The Lair

The lineage and bloodlines of demon beasts were exceedingly complex. Not every kind of demon beast could take human form during the Transformation stage. Yet at the same realm, a demon beast unable to assume human form was by no means weaker than one that could. He did not know whether the thunder-devouring falcon was capable of taking human form, but when facing two Nascent Soul cultivators at once, it was only natural for it to be forced into its true form to fight, even if it could transform. Fighting one against two without yielding an inch of ground, the thunder-devouring falcon was the strongest demon beast Qin Sang had ever seen in his life. This great battle was also his first time witnessing combat between Nascent Soul stage powerhouses with his own eyes. Compared to this, the earlier spectacle of the two black-robed men breaking the restriction paled completely in comparison. Treacherous waves churned within the cyan-white sea of wind. The winds and clouds shifted in turmoil; the heavens raged. Three silhouettes flickered in and out of view amidst the sea of wind. Qin Sang could not clearly see how they exchanged blows; he could only catch a glimpse of the profound clash whenever the baleful wind surged and parted to reveal their forms. The black-robed man wielded the black tortoise shell as a shield, conjuring the phantom of a colossal black tortoise. Only slightly smaller than the thunder-devouring falcon, it let out a desolate roar as it sprawled across the horizon, raising its head high to glare furiously at the falcon. With an effortless slash from the Wuji Sect Master, an arc of sword qi a thousand zhang long shot forth, easily cleaving through the sea of wind and leaving a rift that took a long time to close. Even as shock gripped him, Qin Sang watched in rapt fascination, utterly entranced. Against the two Nascent Soul cultivators, the thunder-devouring falcon was not the least bit outmatched; in fact, it even seemed to hold the upper hand. Its shrieks were piercing, laden with warning and fury. With a single breath, it spewed a pillar of lightning, and every flap of its wings summoned a tempest of thunderbolts into the world. The wildly thrashing thunder radiated an aura of destruction. Reaching him from far away, it still left Qin Sang's heart pounding with dread. Every move of a Nascent Soul powerhouse tapped into the natural order of heaven and earth, packing power far beyond imagination. Even with the battlefield set far off in the horizon, the aftershocks were enough to make the ice plains tremble. Each previous tremor in the ice cavern had been caused by the collisions of their battle. Qin Sang had no doubt that had the battlefield been anywhere near the ice cavern, this place would have been torn to pieces long ago. Gradually, Qin Sang noticed something unusual. The true objective of the Wuji Sect Master and the mysterious black-robed man did not seem to be slaying the thunder-devouring falcon. They coordinated closely with a clear division of labor, as if pursuing another goal entirely. They were constantly trying to break through the falcon's blockade—one would pin it down while the other attempted to slip past it, only to be forced back each time by the beast, helpless to advance. With such formidable strength, the thunder-devouring falcon's intelligence was indeed extraordinarily high. Having seen through their intentions, it did not take the initiative to pursue them. Whenever it drove them back, it pulled back at once, holding its ground firmly and offering them no opening to exploit. By this point, Qin Sang could also discern the general dynamic. The thunder-devouring falcon was not necessarily stronger than the two working in tandem, but it was enraged and willing to risk its life. In contrast, the Wuji Sect Master and his companion valued their own lives dearly, unwilling to suffer mutual destruction or even serious injury. Because of this, the pair acted timidly and held back, making it appear as though the thunder-devouring falcon held a dominant advantage. Just what were the Wuji Sect Master and his companion looking for? Qin Sang recalled the scene he had witnessed earlier: after the two joined hands to break the ancient restriction, one went down to search, apparently found nothing of interest, and then took his leave. What kind of treasure could compel two Nascent Soul cultivators to join forces, venture into Wuya Valley to search, and willingly battle a thunder-devouring falcon—an immortal herb, or an ancient treasure? Qin Sang withdrew his gaze, stepped out from behind the cold ice, and stood at the rim of the ice cavern to survey his surroundings. Due to the Mystic Frost Baleful Wind, the spiritual aura in this area was extraordinarily chaotic. As long as Qin Sang took care to conceal his presence, even Nascent Soul cultivators would find it very difficult to detect him. The ice cavern he occupied seemed to be situated on an icy mountain. Across the entire mountain were countless similar caverns, like a colossal honeycomb; who knew how such peculiar terrain had formed? Wind and snow poured into them, letting out mournful howls. At the foot of the mountain lay a bottomless abyss of vast proportions. The sea of wind in the sky hung very low, forming an immense funnel that connected to the deep pit. At the pit's center rose a conspicuous column of white wind, condensing the Mystic Frost Baleful Wind like a flood dragon surging out of water. It resembled baleful wind descending from the heavens. After closer observation, Qin Sang realized the deep pit was actually the source of the Mystic Frost Baleful Wind. Endless baleful wind continuously surged up from the pit and converged high in the sky. Accumulated over tens of thousands of years, as far as the eye could see, the boundless Mystic Frost Baleful Wind stretched endlessly, an unbroken expanse of cyan and white. Could the thunder-devouring falcon's lair be inside that pit? *No wonder,* Qin Sang mused inwardly. The place where the Nightbloom Lily grew was so close to the falcon's lair. Without a spirit array sealing it off, once the lily matured, even the most chaotic spiritual aura would have struggled to mask the alluring fragrance of a heavenly treasure. The flower would have ended up in the falcon's belly long ago. No wonder the senior who had discovered the Nightbloom Lily had been so cautious, going through great trouble to route through a teleportation formation, with every restriction designed primarily for concealment. In particular, the spirit array protecting the Nightbloom Lily was extraordinarily subtle, locking down the flower's scent completely so not a trace leaked out. Beyond that, the senior had not dared leave any unnecessary traces, lest excessive effort backfire and draw the falcon's notice. The goal of the Wuji Sect Master and his companion also appeared to be that deep pit. Qin Sang's gaze flicked back and forth between the abyss and the sky. His fists clenched, his eyes shifting uncertainly as hesitation and turmoil warred within his heart. On the battlefield above, the two men and the beast remained deadlocked in a stalemate. Although Qin Sang could not fathom the true depth of a Nascent Soul cultivator's strength, he could tell from outward appearances that a victor would not be decided anytime soon. Yet that did not mean he had an opportunity to do anything. The pit was the source of the Mystic Frost Baleful Wind, making its depths perilous beyond measure. Though the Mystic Frost Baleful Wind seemed condensed into a single column occupying only the central region of the pit, the entire chasm was inevitably affected by it, brimming with freezing winds far more terrifying than those here. Although Qin Sang did not fear the cold invading his origin soul, his physical body was exceedingly fragile. Being so close to the Mystic Frost Baleful Wind, it remained unknown whether the crimson pellet would even be effective. Far more frightening were the three Nascent Soul-level combatants in the sky. The situation could change at any moment. Whether the Wuji Sect Master and his partner found an opening to break through the thunder-devouring falcon's line and enter the pit, or recognized the futility of their efforts and withdrew—allowing the falcon to return to its lair—either outcome would leave Qin Sang trapped in a desperate plight. Qin Sang hesitated, but it was not a truly difficult choice. The two Nascent Soul cultivators did not seem strongly committed to the fight and might pull back at any time. It was precisely their noncommittal stance that reined in any impulse Qin Sang had. This so-called opportunity carried the risk of death at any moment, and Qin Sang did not even have a five percent chance of success. Moreover, the reward was entirely unknown. Qin Sang quickly made up his mind: staying put obediently in the ice cavern and watching the battle between Nascent Soul powerhouses to broaden his horizons was already harvest enough. Unexpectedly, just as Qin Sang resolved to stay where he was, the situation shifted once again.