Decision

When Qin Sang arrived at the small courtyard, Madam Liu was already waiting inside. Barely a few years had passed since leaving the Hall of Seven Kills, yet her cultivation had indeed improved greatly, leaving her just a single step away from the late Core Formation stage. Despite this substantial advancement, no joy showed on her face; instead, a faint gloom and exhaustion lingered between her brows. Tracking Xiang Yi over these years had taken a heavy toll on her mind and energy. "I have finally met your true self, Daoist," Madam Liu said softly, a trace of resentment in her tone. When Qin Sang had left Tianxing Island back then, Madam Liu had been no match for Xiang Yi on her own and had missed a golden opportunity. Qin Sang knew he was in the wrong and said, "This poor Daoist had no choice; there was a crucial matter that needed urgent attention. Madam, you have investigated Xiang Yi for many years—surely you've made some progress?" Madam Liu was a clever woman. Having voiced a hint of dissatisfaction, she did not dwell on the matter. Composing her expression, she said, "Fortunately, you returned in time, Daoist, or I truly would have fallen into despair." "How so?" Qin Sang opened the spirit formation, invited Madam Liu inside to take a seat, and set up a soundproofing restriction. Both of them sat down. Once seated, Madam Liu explained, "Do you still recall what I told you before, Daoist? Xiang Yi is highly regarded by the alliance master of the Merchant Alliance. After leaving the Hall of Seven Kills, it wouldn't take him long to break through to the peak of the late stage." "Of course I remember," Qin Sang said in a deep voice. "Has he already broken through?" Among the opponents Qin Sang had encountered in the past, there had indeed been peak late-stage experts, but there were reasons he had managed to come out on top. For instance, against the young man from the Western Nether Alliance, he had used a sneak attack with the Blood Filth Divine Light to destroy the man's poison-repelling magic tool, killing him only with the aid of the poisonous mist. The mysterious body cultivator had burned to death under the Dongming Cold Flame. As for the refined soul he had encountered not long ago, its abilities had been thoroughly countered by the jade Buddha. "That was precisely my concern. Immediately upon returning, I set to work investigating Xiang Yi's whereabouts. Before his breakthrough, there was barely an opportunity, but you happened to be away, Daoist. Not daring to act rashly for fear of alerting the snake, I had no choice but to give up and watch helplessly as that villain remained at large..." The Lius had been a devoted couple, and Madam Liu's hatred for Xiang Yi had only deepened over time. "Fortunately, the heavens have eyes. Xiang Yi wasn't able to cultivate in seclusion for long before he was forced to emerge; he hasn't made his breakthrough yet. You must have heard of the upheaval in the Demon Sea, Daoist?" "Are you referring to the demons causing trouble?" Qin Sang nodded. Recently, all sorts of rumors had been circulating more and more. "I heard that the demons are stirring and beast tides are breaking out frequently across the Demon Sea. Even large islands that have stood firm for years have come under attack. However, this poor Daoist feels this is merely a new cycle, the same back-and-forth tug-of-war as before. No matter what, the human race and the Witch Clan will never abandon the Demon Sea." Madam Liu gave an affirmative hum and said, "Regardless of the demons' objective or how the war evolves, neither is something we can influence. The emergence of the beast tides is actually a good thing for us. To cope with the crisis, the Merchant Alliance mobilized its experts to the Demon Sea. Xiang Yi, who was supposed to be in seclusion, had no choice but to interrupt his cultivation and obey the dispatch. Right now, he is stationed on an island in the Demon Sea. Once he returns, he will certainly enter seclusion to break through at the first opportunity. So this may be our only chance..." Pausing briefly, Madam Liu added, "Striking in the Demon Sea has another advantage: amid the current chaos, if Xiang Yi dies there, the Merchant Alliance will only think he was careless and fell prey to demonic beasts. They won't suspect us..." "It seems you have planned everything thoroughly, Fellow Daoist." Qin Sang gave Madam Liu a deep look. Just as Madam Liu had said, the timing was indeed exceptional. The only issue was that entering the Demon Sea now meant going against the tide, running the risk of getting swept up in the conflict. Eager for revenge, Madam Liu had cast her own safety to the wind. Xiang Yi had to be killed; otherwise, Qin Sang would know no peace, day or night. But it was not worth getting dragged down with him. Qin Sang fell silent in thought. After weighing the options, he felt that making the trip was not out of the question. The demons might be powerful, but having operated in the Demon Sea for many years, the strength of the human race and the Witch Clan was nothing to scoff at either; they would not collapse easily. Confident in his improved swordsmanship, protected by the exotic treasure that was the Star Conch, and with the two-headed hou's strength greatly enhanced, he would be capable of handling any danger he might encounter in the Demon Sea. Killing Xiang Yi would not only eliminate a serious looming threat, but would also yield a hefty windfall, saving Qin Sang from being distracted by worldly resources later and delaying his cultivation. He needed to cultivate the *Heavenly Demon Transformation* to the late stage of the third layer before the Hall of Seven Kills opened again, so time was exceedingly tight. Xiang Yi possessed formidable cultivation and was a confidant of the Eastern Pole Alliance Master, so his fortune was bound to be substantial. When Madam Liu had tried to persuade Qin Sang to act, she had promised that all spoils from killing Xiang Yi would belong to him. Additionally, Qin Sang had another motive he could not share with outsiders: he wanted to seize the chance to visit Huntian Island and see if there was an opportunity to claim more of the Dongming Cold Flame. He had never stopped thinking about that flame. The power of the fire pearl was still vivid in his memory. If he could condense a few more fire pearls, he would be able to walk unchallenged in the Core Formation stage. The Dongming Cold Flame was guarded by men sent by the Huntian Island Master. After stealing a wisp of it, Qin Sang had not dared to return, fearing a trap. Even Transformation stage great demons and Nascent Soul Patriarchs could not subdue the cold flame, yet he had managed to take a wisp away. If the Huntian Island Master ever learned of this, he would certainly never let him off. Now that the demons were causing trouble, the Huntian Island Master was overwhelmed and had no attention to spare for other matters, making this a prime opportunity. He just didn't know if the Dongming Cold Flame was still there. Madam Liu looked nervously at Qin Sang, awaiting his response. "Aside from this poor Daoist, how many helpers have you found, Madam Liu?" Qin Sang did not rush to agree, asking a question instead. Madam Liu smiled wryly. "The savings my husband left behind have already been mostly spent. Even if I could find helpers, who would dare to come once they hear they must face a late-stage expert who is also a confidant of the alliance master? Only one friend of mine is currently monitoring Xiang Yi in the Demon Sea, but she only recently achieved Core Formation and cannot be of much help. I already have a plan: once we arrive, we will lure Xiang Yi off the island and strike outside. I went to tremendous lengths to purchase a precious spirit talisman. Once activated, it can briefly suppress Xiang Yi's true essence and weaken his strength. However, the talisman requires time to trigger. During that period, you will have to hold Xiang Yi off, Daoist, and buy me an opportunity..." To persuade Qin Sang, Madam Liu laid out her plan completely, hiding nothing. Qin Sang nodded inwardly. Naturally, he would not place full faith in Madam Liu's plan; when the time came, he would assess the situation first and adapt as necessary. Even if the assassination failed, he could calmly make his escape. "Very well. This poor Daoist shall accompany you, Madam. However, this has come up rather suddenly, and I still have some matters to arrange. If you can wait overnight, we will set out tomorrow morning. How does that sound?" Qin Sang nodded in agreement. Delight washed over Madam Liu's face, and she said urgently, "There is no time to lose. Please make haste, Daoist!"