A Wisp of Faint Fragrance

Mo Xingdao kept as quiet as a cicada in winter. The moment Azure Fox Saint King spoke, he was reminded of that past event at the treasure exchange convention. That day, he had attended in disguise, discerned the secret of the Yin-Yang Puppet Crystal, and planned to trade the Thousand-Knot Divine Net to Qin Sang for it. Wary of the Qiongying Sect's Grand Elder, they had agreed to conduct the transaction outside. Unexpectedly, Qin Sang was ambushed by demon kings. He had originally intended to step in and help, thereby currying favor and making it easier to persuade Qin Sang. But after witnessing Qin Sang in action, he realized Qin Sang was very likely the Fire Demon whom Su Zinan was searching for, and changed his mind. Although Su Zinan had won him over to his side, he had no intention of risking his life for him, much less forging a deadly feud with a formidable foe on Su Zinan's behalf. Thus, he had decided to keep his identity concealed. Only when an opportunity presented itself did Mo Xingdao finally make a move, and he deliberately employed an obscure Daoist art that nobody would recognize. The green-furred rat demon abandoned two subordinates and fled. Of the two crocodile demons, one was killed and the other wounded, and they captured one alive. In the end, they performed a soul search on the crocodile demon and retrieved some memory fragments. This demon held no small status among the Eastern Sea demon clan, yet there was not the slightest trace of anything related to the Saint King's disciple in its memories! Mo Xingdao quietly stole a glance at Azure Fox Saint King. Whether those two crocodile demons were truly disciples of the Saint King did not matter at all. With Azure Fox Saint King openly proclaiming it before all eyes, even a lie would become truth! If one dug deeper, Mo Xingdao had also been an accomplice. He was certainly not foolish enough to speak up on Qin Sang's behalf, and he would take that secret to his grave, never mentioning it to a soul. Of everyone present, only Saint Huiguang was capable of stopping Azure Fox Saint King. At this thought, Mo Xingdao looked toward Saint Huiguang, only to see that the Demon Sealing Stake surrounded by mind fire had at some point taken on a bloody hue. Saint Huiguang was actually using a secret art akin to blood refinement to repair the treasure, and he was likely unable to spare any attention for anything else. In the mountain. Hearing Azure Fox Saint King's shout, Qin Sang likewise knew there was no room to maneuver. Back then, he had personally performed the soul search on the crocodile demon and was well aware of the truth. The chances that the two crocodile demons were disciples of a Deity Transformation expert were minuscule, but so what? Even though he had been ambushed first and merely killed them in self-defense, he had no chance to speak up in his defense. Azure Fox Saint King had struck with utter ruthlessness, going straight for the kill, and had sealed off Dishou Mountain, deliberately obscuring the qi connection between him and his incarnation. Protesting was pointless anyway, just as the Ghost Mother had once said: "Whenever I want something, I simply take it." A Deity Transformation demon king certainly possessed both the power and confidence to do the same. *Whoosh!* The Saint King's pressure condensed into a tangible tempest, causing the golden clouds that were about to close up to show signs of freezing in place. Three Azure Fox Saint Kings stepped into the sword array together. They possessed the same peerless beauty, the same demonic allure, yet between their brows they displayed three entirely distinct charms, making it impossible to tell whether they were real or illusions. The incarnation dragged Qin Sang's true body in a rapid plunge. Having been trapped in the sword star by Su Zinan, the incarnation had little true essence remaining. Qin Sang's true body was in an even worse state, doing everything he could to sort through the chaotic origin qi in his body. He looked up in alarm, his gaze meeting that of Azure Fox Saint King's three illusory bodies. "Junior just presented a demon-subduing treasure and turned the tide! For Senior to burn bridges the moment the crossing is made—are you not afraid of the world's scorn?!" Qin Sang stirred his true essence, shouting sternly in unison with his incarnation. "Cease your resistance and recount the events of that day. Mindful of your contribution, this King shall execute only the chief culprit. I advise you to sever ties with that villain at once, lest you bring ruin upon yourself." Everyone assumed Azure Fox Saint King was addressing the incarnation, unaware that the incarnation and Qin Sang were one and the same. Calling a stag a horse—it was nothing more than this. Even as she spoke, Azure Fox Saint King showed no mercy. The eyes of the three illusory bodies were pure white, devoid of pupils. No killing intent could be felt from their gaze, only a chilling, heart-stopping indifference. No different from looking upon an ant. The next moment, the three illusory bodies darted forward and looked down upon Qin Sang. In unison, they swung their right hands—fair as snow, their skin like congealed lard—and raised slender jade fingers to point toward Qin Sang. Faint azure light gathered at their fingertips. Bathed in the azure glow, their already semi-transparent bodies took on an added clear radiance, as though carved from fine jade. *Swish!* The azure light shot forth like lightning. Qin Sang's pupils constricted. A sharp, stinging pain suddenly flared between his brows. Daring not delay, he pushed the origin qi he had barely gathered, madly pouring it into the Mani Pearl. *Whoosh!* Black fire erupted from Qin Sang's body, a faint golden light glimmering within, instantly enveloping his entire form in protection. The instant the astral fire shroud took shape, the azure lightning reached him. *Boom!* Three fiery waves surged across the astral fire shroud. Azure light and flames tangled together, exploding outward in a colossal tempest of aftershocks, drowning Qin Sang's figure amidst the chaotic phenomenon. Amidst the thunderous roar, the astral fire shroud shook violently under the terrifying impact. Yet to everyone's surprise, the shroud proved exceptionally resilient. Under the joint strike of Azure Fox Saint King's three illusory bodies, it did not shatter; the azure lightning was kept at bay outside. Only Qin Sang knew how immense a pressure he was enduring. Within the astral fire shroud, his body trembled as he strained to maintain it with all his might. The true essence he had just recovered was rapidly being consumed—the only upside being that it eased the burden on his meridians. Seeing that their assault failed to breach the defense, cold glints flashed in the eyes of the three illusory bodies. The three bolts of azure lightning converged abruptly, yet without causing a single ripple or sound. In the blink of an eye, the three bolts fused into one, condensing out of thin air into a droplet of jade-green liquid. Faint traces of azure lightning could be seen interweaving inside, evidence of their mutual fusion. Once the fusion was complete, seamlessly unified, it turned into an immaculate jade seal. The jade seal was petite, no larger than an infant's fist, with alternating flashes of azure and white light within. Dense azure-white spiritual light radiated from it, forming halos around the seal. The white light resembled drifting clouds and mist, holding countless illusory scenes, while the azure light constantly manifested into demonic foxes of various postures, frolicking and chasing one another through the mist—a wondrous spectacle of an immortal mountain. This was no ordinary spiritual light, but an external manifestation of the seal's power. It locked firmly onto Qin Sang, descending like a stamp with terrifying pressure! Qin Sang felt a suffocating tightness in his chest. His body grew rigid, his blood seemingly frozen, as though an immortal mountain weighed down upon him. His field of vision held nothing but the azure and white spiritual light. At the same time, Azure Fox Saint King's laughter reached Qin Sang's ears, crisp like a bell, stirring the heartstrings. "You certainly have quite a few treasures on you..." The voice descended along with the jade seal. The bodies of the three illusory figures gradually turned transparent. Evidently, this was an all-out strike by the three illusory bodies. *Boom!* The jade seal struck with thunderous might! A jade seal abruptly appeared on the surface of the astral fire shroud, embedding deeply within it. The azure and white spiritual light blotted out the sky, seemingly suppressing even the raging demonic fire on the shroud. The scene resembled a boulder hurled into a lake. With the jade seal at the center, layers of massive waves surged through the demonic fire. Creaking and groaning sounds echoed from the astral fire shroud. In an instant, the area bearing the direct brunt was reduced to a paper-thin layer of barrier. Ever since he fused the fire lotus into the Mani Pearl, its defensive capabilities were virtually unmatched in this world; ordinary great cultivators already found it exceedingly difficult to breach the astral fire shroud. Yet now he sensed the danger of the shroud shattering. Horror seized Qin Sang, and he hurriedly sank his mind into the Mani Pearl, reaching for the demonic fire origin. He mobilized as much of the demonic fire origin as he could control and channeled it into the astral fire shroud. Though he could not yet fully master this power, using the Mani Pearl to guide it and simply reinforce the astral fire shroud was still within his reach. Qin Sang could tell that unlike his external incarnation, Azure Fox Saint King's three illusory bodies were manifestations of divine abilities and Dharmic power, incapable of enduring for long. As long as he survived this strike, he would have a chance to escape. Qin Sang had considered using the Sun God Tree again, but there was no opportunity; Azure Fox Saint King would surely be on guard, making success unlikely. Once the demonic fire origin emerged, its effect was indeed extraordinary. Like dense ink bleeding outward from within the barrier, the precarious astral fire shroud suddenly steadied considerably, firmly resisting the jade seal. Accordingly, Qin Sang's true essence was depleting at a horrifying rate. *Rumble...* The summit of Dishou Mountain was tilting, on the verge of snapping midway. The mountain peak was nearly submerged in five-colored clouds. At this moment, the five colors were no longer distinct, intertwining in a bizarre yet magnificent spectacle as the Five Elements Divine Restrictions entered their final destruction. Yet even such a commotion failed to drown out the shockwaves from the collision between the jade seal and the astral fire shroud. The fissure in the clouds remained open for a long time, three graceful figures flickering inside. Judging by the fluctuations within the rift, they had actually failed to subdue that person on the spot. The onlookers were stunned. That man was clearly severely wounded, his robes drenched in blood and his true essence in disarray. A Deity Transformation expert had struck, besieging him with three powerful illusory bodies, yet that person still had the strength to resist? Cultivators who prided themselves on their broad knowledge and wide connections racked their brains, yet none could recall that person's origins. Counting through every top sect, there was no such figure. Just who on earth was he? It all happened in the blink of an eye. The three illusory bodies grew increasingly ethereal, almost drifting like shadows. At the same time, Qin Sang felt that familiar emptiness once more, though it was slightly better than before. His face was pale. Keeping his head raised, he glared fixedly at the three illusory bodies. A glint flashed in his eyes, and his mind aligned with the incarnation, just about to make a move. Suddenly, one of Azure Fox Saint King's three illusory bodies blinked. With that blink, her demeanor changed completely. The pure white eyes returned to normal, her beautiful gaze rippling like water, brimming with infinite charm. They were like two deep pools, drawing one in helplessly, unable to break free. Other than that, there was no change to the illusory body's features, yet because of this pair of bewitching eyes, she was instantly radiant, as if an entirely different person! The illusory body seemed capable of peering through the astral fire shroud to see his weakened state. The corners of her lips curved up, her smile blooming like a flower, breathtakingly gorgeous. Qin Sang heard that faint laughter once more. It was still crisp like a silver bell, but it no longer sounded distant; it was right beside his ear, inches away! Above. From the moment Azure Fox Saint King moved against Qin Sang, Old Devil Fan and the others had hesitated to speak. To varying degrees, they had heard about that demon disturbance at the Six Prefectures Hall. Each harbored their own thoughts, but none had any intention of standing up for Qin Sang. Instead, they worried that Azure Fox Saint King's external distraction might affect the battle here, allowing the ancient demon to exploit an opening and cause all their efforts to fall short. However, Azure Fox Saint King had merely dispatched three illusory bodies while her true body remained in place. Her judgment and reactions remained as precise as before. While Qin Sang was resisting the three illusory bodies, the battle up here did not halt for even a fraction of a second. Gathered around Azure Fox Saint King, they converged and dispersed, their battle formation scattered yet orderly. "Disperse!" Azure Fox Saint King's shout rang out. After fighting together, Old Devil Fan and the others understood the meaning of this command. The demonic body was about to unleash its might again, which could not be met head-on and required them to keep their distance. Without hesitation, they scattered in all directions. *Crash!* Demonic claws divided into thousands, blotting out the sky. Thuds and bangs rang out from Old Devil Fan and the rest. Though they had dodged in time, some claws were unavoidable, forcing them to display their abilities and summon various defensive treasures to withstand the onslaught. Before the demonic claws had even dispersed, another command came: "Converge!" This was the signal for a joint counterattack. Although battered, they were not entirely without opportunities to strike back. Taking advantage of the moment when the demonic body's spent force was exhausted and new power had yet to arise, an aggressive attack might, with a bit of luck, disrupt its footing and buy them a few precious breaths of time. However, such opportunities were few and far between. Azure Fox Saint King's orders were beyond question. With no time to overthink, everyone activated their respective magic treasures, and the formation shifted accordingly into a unified assault. Instantly, beams of spiritual light shot forth from everyone, fusing into a single streamer at the center of the suspended lake and plunging straight toward the demonic body within! At the same time, the bright moon suddenly blazed with unprecedented intensity. Moonlight poured down like a cascading waterfall, instantly merging with the streamer. The unprecedented magnitude of its momentum caused even Old Devil Fan and the others to be slightly taken aback. No one noticed that at this very moment, an imperceptible trace of stiffness appeared in Azure Fox Saint King's true body. In the mountain. The illusory body whose demeanor had undergone a dramatic transformation took a step downward. The laughter Qin Sang heard grew louder, seemingly piercing his eardrums, invading his purple palace, and echoing right beside the ears of his Nascent Soul. A wisp of faint fragrance seemed to brush his nostrils. "It seems to be some sort of hallucinatory art..." These words instantly surfaced in Qin Sang's mind. This was the Celestial Fox Charm Art. Ordinary people caught by it would immediately have lust ignite their hearts, illusions multiplying in their minds as they were ensnared by the charm. Those of weaker will would sink into a boundless sea of desire on the spot, reduced to walking corpses. Even those with an exceptionally firm mindset could not avoid being affected, their thoughts wavering. When wielded by Azure Fox Saint King of the Deity Transformation stage, those in this world capable of resisting it could be counted on one hand! Unfortunately, the ancient demon's mind was deranged, rendering charm arts completely useless against it. Evidently, the three illusory bodies had merely been a probing attack to force Qin Sang to unleash that powerful spiritual fire, after which she would exploit the opening. Even if she failed to draw out the spiritual fire, she could wear Qin Sang down and worsen his plight. Even a lion uses all its might when hunting a hare, not to mention against one of the world's foremost great cultivators. Even with her true body pinned down by the ancient demon, Azure Fox Saint King had calculated to such an extent! Now that Qin Sang had lapsed into weakness, descending into an illusory body—even for a single instant—was more than enough. The true killing blow had arrived! However, Azure Fox Saint King could never have imagined that there was someone in this world completely immune to her charm art. As the thought flashed through his mind, Qin Sang's body suddenly stiffened, his eyes glazed over, and the momentum of the astral fire shroud plummeted, as though it were on the verge of dispersing. The smile on Azure Fox Saint King's lips deepened. Extending a jade hand, spiritual light erupted from it and formed an illusory fox claw that tore through the void toward Qin Sang. Wherever the fox claw passed, the void trembled with a might surpassing even that of the jade seal. Success was at hand. Yet Azure Fox Saint King's smile abruptly faded, her brow furrowing slightly as an inexplicable unease took hold. The next moment, clarity suddenly returned to Qin Sang's eyes, replaced by a ruthless glare. Origin qi roared within him. Where only minor meridians had ruptured before, now even his primary channels were tearing apart. He had long since obtained another Boiling Snow Pill from his incarnation and held it under his tongue just in case; without hesitation, he swallowed it. The impact of a single Boiling Snow Pill was already more than enough to overwhelm the consumer. Taking two in succession caused Qin Sang's entire body to convulse, his flesh tearing apart. Dazzling crimson fire rose like the morning sun, illuminating the mountain ranges of the ancient immortal cave estate. This time, all the cultivators would be able to witness with their own eyes the spectacle of all six birds taking flight together.