Chapter 418: Sword Qi Thunderclap

After a brief moment of contemplation, the silver-robed man raised his arm. From his palm, ten small yet eerie banners shot forth, swiftly forming the Yan Luo Array of Ten Directions with practiced ease.

His speed in setting up the array was astonishing. The ten banners wove together seamlessly, completing the array in an instant.

Just as the black flames ignited, the silver-robed man pressed down with his hand, instantly extinguishing them. The ten banners floated in the void, and a devouring, terrifying darkness permeated the array. Yet, he expertly concealed all fluctuations, ensuring that no aura leaked out.

With a wave of his arm, he retracted the Yan Luo Array of Ten Directions into his sleeve before vanishing into the shadows, silently approaching the mountain range.

Before long, he arrived at the foot of a solitary peak.

The peak stood like a sword, perilously steep—an uncommon sight amidst the vast and gentle mountain range.

The spiritual qi in this area was not particularly dense, but that was not surprising. Some spirit veins were hidden deep beneath the surface, rich in resources yet difficult to detect without thorough investigation.

Sealing movements of his qi completely, the silver-robed man let his gaze roam over the peak until it finally settled on an inconspicuous azure stone halfway up the mountain.

In the next moment, his figure appeared before the stone. After staring at it intently for a while, a mocking smile surfaced on his face. With a flick of his sleeve, the Yan Luo Array of Ten Directions whirled out and expanded.

In an instant, the Yan Luo Banners of Ten Directions grew to a towering height of nearly ten zhang, plunging into the mountainside and enclosing the stone. The banners fluttered wildly, releasing countless evil spirits, while Ghostly Threads stirred up black flames, blotting out the sky.

Whoosh!

The black flames erupted violently, layer upon layer, surging madly toward the stone at the center.

A flicker of purple barrier light briefly emerged on the stone’s surface, but it was too weak to withstand the raging inferno. The flames instantly engulfed it.

Then came a muffled explosion—

Boom!

The stone shattered into pieces, revealing a deep, dark cave. Amidst the flying debris, remnants of a barrier could be seen, forcibly destroyed by sheer brute force.

The silver-robed man remained cautious, standing behind the array while subtly releasing his spiritual consciousness, constantly on alert.

Shifting his gaze toward the depths of the cave, he peered inside.

But just as he was about to take a closer look, a sudden change erupted!

The passageway abruptly darkened. A surge of black, liquid-like flames gushed out—it was identical to the black flames outside!

Deep within the fire, another Yan Luo Array of Ten Directions stood fully formed, and within that array, a shadowy figure loomed.

"Yan Luo Array of Ten Directions!"

The black flames obscured his vision, making it impossible to see the person’s face. However, the silver-robed man could clearly feel a piercing gaze lock onto him from within. That gaze was as cold as a blade, sending chills down his spine. His expression changed drastically.

A trap!

In an instant, countless thoughts flashed through his mind.

Someone else possesses a Yan Luo Banner of Ten Directions—is it one of those treacherous members of the sect plotting against me?

Who?

Very few in his sect had mastered the venomous gu art, and even fewer had survived until now.

The silver-robed man abruptly expanded his spiritual consciousness, scanning for any other ambushes. Finding none, he felt slightly relieved. Then, his lips curled into a cruel grin as he decisively awakened the Heart-Devouring Insect.

"Kill!"

Yet, the figure in the flames remained completely motionless. Not a single cry of agony, not even the slightest twitch.

The silver-robed man’s expression stiffened, frozen in a strange look of disbelief.

A dreadful realization crept into his mind.

If this person has the confidence to set a trap and lure him in, then they must have a way to restrain the Heart-Devouring Insect. Killing them with poison alone is unlikely.

But he didn’t need the poison to kill—only to weaken them momentarily.

Even if his opponent knew how to dispel the gu, it wouldn't be instant. The moment they showed any weakness, he would exploit it, turning the tables and making them suffer the ultimate defeat.

However, what he hadn’t expected was that the gu had absolutely no effect.

He suddenly realized something else—something far more terrifying. The black flames flowing out of the cave weren’t normal. Behind them, another fire lurked—one even darker and more sinister, emanating an aura so fearsome that it sent an uncontrollable shudder through his body.

𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

Feeling the horrifying aura, a spark of recognition flashed in his mind. His pupils shrank as he gasped in terror.

"Demonic Flames of Nine Hells! Astra!"

The Yan Luo Banner of Ten Directions is a powerful astra passed down by our founder. Out of the five banners, only one remains in Master’s possession, while the others have vanished without a trace. They have long suspected that the missing banners have fallen into the hands of the Yuanzhao Sect, but unexpectedly, one has appeared here.

Who exactly is this person?

The silver-robed man was filled with doubt, but he had no intention of investigating further. At this moment, he was absolutely certain—this was a trap specifically set for him. His opponent wielded an astra, possessing strength far beyond his expectations.

Fortunately, there is only one enemy!

The Demonic Flames of Nine Hells surged forth at an alarming speed, rapidly closing in on him.

Through their spiritual connection, the silver-robed man could even feel his own Yan Luo Array of Ten Directions trembling. The primary souls within the banners were overwhelmed with terror, screaming in agony.

The situation was dire.

A twitch ran through the silver-robed man's eye as an expression of pain flickered across his face. Without hesitation, he made a swift decision, slamming his palm onto the Yan Luo Array of Ten Directions. His Qihai churned frantically as he pushed his spiritual power to its absolute limit, channeling it all into the array. The black flames flared wildly as he forcibly extracted the primary souls from the banners and hurled them into the inferno.

Then, without reservation, he manipulated the black flames, sending them straight toward the Demonic Flames of Nine Hells, like a moth plunging into a blazing fire.

Having done all this, the silver-robed man's face turned deathly pale. Without so much as a glance at the Yan Luo Array of Ten Directions, he abandoned the powerful array, pivoted sharply, and stomped down hard. His figure transformed into a blood-colored evasion light, streaking away at breakneck speed.

Boom!

The black flames conjured by the Yan Luo Array of Ten Directions were instantly shattered by the Demonic Flames of Nine Hells. All the primary souls within were annihilated, their spirits utterly vanquished. The ten banners trembled violently before crumbling into nothingness.

As the Demonic Flames of Nine Hells dissipated, a figure shot out from the cave—Qin Sang.

Standing at the cave entrance, he gazed toward the horizon, watching as the blood-colored evasion light sped away, nearing the edge of his vision.

The silver-robed man was clearly doing everything in his power to flee for his life.

His caution and decisiveness were unparalleled—something Qin Sang had rarely seen in his lifetime.

Despite having the advantage of the Heart-Devouring Insect, the silver-robed man had still taken the precaution of setting up the array, rendering Qin Sang’s ambush and sneak attack ineffective. When danger struck, he had not hesitated to abandon the Yan Luo Array of Ten Directions, sacrificing it to buy himself precious time to escape.

It was no wonder this man had earned the favor of Daoist Jiupao, becoming his true disciple, and had not only survived the Yuanzhao Sect’s relentless pursuit but had even managed to cultivate successfully to the Fake Core Realm.

Unfortunately for him, all his efforts were in vain.

Qin Sang watched the fleeing evasion light, a cold smile appearing on his lips. With a single thought, a streak of green light shot out from the center of his brow, circling once in front of him before hovering in place, revealing its true form.

A sword—small, yet exquisitely crafted.

This was none other than Qin Sang’s life-bound spiritual sword—the ebony sword!

The ebony sword had not changed much in appearance, except that its blade had become even clearer and more transparent, utterly flawless, resembling pure glass.