Chapter 2404: Setting the Trap

The Qingyun Sect has existed for over 50,000 years. At its peak, it boasted five cultivators at the Integration stage and over a dozen disciples. After enduring several major catastrophes, the Qingyun Sect currently has three Void Refinement stage cultivators. Chen Qingyang is the Grand Elder of the Qingyun Sect and a mid-Void Refinement stage cultivator.

Lin Ziqiao, Chen Qingyang's youngest disciple, is currently at the late Soul Transformation stage and possesses considerable strength.

The Myriad Spider Mountain Range is perpetually shrouded in miasma. It is home to numerous venomous insects and beasts, as well as many spirit herbs and fruits known for their detoxifying properties. It is rumored that some have encountered sixth-rank demonic beasts, so few dare to venture deep inside in search of medicinal ingredients. Most cultivators operate in the outer regions.

Deep within the Myriad Spider Mountain Range, a blue streak of light swiftly darted across the sky. Before long, the blue light halted above a dense black forest. As the light dissipated, a blue, shimmering flying shuttle was revealed, carrying two men and one woman, including Lin Ziqiao.

"She couldn't have escaped, could she? She's a shapeshifting spirit medicine, highly skilled in Wood Escape Arts."

A graceful young woman in a golden dress frowned and spoke. They had received intelligence that a fifth-rank Amethyst Flying Scorpion was active here. This rare insect possessed considerable divine abilities; if tamed, it would be a significant asset. They had come to this place to search for the Amethyst Flying Scorpion, but unexpectedly stumbled upon a shapeshifting spirit medicine and jointly inflicted injuries upon it. It is extremely difficult for spirit medicine to achieve shapeshifting. If they could capture this medicine and present it to their sect, it would undoubtedly be a great service.

Lin Ziqiao took out a small, shimmering golden mirror. He infused it with magic power, causing its surface to emit a dazzling golden light. A golden, mist-like aura sprayed downwards, covering the area below and continuously moving. Suddenly, a young girl with delicate features, dressed in golden robes, appeared within the golden aura. Her face was pale, indicating she was injured.

"Found her! Don't let her get away!" Lin Ziqiao's face revealed joy.

As soon as he finished speaking, countless green spiritual patterns emerged on the golden-robed girl's body, transforming into a streak of green light. She leaped through multiple large trees with incredible speed. Lin Ziqiao and the other two attacked the golden-robed girl in unison, but their attacks missed; the girl's escape speed was simply too fast.

"Junior Sister Chen, Junior Brother Li, you two circle around from both sides. We must corner her." Lin Ziqiao instructed, and the two fellow disciples agreed, flying to the left and right, intending to bypass and intercept the golden-robed girl.

Before long, the distance between the three grew, and eventually, they could no longer see each other.

A man's loud shout echoed in Lin Ziqiao's ears. Lin Ziqiao let out a scream, fainted, and fell from high in the sky, landing on a large tree.

Wang Changsheng emerged from underground, took out a Seven-Star Spirit Control Talisman, and slapped it onto Lin Ziqiao. With a flash of silver light, the Seven-Star Spirit Control Talisman vanished into Lin Ziqiao's body. Lin Ziqiao groaned, his features contorted in apparent resistance. Wang Changsheng formed a hand seal, and Lin Ziqiao's resistance grew progressively weaker. With his mid-Void Refinement stage cultivation, controlling a late Soul Transformation stage cultivator using the Seven-Star Spirit Control Talisman was not difficult. Once the talisman's power was depleted, Lin Ziqiao would revert to his normal state.

After a while, Lin Ziqiao opened his eyes. A bright spiritual light emanated from his body, and he flew into the distance, disappearing into the horizon.

A hint of satisfaction appeared on Wang Changsheng's lips. The golden-robed girl was in fact Wang Shen, who had only feigned injury earlier. All of this was part of Wang Changsheng's intricate plan, aimed at dealing with the Qingyun Sect's Void Refinement stage cultivators.

The Qingyun Sect and the Deng family knew that Wang Mengbin had obtained half a page of the Heavenly Void Jade Tome. This knowledge was a hidden danger; with enough people spreading the rumor, it would definitely be believed. The Wang family did not have Integration-stage cultivators. If any Integration-stage cultivators believed this rumor, it would spell trouble. Wang Changsheng dispatched people to spread rumors everywhere, targeting human factions that were rising quickly. These rumors claimed they had either inherited legacies from Integration-stage cultivators, possessed the Heavenly Void Jade Tome, or even found the hidden treasures of the Void Sky Clan. This was merely muddying the waters, a temporary solution rather than a permanent one. Dead men tell no tales, so the best course of action was to eliminate the informed individuals within the Qingyun Sect and the Deng family, thereby resolving this hidden danger.

Previously, Wang Changsheng's cultivation was too low to be a match for Chen Qingyang. Now that his strength had greatly increased, it was time to address this hidden danger. Given the Qingyun Sect's formidable power, Wang Changsheng naturally could not force his way into their main stronghold. He could only rely on strategy. He used the Seven-Star Spirit Control Talisman to control Lin Ziqiao, making him lure Chen Qingyang out of the Qingyun Sect's main stronghold. Wang Changsheng put away Wang Shen, then transformed into specks of blue light and vanished from sight.

Lin Ziqiao stood above a steep peak, his brows tightly furrowed. Over half a quarter of an hour later, two streaks of light flew in from the distance; they were his companions.

"Senior Brother Lin, what happened? Did you lose her?" A graceful young woman in a golden dress asked, puzzled. She admitted that it was indeed difficult for just the three of them to track a shapeshifting spirit medicine, given the lush vegetation and the spirit medicine's mastery of Wood Escape Arts, which made it very hard to capture.

"It got away," Lin Ziqiao said gravely, his gaze fixed on the high peak. "However, I discovered an ancient cultivator's cave dwelling. It seems to have been left by a Buddhist cultivator."

On the mountainside of the peak, there was a cave entrance several zhang wide. The three flew into the cave and soon reached its end, where a cave chamber roughly an mu in size appeared before them. The stone walls were uneven, and a large amount of rubble lay scattered on the ground. It looked like nothing special.

A burst of green flame erupted from Lin Ziqiao's right hand. He slammed it into the air towards a certain stone wall, causing a hundred-zhang-large green fiery fist to fly out and strike the wall. With a thunderous roar, raging flames engulfed the stone wall. Dust flew up, and a large quantity of rubble tumbled down, revealing a faint Buddhist light.

After a moment, the flames dissipated, revealing a golden, shimmering light screen before them. The golden light screen bore some Buddhist runes on its surface, and a faint sound of chanting could be heard.

"A Buddhist restriction? That's rather rare." The young woman in the golden dress said with some surprise.

"Hehe, this must be our fortune! I wonder what treasures lie inside. Let's work together to break the restriction." Lin Ziqiao chuckled, conjured a shimmering green banner, and with a slight shake, released a stream of green flames that struck the golden light screen. The young woman in the golden dress and the other person were not idle either, controlling their spirit treasures to attack the golden light screen.

For a time, continuous booming sounds echoed. The three of them unleashed their spirit treasures to attack the golden light screen for seven days and seven nights, employing various methods. Yet, the golden light screen remained unharmed, indicating it was no ordinary restriction.

"This Buddhist restriction is so tricky? Could it be a sixth-rank formation? Or even seventh-rank?" The young woman in the golden dress frowned deeply.

"It's likely a sixth-rank formation, Junior Sister Chen. You remain here while Junior Brother Li and I return to the sect to report to Master. Our opportunity has arrived," Lin Ziqiao instructed.

"Yes, Senior Brother Lin." The young woman in the golden dress didn't think much of it. They truly couldn't break the restriction themselves and would need a Void Refinement stage cultivator to intervene. As Chen Qingyang's disciple, it was perfectly normal for Lin Ziqiao to report their inability to break the restriction.

Lin Ziqiao and the other person transformed into two streaks of light, piercing through the air and vanishing into the horizon.