Ambush

“Fellow Daoists, now that we have arrived here, my task is complete. Beyond this point, either I lack the ability to scout it out or the perils are too great, so you will have to explore on your own.” Kong Xin took out three jade slips, left rough markings on their maps, and handed them over. Qin Sang swept his spiritual sense across his jade slip and discovered that the location of the Huanglong Grass was northeast of here. Heading straight there, if they encountered no danger along the way, they could arrive in just a few hours. Moreover, the place where the Huanglong Grass grew was not far from the second tier of Wuya Valley. The so-called three tiers within the valley did not actually feature any distinct change in terrain; rather, they were formed by divisions created by the ancient restrictions within the valley, an informal designation agreed upon over time. Between the first and second tiers, there were several well-known paths that could pass through the restrictions, all of which were marked on the map purchased from Tianfeng Tower. Yet before Wuya Valley’s third tier, not a single path was universally recognized as safe. “This is the other half of your payment. Many thanks for leading the way, Fellow Daoist.” Yunyouzi tossed a mustard seed bag to Kong Xin, then took to the air with Qin Sang in an escape light. Before departing, Qin Sang glanced back at Kong Xin and the other two. Throughout their journey, the stalker had never once shown himself, as though it were merely a coincidence. However, as long as the other party was not targeting them, they could not be bothered to meddle in others’ affairs; Yunyouzi’s business was what truly mattered. *** A dense forest with towering, lush trees. Such a sight was rare within Wuya Valley. Frequent upheavals plagued the valley, and these ancient trees must have possessed exceptional luck to survive until now without being destroyed. The woods were extraordinarily still, without the slightest sound, eerily quiet. Suddenly, an escape light landed in front of the forest, revealing a figure—it was Cultivator Bao, who had parted ways with Qin Sang and the others. Gripping a jade slip in hand, he looked around and examined the forest, then sent his spiritual sense into the slip to cross-reference with the map. A delighted look appeared on his face. “Not a single demon beast encountered along the way. Pure luck…” Cultivator Bao murmured to himself, stowed the jade slip, and abruptly summoned a flying sword. The flying sword flashed with light and pierced straight into the dense forest. Just as the flying sword was about to make contact with the trees, ripples suddenly spread through space. The scenery before Cultivator Bao’s eyes warped, and the ancient trees shattered like a reflection of the moon in water. This dense forest was completely an illusion caused by an ancient restriction. With vigilant eyes, Cultivator Bao drove his flying sword with all his might to break the illusion. The restriction never mounted a counterattack, allowing him to breathe a sigh of relief as he surveyed the scene beneath. Concealed beneath the illusion was a gorge resembling a narrow thread of sky—damp, dark, and exceedingly narrow. Inside, it appeared completely tranquil and devoid of danger, yet from the gorge’s far end, bizarre sounds continuously echoed forth. Amplified by the gorge, the sounds seemed even more eerie. Hearing them, Cultivator Bao showed a worried expression, but he did not stop what he was doing, driving his flying sword with full force to dismantle the illusion. Unexpectedly, the moment the illusion shattered, an abrupt change occurred! From deep within the gorge, a sharp streak of blue light shot out with astonishing swiftness. Enveloped within the blue light was a flying sword that looked exceedingly familiar. Cultivator Bao’s expression shifted slightly. His reaction was lightning-fast, his body twisting in an instant, but the ambush had chosen an exceedingly tricky moment. Even after dodging several times in a panic, the flying sword pierced clean through his chest. Yet, from the Cultivator Bao impaled by the flying sword, not a single drop of blood flowed. At the same time, several yards behind, Cultivator Bao appeared once more. Aside from his slightly disordered breath, he suffered no injuries whatsoever. The one pierced by the flying sword was merely an avatar. At this moment, a figure flew out from the gorge, retrieved the flying sword, and looked at Cultivator Bao with a dark expression, clearly not expecting that an ambush timed so meticulously had been easily neutralized by Cultivator Bao. “Kong Xin!” Recognizing the newcomer, Cultivator Bao was not surprised. He sneered, “I knew you were up to no good all along!” “Not so! Not so!” Kong Xin shook his head in denial. “I have always abided by the rules, which is how I earned such a good reputation in Wuya Valley. This time, I have no choice either—I must borrow a bit of Fellow Daoist’s blood essence…” Before his voice died away, a flush of red suddenly surged onto Kong Xin’s pale face, and clutching his chest, he coughed violently as if trying to hack up his heart, liver, and lungs. “So you’re just an invalid! And yet you dare attempt to murder me, Bao!” Cultivator Bao’s eyes lit up. With a cold laugh, he struck without hesitation. Kong Xin hastily manipulated his sword to defend, but hindered by his physical condition, his swordplay gradually grew disordered. Pressed hard by Cultivator Bao, Kong Xin held out for a moment before his aura became even more chaotic. Kong Xin suddenly yelled at the top of his lungs, “Still not going to make a move? How long do you plan to watch the show?” Cultivator Bao was startled. Behind him, a rasping cackle suddenly arose. “This old man thought Brother Kong was powerful enough to easily take this person down without my help…” Space warped, and a black-robed man stepped out of the void, blocking Cultivator Bao’s path of retreat. Kong Xin snapped coldly, “Cut the nonsense! End this quickly! If we miss our window, the other few will get away.” The black-robed man said in a dissatisfied tone, “Had you not taken it upon yourself to change the plan and led those people out of the subterranean cavern early, making this old man work for nothing, they would have long since died beneath our blades. Why bother with all this extra trouble?” “What do you know?” Kong Xin said furiously, “How could I have known there was such a sharp flying sword magic tool? I staked my entire net worth with Old Demon Ji to obtain this Blue Light Sword, and it could only leave a shallow sword mark on the rock, yet that fellow’s flying sword could effortlessly slice off an entire slab! Do you think I didn’t want to stall for time? Luring them into the subterranean cavern had already aroused suspicion. If I had dared make any funny moves, I would have been slain on the spot by them!” The black-robed man wondered aloud, “What? Old Demon Ji’s Blue Light Sword is among the very best in sharpness among top-grade magic tools. There’s something sharper than the Blue Light Sword? What rank is it? Could it be a magic treasure?” “Judging by how smoothly and freely he manipulated the flying sword, it wasn’t a magic treasure. Likely some exotic spiritual material was added…” *** The two conversed as if nobody else were present, clearly disregarding him entirely. Cultivator Bao’s expression grew increasingly grim. Listening to their conversation, he understood the gist of it. He had never expected Kong Xin’s ambitions to be so grandiose, actually attempting to wipe them all out in the subterranean cavern. Fortunately, Daoist Qingfeng’s flying sword was sharp enough; otherwise, had Kong Xin stalled them any longer, draining their strength further, the two really might have succeeded. Cultivator Bao knew that if he did not break free from these two soon, he would likely meet a grim fate. The black-robed man was an enigma, but the injury on Kong Xin was genuine. With this thought, Cultivator Bao suddenly flew up upon his sword, choosing to break through in Kong Xin’s direction! Facing Cultivator Bao’s desperate bid for survival, Kong Xin’s expression remained unchanged. Suddenly, a flash of bloody light gleamed between his brows as though a seal had been unlocked, and Kong Xin’s aura erupted completely. Middle Foundation Establishment stage!