Chapter 2313: Hostage

The Dongyang Clan had given this human-faced moth to Qinsang precisely to deal with the current situation.

The two individuals trapped within the sword array were forced to reveal themselves.

"Heh heh, so it's two fellow Daoists from the Kanghui Clan," Qinsang chuckled.

Qinsang recognized their identities and origins, giving a slight smile.

He remained trapped within the cage formed by rainwater, yet he seemed to pay it no mind, while the two opposite him were visibly nervous.

One individual wore a blue robe adorned with intricate patterns resembling swirling rivers; their name was Xuan. The other was even more peculiar: their body, including their hair, was translucent blue, as if their entire being was composed of water; their name was Miao.

Both were powerful experts from the Kanghui Clan, renowned alongside Jiimie and Jianji. Judging by certain physical characteristics, Miao appeared to be a female cultivator.

The Kanghui Clan was one of the Dongyang Clan's rivals. It was said that Kanghui clansmen naturally possessed the ability to manipulate water, and their clan's inheritance was also related to rain and water, making them skilled in water-element divine abilities.

The conflict between the two clans had a long history, but not because they disapproved of the Dongyang Clan's closeness to humans. Instead, it was because both clans traded with humans, leading to accumulated resentment from competition.

Before departing, Shechen had warned Qinsang to be wary of these two; their abilities were exceptionally suited for assassination, and their life-saving techniques were quite formidable.

Even when facing late-stage Void Refinement experts, they could strike accurately and escape a thousand miles away, leaving their opponents helpless.

*Pfft!*

The water prison surrounding Qinsang shattered, and the rainwater dispersed into countless droplets, as if pierced and shredded by numerous sharp swords, yet no trace of sword energy was visible.

Miao felt the connection between herself and the water prison being effortlessly severed. Her heart sank, and she glanced at Xuan beside her.

Xuan's lower body split into over a dozen streams of water, like transparent tentacles. These tentacles extended deep into the starlit sea but recoiled as if shocked, retreating into his robe and reforming into Xuan's legs and feet.

Just moments ago, seeing the unfavorable situation, Xuan's physical body had directly transformed into countless streams of water, dispersing in all directions. He believed that if even one stream escaped, he could safely get away.

Now, all these streams of water had been retracted by Xuan, indicating his failure.

Xuan's expression was solemn as he subtly shook his head at Miao.

Miao scanned the starlit sea and began to speak persuasively: "Elder Qinsang, you are not a Dongyang clansman. Why meddle in their affairs for their sake? If..."

Her voice was peculiar, like a gently flowing stream, making it hard for anyone to feel hostility towards her.

Before she could finish speaking, an earth-shattering roar responded to her.

The surrounding starfield burst forth with brilliant light, transforming into four sacred beasts. A terrifying aura of ferocity surged towards them.

Both their expressions drastically changed. Trapped between the four sacred beasts, what they felt was not the pressure of the beasts themselves, but an unprecedentedly powerful sword intent!

Unlike the sword array Qinsang had previously displayed, this sword intent contained the aura of spirit insects. Before departing, Jianji had entrusted the spirit insects to Qinsang's care, and he was now releasing this aura as a deceptive tactic.

However, Miao and Xuan had no time to discern the origin of the sword intent.

The four sacred beasts charged simultaneously, as if four divine swords were striking at them at once. The sword intent was omnipresent, and each divine sword contained infinite variations, sealing off all their escape routes.

There was nowhere to hide!

Nowhere to run!

At this moment, both individuals felt that being pierced by ten thousand swords would be their only outcome.

*Whoosh!*

Xuan's magic robe billowed, and four streams of water flew out from it, shooting towards the four sacred beasts respectively.

At the tip of each stream was a black line; upon closer inspection, they were four black centipedes swimming in the water with a vicious demeanor, like fierce hunters searching for prey.

*Pop!*

The centipedes became rigid, then seemed to be crushed by an immense force, bursting into a black pulp that instantly dyed the four streams of water black with toxic liquid.

*Pfft!*

The toxic water collided with the sacred beasts.

This toxic water could even poison and damage enemy spiritual treasures, yet it was utterly useless against the sacred beasts; it couldn't even halt their advance. Essentially, the toxic water was easily nullified by Qinsang's sword intent.

Witnessing this scene, Xuan's face turned ashen, and Miao's expression also changed.

This instantly made them realize the immense gap between themselves and their opponent.

Miao actively abandoned her divine ability, knowing that even if she used it, it wouldn't change their situation.

She took a deep look at her companion, then suddenly closed her eyes, and her body rapidly swelled like a water sphere.

Outside the battlefield.

In a river, ripples appeared on the calm surface, forming a vortex in the center where a beautiful female cultivator sat cross-legged.

She was Miao's true body; the other was her hydromorphic body.

Miao's eyes were tightly closed, and her aura fluctuated like tides, as if she was performing some powerful secret technique. Even she couldn't conceal her aura, causing the river water to ripple.

*Splashing...*

Torrents surged in the river, and furious waves crashed against the banks.

Suddenly, Miao let out a muffled groan, and all the anomalies subsided. Her figure appeared on the river surface, her face as pale as gold leaf, and her aura suddenly became very weak.

She had not only severed her connection with her hydromorphic body but also sacrificed it, creating a sliver of hope for Xuan.

Doing so undoubtedly required an immense price; even if she escaped, it would take a long time to reform her hydromorphic body, comparable to a cultivator severing their Dharma body.

Fortunately, she had not underestimated Elder Qinsang and had left her true body here; otherwise, even this sliver of hope would have been a distant dream.

Glancing in the direction of the battlefield, Miao slowly sank beneath the water.

This was her limit. If Xuan still couldn't escape even with this, she could only blame his fate, as she would be powerless.

In the water, Miao's body gradually turned into water, completely merging with the river and flowing downstream.

The danger seemed to be slowly moving away, but Miao didn't see the butterfly on the river surface, its wings fluttering, slowly but surely tracking her—just as they still didn't understand why they had been exposed!

Inside the sword array.

Miao's hydromorphic body rapidly swelled, becoming almost unrecognizable as human, like a massive water mine on the verge of exploding.

Xuan knew that Miao was sacrificing her hydromorphic body to create an escape opportunity for him. Accompanied by the sound of tearing silk, his magic robe split into pieces.

Beneath the robe, Xuan was surprisingly gone; the robe itself transformed into streams of water, some as thin as hair and silent, others as vast as surging rivers, flowing freely.

The streams scattered in all directions like stars.

Just as the hydromorphic body was about to explode, the four sacred beasts suddenly transformed into four streaks of light, forming a giant star in the center of the starlit sea.

This giant star was exceedingly dazzling, like a great sun, eclipsing the radiance of all other stars. Xuan sensed an inexplicable change in the sword array, and his sense of crisis increased rather than diminished.

Suddenly, he saw Miao, who was on the verge of self-detonation, freeze. In her round body, her two inconspicuous eyes were wide open, revealing a look of terror, as if she had encountered something incredible.

Immediately after, a horrifying scene appeared before Xuan: a thin line appeared on Miao's body, and her form actually split into two halves, each falling to one side. The violent power brewing within her vanished without a trace, like a deflated ball, and she was extinguished in an instant.

Only then did Xuan discover a beam of starlight that had pierced through Miao's body!

This was the true power of the Four Symbols Sword Array!

Qinsang nodded with satisfaction, then looked at the streams of water. He saw them pause for a moment, then suddenly grow agitated, desperately trying to rush out of the starlit sea, like a frantic struggle before death.

It was merely a cornered beast's desperate struggle!

Qinsang's mind stirred, and countless stars instantly transformed into countless star-swords.

Ten thousand swords moved simultaneously, and in an instant, sword energy crisscrossed within the array. The streams of water, regardless of size, were all annihilated by the star-swords, leaving no escape.

Stream after stream was successively destroyed until only one remained.

Xuan's body reformed from this last stream of water, only to see a star-sword piercing directly towards his glabella. Knowing he would surely die, he still wanted to fight desperately, but then the star-sword suddenly stopped before him.

The sword tip was inches away, and a chill permeated his skin.

"Surrender now, and you'll suffer less," Qinsang said indifferently.

"You won't kill me?"

Xuan blurted out, then fell silent.

He had thought he would surely die, but now seeing a glimmer of hope for survival, his expression changed erratically. Finally, he let out a long sigh, gave up resistance, and allowed Qinsang to seal his cultivation.

*Whoosh!*

The myriad star-swords transformed into a magnificent stream of starlight, converging into a single ray of sword light that swept Xuan up and fled beyond the sky.

The great river flowed mightily.

Miao drifted with the current, gradually moving away from the battlefield, feeling slightly relieved.

Having decided to sacrifice her hydromorphic body, she had severed the connection, so she couldn't sense the situation on the battlefield. With no news of Xuan for a long time, she knew the outcome was likely grim. She sighed to herself, filled with hatred.

Suddenly, she felt as if she had bumped into something; the great river seemed to be cut off here.

She slowly surfaced, only to see a person standing on the riverbank—none other than Elder Qinsang, who nodded at her with a smile.

Xuan stood behind him, his face filled with humiliation.

Miao felt as if she had fallen into an ice cave. Having suffered a backlash, she had no strength left to fight. After a moment of silence, she slowly walked towards the bank.

"A wise person adapts to circumstances," Qinsang said.

Ever since he discovered the enemy's tracks, he had instructed the Heavenly Eye Butterfly to observe whether it was the true body or a Dharma body, and to search everywhere for the true body's aura. He only made his move after confirming he could capture them all at once.

"Kill or flay me, do as you please," Miao said coldly, looking ready to face death.

The Heavenly Eye Butterfly flew back to Qinsang's shoulder, rubbing against his cheek as if asking for praise.

"This time, you get the main credit," Qinsang said with a smile. "All the spoils from this battle will be used to get you delicious treats."

Miao and Xuan exchanged glances, their hearts bitter.

"Elder Qinsang doesn't want to kill us; does he want to trade us with our clan?" Miao asked cautiously.

Qinsang nodded. "Indeed, living people are more useful than dead ones."

Hearing this, Miao and Xuan both felt relieved. The Great Shaman would certainly protect them fiercely. Although they had lost face, at least their lives were saved.

"Since that's the case, Elder Qinsang, please allow us to send a message..."

"No rush."

Qinsang interrupted Miao, musing, "If you two suddenly disappear, and it's in Ghost Child Abyss, will the Kanghui Clan send more people to rescue you? Heh heh, your choice to make your move in Ghost Child Abyss truly is a clever move!"

"You..."

Both were greatly alarmed.

The strength of the person before them was unfathomable; it was likely that only the Great Shaman herself could save them.

Ghost Child Abyss was notorious. If they disappeared there, their clan would likely believe they had met with some accident, rather than being captured, and would send other experts for rescue.

Thinking of their clan's experts being captured all at once, both couldn't help but shiver.

This was indeed a clever move, but only for Qinsang.

Two hostages weren't enough. The Heavenly Eye Butterfly was eager to catch up to its master, and he needed more hostages to extort a large number of treasures to help the Heavenly Eye Butterfly improve its cultivation.

Qinsang realized that the competition for the Shaman Chief position was a rare opportunity to legitimately act against the various clans without worrying about inciting widespread anger.

This was not the Misty Sea; Qingyang Zhi was not here, and there were no ties. As long as he didn't attract powerful Witch clan experts, he wasn't afraid even if he offended all clans; at worst, he could just leave this place. No wonder all forces feared unrestrained devils.

He hadn't found the Ghost Mother yet, so he couldn't act recklessly like a 'devil'. However, by maintaining restraint and not revealing his human identity, he could still extort the various clans.

For example, by luring pursuers and then capturing them, those clans would have no choice but to swallow their pride.

Playing with the pendant in his hand, Qinsang's face showed a smile that sent shivers down their spines.

"Fellow Daoists, please come be guests in Ghost Child Abyss!"

Without further ado, Qinsang sealed the two, returned to the entrance, and meticulously erased all traces of the battle.

In fact, the battle took place within the sword array, and victory was decided in just a few rounds, leaving almost no traces.

Returning to Ghost Child Abyss with two hostages, Sheshuang was waiting for him at the original spot, her heart filled with worry.

Seeing Qinsang's light of escape, Sheshuang abruptly stood up, only to see him bringing two unconscious strangers. She exclaimed in surprise, "Are they...?"

Qinsang nodded. He tossed the hostages to her, letting her carry them. "It seems we'll be staying in Ghost Child Abyss for a while longer," he said.

He then summoned the Gouyu Nest, called forth the Gouyu Bees, and continued their unfinished exploration, gradually entering the deeper parts of Ghost Child Abyss.

Several days later.

The entrance to Ghost Child Abyss.

From a mountaintop in the distance, the entrance could be faintly seen. At this moment, two people appeared, also a man and a woman, and surprisingly, both also possessed Void Refinement cultivation.

The man was elegant and refined, and the young woman was delicate and charming. Their facial features bore some resemblance, like a pair of siblings.

"The blood tracing points to the depths of Ghost Child Abyss," the man said. "It seems those two fellows also chased them inside." He performed a secret technique, sensed for a moment, and then frowned as he looked at Ghost Child Abyss.

Xuan and Miao had been ordered to assassinate the Dongyang Clan's shamaness, but unexpectedly, they vanished without a trace after leaving the clan. If not for the Great Shaman confirming their survival with a secret technique, it would have been assumed they had both perished.

He had also wondered if those two had been captured alive, but thought it impossible; even the Great Shaman herself wasn't confident in capturing them alive.

The Kanghui Clan confirmed the location where Miao and Xuan disappeared and urgently summoned the siblings.

For this trip, he only brought his sister, clearly full of confidence in his own strength.

"Brother, don't you think they're foolish?" the young woman asked, pointing towards the entrance. "Why chase them inside instead of setting up an ambush outside?"

"That kid Xuan is a bit foolish," the man chuckled, "but your Sister Miao is much smarter than you. Have you forgotten the legends of Ghost Child Abyss?"

The young woman huffed, displeased, "Brother, you always favor Sister Miao! What ghost legend? It's not even a baseless rumor, and there are no unusual phenomena here..."

"I'll go in and see; you wait outside," the man said, then soared towards Ghost Child Abyss.

"I'll go with you," the young woman said, about to follow, but she was held back by a gentle force, making her stamp her feet in frustration.

"You'll only hold us back if you come in!"

The man mercilessly struck down his sister's enthusiasm and joked, "What if your big brother gets trapped inside? Then you'll have to ask the Great Shaman for help."