A Fatal Trap

Beyond was a vast, boundless expanse of white clouds and mist. The next layer was the rapidly expanding sea of fire. The fiery sea was resplendent with kaleidoscopic hues, though the momentum of its blasting flames was steadily waning, and in vividness of color, it fell far short of the radiant Linglong Pagoda suspended in midair. Further inward were streams of crimson fire, which had only just begun to erupt. There was also the black spiritual fire huddled in a corner. It was as though everyone had stepped into a domain of spiritual fire. The scene before them was beautiful beyond belief, yet beneath that breathtaking spectacle lurked a lethal danger that chilled everyone to the core! *Poof!* Like a newborn red sun, the Nanming Primordial Fire dyed the void crimson and devoured everything in its path. The mountain-and-river illusion and the hundred-zhang phantom were obliterated by the red flames. The very next instant, a streak of black light was caught in the shockwave of the Nanming Primordial Fire and flung outward. Within that black radiance was unmistakably the Hunmo Token. Tumbling end over end, the Hunmo Token's spiritual glow had dimmed to the extreme, as if batted away by an immense force at a speed even greater than before. Before anyone could see clearly whether the token itself was damaged, it vanished into the depths of the clouds and mist with a sharp *whoosh*. At the same time, sharp-eyed onlookers caught a faint glimmer of white light within the Nanming Primordial Fire. It had to be Great Sage Tianpeng's Mountain River Bead! Having witnessed the previous clash, they kept their eyes fixed on the Mountain River Bead, only to see the white light flicker and fade. The bead plummeted straight from midair, pale and lusterless, sinking into the depths of the abyss in the blink of an eye. At the final moment, someone vaguely glimpsed a crack running through the center of the Mountain River Bead, nearly splitting the entire sphere in two. The bead possessed unique properties, but its body was not as tough as weapons or armor, far inferior to the Hunmo Token in resilience. Suffering a direct hit from the Nanming Primordial Fire, it had virtually no hope of emerging unscathed. In an instant, the magic treasures of two top powerhouses of this era were routed. At the edge of the sea of fire, Bi Fang was stomping and cursing in fury. The moment it saw the Nine Nether Demonic Fire, it had recognized Qin Sang's identity. The past decade or so had been nothing but a streak of terrible luck. It all began when it had pursued Qin Sang across ten thousand li alongside the cunning fox and the frog-fish. Ever since then: First, the treasure coveted by the demon horde mysteriously vanished. Then Qin Sang pursued it in turn, forcing it to cast a self-mutilating divine ability just to escape with its life. It had no choice but to abandon its overseas territory and flee back to the demon domain to heal. Then disaster struck out of nowhere: Tong Lingyu came knocking, and after a single disagreement, struck the cunning fox dead. Severely wounded once more, Bi Fang had fled and was forced to seek shelter under Great Sage Tianpeng, utterly humiliated and aggrieved. When enemies meet face-to-face, their eyes blaze with fury! Its hatred for Qin Sang and Master Feng ran deep to the bone. Seeing Qin Sang dare to act so brazenly before so many demons and fiends, it believed its chance for revenge had finally arrived. Though its cultivation fell short of Great Sage Tianpeng and Old Man Hunmo, its innate divine ability excelled at fire control. Facing the onslaught of the flaming blast wave, it possessed the means to withstand it, steadying itself not much later than the two great experts. Without hesitation, it burned its essence blood, preparing to slay its mortal enemy with its own hands. Bi Fang manifested its true demon body directly. Its demon fire blazed like blood, its momentum formidable. And then, it witnessed this staggering scene. "Ugh!" Bi Fang's eyes bulged, its body freezing in midair. Its curses choked in its throat as if it were being strangled by the neck. The hatred in its eyes was replaced by sheer terror. A profound dread of the Nanming Primordial Fire. Among the fiends and demons, there were several others like Bi Fang who had relied on special divine abilities or magic treasures to resist the fiery shockwave and recover first. All of them were renowned figures, battle-hardened veterans with swift reflexes. Even before fully regaining their footing, they had activated their treasures, manifested demon bodies, or unleashed divine abilities, launching attacks right behind Hunmo and Tianpeng. If Qin Sang had hesitated for even an instant, or been delayed by Hunmo and the others for mere moments— once all the demons regained their senses, he would have faced a relentless siege. Being pounded into mincemeat would be a luxury; under a concentrated barrage of attacks, any spirit treasure would be futile, and he would evaporate from existence, becoming ill-fated lovers in death with Liuli. Yet the Sun God Tree had displayed its might: the Mountain River Bead was cracked, and the Hunmo Token's whereabouts were unknown. This was true deterrence! Yue Mo was an androgynous figure of romantic elegance, whose renown in the Boundless Sea rivaled that of Primordial Lady Yuyi. A crescent moon pattern marked the center of his forehead, earning him the title of Moon Demon. In truth, it was due to his peculiar cultivation technique: his natal magic treasure required constant absorption of moonlight, leaving a mark between his brows. When the wave of flames swept toward him, the crescent between Yue Mo's brows had glittered brightly, showering clear luminescence. The clear light enveloped Yue Mo like a translucent garment, rippling slightly in layers of waves. As the flames struck the glow, a portion of the force slid harmlessly away, dispersing the impact. Yue Mo drifted backward gracefully, lightly twisting his fingers at the center of his brow. The crescent broke away, transforming into a crescent scimitar that spun at high speed, razor-sharp, slashing forward with incredible speed. Seeing the fate of the Hunmo Token and Mountain River Bead, Yue Mo's face was filled with shock. Inevitably, hesitation crept in, and the crescent scimitar ground to a halt. Six firebirds remained upon the Sun God Tree, while crimson flames swirled and rapidly coalesced where the first three had taken flight, proving this was far from a one-shot attack. If they provoked the opponent and had several firebirds hurled their way, who could endure it? Unlike the Mountain River Bead, this was his natal magic treasure, intricately tied to his very cultivation base. If a natal treasure was destroyed, the resulting backlash would inflict severe injury at best—how could he even think of seizing treasure then? Whether the treasures in the Linglong Pagoda fell into the hands of this mystery cultivator or were claimed by Hunmo and Tianpeng, what difference did it make to him? Why would Yue Mo willingly risk himself just for someone else to reap the rewards? The other fiends harbored similar thoughts, each nursing their own selfish schemes. The demon kings were somewhat more unified than the fiendish cultivators, but they had gathered at Mount Tianpeng to share the spoils, not to throw their lives away. In truth, Old Man Hunmo had indeed been affected by the damage to the Hunmo Token. At the very moment the solar divine birds detonated, a flash of bloody light appeared not far from the battlefield, accompanied by rolling ghost mist. Old Man Hunmo's figure gradually materialized, on the verge of stepping forth. Remembering Qin Sang's endless bag of tricks and Thunder Escape technique all too well, he had immediately cast the Shift Shape Exchange Shadow divine ability to close the distance rapidly. The toll this ability took on the ghost spirit depended on the distance, and the cost was still bearable. Even if his treasure failed to kill Qin Sang, he could still intercept him in time. If he could strike Qin Sang down directly, all the better; he could snatch the stupa pagoda one step ahead of Great Sage Tianpeng. However, Old Man Hunmo never imagined Qin Sang held yet another trump card. The Hunmo Token had been routed so utterly that his face paled and his body shuddered. Right at this moment— Another sudden shift occurred! The blast radius of the Nanming Primordial Fire was extensive. Away from the detonation's core, its potency diminished sharply, but the blazing flames would not dissipate anytime soon. From within the red flames, a cluster of eerie blue chilled light suddenly surged forth, harboring a soaring serpent within! Extreme cold and searing heat clashed in sharp contrast. Baring fangs and brandishing claws with savage fury, the spirit treasure's might—forcibly suppressed earlier by Liuli—erupted fully at this instant, lunging at Old Man Hunmo with overwhelming force. Qin Sang had used the solar divine birds to clear the path, firstly out of fear of being pinned down and wanting to end the fight swiftly, and secondly to use the aura of the Nanming Primordial Fire to mask the Fourfold Tengshe Seal. When the solar divine birds struck, their earth-shattering momentum could not be concealed. Liuli was different. Practicing the Treasure Channeling Formula, she possessed a certain degree of mastery over the Fourfold Tengshe Seal. With the solar divine birds drawing everyone's gaze, it served as the perfect cover for the Fourfold Tengshe Seal. With their attention utterly captivated by the Sun God Tree, how could the demons and fiends have imagined they possessed yet another spirit treasure? This was the fatal trap Qin Sang had set for Old Man Hunmo! He had factored in Old Man Hunmo's burning greed for the stupa pagoda. Of course, had Old Man Hunmo not taken the bait, Qin Sang would lose nothing; with no one in his way, he could have flown straight into the Linglong Pagoda. With her eyes tightly shut in absolute detachment, Liuli sank her awareness into the spirit treasure, driving the Treasure Channeling Formula with all her might. Her hand seals shifted rapidly, unleashing the very transformation—the most powerful of all—that Yin Changsheng had once used. The soaring serpent treaded upon the void, its vicious eyes locked onto Old Man Hunmo. Chilled flames gathered in its gaping maw before its entire body fused with the frigid blaze! Cast by Liuli, its power naturally could not compare to when Yin Changsheng wielded it. Even so, its might was leagues beyond any ordinary magic treasure. Another spirit treasure! The demons and fiends stood dumbfounded, their minds reeling in disbelief. Just who on earth was this guy?! *Whoosh!* The chilled flames flew swift as a shooting star. Old Man Hunmo bore the brunt of it. As deadly peril closed in, Old Man Hunmo's scalp prickled; he could even smell the stench of death. His eldest disciple, who had yet to recover from the fiery blast wave, was terrified out of his wits upon seeing this and screamed: "Master!" In this dire moment, Old Man Hunmo let out a long howl. The ghost mist around him boiled violently, and his fleshly body, which was on the verge of fully solidifying from its phantom state, was forcibly halted. Then, Old Man Hunmo reversed into an illusion as the ghost mist surged back and swallowed him whole. At the edge of the sea of fire, a patch of ghost mist erupted where Old Man Hunmo had originally stood. Before the ghost spirit could even manifest, a shrill shriek tore from within the mist. The screech was piercingly shrill, steeped in despair and unwillingness. The ghost spirit possessed intellect and knew full well what Hunmo intended. Yet it was powerless to do anything. Unable to resist Old Man Hunmo's will, it could only serve as his scapegoat. *Boom!* The chilled flames pierced straight through the ghost mist. The ghost spirit's screams came to an abrupt halt. Old Man Hunmo's figure reappeared at the edge of the sea of fire. Inscrutable, dense black ghost patterns had surfaced across his face, looking sinister and bizarre. The instant the ghost spirit perished, all the ghost patterns shattered in unison! Deathly pale, Old Man Hunmo watched deep wrinkles spread across his face at a speed visible to the naked eye. Not only did he look even more like a decrepit centenarian, but scarcely any breath of life could be felt from him. Qin Sang inwardly cursed his misfortune, keeping his hand pressed against the Jinchen Sword. He knew all too well how formidable a late Nascent Soul cultivator was. With Liuli wielding the Fourfold Tengshe Seal, even catching him off guard was unlikely to slay Old Man Hunmo outright. He had initially planned to unleash the Seven Po Killing Array the moment the serpent hit, seizing this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to execute the fiend! Now that both spirit treasures were exposed, Old Man Hunmo would be on his guard in the future, and there would never be such an ideal chance again. Taking Hunmo's head from amidst a sea of foes—the mere thought was exhilarating. To the other demons, it would have served as the ultimate deterrence. By then, who in the Three Realms of the North Sea would dare act brazenly before him? He had not expected that such a meticulously laid scheme still failed to kill Old Man Hunmo; the devil's Shift Shape Exchange Shadow ability could actually be executed in reverse. Fortunately, destroying the ghost spirit had severed one of Old Man Hunmo's arms, so the effort was not in vain. Judging by Old Man Hunmo's state, that ghost spirit was likely far more than just a right-hand minion. Having suffered such a crushing blow, Old Man Hunmo would pose no threat to him, at least within the sacred land. "Haha..." Qin Sang burst into hearty laughter. Falling upon Old Man Hunmo's ears, the laughter was pure mockery, sending a surge of fury rushing to his heart and nearly causing him to cough blood. Hearing that laughter, the other demons and fiends were shaken to their souls, unable to help asking themselves: who was the real devil here? Amid his laughter, Qin Sang did not pause for a second. Turning his gaze toward another formidable rival, he saw a streak of golden light rapidly approaching. Great Sage Tianpeng had only performed a basic refinement on the Mountain River Bead, so its destruction had little effect on him. Qin Sang also understood that as mighty as spirit treasures were, two fists could not match four hands. The clash had taken place in a flash of lightning, but the other demons were on the verge of shaking off the fiery blast wave; he could under no circumstances allow himself to be pinned down by Great Sage Tianpeng. Thus, Qin Sang made a swift decision: his incarnation expended its remaining true essence to drive the three divine birds straight toward Great Sage Tianpeng, while his true body took over the Sun God Tree. By now, both his external incarnation and Liuli were pushed to the brink of exhaustion. Qin Sang was not worried. First, Old Man Hunmo was gravely injured, eliminating one formidable adversary; as long as his true body could still unleash the solar divine birds, the demons would hesitate to act recklessly out of fear. Second, he held the stupa pagoda and could be the first to enter the Linglong Pagoda, whereas the demons would have to breach the barrier first. Third, the emergence of the Linglong Pagoda would inevitably alert Tong Lingyu and the others. *Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!* Vivid and lifelike, the divine birds spread their wings and soared forward. Facing these solar divine birds, Great Sage Tianpeng felt an inexplicable pressure, even an urge to prostrate himself in worship. Seeing Old Man Hunmo's miserable state, Great Sage Tianpeng's pupils constricted. With no time for second thoughts, he let out a piercing cry and spat out a cluster of golden light. The unknown was always the most terrifying. Great Sage Tianpeng had crossed paths with Tong Lingyu and was familiar with the Fourfold Tengshe Seal. Though he did not know why this spirit treasure had ended up in the hands of an unknown young woman, he was certain of one thing: as a mere early Nascent Soul cultivator, Liuli could not sustain prolonged usage. As for the Sun God Tree, Great Sage Tianpeng was a veteran of countless battles and could discern a few clues. Once he witnessed it firsthand, he would find a way to counter it! The golden light was a miniature golden peng. Unlike the golden peng that had appeared at the sacred land's entrance, this one did not resemble Great Sage Tianpeng himself, but bore an uncanny resemblance to the legendary Golden-Winged Roc, carrying a trace of its divine essence! Spreading its wings, the golden peng hurtled toward the solar divine birds at a speed that conceded nothing! *Boom!* The blinding golden glare was gradually swallowed by the Nanming Primordial Fire. Waves of fire surged forward layer upon layer. His gaze calm, Great Sage Tianpeng snapped his escape light into an acute turn, relying on exquisite evasion techniques to dodge the brunt of the solar divine birds' shockwave, losing only a few feathers. However, he also missed his final opportunity to stop Qin Sang, left with no choice but to glare at them with dark, sullen eyes across the boundless sea of fire. Qin Sang recalled his incarnation, grabbed Liuli's hand, and flew toward the Linglong Pagoda. Before departing, he brandished the Sun God Tree toward another direction, feigning an attack. At the edge of the sea of fire, General Gui showed shock on his face. A streak of black light bounded up from the ground and fled in frantic haste—it was actually a puppet indistinguishable from an ordinary human. General Gui had no idea how his puppet had been exposed, yet dared not take the risk, looking on helplessly as Qin Sang swaggered away. There were no more obstacles ahead! Flickering forward, Qin Sang and Liuli passed unscathed through layers of flames. Arriving beneath the Linglong Pagoda, they touched the golden light barrier and, as expected, slipped through with ease! The demons and fiends finally caught their breath, roaring in fury as they unleashed a barrage of attacks. Unfortunately, most of these strikes were blocked by the surrounding flames. Even those that pierced through the fire struck the golden barrier like slamming into an impenetrable wall, firmly halted outside. Under the gaze of all the onlookers, the two vanished into the Linglong Pagoda without looking back!