Thoroughfare

Hiding in the underground palace earlier had bought him some breathing room. Yet the respite was short-lived. Before long, Qin Sang was forced to relocate again, having shifted across an untold number of sword peaks during this stretch of time. By now, Qin Sang had realized the demons had altered their strategy. The sword array he relied on to maneuver was called the Xuanji Sword Array—a rare, superior sword formation of the illusion-sword path within the Metal Phase Palace. Had it been one of the sword arrays known for unyielding ferocity, he would never have managed to conceal himself for so long. The Metal Phase Palace used the earth-Qi grand array of the Earth Phase lineage as its spine, incorporating numerous superior sword formations—including the Xuanji Sword Array—to form a peak-protecting sword array imbued with the divine charm of sword cultivators. Yet even though the Metal Phase Palace had blended these sword arrays together seamlessly, subtle discrepancies in Qi and phenomena could still be discerned where they met. The demon kings had surely realized this as well. They laid down a demonic array in midair, stationing guards at all crucial nodes and surrounding the Xuanji Sword Array. Their aim was to seal Qin Sang dead within this sector, then break the array and scour it inch by inch. The demons pressed their offensive relentlessly, leaving fewer and fewer places to hide. Qin Sang knew full well that danger was closing in fast, but he had no leisure to worry about it. He raced against the clock to heal his true body. With matters having come to this, Qin Sang was already prepared to sever a limb to save his life. To escape danger today without paying a steep price was simply impossible. The only reason he had held back from sending his avatar away was the lingering hope that his true body could still be salvaged. Then, a familiar vibration traveled inward by an exceptionally subtle means, touching the defensive restrictions around his hiding place and registering in his perception. One could well imagine the pleasant shock in Qin Sang's heart. Ice Soul Divine Light! Liuli was here too! This was truly something Qin Sang had never anticipated. Ever since parting in the Western Desert, there had been no word of Liuli for years. He had assumed she had severed her ties to the mortal world, retreating into some Buddhist order in the Western Desert to contemplate the Dharma and cultivate in secluded obscurity. To think she was actually in Nanzhou, and had likewise been drawn into the Wuxiang Immortal Sect. Qin Sang immediately realized that Liuli had always treated saving her master as her personal duty. The moment she learned of the connection between the Wuxiang Immortal Sect and the Immortal Palace, she would definitely rush over without delay. It was only because they had been apart for so long that Qin Sang had never thought along those lines. Qin Sang could not sense Liuli herself, nor did he know her current cultivation. Evidently, some distance still separated them, and she was exploiting the concealing properties of the Ice Soul Divine Light to transmit a message through her divine ability. The joy of reuniting with an old friend did not cloud Qin Sang's judgment. That Liuli was willing to lend a hand was certainly a good thing, but the enemy was simply too powerful. If she acted rashly and was dragged into peril as a result, that was the last thing Qin Sang wished to see. With these thoughts running through his mind, Qin Sang did not hesitate. He promptly opened the restriction of the hidden hall, and a streak of divine light drifted inside. The next instant, the divine light coalesced into a map before Qin Sang. Fixing his gaze on it, Qin Sang recognized at a glance that it depicted the ruins of the Wuxiang Immortal Sect—or rather, a small portion of it, roughly covering the area stretching northeast from the Metal Phase Palace. It was a topographical map, though extremely rudimentary, devoid of detailed annotations of buildings or terrain. On the map, a white line connected the Metal Phase Palace to another point. At the far end of the white line, the divine light manifested the phantom image of a quiet mountain hermitage, and inside it was a hidden teleportation formation! It was clearly showing him a path of escape, one that had even factored in all the hazards along the way. All he needed to do was fly according to this route. What delighted Qin Sang to no end was that the distance from the Metal Phase Palace to this teleportation formation was far shorter than leaving through the main gate. And that happened to be the greatest dilemma Qin Sang faced. He might be able to force back a demon king momentarily and open some distance with his extraordinary movement arts, but truly shaking off his pursuers was nearly impossible. His original plan had been to use the ancient restrictions scattered throughout the Wuxiang Immortal Sect and use his avatar as bait, buying his true body a chance to escape. With Liuli guiding the way, as long as he could reach the hermitage smoothly, he would be safe! *The Wuxiang Immortal Sect really does have other passages.* Qin Sang had entertained similar thoughts before, but was hampered by knowing too little about the sect. He had never expected Liuli to provide such crucial help. Truly, Heaven never seals off every path! *"Do you still have strength left?"* The phantom image dispersed in a flash, leaving behind this single query. Pulling the wool over the eyes of the watching demons to send the Ice Soul Divine Light inside had been no easy feat. The wisp of divine consciousness sustaining the light had reached its limit, allowing them only a brief exchange before the connection snapped. Once the Ice Soul Divine Light faded, Qin Sang's tightly strung nerves relaxed considerably. Liuli had planned ahead and had not acted recklessly; what he had feared most had not come to pass. At this point, how could Qin Sang fail to realize that when Liuli recognized him at the Myriad Demons Assembly years ago, it was certainly not through sword intent as she had claimed, but inextricably tied to that wicked art. With communication established between inside and outside and a plan set in place, his subsequent actions had a clear direction. Qin Sang stopped trying to heal. Instead, he employed every possible means to forcibly stabilize his true body's injuries, striving to regain control over his true essence so he could cast spells and steer artifacts—even if doing so would leave worse aftereffects and make recovery far more troublesome down the road. *** Outside the Xuanji Sword Array. Liuli withdrew her art. Sensing the old nun looking at her, she said, "Let us head to Yuyang Peak first. Junior Sister and the others have already entered the secret tunnel within that mountain. Abbess, you need only provide support before the tunnel." The old nun did not move. She had been quietly watching Liuli's actions, and seeing that Liuli seemed determined to save him, she could not help cautioning, "A spiritual fire capable of slaying a Deity Transformation avatar must demand an immense expenditure. How much true essence does he have left? If he is overpowered and captured, the demon kings will surely turn to hunt you down. I fear you will not have time to withdraw and will be dragged down with him." Liuli replied calmly, "Fret not, Abbess. His movement techniques are exceptional." A trace of hesitation surfaced on the old nun's face upon hearing this. She had chosen to stay partly out of fellow sect sentiment, and partly because Qin Sang's destruction of the three Deity Transformation illusory bodies had left a deep impression on her. If such a person could escape with his life, his future would be limitless. Forging a karmic bond with a figure like that was certainly not a bad thing. Yet this meant crossing the demon Deity Transformation expert, so the old nun inevitably harbored misgivings, and what she could do was limited. Since their acquaintance, Liuli had never spoken falsely. At a juncture of life and death like this, she would never boast without reason. Just moments ago, they had witnessed with their own eyes the flock of demons revealing their true forms and tearing across the sky like thunder. For Liuli to dare say this meant the man's movement techniques certainly surpassed those demon kings. In that case, there was indeed a glimmer of hope! Liuli skirted around to the side of the Xuanji Sword Array closest to the core of the Metal Phase Palace, selected a sword peak at the array's perimeter, concealed her presence, and slipped quietly into the mountain. Above the sword peak, clear ripples stirred. A fish demon in its revealed demonic form hovered in midair, keeping watch over the surrounding peaks. Liuli did not dare slip directly into the Xuanji Sword Array; its Qi was already locked down by the demonic array and demon eyes, and barging in with her true body would definitely expose her. She stopped at the array's edge and slipped into a rather elegant courtyard. Because this peak had been visited by the nuns of Moon-Veiling Nunnery before, Liuli had chosen it directly when making her plan. Unexpectedly, when passing Yuyang Peak, the old nun had not stayed behind, but had accompanied Liuli all the way here. She swept her gaze across the peak. Its original owner had linked several courtyards in the mountain to lay down an array. It might not be exceptionally profound, but it had the advantage of simplicity, allowing them to grasp it quickly, and its power was passable. "I shall manipulate this array from below, so Junior Sister will not be distracted," the old nun unexpectedly chose to remain. Naturally, hiding in the dark meant she would not be taking the brunt of the danger. Should any mishap occur, the demons would target Liuli first. Even if she could not rescue Liuli, she would still be able to slip away amid the chaos. Liuli knew that going this far already carried great risk for the old nun, so she expressed her thanks. The old nun gave her whisk a flick, leaving behind a word: "Take care in all things." Watching the old nun depart, Liuli lingered where she stood for a brief moment before vanishing. *** The Suspended Lake in the heavens. The Metal Phase Palace on the ground. These two battlegrounds had become the focus of attention. The continuous tremors of the Suspended Lake filled onlookers with dread. The dense layers of demonic silhouettes above the Metal Phase Palace were equally captivating, leaving everyone curious whether that fierce warrior still had strength left, and whether he could bring them further astonishment. For such a figure to emerge among the human race only to be hunted down by demons on human soil filled some with sorrow and a shared sense of foreboding. Yet when even Saint Huiguang had uttered not a word, who else would dare intervene? *Swish!* *Swish!* Surges of azure light rose from the Xuanji Sword Array like mist. The appearance of such an anomaly indicated that the formation's cohesion had weakened considerably. The demon eyes in the sky rolled incessantly. Within the array, Qin Sang's room for maneuver was shrinking rapidly. All the sword peaks encompassed by the Xuanji Sword Array trembled violently, as if on the verge of snapping. Just as the sword array's alignment grew increasingly chaotic, an abnormal ripple suddenly appeared atop a sword peak at the array's edge. Something seemed to be battering against the demonic array, and it did not look like the fluctuations caused by the Xuanji Sword Array. Bai Xiao did not move. The demonic array did not falter. The Four-Winged Blood Serpent coiled beside him glared over abruptly, its scarlet eyes flashing with an eerie glow as it turned into a beam of blood-light and lunged toward that sword peak. At the same time, the fish demon guarding the peak whipped its tail down viciously. The surrounding blue light abruptly condensed into a waterfall that crashed down upon a courtyard within the mountain with the weight of myriad jin. This blow did not rely solely on its own strength; it drew upon the demonic array. Even if the other demon kings remained still, they could lend it their might. In an instant, countless pavilions and halls collapsed, debris flew, and the courtyard was smashed into a deep crater on the spot. Then, the fish demon and the Four-Winged Blood Serpent dove down from the left and right. Unexpectedly, white mist suddenly surged from the ruins—an icy fog that seemed composed of countless tiny ice crystals, biting and frigid. The scene was indistinguishable from when the avatar had struck earlier. The one acting was none other than Liuli, deliberately imitating the avatar. Though the divine abilities they had mastered were different, these demons knew nothing of the *Ice Soul Divine Light*, and in the heat of the moment, telling the difference was nearly impossible. The icy mist billowed out at startling speed. Knowing they were dealing with a cornered beast, the fish demon and the Four-Winged Blood Serpent had already been on their guard. Feeling the frigid frost, their expressions changed drastically, and their escape lights curved in an arc as they hurriedly veered away. *Whoosh!* White silhouettes flickered in succession, darting straight for the sword peak. The moment the divine light appeared, Bai Xiao moved instantly! Yet the demonic array remained in place, unaffected by the disturbance. They knew that both Qin Sang's true body and avatar were trapped within. Using the avatar as bait to lure the tiger away from the mountain was hardly difficult to foresee. The more critical the moment, the more vital it was not to throw their own lines into disarray and hand their opponent an opening. Of course, capturing the avatar and severing one of Qin Sang's arms was something Bai Xiao would be more than glad to achieve. *Flash!* The demon eye in the sky shot down an arrow-like pillar of light. Struck by the impact, the icy mist churned at once. Vaguely making out a phantom within the mist, Bai Xiao remained vigilant toward other directions while extending an arm. The nails on his long, slender fingers grew wildly, resembling five thin swords of extreme sharpness. Right then, an inexplicable sense of danger flared within Bai Xiao. The next instant, a bone-chilling cold seized him, and the surrounding void froze over at a speed visible to the naked eye. *This* was the true Ice Soul Divine Light! In an instant, a piercing shriek split the heavens. Bai Xiao was a Great Sage of the demon race after all, and he had been on his guard. His counterattack was swift and ferocious. The pillar of light shot by the demon eye was immediately transferred onto himself, bone-white vapor dancing wildly around him to curb the spread of the frost as his figure surged upward with all his might. Yet another twist arose. A wild gale suddenly swept through the ruined courtyard, activating the spiritual array. In an instant, a gray cyclone formed, whipping up rings of gray wind whose immense suction engulfed the surrounding space. Even in this critical moment, Bai Xiao did not call for help. Just as the demons were shaken by this development, a figure suddenly flashed in the northeast, charging straight at the demonic array. "Over here—*caw!*" The one stationed at this peak was none other than the bone bird. Catching sight of the figure, the bone bird issued a screeching warning and beat its wings to dive down. The two demon kings to its left and right also converged immediately to intercept. Yet just as they moved to block the path, a cluster of crimson fire rushed straight toward them. It looked agonizingly familiar, and the bird's cry distorted on the spot. The Nanming Primordial Fire appeared once more! This time, however, only three birds emerged, and it was the avatar who had unleashed them. Yet in the eyes of the bone bird, this was the terrifying flame that had slaughtered the Saint King's three illusory bodies, grinding them to dross without giving them any chance to resist, and blowing right through the Five Elements Divine Restriction. What were mere demon kings like them in comparison? How could the bone bird have the presence of mind to gauge whether the flame was weaker this time? Besides, the might of three divine birds was still utterly dreadful. *This bastard still has strength to spare!* Only this single thought remained in the bone bird's mind, filling it with abject terror. Like a drowning creature, it flapped its two skeletal wings frantically, shaking loose more than half of the sparse yellow feathers clinging to its bones. The other two demon kings paid no heed whatsoever to the bone bird, fleeing without a backward glance. The demonic array fell into utter chaos. The strength of the other demon kings gathered into a gray tide, surging together only to abruptly scatter, before all of it was drawn away by the bone bird to fend off the Nanming Primordial Fire. *Boom!* Crimson flames exploded across the horizon once more, shaking everyone to their core. Though this blast was somewhat smaller in scale than the previous two and was tinged with streaks of gray aura, it was more than enough. A streak of escape light fast as lightning burst out of the Metal Phase Palace amid the turmoil, swifter than thunder. Under countless stunned gazes, it shot northeast, rocketing toward the edge of the sky in the blink of an eye. Qin Sang did not know whether the bone bird lived or died, nor did he care. His true body channeled true essence heedless of the cost, unleashing Thunder Escape and Sword Escape in unison, leaving those demon kings eating dust behind him. "Bastard!" Bai Xiao was consumed with fury. Tearing free from the Ice Soul Divine Light and the wind rings, he tore after them in hot pursuit. Across the distant sky, only a few streaks of escape light could be seen tearing through the air like wind and lightning. What puzzled the onlookers was that the fleeing man was not escaping outward, but flying deeper into the ancient ruins. Relying on his peerless movement arts, Qin Sang indeed left his pursuers behind, but this was still not enough to secure his survival. Before reaching the hermitage, Qin Sang's injuries flared once more. This time, no matter what, he could not suppress them. The avatar had to catch the true body and continue fleeing in his stead. This stretch of distance felt agonizingly long in Qin Sang's eyes. Finally, the mountain peak and the hermitage appeared before them. *Whoosh!* Carrying the true body, the avatar descended from the sky, plunging straight into the hermitage. Bai Xiao arrived right behind them. Just as he was about to charge inside, vast billows of bone-chilling white frost surged outward. By the time he suppressed the Ice Soul Divine Light and blasted the hermitage into fragments, all that remained was a teleportation formation that had been destroyed from the far end. Not a single trace of anyone was left.