Chapter 439: Unexpected Encounter

Xu Qing glanced at the young man before him and nodded slightly.

Last night, at the earnest request of this Saintly Sea Clan youth, he and the captain deliberated for a long time before finally agreeing to the proposal: to use the Saintly Sea Clan's convoy to leave the area being searched by the Sword Holders.

As for whether they would travel to the Zenith Kingdom, where the youth resided, after entering Saintly Sea Clan territory, Xu Qing did not give a definitive answer.

Their hiding place was ingeniously arranged on the skin of this four-legged beast, complete with aura concealment. It was clear the Saintly Sea Clan was very skilled in such concealment techniques.

"This humble one has lived up to the expectations of the Noble Clan, successfully deceiving the Sword Holders," the Saintly Sea Clan youth said. "The rest of the journey should be without too many incidents. We will reach the Saintly Sea Clan in a month."

As he spoke, the Saintly Sea Clan youth raised his right hand, took out two lotus leaves from his storage bag, and respectfully held them above his head.

"In my life, I have only seen members of the Noble Clan twice, and only from a distance," he continued. "Though my father often spoke respectfully of your customs, I truly don't know much. I've only heard that the Noble Clan enjoys consuming moon dew collected just before dawn, so I had someone gather it."

Xu Qing's expression remained calm, but his heart stirred. While he had some knowledge of the Black Sky Clan, it wasn't detailed enough to know about their preference for moon dew.

Furthermore, the Saintly Sea Clan youth's words, though seemingly normal, carried an ambiguous tone that subtly hinted at a test.

Thus, whether the Black Sky Clan truly enjoyed moon dew was unknown.

So he remained silent.

The captain, however, smiled faintly. He raised his right hand and gestured in the air, and the two lotus leaves immediately flew towards him. Instead of directly drinking the moon dew, he raised a tiny finger, lightly dabbed some dew, and applied it to his eyes.

The moon dew quickly evaporated, and a membrane appeared over the captain's black eyes, as if covering them, and his expression showed a hint of comfort.

"You are thoughtful," he said. "You may withdraw."

The Saintly Sea Clan youth's expression remained fanatical and showed no abnormality throughout. Hearing the command, he respectfully backed away, retreating nine steps before turning and leaving.

As he ascended, his figure grew larger and larger, eventually returning to its normal size. He then appeared on the red-skinned four-legged beast, sitting there with no change in his demeanor.

And so, time passed. Soon, half a month went by.

During this half-month, the Saintly Sea Clan youth showed great discretion. He never overly disturbed Xu Qing and the captain, and when he did approach, he would first request an audience from a distance, only drawing closer after being granted permission.

All his words and actions showed no abnormality, as if he truly regarded them as members of the Noble Clan.

However, in his conversations, he would occasionally ask respectfully and subtly about the customs and traditions of the Black Sky Clan, always with a look of longing on his face.

Xu Qing didn't know much in comparison, so he remained silent, and the captain handled all inquiries.

The captain, this time, had clearly done his homework thoroughly. His knowledge of the Black Sky Clan was extensive; he even corrected the youth twice.

"Who told you the Black Sky Divine Mountain is used for sacrifices?" the captain corrected. "That is where the moonflowers bloom, where the gods once descended, and where the Divine Palace now stands."

"The Black Scale City beneath the Divine Mountain? A pity, that city disappeared sixty years ago, gazed upon by the remnant face of a god. Few outsiders know of this."

The captain's expressions and tone were incredibly authentic, making Xu Qing feel as if the captain had truly lived among the Black Sky Clan.

This only intensified the fanaticism in the Saintly Sea Clan youth's eyes.

However, the youth's tests did not entirely cease. Once, at midday when the sunlight was most intense, though he didn't appear, the hair covering the sun subtly shifted, allowing intense sunlight to fall directly onto Xu Qing.

Xu Qing frowned and waved his hand slightly, and the shading hair instantly returned to its original angle.

Such minor incidents, though not frequent, were handled expertly by both Xu Qing and the captain each time. As a result, after half a month, similar tests finally stopped.

Until one day, within Linlan Province, the Saintly Sea Clan's convoy approached the Sky Moon Gorge.

The Sky Moon Gorge was vast; at the convoy's speed, it would take three days to traverse it, and then another week to reach the border after exiting the gorge.

As Linlan Province bordered the Saintly Sea Clan's territory, the Saintly Sea Clan cultivators in the convoy collectively exhaled in relief, their taut nerves relaxing slightly upon arriving here.

After spending the night outside the gorge, the convoy majestically entered it the next morning, thundering through.

As the convoy proceeded, a day quickly passed. By the time dusk approached, they were nearing the middle section of the gorge.

Here, the rugged, towering cliffs on both sides blocked some sunlight, making the gorge appear somewhat dim.

In a hidden cave high in the distance, a woman in red robes, who had been meditating, now opened her eyes, revealing a cold glint.

The woman wore a mask, and a large demonic scythe lay beside her. It was Qing Qiu.

She had been here for half a month, targeting the returning mica convoys.

These convoys varied in size. To avoid alerting others, Qing Qiu had let several smaller convoys pass, intending to strike only at the largest one.

"They're here! They're here!" The demonic entity's voice immediately echoed in Qing Qiu's mind as the Saintly Sea Clan convoy carrying Xu Qing and the captain approached the area.

"This convoy was one of the targets you asked me to investigate before coming," the demonic entity continued. "They are from the Zenith Kingdom in the Eastern Great Wilderness Prefecture. Although it's a small kingdom, they're transporting a significant amount of mica this time."

"I just sensed them," the demonic entity added. "There are over a hundred Saintly Sea Clan cultivators, not many Golden Core cultivators, and the strongest is at the Sixth Palace!"

"They'll do! Sixth Palace is perfect for us to perish together!"

As the demonic entity's voice roared, a cold glint flashed in Qing Qiu's eyes. As her cultivation circulated, red light emanated from her entire body. With her secret technique activated, she exuded fluctuations of Sixth Palace combat power.

Clearly, over the past few months, her cultivation had finally broken through, forming four Heavenly Palaces. Combined with an Emperor-grade cultivation method and secret techniques, her combat power had reached the Sixth Palace.

"At their current speed, they'll reach us in the time it takes an incense stick to burn!"

The demonic entity's voice was filled with excitement, though it clearly hadn't detected the concealed captain and Xu Qing. Qing Qiu, for her part, could never have imagined that Xu Qing and the captain would be in the convoy.

So, she licked her lips, her eyes gleaming with an increasingly intense cold light, and waited silently.

Meanwhile, inside the convoy, Xu Qing looked up, gazing into the distance. The voice of the Adamantine Sect Patriarch had just echoed in his mind.

"Master," the Patriarch said, "I just sensed a spirit's divine sense sweeping by—it's Red Maiden's scythe demon."

Xu Qing raised an eyebrow.

The captain beside him also suddenly looked up, gazing into the distance with a surprised expression. Clearly, he too had his own methods of detection.

"Interesting. You felt it too, didn't you?" The captain smiled, turning to transmit a message to Xu Qing.

Xu Qing wasn't overly surprised that the captain could detect it. After a moment of thought, he transmitted a reply.

"If her target isn't this convoy, let's not stir up trouble."

"And if it is?" the captain asked with a knowing smile.

"Killing within Feng Hai County will be investigated," Xu Qing stated calmly. "Capture her alive, take her to the Saintly Sea Clan, and then kill her."

"Really kill her? Haha, alright. But let's see what she looks like before we kill her; she always wears a mask." The captain narrowed his eyes, looking at Xu Qing with a hint of amusement.

Xu Qing was surprised and frowned.

Evening.

The afterglow fell upon the earth, casting a dim yellow light, which became even more subdued in the gorge, causing it to enter night prematurely.

As the hundreds of red-skinned four-legged beasts advanced, the ground continued to vibrate. Suddenly, a colossal roar erupted directly from in front of the convoy.

The ground there abruptly exploded, sending countless shattered rocks scattering. Simultaneously, arrays of formation runes descended from the sky like a vast net, enveloping all directions.

Blood-colored light, like a sea of blood, cascaded down, permeating every area and instantly turning the gorge into a torrent of crimson.

Amidst shouts of alarm and chaos, a slender figure flew out from the twilight sky. She wore a wide, red robe, a delicate white mask, and wielded a huge demonic scythe.

With her appearance, an ancient, almost chanting melody echoed through the heavens and earth.

"Departing fate, obscure traces, Xuan You, my Emperor, grant blessings and guidance. Battle spirits, descend upon my followers, embark on the journey of departure!"

As the chanting of this ancient melody spread in all directions, the world was influenced by some force, and gusts of chilling wind began to manifest within the gorge.

This wind swept through everything. Wherever it passed, all Saintly Sea Clan cultivators who felt it shivered as if pierced by an icy chill, and their minds were filled with waves of horror.

The chilling winds howled from all directions, converging around the demonic scythe in the red-robed woman's hand in the blink of an eye.

The demonic entity's eye suddenly flared, emitting a crimson glow, then abruptly opened its mouth and bit towards the woman's arm.

The next instant, the red-robed woman's body trembled violently, and overlapping shadows instantly formed around her. It seemed as if battle spirits from between heaven and earth were drawn to her and merged into her body.

Vaguely, one could discern the battle spirit: a female general in armor, manifesting behind Red Maiden, empowering her with cultivation strength.

This scene made Red Maiden, at this moment, appear like an envoy of death, poised to reap all life.

Not only that, but an endless crimson light also emanated from Red Maiden, making her the source of the bloody glow in the gorge.

That was the Blood Intent Realm of the Tai Si Immortal Sect!

The moment it unfolded, another personality emerged, replacing Qing Qiu and taking dominance.

Thus, the next instant, a sinister laugh freely escaped the lips of this transformed Qing Qiu.

"Heh heh heh."

The laughter, coupled with her expression, conveyed a sense of boundless madness. The next moment, her speed erupted. Merging with the crimson light, she surged towards the Saintly Sea Clan members, sweeping a blood-red sea along with her.

The demonic scythe in her hand ripped through the sky, its sharp blade seemingly capable of slicing through void. Wherever it passed, the heavens and earth changed color, and winds surged.

No one could stop her in the slightest.

Even the Saintly Sea Clan youth, whose bloodline was remarkable, rushed out with a greatly altered expression to intercept her. But although he also possessed Sixth Palace combat power, he was inferior to Qing Qiu in speed.

After all, they were a transport convoy, not the Black-Clad Guards responsible for slaughter.

Qing Qiu dodged with a mere flick of her body, her killing intent strong, heading straight for the crowd amidst a series of eerie laughs.

"Heh heh heh heh."

One by one, the Saintly Sea Clan cultivators found themselves unable to dodge. With the scythe's sweep, their bodies were instantly cut apart, leading to extreme carnage.

Red Maiden struck with ruthless ferocity, sweeping everything before her. Clearly, she intended to slaughter everyone present.

During the slaughter, blood splattered onto her body and face, intensifying the crimson glow in her eyes.

The act of licking away the blood, in particular, brought that sense of madness to its peak.

This Qing Qiu, at this moment, was the same as she had been during their first encounter, as Xu Qing remembered her.

This was also the origin of the name "Red Maiden"!

One could even say that if not for Xu Qing and the captain, and if this convoy had no trump card, Qing Qiu's ambush would very likely have succeeded.

Even if the convoy had hidden trump cards, with Qing Qiu's current combat power and speed, she could still plunder a portion of the mica.

However... Xu Qing and the captain couldn't simply watch Qing Qiu act like this. They didn't particularly care if the Saintly Sea Clan members died, but they couldn't die before bringing them to the Saintly Sea Clan.

Therefore, the captain made his move. It happened the moment Qing Qiu forced back the Saintly Sea Clan youth with a single strike, then sliced open a Saintly Sea Clan Golden Core cultivator, approached the convoy to slay three four-legged beasts, and was about to continue swinging her scythe.

His figure soared from the ninth four-legged beast, seemingly appearing out of thin air. In an instant, he transformed from a tiny form into his normal body, revealing his Black Sky Clan appearance. His eyes gleamed with a cold light as he let out a cold snort.

"Human, how dare you!"