Chapter 923: Ambush

At dusk, two figures quietly left Sea Toad Island. After flying some distance, they raised their evasion light and sped into the depths of the Demonic Sea.

One of them, a long-bearded man who appeared to be around fifty, treated the other young man with utmost respect. That youth turned out to be the same Fang-surnamed youth Qin Sang had once crossed paths with, the eldest disciple of Black Snake Mountain.

"Eldest Senior Brother, I searched that sea region for months and have already confirmed the lair belongs to a rare Dusklight Beast. There is most likely a great demon at the late stage or even the peak of the Demonic Core Realm. With my shallow cultivation, I dared not approach too closely, afraid of being discovered, so I could only ask you to come and investigate the lair’s situation..." The older cultivator flew ahead to lead the way, transmitting his words.

Daoist Fang acknowledged with a faint "Mhm" and said indifferently, "If the lair holds only this Dusklight Beast, the two of us shall strike directly and kill it. If there are other great demons present, then we must wait a few days and invite some helpers before we act. The beast’s pupils are the most crucial ingredient in our master’s prescription, so the sooner we obtain them, the better."

As he spoke, he frowned. "You are certain no other faction has its eye on this demon?"

The elder cultivator froze, then firmly replied, "Please rest assured, Senior Brother. I have been extremely cautious and never leaked a word about the Dusklight Beast. I also scouted the surroundings of the lair for a long time and found no signs of any other faction."

Daoist Fang gave a slight nod and said no more. Yet in his heart, he could not help recalling a shameful incident from years past, grinding his teeth in secret. To this day he still could not understand how he had failed.

He had reviewed the plan countless times, each step carefully considered. His junior brothers had no chance of betraying him, yet at the final moment the effort collapsed, letting his enemy seize the prize.

Worse, they themselves had been ensnared. So many brothers went out together, but in the end only three returned alive.

The mantis stalked the cicada, but the oriole lurked behind[1].

How had that oriole discovered their secret, and followed them silently without a trace?

Although his master did not punish him harshly afterward, Daoist Fang had never forgotten the humiliation. He regarded it as a lifelong disgrace, and had never ceased seeking that person, wishing only to tear him into pieces.

But that man had vanished as if from the world, leaving no trace. Canglang Sea and the Demonic Sea were vast beyond compare, and it was not difficult to hide a single person. Besides, they were not of the human race, making it even harder to trace accurate news.

Still, Daoist Fang did not accept such excuses. He would never give up his desire for vengeance. A flash of cruelty passed through his eyes.

That man better pray that he will never fall into my hands.

After exchanging a few words, the two silently flew toward the lair. Three days later, they arrived above an inconspicuous deserted island.

The elder cultivator halted his evasion light and pointed. "Senior Brother, the lair lies not far ahead. I opened a cave dwelling here. We may as well rest a moment and adjust our state before going to investigate."

Daoist Fang nodded. His light folded downward, but just as he was about to descend, sharp brilliance burst from his eyes. "Who's hiding in the shadows?!"

Almost at the same instant as his furious shout, a dazzling sword light shot from the forest below, so fast it shrieked like a blade tearing the air, streaking straight toward them.

Boom!

Daoist Fang reacted with astonishing speed, slapping the Mustard Seed Pouch at his waist. The blood sword that had accompanied him for years streaked out as a crimson arc, intercepting the oncoming strike.

The two flying swords clashed and separated at once, seemingly equal. Ripples of a barrier spread from the forest below, and three figures emerged.

"Senior Brother, it wasn’t me..."

Caught in sudden upheaval, the elder cultivator had not yet understood when he saw his senior brother glaring viciously at him, filling him with terror. He hurried to explain.

"Daoist Fang, do you not recognize me?" One man removed the mask from his face. It was Qin Sang.

The other two were naturally his external incarnation and the Two-Headed Hou.

Qin Sang looked at Daoist Fang with a faintly mocking expression, sighing, "I have searched the Demonic Sea for three whole years, and at last, I have caught you."

Now that he had the strength to settle this old debt, he had no intention of enduring in silence any longer.

Qin Sang knew well that the moment he acted, the Black Snake Mountain grandmaster would become wary. The other side could easily set a trap to ensnare him.

He had only one chance, so he naturally chose Daoist Fang as his target. Moreover, his external incarnation required an expert's blood sacrifice to advance further toward the peak, making Daoist Fang the perfect offering.

Concealing his identity, he had spent three years refining his body and searching for traces of Black Snake Mountain disciples, patiently waiting until today to intercept the main culprit.

Daoist Fang's cultivation had grown stronger than before, already a peak Core Formation expert, just one step from the Spiritual Infant Realm.

But so long as it was not a Spiritual Infant cultivator, Qin Sang had absolute confidence none could escape his grasp.

"It’s you! You dare appear before me!" Daoist Fang instantly recognized the man he hated most. His eyes bloodshot, he laughed in fury. "Good! Good! Fortune has delivered you right to me! Hand over the tablet, and I’ll grant you a quick death!"

Qin Sang sneered. "So Daoist Fang still remembers the tablet? Better worry about your own life first. Kill!"

Before the words even faded, Qin Sang, his incarnation, and the Two-Headed Hou struck together. Their figures split apart in three directions.

Qin Sang lunged straight at Daoist Fang, while his incarnation and the Two-Headed Hou pounced on the witch race cultivator, intent on eliminating him first.

Daoist Fang was a little surprised. He had already seen their cultivation and knew anyone who dared ambush him must mean ill.

He had thought the one to attack him would be that unfamiliar late-stage Core Formation cultivator, not Qin Sang. In the blink of an eye, Qin Sang was already upon him.

Azure light surged over Qin Sang’s body. With a sudden burst, a pair of brilliant phoenix wings spread wide behind him, stunning Daoist Fang.

At the same time, Qin Sang’s aura skyrocketed, swelling to a level that made his opponent’s expression change drastically.

"What secret technique is this?" A sharp sense of foreboding struck Daoist Fang.

Qin Sang was clearly only at the middle stage of the Core Formation Realm, yet with this transformation his aura nearly matched his own. For the first time, he felt true danger.

Whoosh!

With phoenix wings unfurled, Qin Sang’s speed exploded. In one flash, he appeared directly before his enemy.

Demonic qi billowed from him, wings spread like a ferocious bloodthirsty beast, pouncing savagely.

Daoist Fang was utterly shocked, but his reactions were not slow. Black light shimmered across his body, and a strange insect armor manifested around him. With a flick of his arm, the blood sword roared, unleashing a surge of scarlet sword qi that slashed toward Qin Sang.

1. This is a Chinese saying, meaning to pursue a narrow gain while neglecting a greater danger. ☜