Chapter 536: The Impact on the Mind

Wu Youdao didn't believe a word of Qin Sang's nonsense. He angrily retorted, "You cowardly scoundrel hiding your true face! Not only did you trespass on my mountain gate, but you also dared to kill my disciple right in front of me! I will surely execute you today!"

Qin Sang chuckled. "If it were you, Fellow Daoist Wu, would you just surrender without a fight? Besides, Wen Yanjie and I have had old grievances for a long time. I just didn't have the energy to deal with him before. If you investigate, you'll discover his usual conduct. Consider it me helping you clean up your sect, so you don't attract powerful enemies later and bring disaster upon your Qingyang Sect."

"How dare you twist the truth!" Wu Youdao was furious, but he couldn't help but feel a flicker of doubt in his heart.

Qin Sang had actually mentioned Wen Yanjie's name in one go, and his tone didn't sound like a pretense.

Could they have truly had a connection before?

Golden Core cultivators and Foundation Establishment cultivators are practically people from two different worlds. Unless Wen Yanjie was truly foolish and did something awful, how could a Golden Core master even notice him?

Despite his thoughts, Wu Youdao didn't stop at all; instead, his attacks intensified.

Qin Sang snorted coldly. "It seems a fight with Fellow Daoist Wu is unavoidable today. Let's see what abilities Fellow Daoist Wu possesses to keep me here!"

Wu Youdao was not an old-guard Golden Core cultivator. He possessed two magical treasures, benefiting from the legacy of previous generations in the Qingyang Demonic Sect. Some cultivators who reached Golden Core around the same time as him might still be painstakingly gathering spiritual materials to refine their personal magical treasures.

After fighting for so long, Qin Sang had gained a good understanding of Wu Youdao's personal magical treasure. Unless Wu Youdao had other hidden tricks up his sleeve, Qin Sang was confident he wouldn't be suppressed before his true essence was exhausted. In the process, he had also secretly learned many fire-controlling techniques from Wu Youdao.

The Ten Directions Yama Banner dramatically expanded, reaching several meters in height. It stood straight up in front of Qin Sang, its banner fluttering, as the Nine Nether Demonic Flame almost covered half the sky.

The other half was Wu Youdao's Qingyang Demonic Flame.

One black, one cyan. In the two-colored sea of fire, wild flames danced chaotically, crashing and colliding with each other. Each wave surged higher than the last, and in the middle of the sea of fire, a cyan-black volcano was formed. The aura of the demonic flames swept in all directions, and birds and beasts in the mountains fled in panic.

Qingyang Demonic Sect.

Li Qing emerged from the restricted area and flew towards Shengang Peak. His eyes held a hint of doubt.

Upon returning to Shengang Peak, Li Qing saw his fellow disciples gathered around the vortex, but no one was attempting to rescue those trapped. He swept his gaze, found an elder, and asked, "Senior Brother Ji, why haven't you rescued them yet?"

"Junior Brother Li has returned," the elder surnamed Ji quickly walked over and asked with concern. "How are things in the restricted area? What treasures did that thief steal?"

Li Qing said with some hesitation, "Following Uncle-Master Wu's instructions, I meticulously checked all areas of the restricted zone. I found no traces of intrusion into the restricted area. Several important locations and the treasures within them were all intact. In fact... there were no signs that even the protective spiritual array of the restricted area had been breached."

Hearing this, the elder surnamed Ji also looked surprised. He turned his head and glanced at the wind-and-cloud vortex. "I arranged for people to patrol everywhere, and they found no other anomalies. Would a dignified Golden Core master sneak in just for a piece of *Gangyu*? If he had just come up the mountain to ask, Uncle-Master Wu likely wouldn't have refused, would he? Why go to such great lengths and put himself in danger?"

"Not necessarily!" Li Qing shook his head. "Some time ago, I heard the Sect Master mention to Uncle-Master Wu that the Ancestral Sacred Flame will soon fall into a new period of dormancy. After it reawakens, it will be even harder to appease and will require more *Gangyu*. Meanwhile, cultivators above the False Core stage, when refining demonic flames, must absorb the pure *Gangqi* from *Gangyu*. With this balance shifting, sooner or later, we won't be able to suppress the Ancestral Sacred Flame."

The elder surnamed Ji sighed softly. "Our ancestors left the Sacred Flame to protect future generations. Who would have thought that one day it would become a serious threat?"

As they were speaking, a sudden cry of alarm rang out nearby. Then, the wind-and-cloud vortex suddenly swelled, instantly doubling in size. The lightning within the vortex crackled menacingly, its power rampant. The surrounding disciples were almost pulled into the vortex and hastily retreated.

The two flashed over to examine it closely. Seeing that the vortex had stopped expanding, they both simultaneously let out a sigh of relief.

The elder surnamed Ji said with a solemn expression, "The two junior brothers have been trapped for too long. The wind and lightning power on the outskirts of the vortex has accumulated to a terrifying degree. Fortunately, the Ancestral Sacred Flame at the center of the vortex hasn't spiraled out of control yet. Otherwise, their chances of survival would be slim. We dare not force a breakthrough using the Azure Flame Banner Formation, as we can't control the flame power, and it might actually harm them. To rescue them, Uncle-Master Wu must personally intervene. Moreover, if we delay much longer, there's a risk of a chain reaction. Should other *Gangyu* fail to withstand the pressure and shatter, the consequences would be unimaginable!"

Li Qing trusted Senior Brother Ji's judgment and decisively said, "Immediately repair the flying boat, and summon the junior brothers who possess Azure Banners..."

The elder surnamed Ji glanced at Li Qing and mused, "Junior Brother Li, in my opinion, it might be better to first report the situation within the sect to Uncle-Master Wu before making any decisions."

Li Qing frowned. "Senior Brother Ji, what do you mean by that?"

The elder surnamed Ji sent a spiritual message. "Junior Brother Li, just now I asked several junior brothers to assist Junior Brother Yang in repairing the flying boat, but they reported back that the flying boat is severely damaged and cannot be repaired in a short time."

Li Qing snorted coldly, his expression suddenly turning grim.

The elder surnamed Ji waved his hand. "The scene of Junior Brother Wen's head being exploded by a single palm, with blood splattering across the sky, indeed causes a tremendous shock to those who witnessed it. Even I, your senior brother, still feel a lingering fear when I recall it, so we can't blame them. However, my point isn't that. Junior Brother Li, consider this: if this person had stolen important treasures from the restricted area, we naturally couldn't let him succeed; we would have to exhaust the sect's resources to eliminate him. But now it's clear that the only loss was a small piece of *Gangyu*..."

At this point, the elder surnamed Ji paused slightly. Seeing Li Qing's thoughtful expression, he changed his tone. "Of course, whether to kill or release him, we still need to follow Uncle-Master Wu's orders, and we must still make the necessary preparations. That's why I said, Junior Brother Li, you might as well send the message to Uncle-Master Wu first. Knowing the full situation, Uncle-Master Wu will be able to act decisively."

After saying this, the elder surnamed Ji stepped aside and instructed others to check for any anomalies in the surrounding *Gangyu*.

Li Qing pondered for a moment with his head lowered, then turned and descended the mountain alone.

Desolate mountains and wild forests.

Qin Sang and Wu Youdao's fierce battle was in full swing. The Ten Directions Yama Banner and the Fire Gourd were locked in a fierce confrontation, neither giving way. Their battlefield had shifted across more than a dozen mountain peaks, leaving behind patches of scorched earth in their wake.

Qin Sang was now feeling helpless. No matter what he said or how he said it, Wu Youdao acted as if he hadn't heard a thing, showing no sign of stopping. Qin Sang wondered if Wu Youdao had seen through something.

As Qin Sang fought, he meticulously calculated his true essence, estimating he could last for another half an hour. Within half an hour, if he still couldn't force Wu Youdao to retreat, he would have to consider using the Void Heaven Thunder. There was only one chance.