Chapter 2322: The Watcher

Qin Sang jumped into the blood hole, feeling no compression. It was like entering water; streams flowed past him, and a gentle force pushed him forward involuntarily. However, he couldn't control his direction of movement.

Here, one would lose all sense of space. Qin Sang felt only a brief moment had passed before the surrounding force quickly receded. He knew he had exited the blood hole but had no idea how far he had traveled or where he was headed.

Sensing no immediate danger, Qin Sang put away his spiritual sword and found himself seemingly at the bottom of a deep well.

Looking up, he could clearly see blood-colored clouds. Qin Sang leaped, exiting the well into a surrounding forest.

Even the trees here were blood-red, their leaves gone, leaving only bare branches. Qin Sang raised a hand and tapped a blood-red tree beside him; it rang like metal, having already turned to stone.

At that moment, Qin Sang sensed something. He instantly appeared before a large tree and extended his spiritual consciousness into its trunk, discovering that a blood spiritual vein had grown into the tree.

Qin Sang wasn't surprised to find a blood spiritual vein near the blood hole. He began to examine it, finally letting out a soft sigh.

"The pattern has completely changed!"

Compared to when Kang Hui entered, the blood spiritual veins and blood holes had shifted slightly, but the overall pattern between the blood holes was now different from before.

"That's right. If the pattern remained constant, it would have been thoroughly explored long ago, and it wouldn't be called a forbidden land..."

Qin Sang secretly shook his head, knowing he would have to rely on himself from now on.

He dared not use the blood holes for travel again. As the saying goes, "One who often walks by the river cannot avoid getting wet." There were too many dangerous places in the forbidden land.

Fortunately, this blood hole was also recorded by Kang Hui. Qin Sang quickly determined his location and sped off towards the direction of the Insect Tomb.

After leaving the forest, Qin Sang traveled briskly for a while. He felt the terrain gradually descend, and the blood-colored clouds pressed lower and lower.

*Pfft!*

A strange sound came from beneath him. Qin Sang reacted instantly, a sword light flashing downwards as the sound occurred.

*Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!*

Several soft thuds followed. Qin Sang looked down to see several drops of blood on the ground.

The bloodstains were still wriggling. They were the remains of unknown insects, cut in half. The severed bodies resembled drops of fresh blood. Penetrated by sword energy, they struggled briefly before completely losing their vitality.

Qin Sang frowned and unleashed another sword strike, prying up a large section of the ground.

*Snap!*

Broken stones rained down, but there was no sign of an insect nest.

This meant these strange insects simply hid underground, their natural ability to conceal their presence having evaded Qin Sang and Vermilion Bird's detection.

As he traveled, Qin Sang continuously maintained a high state of spiritual alertness, even scanning underground, yet he failed to detect them. They had completely merged with the earth, waiting for prey, and only when the strange insects attacked did Qin Sang become aware.

These strange insects were not strong and were easily slain by the Grey Warbler Sword. However, this was only the outer perimeter of the forbidden land. What if, further inside, there were spiritual insects with superior stealth and formidable strength?

With this thought, Qin Sang activated his true essence, adding two more layers of protection.

"Caw, caw..."

The caw of a crow echoed from above.

Qin Sang paused, looking up to see layers of ripples forming a line within the blood-colored clouds, moving towards him.

*Whoosh!*

Suddenly, the blood-colored clouds parted, and a ray of blood-red light shot out.

Within the blood-red light was a monster resembling a crow. Its beak and claws were extraordinarily long, gleaming with a chilling light like sharp blades. It had no feathers; instead, its entire body, including its wings, was covered in blood-red tumors of various sizes.

These tumors writhed with the monster's movements, a truly nauseating sight.

Qin Sang watched the monster lunge with cold eyes. A sword light shot from his sleeve. The next moment, the sword light struck the monster's forehead, cleaving it directly in two. The smooth cut showed no blood. The two halves of its body *thudded* to the ground, shattering into pieces of flesh, from which countless maggots then swarmed out.

It turned out the monster had long been hollowed out by these maggots, serving as their nest, and even after death, it remained under their control.

*Swish, swish, swish...*

Losing their nest, the maggots immediately targeted Qin Sang, who was closest. Countless maggots shot up, forming a swirling vortex of blood-red wind.

As the grotesque wind threatened to engulf Qin Sang, Vermilion Bird flapped its wings. The wind was instantly ignited by raging flames, crackling and bursting into crimson sparks.

"Oh?"

Qin Sang's expression shifted slightly. He used his true essence to bring a single crimson spark before him.

This was the maggots' blood, and Qin Sang sensed a vile energy from it, which reminded him of the Abyssal Blood Mulberry.

Moreover, he was certain that the blood of these bloodworms could also damage spiritual artifacts!

This place indeed seemed like somewhere an Abyssal Blood Mulberry could grow. However, from the Storm Realm to the Spirit Realm, Qin Sang had only ever heard of one such plant, and even that had been shattered.

The spiritual insects were incinerated, leaving a strange fragrance in the air. This was just one of many attacks they had encountered on their journey.

The forbidden land contained various bizarre entities, some defying logic like the innate abilities of the Wu Clan. Even if they didn't pose an immediate threat to Qin Sang and his companions, he dared not let his guard down.

Qin Sang snatched a maggot from the flames. Just as he was about to speak, his gaze suddenly sharpened, and he looked up ahead.

On the horizon, blood-colored clouds merged with the equally blood-red earth. At the very edge of his vision, a ray of blood-red light appeared.

This light was intensely concentrated, spanning from earth to sky, immediately drawing Qin Sang's attention.

The blood-red light rapidly expanded, growing brighter and brighter, coating the ground in a glaze. Qin Sang noticed that the light wasn't actually getting larger but was continuously moving.

Soon, the full form of the blood-red light came into Qin Sang's view: a circular mass of light, spanning hundreds of miles. It appeared to be pure light, yet it was so intensely concentrated that its interior was indistinct. Even the Heavenly Eye Butterfly, using its Heavenly Eye Divine Ability, couldn't discern what lay within the blood-red light.

This enormous entity, however, moved at an astonishing speed, like a monstrous predator roaming for prey. They happened to be directly in its path.

Qin Sang recalled something, his expression subtly changing. Just then, he heard Vermilion Bird let out a sharp cry.

"Get away quickly!"

Qin Sang was startled, seeing Vermilion Bird staring intensely at the mass of blood-red light as if it had witnessed something horrifying, its feathers actually trembling.

This Vermilion Bird was often unreliable, but in life-or-death situations, Qin Sang trusted its judgment.

Qin Sang immediately summoned his Phoenix Wings and activated his Lightning Escape technique, transforming into a bolt of lightning as he fled the area with all his might.

Moments later, the mass of blood-red light rolled over the spot where they had just been standing.

Only after he was completely clear of the blood-red light did Qin Sang stop. He looked back at their original position, surprised to see that everything was as it had been; even the maggots' ashes remained. The mass of blood-red light had caused no damage whatsoever, so why had Vermilion Bird been so terrified?

"What was that?" Qin Sang asked, but the blood-red light had already vanished into the distance.

Vermilion Bird still looked shaken. "I don't know."

"You don't know?" Qin Sang frowned.

"I suddenly had a strong intuition that the blood-red light was extremely dangerous! Extremely dangerous! If it touched us, we would likely die! But I don't know what the danger was."

Vermilion Bird's eyes seemed confused. "Maybe I forgot..."

Qin Sang nodded, knowing Vermilion Bird wasn't talking nonsense.

This type of blood-red light was also recorded by Kang Hui. When they encountered it, they sent people to investigate. Two groups, one after another, entered the light and lost all contact with the outside, disappearing completely, including an elder.

No one knew what they encountered inside. The blood-red light showed no change after engulfing them, nor were there any fluctuations of spiritual combat, which was bone-chilling. From then on, they dared not approach the blood-red light again, though it was unknown if it was the same entity as back then.

Vermilion Bird's premonitions of danger were sometimes eerily accurate.

"The forbidden land..." Qin Sang sighed inwardly, only now truly grasping the terror of Gonggong's Platform. No wonder it was ranked among the Ten Great Forbidden Lands, alongside the Jade Gate of Fengju.

Having come this far, he couldn't be deterred by a mere mass of blood-red light. Qin Sang waited for Vermilion Bird to compose itself, then continued forward.

***

At the entrance to the forbidden land, inside an underground cave dwelling.

Yu Ling awoke from her meditation once more. She tilted her head slightly, revealing her slender, jade-like neck, her gaze piercing through the rock and soil to look directly at the bright moon in the sky.

"The time has come. He should be arriving soon. I hope True Man Qin can bring us some surprises..."

Yu Ling slowly rose.

The old woman and the old man awoke, then left the cave dwelling with Yu Ling and entered the forbidden land.

***

Qin Sang continued his journey through the forbidden land. Along the way, most areas of the forbidden land were empty, unlike the Jade Gate of Fengju, where dangers lurked everywhere. This might tempt one to be careless, but after encountering the blood-red light, he dared not underestimate this place again.

The blood-colored clouds ahead finally pressed down to the ground.

Qin Sang paused slightly, then flashed into the blood-colored clouds. The Divine Lamentation in his ears suddenly grew louder, subtly merging with the blood clouds. This fusion created an inexplicable, ubiquitous force that made Qin Sang feel even more suppressed. He tried his best to expand the spiritual glow of his Bright Mountain Armor, keeping the blood clouds at bay, but his speed was forcibly reduced.

The blood-colored clouds clung close to the ground, and within this sea of clouds, a figure moved steadily forward.

This was three months after Qin Sang had entered the forbidden land.

For three months, he had journeyed through the forbidden land. While other dangers were manageable, he had encountered the incredibly mysterious and perilous blood-red light several more times. Qin Sang preferred to take long detours, never approaching it, and Vermilion Bird no longer dared to be reckless, staying obediently on Qin Sang's shoulder.

"I'm finally nearing the Insect Tomb..."

Qin Sang estimated the distance. Back then, Kang Hui had retreated before reaching the Insect Tomb, so Qin Sang had no previous experience to draw upon.

The ground beneath his feet was rugged, like a series of hills.

Qin Sang walked along a ridge, his face etched with vigilance. As he advanced, he suddenly perceived an extremely faint aura, hidden within a rock crevice, which abruptly flared up.

"Another spiritual insect!"

Qin Sang's face was indifferent. He had encountered them too many times recently. The forbidden land harbored countless spiritual insects, all of which were unique to this place. Some drifted in the blood-colored clouds, visible to the Heavenly Eye Butterfly, while those hidden underground were difficult to detect, leaving no option but to kill them!

A sword light flashed out, met by a *clanging* sound.

Qin Sang was surprised. The light was dazzling, and the sword strike felt as if it had hit metal.

This spiritual insect was so tiny it was barely visible to the naked eye, yet it survived the sword strike! Its thin carapace possessed incredibly strong defensive power, and its frail body held unimaginable strength.

The spiritual insect paused briefly, then continued to lunge towards Qin Sang's face. Qin Sang delivered another strike, finally killing it.

Qin Sang thought to himself, "It's a pity the spiritual insects here cannot be subdued."

He had tried before and failed each time. He wondered if the spiritual insects in the Insect Tomb would be different.

After slaying this spiritual insect, Qin Sang paid it no mind, treating it like previous encounters, and continued his journey.

***

Unbeknownst to him, somewhere ahead, a mass of white light firmly kept the blood-colored clouds at bay.

The white light enveloped an area of over a hundred zhang. At its center stood a golden platform, made of some kind of white spiritual gold, which was the source of the light.

This golden platform was sharply angled and octagonal, its surface so polished it reflected like a mirror.

Centered around the golden platform, intricate patterns were carved into the ground, resembling a formation diagram, extending beyond the white light.

At that moment, two individuals sat cross-legged on either side of the golden platform, their breathing steady, clearly in meditation.

Both were identically dressed in black robes and silver masks, their origins mysterious.

Suddenly, both were startled awake. The person on the left whispered, "Someone's coming!"

He looked at the golden platform; its spiritual light had just flickered.

"Has Elder Fei returned? Didn't he say it would take at least a year for results? How could he be back so soon?"

"It's not Elder Fei!"

The other person looked up, their eyes behind the mask fixed on the depths of the blood-colored clouds. They said gravely, "If it were Elder Fei, he would never have killed that flea. I wonder who this uninvited guest is!"

"Who would come to this place?"

The person on the left paused, then thought of the Insect Tomb.

The Insect Tomb had a fearsome reputation; normally, not even one person would enter it in several decades.

"Let's first see who it is..."

As he spoke, he swept his hand over the golden platform's surface. Light and shadows shifted on the platform, revealing the blood-colored clouds.

The scene rapidly shifted, but suddenly the other person pointed, and the light and shadows shattered instantly.

"No! The visitor's strength is unknown. Peeking at them might reveal our presence. What if they have extremely sharp spiritual senses and we alert them?"

"Then what do we do? Wait for them to come closer and just kill them?"

Both were top-tier experts, and with the aid of the spiritual formation, they were confident in their abilities.

The visitor might not be an enemy, but their planned undertaking was of immense importance, something they had been plotting for a long time. There could be absolutely no risk of exposure.

For over a decade, these two had guarded this spot precisely to prevent such occurrences.

It was simply this person's misfortune to stumble upon them.

"Have you forgotten? Our task is merely to stand guard and report this matter. The higher-ups will make the decision."

The other person pointed upwards. "We don't know this person's strength. If we act on our own initiative and can't instantly kill them, causing a disturbance would displease the higher-ups, which would be undesirable."

"I just worry it might be difficult to divert our attention right now..."

The person on the left mumbled, understanding their companion's reasoning. Immediately, they performed a spell, flicking a streak of fiery light from their fingertip towards the ground, where it instantly vanished.

As they waited for a reply, both silently activated the golden platform. Although they couldn't directly observe, they could still ascertain the visitor's location using the formation.

Upon checking, both were startled. "They're coming very fast!"

This area was near the Insect Tomb, not only fraught with peril, but also plagued by the Divine Lamentation and the blood-colored clouds, both major nuisances. They had specifically forged this golden platform for this reason. The fact that this person could maintain such speed proved their strength was considerable.

Because these individuals had been laying their plans here for many years, employing subtle and concealed methods, Qin Sang remained completely unaware that he was being secretly watched.