Chapter 791: Ambush

The Mortal Realm

He observed Lady Liu's movements.

Lady Liu was incredibly patient and resolute, having clearly been in ambush for a long time. Hidden motionlessly in the forest, she was unaware that someone else was lurking behind her. The monk surnamed Liu never appeared, from beginning to end. Qin Sang became increasingly certain that something had likely happened to the monk surnamed Liu. He wasn't sure if the culprits were the ones he suspected. Poison-dispelling artifacts were extremely rare, so it was unlikely that the Liu couple had coincidentally encountered other enemies possessing such a treasure.

Time passed. No one emerged from Immortal Flower Lake. Qin Sang silently calculated the time. The Seven Kill Hall was nearing its closing, and simply waiting idly like this was becoming unwise, as the other party might not even emerge alive. Just as he frowned inwardly, he suddenly noticed movement on the ancient bridge. Petals swirled, and someone was emerging!

"They're here!"

Qin Sang's gaze sharpened. He noticed the sword qi in the thin mist tremble, clearly indicating Lady Liu's agitated state. Qin Sang held his breath, remained still, and fixed his gaze on the ancient bridge entrance.

A figure rapidly flew from Immortal Flower Lake. Soon, Qin Sang spotted a familiar light shield protecting the approaching person from the potent toxins filling the air.

"It's the Bone Lotus, as expected!"

Qin Sang's eyes turned cold, bursting with killing intent. He had a premonition when he realized Lady Liu had set a trap. Anyone connected to the Liu couple and able to enter Immortal Flower Lake was very likely Xiang Yi or his associates. Although he didn't know what had transpired between them, Xiang Yi was a ruthless individual, and it wouldn't be surprising if he had colluded with Cui Ji to murder the Liu couple. Xiang Yi, Cui Ji, and the fat man in luxurious robes were all on his kill list. Regardless of which one emerged from Immortal Flower Lake, he wouldn't let them escape if he encountered them within the Seven Kill Hall.

Qin Sang flipped his palm, secretly gripping the fire bead. If it were Cui Ji or the fat man in luxurious robes, Qin Sang's improved swordsmanship alone would be enough to intimidate them now. Xiang Yi's strength far exceeded the other two. Since his Blood Filth Divine Light had been used, Qin Sang decided to use the fire bead for a decisive, one-hit kill, just to be safe. He had saved the fire bead for a potential crisis during his journey to the Heavenly Pagoda, but he hadn't needed it until now. With his departure from the Seven Kill Hall imminent, using it to eliminate a powerful adversary would be well worth it.

Qin Sang secretly gripped the fire bead in one hand while setting up a Ten Direction Yama Banner restriction with the other. However, he didn't act rashly, choosing instead to wait patiently and assess the situation. The thin mist subtly stirred, signaling Lady Liu's unsettled emotions.

At that moment, the figure finally reached the ancient bridge entrance. He clearly hadn't anticipated an ambush outside; after a quick glance, he stepped out with little caution.

"Cui Ji! It *is* them, after all..."

Upon recognizing the person, Qin Sang inwardly snorted. He hadn't expected to find the main culprit so directly, and eliminating Cui Ji first would at least allow him to vent some anger.

"It seems Cui Ji came for the Bone Lotus from Immortal Flower Lake; that must have been their deal..."

Qin Sang's guess about their transaction was largely accurate. Just as he was about to put away the fire bead, his expression stiffened in surprise: Cui Ji had actually broken through to the late stage! Before entering the Seven Kill Hall, Cui Ji had been stuck at a bottleneck. Yet, a trip to Immortal Flower Lake had seemingly allowed him to break directly into the late Core Formation stage.

Cui Ji held the Bone Lotus in one hand, a triumphant smile on his face. Parts of the Bone Lotus's petals were stained purple, while others were green; only one pristine petal remained. Clearly, this extraordinary treasure was nearing the end of its life. Cui Ji felt greatly relieved and incredibly excited. He hadn't anticipated such a smooth outcome. Perhaps it was due to personally eliminating his adversary, but after finding and consuming the spiritual medicine, he had felt the opportune moment for a breakthrough, and everything had fallen into place effortlessly.

With a smiling face, Cui Ji stepped into the trap. Suddenly, loud bell chimes rang in his ears, and countless knife-sharp red threads appeared around him. His smile instantly froze.

Qin Sang abruptly turned his head, fixing his gaze on the thin mist. "What would Lady Liu choose to do?" Facing the newly advanced Cui Ji, this trap seemed somewhat inadequate. The thought had barely crossed his mind.

From within the thin mist, a sword gleam shot forth, swift as lightning and roaring like thunder, accompanied by an enraged shout: "Die, villain!"

Lady Liu had decisively made her move. Her meticulously set trap, the Red Thread Soul Bell Formation, had caught Cui Ji off guard, intending to entangle him before she could arrive by sword and slay him. But fate was fickle; no one had anticipated that Cui Ji would achieve a breakthrough in Immortal Flower Lake.

"You're asking for death!" Cui Ji roared in fury.

The red threads assailed him, incredibly sharp, capable of slicing through flesh and bone. But the most terrifying aspect was the bell chime, which could assault the primordial spirit. Had it been his former self, he would have truly fallen prey to the attack. Now, although Cui Ji's realm was unstable, his cultivation had leaped forward. Enduring the bell chime's impact, his true essence surged, and he successfully unleashed the Purple Nether Bead, which diffused a purple mist to form a protective light shield around him.

Swoosh! A flash of white light streaked past as a flying dagger shot out from the purple mist. The red threads seemed utterly fragile before the flying dagger. Broken threads flew, the copper bells vibrated, and the chimes significantly diminished. Cui Ji's eyes narrowed like a beast's as he spotted his ambusher. His expression abruptly changed, revealing a look of horror deep in his eyes.

"You! You're alive!"

But his gaze quickly swept around, only to find Lady Liu alone. He immediately burst into maniacal laughter. "Hahaha... so it's just you left. And you dare come here to die? Good! I, Cui, will settle this matter today, to prevent future troubles."

Whoosh, whoosh... Streaks of purple mist shot forth. Lady Liu arrived by sword at that moment, her eyes filled with tears, her face a mask of unwillingness. One step faster, and she could have killed Cui Ji, but she had failed at the final hurdle. Her cultivation was the lowest among the eight, and unlike Qin Sang, she didn't possess many defensive treasures. Facing the newly-breakthrough Cui Ji, she felt utterly powerless.

"Heaven is blind! To let this villain break through..." Her eyes hollow, she silently railed against fate.

Bang! Bang! The streaks of mist arrived, knocking her flying sword askew and thwarting Lady Liu's offensive. At that moment, Lady Liu abruptly changed her tactics, turning to flee into the mountains. If her single strike didn't land, she would immediately retreat far away.

Cui Ji paused for a moment, then a sinister grin spread across his face. He immediately urged his flying dagger to break through the spirit formation, and once freed, he furiously gave chase. Watching Cui Ji close in, Lady Liu, her face etched with anxiety, suddenly opened her mouth and shouted toward Qin Sang's hiding spot: "Fellow Daoist, if you're not going to act now, when will you?"

Qin Sang didn't seem surprised to have his presence exposed. However, he was certain Lady Liu didn't know his identity; her move was clearly an attempt to divert trouble. Cui Ji was now like a startled bird. Upon suddenly learning of a third lurking party, he would surely consider them to be allies. Lady Liu had maintained her composure and feigned ignorance even after discovering someone lurking nearby, all while remaining focused on her revenge. However, on second thought, if Lady Liu succeeded in taking the Bone Lotus from Cui Ji, she could use it to hide within Immortal Flower Lake. With the Seven Kill Hall about to close, the lurker couldn't afford to keep waiting indefinitely.

However, her ability to instantly assess the pros and cons and make such a decisive choice revealed remarkable composure and strategic thinking; she was clearly no mere weak woman simply protected by her husband.