Chapter 2375: Moving Mountains

Demon soldiers patrolled the edge of the swamp before returning to camp; some were assigned to guard posts, while others could return to their cave dwellings to rest.

Qin Sang and his companions were lucky; this time, the three alligator demons they were impersonating were scheduled for rest, allowing them to blend in successfully.

While it sounds easy, the defenses here were actually extremely stringent; Qin Sang and Chi Lian would have struggled if they had come alone. Mo Yan and Duan Qiao had made thorough preparations in advance, with every step meticulously planned, which made their entry seem effortless.

After the patrol ended, Qin Sang and his group mingled with a crowd of alligator demons, chatting and laughing as they flew towards the cave dwellings.

They politely declined invitations from other alligator demons to gather, returning to their respective cave dwellings. Soon after, they reconvened in Duan Qiao's dwelling.

"Elder Brother sent a message," Duan Qiao said. "He wants us to go here..."

Duan Qiao took out a topographical map, which depicted not the swamp's surface, but the terrain beneath the muddy waters.

The terrain here was extraordinarily complex, far surpassing any demon cities Qin Sang had visited before. All signs indicated that the Great Lotus Marsh was not peaceful, which explained the extreme caution of the swamp's overlord.

Duan Qiao's finger pointed to a specific spot on the map.

Qin Sang shifted his gaze to it, pausing for a moment, then scanned the entire map. He mused, "If we intend to infiltrate that old alligator's dwelling directly, I fear it won't be easy."

The map showed many white lines; if these indicated array formations, it would be an incredibly vast array, and their movements could easily trigger it.

The swamp's overlord was also an alligator demon, and the Flying Immortal Trio's plan depended on dealing with this demon, so they needed to subdue it first.

If the alligator demon was alerted prematurely, the three of them could retreat, but Mo Yan, trapped within the array, could be in danger.

"Elder Brother has been trying to contact that old alligator for some time now," Duan Qiao explained, "but unfortunately, it's extremely timid and cautious, so there hasn't been an opportunity to act. This was our only resort. However, Elder Brother will secretly coordinate with us from the inside..."

Duan Qiao only offered a brief explanation, and Qin Sang and Chi Lian weren't overly concerned; after all, even if the plan failed, they weren't the ones who would be in danger.

They set off immediately, navigating through the alligator demons' lair. As expected, the Flying Immortal Trio had long since made their preparations, and the three of them didn't trigger any restrictions, quietly arriving at the center of the swamp and submerging into the muddy water.

The terrain beneath the mud was even more complex, yet to the naked eye, there was only murky, grayish-black mud. Duan Qiao led them in a winding path, making them feel as if they were wandering through a pool of sludge.

After wandering for some time, without knowing where they were, Duan Qiao, who was leading, suddenly stopped.

Then Duan Qiao took a roll of drawing paper from his sleeve; the paper was pristine white, without any ink marks. He unrolled it and pressed it against the mud wall in front of them.

Following this, ink marks surprisingly appeared on the white paper, slowly revealing a door.

This door, drawn on the paper, was rendered with such meticulous detail that it was hard to distinguish from reality. Duan Qiao reached out and pushed it, and with a creak, the door actually opened, revealing a dark void beyond.

"Follow me, both of you," Duan Qiao said.

Duan Qiao entered the door first.

Qin Sang and Chi Lian exchanged a glance; Mo Yan's painting skill had truly astonished them. Not only was this demon's artistry at its peak, but it seemed to have integrated into his very cultivation, earning the moniker 'Way of Painting.'

Qin Sang had never truly encountered a master of the 'Way of Painting' before. Mo Yan's methods were uniquely ingenious and might be difficult to counter with conventional means.

However, despite all variations, the essence remains the same. Qin Sang believed that once he became familiar with Mo Yan's divine abilities, he would surely find their weaknesses.

Qin Sang and Chi Lian entered one after another. After passing through the door, the path ahead was still the same monotonous mud.

By this point, both Qin Sang and Chi Lian had lost their sense of direction and could only follow Duan Qiao closely.

For a period after that, Duan Qiao led them through eight more doors consecutively until they passed through the last one, and their surroundings suddenly opened up.

Beneath their feet was no longer mud, but hard black stone. Massive stones were piled to form a magnificent black stone hall, and around it, it was utterly quiet, with no guards.

Just then, two furious shouts echoed from inside the stone hall.

They recognized that one of the voices belonged to Mo Yan.

"They've started!" Duan Qiao whispered, and with a flick of his sleeve, a square brocade handkerchief flew out, which he tossed upwards.

At the same time, Mo Yan's loud roar came from inside the stone hall: "Third Brother, quickly summon the Departing Cloud Veil! Fellow Daoists, do not let those gray alligators escape!"

Before his words even finished, several streaks of black light shot out from the stone hall.

The brocade handkerchief spun as it flew above the stone hall, rapidly unfurling and transforming into a cloud of brocade, enveloping all the surrounding mud.

No sooner had the brocade cloud formed than it violently shook, as if struck by an invisible force.

Qin Sang realized it was some form of communication, intercepted by the brocade cloud. As for the streaks of black light, they were gray alligators.

These gray alligators were enormous and ferocious-looking. Each radiated a fierce aura, and their combined charge was astonishingly powerful.

Qin Sang and Chi Lian understood clearly that the old alligator's true form was certainly entangled by Mo Yan, but if even one of these gray alligators escaped, the old alligator might be able to use it as a means of escape.

At this moment, Mo Yan was engaged in a fierce battle with the old alligator, and Duan Qiao needed to control the Departing Cloud Veil, so it was up to Qin Sang and Chi Lian to deal with the gray alligators.

Both were seasoned veterans of countless battles, requiring no communication. They each took on three alligators and flashed forward to meet their respective opponents.

Qin Sang still employed his disguised lightning magic.

Lightning illuminated the area in a blinding white, transforming into three dazzling balls of lightning, each hatching a lightning bird.

To avoid revealing his true identity, Qin Sang created these lightning birds to be 'four unlike' — neither one thing nor another — bearing the silhouettes of many divine flying beasts, yet resembling none of them specifically.

Having traveled for so long, Qin Sang was already adept at disguising his identity. The lightning birds let out thunderous shrieks, pounced on the gray alligators, and instantly engaged them in battle.

He did not take these gray alligators seriously. While controlling the lightning birds to slowly fight the alligators, he cast a sidelong glance at Chi Lian and saw her taking out a seven-colored long whip.

*Crack! Crack!*

The long whip coiled like a colorful venomous snake.

Dozens of whip shadows suddenly appeared in the void, instantly enveloping the three ferocious gray alligators. One was sent flying back, another was struck on the head and fell to the ground, and the third was shockingly dismembered on the spot.

Dismembered flesh flew everywhere, turning into swirling gray mists.

Chi Lian swiftly dealt with her opponents, then moved to assist Qin Sang. Before they could eliminate all the gray alligators, new ones surged forth.

The old alligator had an endless array of methods, but unfortunately, it had to face four powerful opponents simultaneously.

After a round of fierce fighting, Duan Qiao finally activated the Departing Cloud Veil to completely seal off the stone hall, inside and out, and flashed into the hall.

When Qin Sang and Chi Lian had dealt with the last gray alligator and entered the stone hall, they saw an alligator lying prostrate at Mo Yan's feet.

This alligator was dozens of times larger than the alligator demons outside, lying there like a small hill. Its back armor was dull gray and extraordinarily thick. Its eyes were cloudy and lifeless, clearly indicating it had been subdued by Mo Yan.

Chi Lian, well aware of the difficulty of capturing a demon king alive, her pupils slightly contracted. She praised, "As expected of the Flying Immortal Trio! What formidable methods, fellow Daoist!"

"Thanks to your intervention, this fellow didn't manage to escape," Mo Yan replied.

Mo Yan cupped his hands and bowed to Qin Sang and Chi Lian, then looked down at the old alligator and sighed, "Since Fellow Daoist is unwilling to agree to my terms, I'm afraid I must inconvenience you."

With that, Mo Yan took out an inkstone and pointed it at the old alligator. The old alligator's massive body rapidly shrunk and was absorbed into the inkstone, as if it had become a gecko falling into it.

Mo Yan held the inkstone in his hand and looked out of the hall. He said, "The Alliance of Four Kings is about to begin. There's no time to lose; we should depart now."

With that, Mo Yan conjured a paintbrush and tapped himself several times. He transformed into a gray-robed elder with remarkably high cheekbones, sinister eyes, and an alligator tail trailing behind him. Mo Yan then wielded the paintbrush to sketch over Qin Sang and his companions, and they all transformed into alligator demons, disguised as the old alligator's personal guards.

After erasing all traces of the battle, Mo Yan led them swaggering out of the cave dwelling.

"Great King!"

The alligator demon guards along the way, unsuspecting, bowed respectfully, their salutations somewhat rough.

"Prepare the royal carriage!" Mo Yan commanded.

The alligator demon guards immediately brought forth a luxurious carriage. Mo Yan boarded it, selected a few personal attendants, instructed the remaining guards to look after the dwelling, and rode away, breaking through the air.

The luxurious carriage traveled day and night, flying through the Great Lotus Marsh for over a month.

Sunrises and sunsets, and shifting landscapes, were a breathtaking sight.

As their destination approached, Qin Sang and Chi Lian had also generally understood the situation. It turned out that this old alligator had long ago pledged allegiance to one of the Great Demon Kings in the Great Lotus Marsh.

That demon king was known as King Hunhe, a dominant force in this region. Additionally, there were three other demon kings of equal renown, and all four were illustrious figures in the Great Lotus Marsh, top-tier powerhouses.

Their territories were close, leading to frequent conflicts, and they were often at odds. However, for some unknown reason, they later ceased hostilities and formed an alliance, known as the Alliance of Four Kings.

The Alliance of Four Kings was not static. It was said that periodically, the four kings would reconvene to adjust the alliance based on shifting circumstances.

Coincidentally, the gathering place of the four kings was not far from where the clam pearl was destined to appear, and the timing perfectly aligned.

For Mo Yan to secretly take the clam pearl, he first had to find a way to infiltrate the area and then make arrangements in advance to conceal the commotion of the pearl's emergence. Otherwise, he would have to watch the pearl fall into the hands of the four kings.

When the four kings gathered, King Hunhe's subordinates would also follow to enhance his prestige. Mo Yan intended to use the old alligator's identity to infiltrate.

Mo Yan's claims at the banquet were clearly untrue. Upon learning the truth, Chi Lian became greatly angered. Mo Yan had to promise significant benefits and give repeated assurances to barely appease her.

Qin Sang, however, wasn't overly bothered. He was eager to witness the demeanor of the Great Demon Kings of the Great Lotus Marsh.

"We're almost there," said Mo Yan, still disguised as the old alligator, as he stepped out of the carriage.

To avoid revealing any flaws in his disguise, Mo Yan politely declined invitations from other demon cultivators to travel with him and came alone.

"Are you really going to attend the Alliance of Four Kings?" Chi Lian's brows furrowed tightly.

Mo Yan playfully weighed the inkstone in his hand and said confidently, "Now that we're here, I certainly must pay my respects to King Hunhe. Otherwise, it would raise suspicions more easily. Unless someone is exceptionally close to this old alligator, it's impossible for them to see through my disguise. Besides, everyone's attention will be on the four kings, so who would specifically pay attention to me?"

Pausing for a moment, Mo Yan continued, "Third Brother, once I'm inside, you and the others should blend in with the other demon kings' attendants. First, go to this location and secretly place these array artifacts at the bottom of the water."

The so-called array artifacts were actually segments of demon bones, translucent like jade, their origin unknown.

As he spoke, the luxurious carriage entered a bank of clouds and mist.

The fog ahead grew thicker and thicker, the sky gradually darkened, and a light drizzle began to fall around them.

Such weather was common in the Great Lotus Marsh. Perhaps it was because of what they were about to do, but today inexplicably felt a bit oppressive.

Qin Sang gazed intently into the distance, his vision piercing through the mist. He saw dark clouds hanging low ahead, and the rain intensified.

He noticed that Mo Yan suddenly frowned, his formerly optimistic expression becoming somewhat grave.

Qin Sang's heart stirred. Had this demon perceived something?

He quietly awakened his Celestial Eye Butterfly and scanned the area. Finding nothing, he paid even closer attention to Mo Yan's actions.

Suddenly, Mo Yan waved a hand. "Wait!"

The luxurious carriage abruptly halted, hovering mid-air. All the demons looked at Mo Yan in surprise.

Mo Yan soared into the air. Unbeknownst to them, his eyes had turned pitch black. He stared ahead, his brow furrowing deeper and deeper.

After a moment, Mo Yan said grimly, "Retreat! Get out of this rain cloud!"

"Elder Brother..." Duan Qiao couldn't help but exclaim, looking puzzled.

They had been planning for so long, and now the treasure was right before them. Retreating now would surely mean all their efforts were in vain.

"Retreat!" Mo Yan insisted, his voice heavier.

Duan Qiao dared not disobey; he stamped his foot firmly and directed the luxurious carriage to reverse.

Qin Sang and Chi Lian exchanged glances, neither understanding Mo Yan's intentions. Qin Sang was especially curious: what could possibly escape the notice of his Celestial Eye Butterfly?

The luxurious carriage continued to retreat from the rain band, stopping just outside the curtain of rain. Mo Yan gently shook the inkstone in his hand, and a basin full of clear water appeared out of nowhere.

Clear ripples undulated in the water, gradually reflecting a scene from a marsh.

This marsh, its location unknown, was currently experiencing a heavy downpour. Raindrops splattered noisily on the water's surface. Amidst the curtain of rain, mountain silhouettes were reflected, like isolated islands in the water.

Mo Yan stared intently at the inkstone. In his other hand, he clutched a beast horn, a trophy seized from the old alligator.

King Hunhe and the demon kings under his command used this beast horn for communication. At this moment, the tip of the beast horn was flickering with light, indicating King Hunhe was urging him to quickly join them, yet Mo Yan ignored it.

Qin Sang leaned closer, looking at the scene reflected in the inkstone. He could guess that the marsh reflected in the inkstone was the place where the clam pearl was to emerge. But what exactly had happened to make Mo Yan show such an expression?

"Hm?"

After some time, Qin Sang, Chi Lian, and Duan Qiao simultaneously let out a soft gasp.

Amidst the heavy rain, a raindrop fell towards one of the mountain peaks. This raindrop surprisingly transformed into a water bubble, encapsulating the mountain.

The mountain gently trembled, then was lifted from the ground. It was actually carried by the water bubble and floated towards the sky, leaving behind a massive whirlpool.

Immediately after, mountain peaks successively flew out of the water. These peaks, enveloped in water bubbles, seemed as light as willow catkins, or like countless leaves, drifting in the air.

In an instant, the marsh was filled with whirlpools, and countless mountains floated towards the high sky.

Shock appeared in the eyes of Qin Sang and his companions. They also possessed the ability to move mountains, but they couldn't achieve this level. There were dozens of mountains reflected in the inkstone, all of which had flown into the air. And who knew how many more were beyond their sight.

*Bang! Bang! Bang!*

The mountains continuously collided in the high sky.

Suddenly, a streak of escape light entered their view. The escape technique was extraordinary, yet clearly indicated panic.

"It's King Hunhe!" Mo Yan said gravely.