Death Seal, celestial thunder, and metamagnetic light.
Against an ordinary Nascent Soul cultivator, any one of these three attacks would have stood a high chance of killing them on the spot.
Master Huaiyin had reached the pinnacle of body cultivation. Within the Nine Lands Metamagnetic Divine Light, spell cultivators were restricted far more severely than he was; many magic treasures and divine abilities either could not be unleashed at all, or would be pulled by the Nine Lands metamagnetic force, veering off course easily and suffering a severe drop in power.
His daring to brave the Death Seal and celestial thunder to seize the treasures stemmed naturally from a formidable confidence that he could handle any situation.
Yet he had not anticipated a third person watching like a tiger stalking its prey, concealed so flawlessly.
With all three bearing down upon him at once, Master Huaiyin's Arhat Golden Body—mighty though it was—could not withstand the brunt, shattering in an instant. The Daoist nun had been waiting for this exact moment. How could she let it slip? Striking at his vulnerability, her blow landed true!
Feeling the sticky, warm blood against her palm, smiles reached the Daoist nun's eyes.
To her, Master Huaiyin's surging vitality and blood-qi were even more enticing than a Nascent Soul.
Yet her triumph did not last long, nor had her prey lost all ability to resist, perishing on the spot to be slaughtered at her mercy as she had envisioned.
By now, the Daoist nun had channeled the metamagnetic light through Master Huaiyin's wound straight into his inner viscera, just about to detonate it to grind his organs to shreds.
"What evil fiend is this?!"
A roar of fury erupted abruptly.
Within the roar lay a soul-shaking power.
This was the Heavenly Dragon Brahma Chant, an esoteric secret of the Buddhist sects. Its Brahma sound rolled like thunder, capable of striking fear into any foe. Unleashed by Master Huaiyin with the augmentation of his blood-qi, its might was all the more terrifying.
Anyone of weaker mind would have had their Nascent Soul shaken and their heart and gall cleaved in two on the spot.
The Daoist nun stiffened slightly.
Unbeknownst to her, Master Huaiyin had already turned his head toward her. Zen tones spilled from his tongue, and the Buddhist light in his eyes flared with fury, radiating a world-shaking intent to kill.
At this moment, dazzling Buddhist radiance surrounded Master Huaiyin. Rather than scattering, the shattered fragments of his Arhat Golden Body coalesced once more, reforming into a golden dragon of blood-qi that empowered his Heavenly Dragon Brahma Chant.
The golden dragon merged into the Brahma chant, sending forth tangible sonic waves like solid ripples.
Yet Master Huaiyin himself looked withered, as if close to death.
With his golden body shattered, his internal organs battered, and bearing grievous injuries, forcibly invoking the Heavenly Dragon Brahma Chant had drained his blood-qi further. He was already at the end of his rope.
The Brahma chant clearly could not truly suppress the Daoist nun; it could buy him only a fleeting breath of respite.
Under such dire circumstances, Master Huaiyin still had not retracted his outstretched right hand. Without looking back, he grabbed toward the cluster of fragments, while drawing his left hand back to his chest.
His fingers curled inward, forming a one-handed seal.
Shaking her head to dispel the shock of the Brahma chant, the Daoist nun saw that Master Huaiyin was still coveting the treasures. Thinking him completely blind to his own peril, she prepared to slaughter him, only to feel her arm thrust inside his body suddenly clamped tight.
From who knew where, an astounding surge of colossal strength erupted from within Master Huaiyin, forcing every shred of the Nine Lands Metamagnetic Divine Light back out of his body!
The Daoist nun felt the Nine Lands Metamagnetic Divine Light compressed entirely around her palm, unable to inflict the slightest harm upon Master Huaiyin. Moreover, that force surged with ever-mounting ferocity, threatening to blast her away.
Even more astonishing, Master Huaiyin had been on the verge of death, yet a stream of golden light flowed from his hand seal across his skin, causing his aura to skyrocket at a rate visible to the naked eye.
This golden light originated from his hand seal.
Everywhere the golden light touched, it was as if misfortune turned to boundless fortune. Rolling thunder echoed through Master Huaiyin's meridians, color returned to his face, the golden dragon of blood-qi reformed, and the Arhat Golden Body manifested anew!
In an instant, Master Huaiyin had almost returned to his peak. Were it not for the gruesome, shocking wound at the back of his heart, no one would have imagined he had just been gravely injured and nearly killed.
"Evil fiend, die!"
Master Huaiyin bellowed once more.
This shout was not the Heavenly Dragon Brahma Chant, yet from the tone, his vitality rang deep and full.
The Arhat Golden Body lowered its brow and brought a palm chopping down toward the Daoist nun's crown. Golden dragons coiled about the arhat's arm, sending rippling rings of golden runes spreading through the air, whipping up an astonishing tempest out of nowhere that blasted the metamagnetic light in all directions, as if seeking to shatter the void itself.
Standing at the vortex of the storm, her fair wrist still embedded in Master Huaiyin's wound, the Daoist nun would have to take the Arhat Golden Body's palm head-on if she did not retreat.
In less than a breath's time, the situation had shifted through dizzying permutations.
The Daoist nun's ambush had nearly slain Master Huaiyin, only for the tables to turn drastically the very next moment.
Qin Sang and Su Zinan were both filled with astonishment—astonished by the eerie assailant who had appeared out of nowhere, and astonished by Master Huaiyin's formidable divine ability.
The ambusher's concealment had been practically flawless, and her timing impeccable; it was clearly a long-premeditated trap. Had it been either of them in his place, they might not have escaped unscathed.
Qin Sang could not help feeling a lingering dread; had the Fire Jade Centipede not warned him, the one ambushed would have been himself.
Master Huaiyin had, in a sense, shielded him from disaster.
As the thought flashed across his mind, his Heavenly Eye ability pierced through the Nine Lands Metamagnetic Divine Light.
Taking in the Daoist nun's attire, Qin Sang was instantly drawn to an object hanging at her waist.
It was a fiery red jade pendant, within which magma seemed to flow—identical to the jade pendant seen in the tribulation transcendence imagery at Bingyi Palace. The Fire Jade Centipede's reaction further proved that what had attracted it was precisely this pendant!
*The Crimson Immortal Pendant!*
Qin Sang's pupils constricted, his eyes brightening. Turmoil stirred in his mind, and without the slightest hesitation, he once again conjured the Thunder Sound and the Soul-Extracting True Words.
In truth, he had already planned his next move.
It was the exact same attack as before, only the target was now the Daoist nun.
Master Huaiyin had come from the Western Lands and had few enemies in Zhongzhou. The Daoist nun's unhesitating strike proved her to be vicious and indiscriminate in slaughter.
Furthermore, she had peeped at Qin Sang several times with obvious malice; even without the Crimson Immortal Pendant, Qin Sang would not have shown any mercy.
At the same time, Qin Sang was guessing the Daoist nun's origins.
Since entering the Wuxiang Immortal Sect, he had never seen this woman, nor did the remnant soul of Cave Master Qiling contain any memories of her.
Yet her actions pointed in a certain direction.
Qin Sang was certain that the explosion of the Star Pavilion and the emergence of the ancient cultivator's relics were undoubtedly tricks orchestrated by this woman.
She was capable of using the divine restriction to conceal herself and manipulating the Nine Lands Metamagnetic Divine Light, but her control was surely limited. Otherwise, she would not have needed to painstakingly lay a trap; she could have directly commanded the divine restriction to plunge them all into peril.
*Is she an accomplice of Zhu Wudao?*
Qin Sang considered one possibility.
Zhu Wudao had gathered a pack of monsters and devils to enter, so it was only natural for him to keep something hidden from Cave Master Qiling and the others to guard against betrayal.
Moreover, in Cave Master Qiling's memories, Zhu Wudao had mentioned that many descendants of the Wuxiang Immortal Sect were hiding in the shadows, some watching them secretly. It was just that other factions had hunted them for years, leaving them fearful and unwilling to expose their identities.
Now that the ruins of the Wuxiang Immortal Sect had emerged, those factions could likely sit still no longer.
Possessing treasures inherited from the Wuxiang Immortal Sect, it would not be surprising if they could come and go freely within Dishou Mountain.
In an instant, these thoughts flashed through his mind without hindering his judgment or actions.
As he struck, Qin Sang reversed his retreat. The Phoenix Wings flapped with force, etching a black line of fire across the void as he lunged back into the fray.
While Qin Sang advanced, Master Huaiyin divided his attention, his other hand having already plunged into the cluster of fragments.
Before the ambush, Master Huaiyin had intended to sweep away all the treasures. With the Poison King arriving shortly behind, he could have endured a blow from Qin Sang and Su Zinan and still retreated unscathed.
If the female cultivator's relics contained information regarding Dishou Mountain, it could prove useful when cornering the scar-faced man.
Although obtaining the more precious Xinjin Source Crystal was more than enough to replace the spiritual material he sought, his agreement with the Poison King still stood. Moreover, securing this opportunity had much to do with the Poison King; he could not simply break his promise.
Now gravely wounded, Master Huaiyin dared not be overconfident and had to make choices.
Drawing in the golden light in his palm, Master Huaiyin pulled only the Xinjin Source Crystal into his grasp. His arm vibrated with immense force, sending the remaining treasures flying into the distance to avoid drawing another joint assault.
A portion of the treasures had been destroyed in the explosion.
Those remaining could be counted on one hand.
Among them were four swords. Two were longswords, one of which had originally lain across the female cultivator's knees and was likely her personal sword; the other two were the size of a finger—one a golden sword, the other a jade sword.
The spirit swords were dainty, lacking scabbards, and their design closely resembled sword talismans.
There was also a jade box crafted from black jade, bearing a seal whose light flickered ceaselessly, clearly having taken too violent of a shock.
With his mind set entirely on the jade pendant at the Daoist nun's waist, Qin Sang merely swept his eyes over the treasures and had no intention of changing targets.
On the other side, however, Su Zinan lacked vision comparable to the Heavenly Eye Butterfly. His sight and perception were blocked by the Nine Lands Metamagnetic Divine Light surrounding Master Huaiyin, allowing him only a blurry glimpse of the Daoist nun's figure; he had yet to spot the Fire Rhinoceros Pendant.
Just as he was caught in suspicion and uncertainty, he saw the treasures blasted away by Master Huaiyin, and his expression shifted slightly.
Flickering repeatedly, Su Zinan also surged forward, gathering the residual power of the Death Seal to strike directly at the Daoist nun. His thoughts aligned with Qin Sang's: the Daoist nun's origins were unknown and she held immense value; capturing her alive would be best.
However, Su Zinan was better adept at reaping profits from between contending parties, so he appeared to be heading for those treasures.
An indistinct haze lingered about him at all times—the manifest power of the demonic banner's two main souls resisting the Nine Lands Metamagnetism.
As long as the main souls did not detach from his body, no one would see through them. Even the Heavenly Eye Butterfly had failed to detect it, taking it merely as one of Su Zinan's defensive treasures.
In an instant, the four parties converged, and an all-out melee was on the verge of breaking out.
The celestial thunder descended once more.
Master Huaiyin moved instinctively to resist, only to find in surprise that it was aimed straight at the Daoist nun. Unable to fathom why Qin Sang would lend a helping hand, he simply cast the thought aside. The palm of the golden Arhat crashed downward, whipping up a thick gale of golden astral wind.
*Boom!*
Locked on by both the celestial thunder and the Buddhist palm, the Daoist nun appeared extraordinarily fragile. The Heavenly Dragon Brahma Chant and the Soul-Extracting True Words struck in rapid succession, shaking her mind and soul even further.
In addition, Qin Sang summoned the Sun God Tree once more.
Within the Nine Lands Metamagnetic Divine Light, the Sun God Birds were prone to losing control and veering off course; he had to wait until he closed the distance before unleashing them.
Though it sounded complex, Qin Sang and Master Huaiyin reacted with blinding speed, leaving the Daoist nun virtually no opening.
It looked as though her skull would split, killing her instantly.
Suddenly, Qin Sang saw the Daoist nun retract her arm and fling both arms wide. Closing her eyes, she opened her mouth wide and let out a hysterical, ear-piercing scream. The shriek was so shrill that even through the Nine Lands Metamagnetism, Qin Sang felt as if sharp needles were piercing his eardrums.
Outside the battlefield:
The Poison King was nearly there. Faintly hearing the woman's screech, his expression turned grim.
Master Huaiyin's two furious shouts earlier, combined with this screech, indicated that an unforeseen upheaval had occurred ahead. The Poison King had confidence in Master Huaiyin's strength, yet hearing these sounds made him restless.
Helplessly, he was not adept at countering the Nine Lands Metamagnetism and had fallen behind.
At this thought, the Poison King dared not delay. Flicking his sleeves, he muttered incantations under his breath, completed an arts incantation, and extended his index finger.
Just then, a black line shot out from his sleeve. The Poison King swiped his finger across one end of the black line, whipping up a black, eerie gale that sliced through layers of Nine Lands Metamagnetism, surging ahead toward the battlefield.
With a solemn gaze, the Poison King slowed his speed considerably, directing the spirit insect remotely with his mind.
The scream entered Qin Sang's ears, and he cried out inwardly in alarm. Immediately afterward, he saw the Nine Lands Metamagnetic Divine Light around the Daoist nun constrict madly, forming a yellow-and-black beam of light that shot straight upward, meeting the giant palm of the Arhat Golden Body head-on.
Unfortunately, the Daoist nun had done so in haste and could not execute it flawlessly. The protective Nine Lands Metamagnetic Divine Light around her thinned, failing to block the celestial thunder and the Death Seal.
*Crack!*
Amidst the thunderclap, the giant palm was checked, but the celestial thunder and Death Seal pierced through the Nine Lands Metamagnetism, striking the Daoist nun almost simultaneously.
Surprisingly, after taking both strikes, she did not perish on the spot; her injuries were far lighter than Qin Sang had estimated.
At some point, a hazy gray mist had appeared over her body. The mist took a form akin to primal chaos, completely discordant with the Nine Lands Metamagnetic Divine Light.
Amid the Daoist nun's screams, the mist swelled wildly.
At the same time, the space around her began to tremble, turning extremely unstable. The surrounding Nine Lands Metamagnetic Divine Light shattered one after another. Master Huaiyin looked on solemnly, sensing danger.
His recovery through secret arts had been difficult to begin with and could not be sustained for long. Having secured the Xinjin Source Crystal, he had already contemplated retreat; seeing that he had forced the Daoist nun back, he decisively pulled away.
The Daoist nun's shoulder had been struck by lightning, mangling her flesh and skin, the blood instantly vaporized by the power of thunder.
Her chest was stamped by the Death Seal, with the character "Death" clearly branded upon her body, her essence blood drawn by an inexplicable force toward the seal.
Yet none of these wounds proved fatal; most of their power seemed to have been neutralized by the mist.
As space and the divine restriction quaked, the Daoist nun's figure grew increasingly ethereal.
Seeing this scene, how could Qin Sang fail to realize that the Daoist nun was trying to escape!
Yet to his disappointment, Master Huaiyin chose to withdraw.
Qin Sang raised his palm slightly, and the Sun God Tree materialized again, turning slowly in his grasp as the three divine birds atop it spread their wings to take flight.
Unexpectedly, the Daoist nun was even faster. The mist surged like an ocean from an unknown space, tearing open cracks in the void wherever it passed.
Qin Sang and the others knew full well that these were not spatial rifts, but rather fissures in the divine restriction.
Beyond those fissures was likely the exit they had been searching for all along, yet none of the three wished to enter right now.
*Riiip!*
The cracks spread rapidly, soon enveloping Qin Sang and the others.
At this moment, Su Zinan finally caught sight of the Daoist nun's face, his eyes lighting up. "The Fire Rhinoceros Pendant!"
He finally understood why Qin Sang had struck so decisively against the Daoist nun—he had been drawn by this very treasure! Without an instant of hesitation, Su Zinan lunged straight for her.
While Qin Sang and Su Zinan pressed forward, Master Huaiyin did the exact opposite, retreating continuously with not the slightest lingering attachment.
Just then, a strange hissing wind came from the distance as an eerie gale swept in, faint black threads visible within.
The Poison King had finally arrived!
Master Huaiyin relaxed slightly and rushed toward the eerie gale, finding the Poison King following closely behind as expected.
"Master..."
Seeing the wound on Master Huaiyin's body, the Poison King was astonished.
Master Huaiyin let out a soft breath, his aura fluctuating as he sighed. "Forgive this poor monk for being unable to travel further with you, Daoist friend."
Chapter 1661