Two days earlier.
Inside Yuanshan Tower.
"Tower Master, I've already investigated. What Lu Qingshan said was true. There was indeed a high-grade illusion array set up there. Though I can't be certain whether there is a blood pool within the array, the chances are extremely high." Jiang Rong reported the details of his investigation to Tantai Qingrun.
Tantai Qingrun raised her brows. After pondering for a long while, she finally made a decision. "Contact Overseer Qi. Leave that high-grade illusion array alone for now, lest we alert the enemy."
Jiang Rong agreed. "All right, I'll contact Overseer Qi right away."
"That is the situation." Tantai Qingrun calmly recounted everything she knew to Qi Yuan.
Qi Yuan, whom Tantai Qingrun had summoned, seemed to realize something after hearing her account.
"The Underworld and our Heavenly Mystery Temple have been old adversaries for many years. They know quite a bit about the Heavenly Mystery Temple's various methods. No wonder they were so careless this time, allowing me to discover a trace of their scheme so easily."
"So the drunkard's intent lay not in the wine."
"How does Overseer Qi intend to deal with this?" Tantai Qingrun asked with concern.
Qi Yuan pondered. "There is one point of doubt. The Underworld wants to seize the Heavenly Mystery Mirror Fragment when I use it, but how could they know when I would use it?"
"Unless..."
"Unless there is a traitor." Tantai Qingrun gave a definite answer.
She had long since figured this out.
To seize the Heavenly Mystery Mirror Fragment while Qi Yuan was using it, they had to ensure that people from the Underworld would be present at the same time Qi Yuan used the Heavenly Mystery Mirror Fragment.
Seizing the Heavenly Mystery Mirror from Qi Yuan, a Nascent Soul Cultivator, was by no means an easy matter.
Given the manpower and strength the Underworld possessed in Yuanshan City, they would certainly need to make many preparations.
If strength was lacking, external aid had to make up for it.
Arrays were surely their first choice. Only the power of an array could allow low-level cultivators to contend with high-level cultivators for a short time.
But arrays required time to set up. Setting up an array only after confirming Qi Yuan's location was clearly unrealistic.
Therefore, the most practical course was to set up an array somewhere in advance, then find a way to make Qi Yuan use the Heavenly Mystery Mirror within the area covered by that array.
Only then could the Underworld's subsequent plan be carried out conveniently.
In summary.
"This traitor holds no low position, and will find a way to urge Overseer Qi to use Observe Heaven!" Tantai Qingrun concluded.
Qi Yuan naturally agreed with Tantai Qingrun's assessment. "Regarding my coming to Yuanshan City this time, I informed only your Yuanshan Tower and Yuanshan City's City Lord, Luo Yan!"
A chill flashed through Tantai Qingrun's bright eyes. "Could it be...?"
"It is still too early to draw a conclusion." Qi Yuan said gravely. "We shall wait and observe. So long as the Underworld makes a move, they will inevitably expose a flaw."
The Underworld thought they had laid down bait, and that Qi Yuan was the fat fish drawn in by it.
But little did they know that Qi Yuan and Tantai Qingrun were also waiting for willing fish to take the hook.
Sure enough.
Just as expected, the City Lord's Manor had already been covered by a prearranged array.
Qi Yuan also cooperatively activated the Observe Heaven technique within the City Lord's Manor.
They intended to lure out every one of the Underworld's operatives in Yuanshan City, then catch them all in one net.
Under the effects of Qi Yuan's Xuantian Spirit Technique, Tantai Qingrun had been following Qi Yuan in an exceptionally concealed state.
The moment the Underworld made its move, she would strike as well.
Tantai Qingrun had everything under control.
Seeing the current situation, Rakshasa's heart turned cold.
Though he did not know how their operation plan had been exposed, they were certain to suffer a heavy blow this time.
"What are you waiting for?! Act now!" Rakshasa had no time to think about anything else. All he could think of now was completing the mission as best he could.
Under Rakshasa's urging.
Within the black mist, a ferocious giant beast suddenly appeared from nowhere, three barbs protruding from its back in a horrifying sight.
A cultivator stood beneath the giant beast.
It was Cry Soul True Person.
Following the plan, he released the War Beast from his spirit beast pouch.
Whoosh!
One of the giant beast's back barbs detached from its body.
The pitch-black barb, shaped like a longsword, flew with incredible speed before Qi Yuan and lightly slashed at the empty air.
Countless streams of black light scattered. A golden thread flashed through the void.
Then, under the power of the Sword Bone, the thread snapped.
Qi Yuan's expression changed.
—At that instant, his connection to the Heavenly Mystery Mirror Fragment had been severed.
He could no longer retrieve the Heavenly Mystery Mirror as effortlessly as before.
Qi Yuan reacted swiftly.
He immediately mobilized the spiritual power within his body, preparing to forcibly retrieve the Heavenly Mystery Mirror.
But it was too late. The instant the Sword Bone severed the golden thread, the Heavenly Mystery Mirror Fragment had already vanished into thin air.
At the spot where the Heavenly Mystery Mirror Fragment disappeared, a hazy black shadow emerged.
—A Golden Core Nether Cultivator whom the Underworld had secretly stationed there for a long time.
He had waited all this time precisely for this moment. The instant the War Beast severed Qi Yuan's connection to the Heavenly Mystery Mirror Fragment, he would move to seize the mirror.
"Got it!" Seeing the Golden Core Nether Cultivator place the Heavenly Mystery Mirror Fragment into the Storage Ring on his hand, Rakshasa finally revealed a trace of joy.
"Do you think you can still get away?" A hint of anger seeped into Qi Yuan's voice.
Qi Yuan extended both hands forward and pressed down hard.
In an instant, winds rose and clouds surged, while the sea of mist churned!
The black mist that had originally belonged to the Three Spirits Demonic Array formed two black palms in midair. Under Qi Yuan's control, they pressed down upon the Golden Core Nether Cultivator and the War Beast.
Even if Spirit Cultivators were not skilled at offense, Qi Yuan was still a Nascent Soul Cultivator. How could his methods be withstood by these Underworld cultivators, whose highest cultivation was merely Golden Core?
The pressure of this palm strike was immense. The Golden Core Nether Cultivator was shaken into spitting out a mouthful of blood, collapsing to the ground, unable to move any longer.
Yet when facing this enormous black palm, a golden pattern lit up across the War Beast's black skin.
The instant the golden pattern lit up, the already enormous War Beast grew even larger.
At this moment, the War Beast was as savage and colossal as some prehistoric monster.
Roar—
The War Beast let out an enraged roar and thrust both claws upward.
Earth and stone flew everywhere.
The spot where the War Beast stood caved in by a huge chunk beneath that immense force.
The War Beast had actually withstood the palm head-on.
For a time, the War Beast and the black palm were locked in a stalemate.
Hmm?
A trace of surprise flashed through Qi Yuan's eyes as he gave a soft snort.
The beast before him was only third-grade, equivalent to a human Golden Core cultivator, yet it had actually withstood his spell.
Qi Yuan felt greatly humiliated.
Qi Yuan formed a hand seal with his left hand. A crimson fire ring appeared in response to the incantation and, under his control, shot swiftly toward the War Beast.
This was his Spirit Artifact, the Vermillion Bird Ring.
The War Beast watched the Vermillion Bird Ring rush toward it, its ink-black eyes brimming with brutality.
Whoosh!
The two remaining Sword Bones atop the War Beast's spine both flew out.
One Sword Bone slashed toward the Vermillion Bird Ring, while the other slashed toward Tantai Qingrun's life-bound sword.
For as Qi Yuan made his move, Tantai Qingrun refused to be outdone. The Spirit Concealment Sword in her hand blazed with azure light as it attacked Rakshasa in the form of a flying sword.
Having suffered once already, Qi Yuan and Tantai Qingrun naturally would not fall for the same trick again.
The Vermillion Bird Ring faced the incoming Sword Bones.
Crimson light surged into the heavens.
Sparks scattered in all directions.
At this moment, the Vermillion Bird Ring was like a ball of fire.
Under Qi Yuan's mental control, it directly met the two Sword Bones head-on with unstoppable momentum.
Qi Yuan intercepted even the Sword Bone that had originally been targeting Tantai Qingrun.
Freed from interference, Tantai Qingrun's Spirit Concealment Sword ultimately struck Rakshasa with the force of thunder.
As the Spirit Concealment Sword neared his body, blood-red light burst from Rakshasa's eyes.
Terrifying blood-red patterns surfaced across his face.
Sizzle—
At that very instant, Rakshasa's entire body ignited, flames scattering in every direction.
Demon Refining Bloodline, a third-grade Devil Race bloodline.
Rakshasa activated his Demon Refining Bloodline, transforming into the Devil Race form—the Demon Refiner.
Bolstered by the Demon Refining Bloodline, Rakshasa met Tantai Qingrun's flying sword attack with his physical body.
The flames wreathed around Rakshasa's body scattered under the sword force. Sparks splashed across the sky, mingling with the black mist like an erupting volcano.
Bang!
A massive gash appeared across Rakshasa's chest under the Spirit Concealment Sword's attack.
—Even after activating the Devil Race bloodline within him, he could not easily withstand the attack of a Golden Core Sword Cultivator.
Rakshasa's original plan had been to seize the Heavenly Mystery Mirror Fragment, use the power of the Three Spirits Demonic Array to temporarily trap Qi Yuan, and immediately flee afterward.
But numerous Yuanshan Tower cultivators stood outside the Three Spirits Demonic Array. The moment they left the array, they would be walking straight into a net.
This plan would not work.
Rakshasa looked over.
Cry Soul True Person was already controlling his Cry Soul Sword to sever the right index finger of the unconscious Golden Core Nether Cultivator lying on the ground.
A Storage Ring was worn on the Golden Core Nether Cultivator's right index finger.
—The Storage Ring containing the Heavenly Mystery Mirror Fragment.
Cry Soul True Person took the Storage Ring into his hand.
Rakshasa's heart settled.
Before you continue