Chapter 491: 夺舍

The Flying Yaksha raised a hand and pressed it against the stone door. Corpse aura surged, touching the protective barrier.

A cold snort echoed from within the stone house.

"Didn't I tell you not to disturb me unless it's a matter of earth-shattering urgency!"

That voice...

Qin Sang's heart stirred, and he secretly frowned. He found the voice extremely strange; it bore some resemblance to Ji Wu's, yet the tone was completely different from what he remembered of Ji Wu.

At this moment, there was no time to ponder such trivialities. Qin Sang merely had a fleeting thought before unhesitatingly commanding the Flying Yaksha to break the barrier with full force. Simultaneously, he channeled the power of the Ten Directions Yama Formation, sending ghost flames erupting from the formation to assist the Flying Yaksha in assailing the stone door.

*Boom!*

With a loud bang, the barrier on the stone door briefly flickered before being brutally shattered. The heavy stone door couldn't withstand the pressure and was then smashed by the Flying Yaksha's claw. Debris flew everywhere, and dust billowed.

The Flying Yaksha, fearless of death, charged in first, its figure flashing. Qin Sang's gaze pierced through the dust, swiftly scanning the interior of the room, searching for traces of Ji Wu. He intended to kill Ji Wu first, then focus his efforts on dealing with Daoist Jiu Pao, as that was the only way he might stand a chance.

Qin Sang was extremely tense. Time was of the essence; he only had a chance to succeed if he caught his opponents off guard, before they could unite. He had to seize it!

The stone house was empty. Its furnishings were extremely simple, with only a single futon on the ground. A spirit-gathering formation was arranged inside the stone house, and Qin Sang could see the entire layout at a glance.

The scene inside the stone house greatly surprised Qin Sang. He easily found Ji Wu, who was sitting on the futon, but Daoist Jiu Pao was nowhere to be seen. Even if Daoist Jiu Pao's physical body was destroyed, his Golden Core or Nascent Soul should still be present. There was nothing else besides Ji Wu!

"Who are you people?"

Though suddenly attacked, Ji Wu's expression remained unchanged. He sat motionless on the futon, his sinister gaze fixed on the Flying Yaksha and Qin Sang. His expression and tone were unlike anything Qin Sang had ever seen from him before.

Ji Wu's aura was incredibly powerful. Facing Ji Wu's gaze, Qin Sang felt a sensation of choked breathing. Qin Sang had only experienced such an aura from cultivators at the Core Formation stage. Though Ji Wu looked exactly the same as before, Qin Sang was certain that they were absolutely not the same person!

Qin Sang paused slightly, then suddenly understood something. "Body snatching?"

Qin Sang was utterly astonished. Daoist Jiu Pao had actually chosen to seize Ji Wu's body, and it appeared he had succeeded. Ji Wu had completely transformed into another person; it was now more appropriate to refer to him as Daoist Jiu Pao.

No wonder! No wonder Daoist Jiu Pao treated Ji Wu like his own son. Even while gravely injured and desperately needing medicinal pills to heal, he had spared no effort to support Ji Wu's cultivation, pushing him all the way to the False Core stage. Ji Wu was actually the vessel Daoist Jiu Pao had prepared for himself!

Daoist Jiu Pao's plan was well-laid. Ji Wu must have been meticulously chosen. Once his Golden Core recovered and Ji Wu broke through to the False Core stage, he would perform the body snatching, completely transforming his identity. Then, assuming Ji Wu's identity, he could openly operate in the Lesser Cold Region without fear of being hunted by the Yuanzhao Sect. Qin Sang speculated that Daoist Jiu Pao calling Huang Shizhong back at this time might not have been for a simple reason either.

This plan was incredibly perfect. Perhaps, over the years, during Ji Wu's cultivation, Daoist Jiu Pao had already subtly planted hidden schemes. Qin Sang couldn't help but sigh. Ji Wu had been adventuring outside, traveling far and wide, diligently searching for healing elixirs for Daoist Jiu Pao—the master in his heart. Ji Wu had barely escaped Sky-Pointing Peak, yet he chose to forgo the Profound Truth Pill in favor of the Restoration Pill. What was Ji Wu thinking in his final moments when he learned the truth? Could he rest in peace, even in the netherworld?

Seeing no response, Daoist Jiu Pao glanced outside the stone house and pressed again, "It seems Mo Yan has died by your hands! My Demonic Flame Sect is not involved in worldly disputes, and Ji Wu does not know either of you. May I ask what grudge you two distinguished guests have against us, to assault our home and kill a master of my sect!"

"Ji Wu?" Qin Sang sneered, having no intention of wasting words with Daoist Jiu Pao. He gave a low command: "Kill!"

Daoist Jiu Pao had been directly attacked, yet instead of immediately retaliating, he sat there calmly, asking about their grievances and if they could be resolved. Qin Sang didn't believe Daoist Jiu Pao had such a good temper. He must have a reason he couldn't or wouldn't get up, attempting to buy time with words. Perhaps the body snatching wasn't complete, or the Restoration Pill hadn't been fully assimilated!

Qin Sang had no obligation to answer Daoist Jiu Pao's questions, nor would he proactively reveal his identity. Therefore, he made a decisive move, directly ordering the Flying Yaksha to attack! The Flying Yaksha's towering corpse aura erupted. It stepped into the stone house, its figure vanishing in a flash.

Seeing his intentions exposed, Daoist Jiu Pao's face immediately changed. He glared at Qin Sang with venomous eyes. "To dare act so wildly in front of me, Ji Wu, with just a low-grade refined corpse, you truly have a death wish!"

Before his words even finished, Daoist Jiu Pao's figure suddenly flickered, finally leaving the futon.

*Whoosh!*

The Flying Yaksha arrived, but its sharp ghostly claws only tore through the afterimage Daoist Jiu Pao had left behind. Then, the Flying Yaksha suddenly twisted its arm and swept it horizontally.

*Bang!*

A muffled thud. The Flying Yaksha unleashed a stream of corpse aura, forcing Daoist Jiu Pao, who had been attempting to ambush Qin Sang, out from the shadows. At the same time, Qin Sang's figure flickered repeatedly, hiding behind the Flying Yaksha and positioning the Ten Directions Yama Formation beside him.

The first clash between the Flying Yaksha and Daoist Jiu Pao seemed to be an even match.

"Flying Yaksha!" Daoist Jiu Pao had to abandon his attempt to assassinate Qin Sang. He stabilized his posture, took a deep look at the Flying Yaksha, then his gaze shifted towards where Qin Sang was hiding, his eyes flickering without any further pretense. "The Ten Directions Yama Banner! Who exactly are you! To be able to enter without disturbing the spirit formation, this old man must certainly know you!"

Hiding within the formation, Qin Sang was both surprised and pleased. He was pleased that the Flying Yaksha hadn't disappointed him; even if it couldn't win, escaping wouldn't be an issue. He was surprised that Daoist Jiu Pao, having just completed body snatching, still displayed terrifying strength, and there was no sign of any injury. Had the Restoration Pill completely healed his wounds?

He ignored Daoist Jiu Pao's questions and continued to order the Flying Yaksha to attack ferociously.

*Bang! Bang! Bang!*

In the dim stone house, only two dark figures could be seen moving at astonishing speed; it was impossible to discern who was who. Collisions rang out continuously, and chaotic spiritual energy soared. The stone house's barrier, already damaged by Qin Sang, was now riddled with holes.

*Rumble!*

The stone house finally succumbed to the strain and abruptly collapsed. Qin Sang remained hidden within the formation, channeling ghost flames to assist the Flying Yaksha, though it was better than nothing. Yet, he still hadn't used his two magical treasures. As the battle continued, Qin Sang realized that Daoist Jiu Pao's condition wasn't as good as it appeared on the surface. The strength he displayed wasn't as terrifying as that of genuine Core Formation masters Qin Sang had encountered before.

There was a chance!