Chapter 508: Misunderstanding?

He changed his incantation, and the giant yellow sword transformed into countless yellow flying needles. They eagerly struck the light-blue energy barrier, creating a muffled thudding sound like rain on plantain leaves.

The blue energy barrier remained completely still, its light shimmering and shifting.

Wang Changsheng was somewhat surprised. "Is this restriction's defense truly so strong?" he wondered. He raised his hand, and the Vajra Bracelet shot out, turning into a golden light that struck the blue energy barrier. It, too, failed to destroy the light-blue energy barrier.

Wang Changsheng frowned slightly. Since neither of his magic treasures had managed to destroy the restriction, he slapped his right hand towards the blue energy barrier in mid-air. Ripples appeared on the barrier, and a vortex several zhang wide materialized above it. A giant blue palm extended from the vortex and slammed heavily onto the blue energy barrier.

The blue energy barrier immediately caved inward, its spiritual light flowing continuously.

Wang Changsheng's expression became solemn. Even his spiritual technique couldn't break this restriction; its defensive power was simply too immense! The immortal cultivator who set it up must have been incredibly powerful.

He formed a hand seal, and the Nine-Bend Divine Sand transformed into a giant yellow sword, which then struck the blue energy barrier.

With a loud bang, the blue energy barrier vanished, revealing a dark, gaping hole.

Wang Changsheng breathed a sigh of relief. He put away the Dual-Pupil Rat and his magic treasures, then released two puppet beasts to walk ahead while he followed behind.

The stone walls on both sides showed obvious signs of excavation. Every thirty steps, a moonstone was embedded in the wall.

After walking over a hundred steps, a turning appeared ahead. He turned left and walked several tens of steps, then encountered another turning. Not long after, a simple stone cave, roughly an *mu* in size, appeared before Wang Changsheng.

In the center of the stone cave was a magic array over ten zhang wide, inscribed with numerous rice-grain-sized silver runes. Around the magic array stood four pale golden stone pillars, each carved with a lifelike demonic beast pattern.

Other than the magic array and the four stone pillars, there was nothing else.

The magic array suddenly shook violently, all its runes lit up brightly, and a thick silver beam of light shot straight up.

After two breaths, the silver beam of light disappeared, revealing Wang Lin's figure.

Wang Lin was covered in blood, his clothes tattered and barely covering him. His aura was weak, and his complexion was pale.

Upon seeing Wang Changsheng, Wang Lin's pupils dilated, and his face was filled with disbelief.

Wang Changsheng, in turn, was dumbfounded to see Wang Lin.

The next moment, the teleportation array beneath Wang Lin's feet began to shake violently.

Wang Lin seemed to realize something. He immediately flew to a nearby spot and quickly took out a square golden array plate.

A thick silver beam of light suddenly lit up. After it dissipated, the figures of two men and one woman were revealed.

As soon as they teleported over, countless golden runes lit up on the surface of the four stone pillars, and a pale golden energy barrier appeared out of nowhere, trapping the two men and one woman inside it like an inverted bowl.

Seeing the three Core Formation cultivators—two men and one woman—Wang Changsheng's heart sank. Without a word, he immediately flew back the way he came.

"Fellow Daoist Li, quickly leave! The Four-Element Spirit-Locking Array won't hold them for long," Wang Lin shouted.

Wang Lin shouted, then transformed into a streak of light and followed.

As soon as Wang Changsheng reached the turning, a powerful gravitational force appeared out of nowhere, pinning him firmly to the ground, rendering him unable to move. Countless golden runes lit up beneath his feet.

Enveloped in a golden light, Wang Lin flew past Wang Changsheng with an arrogant swagger.

"Bastard!" Wang Changsheng cursed.

Wang Changsheng gnashed his teeth. While their first encounter could be explained as not knowing each other, if he claimed not to know Wang Lin after meeting him here a second time, no one would believe him.

He slapped his right hand towards Wang Lin in mid-air, and a giant hazy blue palm suddenly appeared in front, slamming down towards Wang Lin.

With a loud bang, Wang Lin's spiritual shield was shattered. However, he dodged in time, and the giant palm only managed to tear off a few scraps of his clothes.

Wang Lin glanced at Wang Changsheng with a profound look, then his escape light intensified, and he flew out.

He had originally thought he discovered an ancient cultivator's cave, but it turned out to be a contingency plan prepared by Wang Lin. Having stumbled into it by mistake, he wouldn't be able to clear his name, even if he jumped into the Yellow River.

Wang Lin had trapped him with an array, and once the three Core Formation cultivators broke free, Wang Changsheng would surely die.

Wang Changsheng let out a roar, and cracking sounds of bones emanated from within his body. Veins bulged on his skin, his face turned crimson, and he slowly walked forward.

If he weren't a body cultivator, he probably wouldn't be able to move a single step.

"Rumble!"

A loud roaring sound came from behind, and Wang Changsheng's expression changed. He hurriedly quickened his pace.

The passage wasn't long, but every step was extremely difficult.

Specks of blood were scattered on the ground, clearly from Wang Lin.

After a short while, Wang Changsheng walked out of the cave, holding a few scraps of cloth in his hand, his gaze grim.

He released the Dual-Pupil Rat, letting it sniff the scraps of cloth, then flew towards the southeast.

He hadn't flown far when a loud bang echoed from the cave.

Wang Changsheng was startled, and his escape light greatly intensified.

After the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, a deafening roar sounded, shaking the ground. The earth split apart, and three figures flew out from the fissures.

"As expected, there's an accomplice. We can't let this guy go."

"He might know him, or he might not. The Eastern Desolation isn't our Nine Nether Sect's territory, so let's not cause unnecessary trouble. Ye Lin is our primary target. As long as he hasn't lifted the Nine Nether Blood Demon Restriction, he can't escape. If we can't find Ye Lin, then we'll look for this other person."

The old man in golden robes took out a black jade plate. He cast a spell onto it, but there was no reaction at all.

"This... how is this possible? The Soul-Seeking Plate was just responding. Is it broken? It shouldn't be! The Soul-Seeking Plate is a magic treasure personally refined by the sect master; it can sense Ye Lin's aura within ten thousand li. Unless he lifted the Nine Nether Blood Demon Restriction... but how long has it been? If he could lift the Nine Nether Blood Demon Restriction, he would have done so long ago; why wait until today?"

"Perhaps he has some rare treasure that temporarily severed the connection. As long as he hasn't lifted the Nine Nether Blood Demon Array, he can't escape. If all else fails, we'll find that Core Formation Layer 1 fellow from just now. We must find him, dead or alive."

The three discussed for a moment, then transformed into three streaks of light and sped through the air.

In a hidden cave a thousand li away, Ye Lin sat cross-legged on the ground, his bare chest adorned with several clawing, black spectral ghost patterns, and his face pale.

"I've finally resolved the Nine Nether Blood Demon Restriction, but I only have fifty-odd years of lifespan left. Shangguan Wei, if I don't avenge this, I'm no true man. Even if I don't live long, before I die, I will spread the 'Nine Nether Heaven-Illusion Grimoire' so that every member of the Nine Nether Sect will have a copy of their sect-founding cultivation technique. I'd like to see if you can bear the consequences, haha."

Ye Lin's face twisted into a ferocious and somewhat crazed expression as he spoke.

He had used a secret technique to resolve the Nine Nether Blood Demon Restriction, but his lifespan was now reduced to just over fifty years, and his cultivation had dropped to the Foundation Establishment stage. Once he recovered his Core Formation stage cultivation, he would immediately suffer body-devouring by the blood demons and die. There was no way around it. The Nine Nether Blood Demon Restriction was a secret technique of the Nine Nether Sect, never to be passed on, and the conditions for casting it were extremely high. Due to casting this technique, Shangguan Wei herself would need decades to recover. If one was afflicted by the Nine Nether Blood Demon Restriction, their vital blood would slowly be drained by blood demons; even seizing another body wouldn't help. Once afflicted by this technique, there was no cure.

Rumble!

A loud roaring sound echoed, and a blue light flew in—it was Wang Changsheng.

Wang Changsheng held the Ruyi Profound Jade Staff in his hand, his expression cold, while the Dual-Pupil Rat lay nestled in his arms.

"How did you catch up so fast?"

Ye Lin was dumbfounded, his eyes filled with fear.

"Foundation Establishment stage? Hmph, still trying to deceive people."

Wang Changsheng's eyes turned cold, and the Ruyi Profound Jade Staff rapidly grew in size and length, smashing towards Ye Lin.

Ye Lin had almost caused Wang Changsheng's death, and Wang Changsheng had no intention of letting him off.