Chapter 773: Gentlemen Avenge, Ten Years Is Not Too Late

Qin Sang had sent the Fiend Yaksha to scout ahead, anticipating various scenarios. If a Ghost King were present, there would be nothing to do but admit defeat, abandon the Fiend Yaksha, and escape the area. If the opponent's strength was limited, he could quickly provide reinforcement with his evasion speed. However, he had never anticipated this particular situation.

A fiend corpse at the Core Formation stage, like the Fiend Yaksha, was incredibly rare and sought after. Even skilled ghost cultivators would spend countless hours and immense effort to refine just one. Qin Sang had planned to thoroughly study ghost cultivation methods to further enhance the Fiend Yaksha's strength, but an unexpected incident occurred here.

The Fiend Yaksha had sustained severe injuries, and its strength was impaired as its wounds had not yet healed. If the opponent were truly formidable, the Fiend Yaksha wouldn't have had a chance to resist and would likely have been subdued as soon as it entered the ghost domain. The opponent's actions, however, suggested that its power wasn't particularly high; it might simply have a natural advantage against refined corpses. Therefore, Qin Sang was not afraid and dared to continue the pursuit.

He suspected that the opponent had dragged the Fiend Yaksha away and painstakingly obscured the soul imprint, rather than simply destroying it, possibly because it coveted the physical body. The opponent was most likely a rogue spirit itself. "If my own cultivation weren't high," he thought, "then my body would have been taken instead, wouldn't it?" This thought fueled his anger further.

Soon, he stopped at the precise spot where the soul imprint had disconnected. He looked around, but there was still nothing; the opponent was cunning and had left no trace. Qin Sang had no choice but to pick a direction and continue flying forward, eventually reaching the sheer cliff face where he completely lost the opponent's trail. The opponent was not only extremely cautious but also adept at concealment; Qin Sang found nothing. He hadn't even seen the opponent's face, yet his most capable general had been taken.

Unwilling to give up, Qin Sang steeled himself and began searching the ghost domain. For a time, blinding streaks of light darted back and forth through the ghostly mist, conducting an extensive search. Qin Sang practically turned the entire ghost domain upside down, meticulously examining even the surrounding cliffs. After spending so much time, he ultimately found nothing. The Fiend Yaksha seemed to have vanished into thin air. No matter how Qin Sang activated the soul imprint, it was like a stone sinking into the sea, yielding no response.

"I can't waste any more time here..." Qin Sang stood at the exit of the ghost domain, staring at the dense ghostly mist, feeling somewhat helpless. He hadn't even acquired the Nine Nether Demonic Flame yet, and he had already lost a valuable asset. His search in the ghostly mist had consumed too much time; he had to leave and head for the Heavenly Pagoda.

"If only the Heavenly Eye Butterfly had undergone its third transformation," Qin Sang muttered, "then under its Heavenly Eye, those specters and demons would have nowhere to hide... If you dare, cross the Nine Nether Demonic Flame and escape. Otherwise, when I return, I will surely drag you out." He sighed, consoling himself with the adage, "A gentleman's revenge, though delayed, is never truly late." Enveloped by the thick ghostly mist, he felt utterly powerless. Although he possessed a corpse core, he was not a true ghost cultivator, and his spiritual senses were still severely restricted within the ghostly mist. The opponent, however, could move freely. With its bizarre evasion techniques, even if it were right behind him, Qin Sang likely wouldn't notice. Unfortunately, the Heavenly Eye Butterfly had fallen into a mutated slumber, delaying its transformation and preventing its third metamorphosis. Otherwise, Qin Sang could have easily seen through the deception.

Violent fluctuations appeared in the ghostly mist, and a large swarm of resentful spirits surged out, a vast, dark mass. These were all resentful spirits he had disturbed during his search. "Scram!" Qin Sang, expressionless, let out a cold shout. A fierce wind erupted, and surging true essence transformed into a rainbow light, striking the resentful spirits and sending them flying back. Qin Sang took a deep look at the ghost domain, erased his traces, retracted his true essence, donned a fiery shield, and flashed to stand before the demonic flame.

After Qin Sang left, the resentful spirits lost their target and gradually settled down. The ghost domain returned to its previous quietude, the ghostly mist calmed and flowed slowly, seemingly unchanged from before. He passed through the demonic flame and returned to the canyon exit. Qin Sang turned, stood for a moment, summoned the Fat Silkworm, and quietly departed the area.

After leaving the canyon, Qin Sang did not retrace his steps. Instead, he stealthily approached the small purple crystal lake, hoping to steal another purple crystal to provide more food for the Fat Silkworm. Unexpectedly, even before reaching the lake, Qin Sang sensed a powerful aura lingering around it, sending shivers down his spine. Alarmed, Qin Sang dared not approach further and cautiously retreated. "The beast leader has been alerted and is personally guarding it," he mused. "It seems the entire tribe has relocated; the number of fierce beasts around the lake is more than ten times what it was before. It appears I can't aim for more purple crystals for now. You'll have to be frugal with these two pieces..." Qin Sang glanced at the Fat Silkworm, who also wore a helpless expression. With nothing to be done, Qin Sang had no choice but to retreat. He returned to the base of the cliff, found his previous landing spot, and climbed back up the way he came.

On his return journey, Qin Sang passed by the site where the ancient divine platform had emerged. The ground there was now smooth, with no traces remaining. The chaotic battle within the first stone palace had not yet subsided, so Qin Sang chose to take a detour. After reaching the Purple Star Vulture Canyon, he easily passed through and finally exited the Purple Mist Desolation. Upon leaving the poisonous mist, the Fat Silkworm retracted its poison-warding armor and immediately scurried into the insect basket, where it embraced a demon core and fell into a deep slumber. It had relied entirely on its ability to resist the poisonous mist throughout the journey, which had nearly exhausted it.

Without the poisonous mist, his vision cleared, and Qin Sang's mood lightened somewhat. Of course, this did not mean the outside world was safer than the Purple Mist Desolation. Outside, he not only had to avoid various fierce beasts but also guard against other cultivators. "The Heavenly Pagoda is to the north," he decided. "The dense forest is fraught with danger, so it would be better to retrace my steps and then travel through the wilderness to reach the pagoda." Having made his decision, Qin Sang determined his direction and, alongside the Twin-Headed Hou, entered the dense forest, disappearing among the ancient trees.

In the canyon. The demonic flame hung suspended in the air, as if it would never extinguish.

An unknown period passed after Qin Sang's departure. A ripple spread through the poisonous mist, and then a figure emerged, slowly approaching. No protective barrier was visible around him, yet he moved freely within the poisonous mist. The mist that touched his black robe was effortlessly repelled, unable to penetrate even slightly. This was deep within the Purple Mist Desolation, where the poisonous mist was exceptionally virulent. The man's ease of movement suggested either that he possessed a supreme poison-warding treasure or that his cultivation was extraordinarily high.

The man gradually emerged from the mist, revealing his face. He appeared to be about forty years old, with a tall build, but his demeanor clearly belied his age; he was much older, and his deep-set eyes inspired awe. Upon seeing the Nine Nether Demonic Flame, the man's gaze became intensely fervent and obsessive. "This time," he muttered to himself, "I refuse to believe I cannot subdue you..." But he was cut short mid-sentence as his expression suddenly changed dramatically. His figure flickered, and he vanished from the spot.

Concealing his presence, he scanned the canyon, his gaze finally fixing intently on the gap between the demonic flame and the sheer cliff. A moment later, an expression of profound shock appeared on his face. "How is this possible!" He cried out in his heart, his face a picture of disbelief. "Even I can't resist the erosion here; how could anyone have passed through this canyon? No, wait, he not only entered but also emerged alive..."