Chapter 705: Turning Hostile

Qin Sang abruptly turned his head, his eyes narrowed slightly as he scrutinized the scrawny old man from head to toe. He suddenly asked, "Were you the one contacting someone outside just now?"

The scrawny old man's expression changed, but he quickly masked it, forcing a smile. "Fellow Daoist Qin," he said, "what are you talking about? Who?"

Qin Sang stared at the scrawny old man, the corners of his mouth curling into a sneer.

None of the six people present had noticed that he had left the Eye Butterfly outside before entering the underground cave.

After completing its second metamorphosis, the Eye Butterfly gained the ability to become invisible. To Qin Sang's surprise, the recently metamorphosed Eye Butterfly was already incredibly powerful, even capable of evading the perception of early-stage Core Formation cultivators.

If the Eye Butterfly hadn't been his natal insect Gu and this connection existed, he wouldn't have noticed it even if it were invisible right in front of him, unless he intentionally searched for it.

Invisibility was the only new ability the Eye Butterfly gained after its metamorphosis. Compared to Foundation Establishment cultivators, Demon Spirit stage beasts, and even other second-metamorphosis spirit insects, it was undoubtedly very vulnerable.

Perhaps precisely for this reason, it could even deceive enemies whose cultivation vastly exceeded its own, allowing them to survive in the perilous cultivation world.

A moment ago, while outside the cavern, Qin Sang used the frost-covered grass to distract the others, then quietly released the Eye Butterfly. Indeed, no one noticed.

Qin Sang had the Eye Butterfly hide on a tree.

He wasn't sure if it was because it had been refined into a natal insect Gu and fed with Qin Sang's essence blood, or if the records of the Spirit Controlling Sect were inaccurate, but the Eye Butterfly was not as fragile as described, where it would die upon a mere touch.

After its second metamorphosis, its strength also increased, becoming much stronger.

Although it couldn't compare to Foundation Establishment cultivators, it could still overpower ordinary Qi Condensation cultivators. Combined with its extremely strong concealment ability, it wouldn't be difficult for it to save itself when encountering danger, which was why Qin Sang felt confident leaving the Eye Butterfly outside.

In the cavern filled with cold mist, the Eye Butterfly couldn't play any role. Qin Sang dared not release it at all, as it would die as soon as it showed itself. It was better to leave it outside to monitor the movements outside the cavern for him.

In case of any anomaly, it could alert him immediately, allowing him to escape in time.

He and his natal insect Gu were connected by blood. Although the Eye Butterfly's intelligence wasn't high, Qin Sang could vaguely sense its thoughts.

Currently, it was just a vague thought. As the Eye Butterfly's cultivation improved, this perception would become clearer and clearer. Eventually, the Eye Butterfly would be like a clone of Qin Sang, able to see what it saw.

Of course, this perception was only effective within a certain range, and if powerful restrictions blocked the way, it might be severed.

However, the underground cave was not as deep as imagined, and the connection between Qin Sang and the Eye Butterfly still existed.

Qin Sang didn't trust the short, stout cultivator or the other five. He dared to participate because he relied on his escape speed, which far surpassed that of cultivators at the same stage, confident he could escape immediately even if danger arose.

He had originally thought that if they turned against each other, it might be due to an exceptionally valuable treasure in the cave, or the short, stout cultivator's hidden schemes being discovered.

But he hadn't expected a situation to arise so soon, right after entering the cavern and before even seeing what the Nascent Soul cultivator's abode looked like.

Just as he was about to step into the crack in the restriction, the Eye Butterfly suddenly sent a thought: the cold mist showed unusual fluctuations, and a shadowy figure seemed to rush out and disappear. Qin Sang's heart sank.

There were only seven of them in the underground cave.

Before entering the underground cave, the seven of them guarded against each other, and no one could leave the sight of the others. The warning restriction was also jointly set up by everyone. Unless someone else had a method similar to the Eye Butterfly, it would have been difficult to act under everyone's watchful eyes.

It was only when they were just attacked by the restriction, scattered, and busy dealing with the impact of the black light, that they were momentarily unaware.

If an insider had sent a signal to someone outside, this was the only opportunity.

At this moment, Qin Sang immediately thought of retreating.

Although they had carefully surveyed the sea area around the island, their scope was limited.

What if someone was lurking further away, and upon receiving the signal, collaborated with the insider from both inside and out? In the narrow underground cave, the Nine Dragons Heavenly Chariot Talisman would be difficult to utilize to its full extent.

Qin Sang's first suspect was naturally the short, stout cultivator. Using the Nascent Soul cultivator's abode as bait, luring others here, and collaborating with accomplices lurking nearby to ambush them, was a logical course of action.

However, as the initiator, the short, stout cultivator's movements would be watched by everyone. Even amidst the black light, it would be difficult for him to escape everyone's sight, making the risk of exposure very high.

Seeing that the scrawny old man had actually fallen behind him, Qin Sang immediately suspected him. When the black light surged, he had secretly activated the Nine Dragons Heavenly Chariot Talisman to retreat; it was impossible for anyone to have retreated further than him.

Qin Sang's sudden verbal probe caught the scrawny old man off guard, and he indeed revealed his true colors.

Was this person the short, stout cultivator's accomplice, or an accomplice he himself lured?

This was irrelevant!

The signal had already been sent out, and those ambushing outside would arrive soon. Before figuring out the enemy's true strength, he absolutely could not allow himself to be trapped in the underground cave.

Though it sounds complicated, Qin Sang made his judgment in an instant.

Qin Sang wore a cold smile. Seeing the scrawny old man's hand tighten around his bone fan artifact, he acted without hesitation!

"Whoosh!"

The Nine Nether Demonic Flame transformed into a fire dragon and suddenly surged towards the scrawny old man's face.

The scrawny old man hadn't expected Qin Sang to act so decisively without a word. In great alarm, he hastily waved his bone fan, emitting a pale white beam of light to block the Nine Nether Demonic Flame.

Then his hand seals changed continuously, and the bone fan creaked, its ribs protruding as it transformed into slender bone swords shimmering with cold light.

Before the bone fan's transformation was complete, the scrawny old man's expression suddenly changed. From the black light on both sides of his body, two black figures surprisingly rushed out simultaneously.

From the great battle outside Duyan Island against the black-robed youth, Qin Sang had learned a lesson: even when facing opponents of the same cultivation level, he no longer thought of capturing them alive for interrogation, but instead would kill them with swift and decisive methods.

He certainly didn't want to experience the power of the Thunder Command Talisman again.

The Flying Yaksha's speed was extremely fast. It closed in instantly, its ghostly claws transforming into countless illusions as dense corpse qi erupted.

"A Core Formation level Corpse Puppet..."

The scrawny old man was greatly horrified. In his haste, before he could even react, the pale light emitted by his bone fan was astonishingly shattered by the Nine Nether Demonic Flame as if it were rotten wood.

The Ten Directions Yama Banner, when arrayed, possessed power comparable to a mid-grade magic artifact. How could his mere bone fan possibly block it?

At this moment, the scrawny old man finally realized how terrifying Qin Sang's strength was.

"Crack..."

With a crisp sound, the bone fan was sent flying by the Nine Nether Demonic Flame, leaving the scrawny old man's defense wide open. The Flying Yaksha seized the opportunity, its ghostly claws erupting with corpse qi, easily tearing through the scrawny old man's protective true essence, plunging directly into his abdomen and twisting forcefully.

The scrawny old man let out a shrill scream, horrifyingly realizing that the Nine Nether Demonic Flame was already upon him.

In an instant, the scrawny old man became a man of fire, and Qin Sang quietly took his mustard seed pouch.