Chapter 1662: Goodbye Lingdan

Their divine senses connected, and the Poison King understood what had transpired, his eyes glinting with cold light.

Demonic winds surged, forming a vortex. The Gu worm, like a serpent swimming through void, swayed lightly and changed direction.

Simultaneously, the demonic winds abruptly darkened. Then, a drop of black liquid separated from the winds, instantly exploding into a small cloud of black smoke that grazed Grandmaster Huaiyin and surged towards Kun Dao.

The smoke billowed, moving at an astonishing speed, accompanied by a whistling sound.

With the Poison King acting as his protector, Grandmaster Huaiyin had no further concerns and swiftly disengaged from the battle.

Kun Dao, at some unknown point, had opened her eyes and was staring at Grandmaster Huaiyin's retreating back. She saw that Grandmaster Huaiyin's helper had arrived, and though Grandmaster Huaiyin's aura fluctuated, he still appeared full of vigor.

Not only had his internal injuries not flared up, but granulation tissue was growing at a visible rate on his wounds, as if they were about to fully heal.

Kun Dao gave Grandmaster Huaiyin a deep look, then closed her eyes once more.

Su Zinan and Qin Sang cursed inwardly.

The smoke seemed to be directed at Kun Dao, but who could guarantee the Poison King wouldn't have ulterior motives? They were approaching Kun Dao and were also within the smoke's attack range.

This cloud of smoke had no peculiar smell and appeared ordinary, yet considering the Poison King's fearsome reputation, it was surely not simple—it had to be a type of poisonous smoke.

Assisted by his Heavenly Eye Butterfly, Qin Sang still had enough energy to observe other areas and saw that the smoke originated from the spirit insect within the demonic winds.

The spirit insect was slender, its body covered in fine hairs, making it a caterpillar.

This appearance was too common.

Qin Sang could instantly think of dozens of similar spirit insects, but in such a short time, he couldn't determine its species. Moreover, Myriad Poison Mountain was skilled in raising Gu, making spirit insects even harder to identify after being refined by Gu cultivation techniques.

However, upon seeing the spirit insect's fine hairs, Qin Sang felt a sense of familiarity. They were very similar to the hairs Myriad Poison Mountain had given him before, yet slightly different. The spirit insect's hairs were finer and less lustrous than that particular strand.

According to the Pavilion Master of Seven Fragrances Pavilion, the hairs were taken from a sacred artifact of Myriad Poison Mountain, so the spirit insect was surely closely related to that artifact.

The masked man had been poisoned by the sacred artifact of Myriad Poison Mountain, and he hadn't been able to clear the residual poison for over a hundred years, which showed how potent this poison was. The Poison King's Gu worm must be similarly potent.

Qin Sang dared not be careless. He split a wisp of his divine sense to activate his poison pearl, forming a layer of poison-repelling armor over his body. With a slight flick of his wrist, three divine birds flapped their wings, rose from the tree trunk, and merged into one.

The aura of Numinous Fire of the Southern Brightness clashed with the Nine Elemental Magnetism.

Magnetic light and spiritual fire collided and merged, forming towering flames around the Solar Divine Bird, creating a spectacular sight and an astonishing aura.

Though Su Zinan showed no visible movements, his dharma robe billowed, and an additional layer of faint blood-red light appeared. He stared at Kun Dao, his lips moving slightly as he chanted an incantation.

As he cast his spell, the Death Seal on Kun Dao's chest grew increasingly scarlet, sinking bit by bit as if to directly engrave itself into her internal organs.

At this moment, Qin Sang and Su Zinan saw Kun Dao close her eyes, as if she had given up struggling.

"Whoosh!"

Where the Solar Divine Bird passed, flames surged, emanating an unparalleled oppressive power.

Just as Kun Dao was about to be engulfed by the flames, Qin Sang's expression abruptly changed. He saw the crack beside Kun Dao expand wildly, instantly transforming into a black hole that seemed to possess endless suction, pulling Kun Dao's figure rapidly downwards!

"Boom!"

The black hole was just the beginning. The Nine Elemental Magnetism fell into chaos, and astonishing destructive power rapidly spread, causing the void to collapse!

In an instant, magnetic light formed a storm, and countless cracks were born within the storm, like giant serpents, rushing in all directions. Qin Sang and Su Zinan both felt their bodies tighten. When they recovered, they found themselves surrounded by the magnetic light storm.

Kun Dao had shattered her own divine restriction to escape, triggering the rampage of the Nine Elemental Magnetism.

Qin Sang sighed inwardly. Kun Dao could do too many things within the Five Elements Divine Restriction, even escaping a fatal situation using such a method. Knowing that the situation was unmanageable, Qin Sang withdrew the wisp of divine sense controlling the Solar Divine Bird.

The Solar Divine Bird immediately exploded, its spiritual fire shooting skyward, quickly swallowed by the utterly chaotic magnetic light storm. The Poison King's poisonous smoke was also dispersed at the same time.

Su Zinan also felt the Death Seal slip from his control and had no choice but to withdraw his spell.

Qin Sang was at the center of the magnetic light storm, with cracks everywhere. Though fraught with danger, escaping would not be difficult. Going with the flow, he could choose a crack and exit the divine restriction.

At this moment, he felt an inexplicable suction trying to pull him into one of the cracks.

Whether it was Kun Dao's doing or a natural change within the divine restriction, Qin Sang could not allow himself to be pulled in. He used a wisp of his divine sense to control the Monadic Pearl, vibrating his Vajra Fire Shield to resist the suction.

He swept his gaze around. His Heavenly Eye ability pierced through the darkness, vaguely revealing the scene outside the cracks.

The various scenes differed: some showed bluestone steps, others a cliff face, and one showed a section of a wall. The perspective was consistent, clearly revealing the interior of Emperor's Grant Mountain, surrounded by the Five Elements Divine Restriction.

Different cracks led to different places.

The Five Elements Divine Restriction was not a true void restriction, so these places should not be too far apart.

Old cracks merged into larger ones, and new cracks continuously appeared. Their corresponding locations were not static, shifting like fleeting glimpses, changing in an instant.

Qin Sang's thoughts flashed like lightning, but he was not in a hurry to escape. He strove to maneuver within the magnetic light storm, shifting his gaze upward.

The treasures that Grandmaster Huaiyin had sent flying were also scattered. They had already been repeatedly damaged and were now impacted by the magnetic light storm. The delicate jade sword erupted with dazzling white light.

Within the white light, the jade sword broke into two pieces. Its power exhausted, it turned to dust.

Of the two long swords, one was swept away to an unknown location by the magnetic light storm, while the other hadn't flown far. This was the female cultivator's personal sword worn at her hip, most likely her natal spirit sword.

Qin Sang set his sights on the other small sword. This was a golden sword, more robust than the jade sword, but the light on its blade flickered erratically, clearly indicating it wouldn't last much longer.

The magnetic light storm intensified, making maneuvering increasingly difficult. Qin Sang no longer hesitated, flashing towards the golden sword.

"Bang, bang, bang..."

His Vajra Fire Shield vibrated wildly.

Qin Sang's speed increased by a third. Moving like a phantom, he brushed past numerous cracks. As he neared the golden sword, he was just about to snatch it.

Just then, a black light suddenly sprang from a crack. It was the female cultivator's other relic—the black jade treasure box.

The black jade treasure box had fallen into a crack, but the magnetic light chaos vibrated it back out.

The restriction on the treasure box was severely damaged. The lid slightly opened, and a milky white light overflowed, revealing a spiritual elixir that remained intact under the protection of the restriction!

It was a Boiling Snow Elixir!

This elixir was useless to Kun Dao, so she hadn't swallowed it. She had originally prepared it as bait if the spiritual swords proved insufficiently attractive, though now it was also unneeded.

The elixir appeared.

It wasn't just Qin Sang who saw it; Su Zinan also did, and Su Zinan was closer!

Su Zinan had just retrieved one sword and was about to take the female cultivator's personal sword as well. Seeing the situation, he changed his target without hesitation. His palm erupted with blood-red light, transforming into a giant blood-colored hand that clawed through the air.

As the blood-colored hand was about to grasp the elixir, a strange 'hum-ha' sound suddenly echoed in Su Zinan's mind, piercing his Nascent Soul with pain. The blood-colored hand involuntarily paused.

Immediately after, a thunderbolt heavily struck the elixir, shattering it on the spot.

"How dare you!"

Su Zinan's eyes nearly burst from their sockets as he watched helplessly as the Boiling Snow Elixir turned to ash.

Qin Sang paid no mind to Su Zinan's fury. He retrieved the golden sword and fled into a crack. Rather than let Su Zinan obtain the Boiling Snow Elixir, it was better to destroy it!

On the outskirts of the magnetic light storm, Grandmaster Huaiyin and the Poison King retreated repeatedly.

Grandmaster Huaiyin's resolve was firm. Neither the alluring relics of the female cultivator nor Kun Dao, who had tried to kill him, could alter his decision.

He charged outward without looking back, thus avoiding falling into the magnetic light storm.

He knew his own situation best. While he could escape through the divine restriction's cracks, being sent deeper into the Five Elements Divine Restriction would be extremely disadvantageous given his current state.

The Poison King recalled his Gu worms, positioning them to protect Grandmaster Huaiyin from both sides.

The two retreated further and further.

They could no longer see the scene inside the magnetic light storm, but the Poison King still stared there, lost in thought.

"This poor monk was overconfident; I nearly lost my life here," Grandmaster Huaiyin said, clasped his palms together and bowed to the Poison King, thanking him.

The Poison King accepted the bow. He withdrew his gaze and asked a question. Upon learning of Grandmaster Huaiyin's decision to leave, he hesitated for a moment and said, "I will escort you down the mountain, Grandmaster."

By this time, Grandmaster Huaiyin's wounds had almost completely recovered. Only a small area still showed exposed red flesh; bone fragments and blood vessels were no longer visible.

The granulation tissue on the wounds continued to grow, quickly filling the injured area. Golden light flowed over it, and it healed completely.

Truly miraculous!

The Poison King witnessed this and was startled by Grandmaster Huaiyin's powerful regenerative ability. However, he also understood that the wounds were merely superficial; the core was damaged, and it wouldn't heal so easily.

No such heaven-defying divine art existed in the world, and even if it did, it would demand an astonishing price.

Grandmaster Huaiyin's aura showed signs of weakening. His secret art must have a time limit, otherwise he wouldn't have spoken so readily of retreating.

After some thought, the Poison King decided to personally escort Grandmaster Huaiyin down the mountain to earn a favor. In any case, he had already figured out the sword formation's methods, and the round trip wouldn't take too long.

In this attempt to corner the masked man, with Grandmaster Huaiyin's assistance, the Poison King had been confident of success. Now, with his powerful ally severely injured, he would have to reconsider his plans.

With this favor owed, their relationship would no longer be a mere transaction.

If the masked man escaped, and he needed to invite Grandmaster Huaiyin out of seclusion again, how could he refuse?

Additionally, the Poison King was inspired by Kun Dao.

Emperor's Grant Mountain was a chaotic mix of various factions, with cultivators of both righteous and demonic paths clashing. He could potentially exploit this, watch the tigers fight from the mountain, and wait for his opportunity.

This retreat was actually a strategic advance.

Waiting for chaos to erupt on the mountain before moving in to reap the benefits would be an excellent stratagem.

"Thank you, Daoist friend."

Grandmaster Huaiyin expressed his shame but had no intention of refusing.

Although the magnetic light storm had thrown the area into chaos, they could discern an exit by judging the intensity of the Nine Elemental Magnetism. The two set their sights on a direction and initiated their movement techniques.

As they sped along, Grandmaster Huaiyin recounted the details of that encounter from beginning to end: "That Su Zinan and the Fiery Demon are not easily dealt with. The Fiery Demon's protective aura was brimming with demonic energy, yet it subtly contained Buddhist intent, which inexplicably reminded this poor monk of the Buddhist divine ability, Golden Bell Shield—truly strange. Though Su Zinan deliberately concealed it, this poor monk detected a discordant aura within him, but I do not know its origin..."

Even amidst danger, Grandmaster Huaiyin kept all his senses keen.

He then spoke of Kun Dao in meticulous detail, reminding the Poison King to be extremely careful, as that woman was ruthless.

The Poison King nodded and asked a few questions in return, but specifically asked about Qin Sang.

Given the haste, the information obtained was limited, and Grandmaster Huaiyin could not say more.

Under the protection of the Poison King and his Gu worms, the female cultivator ultimately did not appear. The two successfully exited the Nine Elemental Magnetism and reached the outer Five Elements Restriction.

The Poison King diligently escorted Grandmaster Huaiyin all the way out of the Mist Tide Grand Formation.

Stepping out of the Jade Gate, they simultaneously looked outside the mountain.

To the east of Emperor's Grant Mountain, according to Su Zinan, were the Golden Aspect Hall and Earth Aspect Hall. Both had fluctuating restrictions, indicating that someone was breaking formations and searching for treasures.

The greater commotion, however, was coming from the southwest of Emperor's Grant Mountain.

From afar, streaks of escape light flickered continuously among the mountains. Large numbers of cultivators had already entered the ancient dwelling and were rushing towards this location, with the fastest already halfway there.

"Daoist friend, please return. Do not delay important matters."

Grandmaster Huaiyin paused.

The Poison King was worried that Kun Dao might return.

Grandmaster Huaiyin shook his head, stood tall, and calmly stated, "That woman's abilities are mediocre; she relies entirely on the Five Elements Divine Restriction to bolster her power. If she dares to pursue us out of the mountain, this poor monk will ensure she never returns!"

"Cultivators are gathering outside the Formless Immortal Sect, with various factions arriving one after another. Master, perhaps you should first find a safe place here to heal your injuries..."

Seeing his confidence, the Poison King no longer insisted and bowed in farewell.

However, Grandmaster Huaiyin noticed that the Poison King had been distracted throughout their journey and spoke frankly, "Daoist friend, if you have something on your mind, please speak freely."

The Poison King hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Master, do you think Su Zinan and the Fiery Demon have the ability to kill that scoundrel and Old Ghost Qiling?"

Grandmaster Huaiyin was slightly stunned and fell into contemplation.

"This King also thinks it's a pipe dream," the Poison King shook his head. "That scoundrel and Old Ghost Qiling are birds of a feather; at the very least, they wouldn't have died here. Yet, they haven't been seen since entering the mountain. That scoundrel claims to be a successor of the Formless Immortal Sect, but he merely stumbled upon a few ancient texts by chance. Could he really be faster than Old Man Zilei and the various Old Demons, who are true successors, and ignore the flawed Metal Aspect Divine Restriction?"

Bright stars had appeared in the sword formation; if the masked man were in the formation, it would be impossible for him not to see them.

"Then... Daoist friend, who do you suspect is the culprit?" Grandmaster Huaiyin asked in return.

"That female cultivator appeared and disappeared unpredictably, holding all the geographical advantages. Su Zinan and Mo Xingdao advanced and retreated together, so both are possible. However, this King believes the Fiery Demon also deserves significant attention."

The Poison King gestured, recalling the Gu worm hovering above, and lightly stroked it. "Just now, to assist the Grandmaster, I urged it to spew a mouthful of Spirit Annihilation Smoke. Later, the poisonous smoke was dispersed by the magnetic light storm, greatly diminishing its power. Su Zinan also had to slightly evade it, but the Fiery Demon appeared quite composed... One must know that scoundrel's foundation was laid at Myriad Poison Mountain, and most of his abilities are related to poison arts. If the Fiery Demon has a method to counteract poison arts, it would effectively cripple him by half. According to Su Zinan, that scoundrel and Old Ghost Qiling were acting separately. If he provoked the Fiery Demon alone, one can imagine his fate."

As all these clues combined, the Poison King was getting closer to the truth.

Grandmaster Huaiyin shook his head. "These are all just your speculations, Daoist friend."

"They are indeed my speculations, but they are not mere conjecture; they can be verified later."

The Poison King put away his Gu worm, bade farewell to Grandmaster Huaiyin, and turned and ascended the mountain.

Qin Sang and Su Zinan were ejected from the Five Elements Divine Restriction.

The Poison King and Grandmaster Huaiyin descended the mountain.

Only Mo Xingdao remained in the Nine Elemental Magnetism.

He waited outside and soon sensed the Nine Elemental Magnetism raging, indicating a major battle had occurred inside.

Mo Xingdao decided not to get involved in the mess and retreated repeatedly.

After waiting for some time, the magnetic light storm reached its peak and then waned, but Su Zinan still did not emerge. Mo Xingdao noticed the cracks within the storm and guessed that Su Zinan wouldn't die so easily, possibly having entered already.

He pondered for a moment, then retreated along his original path to the Seven Mansions Sword Formation, found the core of the sword formation, and passed through the Five Elements Divine Restriction.