The Mask

"I heard about it too. Yi'er relied on the legendary Qilin Step to fight his way into that passage by sheer force," the Old Golden Spider said with a nod.

"Could it be that Yi'er's fortune was so abundant that he obtained the complete Qilin Precious Technique inside that passage?" the Azure Demon Black-Eyed Spider ventured boldly.

At this, the Old Golden Spider's and Shi Ziteng's eyes lit up. Both felt the possibility was considerable. At the very least, Shi Yi could find the source of the Qilin Blood River and obtain the great opportunity hidden within.

If it were true, it would undoubtedly be wonderful news. But almost immediately, they thought of the other side of the matter.

The complete Qilin Precious Technique was enough to drive every faction of the Primordial Divine Mountain mad. If Shi Yi obtained it and returned to Demon Spirit Lake, he would inevitably become the target of every arrow.

If Shi Yi refused to share this secret art of the Ten Fiends, the consequences would be difficult to predict.

While the two spiders and the man pondered this, Venerables from Primordial Roc Mountain, Primordial Pixiu Mountain, and Hou Mountain arrived together to ask about Shi Yi.

The Roc Mountain Venerable had been deeply shocked to hear that Jin Yunteng had been defeated by Shi Yi, a human from Demon Spirit Lake. Upon learning that Shi Yi had fought his way into the blood river passage using the Qilin Step, the Venerable could no longer sit still and came together with the Venerables of Pixiu Mountain and Hou Mountain.

On the surface, they were concerned about Shi Yi. In truth, they were probing Demon Spirit Lake's strength and secrets.

With a secret art of the Ten Fiends at stake, what Venerable could remain unmoved?

If it were confirmed that Demon Spirit Lake had obtained the complete Qilin Precious Technique, the entire Desolate Region would go mad. The situation would be far beyond anything a mere Demon Spirit Lake could control.

"Since your Shi Yi represented Demon Spirit Lake in the blood pool baptism, he is a member of the Primordial Divine Mountain's younger generation. As elders of the divine mountains, it is only natural that we should concern ourselves with his safety," the Roc Mountain Venerable said when asked the reason for their visit.

The Old Golden Spider sneered inwardly. Such lofty, high-sounding words, yet at heart, had they not come for the Qilin Precious Technique?

Hou Mountain and Pixiu Mountain were far more direct. They bluntly demanded to know whether Demon Spirit Lake had already found Shi Yi and hidden him away.

"You two, do not push us too far," the Old Golden Spider snapped coldly. Terrifying golden blood energy spilled from its body, powerful enough to throw heaven into chaos and shake the earth.

The Hou Mountain Venerable and the Pixiu Venerable refused to back down, each unleashing their own imposing aura to confront the Old Golden Spider.

Naturally, the Azure Demon Black-Eyed Spider would not let the Old Golden Spider suffer at their hands and joined the confrontation.

Just as a battle between Venerables seemed about to erupt, the Roc Mountain Venerable stepped forward to smooth things over. Only then did the heated atmosphere gradually cool.

"If Yi'er had left the Qilin Secret Realm, we would have taken him back to Demon Spirit Lake long ago. Why would we waste our time here?" the Old Golden Spider said coldly.

"Not necessarily. Perhaps Demon Spirit Lake is deliberately putting on a show, deceiving heaven to cross the sea so you can keep the Qilin Precious Technique for yourselves," the Pixiu Venerable remarked snidely.

"Exactly. Who among the Primordial Divine Mountain's forces does not know that the complete Qilin Precious Technique might be hidden in that passage? Back in primordial times, our Heavenly God ancestors left a few words about it, recorded in the Bone Scripture."

Hearing this, the Old Golden Spider flew into a rage. Every pure-gold leg poised to strike, its killing intent soared into the sky.

"Calm your anger, fellow Daoist..."

The Roc Mountain Venerable once again played the peacemaker. Yet this Venerable coveted the Qilin Precious Technique just as much, merely showing it less openly than those from Hou Mountain and Pixiu Mountain.

In fact, more than these three Venerables were involved. Many other divine mountain Venerables were watching the situation here. Vast divine senses swept faintly over the area, making their stance clear.

At this sight, the Old Golden Spider no longer wanted to search for Shi Yi. Even if it found him and brought him back to Demon Spirit Lake, calamities would come one after another, and it would be unable to protect him.

There was no helping it. The renown of a Ten Fiends Treasure Technique was too great, its allure too powerful. The Heavenly God ancestors who had founded the Primordial Divine Mountain had recorded related matters in ancient texts, including the Blood Pool passage they had been unable to enter.

"Let's go. We're done searching. Whoever wants to look for him can do it themselves," the Old Golden Spider said, painfully abandoning its plan to find Shi Yi.

"Heh. Could this be another performance for our benefit? Perhaps that human has already returned to Demon Spirit Lake?" the Hou clan Venerable sneered.

"Demon Spirit Lake is open to all of you at any time. If you wish to find Yi'er, come whenever you please," the Azure Demon Black-Eyed Spider said. Its voice was loud, imbued with the sound of the Dao, and rang through the towering mountains.

This was not merely an announcement to the Venerables of the Primordial Divine Mountain. It was also a warning to Shi Yi: if he had emerged, he must not return to Demon Spirit Lake.

Seeing the Azure Demon Black-Eyed Spider act this way, many divine mountain Venerables began to believe that Shi Yi had not yet emerged.

Their gazes immediately shifted toward those lofty mountain ranges. Some divine mountain Venerables, however, kept a close watch on Demon Spirit Lake, hoping to find a thread of spider silk or a horse's hoofprint to guide them.

Hundreds of thousands of li away, Shi Yi saw the blood energy released by the Old Golden Spider and knew that a storm over the Qilin Precious Technique had already broken out.

Fortunately, he had read the book. Shi Hao's ordeal after the Kunpeng Method was exposed served as a warning from the overturned cart ahead.

There was never anything wrong with being cautious.

He turned away, no longer watching the heart of the vortex, and sped into the distance.

For now, the search range of the Primordial Divine Mountain's factions had not reached this place. Otherwise, Shi Yi, a mere Blood Moving Realm being, could never have fled so openly.

Before long, this place would be caught up in it as well. Shi Yi had to leave this land of trouble as quickly as possible.

He activated the Purple Heart. Instantly, a tremendous heartbeat rang out like roaring thunder. The divine radiance in Shi Yi's blood began circulating at tremendous speed, and fierce purple flames blazed beneath his feet.

This was one of the Qilin Precious Technique's wondrous applications, allowing him to increase his escape speed to a certain degree.

Then Shi Yi raced toward the distance like the wind and lightning. Many fierce beasts lurked along the way in the Great Wilderness, their viciousness usually surging to the heavens, their gaping, blood-filled maws having claimed countless lives. As Shi Yi passed through their territories, he did his utmost to conceal his presence while activating his double pupils, striving to avoid dangerous areas.

When he truly could not avoid them and encountered terrifying ancient beasts, Shi Yi could only use qilin might to intimidate them and drive them far away.

This was an innate disparity in rank, an absolute suppression at the level of the soul. His aura alone could make those savage ancient beasts fall to their knees in submission.

Relying on his double pupils and qilin might, Shi Yi traveled unhindered, swiftly crossing the endless Great Wilderness.

During this journey, Shi Yi also combined the yang energy born in his left eye with the yin energy born in his right to create a mask bearing a taiji pattern over his face. The two eyes of the taiji lay at his brow and chin respectively.

Unlike an ordinary mask, it was completely sealed, with no openings to expose his eyes, mouth, or nose.

From this point onward, this mask would likely remain with Shi Yi for a long time, until he had nothing left to fear.

Although obtaining the complete Qilin Precious Technique came at a steep price, leaving him coveted by many beings, it was all worthwhile. A complete Ten Fiends Treasure Technique could only be encountered by chance, never obtained merely by seeking it.