Gateway of Immortality

The spiritual array within the peach blossom miasma had countless variations, but once one grasped its underlying patterns, breaking it was not particularly difficult.

Even so, Qin Sang did not act recklessly. He advanced cautiously toward the center of the miasma, wary that Daoist Jiupao might have laid additional traps that could expose his presence.

Once inside, Qin Sang found that the peach trees appeared far from the graceful beauty they showed from afar. Their twisted branches clawed and writhed like malevolent spirits, and the trees themselves emanated a vicious aura, completely different from the gentle Red Jade Peach Trees of Shaohua Mountain. These were vicious trees, akin to evil spirits.

The structures hidden within the miasma gradually came into view. It was a simple stone house, square and modest, with no hint of extravagance.

The moment he got a clear look at the stone house, Qin Sang's figure abruptly halted. He activated theSpirit Evasion Artto its limit and flickered behind a peach tree, frowning as he peered forward.

Seated cross-legged before the stone house was a man.

He appeared to be around fifty years old, clad in a gray robe with a black flame embroidered along its hem. He sat facing away from the stone house, eyes half-closed, his aura calm and steady.

Apparently, he had not expected anyone to infiltrate this place unnoticed and had made no attempt to conceal his strength, exposing his Fake Core Realm cultivation for all to see.

"It's him?"

At the sight of the man's face, Qin Sang immediately recalled his identity. He was Black Flame, one of the Four Demonic Flame Envoys of the Demonic Flame Sect, a remnant of the Kuiyin Sect whose true name was Huang Shizhong.

By now, Qin Sang had encountered all four of the Four Demonic Flame Envoys under Daoist Jiupao's command. Two had already fallen to his hands.

Another had been captured alive by him in the Chaotic Island Waters. However, since that person had only been at the late stage of the Foundation Building Realm, Qin Sang had been unwilling to waste a precious Heavenly Corpse Talisman on him. After capturing the Yellow Armored Man, he had simply killed the other envoy and turned him into a malevolent corpse.

Now, Huang Shizhong sat motionless before the stone house in the heart of the peach blossom miasma, not cultivating but standing guard, like a sentry.

In the entire Demonic Flame Sect, only Daoist Jiupao was worthy of having Huang Shizhong stand guard for him.

It seemed certain that Daoist Jiupao was inside!

A ripple of emotion crossed Qin Sang's face as he had come to the right place!
NovelFire

His gaze shifted past Huang Shizhong to the stone house behind him. The heavy bluestone door was tightly shut, covered with engraved runes that shimmered faintly with barrier light.

The barrier prevented any probing of the stone house's interior.

Staring closely, Qin Sang found the barrier extremely intricate. If he attempted to break it personally, it would take considerable effort, though it would pose little trouble for the flying yaksha.

But where is Ji Wu?

Qin Sang swept his gaze around the surroundings but found no other trace of people.

Of the Four Demonic Flame Envoys, only two remained. With Huang Shizhong already summoned here to guard the entrance, there was no way Ji Wu would be absent—his status was higher than Huang Shizhong's.

Daoist Jiupao valued Ji Wu immensely, nurturing him as his heir apparent. Qin Sang had learned from the captured envoy that Ji Wu was even more favored than Silver Flame.

Is Ji Wu inside the stone house?

Hidden behind the tree, Qin Sang waited patiently for an entire hour, but Ji Wu never appeared, nor was there any sign of movement from within the stone house.

I can't wait any longer!

Qin Sang thought to himself. Daoist Jiupao might be at a critical moment in his recovery. The longer he delayed, the more uncertain the situation would become. He had to act now.

To kill Daoist Jiupao, Qin Sang would first have to deal with Huang Shizhong. Otherwise, with a Core Formation cultivator and two Fake Core experts joining forces, he would have no choice but to flee for his life.

Retracting his gaze, Qin Sang pondered silently. Daoist Jiupao was his primary target, so he wanted no unnecessary complications. He had no intention of capturing Huang Shizhong alive.

He needed to eliminate Huang Shizhong swiftly, with overwhelming force, before Daoist Jiupao even realized anything was wrong.

If he could kill Huang Shizhong without alarming Daoist Jiupao, it would be even better.

A plan quickly formed in Qin Sang's mind.

...

Huang Shizhong sat as still as a statue.

The peach blossom miasma was lethally poisonous. Birds and beasts dared not enter the valley. Even within a ten-li radius around it, life avoided the area entirely.

Because of this, the valley was deathly silent. Any faint sound would be immediately caught by Huang Shizhong's senses.

At that moment, his ears twitched slightly, as though he had heard something. He suddenly opened his eyes wide and stared intently at a nearby peach tree.

A branch on that tree was trembling faintly, as if disturbed by a breeze, and a few peach blossoms drifted down slowly.

Was it just my imagination?

Huang Shizhong's eyes flashed with a trace of suspicion. Aside from the falling petals, nothing else seemed amiss. Even the spiritual array within the peach blossom miasma remained undisturbed.

He shook his head lightly and, just as he was about to relax and close his eyes again, a powerful gust of wind rushed from his left. His face changed dramatically!

Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of a black figure moving at astonishing speed, already closing the distance between them in an instant.

Someone is here!

Huang Shizhong's face was filled with terror. It had not been an illusion, there really was an intruder.

The opponent had actually crossed the spiritual array and poisonous miasma without making a sound, closing the distance until they were right upon him, and he had only noticed just now!

Despite his shock, Huang Shizhong was a seasoned veteran. He quickly made the right decision. Rather than fleeing, he twisted his upper body to face the approaching enemy, clenching his fists to counterattack.

But when he clearly saw the masked figure of the flying yaksha, Huang Shizhong's heart sank. The flying yaksha's terrifying strength left him shaken. He knew instantly he was no match. He immediately opened his mouth, intending to call out to Daoist Jiupao for help.

Hoo...

Yet just as he opened his mouth, a chill pierced through his chest. His entire body weakened, and not a single sound came out. At the same time, searing pain tore through his throat as a ghostly claw clamped firmly around his neck.

Straining to lower his head, Huang Shizhong glimpsed, through the ghost claw, the gleaming tip of a jade-green sword emerging from his chest. In his attempt to defend against the flying yaksha's ambush, he had not expected a second enemy lurking in the shadows, nor that the enemy would wield such a sharp flying sword.

The protective robe he wore had been pierced with ease.

Violent sword qi raged into Huang Shizhong's body, rampaging uncontrollably and destroying him from within. It drained not only his strength but also his life itself. The light in Huang Shizhong's eyes quickly dimmed.

His qi was extinguished. He died.

Qin Sang, also masked, finally revealed himself, appearing beside Huang Shizhong. He ordered the flying yaksha to release him and gently caught Huang Shizhong's corpse.

Though the assassination seemed straightforward, in truth it had required extreme precision and concentration. Every movement and timing had to be executed flawlessly, or else Huang Shizhong might have had a chance to cry for help.

Qin Sang pressed firmly against Huang Shizhong's wound, preventing the scent of blood from spreading. He thought to himself, To die under the combined assault of the flying yaksha and an astra was at least it not an unworthy end.

Without hesitation, he tossed Huang Shizhong's corpse into the Corpse Puppet Pouch. Standing shoulder to shoulder with the flying yaksha, Qin Sang turned his gaze toward the stone house's door.

Huang Shizhong was dead.

Yet from within the stone house, there was not the slightest reaction. It seemed Daoist Jiupao truly remained unaware.

Qin Sang did not care what Daoist Jiupao might be plotting. Reaching this point, there was no longer any path of retreat. He immediately commanded the flying yaksha to move forward, while he swiftly took out the Yan Luo Banner of Ten Directions, raising all ten ghost banners into the air.

As the array began to take shape, Qin Sang cast a glance at the flying yaksha.