Chapter 782: Innocent Caught In The Crossfire

Someone suddenly appeared in the teleportation array, clearly having descended from the level above.

Upon seeing this person’s face, everyone froze for a moment, then their expressions drastically changed.

The newcomer was a white-haired woman wearing half a mask. She looked like an old crone, clad in a robe of exceptionally vibrant colors, dazzling to the eye. Strange golden patterns were embroidered across the robe.

Just staring at those patterns gave one a sense of being drawn in, as if they contained scenes of indescribable beauty. It was deeply unsettling.

Qin Sang had never seen this person before, but he had heard of the renowned grand witch priest.

Moreover, the terrifying pressure radiating from the old woman was proof enough of her identity.

She was the grand witch priest.

She was a late-stage Spiritual Infant cultivator, one of the top experts from Canglang Sea.

"Your Excellency!"

Daoist Di exclaimed in disbelief, his expression filled with awe, like a devotee witnessing a deity.

Yet, the grand witch priest didn’t spare them a single glance. With a light tap of her foot, she floated effortlessly into the air. Her long robe fluttered, and the golden threads upon it came to life, weaving themselves behind her into a pair of golden wings.

The grand witch priest moved with the grace of a butterfly. Her form was mesmerizing.

Just then, the teleportation array lit up again. A square-faced middle-aged man stepped out of it.

His features were stern, his presence no weaker than that of the grand witch priest. A strange radiance encircled his body. His huge eyes swept across the space and locked onto the winged grand witch priest.

The instant Qin Sang saw that radiance, a wave of familiarity surged within him.

A blood-red color surged within the light, as if countless evil spirits were sealed inside. They cackled wickedly, eager to devour his mind.

"The Divine Lunar Ghostlight! He’s the Devil Lord!"

Qin Sang was chilled to the bone. He never expected to encounter both the Devil Lord and the grand witch priest at the same time, and just as they were about to step into the teleportation array too.

"Leave it behind."

The Devil Lord’s expression darkened as he stared coldly at the grand witch priest and suddenly struck.

The Divine Lunar Ghostlight shot out like a streak of crimson, surging forward with unstoppable might like a tidal wave.

Within the divine light, devilish qi exploded. Ghostly creatures contorted with feral expressions, unleashing chilling howls.

For a moment, it felt as though tens of thousands of ghosts were wailing in the void, transforming the space into a nether hell, an utterly terrifying scene.

Swish!

The eerie light plunged straight toward the grand witch priest.

"All treasures within Seven-Kill Hall belong to no one. You certainly live up to the title of Devil Lord—so domineering. You don’t even know what the item is, yet you try to seize it by force," she said with a faint, mocking smile.

Her voice echoed through the air like silver bells. Then, the wings behind her flapped violently. Golden light burst around her, forming a vast sea of radiance.

Just as the Divine Lunar Ghostlight was about to collide with her—

Qin Sang’s face twisted in horror. He shouted, "Crap!"

In an instant, red and white evasion lights lit up around him. He activated both the Nine-Dragon Heavenly Chariot Talisman and Sword Qi Thunderclap simultaneously. With a flash, his figure shot sideways dozens of zhang, fleeing for his life without even looking back.

Qin Sang had witnessed the power of Spiritual Infant grandmasters in the Small Cold Domain. He knew all too well how terrifying their clashes could be.

And this time, it wasn’t just any Spiritual Infant cultivators, but late-stage ones. They were beings that the Small Cold Domain had never seen.

Even a single stray wave from their battle could be fatal. They had absolutely no chance of resisting. Staying here was a guaranteed death sentence.

The grand witch priest and Devil Lord would never care about the lives of mere ants.

The others reacted almost as fast as Qin Sang.

Daoist Yin summoned a flying shuttle, transforming into a streak of silver light just behind Qin Sang, though her speed was far inferior.

Daoist Di, who had just been basking in awe as if witnessing a divine vision, was yanked back to reality. Cold sweat poured down his back.

He slapped his dantian forcefully, and a shadow of an eight-winged insect surfaced from his body, carrying him off in a different direction.

The elderly woman hastily pulled out a spirit talisman. Pain flickered in her eyes as she activated it through gritted teeth, though her speed still trailed behind Qin Sang’s.

As they all fled desperately...

The Divine Lunar Ghostlight surged into the golden radiance like a falling star entering the sea.

There was no thunderous boom, no visible shockwave. The void fell silent, and time itself seemed to freeze.

In the next moment...

The golden sea collapsed.

The Divine Lunar Ghostlight shattered cun by cun. The devilish qi within it dispersed. The evil spirits inside let out silent screams as their forms disintegrated.

Immediately after, a terrifying shockwave erupted from the center of the collision and began spreading outward at an astonishing speed.

As the golden light faded, the grand witch priest’s figure trembled slightly. Her body bore no wounds, and her colorful robe remained intact. Only the wings on her back had dimmed considerably. A surge of true essence rose from her body, and the golden wings regained their brilliance. With a single flap, she turned and sped away at incredible speed.

The Devil Lord let out a cold snort. A surge of devilish qi burst from his palm, condensing into a black long saber. He cleaved a path open, then flickered forward, chasing after her without hesitation.

The two of them disappeared one after another.

From beginning to end, neither spared a glance at the people nearby.

Qin Sang and the others were on the brink of despair.

As expected, the aftermath of the battle erupted. Shards of golden light mixed with devilish qi came sweeping toward them at terrifying speed.

Among the five of them, Daoist Wu, who had been controlling the small shield, was just a moment too slow in his reaction. He was engulfed by the shockwave before he could even utter a scream. Nothing remained of him, not even bones.

Even his astra, that fairly strong defensive shield, vanished without a trace.

Someone who had just been speaking to them was now silently dead, collateral damage in a clash between two great cultivators.

Everyone felt chills running down their spine.

Qin Sang had flown a great distance in one breath, but the coldness along his back refused to fade. When he turned his head to look, the shockwave was still spreading. Its power had weakened considerably, but its speed remained overwhelming.

At this rate, he would never escape its range.

At the same time, he spotted the elderly woman behind him, nearly caught by the shockwave. Her face was full of fear as she looked at him, her gaze pleading for help.

The power of the spirit talisman on her body had become faint, clearly unable to last much longer.

Qin Sang’s heart sank. Then, to everyone’s surprise, he abruptly stopped in place and turned back toward the elderly woman. A flash of light circled his wrist, and the Two-Headed Hou leapt out from within.

The elderly woman’s face filled with joy and gratitude.

"Work together to block the shockwave," Qin Sang said in a deep voice as he summoned the Yan Luo Banners of Ten Directions.

He had already taken out the devilish banners earlier, anticipating something might go wrong.

It was for his own survival. The shockwave was too fast. He had no way to outrun it. Instead, he chose to face it with calm resolve. With one more person, there was one more line of defense, one more chance of survival.

Not to mention, the elderly woman’s cultivation was not weak, and she possessed a defensive astra.

The Two-Headed Hou, sensing the oncoming shockwave, bristled with fur. It glared resentfully at Qin Sang, then lowered its head slightly. Its vertical pupils shot out beams of azure light, forming a swirling windstorm that quickly compressed inward, transforming into the shape of a shield.

The elderly woman landed beside them, breathing heavily. Realizing Qin Sang’s plan, she hastily activated her copper mirror. This was no time to be stingy with astras. She could only place the artifact itself in front of them.

In an instant, the copper mirror, devilish flames, and wind shield formed a three-layered barrier.

The shockwave arrived.

Their figures were instantly engulfed.