could tell Yin Changsheng that he and Liuli were only fake Dao companions, bound together because of an evil dual cultivation art, and might not satisfy the conditions at all. Alas, Yin Changsheng would certainly never listen.
Back then, neither Qin Sang nor Liuli could have imagined that a single transaction would leave behind a fateful curse, binding their destinies tightly together, its reverberations lasting hundreds of years and lingering even now.
Yin Changsheng sounded so certain; he had clearly seen through Qin Sang's identity long ago.
Qin Sang had not realized when he had exposed himself.
When clashing with Shanglu, Qin Sang had been careful to conceal his formidable divine sense.
However, the Thousand Fox Mask was not some supreme treasure. Shi Xue had said before that if scrutinized by someone determined using a special divine ability or magic treasure, it could be seen through.
Moreover, Qin Sang had ascended Lingxiao Peak before and stood not far from the Palace Master.
"I have a question," Qin Sang said, interrupting Yin Changsheng's manic laughter. His guard was raised to the utmost, but his tone remained calm.
"I only made the Grand Elder's acquaintance a dozen-odd years ago. Before that, I had never stepped foot in the Hidden Sun Realm, nor had I ever met Fellow Daoist. Entering the Sacred Ground was also a spur-of-the-moment decision. Could it be that Fellow Daoist possesses foresight?"
This was indeed something Qin Sang found puzzling.
Judging by Yin Changsheng's words, although Liuli had achieved great mastery of her divine ability, her cultivation fell short of the blood pool's requirements, and Qin Sang becoming her Dao companion had been entirely unexpected.
Yin Changsheng could not possibly have begun planning this only ten years ago.
If Qin Sang hadn't been here and the three platforms couldn't be filled, wouldn't Yin Changsheng's efforts have been in vain?
Could he truly afford to wait another three hundred years for the next fateful candidate?
However, Qin Sang's real objective in asking was to stall for time.
Analyzing the situation, he judged that the chances of killing Yin Changsheng in a counterattack were slim; escaping the cavern would give him far more room to maneuver.
Probing the cavern's ancient restrictions with the Heavenly Eye Butterfly, he had gradually detected a faint clue: the weakness seemed to lie at the ceiling of the cavern. Yet the restriction at the top was also exceedingly formidable and would require sufficient time to break.
Once outside, perhaps he could drag Old Man Hunmo and Great Sage Tianpeng into the fray.
Furthermore, Qin Sang was quietly observing the blood pool.
If escape proved impossible, fighting to the death was the only option.
Striking the Palace Master with the Sun Divine Tree would not be easy, but he could attack what the man was forced to defend.
Still, Yin Changsheng would undoubtedly value the blood pool above all else and likely had protective measures in place, so Qin Sang could not act rashly.
Thoughts whirled through Qin Sang's mind as he deduced every possibility.
"Had it not been for you two, I would have had to settle for second best and capture Hunmo as the third Blood Attendant. But since Hunmo is not of Xuantian Palace's direct lineage, the efficacy would have been greatly diminished."
Yin Changsheng chuckled, speaking of this demonic giant with utter nonchalance.
"I did not expect the lad to kick up such a fuss. No matter, though—they are merely clay chickens and pottery dogs. Once I achieve Deity Transformation, I will sweep the Sacred Ground clean myself."
So it was him!
Old Man Hunmo was actually lured in by Yin Changsheng!
The Palace Master of Xuantian Palace was the real traitor all along!
After learning the purpose of the blood pool and the ice platforms, Qin Sang had harbored vague suspicions, but hearing Yin Changsheng confirm it himself still left him speechless.
He cursed inwardly.
On this trip to the Sacred Ground, he had already taken the fall for two people in a row.
Bing Yao was one thing.
He had been unable to resist the temptation of the Body Cleansing Pool and stepped into the trap meant for Bing Yao; he had only himself to blame.
Yet he had no friendship with Old Man Hunmo—in fact, there was enmity between them.
To take the fall for an enemy was truly an injustice.
"I..."
Qin Sang's mind spun rapidly. He parted his lips to say more.
Yin Changsheng suddenly sneered. "Trying to stall for time?"
Before his voice finished echoing, the temperature inside the cavern plummeted drastically. A bone-chilling cold permeated every corner, so terrifying that Qin Sang felt as though his flesh and true essence were on the verge of freezing solid.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
The icicles jutting from the ground tore free one after another, shattering midair into pale freezing mist that intensified the frigid chill.
Alarm bells rang frantically in Qin Sang's heart.
At the same time, aided by the Heavenly Eye Butterfly's sight, Qin Sang peered through the mist and discovered a series of ice mirrors materializing along the cavern ceiling—thirteen in total.
Yin Changsheng had undoubtedly come prepared before dragging them here.
Earlier, he had expended some of his preparations to capture Tong Lingyu alive.
The thirteen ice mirrors were part of them.
Crack! Crack!
The thirteen ice mirrors tilted slightly, locking onto him and Liuli in unison.
"Careful! That is one of the Palace Master's strongest divine abilities, the Luoyou Divine Restriction!" Liuli's warning sounded by his ear.
Qin Sang knew nothing of this Luoyou Divine Restriction, but he reacted instinctively, activating the Ruyi Pearl to envelop himself in an astral shield while summoning his demonic fire, standing at the ready.
Only now did Qin Sang see the mirror surfaces clearly.
The interiors of the ice mirrors were not translucent; within each gleamed unique runes forming diagrams reminiscent of restriction charts, evoking a sense of familiarity in him.
Just then, Tong Lingyu's voice called out from the Luoyin Blood Pool.
"Daoist, there is no need to fear! His Luoyou Divine Restriction shares the same origin as my Nine Cold Nether Restrictions—your spiritual fire can resist this divine ability! Hiding in an ice coffin and employing wicked arts, he has already fallen to inner demons. He cannot strike without restraint indefinitely, or he will bring about his own doom. As long as you hold out, you can win without having to defeat him!"
After the Myriad Demons Assembly, Tong Lingyu had sparred with Qin Sang.
Confirming that Qin Sang could counter her Nine Cold Nether Restrictions had only strengthened her resolve to recruit him.
Yin Changsheng's cultivation far exceeded Tong Lingyu's, so the might of the Luoyou Divine Restriction naturally could not be compared to the Nine Cold Nether Restrictions.
However, since the spiritual fire countered the Luoyou Divine Restriction, it could drastically weaken its power. Qin Sang would at least have the means to resist, rather than collapsing directly under the divine restriction.
Hearing Tong Lingyu's reminder, Qin Sang felt a stir in his heart.
What he feared most was knowing nothing about his opponent.
If he merely needed to hold out for a time until Yin Changsheng lost control, then with the Sun Divine Tree, he might truly have a chance.
He just didn't know how long he would need to endure!
Chime, chime...
The ice mirrors vibrated, emitting crisp, melodic rings.
Before Tong Lingyu's words had fully faded, the restriction diagrams within the ice mirrors shot forth and manifested in midair. The surrounding cold mist was drawn to the diagrams, rushing wildly toward them.
In an instant, chart after chart of restrictions materialized into reality with earth-shattering momentum.
Qin Sang felt as though he had plunged into a small world of ice and snow controlled by Yin Changsheng.
Though an illusion, the terrifying oppressive force was very real—far stronger than Tong Lingyu's Nine Cold Nether Restrictions had been.
Qin Sang's body grew rigid. Gritting his teeth, he poured all his strength into stoking the demonic fire.
Whoosh!
The demonic fire split in two, half flying toward Liuli.
Even under such dire circumstances, Qin Sang still spared half of his demonic fire to protect her.
If they were to follow Tong Lingyu's advice, what lay ahead was bound to be a bitter battle. Aiding his ally was aiding himself.
Liuli understood this as well. She let the demonic fire drape over her as fiery armor, channeling her Ice Soul Divine Light to join Qin Sang in resisting the Luoyou Divine Restriction.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The restriction diagrams bore down like looming ice mountains.
The stone cavern shook violently.
Dazzling, freezing light enveloped them in an instant as the divine restriction erupted!
Standing at the epicenter of the vortex, Qin Sang and Liuli were scarcely visible. The fiery armor dimmed, stoking fear that they had already been swallowed whole by the restriction.
Yet the actual situation was not dire.
The Nine Nether Demonic Fire indeed possessed a restraining effect against the Luoyou Divine Restriction; the restriction's greatest strength—its power of sealing—failed to take effect on them.
If this stalemate continued, it would suit Qin Sang's intentions perfectly.
Regrettably, Yin Changsheng was not about to let them have their way.
"Oh? Interesting. It seems I underestimated you."
Seeing that the Luoyou Divine Restriction had failed to bind the two, Yin Changsheng narrowed his eyes, surveying the fire armor upon them, and beckoned toward the ground with a hand.
Swish!
The Fourfold Tengshe Seal soared high into the air.
Tengshe serpents danced and roared silently as the mighty aura of a spirit treasure permeated the space, shaking the soul!
Qin Sang's expression shifted.
Earlier, seeing the Fourfold Tengshe Seal discarded beside the blood pool like trash, Qin Sang had thought Yin Changsheng was unable to command this spirit treasure.
It was said that the Fourfold Tengshe Seal had always been held by Xuantian Palace's Grand Elder.
Unlike magic treasures, which anyone could refine, a spirit treasure was useless in the hands of someone who did not know the Treasure-Commanding Incantation.
Qin Sang finally understood why Tong Lingyu had suffered such a catastrophic defeat.
Even your spirit treasure was given to you by someone else. How could you ever hope to win?
At the same time, the ice platforms in the blood pool creaked. The two platforms bearing Tong Lingyu and Luo Yun slowly sank toward the pool's depths as blood threads wove a dense net across their bodies.
Tong Lingyu mustered every scrap of her remaining strength, but she could do nothing to stop it. The blood threads had already crept onto her neck.
Her fair neck looked as though it were crawled over by countless blood-drinking worms.
Qin Sang had been stalling for time just now, but Yin Changsheng had merely played along to finish binding Tong Lingyu and Luo Yun!
The true form of the Fourfold Tengshe Seal vanished.
Qin Sang witnessed a familiar scene.
Above the cavern, vast and mighty cold flames blotted out the sky. From deep within the flames came strange, piercing hisses—the roaring of the Tengshe serpents conjured by the seal.
Qin Sang was appalled.
The grating hisses rose and fell in waves; there was definitely more than one Tengshe.
The same spirit treasure felt entirely different in Yin Changsheng's hands compared to Tong Lingyu's.
Even without exchanging blows, Qin Sang was certain that against the Fourfold Tengshe Seal in Yin Changsheng's grasp, even if he went all out, deploying his demonic banners and sword formation together, he would not stand the slightest chance!
He could only use the Sun Divine Tree!
Qin Sang grew anxious. He had to reserve enough true essence to resist the Luoyou Divine Restriction; striking once was already his limit, and his avatar could strike only twice.
Three chances—he had to blast open an exit or destroy the blood pool!
The silhouettes of Tengshe flickered faintly in the cold flames.
In this moment, he could no longer hold anything back.
Just as Qin Sang touched the Qianjun Ring, preparing to summon the Sun Divine Tree—
Blood surged violently in the pool. About to be dragged down to the bottom, Tong Lingyu screamed with every ounce of strength left in her, "Liuli, quickly use the Treasure-Commanding Incantation I taught you!"
"Yin Changsheng, you only taught me the first stanza of the incantation, never imagining the Fourfold Tengshe Seal felt an affinity for Liuli, did you? Now that she has achieved great mastery in the Ice Soul Divine Light, she qualifies to make the Fourfold Tengshe Seal recognize her as master!"
Only upon clashing with Yin Changsheng had Tong Lingyu learned that the spirit treasure's Treasure-Commanding Incantation was actually divided into two stanzas.
Yin Changsheng held the complete incantation, but had passed only the first stanza to her.
The Fourfold Tengshe Seal had remained firmly under Yin Changsheng's control all along.
The moment they engaged earlier, Tong Lingyu had suffered a disastrous setback.
Yet Tong Lingyu had not been entirely blind to the danger. Over the long course of her preparations, her hesitation to act had stemmed partly from suspicions that Yin Changsheng might have tampered with the spirit treasure to turn it against her.
She understood better than anyone how terrifying a great cultivator wielding a spirit treasure was.
Upon discovering that the Fourfold Tengshe Seal felt an affinity for Liuli, Tong Lingyu had secretly taught her the incantation.
Learning during the wedding ceremony that Liuli had achieved great mastery of her divine ability, Tong Lingyu had been ecstatic. As long as she handed the Fourfold Tengshe Seal to Liuli to refine, there was a high chance of gaining the spirit treasure's acknowledgment.
However, once a spirit treasure recognized a master, unless that imprint was erased, anyone else—even if they had practiced the Treasure-Commanding Incantation—would suffer a drastic drop in its power if they attempted to forcibly command it. Tong Lingyu would thereby lose her strongest weapon.
At the time, Great Sage Tianpeng had been stirring up trouble at the head of the demon race, leaving Tong Lingyu overwhelmed with crises. She needed the strength to confront the Demon Sage.
Liuli's cultivation was insufficient, meaning the power she could draw from the spirit treasure would also be limited.
Furthermore, gaining a spirit treasure's acknowledgment could not be accomplished in an instant; it required time for refinement.
She had planned to reconsider whether to entrust the seal to Liuli only after returning from the Sacred Ground and deciding to move against Yin Changsheng.
It was too late for regrets now.
The spirit treasure had not yet acknowledged a master.
Even the person best attuned to a spirit treasure had to refine it to earn its acknowledgment; it was impossible to snatch it straight from someone else's hands mid-battle, or else who would dare use a spirit treasure?
Fortunately, Liuli had practiced the first stanza of the Treasure-Commanding Incantation and had refined the Fourfold Tengshe Seal for some time. Coupled with the treasure's strong affinity for her, though she could not claim it as her own right away, she could still impede Yin Changsheng.
Counter his divine ability; impede his spirit treasure.
A glimmer of hope shone in Tong Lingyu's eyes. Though her prolonged preparations had failed to strike Yin Changsheng down, they were not completely in vain, proving critically important at this very moment!
Hope now rested upon Qin Sang and Liuli!
Though Liuli did not fully grasp the underlying details, hearing Tong Lingyu's cry, she executed the Treasure-Commanding Incantation without the slightest hesitation!
Chapter 1493