“Shixiong’s concocted potions are simply too effective…… Sigh, I wonder if Shixiong is safe now. Bei Juluzhou is so perilous; they say even a mindless beast can take a cultivator’s life……”
That familiar water-blue figure suddenly appeared in her mind.
Gantang puffed her cheeks, unconsciously twisting the sleeve corner with her fingertips, and grumbled angrily:
“Hmph! Stinky Shixiong, always telling others to be careful, yet he insists on taking risks himself. And he doesn’t even bring his clever and brave little Shimei along!”
If only the Jade Token could communicate across great regions, then I could ask Shixiong whether he’s safe.
Gantang pondered gloomily, completely unaware of the shadow that suddenly appeared ahead…
“Gantang Shimei, watch out!”
“Dodge quickly!”
Several urgent roars abruptly thundered into her ears!
Gantang’s heart jolted as she looked up sharply, pupils contracting——seven or eight monstrous Giant Pincer Lobster Demons surged forward, their dozen gleaming giant pincers already tearing through the air, screaming as they aimed to strike the top of her head with deadly force!
At the same time, the sandy ground beneath her feet burst open with several “puff puff” sounds, as several Armored Crab Demons wielded their sickle-shaped claws, viciously snapping toward her ankles!
Attacked from above and below, a deadly trap was set!
In the blink of an eye, Gantang let out a soft breath and casually pulled out a crystal-clear Glazed Bottle from her sleeve, tossing it forward.
Her Shixiong’s voice echoed in her heart: “If you encounter an emergency, or a particularly troublesome enemy, just smash this bottle.”
Crack!
The Glazed Bottle shattered among the shrimp and crab demons, releasing a plume of deep black smoke that instantly enveloped them.
In the next moment, all the attacking beasts suddenly froze stiff, maintaining their ferocious attack postures as if turned into statues.
A salty sea breeze swept by.
“Sha…shala…”
The shrimp demons’ shells, tougher than refined steel, peeled away grain by grain like ashes!
Beneath the shells, only several eerie, pitch-black roses slowly drifted down, then quickly rooted deeply into the sand, swaying strangely in the fetid wind.
Gantang exhaled deeply and patted her chest, ready to step forward and check, but suddenly felt the surrounding atmosphere turn eerily stagnant.
She turned her head to look and saw several senior brothers and sisters who had rushed toward her frozen a short distance away, their faces strangely distorted.
“Hmm?” Gantang blinked in confusion.
A Nascent Soul realm Shixiong shook his wrist, causing his Pei Sword to clatter onto the sand at his feet, hurriedly scooping it up with a dry cough as he forced a calm:
“Cough… cough cough! Gantang Shimei, you… you just mind your own business. We… we were just passing by, didn’t disturb your demon-slaying, right?” “Yes, yes, just passing by, passing by.”
Deep within Juezhuang Baolin, in a hidden valley, several shadows concealed in bushes whispered among themselves.
Zhanjiu’s aura had completely vanished……along with that Nascent Soul peak disciple of the Tianyuan Sect, who had seemingly evaporated into thin air…”
A hoarse voice spoke with confusion, “This matter feels strange.”
“Hmph!” another voice thundered with thick anger, “In my opinion, that bastard saw money and acted out of greed. Took the payment, then silenced them and fled!”
“Such lone wolves who do paid jobs are utterly unreliable! They can never compare to our own cultivated confidants!”
“What about the Kunsian Formation? Has it been properly set?”
“The Array Core is placed, the Seal Marks hidden,” a third voice responded with certainty. “Although that female immortal is strong, this formation will trap her like a bird with clipped wings!”
“Good. Though the situation has changed, it shouldn’t be a major problem,” the leader pondered, “Later, send a message to the Fourth Young Master, arrange for some men to intentionally ambush him, and lure that Tianyuan Sect immortal over.”
Once he is drawn far away, we will act ourselves, capture the two juniors Baiyan and Zhuangyang, imprison them within the Kunsian Formation as bait, then lure that female immortal inside!
His voice turned cold, each word like ice:
“This plot concerns the Wangzuo Succession. The Sixth Princess — she is the pivotal chess piece that stirs the storm. She cannot be lost! We must bring her under our control. Incidentally… it will also help the Fourth Young Master fulfill his long-standing wish.”
Several low, determined chuckles spread through the shadows. The leader suddenly clenched his fist! Several dark figures silently melted into the forest like phantoms, vanishing instantly.
***
Half a day later.
Several black-clad figures with cold auras sprang from the shadows, attacking Qingfeng and Shangguan Yunzhu, who were resting!
In the flash of lightning and thunder, Qingfeng’s eyes sharpened, and without hesitation, he crushed a Jade Talisman in his palm!
Xuanmo, who was meditating hovering over Baiyan and Zhuangyang, suddenly became alert and turned sharply, rushing toward the southwest.
Shigong couldn’t keep up with Xuanmo’s speed and had to trail far behind.
Take them away.
As soon as Xuanmo flew off, over a dozen hostile auras burst out, including a Houtian realm expert who immediately launched a surprise attack, knocking Baiyan and Zhuangyang unconscious.
Half an hour later, Xuanmo hurried back alone, leaving the slow-moving Shigong behind to secretly protect Qingfeng and Shangguan Yunzhu.
By this time, Xuanmo sensed something was wrong, but she had rushed too fast. When she found Baiyan and Zhuangyang, she was already deep inside a Grand Formation.
White mist blanketed the surroundings, and when she scanned with her divine sense, all that returned was a flash of white light.
Sensing the danger, Xuanmo forcibly summoned her spiritual power, rolled up her sleeves, and instantly absorbed the unconscious Zhuangyang and Baiyan into her stable Domain Space for protection.
Xuanmo fluttered frantically inside the formation. Being weak in formation techniques, she soon realized she was merely going in circles.
Good thing there’s a big strong general guarding Yunzhu and Qingfeng.
Xuanmo just began to relax and gather her thoughts on how to break the formation when a voice echoed in her mind — Lu Qiancha’s warning before entering Juezhuang Baolin:
“Xuanmo Shigu, unknown travelers are always suspicious; you must never trust them lightly.”
Could that Shigong be…
Cold sweat broke out on Xuanmo’s forehead.
Luring the enemy, drawing them away, capturing, setting bait, leading the prey into a trap…
Step by step, I… have been led by the nose and played around from the very start?!
This is bad! What about Lu Qiancha? She’s the lowest in cultivation — could she have already been harmed by these people?!
No! Qingfeng…Yunzhu…
A flash of insight struck Xuanmo’s mind; these people’s real targets were not Zhuangyang and Baiyan, but these two kids!! Damn it! Why didn’t I think of this earlier!
“Cunning rats hiding in the shadows!! Come out to face me!!!”
Unable to contain her fury, Xuanmo’s voice brimmed with immortal power, exploding like thunder through the thick white mist, “You can only play these tricks on fiends and monsters! If you have the courage, show yourselves and fight me face to face. Even if you have a thousand troops, what do I fear!!!”
But her only response was several low beastly growls from deeper within the mist. The fog remained, deathly silent as a tomb.
“Ahhhhh—!!!”
Xuanmo glared fiercely at the formation that trapped her, feeling suffocated and frustrated with no outlet for her anger. She stamped her feet repeatedly, causing the mist to churn restlessly.
“Damn it! Damn it! Cursed formation! So infuriating!!!”