Chapter 2355: The Great Demon Clan Power

The one-horned purple rhinoceros tore open the vast net, revealing a huge flaw in the previously perfect barrier.

Qin Sang intended to provoke a fight between the two sides, allowing him to escape in the ensuing chaos. However, the speed with which the pair of male and female cultivators ripped open the net with a single strike somewhat surprised him. It was likely because his "warning" was timely, and the vast net had not yet fully formed, which made it appear so "fragile."

This was an opportune moment to escape. Without hesitation, Qin Sang phased out of the net. With a slight shift in his thoughts, he turned his head to see the one-horned purple rhinoceros standing majestically in the high sky, its four hooves like celestial pillars, reaching between heaven and earth, exuding an unparalleled powerful aura.

Even from such a distance, Qin Sang could clearly feel the oppressive force of this aura.

"Moo!"

The purple rhinoceros roared, its sound echoing through the clouds. At that instant, the blizzard actually ceased, as if heaven and earth themselves were awestruck by the rhinoceros's formidable presence. Its single horn emitted a radiant purple glow, and tens of thousands of purple beams scattered endlessly across the sky, like countless zither strings. As the purple light shimmered, a mysterious rhythm propagated through the void.

Qin Sang's expression shifted slightly. He stared at the purple light in the sky, focusing his senses on that subtle rhythm. His intuition told him that the male and female cultivators seemed to be using this rhythm to transmit a message outwards. If they were calling for reinforcements, it implied that both sides had allies nearby. If these allies were also experts of similar strength, then both factions must belong to top-tier powers. This would be a clash between two major forces, not a hastily encountered skirmish, and there would likely be no opportunity for him to gain an advantage in the chaos.

Not only would it be difficult to profit from the situation, but Qin Sang also needed to stay as far away from the conflict as possible to avoid unforeseen dangers. With this thought, Qin Sang's speed increased rather than decreased, and he quickly moved away from the volatile area.

The female demon, hidden deep within the snow, also heard the rhinoceros's roar, and her face instantly turned ashen. Originally, she had found the vortex in advance, secretly laid a trap, and intended to activate it once her opponents entered, thus gaining a significant advantage. This vast net, called the Six Harmonies Net, was something she had specifically brought. This treasure was extremely complex to set up, but once deployed, it could seal off an entire area, preventing any magical powers, no matter how profound, from being transmitted. She had not expected an accident to occur.

The female demon couldn't understand how the Six Harmonies Net could be shaken by two Soul Transformation stage demon beasts. There must be something fishy going on, but she had no time to investigate further at the moment. With the Six Harmonies Net broken, she knew it would be difficult to stop the one-horned purple rhinoceros again, but she couldn't stand by idly.

The female demon made a decisive move, abandoning the Six Harmonies Net. She reached behind her back, and from the empty space, a precious bow materialized. The bow had no string, and its body was exceptionally exquisite, sculpted into a divine bird with masterful craftsmanship. Gripping the precious bow, the female demon aimed it at the one-horned purple rhinoceros, adopting the posture of drawing and shooting an arrow, though it appeared to be a great effort.

With a 'zing,' a string sound resonated! There was no arrow in her hand, and the bow itself had no string. Yet, the precious bow fired three astonishing divine arrows. They moved like lightning, resembling three shooting stars, piercing through the air towards the one-horned purple rhinoceros.

The male and female cultivators by the vortex were blowing horns when they suddenly heard the string sound. The divine arrows had already reached the one-horned purple rhinoceros's chest. Seeing that the one-horned purple rhinoceros had no time to react and was about to be pierced by the divine arrows, fortunately, the two cultivators were prepared. A precious flask appeared before the man, from which several drops of golden spiritual liquid shot out. The liquid, heavy as gold, merged into the rhinoceros's body. In that critical moment, the one-horned purple rhinoceros appeared as if coated in a layer of gold foil.

"Clang! Clang! Clang!"

The divine arrows simultaneously plunged into the one-horned purple rhinoceros's body, but they were firmly lodged in its chest, their fletchings quivering incessantly. The two cultivators glared towards the jungle, their rage soaring. Having first fallen into a trap and then being ambushed, how could they not be furious? They had originally planned to thoroughly investigate this place before reporting to their grandfather. Unexpectedly, that despicable woman was faster than them, having already set a trap here, waiting for them to walk right into it. If the Six Harmonies Net hadn't been inexplicably exposed, they might have suffered a major setback this time.

"You despicable wretch, still hiding your face! Get out here!"

The female cultivator's pretty face was clouded with anger. Three streaks of light shot from her fingertips and disappeared into the ground. Immediately after, a colossal, earth-shattering roar emanated from the direction of the jungle. A vast expanse of the jungle was instantly destroyed by more than half, and from within the snow mist and ice fragments, a graceful figure flew out—it was the female demon.

The female demon looked at the two cultivators, a cold sneer on her lips. Without a word, she floated gracefully into the air. At this point, even if she had destroyed the one-horned purple rhinoceros, it would have been meaningless. So, she simply aimed her bow at the two and began shooting furiously. In an instant, divine arrows shot forth like a continuous volley, the crimson arrows resembling streaks of flowing fire.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

The male and female cultivators divided their tasks: the man fully focused on maintaining the one-horned purple rhinoceros, while the woman took action to parry the attacks. Around the vortex, spiritual light flashed intensely. The divine arrows were all blocked but did not vanish into the air, transforming into balls of raging fire. As the male and female cultivators remained within the sea of fire, the female demon flicked her sleeve and threw out a ball of silk threads. Unexpectedly, a powerful wave of energy suddenly erupted from deep within the sea of fire.

"Boom!"

Two figures, riding on a beam of purple light, burst out of the sea of fire. As the purple light dissipated, the male and female cultivators stared coldly at the female demon. Their message had been successfully sent back; now, they were ready to settle accounts with her properly!

The female demon secretly sighed, lamenting that she had lost the initiative. Fighting one against two, her defeat seemed inevitable. Yet, she could not retreat under any circumstances and surrender this place to them. A look of determination flashed in her eyes. The female demon tapped her foot lightly, her figure drifting backward. At the same time, a brilliant crimson light erupted from her back, revealing a pair of fiery wings.

"Whoosh!"

The male and female cultivators split into two sides, coming to flank her. With a flap of her fiery wings, the female demon retreated lightly, trying her best to put distance between herself and her opponents, while continuously shooting arrow shadows from the precious bow in her hand. At this moment, the difference in their fighting styles became apparent. The female demon was as light as a swallow, while the male and female cultivators charged forward with unstoppable momentum, like two wild oxen.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Facing the rain of divine arrows, the two showed no intention of retreating, rarely even dodging, allowing the arrows to strike them. Although the divine arrows were blocked by their treasures and magical powers, the pain from the impact was real. Both cultivators remained expressionless, their eyes fixed on the female demon.

While the three demons were entangled in battle, Qin Sang had already fled far away, leaving them far behind. However, Qin Sang still had his Sky-Eye Butterfly monitoring the movements of the three demons. Seeing that the three demons had engaged in combat and had not detected him, Qin Sang felt a slight relief and observed their magical battle.

"Oh? It's really different!"

These three demon cultivators were undoubtedly top-tier experts in the late Void Refinement stage. Their method of combat was vastly different from what Qin Sang had witnessed in his dreams concerning ancient demon cultivators. The ancient demon cultivators in his dreams pursued the path of 'demon soul residing in stars.' Upon reaching such a realm, as they continuously sensed the stars, a close connection was forged between their Dharma Idol and the constellations. Whenever they engaged in battle, their first action was to summon their Dharma Idol. The Dharma Idol was their bloodline's original form; for instance, the Dharma Idol of the Azure Luan tribe was an Azure Luan. These Dharma Idols were often vast and formidable, so to outsiders, it appeared as two peerless fierce demons fighting to the death, each move grand and powerful, capable of destroying heaven and earth.

The three demon cultivators before him, however, were different. They maintained their human forms and did not summon their Dharma Idols, engaging in magical combat more like human cultivators. Qin Sang also sensed the aura of Dharma Idols, indicating that they too cultivated them. However, their Dharma Idols seemed different from those of the ancient demon cultivators and those cultivated through the "Heavenly Demon Refining Form" technique. It appeared to be true that the current demon race had abandoned the path of 'demon soul residing in stars.'

Qin Sang was curious about the path the contemporary demon race pursued, but he also understood that this was not the time to spectate. Ever since the one-horned purple rhinoceros transmitted its message, Qin Sang had felt unsettled, his instincts urging him to leave quickly, the farther the better! Without revealing his presence, Qin Sang exerted all his effort to fly away, and the three demons in the battlefield became increasingly smaller in his vision. Even after they disappeared from sight, Qin Sang showed no intention of stopping.

His brow was tightly furrowed as he constantly scanned his surroundings. After flying for so long, he hadn't sensed the aura of any other cultivators. Had he guessed wrong? Suddenly, Qin Sang's figure stiffened. He faintly sensed an aura, whose origin he couldn't pinpoint, but it suddenly appeared behind him, above the vortex. This aura was not ostentatious and lacked grand fanfare, yet it made Qin Sang's hair stand on end.

An Integration Stage cultivator!

Qin Sang instinctively activated the Azure Luan True Thunder within him, transforming it into a Heavenly Awareness Thunder Robe. At the same time, his figure rapidly descended towards the ground, not daring to continue flying in the sky. It had attracted an Integration Stage cultivator! No wonder these three demons possessed such extraordinary strength and treasures; it turned out there was a powerful entity behind them orchestrating events!

Qin Sang couldn't help but feel fortunate that he had run fast enough. If he were still lingering near the vortex now, waiting to profit from the situation, he would likely have been discovered. The Small Grotto-Heaven might not be able to protect him; this aura felt far more profound to Qin Sang than Hong Tian's, indicating a cultivation level probably beyond the early Integration Stage. Qin Sang realized he had severely underestimated the vortex's value, but he now dared not harbor even a trace of greed. He had only one thought: escape quickly! This powerful being had already arrived; would the other be far behind?

Near the vortex.

The battle among the three demons raged fiercely. The female demon successively employed several magical abilities and treasures, all of which were jointly nullified by her opponents. With her skill, escaping would have been no difficulty, but she dared not stray far from the vortex. Now, she could only rely on her precious bow to barely maintain her position. She appeared to have three heads and six arms, unleashing an overwhelming rain of arrows to prevent her opponents from approaching. However, this state came at the cost of consuming her essence and could not be maintained for long.

The female demon retreated repeatedly, her opponents pressing relentlessly. The two were a brother and sister who had grown up together. Their minds were connected, and their coordination was exceptionally seamless, gradually forcing the female demon onto the defensive. They seized an opportune moment and jointly unleashed a long-planned magical ability. A purple disc flashed past the female demon, slicing her body in half.

The two were momentarily stunned, not expecting such an easy victory. Then, they saw the severed corpse burst into flames, with a faint ethereal image of a demonic bird visible within the fire. Simultaneously, the female demon's aura reappeared outside the battlefield.

The great battle resumed!

After a series of fierce exchanges, the female demon frequently used secret techniques to escape, but the situation was very unfavorable for her. Just then, a gentle force suddenly descended. That force was like a gentle, massive hand, softly separating the two sides. The three demons were caught off guard; their attacks had already been launched, but they seemed to hit a soft wall, causing no ripples whatsoever.

"Master!"

The female demon exclaimed softly, her face filled with joy. The male and female cultivators, however, looked greatly alarmed. They looked up to see a shooting star descending from the sky, revealing a woman in palace attire, standing suspended in mid-air. Both the female demon and the other female cultivator were beautiful and extraordinary, but before the woman in palace attire, they seemed like mere young girls, their presence completely overshadowed.

The male and female cultivators exchanged a glance and turned to flee, but then they felt a gaze fall upon them, and a gentle voice whispered in their ears, "Where do you think you're going?" The two instantly froze.

The woman in palace attire chuckled lightly, "Don't worry, this Queen won't trouble you youngsters. Hmm... Old Rhinoceros will be here soon too." Before her words had fully faded, distant rumbling thunder echoed. A beam of purple light streaked across the sky and landed with a crash, transforming into a colossal purple stele that embedded itself upright in the snow, shielding the male and female cultivators behind it. The purple stele resisted the pressure exerted by the woman in palace attire. The two cultivators felt a wave of relief but dared not move, remaining dutifully in place.

At this moment, the female demon flew before the woman in palace attire, bowed respectfully, and transmitted some message telepathically. The woman in palace attire nodded slightly, then turned her gaze towards the vortex, her eyes emitting a strange light, as if trying to penetrate the icy currents within the vortex to see its deepest point. A moment later, the woman in palace attire's eyes flashed. After a brief pause in thought, she looked at the male and female cultivators and asked, "What did you discover just now?"

"My descendants are not for others to question!"

A low roar thundered, causing the surrounding snow mountains to trigger avalanches. The next moment, light and shadow flickered before the purple stele, revealing a burly old man. The elder was bald and beardless, clad in purple armor of unknown make, incredibly heavy and substantial. Standing before the colossal stele, his figure seemed even grander than the stele itself.

"Your grandchildren are incompetent, please forgive us, Grandfather!"

The two hastily stepped forward and prostrated themselves. Their skills were lacking, and they had almost jeopardized a major undertaking. "Since you acknowledge your incompetence, go back to the clan and receive your punishment," the old man said calmly. The two dared not retort; they simply bowed their heads in affirmation and retreated to the side.

"Old Rhinoceros, are you planning to contend with this Queen?" the woman in palace attire asked with a smile, as if joking.

"Treasures are ownerless, and those who see them have a share. Let's each rely on our own methods," the old man replied, his expression unchanging as he turned his gaze to the vortex.

The woman in palace attire chuckled, "I'm just worried that this place won't be able to withstand our full power. After searching for so long and paying such a high price, are you willing to watch the treasure be destroyed?"

"We'll only know after trying..."

The old man paused, discerning her hidden meaning. "What do you propose?"

"Let's first work together to break through this vortex, and then we can discuss and decide its ownership. Whether it's a scholarly debate or a martial contest, this Queen is ready to accompany you," the woman in palace attire declared, her face radiating strong confidence.

"This old man has always spoken with strength!"

That implied a martial contest.

The two powerful beings quickly settled on a plan with a few words. With a command, the three demons retreated far away. The woman in palace attire and the old man then flew towards the vortex, taking positions on opposite sides. After observing for a moment, the woman in palace attire took out a long crimson feather and gently swept it across the vortex. Instantly, half of the vortex was dyed crimson, and fierce flames burned fiercely on the cold ice. The old man extended his right arm, raising his hand to make a grasping motion, and the colossal purple stele was clasped in his palm. He then powerfully hurled it into the vortex.

"Rumble..."

The vortex trembled violently, and the surrounding area shook as if an earthquake had struck. In the distance, Qin Sang continued moving, only daring to observe from afar. As expected, another powerful demon cultivator had arrived. Fortunately, the two powerful demon cultivators were at odds with each other and did not search the surroundings. Feeling the immense commotion from behind him, Qin Sang knew that they had begun retrieving the treasure. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the two powerful beings would likely engage in another battle, and Qin Sang should be safe for now.