Chapter 2232: Execution of the Hawk

Qin Sang and the others were completely unaware that a powerful enemy was approaching, guided by their own directions.

They leaped back and forth across the stone pillars in the mere hundred-zhang-wide pond, yet struggled to reach the other side.

At that moment, Qin Sang stopped, turned, and looked behind him, his expression grim.

"Junior Brother, what's wrong?"

Qing Yan also looked back, but the dense mist obscured everything.

"Senior Brother, do you feel a tremor? Someone might be here, breaking through the formation!" Qin Sang said.

"Could it be Master..."

Qing Yan blurted out, then immediately realized his mistake.

Their master couldn't have escaped so quickly, and if he were to enter, he wouldn't need to force his way through the formation; he could simply use the secret passage.

Realizing this, Qing Yan and the others were startled. "It must be the Golden Eagle Clan expert! We don't know how far away it is, Junior Brother, quickly go and subdue the Stone Embryo Fire. We'll hold him off here!"

Qin Sang secretly shook his head. The approaching enemy was at least a Shapeshifting stage expert. Even with the pond's formation, Qing Yan and the two others combined would be no match. They only knew how to break the formation, not how to control it.

Venerable Tong Shen hadn't anticipated the Golden Eagle Clan's swiftness in breaking through the formation. Now, they were on their own. Normally, to save their lives, they would have to abandon the Stone Embryo Fire.

He scanned his surroundings, thinking that while he couldn't control it, he might still be able to use it.

With this thought, Qin Sang immediately told Qing Yan the method to break the formation, urging them to reach the other side as quickly as possible. Then, he retreated alone and took out several jade bottles.

After advancing to the Golden Core stage, he was capable of refining more potent poison pills.

However, the medicinal ingredients required for poison pills capable of harming Nascent Soul cultivators were extremely valuable, and Venerable Tong Shen's resources were limited, so Qin Sang couldn't simply take whatever he wanted.

Qin Sang always prioritized his own safety. He scrounged together materials to barely refine a few poison pills for self-defense, then later begged Venerable Tong Shen to refine two more for him.

His mastery of formation arrays was unimaginable to ordinary people. He could even set up a poison formation within the pond's array, which, even if it couldn't kill the enemy, would severely impede their progress.

If he could just delay the enemy long enough to subdue the Stone Embryo Fire, they could then use the grand formation to escape.

*Swish!*

Qin Sang flicked his finger, and a poison pill shot into the mist, exploding within it and invisibly dispersing.

He moved gracefully, like a lotus, firing a poison pill after crossing just a few stone pillars. He continued until his stock of poison pills was exhausted, then quickly made his way to the other side.

Qing Yan and the two others stepped onto the opposite bank and looked back, seeing Qin Sang follow closely behind them.

From the bank, the pond appeared completely devoid of mist, as if none had ever existed.

*Crack!*

Just as Qin Sang reached the other bank, a loud crash suddenly echoed from behind them.

The group was startled, seeing a huge palm print indented into the stone wall.

*Rumble!*

Rubble cascaded down, and a young man with a hooked nose stepped inside.

He wore a black robe with gold trim and had a pair of eagle wings on his back, clearly indicating he was not human.

The Golden Eagle Clan youth swept his gaze around, his eyes darkening further upon seeing the cave beside the pond. "Hmph! A few petty thieves dare to steal treasure right under my nose!" he said coldly.

His voice sounded like two pieces of iron scraping together.

Even across the pond, Qing Yan and the others could feel his powerful aura, which sent shivers down their spines.

Qin Sang, however, didn't even glance at the youth. He calmly walked towards the stone wall, placed his hand on it, and instantly, a white light burst forth from a crack in the wall.

Seeing Qin Sang about to be drawn into the white light, the Golden Eagle Clan youth roared furiously, "How dare you, you little thief!"

*Whoosh!*

A golden light shot out from the Golden Eagle Clan youth, streaking through the air. The light transformed into a colossal, razor-sharp eagle claw.

Qing Yan had no doubt that if that eagle claw seized his head, his brains would be splattered, and he would die.

They faced the formidable enemy without flinching, each conjuring their magical artifacts, preparing to fully resist the Golden Eagle Clan youth and buy time for Qin Sang.

The next moment, a peculiar scene unfolded.

As the eagle claw flew over the pond, it abruptly vanished. The golden light dissipated with it, leaving not a ripple in the void.

A complete silence fell.

Even the Golden Eagle Clan youth was stunned. He felt the connection between himself and his eagle claw divine ability inexplicably severed, as if a giant beast hidden in the void had swallowed his power in one gulp.

Qing Yan and the others, however, were visibly delighted.

Qing Hong, remembering Qin Sang, said repeatedly, "Junior Brother, stay calm, don't panic. We are out here!"

Qin Sang nodded slightly, passed through the white light, and stepped into it.

The Golden Eagle Clan youth, no longer concerned with Qin Sang, finally thought to examine the pond closely. He immediately discovered the hidden mysteries within it, realizing why it had been able to swallow his divine ability.

However, having come this far, he would not be deterred by a mere pond.

Under the worried gazes of Qing Yan and the two others, the Golden Eagle Clan youth snorted coldly and flashed down to the edge of the pond.

Behind the stone wall.

Qin Sang gazed at the stone before him.

The space here was not large. A slightly concave stone platform protruded from the ground, and on it rested an oval-shaped stone, or rather, a stone egg.

The stone egg was shaped like a chicken egg, slightly larger than a human head, and perfectly symmetrical.

On the stone platform, Qin Sang saw dense, intricate runes, left behind by the previous master.

His gaze swept over the runes. He tried to activate the restrictions, confirmed they were still present and functioning well, then extended his spiritual sense to perceive the stone egg.

Soon, Qin Sang sensed a peculiar aura within the stone egg—like fire, yet not violent, instead appearing very gentle.

Piercing through the stone shell, Qin Sang saw a spiritual flame. Its color was profound yellow, and it was as still as a newborn chick.

"So this is the Stone Embryo Fire..."

Qin Sang had never heard of such a unique flame in his current life and didn't know what powers it possessed.

Judging by its color, and according to the previous master, the Stone Embryo Fire was now mature and ready to be subdued.

Qin Sang sat down cross-legged on the spot, facing the stone platform. He forgot about the powerful enemy behind him, cast aside all distracting thoughts, and immersed his entire mind in the stone egg.

The Stone Embryo Fire appeared very gentle, but that might just be an illusion. Qin Sang needed to first familiarize himself with its nature.

Perhaps sensing an outsider, the Stone Embryo Fire subtly pulsed.

Qin Sang felt the fluctuations from the Stone Embryo Fire and thought, "As expected, it's not so docile."

With a shift in thought, Qin Sang dared not rashly touch the Stone Embryo Fire and instead focused on the restrictions inscribed by the previous master.

With the previous master's guidance, Qin Sang effortlessly gained control of the restrictions. When he then touched the Stone Embryo Fire, the difference was indeed profound.

With danger looming, Qin Sang remained unhurried, simultaneously activating the restrictions for various attempts and deducing a method to subdue the Stone Embryo Fire.

Moments later, Qin Sang conjured a fire lotus.

This was a fire lotus he had refined using the "Fire Seed Golden Lotus" technique, by previously absorbing subterranean flames.

Thanks to the foundation laid by the previous master, Qin Sang quickly formed a clear plan.

These restrictions could serve as a primer, helping him separate a wisp of the Stone Embryo Fire's energy to be refined with the "Fire Seed Golden Lotus" technique.

Once this wisp of fire energy was refined, he would become more attuned to the Stone Embryo Fire, making it much easier to subdue it, whether by using the Water-Fire Harmony Scripture or the "Fire Seed Golden Lotus" technique.

Thinking of this, Qin Sang immediately acted. The fire lotus slowly flew towards the stone egg, hovering tightly above it.

The runes on the stone platform simultaneously began to glow. The light from the runes spread upwards like countless centipedes, eventually covering the entire surface of the stone egg.

Qin Sang calmly proceeded, attempting to divide the Stone Embryo Fire. With the help of the restrictions, the process went very smoothly.

The flame flickered, and a wisp of fire energy separated, rising gently, passing through the stone shell, and being absorbed into the fire lotus.

Qin Sang was already familiar with every crucial aspect of this secret art, and he systematically refined this wisp of fire energy.

In an instant, a profound yellow flame appeared on the surface of the fire lotus, only to vanish without a trace.

Qin Sang's eyes gleamed. He activated the fire lotus's aura and then touched the Stone Embryo Fire again. Indeed, it now seemed to have a subtle affinity for him.

Coupled with the help of the restrictions, the process would only become smoother from this point on.

Only then did Qin Sang remember the Golden Eagle Clan expert. There was no movement outside, so the enemy presumably had not yet crossed the pond.

Next, Qin Sang continued to activate the fire lotus, constantly drawing energy from the Stone Embryo Fire. However, as he absorbed more and more, he began to feel the strain.

The "Fire Seed Golden Lotus" secret art typically required at least the Nascent Soul stage for smooth cultivation. Even when Qin Sang was nearing the peak of the Golden Core stage, his cultivation was fraught with difficulties. Now, with lower cultivation, he could only force himself to cultivate it by relying on his familiarity with the secret art.

However, reaching this point was already sufficient.

With this foundation of Stone Embryo Fire, Qin Sang could now activate the Water-Fire Harmony Scripture to refine the remaining Stone Embryo Fire without fear of backlash.

Feeling that he was approaching his limit, Qin Sang immediately switched secret arts and activated the "Clear Dew Reversion Pill Art."

*Gurgling...*

The sound of flowing spring water echoed within his body.

A moment later, a clear spring indeed flowed out from Qin Sang's body, encircling him like a jade belt.

*Click!*

The stone egg lifted.

The Stone Embryo Fire trembled violently. Immediately, flames gathered beneath the stone egg, forming a fire lotus that cradled the egg and slowly floated before Qin Sang.

Supported by the fire lotus, the Stone Embryo Fire settled down.

Qin Sang manipulated the stream of water, sending it towards the stone egg and causing it to encircle it in continuous rings.

When water and fire met, there was surprisingly no violent conflict. Both remained very calm, seemingly not interfering with each other.

However, Qin Sang did not want them to remain undisturbed. He began to activate his cultivation art, drawing a wisp of the Stone Embryo Fire and guiding it to merge with the water.

Any other person, even with the aid of the restrictions, would have proceeded with extreme caution, but Qin Sang acted boldly.

As a wisp of the Stone Embryo Fire entered the water, it stirred up ripples, yet the Stone Embryo Fire itself remained stable. Soon after, this wisp of flame seemed to transform into water, flowing within the current and eventually entering Qin Sang's body.

A flush spread across Qin Sang's face, but his body remained as steady as a mountain.

Moments later, another wisp of Stone Embryo Fire entered his body, then a third, a fourth...

The Stone Embryo Fire gradually diminished until only a tiny, bean-sized speck remained.

Finally, the last wisp of Stone Embryo Fire was refined into Qin Sang's body. With a *crack*, the stone egg disintegrated into dust. Its mission to nurture the Stone Embryo Fire complete, it had now returned to dust.

"Hoo!"

Qin Sang let out a long breath.

Looking inward, he saw a fire lotus in his Zifu (Purple Mansion) and a profound yellow flame in his Dantian (Cinnabar Field).

His true essence continuously rotated around the flame. Qin Sang had not yet begun cultivating the Water-Fire Harmony Scripture, but he could already feel the benefits brought by the Stone Embryo Fire.

"The Dao of Yin and Yang is indeed profound!"

Qin Sang sighed in his heart, then took a pill, quickly recovered his true essence, and stood up.

Stepping out from behind the stone wall, Qin Sang saw Qing Yan and the two others staring blankly at the pond.

Suddenly seeing Qin Sang, Qing Hong jolted. "Junior Brother! You're out so quickly. Where's the Stone Embryo Fire? Did you fail?"

Qing Yan and Shuang Luo also watched him nervously.

"I've already refined it."

Qin Sang said calmly.

The three felt greatly relieved, yet their gazes at Qin Sang held a complex expression, the reason being the Golden Eagle Clan expert in the pond.

After Qin Sang entered the stone wall, the Golden Eagle Clan expert observed for a while, then leaped into the pond. This demon was indeed formidable; it didn't take long for it to locate the first stone pillar.

Although the Golden Eagle Clan expert moved in fits and starts, it always managed to deduce the correct positions. Qing Yan and the two others could only watch helplessly.

Just as their anxiety peaked, a sudden anomaly occurred. The Golden Eagle Clan expert's aura abruptly became chaotic, and it let out a roar, then repeatedly stepped wrongly, suffering backlash from the formation and falling into a miserable state.

This was just the beginning. They then watched as the Golden Eagle Clan expert thrashed about in the pond like a headless fly, its aura growing increasingly erratic, as if it were fighting an invisible enemy.

Its actions further triggered stronger backlash from the formation, compounding its difficulties.

Qing Yan and the two others watched, dumbfounded. They didn't know the full reason, but they could vaguely guess that it was likely related to Qin Sang's earlier actions.

Qin Sang couldn't help but smile upon seeing the Golden Eagle Clan expert's current state.

The poison formation he had set up, relying on the pond's array, was naturally exquisite. It could even in turn influence the pond's main formation, confusing the vision of anyone attempting to traverse it. Combined with the potency of the poison pills, even a Nascent Soul cultivator, if momentarily careless, would suffer a significant setback.

However, if the opponent had acted cautiously, step by step, they would at most have been injured and delayed, not rendered this utterly disoriented.

This demon was likely eager to seize the treasure and, seeing Qin Sang and the others' low cultivation, had become dismissive, leading to its deepening predicament.

"One who brings trouble upon oneself cannot live. If that's the case, then this humble Daoist cannot be blamed!"

Qin Sang's eyes gleamed with a cold light.

He was currently quite poor. Having finally encountered an opportunity to get rich, he couldn't afford to miss it.

Furthermore, this demon might hold clues to the "Great Treatise on Yin-Yang Correspondence." If he could collect this complete classic, it would surely benefit him immensely.

"After refining the Stone Embryo Fire, it seems I can control a portion of the grand formation's power," Qin Sang said, his eyes narrowing as he stared at the Golden Eagle Clan expert within the array.

This was no idle boast; the grand formation was born from the Stone Embryo Fire, a symbiotic relationship. Qin Sang could indeed borrow some of the formation's power.

However, the Stone Embryo Fire had already been taken, which was equivalent to removing the formation's foundation. This grand formation would not last much longer.

"Junior Brother, do you mean to..."

Qing Yan and the two others were all stunned by Qin Sang's ambition.

Faced with a Shapeshifting stage expert, their only thought was to escape; they had never considered retaliating.

"This demon is at the end of its rope. What harm is there in trying? Senior Brother, Senior Sister, calm down and watch as your Junior Brother brings back this demon's head!"

Qin Sang laughed loudly, filled with heroic spirit. Under the three's stunned gazes, he took a step and entered the pond.

*Splash!*

The pond's appearance dramatically changed.

Waves surged, crashing against the stone pillars, and thick mist obscured the trio's vision.

Qin Sang's movements were too fast; he vanished from their sight in an instant, giving them no time to stop him.