Chapter 90: Getting Caught in One's Own Web

The Mortal World

After seeing Zhao Yan off, Qin Sang stood in the empty valley, gazing at the lingering glow of the sunset, motionless for a long time.

Just now, Zhao Yan had given a strict order: he must use the Demonic Eye to thoroughly probe all changes in the Returning Yang Valley's formation within two months. This meant he had a maximum of two months of peace. Fortunately, his cultivation of the *Song Family Sword Art* had been continuous, and he was also on the verge of a breakthrough. Once he comprehended sword energy, it would be his most powerful reliance.

Qin Sang stood still for a long time, then suddenly took out the Azure Ripple Sword from his mustard seed bag. He flew out to survey Returning Yang Valley, finally arriving at the riverbank at the bottom of the valley. He plunged in and began to hack at a hidden rock wall at the riverbed with his sword.

Qin Sang planned to build a shelter for himself at the bottom of the river, to hide from the most intense wave of battle after the formation was breached. He didn't understand the various formations of cultivators, but he could use mundane mechanisms, combined with the concealment of the river water, to hide his refuge. During his time at the Blood-Clothed Tower, he had read countless secret manuals and learned several practical mechanism techniques. As long as a high-level cultivator didn't meticulously search inch by inch with their spiritual sense, it would be very difficult to discover the mechanism's existence.

Over the past two months, Qin Sang had revised his plans multiple times, perfecting various details, until he finally completed the shelter.

The formation at the valley entrance was suddenly triggered. Qin Sang flew out of his cave dwelling, a thoughtful expression on his face. Instead of directly opening the main formation, he returned to his dwelling and set up the Illusionary Mind Mirror, to guard against Zhao Yan discarding him once his usefulness ended.

After setting up his countermeasures, Qin Sang calmly opened the main formation at the valley entrance, only to find it was Yu Hua, whom he hadn't seen in a long time. A chill ran through him; if Yu Hua intended to kill him, he would have no ability to resist whatsoever!

“Qin Sang greets Martial Uncle Yu.” Qin Sang suppressed the unease in his heart and bowed to Yu Hua.

Yu Hua nodded slightly, then eagerly pressed, “Is it done?”

Qin Sang nodded. “Fortunately, I did not fail the mission.”

As he summoned the Demonic Eye, Yu Hua immediately reached out and grasped it. His spiritual sense probed inside, and a moment later, he exclaimed in ecstasy, “Haha… Martial Nephew Qin truly lived up to expectations!”

Then, Qin Sang felt the connection between himself and the Demonic Eye being severed. While a sudden tension gripped his heart, he also felt a significant relief.

Yu Hua put away the Demonic Eye and said to Qin Sang, “Martial Nephew Qin, leave a sound transmission talisman to mislead them, then come with me. You don't need to stay in Returning Yang Valley anymore.”

Qin Sang’s face registered surprise. He was relieved that Yu Hua hadn't turned ruthless, but he absolutely had no intention of returning to the Kuiyin Sect. He didn't have deeply ingrained notions of good and evil, but over the past year, aside from the threat of the Kuiyin Sect hanging over him like a sharp sword, his life had been remarkably peaceful. All he sought was to find a cultivation sect where he could cultivate peacefully, rather than constantly living in fear. For the sake of his own life, he would rather be a rogue cultivator than return to the Kuiyin Sect.

As this thought crossed Qin Sang’s mind, he said with concern, “If we leave now, and Senior Brother Meng and the others come, I'm afraid we won't be able to hide it for long…”

Yu Hua sneered, “The Yuanzhao Gate will soon be gone. What is there left to hide?”

Qin Sang’s heart turned cold. Following Yu Hua's instructions, he returned to his cave dwelling to put away the Illusionary Mind Mirror. Before leaving, he glanced back at the meticulously prepared shelter, a hint of self-mockery on his face.

Yu Hua's cave dwelling was on Muyang Peak. Qin Sang followed him in and found three other people inside: one was Ruan Nanfeng, who had entered the Yuanzhao Gate with him, and the other two were a man and a woman, strangers Qin Sang had never seen before, both dressed in servant disciples' robes. These two had likely infiltrated earlier than him. The Kuiyin Sect certainly had more than just this many people planted in the Yuanzhao Gate, so why were there only three?

As Qin Sang secretly pondered, his heart suddenly stirred. He secretly used the Qi Observation Art and saw that all three of them had the same cultivation level as himself: eighth layer of the Qi Refinement stage!

Yu Hua nodded to the anxious Zhao Yan. His gaze swept over the four of them, then he spoke in a deep voice, “Wu Liuyue and the others have already been secretly sent out of the Yuanzhao Gate. The reason you have been kept here is because your cultivation is the highest, and there is one more task you need to help Martial Nephew Zhao with. As long as you complete this task, you will have performed an extraordinary service. Not only will there be a Foundation Establishment Pill as a reward, but the Sect Master has also promised to personally take you as disciples.”

The four exchanged glances. Qin Sang, in particular, was dumbfounded. He had desperately cultivated to gain a little more self-preservation when fleeing, but he hadn't expected to weave his own cocoon, trapping himself in an even more dangerous vortex. A Foundation Establishment Pill, becoming a disciple of a Golden Core Perfected Being – Qin Sang was indeed tempted, but he also needed to be alive to claim them. The Kuiyin Sect was already aware of all the changes in the Yuanzhao Gate's protective formation; they only needed to launch a forceful assault to breach it. A Golden Core Perfected Being could turn him to dust with a flick of a finger. What kind of task could they possibly do?

Yu Hua, however, had no intention of explaining to them and simply told them to sit and cultivate.

Nothing happened throughout the night.

Late the next night, Yu Hua suddenly left. Zhao Yan tossed each of them a jade waist token and said in a chilling tone, “Follow me closely in a moment. Without my command, if anyone dares to speak or move erratically, I will immediately kill them. Understood?”

Qin Sang and the others exchanged glances; no one dared to voice any objection.

Zhao Yan sneered faintly, his lips moving slightly. Then, a series of miserable screams suddenly echoed in the cave dwelling. All four individuals, including Qin Sang, clutched their heads tightly, rolling and wailing on the ground. Qin Sang had already practiced this movement countless times in private. Now, without truly injuring himself severely, he could replicate it with eighty to ninety percent accuracy.

The four stood up unsteadily, their faces drained of all color, their eyes still holding a deep sense of dread. Zhao Yan said faintly, “I merely want you to know that with a single thought, I can control your lives and deaths. We are all from the same sect; do not force me to kill. As long as you are honest and obedient, and follow my orders, you will not lack benefits.”

“Yes!”

Qin Sang and the other three hung their waist tokens and obediently followed Zhao Yan, flying behind him all the way to the front of Yuanzhao Peak.

To think they had arrived here at this moment. Qin Sang followed uneasily. He had been confined to Returning Yang Valley, and the few times he had tried to venture out, Zhao Yan had blocked him. This was his first time being so close to Yuanzhao Peak.

The sky was overcast, starless and moonless, pitch black and utterly dark. The mountain peak presented a vast shadow in the night, its summit invisible. A few scattered lights glimmered on the mountain. Qin Sang remembered that the summit was where the Grand Elder in seclusion resided, and other areas were also forbidden grounds of the sect.

At the foot of Yuanzhao Peak lay a large lake, surrounded by three peaks arranged in a protective formation. The Sect Master's Hall was located on the summit of one of these peaks, known as Sect Master Peak.

As they approached Sect Master Peak, two streaks of light suddenly flared up ahead, flying towards them, accompanied by a soft shout, “Who goes there!”

Zhao Yan immediately signaled them to stop.

The two streaks of light swept before them, revealing the figures of two young men.