Chapter 2201: Thriller

Mortal Realm

The bloody aura lingered for a long time, but the poisonous river, which had been severed by the aura, gradually showed signs of closing back together.

Suddenly, a figure broke through the bloody aura and shot out—it was Qin Sang.

Qin Sang glanced back. The chaos on the battlefield was still ongoing, and the aftershocks from the Dragonfish's self-detonation would not dissipate so quickly.

In this battle, he fought almost to the death. Although he successfully killed the Immortal Child, it came at the cost of his own severe injuries. The most obvious sign was his Bright Mountain Armor. While not riddled with holes, the spiritual armor was covered in cracks, severely damaged, and would need to be re-forged.

The Thunder Beast War Guard was also struck by the lingering effects of the Dragonfish's self-detonation and sustained serious injuries. Fortunately, its core was the ball of thunder power within its body. As long as its core remained intact, its recovery ability was extremely strong. Moreover, it felt no pain, and its combat power remained.

The Immortal Child's foundation was indeed profound. Despite Qin Sang's thorough preparations, he still nearly encountered an unexpected turn. He couldn't help but feel fortunate that he had patiently planned back then, using the Thunder Altar and Sacrificial Thunder Vows to ensure a one-hit kill, giving the Grand Offering no chance to recover. Otherwise, the outcome would have been hard to predict.

Having consecutively slain two powerful enemies and successfully averted the crisis, Qin Sang did not feel a sense of relief.

Ever since Qin Sang sent the message, Liu Li had not responded, and he wondered about her current situation.

Qin Sang had wanted to capture the Immortal Child alive as a precaution, in case he needed him for a hostage exchange if anything happened to Liu Li. Now that the Immortal Child was dead, he was left only with the transparent centipede the green-robed man had left behind and the two men's belongings.

The situation was urgent. Qin Sang hastily swallowed several spiritual pills to forcibly suppress his internal injuries, then quickly returned along the original path.

As he flew, Qin Sang took out the transparent centipede and activated his divine sense to examine it.

He had originally thought the transparent centipede was a clone of the green-robed man, but after examining it, he discovered it was not as simple as a mere clone.

Inside the transparent centipede was a consciousness, sealed by Qin Sang, currently dormant. This consciousness was naturally a projection of the green-robed man, but it only contained memories from before he entered the small grotto-heaven.

It was like a seed; if anything happened to the main body, the seed would awaken, take root, sprout, and grow into a new green-robed man. Of course, the spiritual insects previously collected could not be reborn, so the green-robed man would have to re-collect them from scratch. Furthermore, this secret technique must have other limitations; otherwise, he would surely have placed the transparent centipede in his dwelling.

This person might not be very cautious; leaving the transparent centipede outside was likely an unconscious act.

If Qin Sang's judgment was correct, the transparent centipede should be unaware of what happened in the small grotto-heaven. However, circumstances were unpredictable, and if it ever came to a hostage exchange, he couldn't just hand it over carelessly.

Qin Sang prepared for the worst-case scenario, pondering how to proceed. After a long period of contemplation, he flicked his fingers, embedding several restrictions into the transparent centipede's body.

He wanted to leave a hidden mark within the green-robed man's consciousness, one that the opponent could not detect. This task was extremely difficult. He tried many times but was not satisfied, and his expression grew increasingly serious.

At the same time, he continuously activated a secret technique, trying to contact Liu Li.

Suddenly, Qin Sang paused slightly. The secret technique finally responded; he sensed a faint reply, coming from Liu Li!

A moment later, Qin Sang "heard" the content of the reply clearly. His heart filled with joy, and he let out a long sigh of relief. It turned out Liu Li had already escaped danger, shaken off her enemies, and was now hiding somewhere in Panlong Cave.

He immediately put away the transparent centipede and flew towards the direction Liu Li indicated.

At this time, three people were hurrying towards the depths of Panlong Cave: the black-robed cultivator, Fairy Ping, and her companion.

"It's a pity we couldn't keep that female cultivator..."

The black-robed cultivator took off his hood, revealing a pale, thin young man. His gaze swept around, searching for the guidance left by his companions, getting closer and closer to the battlefield.

Fairy Ping looked at Xiao Yan and gave a wry smile. "We never expected her, alone, to be so audacious. Instead of retreating when she saw us, she dared to actively warn us, and we were truly bluffed by her..."

It turned out that earlier, the two women had their path blocked by an ice wall. Due to various concerns, Fairy Ping hesitated and ultimately did not immediately break through it.

Fairy Ping knew that the Immortal Child and others had already gathered to ambush their enemy. With so many top cultivators seemingly at a disadvantage, and their enemy still having enough power to issue a warning, it indicated that the enemy was stronger and more numerous. How could she not be apprehensive?

Moreover, she didn't have a deep relationship with the Immortal Child and his companions, so she feigned retreat, intending to assess the situation after contacting the Immortal Child.

The black-robed cultivator trapped in the ice plain also did not know that reinforcements had arrived outside, which gave Liu Li the opportunity to deceive and bluff her way through.

By the time Fairy Ping sensed something was amiss and returned, Liu Li had already, as Qin Sang instructed, withdrawn from the ice plain early without waiting for the spiritual talisman's power to dissipate, then escaped by relying on the cave's terrain. When Fairy Ping arrived, the black-robed cultivator happened to break through the cold mist storm. Seeing Fairy Ping and her companion, he realized they had all been deceived.

"I was too cautious!" the black-robed cultivator said, filled with regret.

Recalling the previous battle, he couldn't help but frown deeply, his expression revealing a hidden worry.

Fairy Ping and her companion had not yet made a pact with the Immortal Child, so logically they had no relation to this matter and naturally couldn't be blamed.

Looking back at this battle, his fighting spirit was already insufficient because he was wary of Liu Li's background. The terrifying power displayed by the Emperor's Talisman also made him dare not act rashly within the cold mist storm.

While this action indeed preserved himself, it also made him miss a good opportunity.

Fairy Ping noticed the black-robed cultivator's worry and asked, "Brother Qi, are you worried about Fellow Daoist Si and the others?"

"Indeed!"

The black-robed cultivator nodded, speaking frankly. "The spiritual talisman on that female cultivator certainly couldn't be sustained indefinitely, but we underestimated that female cultivator, and perhaps we also underestimated True Master Qin!"

The black-robed cultivator paused, then said in a deep voice, "They could have both fled into the ice plain, used the terrain, and relied on that spiritual talisman to force us back, with a greater hope of success. Why did they choose to take a risk and split up?"

"Brother Qi, are you saying that the female cultivator deliberately lured you away, and True Master Qin had a greater scheme?"

Fairy Ping looked astonished and said incredulously, "Brother Qi, you're overthinking this. Isn't True Master Qin's cultivation only at the mid-stage of Void Refinement? Unless their helpers are hidden here, Fellow Daoist Si and Fellow Daoist Tang are together; even if the opponent has some scheme, it would be futile in the face of absolute strength!"

"Our encounter was accidental; they shouldn't have helpers ambushed..."

A flicker of doubt crossed the black-robed cultivator's eyes. "True Master Qin's strength cannot be measured by his cultivation level. I hope I'm overthinking this!"

"That True Master Qin is truly formidable," Xiao Yan suddenly blurted out, leaving both Fairy Ping and the black-robed cultivator speechless.

To prevent losing track of their target, the Immortal Child and the green-robed man would both use secret techniques to leave hidden marks. Due to the incessant chaos in Panlong Cave, residual auras quickly faded, and while the marks lasted longer, some were also dispersed.

The guidance was intermittent, but fortunately, it didn't deviate from the route. They searched all the way until they reached the ancient restricted area where Qin Sang had killed the green-robed man.

They were completely unaware of the tragedy that had occurred earlier. They passed through the ancient restrictions and continued flying forward for a while when the black-robed cultivator suddenly stopped. "Why is there only Fellow Daoist Si's mark here?" he wondered.

Fairy Ping also realized something was wrong. Ever since they left that ancient restricted area, the other mark had ceased, leaving only the Immortal Child's mark.

But, recalling it, they hadn't noticed anything unusual along the way.

"Perhaps Fellow Daoist Tang was held back by something and couldn't leave a mark. Since Fellow Daoist Si could still leave marks, he should be fine," Fairy Ping said, reassuringly.

The black-robed cultivator nodded and continued forward. Finally reaching the bank of the Turbid River, he immediately saw a stretch of water stained red.

Sensing the bloody aura emanating from the river water, the black-robed cultivator's expression suddenly changed, and he cried out, "This is... the bloody aura from a Dragonfish!"

Xiao Yan felt uneasy and quietly hid behind Fairy Ping.

"Is it one of Fellow Daoist Si's companion beasts?"

Fairy Ping's expression also grew extremely solemn.

She didn't know what companion beasts the Immortal Child had, but she could sense that the bloody aura in the river water likely came from one of his companion beasts. And all signs were very unusual!

The black-robed cultivator had seen all four of the Immortal Child's companion beasts and knew the Dragonfish was the most powerful among them. Thinking of this, his heart trembled. His black wings lightly shook behind him, transforming into a black phoenix.

None of the three dared to enter the Turbid River. Fairy Ping's fingertips glowed with spiritual light. She took out a piece of white paper, cut it into a paper doll, and tossed it into the center of the river.

The black phoenix and the paper doll plunged to the riverbed. Gradually, their expressions grew heavier.

Subsequently, the two gave orders, commanding the black phoenix and the paper doll to search separately upstream and downstream of the poisonous river.

Nothing!

The black phoenix and the paper doll then leaped out of the river and flew to the opposite bank to search.

Still nothing!

They searched everywhere but still found no marks or auras. It was as if all traces abruptly ended here, and both the Immortal Child and the green-robed man had vanished without a trace.

The two exchanged glances, seeing shock and horror in each other's eyes. Although they were unwilling to believe it, the bloody aura was very likely the residue from the Dragonfish's self-detonation.

What exactly did the Immortal Child encounter that made him resort to self-detonating his Dragonfish?

Compared to other places, the area near the poisonous river was quite stable. This battle had only occurred recently, so the surrounding environment should not have undergone drastic changes, and the river's toxicity alone was not enough to make the Immortal Child fight for his life.

Furthermore, where was Fellow Daoist Tang? Why was there only the Dragonfish's aura here?

No!

They suddenly realized the green-robed man's traces had vanished from the ancient restricted area earlier.

The great river flowed, turbid waves surging.

Gazing at the poisonous river, the three felt as if they were back in the ice plain, feeling waves of chill.

"Let's go back!"

The three decisively retreated to the ancient restricted area. They searched meticulously in the vicinity but found nothing. The green-robed man was killed inside the small grotto-heaven, so the outside world remained unaffected. With their cultivation levels, even if they had been nearby at the time, they wouldn't have detected it.

This result was undoubtedly even more terrifying.

Were they still alive? Where did Fellow Daoist Tang go, and why didn't he leave any marks? If Fellow Daoist Tang had an accident here first, why didn't Fellow Daoist Si flee? Instead, he continued the pursuit, and there were no indications in his marks.

No matter how intelligent they were, they couldn't imagine the situation at the time, which only deepened the fear in their hearts. Qin Sang's image also became incredibly mysterious, becoming an enduring shadow.

"Sister Ping," Xiao Yan said timidly, "Let's get out of here quickly."

"Indeed, we can't stay here long!"

Fairy Ping stated resolutely.

No matter the conjecture, it was too terrifying. This place was clearly a dragon's pool and a tiger's den. The strength of the three of them would not be much greater than that of the Immortal Child and his companion. If the enemy returned, the outcome would be unpredictable!

The black-robed cultivator still couldn't believe that the Immortal Child and the green-robed man had been counter-killed by Qin Sang. But facts spoke louder than words; both had vanished without a trace.

They hurried back, not daring to stop midway, their hearts filled with caution. Not until they saw the cave entrance did they feel as if they had seen daylight again, their spirits finally calming down.

Flying out of the cave, all three were silently speechless. They did not leave immediately but found a hidden spot near Panlong Cave. Their main bodies remained hidden there, and then they separately summoned the black phoenix and the paper doll to go back and investigate.

They controlled the black phoenix and the paper doll, carefully returning to the poisonous river, then searched outwards from there. A search yielded no results, but they were not giving up. They expanded their search, starting to look aimlessly, going as deep as possible into Panlong Cave, but still found nothing.

Let alone seeing Qin Sang's figure, there wasn't even the slightest trace of him. Liu Li was also nowhere to be found.

Fear began to grow in the hearts of Fairy Ping and the two others. They couldn't imagine how Qin Sang had achieved this, suspecting that Panlong Cave harbored great terror. This thought urged them to get away from Panlong Cave as quickly as possible!

Moreover, they still had their Ancestor's mission and couldn't delay for too long.

It was time to leave. The three flew out of their hiding place, all of them heavy-hearted.

On the other side, Qin Sang navigated the winding paths of the cave and finally found Liu Li.

Liu Li was hiding inside a small cave. At its entrance was a dilapidated ancient formation, which could isolate auras, resist external impacts, and maintain internal tranquility.

Liu Li was meditating in a cross-legged position when she suddenly awoke, looking outside with caution.

A moment later, a figure passed through the ancient formation and appeared at the entrance. Seeing it was Qin Sang, Liu Li's expression softened.

"Are you injured?"

"Are you injured?"

Both spoke in unison, blurting it out. Then they exchanged smiles, and the gloom in their hearts dissipated.

Qin Sang entered the stone cave and sat down in front of Liu Li. He scanned the surroundings and said, "This is a good place. This formation can still hold. We're not in a hurry to leave; let's heal our injuries here first."

Liu Li had been scrutinizing Qin Sang and finally couldn't help but ask, "Did you really kill them all?"

She had tried her best to overestimate Qin Sang's strength, but she thought it would be remarkable if he could just kill the Immortal Child. Heaven knew how astonished she was when she heard the news of the green-robed man's death.

Qin Sang smiled, took out the two men's belongings and the transparent centipede. "This person hasn't truly perished yet; we should be able to get some information from him."

Liu Li nodded. The Immortal Child and his companions appearing here was very unusual, and they didn't know what changes had occurred earlier, which might affect their grand plan.

"Oh, right!"

Liu Li remembered something. She took out a skull and said somewhat ashamed, "Thanks to it for blocking a disaster for me, I was able to escape successfully. I wonder if it can still recover."

When they parted ways, Qin Sang had given the refining corpse Mingzhuo and some thunder talismans to Liu Li for self-defense.

The skull was dull, with a crack on its cranium extending all the way to the brow bone. However, Qin Sang didn't mind; it had already demonstrated its proper value.