Wanted

Feeling the terrifying momentum of the sword wheel and the Nine Nether Demonic Fire, Steward Liu was filled with horror. Only now did he realize what kind of opponent he was facing. Desperately, he channeled his true essence into his natal magic treasure. The square mirror flared with blinding radiance, projecting a protective barrier of light. Shielded by the mirror, Steward Liu bolted toward the exit. Any thought of putting up a fight had vanished entirely; his sole desire was to flee as far away as possible! *Boom!* The sword wheel struck the square mirror. The mirror shuddered violently, and the barrier of light fractured with spiderweb cracks. Steward Liu let out a muffled groan, his face turning deathly pale. Before he could steady the mirror, the Nine Nether Demonic Fire arrived. *Whoosh!* The demonic fire proved even more formidable than the sword wheel. Accompanied by a chorus of hissing sounds, black flames swiftly engulfed the entire barrier, snaking inward through the fractures. Steward Liu scrambled in a fluster, doing everything he could to mend the cracks. Right at that moment, another roar echoed. *Boom!* A fist smashed squarely into the mirror as Qin Sang's figure materialized out of thin air. Hit by the immense force, Steward Liu screamed in agony. His knees crashed heavily onto the floor, and blood sprayed from his mouth. He still tried to put up a stubborn struggle, but the chance was already gone. Taking advantage of the breach, the Nine Nether Demonic Fire shattered the barrier completely and transformed into several chains of flame. Steward Liu's mind spun in a momentary daze. By the time he came to his senses, he found himself bound tightly from head to toe by fiery chains, unable to move a muscle. His sea of qi was as stagnant as a pool of dead water, his entire cultivation of true essence completely sealed. Despair washed over his face. Never had he imagined that Qin Sang would strike so suddenly, nor that he would be rendered entirely powerless to resist, without even a chance to flee for his life. The battle had ended astonishingly fast. In the blink of an eye, the victor had been decided. Down on the first floor, the maidservants remained utterly oblivious, playfully teasing one another. *Thud!* Qin Sang landed beside Steward Liu, folding his wings, and looked down at him coldly. Bai materialized in the quiet room as well. He had acted in secret to mask the ripples of the clash. Looking at Qin Sang, he remarked ruefully, "You sure have a lot of enemies. You run into one just about anywhere." Steward Liu opened his mouth and said bitterly, "Where on earth did I slip up?" At this moment, no sliver of hope lingered in his heart; he knew he had given himself away long before. "You shouldn't have used Old Zou to deceive me," Qin Sang sneered, his tone indifferent. "You should know well enough what I want to know. Will you confess on your own, or does this poor Daoist need to help you open your mouth?" Steward Liu fell silent for a moment before letting out a long sigh. "I will speak. I only hope Fellow Daoist will grant me a swift death... In truth, it was not that Liu bore any malice toward you. A while ago, Vice Envoy Zuo suddenly sent word that the guild had placed a secret bounty on you, Daoist. All stewards across every region were ordered to report immediately upon encountering you, with an extremely handsome reward promised. As for the reason, Liu knows nothing of it either. But Vice Envoy Zuo mentioned that the order came directly from the guild's higher-ups, and Liu did not dare disobey..." "The guild placed a secret bounty on me?" Hearing this astonishing revelation, Qin Sang's expression shifted drastically. He had always kept a polite distance from the Qiongyu Guild, maintaining ties only through Old Zou. He had never had any conflicts with the guild, and had even rendered several meritorious services for them. Why would the guild want him captured? "Vice Envoy Zuo has already received word of your appearance, Daoist, and is currently on his way here..." Having resigned himself to his fate, Steward Liu concealed nothing. Without Qin Sang needing to resort to soul searching, the steward laid bare everything he knew. Having heard the whole story, Qin Sang's thoughts raced. The guild's bounty on him had been issued not long ago, specifically after the Hall of Seven Kills closed. Before entering the Hall of Seven Kills, everything had been fine. Yet upon returning, with Old Zou dead, the situation had taken a sudden turn for the worse. Fire had broken out in his rear, and he had abruptly become a wanted criminal pursued by the guild. *Has the guild already confirmed Old Zou's death, and someone is purging Old Zou's faction? Or...* Qin Sang's eyes flickered as a terrifying possibility suddenly crossed his mind. "Could it be him?" Qin Sang and Bai exchanged a glance, both arriving at the same suspicion. The timing was far too coincidental. They had just foiled that person's plot inside the Hall of Seven Kills, and now trouble was knocking at the door right after. "Our plan back then was flawless, leaving behind no loose ends. Furthermore, we used the Nine Phoenix King's strength to escape the Hall of Seven Kills. Logically speaking, it should be impossible for him to locate you so quickly... Think carefully: do you have any other enemies? Anyone capable of forcing the guild to bow must have an extraordinary background—most likely a Nascent Soul old monster!" Bai said in a grave voice. Qin Sang pondered in silence. *The Nine Phoenix King and Demonic Qingzhu are unlikely. The Landou Sect and Black Snake Mountain certainly possess such power, but back then, I dealt with them using my true identity, not as Qingfeng. Unless my killing of Black Snake Mountain's junior disciple was somehow leaked...* Seeing Qin Sang remain silent for a long time, Bai could not help but grumble, "Just how many Nascent Soul cultivators have you offended?" Qin Sang let out a deep sigh. He had always conducted himself with low-profile caution, never offending others unless provoked. Incurring the wrath of these enemies had never been his intention. "What do you plan to do? That Vice Envoy Zuo ought to know something. Though he is a late Core Formation expert, with our combined strength, even if he brings a few subordinates along, we have a very good chance of taking him down," Bai shifted the topic. A look of hesitation surfaced on Qin Sang's face. "I worry this person has already relayed the news to the mastermind behind the scenes. When the time comes, rather than him, we might end up waiting for a Nascent Soul old devil and playing with fire until we get burned." "Then let's leave!" Bai said. "As long as the green hills remain, there will always be firewood to burn. Sooner or later, we can unearth the truth." Qin Sang looked down at Steward Liu, seeing him lying on the floor with eyes shut tight, quietly awaiting death. "Since you people have shown no mercy, do not blame me for being ruthless! We cannot leave empty-handed; let's collect some interest first," Qin Sang said with suppressed fury. Bai's eyes instantly lit up. There were not many experts stationed at this branch, and having captured Steward Liu made matters far simpler. Qin Sang did not wish to alert other factions and invite trouble, intending to ransack the branch quietly. Just as he and Bai were about to split up, they suddenly sensed a Core Formation cultivator walking into the shop. "Welcome, honored guest!" Greeting the very first distinguished customer of the early morning, the maidservant was full of warmth and enthusiasm. The newcomer was an emaciated young man of modest height, appearing frail and sickly. He had arrived in a hurry, and before entering the shop, he seemed pressed by some urgent matter, his eyes betraying anxiety and unease as he looked back repeatedly. In the end, the young man gritted his teeth and stepped inside. Upon seeing the maidservant, the young man swiftly composed himself. His gaze turned steady with a touch of authority. Without a word, he produced a medallion, gave it a wave before the maidservant, and said, "I must see Steward Liu." Recognizing the medallion clearly, the maidservant was startled and hastily bowed. "Reporting to Senior, the steward is currently meeting an honored guest in the quiet room upstairs." Upstairs. Qin Sang and Bai exchanged a glance. *Someone from the Qiongyu Guild,* Bai transmitted via divine sense. Qin Sang nodded. His lips moved slightly as he mimicked Steward Liu's voice: "Fellow Daoist, please come upstairs." The young man glanced upward and strode up the stairs. The maidservant dared not stop him. *Creak!* The young man pushed open the door and entered. Qin Sang had already prepared an ambush. The young man possessed only an early Core Formation cultivation; capturing him would be as easy as flipping a hand. Just as Qin Sang was about to strike, the young man caught sight of Qin Sang under his cloak. An expression of intense delight abruptly surfaced on his face, and he blurted out, "Senior, could you be Daoist Qingfeng?"