Blocking the Way

Chen Changqing had left the ancient grounds of the Immortal Palace less than half an hour ago, and the discussions behind him had already been left far behind.

He had not taken the main road.

With the immortal medicine on him, someone would be watching no matter which path he took.

The only difference was whether they came sooner or later.

Deep in the mountains, mist drifted close against the forest.

Chen Changqing stepped across a patch of loose stones, then abruptly stopped.

It was too quiet ahead.

Not the kind of quiet a mountain forest should have.

The insects had fallen silent, and even the wind had stopped.

Even the grass beneath his feet bore traces of having been pressed down by someone.

Chen Changqing raised a hand and touched his palm.

He had already suppressed the nine-colored medicinal markings, yet the immortal medicine within him still gave an occasional throb, reminding him just how scorching a prize this thing had become.

"Come out."

He looked toward the valley ahead.

"You've already set up an ambush, so why pretend you're just passing by?"

As his words fell, black patterns lit up across the cliffs on both sides of the valley.

Streams of demonic qi drilled up from underground, swiftly linking into lines across the ground.

In the blink of an eye, black formation light blanketed dozens of miles in every direction.

The forest withered yellow, and the mountain rocks split apart.

Netherworld banners rose one after another from beneath the earth, their surfaces entwined with resentful souls that gave shrill, piercing howls.

Chen Changqing did not move.

As he looked at those formation patterns, his first thought was not of danger.

It was that the scale was no small matter.

The Netherworld Sect had truly been willing to spend