Chapter 1835: Pursuit and Killing

**The Mortal Realm**

A sudden, unstoppable anomaly occurred.

Although unsure what this fluctuation was, Qin Sang could infer a few things and instinctively felt something was amiss.

Lightning streaked across the sky.

Qin Sang turned and charged towards the purple-armored figure.

The purple-armored figure was engulfed in a sea of black flames, besieged by four Tengshe snakes.

The two demons possessed only one jade bracelet, held by the shorter one. Therefore, Qin Sang chose to first trap the purple-armored figure with demon fire and the Four-Tengshe Seal, intending to keep one alive and personally slay the other.

Unfortunately, despite meticulous planning, one oversight led to a rapid deterioration of the situation.

*Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!* Waves of fire surged and pulsed, continuously rushing towards the purple-armored figure, forming a veritable hill of flames within the fiery sea.

The Tengshe snakes shook their heads and tails, furiously spewing freezing mist. The mist and demon fire mingled without conflict, creating a wondrous spectacle.

The freezing mist condensed into ice mountains, with flames burning within them. The purple-armored figure was trapped inside, like a cornered beast.

The moment he was attacked, a string of wooden beads hanging from the purple-armored figure's neck flew up.

The wooden beads gleamed with golden light, their material exceptionally unusual.

As they flew up, all the beads on the string rapidly expanded, resembling massive boulders strung together. The power contained within each bead was comparable to a mountain.

It was as if several mountain peaks were crashing down simultaneously.

The purple-armored figure attempted to use this treasure to smash a path through the freezing mist and demon fire.

Strong as the wooden beads were, they were no match for a spiritual treasure. Furthermore, the purple-armored figure's cultivation was already one level lower than Qin Sang's.

The Tengshe snakes targeted the wooden beads, and a torrent of freezing mist surged towards them, instantly transforming the area into the depths of winter. With a crackling sound, crystalline ice immediately formed on the surface of the wooden beads, visibly thickening.

The precious light of the wooden beads dimmed, and their momentum visibly slowed. It seemed they would soon be completely frozen.

Seeing the terrifying freezing mist spread beyond the wooden beads, the purple-armored figure's face contorted in terror, and their purple armor burst forth with a dazzling purple light.

Tiny vortices emerged within their purple pupils, and purple light, like water, expanded outwards in rapid rotation.

In an instant, the vortices detached from their pupils, spreading rings of purple ripples around them, as if to draw the surrounding void into themselves.

The center of the vortices aimed at the four Tengshe snakes, emanating a strange power that rushed towards the freezing mist.

As the vortices continued to expand, enveloping the wooden beads, purple light spread over their surface. Their previously dimmed precious light suddenly brightened, and their momentum surged, violently striking the ice layer.

Amidst booming sounds, cracks appeared in the ice. However, the four Tengshe snakes remained vibrant and unaffected, continuously spewing freezing mist and reinforcing their icy prison.

At the same time, the purple-armored figure's form shifted, transforming into a magnificent hawk covered in purple feathers, its hawk eyes exceptionally bright.

*Pfft!* The hawk spat out a large mouthful of vital blood, which merged into its purple armor, unleashing the treasure's full potential without reservation.

With a flap of its purple wings, the hawk transformed into a bolt of purple lightning.

With the wooden beads, its bloodline divine ability, vital blood infused into its armor, and its demon body, the purple-armored figure had already expended all its strength in a desperate, do-or-die struggle.

Yet, the purple-armored figure could never have imagined that its companion was so vulnerable, becoming a soul claimed by the sword in the blink of an eye!

*Boom!* The purple vortices filling the void suddenly shook violently, their edge ripples shattering as if struck by a heavy blow.

From within the scattered ripples, a palm abruptly appeared, descending from the sky with unimaginable might!

At this moment, the purple-armored figure's mind reeled, its terror intensifying. It felt as if the sky was collapsing, and it was the only living thing under that vast sky, with nowhere to escape!

"Roar! Roar! Roar!" The Tengshe snakes let out excited roars, simultaneously spewing forth freezing flames that burst with blinding cold light. The boundless cold merged with the descending palm.

All the purple-armored figure saw was a dark blue sun, heavily striking the wooden beads!

Under the purple-armored figure's horrified gaze, the wooden beads exploded, beaten back to their original form as if deflated. The entire string of beads was scattered, and individual beads flew in all directions amidst the rampaging freezing flames.

Immediately after, a figure stepped out from the freezing flames, instantly closing in on the purple-armored figure.

The purple-armored figure was horrified. The next moment, everything in its vision vanished, replaced by pervasive blue light, sword light, and overwhelmingly powerful vital energy, crashing down upon it.

In despair, it could only desperately activate its purple armor, but it was useless.

*Crack!* Fragments flew as it was instantly pierced through.

The Four-Tengshe Seal, the Seven Souls Killing Array, the Great Vajra Wheel Seal!

Qin Sang dared not delay for a moment, unleashing three supreme techniques simultaneously, breaking through the demon's divine abilities and treasures in one swift motion.

A rumbling sound filled the air as the ground violently shook and dust and smoke rose everywhere.

The purple light dissipated.

In the smoke, a deep pit appeared on the ground. Qin Sang, holding the hawk by its neck with one hand, directly plunged it into the ground!

The hawk's eyes rolled back, and its breath was faint. It was not dead, but utterly powerless to fight back, unable even to self-detonate.

Qin Sang spared the hawk's life, his gaze sharp as a torch as he stared intently into its eyes. "Speak! What is the purpose of the fluctuations coming from his corpse!"

The hawk regained consciousness but did not answer Qin Sang's question. Instead, its face contorted fiercely. "You dare..."

Before it could finish speaking, Qin Sang frowned. His true essence surged into the hawk's body, locking onto its vital spirit. Amidst the hawk's desperate screams, he immediately performed soul-searching.

Soul-searching was indeed a last resort; Qin Sang would have preferred not to if the hawk had been sensible.

The higher the opponent's cultivation, the more difficult soul-searching became, and obtaining crucial information depended entirely on luck.

The situation was urgent; he had no time to tame the hawk, so soul-searching was his only option.

A moment later, Qin Sang withdrew his hand, his expression grim.

The memory fragments obtained through soul-searching revealed several relevant details, though he couldn't grasp the full picture. He could, however, barely piece together the general sequence of events.

The fluctuations from the other demon marquis's death were a warning technique. When they had separated from Marquis Fu, they took the jade bracelet and left behind a soul imprint. If the main body were to die violently, the soul imprint would immediately react and allow them to pinpoint the main body's location.

The moment Qin Sang slew this demon, he was already exposed. Marquis Fu and the other demons must now be on their way.

He subtly raised his head, gazing at the distant, tranquil mountains and plains.

Unsure how far the enemy was, Qin Sang now needed to consider his escape route.

If it were only demon marquises, he would not fear them.

But this matter involved a Demon King!

From some memory fragments, he could glimpse the cause of this matter.

In the hawk's memory, they had been urgently summoned by King Lingyue. King Lingyue's top experts had almost all been dispatched, and along the way, other demon marquises, attracted by generous rewards, had joined the pursuit.

It seemed someone had infiltrated King Lingyue's territory and done something unknown that enraged King Lingyue, triggering this pursuit.

Furthermore, King Lingyue had recently fought a great battle with a Daoist in Nieyuan. The Daoist was also a Void Refinement realm expert and might have been an accomplice.

Unfortunately, the memory fragments about this battle were too brief, and the outcome between the two powerful figures was unclear. However, given that these demon marquises had pursued them all the way here, it was highly probable that King Lingyue had gained the upper hand.

Learning this, Qin Sang became increasingly nervous, unsure if his actions would attract the Demon King.

He could only hope that King Lingyue was still entangled with that powerful Daoist expert.

He had to escape!

But how could he escape?

Unknowingly, he had stumbled into an encirclement, with demon marquises scattered in all directions.

This was truly an unexpected disaster, and Qin Sang was secretly annoyed. His greatest worry was that the soul imprint might have other functions, such as sensing an enemy's aura.

"This matter originated in King Lingyue's territory and is unrelated to the Jushan Altar. The area near the altar should be safe..."

Qin Sang's thoughts raced.

It was certainly too late to turn back. He had originally worried that the Dao Court and the Ghost Fang Kingdom had resumed their dispute over the altar, and that Void Refinement realm experts would surely be guarding outside, making it impossible to return.

As long as it didn't involve the Jushan Altar, he would have a retreat.

For now, the only plan was to escape into the altar to ensure absolute safety.

Void Refinement realm experts dared not enter the altar, so no matter how many demon marquises were sent to pursue him, he would not fear.

In an instant, various thoughts flashed through Qin Sang's mind, and he made a decision. His demon fire suddenly expanded, burning everything around him to obscure any traces. Then Qin Sang grabbed the hawk and, riding a streak of light, fled towards the northeast.

That was precisely the direction of the Jushan Altar.

During the soul-searching, Qin Sang held back some power, temporarily preserving the hawk's residual soul for a greater purpose.

Activating his lightning escape technique, using only a third of his power, Qin Sang had no intention of concealing his presence. Lightning rent the air, and thunder boomed through the mountains, but soon faded into silence.

Not long after Qin Sang left, a long rainbow streaked through the air, landing at the edge of the battlefield and revealing three figures.

The central figure had a high, protruding forehead, was bald, and had ears that hung down to its shoulders. Its prominent nose bridge gave it an exceptionally strange appearance. This was none other than Marquis Fu, King Lingyue's foremost demon marquis.

"This is where Marquis Chai fell," Marquis Fu said, his eyes gleaming with cold light. He saw only chaos, but the spatial fluctuations confirmed that a Grand Master was not involved.

The figure to his left whispered, "The Listening Bracelet was in Marquis Chai's hand. Marquis Chai died first, and the bracelet shattered afterwards. It might have been crushed by the enemy; it's unclear if Marquis Chai didn't have time to crush it or if there's another reason."

Marquis Fu scanned the battlefield. "Is Marquis Zi still alive?"

The person nodded. "The soul imprint indicates Marquis Zi is in the northeast and has been moving..."

He paused, then said hesitantly, "Could it be that the two fellow Daoists were careless during the hunt and were inadvertently counter-killed by the perpetrator, and Marquis Zi is now pursuing them?"

Marquis Fu snorted coldly. "Marquis Chai has always been cautious; he would never take risks if it weren't a guaranteed victory. Marquis Zi must have been captured alive by the perpetrator. The perpetrator's strength is extraordinary, and they likely already know the secret of the soul imprint. Yet they deliberately took Marquis Zi; they must have another scheme!"

"Your foresight, my lord!"

The person bowed respectfully, then pretended to ponder. "According to your meaning, my lord, the perpetrator deliberately used Marquis Zi to lure us, and then escaped from another direction? Marquis Zi's direction is the Jushan Altar. If we had deduced normally, we would surely have assumed the perpetrator entered the altar to avoid danger. Fortunately, your insight is sharp, my lord, otherwise that perpetrator would truly have succeeded!"

"Whether it's a decoy or not, we must first rescue Marquis Zi to know the truth! Send word to fellow Daoists Gu, Ying, and others to gather their forces and lead their teams to blockade other directions. We must not let the perpetrator escape!"

"As you command!"

Marquis Fu committed all battlefield details to memory, then transformed into a rainbow and fled, heading precisely in the direction the soul imprint indicated.

The two demons followed suit.

Meanwhile.

Qin Sang concealed his aura, moving silently through the mountains and plains. Though his speed couldn't compare to the lightning escape technique, it was still considerable.

Leaping over a mountain range, Qin Sang suddenly stopped. With a flick of his finger, he released a black hound, a puppet left over from last time.

He ordered the black hound to hold the dying hawk in its mouth. Qin Sang didn't pause for a moment, continuing his flight.

The black hound received the order and ran with the hawk in its mouth, deviating slightly from Qin Sang's direction but still heading northeast, as if competing with its master.

Qin Sang didn't look back, vanishing in an instant.

Not long after, Marquis Fu caught up and immediately spotted the black hound. A single glance froze the black hound in place, but the virulent poison hidden in its mouth instantly erupted.

The hawk's residual soul was poisoned to death.

Marquis Fu used every method but could not save the hawk's life. Unable to glean any useful information from the black hound, the killing intent in his eyes intensified.

The two demons behind him sped at full power, barely keeping up. Seeing Marquis Fu's gaze, their hearts trembled, and they cautiously reported, "Fellow Daoists Gu, Ying, and others have already set up an inescapable net, tightening it step by step. As long as the perpetrator tries to escape from these directions, they will certainly have nowhere to hide!"

Marquis Fu scanned his surroundings. The encirclement was closing in from the north, with the only two gaps being due north and northeast.

When exactly did the perpetrator separate from Marquis Zi? Where did their true body escape to?

According to previous speculation, he should pursue to the north.

But was the hawk really just a decoy to lure them away? What if the perpetrator anticipated their thoughts?

The hawk had clearly been soul-searched, so the perpetrator's intentions were unfathomable. Any choice carried risk.

Marquis Fu glanced at the altar, then finally decided to personally pursue to the north.

There had always been experts guarding outside the altar, and he had specifically arranged for personnel to move closer to it. At worst, they could hold them up for a while.

But if the perpetrator went north, there was a chance they could break through the encirclement!

Having made his decision, Marquis Fu immediately set off.

Meanwhile, Qin Sang was getting closer and closer to the Jushan Altar.

Familiar scenery came into view; the path ahead was calm.

Beneath the calm, there might be undercurrents, but Qin Sang still breathed a sigh of relief. There were no celestial phenomena near the altar.

The Demon King was not here!

As he gradually approached, using his Sky Eye divine ability, he discovered several hidden auras.

There was indeed an ambush!

Qin Sang was not surprised; this was within his expectations.

The altar was the best hiding place; these demons surely had arrangements.

Qin Sang never hoped for an unobstructed path. Leaving the hawk behind could force the enemy to divide their forces, making the defenses here weaker.

He silently calculated the distance.

Suddenly, Qin Sang burst forth from the forest, his Phoenix Wings erupting with clear sky thunderbolts that tore through the void, rushing towards the auspicious clouds!

The moment Qin Sang appeared, several powerful auras burst forth from the valley outside the altar.

One of them was particularly powerful—it was actually a Great Demon of the late Spirit Transformation realm!

This demon leaped past the others, rushing towards Qin Sang at extreme speed, and cried out, "Halt, intruder!"

As he fled, Qin Sang clearly saw the appearance of the approaching enemy: a delicate woman of above-average beauty, dressed in light armor, whose aura was no less powerful than Xiahou's.

Besides the demoness, the others were few and insignificant.

Qin Sang quickly scanned the demons. With his strength, entangling with this woman might allow him to achieve more battle results.

But he would absolutely not risk his life and fortune.

*Swish!*

*Crack!*

The two were like colliding comets, about to crash into each other, when from the lightning, a tremendous crimson light suddenly surged forth.

The demoness saw nine Sun God Birds flying towards her. Her expression suddenly changed, and her forward momentum sharply decreased. She hastily activated divine abilities to resist, repeatedly dodging.

Qin Sang, however, didn't even look at her. His escape speed increased by a third as he rushed straight for the altar.

The path ahead was unobstructed.

Just as Qin Sang's mind relaxed slightly, a cold snort suddenly echoed in his ears, and terrifying pressure instantly descended.

Qin Sang's blood felt as if it had frozen; he was terrified and looked up in horror.

He saw that the southern horizon had become covered in dark clouds at some unknown point, and a colossal shadow emerged from the clouds, obscuring the sky and sun as it approached!