Chapter 2191: Missed Opportunity

A vast jungle stretches across the expansive water, part of Heart Lake, which is unfathomably deep. The trees in this jungle are rooted at the bottom of the lake, emerging above the water to form a green island.

This area was originally a nest for fierce birds; that tribe had resided here for over ten millennia. Many alien-race cultivators would choose to bypass this location, as no one had been able to eradicate the birds.

However, at present, the jungle was eerily silent. The flock of fierce birds was nowhere to be seen, though traces of their presence lingered in the forest.

Rustle...

Mist drifted through the trees, and leaves rustled softly. At the jungle's edge, a figure had appeared on a treetop, seemingly out of nowhere.

The person sat cross-legged on the treetop, light as a swallow, swaying with the tree. A closer look revealed that his body seemed to be one with the tree, his lower half indistinguishable from the trunk.

Facing the lake, he sat with his eyes tightly closed, appearing to sense something.

Suddenly, his eyelids twitched. His skin rapidly withered, instantly becoming like dry, old tree bark. Eventually, his entire body transformed into a withered vine, drooping downwards.

A voice echoed from deep within the jungle.

"Elder Yuan's information was accurate. True Master Qin is indeed here, and he was sent in by Hong Tian..."

Another voice immediately chimed in, asking, "Has Elder Yuan arrived?"

"Elder Yuan was held back by that old Yuan Xiang, and instead, Yuan Ren was sent in. Could they have detected something? Still, those boorish Vermilion Ape tribesmen truly dislike using array restrictions," the first voice remarked.

Another voice asked gravely, "Is the one named Qin with Yuan Ren?"

"No, that's not the case. The one named Qin brought in a female Taoist. Hong Tian required them to be in pairs, so he's with her, while Yuan Ren took a different route. Also, that female Taoist's cultivation seems to be only at the early Void Refinement stage. There are many masters there, so I didn't dare to fully activate my divine abilities; I'm not sure if she concealed her true cultivation."

"Early Void Refinement, and True Master Qin brought her along? It seems this pair has a very deep relationship!" a third voice interjected excitedly. "Why don't we try to capture that female cultivator first and use her to force True Master Qin to comply!"

"Unacceptable!"

The second voice quickly interrupted, "The one named Qin is ruthless. What if he's selfish and disregards his companion's life? Wouldn't that just give him an opportunity to escape? Elder Yuan couldn't make it in, so we'll have to rely on you two, brothers!"

"No problem at all! Back then, I nearly failed completely, and it was thanks to you, my younger brother, for obtaining that Whale Bone Pearl from your ancestor. Your senior brother is also my brother! However, no one expected that Brother Shi, after years of receiving guidance from the ancestor, would die outside, and at the hands of an outsider, no less."

The first voice let out a sigh.

"It's just that senior brother was too overconfident and underestimated the commoners outside the Holy Land," the second voice lamented. He was clearly the Immortal Youth who had been pursuing Qin Sang.

Yuan Jian was held back, but the Immortal Youth still had plenty of help. Due to the Holy Land's anomaly, some of those who had been brought in by the ancestor were now sent down the mountain, carrying tasks personally assigned by the ancestor.

For this reason, although Hong Tian and his companion acted brazenly, they did not forcibly expel these individuals from Heart Lake.

"As expected, Hong Tian and his companion have strict limitations on these people. This is the route True Master Qin chose, and unless he wishes to incur Hong Tian's wrath, he surely wouldn't dare stray too far," the first voice paused. "Have you decided where to ambush them, my younger brother?"

"Hmph! Upon receiving Elder Yuan's message, I searched Heart Lake. This person's current trajectory happens to pass by a secret realm perfect for deploying the Profound God Nine Splendors Array. There's no time to lose; let's head there now!"

The Immortal Youth gritted his teeth, a hint of satisfaction from impending revenge evident in his demeanor.

Upon hearing this, the third voice couldn't help but exclaim in surprise, "What? You're going to set up the Profound God Nine Splendors Array?! Isn't True Master Qin's cultivation only at the mid-Void Refinement stage, and didn't he previously rely entirely on an altar array? He couldn't have brought that array in here, so why the excessive caution?"

"This individual massacred a vast number of Netherworld clan members, yet he was treated as an honored guest by Emperor Si and the Young Master, who spared no expense to enlist his aid. He cannot be judged by conventional standards. Moreover, he is most proficient in a lightning escape technique, rumored to be incredibly fast, with few capable of matching it. If Elder Yuan wasn't exaggerating, Brother Qi's escape technique would be inferior by a good margin," the Immortal Youth said gravely.

It is widely acknowledged in the cultivation world that Void Refinement cultivators are difficult to kill, and those skilled in escape techniques are even more so. The opponent must be firmly constrained; a single flaw could allow them to break through the blockade and nullify all efforts.

To deal with Qin Sang, the Immortal Youth had prepared multiple strategies. However, luring Qin Sang into the Profound God Nine Splendors Array would be the easiest and most secure method.

"Oh? If that's the case, I'd like to witness for myself how impressive this lightning escape technique is," the first voice said with a faint smile.

A gentle breeze swept through, carrying away all sounds, and the jungle returned to its quiet state.

Not long after, above a section of the water, the void twisted, and three blurry figures emerged: two tall and one short.

The shortest figure, resembling a child, was indeed the Immortal Youth.

The Immortal Youth pointed below, declaring, "This is it!"

The two looked down into the water and were astonished to see a golden-red hue. More than ten *zhang* below the surface, the lake water had transformed into flowing lava at the bottom.

This expanse of lava was vast, yet peculiarly, it emitted no heat whatsoever. The lake water above the lava remained entirely unaffected.

"The secret realm is below, capable of masking the Profound God Nine Splendors Array's aura. If they happen to pass directly overhead, we'll launch our attack immediately. Otherwise, we can devise a plan to lure them here..."

After speaking, the Immortal Youth plummeted into the water.

Moments later, a splash like 'water' erupted from the lava as the Immortal Youth entered the secret realm, followed closely by the other two. Only upon entering the lava did they perceive a sudden environmental shift: an omnipresent, intense heat that, despite their cultivation levels, they found unbearable.

After Heart Lake's anomaly, the secret realms and ancient residences within it had all changed to some extent. Most had become more chaotic, yet simultaneously, their internal array restrictions were damaged, eliminating the need for tedious deciphering.

The Immortal Youth had visited this place before and navigated it with familiarity. He stopped at a specific spot within the secret realm, then activated a spell to summon his companion beasts.

Each companion beast, holding a piece of jade in its mouth, darted off in all directions. The Immortal Youth then sat cross-legged, taking out various exquisite array tools and handing them to his two companions. Together, they began to set up the array.

Ripples spread across the lava's surface, then gradually subsided, leaving no trace of anything amiss.

Meanwhile, Yuan Ren and his companion were speeding towards this very spot.

"Brother Yuan Ren, I recall that misty area earlier was an ancient ruin. Over the years, countless predecessors ventured there, and it's widely rumored that its true legacy remains undiscovered. Why don't we go in and explore it?"

Yuan Ren's companion was currently at a loss for words, filled with silent frustration.

He had thought that by following Yuan Ren, he would be relying on a powerful figure, but the reality was nothing like he had imagined.

Within Heart Lake, it was evidently more perilous the deeper one ventured. Lord Hong Tian had given them jade bracelets, but he couldn't constantly monitor everyone. It would be better to linger outside for a few more days, then offer a reasonable explanation, and perhaps even stumble upon some fortuitous opportunities.

Unexpectedly, Yuan Ren seemed utterly energized, charging forward relentlessly.

"No! Absolutely not!"

Yuan Ren shook his head repeatedly. "What kind of bothersome maze array? I don't like it!"

His companion was vexed and helpless. Not daring to leave alone, he could only exert himself to match Yuan Ren's speed.

"They're approaching so quickly!"

Within the secret realm, the Immortal Youth and his two companions vaguely detected distant fluctuations, and couldn't help but secretly rejoice.

They hadn't anticipated such speed from their targets; having just finished setting up the spirit array, they nearly missed their chance.

Swish! Swish!

Two streaks of escape light pierced through the spiritual mist, drawing ever closer. By their trajectory, they were certainly going to fly directly over this secret realm.

The three were secretly pleased, and just as they prepared to activate the grand array, they finally perceived the aura from the approaching escape light and froze in shock.

"Why is it them?!"

The Immortal Youth's expression instantly darkened.

They had painstakingly set up the grand array, expecting their enemy to fall into the trap, only for Yuan Ren to appear instead. How could they not be furious?

The black-robed cultivator sitting to the Immortal Youth's left maintained a composed expression, his eyes flashing as he said, "Calm down, my younger brother. I personally witnessed them taking this path. It appears they must have changed their route later."

"It seems True Master Qin is already alerted. Ambushing him later will likely be difficult; we might have to openly surround and eliminate him," said a man in green robes, to the Immortal Youth's right, with a frown.

"Not necessarily!"

The black-robed cultivator gently shook his head, as if recalling something. "Previously, when the ancestor was playing a game, I was serving tea nearby and overheard some secrets. It seems our clan's Holy Land has some connection with the Human Daoist Sects, which is why Daoist cultivators are sent in every time the Holy Land opens. They seem to be searching for something, targeting a secret realm within Heart Lake. This time, I indeed saw several other human cultivators, all from the Daoist sects. Elder Yuan also mentioned that True Master Qin has a significant background, which is why the Vermilion Ape clan values him so highly..."

"Oh? There's such a secret? How could our clan's Holy Land be connected to the Human Daoist Sects?" the green-robed man asked, puzzled. "Brother Qi, are you suggesting they changed routes with Yuan Ren because they're heading to that secret realm?"

The black-robed man frowned slightly, uncertain.

Just then, the green-robed man let out a soft exclamation, "Why did he stop?"

They looked outside the secret realm and saw the leading escape light halt abruptly at its edge. Yuan Ren appeared, his gaze intensely fixed on the secret realm below.

The three felt a sudden apprehension. Having no enmity with Yuan Ren, they naturally wouldn't activate the grand array and gratuitously offend the Vermilion Ape clan. This area was still considered the outer reaches of Heart Lake, and their actions couldn't be entirely covert. Even if Hong Tian couldn't monitor the entire secret realm, some clues wouldn't escape him, and if they angered the Vermilion Ape clan, Hong Tian certainly wouldn't cover for them.

Furthermore, Yuan Ren wasn't easily killed. After an intense battle, their main target might have already entered the deeper, far more perilous parts of Heart Lake. Ambushing Qin Sang there would introduce too many variables; if he sensed danger and slipped into a secret realm, he could easily escape.

"Brother Yuan Ren?"

His companion caught up, and seeing Yuan Ren halt, secretly rejoiced, assuming he had finally come to his senses.

"For some reason, this lava just irks me! I feel like hitting it with my staff!" Yuan Ren scratched the back of his head, his eyes slightly unfocused. It was pure intuition, and the Vermilion Ape clan's combat intuition was far sharper than that of ordinary individuals.

Yuan Ren, not bothering to investigate the reason, flipped his hand and swung his purple-gold staff.

Boom!

The long staff cut through the lake water and violently struck the lava.

The lava surface deeply caved in, forming a long trench that remained open for a long time.

The secret realm's restrictions were quite robust and weren't shattered by a single blow. However, after Yuan Ren vented his frustration, he felt better. He put away his staff and continued flying forward, leaving his companion utterly bewildered.

Not long after they left, three disheveled figures flew out of the lava.

"Ptui, ptui, ptui... That mischievous monkey!"

The green-robed man coughed out black smoke. Fortunately, his magic robe was of a high grade; otherwise, he might have been burned to ashes.

Concerned about exposing their whereabouts and inviting trouble, they dared not activate the grand array to resist. Instead, they endured the impact within the secret realm with their own bodies. Fortunately, none of them were injured.

The black-robed cultivator sighed, "Enough. The Vermilion Ape clan is inherently reckless! There's no time to lose; we've wasted too much time here. We must rush over as quickly as possible, otherwise, we'll have to wait for them to emerge before we can act."

"Just let him live a little longer," the Immortal Youth said coldly.

The next moment, the three vanished from their location.

The spiritual mist was dense, and even with his Celestial Eye divine ability, Qin Sang could only see about ten *li* in the distance at most.

"I wonder if Yuan Ren has encountered the Immortal Youth yet?" This thought crossed Qin Sang's mind.

If the Immortal Youth had been continuously tracking him, an ambush would surely have been set along the way. Qin Sang wasn't certain if his ploy would deceive the other party.

His intention wasn't for Yuan Ren to take the fall; he had already warned Yuan Ren about this before their departure, and the other party likely wouldn't dare to harm Yuan Ren directly. Qin Sang's true objective was to buy himself time to set up some arrangements.

The success of this plan was fifty-fifty, and Qin Sang was prepared for it to be discovered.

The biggest variable now was how many additional helpers the Immortal Youth could recruit besides Yuan Jian.

If the enemy proved too strong, he wouldn't engage them head-on. He would immediately return and complain to Lord Hong Tian, asserting that he wasn't unwilling to contribute, but rather had been obstructed.

Otherwise, he would, of course, eradicate them completely!

This action undoubtedly involved risks, so they had to proceed with extreme caution.

"Did Fellow Daoist Qin choose this route because there's a secret realm we can utilize?" Liu Li, who had seen through Qin Sang's plan but not its full scope, asked.

Qin Sang nodded. "Both geomantic maps document a unique secret realm that I can use; I hope it hasn't been destroyed. If we can reach it successfully, I can make some preliminary arrangements. Then, when we encounter them, we can feign weakness and draw them into a trap..."

Mid-sentence, Qin Sang paused, looking up towards his left front.

A mountain peak emerged from the water, its slopes steep and sharp as if carved by a knife. There were no ordinary plants on its summit, only aquatic flora that typically grew underwater.

This mountain was not recorded on the geomantic maps, clearly having just risen from the lakebed.

"There's a living creature's aura on the mountaintop; it's alive!" Liu Li exclaimed.

Their figures flickered in succession, and they successfully reached the mountaintop. There, they saw a strange, duck-billed monster—a fierce beast with a formidable aura, comparable to a Void Refinement cultivator.

The fierce beast lay on a stone slab, fast asleep, utterly oblivious to their approach.

Qin Sang and Liu Li exchanged solemn glances, confirming that Hong Yue's words were indeed true.