Sang Mo Suffers a Setback and Sets a Trap

After Sang Mo sent Bai Yin and the other three away, he pondered for a long time, ultimately deciding to first win over Cha Po and Cha Ge. He knew that relying solely on himself and the four Golden Core Mid Stage protectors, even if they joined forces, would not necessarily be enough to contend with the Void-Piercing Realm Yun Ce. Only by winning over the two vice cave masters, Cha Po and Cha Ge, and leveraging their status and influence, could he form a sufficient force to confront Yun Ce head-on.

That evening, Sang Mo avoided the patrolling guards and quietly arrived at Cha Po's cave mansion. At this moment, Cha Po was sitting inside, playing with the Heaven-Burning Flame Phoenix Claw gifted by Yun Ce, his face full of satisfaction—the power of a high-grade spirit weapon was far stronger than the mid-grade spirit weapon he had used before. Even the loss of his five hundred direct guards had long been washed away by this benefit.

"Protector Sang Mo, what brings you here today?" Cha Po raised his eyes to look at Sang Mo, his tone flat and lacking much enthusiasm. He knew that Sang Mo was cruel and ambitious by nature, and he usually preferred not to have much interaction with him.

Sang Mo squeezed a fawning smile onto his face, stepped forward, and said, "Vice Cave Master Cha Po, I have come today because there is a major matter I wish to discuss with you and Vice Cave Master Cha Ge, one that concerns the status of us few in the Crimson Blood Cave Mansion."

Cha Po's heart stirred; he put down the Heaven-Burning Flame Phoenix Claw in his hand and said indifferently, "Oh? What major matter? Feel free to speak."

Sang Mo looked left and right, and after confirming there were no outsiders, he lowered his voice and said, "Vice Cave Master, that Yun Ce is merely an outsider. As soon as he arrived, he took away the guards belonging to you and Vice Cave Master Cha Ge, and he was even appointed as the Great Protector, placing his status above ours. Now he is reorganizing the guards and winning over hearts. If this continues, it won't be long before he controls the majority of the entire Crimson Blood Cave Mansion. By then, I fear you and Vice Cave Master Cha Ge will be pushed aside by him!"

He paused, then continued to sow discord, "I have already united with the four protectors Bai Yin and Ran Lan. As long as you and Vice Cave Master Cha Ge are willing to join us, we can join forces to pressure the Cave Master into suppressing Yun Ce, reclaiming your guards and status, and perhaps even driving Yun Ce out of the Crimson Blood Cave Mansion!"

Upon hearing this, Cha Po's face showed no ripples; instead, he smiled faintly, "Protector Sang Mo, you are overthinking it. Great Protector Yun Ce was personally appointed by my big brother. He has formidable strength and has brought benefits to the cave mansion; it is only right that the Cave Master trusts him. As for the guards, they are merely external possessions. With this high-grade spirit weapon, the Heaven-Burning Flame Phoenix Claw, in hand, my strength has increased significantly. What does it matter if I have guards or not?"

Sang Mo's heart sank. He had not expected Cha Po to be so stubborn, so he hurriedly said, "Vice Cave Master, how can you be so muddled! That Yun Ce's background is unknown, and he is lavish with his spending; he must have ulterior motives. Once he controls the cave mansion, he will never let us old subordinates off!"

"Enough." Cha Po's tone turned cold as he waved his hand, "Protector Sang Mo, I will not participate in this matter, and you need not try to persuade me further. Great Protector Yun Ce has formidable strength, and we are simply no match for him. Rather than seeking our own deaths, it is better to behave ourselves. You should look out for yourself."

Sang Mo was unwilling, but he dared not say more. He could only leave Cha Po's cave mansion in frustration and turn toward Cha Ge's residence. He had assumed that Cha Ge was narrow-minded and would surely be dissatisfied after losing his guards, and would definitely agree to join forces with him, but he had not expected Cha Ge's attitude to be even more resolute than Cha Po's.

Cha Ge was admiring the Lieshan Black Turtle Shield in his hands, unable to put it down. Upon hearing Sang Mo's proposal, he directly sneered, "Sang Mo, don't think about dragging me into this! Senior Yun Ce has formidable strength and even gave me such a precious high-grade spirit weapon. I'm already trying my best to curry favor with him; why would I join you to deal with him? Besides, my big brother trusts him. If you dare to deal with him, you are going against my big brother. I wouldn't dare take that risk!"

After speaking, Cha Ge directly issued an order to leave, driving Sang Mo out of the cave mansion. Standing outside, Sang Mo's face was extremely sinister, and the hatred and unwillingness in his heart grew even more intense—his attempts to win over Cha Po and Cha Ge had been thwarted. Relying only on Bai Yin and the other three, he could not possibly contend with Yun Ce. Yet, he was unwilling to give up just like that. After much thought, a vicious plan quietly took shape in his mind.

Yun Ce was formidable, and he was no match for him, but his subordinates Qin Yu and Black Feather were only at the Golden Core Mid Stage. If he secretly set a trap to eliminate these two, it would not only strike a blow to Yun Ce's momentum but also leave Yun Ce isolated. Perhaps he could even take the opportunity to sow discord between Yun Ce and Cha Hong, killing many birds with one stone.

That night, Sang Mo quietly summoned Bai Yin, Ran Lan, Mu Xu, and Zhuang Zhong to inform them of his plan. Although the four felt apprehensive upon hearing it, they could not resist Sang Mo's instigation and their own fear of Yun Ce, and in the end, they agreed.

The next morning, following Yun Ce's instructions, Qin Yu took Black Feather to patrol the outskirts of the Crimson Blood Territory—Yun Ce intended for Qin Yu to become familiar with the environment of the Crimson Blood Territory while also training his ability to adapt to situations, so he specifically instructed Black Feather to accompany him as a guard. The two did not think much of it; they maintained their Golden Core Mid Stage aura, circulated the Mysterious Concealment Secret Manual to disguise themselves as ordinary demon cultivators, and headed toward the outskirts of the Crimson Blood Territory.

What they did not know was that Sang Mo had already led Bai Yin and the other three to set a trap in a remote reef canyon on the outskirts of the Crimson Blood Territory, and had also mobilized twenty of his own elite guards to lie in ambush on both sides of the canyon, waiting only for Qin Yu and Black Feather to fall into the snare.

Before long, Qin Yu and Black Feather walked into the reef canyon. The canyon was dark and damp, filled with jagged reefs, and a faint smell of blood permeated the air. Qin Yu immediately became vigilant and transmitted his voice to Black Feather, "Xiao Hei, be careful. Something is wrong here; there might be an ambush."

Black Feather also became alert immediately, his eagle eyes scanning the surrounding reefs sharply. Just as he was about to respond, he heard a loud shout, "Do it!"

As the words fell, Sang Mo and the four protectors leaped out from behind the reefs, and the twenty elite guards also appeared, surrounding Qin Yu and Black Feather. Standing not far away, Sang Mo wore a sinister smile, "Qin Yu, Black Feather, today is the day you die!"

Qin Yu's face darkened. He stood in front of Black Feather, circulated his Nebula True Qi, and said in a cold tone, "Sang Mo, you actually dare to make a move against us. Are you not afraid of the Great Protector holding you accountable?"

"Accountable?" Sang Mo sneered, "Once you are dead, I will say you were killed by demon beasts on the outskirts of the Crimson Blood Territory. Even if Yun Ce suspects something, he will have no evidence! Besides, he is merely an outsider. Even if he does hold us accountable, with me and the four protectors joining forces, he can do nothing to us!"

After speaking, Sang Mo waved his hand at the group, "Kill them!"

Bai Yin and the other three immediately circulated their demon power and lunged at Qin Yu and Black Feather, while the twenty guards also brandished their weapons and launched an attack. Although Qin Yu and Black Feather were only at the Golden Core Mid Stage, Qin Yu's Nebula True Qi was incredibly powerful, and Black Feather was a divine beast. Even if they had hidden part of their strength, they were not people these individuals could easily deal with.

Qin Yu held a high-grade spirit weapon sword and circulated his Nebula True Qi. Sword shadows flickered, instantly blocking the attacks of Bai Yin and Ran Lan. Black Feather spread his wings, dark light shimmering, and with a swipe of his sharp claws, a guard who failed to dodge in time was instantly wounded, falling to the ground with a scream.

However, Sang Mo's group of five plus twenty guards had the numerical advantage. Qin Yu and Black Feather gradually fell into a disadvantage and sustained several wounds. Just as Sang Mo seized the opportunity to strike, intending to kill Qin Yu in one blow, a cold voice suddenly came from the entrance of the canyon, "Sang Mo, you have a lot of nerve!"

Everyone looked toward the source of the sound and saw Yun Ce standing at the entrance of the canyon with his hands behind his back. A thick pressure from the Void-Piercing Realm radiated from his body, and his eyes were as cold as ten-thousand-year ice. Behind him followed the Dragon Rock Lion and the Red Phoenix, both divine beasts also slightly releasing their aura, exuding a formidable deterrent force.

It turned out that Yun Ce had long sensed Sang Mo's unusual movements. After Qin Yu and Black Feather set off, he had quietly followed behind to prevent any accidents. He had not expected that Sang Mo would actually dare to set a trap.

Sang Mo's body stiffened, and a stormy sea surged in his heart. The sinister look on his face was instantly replaced by fear, "Yun... Great Protector Yun Ce, how... how could you be here?"

"If I hadn't come, would I have to watch my partners be murdered by a lowlife like you?" Yun Ce's tone was icy. He walked toward Sang Mo step by step, the pressure around him growing stronger and stronger. Sang Mo's group of five and the guards trembled all over, finding it difficult even to breathe.

"Great Protector, spare me! It was just a moment of confusion that led me to do such a thing. Please, spare me!" Sang Mo hurriedly knelt and begged for mercy, his face full of fear, no longer possessing his previous arrogance. Bai Yin and the other three also knelt one after another, begging bitterly, not daring to offer the slightest resistance.

Yun Ce's gaze was cold, without a shred of pity, "You secretly colluded with protectors, intended to rebel, and even dared to set a trap to harm my partners. Your crimes are unforgivable. Today, I shall purge the Crimson Blood Cave Mansion!"

As the words fell, Yun Ce raised his hand and waved. Five sharp rays of spiritual light flashed, instantly striking Sang Mo, Bai Yin, Ran Lan, Mu Xu, and Zhuang Zhong. Before the five could even scream, their demon cores were shattered by the spiritual light, and they died on the spot, their souls completely extinguished.

The twenty guards were scared out of their wits and knelt to beg for mercy, hoping to survive. Yun Ce's eyes were cold, and without the slightest hesitation, he flicked his sleeve. Several more rays of spiritual light flashed, and all twenty guards were slaughtered, leaving no survivors.

After dealing with Sang Mo's group, Yun Ce walked to Qin Yu and Black Feather, his tone softening slightly, "Xiao Yu, Xiao Hei, are you alright?"

Qin Yu shook his head and bowed, saying, "Disciple is fine. Thank you, Master, for arriving in time; otherwise, Xiao Hei and I might have fallen here today." Black Feather also nodded, a hint of chill still remaining in his eagle eyes.

Yun Ce nodded, his gaze sweeping over the corpses on the ground, his tone cold, "Sang Mo was ambitious; keeping him was a hidden danger. Today, it is just as well to clear them all out."

The news that Sang Mo and the four protectors had been killed, and that all twenty guards had perished, soon spread throughout the Crimson Blood Cave Mansion. When Cha Po and Cha Ge learned of the news, their faces turned gloomy, and they were very dissatisfied—although Sang Mo was not on good terms with them, he was, after all, a protector of the Crimson Blood Cave Mansion. Yun Ce had killed five protectors and twenty guards without Cha Hong's permission, which was far too arrogant and showed no regard for them as the two vice cave masters.

The two immediately headed to Cha Hong's cave mansion, wanting to complain to Cha Hong and have him severely punish Yun Ce. However, when they arrived at the entrance, they were stopped by guards, "Two Vice Cave Masters, the Cave Master is in seclusion and has given orders that no matter what happens, he is not to be disturbed."

"In seclusion?" Cha Po's brows locked tightly, "Why would Big Brother be in seclusion at a time like this? Yun Ce has killed five protectors without authorization and disrupted the order of the cave mansion. This is no small matter; Big Brother must be informed!"

"Apologies, two Vice Cave Masters. The Cave Master has ordered that no one is to disturb his seclusion; otherwise, they will bear the consequences." The guards' attitude was firm, and they refused to budge.

Cha Po and Cha Ge were dissatisfied, but they dared not force their way in—they knew Cha Hong's temper; if they forced their way in to disturb his seclusion, they would certainly be severely punished. The two could only leave in frustration. Their dissatisfaction with Yun Ce grew even more intense, yet they were helpless and could only endure it for the time being.

What they did not know was that deep within Cha Hong's cave mansion, Cha Hong was sitting cross-legged in a secret chamber. Floating in front of him was a black jade box. The jade box was ancient and plain, surrounded by a faint layer of spiritual light; it was the Dust-Removing Restriction set by Immortal Emperor Ni Yang.

This black jade box was the key to the Nine Swords Immortal Mansion that Cha Hong had obtained by chance. Inside the jade box was a small jade sword, which was one of the keys to opening the Nine Swords Immortal Mansion. Cha Hong had obtained this jade box nearly a hundred years ago. For the past hundred years, he had spent most of his time in seclusion, all to break the Dust-Removing Restriction on the jade box, take out the jade sword inside, find the traces of the Nine Swords Immortal Mansion, and obtain the opportunity left by Immortal Emperor Ni Yang.

Inside the secret chamber, Cha Hong's body radiated thick demon power as he struck the restriction on the jade box with all his might. The Dust-Removing Restriction was extremely profound and had been set by Immortal Emperor Ni Yang. Even though Cha Hong was already at the Void-Piercing Early Stage, it was difficult to break. A hundred years of refining had finally given the restriction signs of being about to break, but it would still take quite some time to completely remove it.

As for the strife within the cave mansion, Cha Hong had long been aware of it—although his divine sense had not fully radiated, he could still perceive major movements within the cave mansion. It was just that he was currently focused entirely on breaking the restriction and had no spare energy to manage the conflict between Sang Mo and Yun Ce. In his view, the fighting between these protectors was merely a trivial matter; only obtaining the opportunity of the Nine Swords Immortal Mansion and improving his own strength was the top priority.

As for Yun Ce, standing in his own cave mansion, he looked toward the direction of Cha Hong's cave mansion, a faint arc curling at the corners of his mouth. He had long since sensed the movements in Cha Hong's secret chamber through his divine sense, and he also knew that the black jade box was the key to the Nine Swords Immortal Mansion—in the original story, it was because of this jade sword that Cha Hong brought about his own destruction, ultimately dying and disappearing.

"Cha Hong, a hundred years of seclusion, all to break the Dust-Removing Restriction and obtain the key to the Nine Swords Immortal Mansion. Unfortunately, you will ultimately end up with nothing," Yun Ce thought to himself, "Once you break the restriction and take out the jade sword, that will be the moment I strike to seize it. Before then, I only need to stabilize my position in the Crimson Blood Cave Mansion, control all the forces, and wait for the right moment."

Qin Yu walked into the cave mansion, looked at Yun Ce's expression, and asked softly, "Master, Cave Master Cha Hong has been in seclusion, and the dissatisfaction of Cha Po and Cha Ge toward us is already known to everyone. What should we do next? Should we directly fall out with them?"

Yun Ce smiled faintly, his tone gentle but solemn, "Do not be impatient. Ignore them for now. They are just unwilling, but they dare not truly become our enemies. Next, we will take the opportunity to take over the forces of Sang Mo and the four protectors, gather their guards and resources, and control the majority of the Crimson Blood Cave Mansion. For every day Cha Hong remains in seclusion, we will grow stronger. By the time he comes out of seclusion, the entire Crimson Blood Cave Mansion will already be ours."

Black Feather, the Dragon Rock Lion, and the Red Phoenix also nodded one after another, their eyes full of determination. A power vacuum in the Crimson Blood Cave Mansion had already appeared, and a new reshuffling of forces was quietly unfolding.