Chapter 1789: Unexpected Encounter

The Mortal Realm

The golden light was like a river bursting its banks, a surging tide possessing an irresistible momentum.

It was obvious that the golden light was certainly connected to the Demon Marquises. They had been pursuing all along, maintaining a good speed, and were not far from the center of the golden light's eruption. When they noticed the anomaly, the auspicious clouds ahead had already been tinged a pale gold and were rapidly spreading towards them.

Covered by a layer of golden light, Qin Sang felt no discomfort. To everyone's spiritual perception, the golden light did not display significant destructive power; only its momentum was imposing. But everyone quickly realized the problem: the illusions struck by the golden light, especially those formed by divine abilities left by ancient powerful cultivators, were all showing signs of instability.

"Whoosh!"

From the edge of the golden light, intense blue light erupted. It was precisely the blue sea of light that Immortal Youhuang had mentioned. For some unknown reason, it stirred up layers of light waves, spraying blue light outwards, actually pushing the golden light back. The blue and golden colors converged, creating another wondrous spectacle.

After countless years of changes, these illusions mutually constrained and stacked upon each other, with auspicious clouds serving as buffers and connections. A stable pattern had originally formed. Even cultivators as powerful as those in the Soul Transformation stage could only traverse through the numerous illusions formed by divine abilities, adapting to circumstances. Even if they used their full power, it would likely be difficult to shake these illusions. Just like in the recent rain curtain of 'Sowing Beans into Soldiers,' Qin Sang and the others could only continuously slay the mud figures, but they couldn't find the source, let alone breaking the divine ability. But at this moment, the golden light seemed to have shaken the very foundation of this space.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Blinding clusters of light continuously erupted ahead, like the most magnificent fireworks in the world. These clusters of light, each with a different color, carried strange power fluctuations. Some were soft, some hard; some as violent as fire, others as gentle as wind. They impacted their surroundings, thereby causing greater chaos. The chaos spread outwards at an astonishing speed. In the blink of an eye, it was almost upon them.

"Oh no!"

Everyone cried out in alarm, just like Immortal Zhang. Immortal Zhang and Immortal Zhijian had climbed onto the stone platform, while all four of them were standing on the cloud path. The cloud path was very narrow, barely enough space for four people to cast spells. The stone platform was to their left, and to their right, two illusions pressed closely against them. One was a cluster of reddish-yellow threads, delicate and like faint wisps of cloud, that one might mistake for auspicious clouds if not looking carefully. Beside the threads was a rift, like a fierce beast hidden within a spatial crack, only revealing its gaping maw and continuously devouring the thread cluster. The devouring was incessant, yet the threads were endless. There were similar illusions both in front of and behind the stone platform. Some were clearly formed by divine abilities, while others had unknown origins. Once these erupted, with them in the middle, their fate would be unpredictable.

"Retreat quickly!" Immortal Guyun shouted loudly.

The four immediately flew backwards. Immortal Zhang and Immortal Zhijian on the stone platform hastily stopped; it was impossible to complete the formation before the golden light arrived. This was no time for setting up formations. Both of them deeply understood the art of making choices, so they abandoned their formation plates without hesitation and flashed out from the stone platform. Unexpectedly, the moment their figures moved, the stone platform violently trembled, and a sudden change occurred.

On the originally smooth, mirror-like surface of the platform, dense patterns suddenly emerged, deeply etched across the entire platform, resembling an incredibly complex talismanic diagram. Everyone present was well-versed in the Way of Talismans. As they retreated, the platform's talismanic diagram came into view, arousing the instincts of talisman cultivators, but they felt a wave of dizziness and confusion. The stone platform did not give them a chance to continue comprehending. The moment the diagram appeared, a powerful fluctuation immediately erupted from the platform.

Immortal Zhang and Immortal Zhijian hadn't had time to evacuate and bore the brunt of the impact. In their haste, they only managed to summon their protective treasures. A huge shock resonated as an astonishing force violently struck them from beneath. The next moment, Qin Sang and the other three watched in horror as the two Immortals were swept away by the fluctuations erupting from the stone platform. Judging by the two Immortals' reactions, they could only barely protect themselves, powerless to resist the force. The distance between the two Immortals and them rapidly widened. One after another, they vanished into the golden light, without even time to leave a single instruction.

Meanwhile, the stone platform continued to erupt with power, immediately causing great chaos in the surroundings. The power rushed into the cloud-like threads, causing a large section to indent, which immediately drew a counterattack. Threads shot out wildly in all directions; if anyone stood nearby, they would immediately have several transparent holes in their body. Similar scenes appeared one after another. The golden light triggered a series of anomalies, and its spread was too fast; Qin Sang and the other three also couldn't escape.

"Bang!"

Qin Sang felt a dull ache in his chest; he was also swept by the residual waves of the platform's talismanic diagram and sent flying backward. He had already cast the Golden Light Heavenly Helm Seal and was not injured. But as he flew backward, Qin Sang's peripheral vision caught sight of anomalies occurring on both sides. At the same time, the Heavenly Eye Butterfly also sent a warning. The illusions on both sides were expanding; once they collided, who knew what consequences would ensue. Qin Sang's expression subtly changed. Making a decisive move, he crashed sideways into the illusion on his right.

Just as he entered the illusion, before he could clearly see the interior, Qin Sang suddenly heard a piercing whooshing sound. A strong sense of danger arose in his heart, and he raised his hand, striking out a palm towards his right rear. At the same time, Qin Sang also twisted his body around, but neither he nor the Heavenly Eye Butterfly saw anything. Only a gentle force came from his palm, and he was involuntarily pushed outwards.

"Whoosh!"

Qin Sang was propelled out of the illusion, finding himself not in the original location and could no longer see Immortal Youhuang and the others. At this moment, Qin Sang could only ensure his own safety, with no time to worry about others. Besides, they surely all had means to protect themselves.

"Splash!"

He heard the sound of water overhead. Qin Sang didn't even glance and swiftly moved straight ahead. At this very moment, confusing scenes were everywhere – above, below, left, right, and in all directions. He felt as if he were in a colorful canvas. It was impossible to find a safe haven amidst the chaos; he could only constantly maneuver and dodge, testing a cultivator's eyesight and strength. The Heavenly Eye Butterfly would help Qin Sang find a way out; Qin Sang only needed to focus on dealing with the dangers. At this moment, the benefits of his advanced Heavenly Eye divine ability became apparent; even fleeting gaps could not escape the Heavenly Eye Butterfly's notice.

Man and butterfly were connected in spirit. With the Heavenly Eye Butterfly's help, Qin Sang traversed through various strange phenomena. At times, he would conjure the Lotus Seal; at times, he would flap his phoenix wings; at times, he would summon his spiritual wood body for a fierce charge, like dancing on a knife's edge. Anyone watching would break into a cold sweat for him. His situation seemed critical. However, as time passed, Qin Sang discovered that the chaos triggered by the golden light was not as severe as he had imagined. This space was still very stable, far from the point of collapse. The ancient divine abilities had not been truly activated; only the residual waves stirred by the golden light would continue to rage for some time. Soul Transformation stage cultivators, as long as they handled it properly, would not be in mortal danger; at most, they would suffer some hardship.

Thinking of this, Qin Sang's heart eased slightly. When he went to look for the others again, he found that they had all disappeared without a trace. The situation earlier was too chaotic, and Qin Sang could no longer recall the stone platform's location. Remembering the communication talismans everyone had prepared before entering, he took one out and activated it. The talisman transformed into a talismanic imprint in his palm, its light flickering, and then slowly dissipated after a moment. Qin Sang frowned; the talisman was ineffective here. The anomaly occurred suddenly; they hadn't had time to discuss a meeting point.

Where should he go next? Should he wander aimlessly looking for the Demon Marquises, or should he leave here first and wait for them at the Golden Palace? There was also a hidden worry: how long this situation would last, and if there would be a more intense golden light eruption.

Just then, Qin Sang noticed blue light flickering ahead. His heart stirred, remembering the blue sea of light. On the way here, Immortal Youhuang had spoken of her experiences here, and Qin Sang had listened very carefully, remembering them. Immortal Youhuang had explored most of the illusions along the path she had taken, knowing where it was dangerous and where it was relatively safe. As long as he found that path, even if there were further anomalies later, he wouldn't be flustered. Judging by the scene ahead, he had already reached the vicinity of the blue sea of light. Thinking of this, Qin Sang immediately sent a mental command to the Heavenly Eye Butterfly to search for a path forward and move closer to the blue sea of light.

Qin Sang, like a wave-rider cutting through waves, arrived at the edge of the blue sea of light without true danger, though with some alarm. As far as the eye could see, was a vast expanse of azure. According to Immortal Youhuang, the blue sea of light had previously been very calm, like a pure blue light wall. Gazing at the sea of light, one's mind would involuntarily become immersed, feeling an unprecedented tranquility. Originally, this was a good thing, but Immortal Youhuang discovered that after gazing at the blue sea of light for a period, circular ripples would appear and gradually spread, as if trying to pull her in. This caused her to feel alarmed and develop an inexplicable fear, so she dared not look again. At this moment, the blue sea of light showed slight distortions, but it was generally stable.

Qin Sang avoided looking directly at the sea of light, moving along its edge, searching for illusions that matched Immortal Youhuang's descriptions. Along the way, he tried to contact his companions several times with talismans, but they all vanished without a trace.

As he swiftly flew, a fierce wind swept in from ahead, bringing a vast, overwhelming shadowy mass of black sand. The black sand shadow exuded an aura of decay. Qin Sang frowned slightly, not wanting such a strange thing to touch him, and immediately changed direction, moving sideways to the other side.

"Whoosh!"

The black sand swept past, clearing an empty path. Qin Sang flashed back, and just as he was about to seize the opportunity to charge forward, he suddenly saw a black streak of light shoot from the edge of the path ahead. Before the streak of light even arrived, the Heavenly Eye Butterfly had already sent back images from within the streak of light: there was a person!

The newcomer was a lean young man in black armor. The scales of the black armor were like fish scales, extremely fine and dense, covering all parts of his body except for his hands, feet, and head, as if they grew directly from his skin. When he saw the scaly, pointed tail behind the newcomer, Qin Sang's pupils suddenly constricted. The newcomer was a demon!

Here, no one could conceal their aura. When the Heavenly Eye Butterfly discovered the opponent, the opponent also sensed Qin Sang. The escaping light plunged into the passage, suddenly stopped, revealing the black-armored youth. This demon had gaunt, pointed cheeks and small, but extremely sharp, eyes.

Qin Sang's heart sank. He had already sensed the opponent's aura: mid Soul Transformation stage! If it were a Demon Marquis in the early Soul Transformation stage, Qin Sang was confident he had a good chance of killing the opponent, and thus the mission would be complete; he could then directly exit the Jushan Healing Altar. Facing a great demon in the mid Soul Transformation stage, even if he took a True-Essence Stabilizing Pill, Qin Sang didn't have much confidence. One must know that repelling and killing are two different concepts. If he couldn't kill the opponent, there would be no credit whatsoever, and he would have fought a fatal battle in vain. If both sides were gravely wounded, it would be even more disadvantageous for him.

The black-armored youth stared at Qin Sang, a cruel smile on his lips. "So, you were the one pursuing this Marquis just now?" These Demon Marquises clearly also had hidden arrangements; Qin Sang and the others were discovered by them as soon as they entered the Nine Bend Star River. Qin Sang's gaze swept over the black armor on its chest. Recalling the information he had previously seen, this demon should be Marquis Li, one of the Demon Marquises of the Ghostfang Kingdom. Compared to other Demon Marquises who had achieved great military feats, Marquis Li's reputation was not prominent. But this was because he rarely appeared on the battlefield, and no one dared to underestimate a great demon in the mid Soul Transformation stage. A cold glint flashed in Marquis Li's eyes. Clearly seeing that Qin Sang's cultivation was inferior to his, he conceived the intent to kill.

Qin Sang's thoughts raced. He did not reply. A pair of wings suddenly appeared on his back; he flapped them fiercely and transformed into a streak of lightning, fleeing to one side. As he fled, Qin Sang silently activated the Heavenly Demon Transformation, unleashing his pure demonic qi, and left a sentence: "Marquis Li, you've misunderstood." Sensing the exceptionally pure demonic qi, Marquis Li couldn't help but be startled. Then he immediately revealed a cold sneer, his face filled with killing intent. In this realm, to counter the Ghostfang Kingdom, the Daoist sects had researched many methods to disguise demonic qi. Although none were as pure as what this person displayed, Marquis Li had seen many of them and naturally wouldn't be fooled by such tricks. Instead, his interest in Qin Sang grew. Moreover, even if this person was truly a demon cultivator, he didn't match any Demon Marquis Marquis Li knew. Appearing here now, he was definitely an enemy, not a friend. Marquis Li's pointed tail swished, a black light rose from its tip, enveloping him, and he pursued closely.

One person, one demon, one in front, one behind, Marquis Li relentlessly pursued. The chaos had not yet subsided. As they pursued each other, they inevitably had to dodge the surrounding dangers, which prevented them from maintaining high escape speeds. Marquis Li stuck close to Qin Sang, wearing him down while waiting for an opportunity.

Qin Sang glanced back, his brow furrowed slightly. It seemed Marquis Li had also been flung out by the golden light. Unfortunately, this demon showed no injuries. He wondered what they had truly experienced. Along the way, Qin Sang continuously tried to contact his companions with talismans, but still received no response. Marquis Li saw this, and a cold sneer appeared on his lips. He had already confirmed that no communication methods could be used until the golden light subsided.

Qin Sang's expression was grim. He wasn't afraid of the opponent, but he didn't want to fight a pointless battle. Unless...

Qin Sang's heart stirred. He suddenly remembered the forest illusion Immortal Youhuang had once mentioned. Immortal Youhuang had picked spiritual flowers there, and after consuming them, they had real medicinal effects. Perhaps, the forest there was also real. As long as there was abundant wood spiritual energy, he could gain a tactical advantage. Relying on his spiritual wood body, he could then fight Marquis Li and make a decision based on the situation.

Thinking of this, Qin Sang immediately formed a plan in his mind. His escape speed did not falter, and he continued to fly along the edge of the blue sea of light.

"Bang!"

Marquis Li finally found an opportunity to strike. A claw shadow shot directly towards the back of Qin Sang's head, but Qin Sang seemed to have been prepared. His figure flickered, and he just managed to dissolve the claw shadow by borrowing the power of the illusion. Marquis Li frowned. This person's escape technique and spiritual perception were both strong, and he was only focused on escaping, so a quick victory would be impossible.

Qin Sang constantly maneuvered around Marquis Li, appearing somewhat flustered, while secretly searching for that path. Persistence paid off, and he finally found an illusion mentioned by Immortal Youhuang. Qin Sang's expression and demeanor remained unchanged as he subtly changed his direction of escape. Gradually, Qin Sang stepped onto the path Immortal Youhuang had once walked. Before long, he finally found his target!