Chapter 374: Ambush

"Everyone, we’ve reached this point, and my task is now complete. Beyond here, either I lack the ability to explore further, or the dangers are too great. You’ll have to proceed on your own."

Kong Xin retrieved three jade slips, marking the maps with rough annotations before handing them over.

Qin Sang swept his spiritual consciousness through the jade slip and found that the location of the Huanglong Grass lay northeast of their position. If they traveled directly without encountering danger, they could reach it within a few hours.

The area where the Huanglong Grass grew was not far from the second zone of the Endless Valley.

The so-called three zones of the valley were not defined by distinct changes in terrain but were instead separated by ancient barriers within the valley. Over time, these divisions became conventionally recognized.

There were several well-known paths between the first and second zones, allowing one to pass through the barriers, all of which were marked on the map sold by Tianfeng Tower.

However, before reaching the third zone of the Endless Valley, no path was deemed entirely safe.

"Here’s the other half of the payment. Thank you for leading the way."

Wandering Man tossed a Mustard Seed Pouch to Kong Xin before he and Qin Sang departed in their evasion light.

Before leaving, Qin Sang glanced back at Kong Xin and his two companions.

Throughout their journey, the individual tailing them had never revealed themselves, making it seem like a mere coincidence.

As long as the individual wasn't targeting them, they had no intention of getting involved. Wandering Man’s business took priority.

...

A dense forest loomed ahead, towering ancient trees stretching skyward, their lush foliage forming a thick canopy.

Such a scene was rare in the Endless Valley, where chaos was the norm. These ancient trees must have been exceptionally fortunate to survive undisturbed for so long.

The forest was eerily silent, without the slightest sound, an unsettling stillness hanging in the air.

Suddenly, a streak of evasion light descended at the forest’s edge, revealing a lone figure—the cultivator surnamed Bao, who had parted ways with Qin Sang and the others.

Holding a jade slip in his hand, he scanned the area cautiously before using his spiritual consciousness to verify the map. His face lit up with excitement.

"I didn’t encounter a single demonic beast along the way. How fortunate..."

Muttering to himself, he stowed away the jade slip and abruptly summoned a flying sword.

With a flash of sword light, the sword shot straight into the dense forest.

Just as it was about to pierce the trees, ripples suddenly spread through the air, distorting the scenery before him. The towering ancient trees shattered like reflections on disturbed water.

This entire forest was nothing more than an illusion created by an ancient barrier.

Bao’s expression turned wary. He focused his energy and urged his flying sword forward to dispel the illusion. Strangely, the barrier did not retaliate, which reassured him slightly. He carefully observed the scene revealed beneath the illusion.

What lay beyond was a gorge resembling a thin slit in the earth—narrow, damp, and shrouded in darkness. The gorge itself appeared calm, devoid of apparent danger, but at its farthest end, an eerie sound echoed continuously.

Amplified by the gorge, the sound took on an even more unsettling quality.

Upon hearing it, Bao’s expression grew wary, but he did not hesitate. He channeled all his energy into his flying sword, working to break the illusion.

However, just as the illusion was dispelled, a sudden change erupted.

From deep within the gorge, a sharp blue light shot forth with astonishing speed.

Wrapped within the blue light was a flying sword—one that looked all too familiar.

Bao’s expression shifted slightly. His reaction was swift, his body twisting as he attempted to evade, but his attacker had chosen the perfect moment to strike. With barely any room to maneuver, Bao was forced to dodge as best as he could, yet the flying sword still pierced through his chest.

However, no blood spilled from his wound.

𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

At the same moment, several zhang away, Bao reappeared, unscathed save for a slightly disordered aura.

The one who had been struck was merely a clone.

From the depths of the gorge, a figure emerged, retrieving the flying sword. His expression darkened as he stared at Bao, clearly displeased that his meticulously timed strike had been so effortlessly neutralized.

"Kong Xin!"

Upon recognizing the attacker, Bao showed no surprise. He sneered coldly. "I knew all along you were up to no good!"

"Not at all, not at all!"

Kong Xin shook his head in denial. "I’ve always abided by the rules—that’s how I built my reputation in the Endless Valley. This time, I had no choice... I just need to borrow some of your blood and essence—"

Before he could finish his sentence, his pale face suddenly flushed crimson. Clutching his chest, he broke into a violent cough, as if he were about to hack up his lungs.

"So you’re nothing but a sickly wretch! And you dare to scheme against me!"

Bao’s eyes gleamed. With a cold laugh, he struck without hesitation.

Kong Xin hurriedly controlled his flying sword to block the attack, but his movements became increasingly erratic due to his physical condition. His swordplay gradually lost its precision, allowing Bao to gain the upper hand. Kong Xin held on for a while, but his aura became even more chaotic.

Suddenly, Kong Xin shouted, "Are you just going to watch? How long do you plan on enjoying the show?"

Bao's expression changed abruptly.

Behind him, a chilling cackle echoed through the air. "I thought Brother Kong was strong enough to handle this one easily without my help..."

The space behind Bao twisted, and a figure clad in a black robe stepped out of the void, blocking his retreat.

Kong Xin snorted coldly. "Less nonsense! Finish this quickly! If we miss the opportunity, the others will escape!"

The black-robed man responded with a dissatisfied tone, "If you hadn’t changed the plan on your own and taken these people out of the underground cavern prematurely, my efforts wouldn’t have gone to waste. They should have long been corpses beneath our swords—why go through all this extra trouble?"

"What do you know?" Kong Xin snapped angrily. "How was I supposed to expect someone to have such a sharp flying sword? I bet my entire fortune on that Old Demon Ji in exchange for the Blue Light Sword, yet all it could do was leave a shallow mark on stone. But that guy’s flying sword could slice off a chunk with ease! You think I didn’t want to stall for time? I lured them into the cavern, but they became suspicious. If I dared to make a move, those people would have killed me on the spot!"

The black-robed man raised an eyebrow. "What? Old Demon Ji’s Blue Light Sword ranks among the top grade artifacts in terms of sharpness, and you’re telling me there’s a sword even sharper? What grade is it? Could it be an astra?"

"I watched him control the sword—it moved seamlessly, but it didn’t feel like an astra. My guess is that some special spiritual material was added to it..."

...

The two conversed as if no one else were present, clearly not taking Bao seriously.

Bao’s expression grew darker. From their conversation, he pieced together what had happened—he hadn’t expected Kong Xin’s ambitions to be so great, attempting to wipe them all out in the cavern.

Fortunately, Daoist Master Qingfeng’s flying sword had been sharp enough. Otherwise, if Kong Xin had stalled for even a little longer, our energy would have been drained, and they might have succeeded.

Bao knew that if he didn’t escape quickly, he was as good as dead.

The black-robed man’s strength remained a mystery, but Kong Xin’s injuries were real.

With this in mind, Bao suddenly soared into the air, choosing to break through in Kong Xin’s direction.

Facing Bao’s desperate charge, Kong Xin’s expression remained unchanged. Suddenly, a flash of blood-red light gleamed at the center of his forehead, as if a seal had been lifted—his aura erupted completely.

The middle stage of Foundation Building Realm!