Qin Yang had never imagined that even sincerely wanting to become a traitor would one day prove so difficult.
Were evil cultivators these days really this suspicious?
"Senior, tell me—which hair on my body lied to you? Besides, my life is in your hands right now. If you still can't believe me, you might as well just strangle me to death."
"To be honest, I bear an irreconcilable grudge against Xuan Chengzi."
"He abducted me and used me as a medicinal seed. I went through countless hardships before finally escaping. There shouldn't be anyone in this world who wants him dead more than I do!"
Qin Yang declared his sincerity.
However, the middle-aged man in the Daoist robe did not believe him at all.
Xuan Chengzi was someone he knew very well. His cultivation had already entered the Foundation Establishment Realm, and after so many years, it could only have grown stronger.
Yet Qin Yang before him had merely reached the sixth layer of the Qi Refining Realm. How could he possibly have escaped from under Xuan Chengzi's nose? There was definitely something fishy going on!
Most importantly, he strongly suspected that Qin Yang's cultivation had come from somewhere else entirely.
Still, there was one thing Qin Yang had indeed said correctly.
Qin Yang's life was in his hands. It would be easy to tell whether his words were true or false!
"That's what you said."
"But if you've deceived this seat even in the slightest, I'll make sure you suffer the agony of being sliced to death!"
The middle-aged man in the Daoist robe threatened him with a cold snort.
Qin Yang didn't care in the slightest.
To him, death was the least important thing of all. He could just restart anyway.
"Rest assured, Senior. If even one word I've said is false, may Heaven strike me with five thunderbolts and may I die a horrible death!"
Qin Yang swore solemnly.
And yet, at that most perfectly ill-timed moment, the accursed heavens suddenly rang out with two peals of thunder from a clear sky!
Rumble—
Qin Yang was instantly embarrassed.
"Let's go. Don't try any tricks on this seat!" The middle-aged man in the Daoist robe did not pursue the matter any further.
To find Xuan Chengzi, he had traveled across the land these past few years. Now that he had finally found Xuan Chengzi's trail—and had also captured a medicinal seed who had escaped from Xuan Chengzi's hands—he cherished this hard-won opportunity immensely!
Thus, as soon as Qin Yang landed, he quickened his pace.
After restarting through several lifetimes, he could walk this mountain path up and down with his eyes closed, his steps swift and sure.
He wished for Xuan Chengzi's death more than anything, so of course he gave it his all.
All along the way, the middle-aged man in the Daoist robe remained on guard behind him, afraid that Qin Yang would lead him into a trap laid by Xuan Chengzi. He was ready to crush Qin Yang to death at any moment.
Fortunately, none of that happened.
"Senior, it's just ahead."
"Do you want me to take you inside? I know the place like the back of my hand."
Qin Yang was far too proactive. In the eyes of the middle-aged man in the Daoist robe, it seemed more than a little abnormal.
There had to be a trap inside the cave dwelling!
"Silence!"
"This seat has made up his own mind. You little brat, stand back for this seat first!"
After saying that, the middle-aged man in the Daoist robe immediately began circulating his energy.
Seeing this, Qin Yang was more than happy to take it easy.
"I wonder who'll win when this evil cultivator clashes with Xuan Chengzi. If the battle gets locked in a stalemate, perhaps I can reap the benefits as the fisherman!"
He secretly began calculating his own little scheme.
At that very moment, the middle-aged man in the Daoist robe had already confirmed through probing that Xuan Chengzi was indeed inside the cave dwelling before him. A cruel, icy smile surfaced uncontrollably on his savage face!
"Hehehe."
"Xuan Chengzi, Xuan Chengzi. You betrayed your master and destroyed your ancestors, then fled for so many years. At last, you've fallen into my hands."
"This time, let's see how you can escape!"
The middle-aged man in the Daoist robe was so excited that his hands trembled faintly.
However, he did not rush to attack. Instead, he took out a series of black formation flags and began arranging them around Xuan Chengzi's cave dwelling.
Everything within a radius of twenty li would become the center of the formation!
"Senior, do you need my help?"
Qin Yang couldn't wait any longer to see how Xuan Chengzi would die, so he stepped forward and offered his assistance.
His words left the middle-aged man in the Daoist robe completely at a loss.
In all these years, this was the first time he had encountered such a freak. Anyone else who had fallen into his hands would have been scared stiff and too terrified to move, let alone approach him and ask to help.
But Qin Yang was perfectly fine, with a heart so enormous it was absurd. He didn't show the slightest sign of trying to flee for his life.
For a moment, the middle-aged man in the Daoist robe could not even tell whether he was the evil cultivator—or whether Qin Yang was the more sinister one!
"You have a commendable heart. For that, once I kill Xuan Chengzi, I'll certainly help you escape your sea of suffering and take you as my closed-door disciple!"
The middle-aged man in the Daoist robe nodded, but still had no intention of letting Qin Yang help. He was extremely cautious.
Qin Yang: ...
I want Xuan Chengzi dead precisely so I can escape this sea of suffering. And you, of all people, want to take me as your disciple and make me jump into another blazing pit.
Evil cultivators really aren't good people—not a single one of them!
"Ahem, thank you, Senior. Then allow this junior to congratulate you in advance on your success."
Qin Yang bowed in thanks. He still had to put on a show verbally.
Half an hour later, the middle-aged man in the Daoist robe had planted all the formation flags, completing the arrangement.
Everything within a radius of twenty li—especially Xuan Chengzi's cave dwelling before them—was completely enveloped by it.
After confirming that nothing could go wrong, the middle-aged man in the Daoist robe began chanting under his breath and immediately activated the grand formation before him!
Boom!
Black baleful winds swept over everything in an instant.
Standing beside the middle-aged man in the Daoist robe, Qin Yang's face went pale against his will, all color draining from it.
The scene before him was simply too horrifying.
The baleful wind howled. The entire area within a radius of twenty li had transformed into a hellscape with resentment soaring into the heavens!
Within the grand formation, Qin Yang even saw ghosts and vengeful spirits appear, letting out soul-rending shrieks. Those twisted, savage, shattered faces left an indelible scar on his young heart. It was terrifying!
"By Heaven's Yin command, all evil, aid me!"
"Kill! Kill! Kill!"
The middle-aged man in the Daoist robe raised both arms above his head, and powerful Spiritual Power erupted from him.
Even his mouth and nose were exhaling and inhaling streams of baleful energy!
Under his full-force activation, the evil formation before them visibly became even more ghastly.
A three-zhang-tall ghost dragged its tongue along as it walked, while the legendary Black and White Impermanence appeared as well, charging toward Xuan Chengzi's cave dwelling!
This sight filled Qin Yang with immense relief that he wasn't inside.
"Roar!"
"It's you, Su Ye?!"
As the evil formation displayed its might, Xuan Chengzi inside the cave dwelling was thoroughly alarmed. He rushed out at the first opportunity, actually grabbing two ghosts barehanded, tearing them apart, and stuffing them into his mouth!
Following behind him were his two disciples, Lu Xun and Chang Er. Both wore expressions that were ugly to the extreme.
"Hehehe. That's right. It's this seat."
"Xuan Chengzi, you betrayed your master and destroyed your ancestors. Did you really think that after fleeing to Tianzhou, this seat wouldn't be able to find you?"
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