Chapter 1764: Chasing the Fugitive

The Human World

Deep beneath Rose Butterfly Mountain, a yellow rock, about the size of a millstone, contained the Dream-Transforming Four Seasons Flower. This spiritual herb cannot simply be classified as a plant; to Qin Sang’s perception at that moment, it was nothing more than a mountain rock. It was also Qin Sang’s first time encountering a spiritual herb with such peculiar properties, so he proceeded with extreme caution.

Quietly, a strange power seeped from Qin Sang’s palm into the ground, slowly approaching the yellow rock. This power masterfully concealed its fluctuations, moving silently and permeating layers of rock to reach the yellow rock, like a pair of invisible hands silently closing in. Inside the yellow rock, the Dream-Transforming Four Seasons Flower quietly rooted itself, absorbing earth energy, completely oblivious to this. At the same time, deep within the earth veins of Rose Butterfly Mountain, restrictions appeared around each flower seed, as if supported by sepals.

The moment was right. Qin Sang immediately closed his net, the power surrounding the Dream-Transforming Four Seasons Flower and the ‘sepals’ around all the flower seeds simultaneously tightening. Just then, Qin Sang suddenly sensed something, and his expression drastically changed. He was harvesting the spiritual herb here, having left his Heavenly Eye Butterfly outside to monitor activity beyond the mountain. Just as Qin Sang was about to make his move, the Heavenly Eye Butterfly suddenly sent a warning: an unexpected change had occurred at the Demon Commander’s Estate!

At both ends of the Rose Butterfly Mountain Range, two large Demon Commander’s Estates were situated. A Demon Commander’s Estate could be likened to a human immortal city, with countless well-trained demon soldiers stationed there, guarding the Demon Commander’s cave abode. When Qin Sang had investigated earlier, these demon soldiers were training all day and performing routine patrols, showing formidable strength, yet everything was predictable. He had observed for a period and generally understood their routines, believing these demon soldiers posed little threat to him unless he was besieged. Everything had been normal these past few days.

But today, war drums suddenly thundered from the Demon Commander’s Estate, their sound reverberating throughout Rose Butterfly Mountain. In an instant, squads of strangely shaped demon soldiers rose into the air, filled with murderous intent, their demon aura soaring to the sky. The cloudless sky gathered dark clouds, and fierce winds howled. Flying birds, walking beasts, wood spirits, stone monsters—a single Demon Commander’s Estate could host a bewildering array of demons, a chaotic dance of monsters. However, most of these demons possessed low intelligence, and even when forced into formation, they appeared disorganized. The true elites were the Demon Commander’s personal guards.

The Red-tailed Demon Commander was a Fire Raven that had attained enlightenment; his personal guards were mostly flying creatures, naturally skilled in flight techniques. The Shadow-Illuminating Demon Commander was a Shadow Wolf that had transformed; his subordinates were mostly beasts, but they all knew how to ride clouds and mist, and when they combined their demon arts, they could conjure chilling winds from flat ground.

Qin Sang was currently deep within the Rose Butterfly Mountain Range, closer to the Red-tailed Demon Commander’s Estate, and after receiving the Heavenly Eye Butterfly’s warning, he also faintly felt the fluctuations in heaven and earth. Qin Sang was startled, and a deep doubt arose within him. He hadn’t truly harvested the Dream-Transforming Four Seasons Flower yet, nor had the earth veins been disturbed, so how could the Demon Commander’s Estate have been alerted? Do they possess special means to monitor the surrounding earth veins? Qin Sang’s expression flickered, and his movements froze.

Harvesting the Dream-Transforming Four Seasons Flower could not be accomplished in an instant, but the current situation allowed no delay. Although Qin Sang didn’t believe the two Demon Commanders could threaten him, he had to be wary of the Demon Marquis. If he insisted on harvesting the Dream-Transforming Four Seasons Flower and was besieged by the two Demon Commanders and their forces, by the time the Demon Marquis arrived, he might face eternal doom! However, the Dream-Transforming Four Seasons Flower had already been disturbed. If he stopped now, the spiritual flower would surely escape once free, rendering his efforts pointless. Finding such a spiritual object again in the future might take countless years.

Just as Qin Sang found himself in a dilemma, the two Demon Commanders appeared within their respective personal guard formations.

“Roar, roar...”

The demon soldiers, guarding their commanders, let out excited roars. The Red-tailed Demon Commander transformed into a red-haired demoness, whose crimson pupils seemed to burn with flames. With a single command, a crimson demonic wind swept her elite subordinates toward the sky. On the other side, a similar scene unfolded at the Shadow-Illuminating Demon Commander’s Estate.

Confirming that the two Demon Commanders were indeed leading their forces away from the mountain, and not targeting him, Qin Sang felt a slight relief, but also deep surprise. For two Demon Commanders to leave the mountain simultaneously, it was certainly no minor matter. Was it an order from the Marquis’s Estate, or had some unexpected event occurred nearby? Qin Sang did not know the inside story, but he inexplicably had an ominous premonition. This place was the Demon Marquis’s fiefdom, deep within the Guifang Kingdom, with enemies everywhere. Becoming entangled in any change would be extremely disadvantageous to him; he had to leave as quickly as possible!

The sudden departure of the two Demon Commanders also had an advantage: Qin Sang no longer had to worry about exposure. He no longer hesitated, fully activating his secret art, racing against time. Curved patterns spread across the surface of the yellow rock where the spiritual flower was hidden, Qin Sang’s actions disturbing the Dream-Transforming Four Seasons Flower. The spiritual flower instinctively tried to shift to other seeds, to flee this troubled place, but its connection to all its seeds had been severed! At this moment, all the seeds were enveloped by the sepals, cut off from the outside world. The Dream-Transforming Four Seasons Flower was confined to a small space, thrashing wildly within the yellow rock but unable to break through the restrictions.

With the containment complete, Qin Sang immediately proceeded to the next step. At the same time, all the restrictions he had set were activated, and the ‘sepals’ slowly lifted, encasing the seeds. First, a faint image of the spiritual flower appeared on the yellow rock’s surface, then gradually solidified, revealing the Dream-Transforming Four Seasons Flower’s true form, its four petals gently trembling. Just then, a faint rumble came from the base of Rose Butterfly Mountain, like a slight earthquake. This was an anomaly caused by detaching the Dream-Transforming Four Seasons Flower from the earth veins, disturbing the earth energy. However, the fluctuations that reached the surface were very slight. With the Demon Commanders absent, even if the demon soldiers remaining at the Demon Commander’s Estate noticed, they wouldn’t suspect anything.

“Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh...”

Points of light continuously flew out from the ground beneath Qin Sang’s feet. Each point of light represented a flower seed, until finally, the Dream-Transforming Four Seasons Flower ‘grew’ out beside his feet. Qin Sang examined the vibrant spiritual flower; this was the most troublesome spiritual herb he had ever seen to harvest. All the flower seeds trembled in unison and merged into the main plant. The seeds also carried some medicinal properties; collecting the spiritual plant along with all its seeds made the harvest complete.

“Snap!”

Qin Sang took out a pre-prepared jade box, stored the Dream-Transforming Four Seasons Flower, and ascended to a higher vantage point. The Heavenly Eye Butterfly landed on Qin Sang’s shoulder. Qin Sang gazed intently in the direction of the Marquis’s Estate. The territory here was vast, and it was difficult to discern what was happening there solely by observing the celestial phenomena. He also had no interest in investigating. Having obtained the Dream-Transforming Four Seasons Flower, his objective was achieved. He yearned to immediately return to Crane Cry Mountain and cultivate in peace until he achieved a breakthrough. With a push of his foot, Qin Sang swept down the hilltop and flew westward.

After leaving Rose Butterfly Mountain, Qin Sang felt an increasing sense of unease, and his expression grew more serious. He hadn’t traveled far before he encountered two consecutive waves of demon soldiers, both led by Demon Commanders under Marquis Liu’s Estate, marching rapidly. Qin Sang suspected that all the Demon Commanders under Marquis Liu were being mobilized! His ominous premonition grew stronger. Without slowing down, he continued forward, and as expected, he successively encountered other Demon Commander’s troops. By an unnamed river, Qin Sang concealed himself in a treetop, coldly watching a detachment of demon soldiers disappear into the horizon. He pondered to himself. During this time, he had vaguely discerned some patterns. The two Demon Commanders from Rose Butterfly Mountain were heading towards the Marquis’s Estate in the east, but the subsequent Demon Commanders he encountered were different; almost all were moving northwest, as if encircling and intercepting someone.

“Could it be that someone is creating a ruckus at the Marquis’s Estate at precisely this time?” Given the circumstances, Qin Sang couldn’t help but think this. He cursed his bad luck inwardly and pondered his current predicament. Heading west was the quickest way to leave the Guifang Kingdom, but judging by the demon soldiers’ movements, continuing west would likely lead him into a fierce battle between two sides. Going north was even less advisable, and turning back meant heading towards the Demon Marquis’s Estate. To avoid being caught in the crossfire, he could only turn south. The besieged might be human cultivators, but Qin Sang had no intention of rescuing them, nor did his strength permit him to do so.

Qin Sang made an immediate decision and changed direction at once. Although he was eager to escape, Qin Sang dared not use his fastest Lightning Escape Technique. Demons roamed everywhere here, and the Lightning Escape Technique caused a great stir; once activated, it would inevitably make him a target. However, Qin Sang was not without other options. He leaped down from the treetop and transformed, shifting into his Spirit Wood Form. He deliberately controlled his transformation so that his size was similar to his original form. While this prevented him from fully unleashing his combat prowess, it offered superior flexibility. The moment his feet touched the ground, Qin Sang abruptly vanished. The next moment, a treant walked out from an ancient tree deep in the forest, then silently disappeared again. Qin Sang utilized the divine ability of his Spirit Wood Form, moving among the vegetation. His aura merged with the surrounding vegetation, making it easy to evade the demon soldiers. Though the Spirit Wood Form appeared cumbersome, its speed was not slow.

As Qin Sang continued south, Venerable Cuiwei was being relentlessly pursued by two Demon Marquises, his situation precarious. He had been unexpectedly exposed and was completely unprepared for it. Upon discovering two Demon Marquises approaching him, Venerable Cuiwei realized that Marquis Liu had long been prepared. Even if his 'luring the snake out of its hole' strategy had worked, it would have been impossible to capture this demon. Knowing his current situation was extremely perilous, Venerable Cuiwei did not hesitate and immediately turned to flee. The Golden-Armored Man and Marquis Liu had been waiting for a long time; how could they allow him to escape? They pursued him relentlessly. Marquis Liu’s cultivation was inferior to the Golden-Armored Man’s, but he excelled in flight divine abilities. The two demons moved side by side, their escape lights as swift as lightning.

“So it’s that old geezer!” Marquis Liu gritted his teeth; he and Venerable Cuiwei were old acquaintances.

“Why haven’t his helpers appeared yet?” The Golden-Armored Man was puzzled; he didn’t believe Venerable Cuiwei would dare to come alone.

Marquis Liu did not reply, part of his mind was communicating externally, issuing commands. The demon soldiers throughout the entire fiefdom were mobilized. The Guifang Kingdom and the Daoist Court had battled for many years, reaching the pinnacle of battle formations. Victories of the weak over the strong occurred frequently, and under the leadership of a Demon Marquis, they could unleash astonishing combat power. However, it was not easy to encircle and kill a Venerable Dongxuan; careful planning was required. Marquis Liu’s subordinates were scattered across the fiefdom, seemingly disorganized, but in reality, they were orderly, gradually closing in like a net. The distance between them and Venerable Cuiwei was gradually narrowing.

Just then, the Golden-Armored Man let out a surprised “Eh,” and his escape light abruptly halted, his entire golden armor radiating dazzling golden light. Almost at the same moment, four celestial pillars rose from the surrounding peaks, each a thousand zhang tall, towering into the clouds. The two demons had just stepped into the range of the four celestial pillars. If Qin Sang had been nearby at this moment, he would surely have felt a sense of familiarity. Inside the four celestial pillars, one half was crimson with rolling flames, while the other half was stark white with chilling cold, and the crisp sound of chains continuously echoed—it was none other than the Water-Fire Heavenly Prison he had once seen! However, the prison established by that Altar Master, whether in grandeur or power, could not compare to this Water-Fire Heavenly Prison.

Four pillars forming a prison. Water and fire intermingling. Within the heavenly fire, countless crimson rays shot forth. On the other side, chilling energy froze heaven and earth. Living beings unfortunately trapped within the Heavenly Prison were either incinerated by fire or frozen to death, instantly turning the area into a desolate wasteland. This was a true death prison, with only the two demons who had just stepped inside surviving. Marquis Liu instinctively tried to retreat. The Golden-Armored Man let out a roar, and amidst the dazzling golden light, he transformed into a golden-furred giant ape comparable to a mountain. A terrifying aura shook heaven and earth, but the four pillars of the Heavenly Prison remained unmoving, and endless water and fire swept towards him. The golden-furred giant ape snorted disdainfully, exhaling a puff of white air from its nostrils. Without retreating a single step, it planted its feet on the peaks of two mountains, puffed out its chest, and raised its incredibly muscular arms, forcefully pushing them open to both sides.

“Boom!”

The water and fire were actually forced back. The golden-furred giant ape seemed to be propping open a gate in the void, resisting the Heavenly Prison’s restraining force. Under the intense struggle, the two celestial pillars closest to it trembled incessantly. It suddenly raised its head, its sharp gaze piercing through the gap between the water and fire. “So it’s you!”

Above the Heavenly Prison, three figures were suspended. They were Venerable Cuiwei, along with the Imperial Censor of the Nine Heavens Golden Palace and the dark-skinned stranger, who had arrived as reinforcements.

“Marquis Xuanjing, long time no see!” The Imperial Censor of the Nine Heavens Golden Palace spoke from above, his tone indifferent, but realizing it was not the time for verbal disputes, he nodded to the dark-skinned stranger beside him.

The dark-skinned stranger tossed the scroll in his hand. The scroll unfurled in the sky, and immediately eight silver talismans flew out, heading straight for the two demons. This was originally a means for ambush, but now it could only be used to obstruct the enemy.

“What happened?” The Imperial Censor of the Nine Heavens Golden Palace frowned, looking at Venerable Cuiwei. He had arrived as agreed, but unexpectedly, Venerable Cuiwei had already fled in disarray.

“I overestimated myself,” Venerable Cuiwei said grimly, without defending himself. “The demons were prepared. We must leave quickly; there will be reinforcements outside the Guifang Kingdom.”

After speaking, the three no longer hesitated, fleeing by flight, with no intention of staying to fight a major battle.

“Roar!”

Seeing the three escape, the golden-furred giant ape roared to the sky, its muscles bulging high across its body as its incredibly dense qi and blood surged into its arms. With a forceful push, a thunderous crash resounded, and the four pillars instantly collapsed; the Heavenly Prison had been forcibly shattered by it! Streams of fire scattered, chilling energy surged wildly, and the surroundings instantly transformed into a desolate wasteland. Next, the golden-furred giant ape leaped forcefully, swinging its fists to smash the eight talismans. Marquis Liu’s back flickered, and a white light shot out, forming a sword, helping the golden-furred giant ape break the talismans. The golden-furred giant ape’s power was unparalleled, smashing each of the eight talismans.

At this moment, Marquis Liu’s expression suddenly darkened. “Someone has infiltrated the Marquis’s Estate!”

The golden-furred giant ape was startled, then sneered, “Could their target be the treasures in your estate, brother?”

Marquis Liu frowned. To prevent leaks, many valuable treasures had not been moved out, and their theft would be a great loss, but Daoist Court immortal officials certainly wouldn’t be interested in them.

“It’s a diversionary tactic!” The golden-furred giant ape snorted coldly. “Fourth Brother and the others should have arrived. Send a message for Fourth Brother to go back and keep a close eye on that thief. We’ll continue the pursuit; leave no one behind!”

Marquis Liu nodded. He had naturally sought more than one helper, but it was impossible for all of them to stay and guard this place for an elusive enemy. Marquis Xuanjing had the deepest friendship with him, which was why he accepted the invitation to stay here for several years. Upon discovering the enemy’s trace, he immediately sent out a warning signal. His helpers arrived via the Marquis’s Estate’s teleportation array, but unexpectedly, someone infiltrated the Estate right after they left. Marquis Liu sent the message as planned. Seeing the golden-furred giant ape transform into a golden light and fly away, he quickly pursued it.