Even though the sect master of the Yuanshen Sect had not arrived, these three were not to be underestimated. The handsome youth was at least at the False Core stage, while the elder and the plain-robed youth were undeniably Core Formation masters.
Qin Sang's eyes flickered with uncertainty. He could not tell whether Granny Jing had dragged him into this on purpose or if it was merely a coincidence that they had just arrived right as the three from the Yuanshen Sect entered.
Qin Sang would rather believe Granny Jing had not done it intentionally.
Having failed to leave in time and coming face-to-face with the three from the Yuanshen Sect, he clearly had no chance of remaining uninvolved.
Not to mention that Old Man Star-Grasper had long harbored murderous intent toward him, if even one of these three managed to escape alive, he would never be able to clear his name.
He would become enemies with a Nascent Soul expert and the Yuanshen Sect, one of the Eight Righteous Sects.
He might even be branded a traitor by the entire Lesser Cold Domain for allegedly conspiring with Granny Jing to infiltrate Heaven-Pointing Peak.
None of these consequences were something Qin Sang could bear.
It seemed there was only one choice left...
"Who are you to dare speak so insolently of the sect master!"
Old Man Star-Grasper barked coldly, his expression grim and chilling as he stared fixedly at Granny Jing.
The two young men beside him were equally furious, poising themselves to lunge forward, only to be stopped by a wave of Old Man Star-Grasper's hand.
Granny Jing's tone and demeanor were unmistakable signs of ill intent, giving Old Man Star-Grasper an ominous premonition and putting him on high alert.
Hearing this, Qin Sang felt a secret surge of doubt. Granny Jing was truly mysterious—even Old Man Star-Grasper did not recognize her. Could she really be an expert of the Nascent Soul level?
He wondered what grudge Granny Jing held against Leng Yuntian that drove her to brave such danger and painstakingly infiltrate Heaven-Pointing Peak just to stage an ambush.
Granny Jing lightly knit her delicate brows, ignoring Old Man Star-Grasper's interrogation and looking past the handsome youth. Her gaze settled upon the elder and the plain-robed youth as she said indifferently, "Old Man Star-Grasper, Yu Shanting—two elders of the Yuanshen Sect, Leng Yuntian's right and left hands. Since you are so utterly loyal to Leng Yuntian, surely you will have no complaints about paying off a debt of sin on his behalf..."
"Insolent!"
"Courting death!"
The three from the Yuanshen Sect roared in anger.
Old Man Star-Grasper's white hair whipped wildly as his silver robe billowed, conjuring a tempest. Amidst flying sand and rolling stones, he soared into the air, his form transforming into a miniature starry sky where constellations shone brilliantly.
This silver robe was clearly a magic treasure. Qin Sang watched from the edge of the plaza, unable to discern its rank.
Because Old Man Star-Grasper's cultivation was suppressed to the level of the False Core stage, it was impossible for him to unleash the full power of a magic treasure.
Even so, the silver robe was nothing to scoff at. The starry sky enveloped the entire plaza from above without leaving the slightest gap, yet it did not touch the restrictions outside the plaza.
Old Man Star-Grasper was a renowned Core Formation expert, a grand cultivator of the late Core Formation stage whose combat experience was bound to be extraordinarily vast. With a single glance, he had realized the restrictions outside were not to be provoked.
As the starry sky manifested, Old Man Star-Grasper pointed one finger toward the heavens, stirring the stars.
In an instant, thousands of starlights flared in unison, converging into a dazzling pillar of light. Bearing boundless murderous aura, it plummeted from the sky, threatening to descend upon Granny Jing in the blink of an eye.
A single drop reflected the whole ocean.
This was not the first time Qin Sang had observed a Core Formation battle, but few could handle their power with such effortless ease as Old Man Star-Grasper. His true strength was bound to be utterly terrifying.
On the other side, the plain-robed youth named Yu Shanting had a face dark as water. A large brass bell hovered above his head, enveloped in swirling purple qi. Its exterior gleamed with yellow light, reflecting brilliantly against the starlight.
*Clang!*
Purple qi roiled within the bell, followed by a deafening, colossal roar. The tolling of this bell carried the power to rattle the soul, causing Qin Sang's heart to jolt violently, leaving him thoroughly uncomfortable.
*Whoosh!*
The bell's chime unleashed visible soundwaves that merged with a gush of surging purple qi, forming a thousand-layered tidal wave that matched the power of Old Man Star-Grasper's pillar of light step for step.
Although their cultivation was suppressed to the False Core stage, they were not restricted from using magic treasures. Even if the treasures' power was drastically reduced, they were still far superior to ordinary magic tools.
Compared to them, the sword qi thrust out by the handsome youth appeared rather negligible, its edge completely eclipsed by the two magic treasures.
Faced with this three-pronged onslaught, Granny Jing's eyes remained as calm as ever. She extended a jade-like finger and lightly tapped upward, sending a painted scroll flying out from her fingertip.
The scroll spun rapidly, growing larger until it reached three feet in length, slowly unrolling in midair.
A Picture of Rivers, Mountains, and the Hidden Moon appeared before everyone's eyes.
The scroll depicted ten thousand li of rivers and mountains. The brushwork could only be described as the pinnacle of the world, capturing their spirit to perfection. A sea of clouds drifted above the landscapes, and within that endless expanse of clouds rested a solitary full moon.
Yet it was not like a bright moon in the night sky, gleaming like a silver plate; rather, it was an exceedingly subtle, hidden moon, sketched with mere faint lines, virtually impossible to make out clearly.
The sun had yet to set, and the lunar moon had just risen.
Seemingly inconspicuous, this hidden moon blazed with brilliant radiance the moment the scroll unrolled to its limit, transforming into a true luminous moon. Tearing free from the painting, it rose gracefully.
The bright moon blocked the brass bell's impact and held off the descending starlight, soaring straight upward until it finally embedded itself into the starry night sky conjured by the silver robe.
In this instant, the luminous moon took center stage, casting the myriad stars into pale insignificance.
"Who in the world are you?!"
Old Man Star-Grasper's eyes filled with shock, and he could not help but demand an answer once more.
Granny Jing paid him no heed, retrieving a wooden carving with her left hand.
*Screech!*
With a crisp cry, a qingluan took flight from Granny Jing's palm. Flapping its feathered wings, it lunged straight toward the sword qi unleashed by the handsome youth. Opening its beak, it spat out a stream of azure qi, which crashed head-on into the sword qi, mutually canceling and obliterating one another.
Gathering momentum, the qingluan moved faster and faster, shooting forward like an arrow released from a bowstring straight toward the handsome youth.
Noticing the qingluan's extraordinary nature, Yu Shanting flashed forward to shield the handsome youth. The brass bell shuddered once more with a lingering toll, and a ferocious beast bounded out from the purple qi, resembling a qilin and exuding sheer malevolence.
*Roar!*
The beast roared in fury.
Amidst the purple soundwaves, the beast flickered in and out of view, practically blending into one with the brass bell's sonic ripples. Together, they formed a tidal wave a third more powerful than the previous one, lunging right before the qingluan in a flash.
The qingluan held its noble head high, its lively eyes flashing with disdain. With a flap of its wings, it vanished on the spot, leaving behind only specks of azure light.
The next instant, the qingluan miraculously reappeared atop the beast's head, hooking its talons downward and tearing straight through the creature's skull.
With a whimper, the beast died instantly, its arrogant roar abruptly cut short. Its body convulsed before dispersing in an instant alongside the sky-filling soundwaves.
Yet the qingluan was relentless. Moving like lightning, it shifted its target and swooped straight toward Yu Shanting.
Yu Shanting's expression darkened. Swiftly forming a complex hand seal, he caused the brass bell to whirl rapidly, releasing three streams of purple qi at once.
Instead of taking the shape of a beast, they condensed directly into a purple blade brimming with murderous intent, turning into a ray of purple light that slashed toward the back of the qingluan's neck.
At the same time, Yu Shanting shot a gloomy glare at Granny Jing and shouted to the handsome youth, "I'll slay this demonic bird! Go assist the Grand Elder!"
The handsome youth possessed the weakest cultivation among them, far from matching the three top experts. Yet with everyone restricted to the Foundation Establishment stage, he could still serve as a capable helper, forcing their opponent to divert attention to deal with him.
Chapter 467