Chapter 80: Bait and Entanglement

As far as the eye could see, the land appeared to have been torn apart, crisscrossed by numerous ravines. The rock cliffs separating these ravines varied in height, many with extremely thin, blade-like tops, making it precarious to stand on them.

Despite being separated by only a single rock cliff, the ecosystems within each ravine were surprisingly diverse.

Some ravines were lush with fragrant grass and winding streams, others contained surging rivers, and some featured ancient trees that towered even higher than the rock walls. There were also many sections revealing barren red earth or exposed rock. When two ravines converged or intersected, they created even more complex and magnificent landscapes, prompting curiosity about the formation of such unique terrain.

This kind of terrain was perfect for setting ambushes.

If a demonic beast's lair was hidden within any of these ravines, it would be incredibly difficult to detect, and traversing the cliff tops was absolutely out of the question.

Qin Sang stood at the edge, observing for a moment, a silent sigh escaping him. He then retrieved his jade token, confirmed his direction, and descended into a ravine. No longer daring to fly recklessly, he proceeded using only his Cloud Escape technique to cover ground.

The ravines were a chaotic maze, forcing Qin Sang to take numerous detours and constantly adjust his course. Thankfully, he hadn't been ambushed by demonic beasts, but he also hadn't encountered any other cultivators.

After more than an hour of navigating the ravine without finding an exit, Qin Sang grew increasingly irritated. He concealed himself and ascended to the top of a rock cliff, only to find an endless expanse of ravines stretching before him, which utterly deflated his spirits.

As he took in the terrain ahead, Qin Sang let out a soft exclamation. He noticed over a dozen ravines converging like the mouth of a gourd, narrowing to a single point before spreading out again. Various distinct landforms met at this junction, which he anticipated would be a remarkable sight.

Qin Sang checked his direction; it was precisely along the path indicated by the arrow. He then phased into a swift movement, heading towards the convergence point. However, just as he neared the "gourd's mouth," his figure abruptly halted.

Instantly, a cloud of mist enveloped Qin Sang as he used his Falling Cloud Wings to conceal his form, then quickly darted behind a large rock.

Within the "gourd's mouth" area, streams flowing from several ravines converged into a clear, bottomless pool. The banks were lush with various flowers, grasses, and trees, but a person lay prone by the water's edge.

The ravine Qin Sang was in contained only low-lying bushes, allowing him to spot the person immediately.

The person had disheveled hair, wore a white robe, and lay motionless, face down on the grass. Behind them, a trail of messy, blood-stained footprints led back into the forest.

The white robe was severely damaged and conspicuously stained with dark red blood. No wound was visible, suggesting it was likely on the chest or abdomen.

It was easy to imagine that this person had fled here after sustaining severe injuries, stumbling and faltering due to their wounds, before finally collapsing unconscious by the pool from exhaustion. The color of the bloodstains on the white robe suggested they had been dead for some time. Their opponent had clearly not pursued them, as a mustard seed bag remained untouched at their waist.

Despite the seemingly easy gain, Qin Sang's face showed no trace of joy. Instead, his expression was grave, and he fell into deep thought.

His previous encounter with Shen Jing had taught Qin Sang never to underestimate any cultivator, even those who appeared utterly helpless. The sudden appearance of a corpse in this desolate ravine was, after all, extremely eerie.

He intently surveyed the area around the pool. The water murmured, and birds chirped, with no discernible anomalies. Just as Qin Sang considered creating a clone to test the situation, an idea struck him. After a brief pause for thought, he quietly retreated to the ravine's entrance. There, in a secluded spot, he retrieved his Soul-Bewitching Mirror and set up its array, finally feeling a sense of complete relief.

It was always better to be cautious.

After all, he had only one life, and not every crisis could be resolved by relying on the Jade Buddha.

Returning to the ravine, Qin Sang concealed himself and formed a clone, instructing it to dart out from behind the rock and sprint towards the pool.

The clone reached the pool's edge unimpeded. It squatted down, touched the white-robed figure, and gently lifted it, revealing a massive, gruesome wound in the abdomen. Mutilated flesh and organs had spilled out, forming a puddle on the ground. The person was undeniably dead.

Perhaps he was simply too afraid of death.

A self-deprecating smile touched Qin Sang's lips. Just as he was about to instruct his clone to retrieve the white-robed figure's mustard seed bag, a sudden jolt of alarm seized him, immediately followed by a shrill arrow whistle from directly overhead.

A seven-colored rainbow arced down from the sky, plummeting like lightning directly towards his hiding spot.

Within that vibrant arc was unmistakably an arrow!

Qin Sang was seized with alarm. Without hesitation, he activated his Wind-Riding technique and swiftly darted out from behind the rock.

*Boom!*

The rock shattered into pieces, and the impact of the arrow blasted a deep crater into the ground. A spiritual energy storm swirled, kicking up debris and grass, creating a chaotic scene.

A chill ran down Qin Sang's spine from his vantage point nearby. Had he remained hidden behind that boulder, he would have been severely wounded, if not killed!

Qin Sang swiftly scanned the area and finally located the archer atop the cliff. The person appeared young, clad in a fitted outfit, standing gracefully against the wind like a distinguished young noble.

The youth in the fitted outfit held a bow whose string appeared to be a sinew from some demonic beast. The bow's body, made of an unknown material, emanated a seven-colored aura like a rainbow and was inlaid with vibrant gems. Residual spiritual energy still hummed from it, revealing it to be a top-grade magical artifact.

That terrifying arrow moments ago must have been fired from this very bow!

The youth in the fitted outfit lowered his head slightly, his gaze fixed on Qin Sang. He was clearly surprised that Qin Sang had evaded his sneak attack. Immediately, he raised the precious bow again, aiming it squarely at Qin Sang.

Seeing the youth's movements, Qin Sang's heart sank. He knew he absolutely could not remain a stationary target within the ravine. Decisively, he drew the Horned Dragon Sword from his back, summoned a furious wind around his feet, and burst forward, reaching the cliff top in an instant.

The youth was startled by Qin Sang's sudden burst of astonishing speed. He quickly raised his bow and fired.

This precious bow surprisingly required no physical arrows. The youth merely hooked his finger onto the bowstring, and as light swirled around the bow, it instantly coalesced into an arrow.

*Whoosh!*

The arrow hurtled directly towards Qin Sang's face, its power no less formidable than the previous one.

Qin Sang's figure flickered repeatedly, narrowly evading the first arrow. Immediately, a second arrow followed, launched from an incredibly tricky angle, leaving him with no escape.

Powerless, Qin Sang realized his divine sense couldn't sustain two high-grade magical artifacts simultaneously, so he had to dismiss his Wind-Riding technique. Fortunately, the top of the cliff was wide enough for solid footing. Qin Sang landed, raised his Horned Dragon Sword, and calmly braced himself.

The spinning arrow, trailing a seven-colored aura, approached like a comet.

Qin Sang's eyes were fixed on the arrow tip. He suddenly unleashed a sword strike, and the chilling energy from the Horned Dragon on his sword roared outwards, charging fearlessly to meet it.

*Boom!*

A deafening roar erupted as the Horned Dragon's chilling energy collided head-on with the seven-colored arrow. Both lights surged violently, yielding no ground, then simultaneously faded a moment later, having fought to a complete stalemate.