Chapter 1188: Stalemate

The three of them divided the spoils. As a Nascent Soul Grandmaster, Old Devil Pei had amassed considerable wealth. He had everything imaginable: magic treasures, spirit materials, elixirs, spirit stones, and more. Si Di and Jing Lin insisted that Qin Sang take the lion's share, so Qin Sang didn't stand on ceremony. He first selected the items he urgently needed to replenish his Thousand Jin Ring. His wealth had never quite matched his status and cultivation level, but now, after confiscating the belongings of a Nascent Soul cultivator, he no longer appeared impoverished.

However, even though he acquired several magic treasures, none were entirely satisfactory. Old Devil Pei's natal magic treasure, despite being a high-grade artifact, would suffer a significant reduction in power if used by an outsider. These were far inferior to his Twelve Devil Banners and Ebony Sword, so he would only use them temporarily before eventually bestowing them upon his juniors.

Si Di and Jing Lin equally divided the remaining items and were both quite satisfied.

"Once our battle merits are reported, even greater rewards await us!" Jing Lin said, delighted.

Slaying a Nascent Soul cultivator from the Abyss of Sin in battle was no trivial feat, and the Two-Realms Alliance had never been stingy with such rewards. Although Qin Sang had delivered the fatal blow, he would have found it difficult to succeed without their cooperation. Thus, the three decided to equally divide the battle merits.

"Daoist Friend, you truly astonished everyone this time. You've scared Zen Spirit and Old Devil Tan out of their wits; they've been solely focused on retreating ever since, utterly devoid of fighting spirit. The Abyss of Sin now knows Daoist Mingyue's name and will certainly investigate you in secret, looking for ways to target you," Jing Lin kindly reminded him.

Qin Sang wasn't worried; ambushing him wouldn't be so easy. Of course, caution was still necessary. There were countless divine abilities in the world, and he might yet encounter an opponent who could counter his own.

Qin Sang thanked him and turned to Si Di. "My fire banners and lightning spells are all offensive techniques; at most, the Abyss of Sin will prepare a few protective measures in advance, which won't significantly affect me. However, Daoist Friend Si, you're different. You exposed your life-saving divine ability in front of Zen Spirit and Old Devil Tan. You must be extremely careful from now on."

Qin Sang greatly admired Si Di's decisiveness and courage. It was extremely rare for a Nascent Soul Grandmaster to willingly act as bait and put themselves in such danger. His ability to displace himself with his natal magic treasure was undoubtedly a powerful escape tool. However, once known and guarded against, its effectiveness would be greatly reduced.

Hearing this, Si Di and Jing Lin suddenly exchanged glances and burst into laughter.

Qin Sang was puzzled.

Si Di, with a smile, simply explained, "Daoist Mingyue, you may not realize it, but the conditions for using that particular Daoist technique of mine are extremely stringent; it's impossible to deploy it during a normal fight. Firstly, we were within the Cold Bell Grand Array, and secondly, I had already made preparations here months ago, which allowed me to use it. If our opponents focus their energy on countering this specific technique, I'd be more than delighted! Moreover, with the battle merits I've gained this time, I can now exchange for a spirit material I've long coveted. Once it's integrated into my Yuejin Mirror, this magic treasure will undergo a qualitative transformation, and then I can turn their schemes against them and make them suffer another setback..."

"Daoist Friend, you even accounted for this level of strategy. My deepest admiration." Qin Sang secretly mused to himself, these old Nascent Soul cultivators truly were not to be underestimated; it was one trap after another.

"Ever since Daoist Friend Si took charge at Three-Fold Pass, Old Devil Pei and Old Devil Tan have never managed to gain an advantage. It's not just about cultivation level!" Jing Lin praised him.

Si Di repeatedly expressed his humility.

Having jointly killed an enemy, their relationship was clearly much closer than before. Si Di and Jing Lin became increasingly cordial towards Qin Sang, and they were also discreet, not pressing him about his devil banners or lightning summoning techniques.

Under Qin Sang's deliberate guidance, the conversation turned to the Ghost Crystal Pagoda and the Soul Exterminating Cone.

"Previously, the Mystic Shield Talisman couldn't completely block the Soul Exterminating Cone, but it could buy us time to calmly evade. However, Old Devil Pei must have used some secret art because the Soul Exterminating Cone's power far surpassed anything we've seen before. This situation must be taken seriously; I'll immediately send a message to Daoist Master Zhen Yi," Jing Lin said, his tone solemn. His injuries had not yet fully healed, and when he spoke of the Soul Exterminating Cone, his tone was very wary. With the Mystic Shield Talisman proving ineffective, the Two-Realms Alliance urgently needed to find stronger defensive measures.

Si Di continued, "This type of Soul Exterminating Cone shouldn't be something that can be used at will. I noticed that Old Devil Pei seemed abnormal in his final moments. You two Daoist Friends were closer; you should have seen more clearly than I did."

The two turned to Qin Sang.

Qin Sang nodded slightly. "Daoist Friend Si is right. Before Old Devil Pei launched the Soul Exterminating Cone, his appearance instantly aged by several hundred years, as if a large portion of his vital energy had drained away."

After a moment of contemplation, Jing Lin's expression suddenly changed. "Old Devil Pei was sacrificing himself to the Ghost Crystal Pagoda! That thing is indeed an outright evil artifact!"

"Given how much these old Nascent Soul cultivators cherish their lives, they shouldn't be willing to sacrifice themselves unless absolutely necessary. However, we must be highly vigilant. Old Devil Pei, even in haste, could still injure two Daoist Friends. If someone were to selflessly dedicate themselves and act with premeditation, who knows how much destruction they could cause," Si Di said in a deep voice.

The three of them held a private discussion for a full hour. Qin Sang questioned them in detail about various aspects of the Abyss of Sin, particularly the Ghost Crystal Pagoda, but he didn't find the information he was looking for.

After seeing off Jing Lin and Si Di, Qin Sang sat cross-legged on the ground, his thoughts restless. His intuition told him that the Ghost Crystal Pagoda was very likely related to ancient devils, but he had no concrete evidence to present.

"After this devastating defeat, Three-Fold Pass should be quiet for a while. It's time to go to Stonebend Mountain to see my senior sister. In any case, I must first secure a retreat path for myself..." Qin Sang thought to himself. With the Demon Lord capable of slaying Nascent Soul cultivators as easily as cutting grass, Qin Sang didn't mind contributing to the resistance against the Abyss of Sin, but he certainly didn't want to sacrifice his own life. As for being so scared as to hide tens of thousands of miles away right now, that wasn't necessary. The Abyss of Sin's strength hadn't reached such an overwhelming level; there might be other hidden factors at play.

After the great battle, Three-Fold Pass returned to peace, and they finally received news from Stonebend Mountain. This time, the Abyss of Sin had deployed almost all its forces, creating a tremendous momentum. The Abyss of Sin had deliberately created a diversion, with Stonebend Mountain and several major strategic locations nearby being the primary targets. Fortunately, the Two-Realms Alliance was well-prepared, having invited the Demon Kings out of seclusion in advance. Although initially caught off guard, they gradually blocked the Abyss of Sin's offensive and stabilized their position as reinforcements arrived. The most heartening news was undoubtedly that Three-Fold Pass, despite being slightly inferior in strength, had managed to counter-kill a Nascent Soul cultivator from the opposing side. The name 'Demon King Mingyue' quickly spread, and he rapidly rose to prominence.

A few days later, Qin Sang found Jing Lin and Si Di, informing them that he needed to make a trip to Stonebend Mountain, citing a message brought back by minor demons from the Thousand Mountain Bamboo Sea as his reason. Si Di, who had already exchanged for his desired treasure and was beaming with joy, said confidently, "Zen Spirit is a timid man; unless he thoroughly researches your divine abilities, he certainly wouldn't dare to make a move easily. Daoist Friend, rest assured, when you bring them, we will certainly take good care of them."

Stonebend Mountain. This was originally an important city of the Heavenly Travel Alliance. All mortals within the city had been evacuated, leaving the vast city desolate. Stonebend Mountain was heavily guarded. Qin Sang stated his identity and was allowed to enter the city. A Core Formation cultivator led Qin Sang into a grand hall within the City Lord's Mansion, then quickly left to report to Daoist Master Zhen Yi. Daoist Master Zhen Yi personally oversaw Stonebend Mountain, while Demon Lord Tongyou was stationed in Wangdong City. Other key figures, such as Senior Sister Qing Jun, were also at Stonebend Mountain, while Earl Dongyang assisted Demon Lord Tongyou in Wangdong City. The experts of the Heavenly Travel Alliance were similarly divided, stationed in these two locations respectively.