Chapter 431: Blame Shifted

"Clang..."The token continued to roll on the ground before suddenly vanishing.

A sinister chuckle echoed through the hall. "Hmph... Old man Fang and Shen Tu, those two old devils, won't stop until they drag me into this mess. Even hiding here, I can't find peace..."The next moment, a figure materialized in front of everyone.

The person was tall and slender, appearing to be a young man in his early twenties. He was remarkably handsome, with a dazzling smile that nevertheless carried a gloomy aura. The token had appeared in his hand at an unknown moment. No one had detected the slightest fluctuation; they only realized with a jolt of alarm when he materialized before their eyes, greatly shocked and understanding that this must be the Core Formation cultivator named Pei Qin!

*Swoosh!*Pei Qin extended a hand, drawing the unconscious cultivator Liu into his grasp. He clutched the man's neck, and a ball of colorful, mystical light surged from his palm, flowing into cultivator Liu's body.After a groan, cultivator Liu regained consciousness, but his face contorted in extreme pain. Pei Qin squeezed cultivator Liu's jaw, tilting his head up and forcing him to open his eyes.Their eyes met, and cultivator Liu suddenly fell into a daze, seeming to be in even greater agony as his entire body convulsed. Strange lights flickered in Pei Qin's eyes as he used a peculiar method to interrogate cultivator Liu. A moment later, cultivator Liu completely lost consciousness again.

Pei Qin snorted coldly, tossing cultivator Liu to the gatekeeper. His form wavered, and he seemed about to disappear from the spot, but then he suddenly paused, turning to scan the crowd in the hall with a peculiar smile.

"Little Han Domain is in trouble, and all cultivators are duty-bound. Disciples of the Eight Righteous Sects, heed my command: follow me two hundred li south of the Chaotic Isle Waters to meet the enemy. As for the rest of you, do as you please; just run north. You'd best not harbor any ill intentions, for I remember your faces. If I don't see you on the battlefield and discover your absence, we'll see if those self-righteous old fogeys will truly disown their kin! Heh heh..."

While his voice still echoed in the hall, Pei Qin had already vanished.Silence descended upon the hall.Suddenly, a figure bolted towards the stone house, followed by a continuous flurry of whooshing sounds as disciples from outside the Eight Righteous Sects scrambled towards the exit.

Only a few individuals remained rooted to the spot, exchanging glances. Before leaving, the gazes of the departing cultivators lingered on them, some with pity, others with mockery, and some with schadenfreude...Qin Sang's face was ashen. The exit was within reach, yet his legs felt as if they were filled with lead, unable to move.

In that final moment, Qin Sang felt Pei Qin's gaze pierce through his mask and settle on his face. The mask was not a high-grade magical artifact and could not block the divine sense of a Core Formation cultivator. Qin Sang hadn't anticipated being targeted by a Core Formation cultivator's anger. With Pei Qin having seen his true face, there was no room for maneuver. If Pei Qin truly followed through on his threat, even Qi Yuanshou couldn't protect him.

Finally, only they remained in the hall. The gatekeeper cupped his hands and said, "Fellow cultivators, this trade fair has concluded. Please do as you wish." Then he walked away.

At this trade fair, there was an unusually small number of disciples belonging to the Eight Righteous Sects. Including Qin Sang, there were only nine people, and Qin Sang couldn't find any fellow disciples from Shaohua Mountain. Fortunately, disciples from the Eight Righteous Sects were certainly not weak; their cultivation levels were also high. Among the nine, three were at the late Foundation Establishment stage.

"I am Cang Ling of the Pure Yang Sect. May I know the names of you two fellow cultivators?"Qin Sang saw one of the late Foundation Establishment cultivators turn to look at him, realizing that further concealment was pointless now. He removed his mask and said, "Shaohua Mountain, Qin Sang!""Primal Illusion Gate, Fan Zhen!"Another late Foundation Establishment cultivator also took off his hood, speaking coldly without even glancing at Qin Sang.

Qin Sang's heart stirred. Ever since Senior Qingzhu attacked the Primal Illusion Gate and killed the two Golden Core cultivators, Shaohua Mountain and the Primal Illusion Gate had almost become sworn enemies. Although both sides ultimately restrained themselves and no war broke out, their relationship had plummeted to an all-time low. Disciples of the two great sects harbored animosity towards each other. Qin Sang had rarely encountered Primal Illusion Gate cultivators, first at Xuanku Pass and later at Qingyang City, but it now seemed true.

Given Fan Zhen's demeanor, Qin Sang naturally wouldn't try to force a friendly interaction. Ignoring Fan Zhen, he cupped his hands to Cang Ling and said, "Fellow cultivator Cang, your cultivation is the highest here. You must have a good plan already. Please share it; I will certainly follow your orders."

Cang Ling gave a bitter smile. "That senior is angry with us and unwilling to reveal any information about the front lines. With no intel, I can't think of any brilliant plan. However, we cannot stay here for long; otherwise, if we delay and miss a crucial opportunity, he'll find another reason to reprimand us. If none of you intend to defy the command, perhaps we should set off first and devise a strategy on the way..."

As soon as Cang Ling spoke, the others felt even more resentment.Someone gnashed their teeth. "Judging by this person's actions, he's very likely from the Demonic Path!""What that senior said isn't entirely wrong, either. Little Han Domain is in trouble, and cultivators of our generation are duty-bound, heh heh..."An old man let out a dry laugh, then looked awkward when no one responded.Qin Sang cast a sideways glance at the old man and said, "Everyone, mind your words! Fellow cultivator Cang is right; no matter what, we must go on this journey. Let's proceed..."

Qin Sang and Cang Ling were the first to dart out of the hall, with the others following suit.The Cloud Cang Great Marsh connected the sky and water, dotted with countless islands. Fish swam deep below, and birds soared overhead, creating a serene scene. There were no signs of a major battle.

"There's no need to be discouraged. Since it's not a full-scale invasion, the Heavenly Alliance villains might not be that strong. Moreover, Senior Fang and the others certainly wouldn't have only summoned us as reinforcements. As for Core Formation cultivators, Senior Fang and the others will handle them. We might as well bide our time and seize opportunities. If we can turn the tables and personally slay a few Heavenly Alliance villains, we'll have rendered great service. If the situation becomes insurmountable, we can fight while retreating, looking for a chance to escape. When our sects investigate, we'll have an excuse. What do you all think?"

The group formed a simple battle formation, suppressing their aura, and flew south. Cang Ling's words resonated with Qin Sang's thoughts, and seeing the expressions of the others, they too seemed swayed.Qin Sang prepared himself, gazing intently into the distance and pondering silently. He least preferred to collaborate with others, as it prevented him from using his full array of treasures, significantly reducing his strength. However, if his life was in danger, nothing else mattered; survival was paramount. Yet, he wondered, in this vast world, where could he possibly flee?

Qin Sang set aside his thoughts. Seeing that the Chaotic Isle Waters were vast and it would take time to reach the battlefield, he took the opportunity to send a voice transmission to Cang Ling. "Fellow cultivator Cang, do you happen to know a fellow cultivator Han from your esteemed sect? He was originally the patriarch of the Han clan and a good friend of mine. It's been many years; I wonder how he is now..."

"Are you referring to Senior Brother Han, fellow cultivator Qin? Of course, I know him!"Cang Ling gave a hearty laugh, saying with a hint of envy, "Senior Brother Han has excellent talent and enviable opportunities. He was taken in as a closed-door disciple by a Martial Uncle and is being diligently taught in his cave abode. It's said he's about to complete his cultivation and prepare for Core Formation... The next time you see Senior Brother Han, fellow cultivator Qin, he might already be a Golden Core Lord!"