Translator: CinderTL
Three days later.
Eastern shore of Azure Oak Lake.
The first rays of dawn painted the horizon crimson as the sun rose.
Song Wen, disguised as a Foundation Establishment Stage cultivator, sat cross-legged atop a towering peak along the shore.
Morning dew soaked his robes, and droplets clung to his bald head, completing the image of a diligent rogue cultivator.
Suddenly, two streaks of light flashed across the sky, disappearing in an instant.
Song Wen's eyes narrowed slightly. The figures were Ye Bing and Jin Xun.
He remained motionless for another half-hour before finally rising into the air and heading toward Gou Jun Island.
As he approached the island, he spotted Ye Bing and Jin Xun hovering hundreds of miles away in the sky.
A flicker of surprise crossed his face as he immediately flew toward them.
"Benefactor Li Yue, what brings you to this humble monk's abode? And who is this benefactor beside you?"
Song Wen feigned ignorance of their purpose, offering a Buddhist greeting as he spoke.
He pressed his palms together, leaving a hollow space between them, fingertips aligned with his brow, and bowed slightly.
As he performed the greeting, the sleeves of his monk's robe naturally fell, revealing a string of azure Buddhist beads around his wrist.
Ye Bing's eyes flashed with a sharp glint as she noticed the beads.
Song Wen had been stationed by the lake, monitoring for anyone tailing Ye Bing and Jin Xun. His primary objective was to guard against Jin Xun secretly mobilizing a Void Refinement Stage cultivator from the Jin Family.
If a Void Refinement Stage cultivator were indeed following them, Song Wen and Ye Bing would have to abandon their original plan and complete the transaction with Jin Xun honestly.
The Buddhist Beads served as a communication channel, transmitting Song Wen's surveillance reports to Ye Bing.
There were two sets of beads: one azure and one crimson.
Azure signified "all clear," while crimson indicated "something has changed."
Seeing the azure beads, Ye Bing felt reassured, a faint smile gracing her lips.
"Great Master Mi Hai, this fellow daoist beside me is Jin Xun. As I mentioned earlier, a fellow daoist in Phoenix Feather City possesses Azure Scale Wood—I was referring to Jin Xun. Where have you been, Great Master? Jin Xun and I have been waiting quite some time."
Song Wen's eyes lit up, and he performed another Buddhist bow.
"So this is Benefactor Jin Xun. This humble monk greets you. I apologize for keeping you waiting; I had urgent matters to attend to. I hope you won't take offense."
Jin Xun's sharp gaze swept over Song Wen, scrutinizing him from head to toe.
He showed no surprise at Song Wen's corpse-like aura despite his monk's attire.
In the Qicang Domain, such individuals were far too common for him to find them strange.
When Jin Xun sensed that Song Wen's aura only reached the early stage of the Divine Transformation realm, his sharp gaze softened slightly.
Before arriving, he had considered the possibility of a trap in this transaction.
But the thought of the Devouring Soul Array, which could extend one's lifespan by three Sexagenary Cycles, ultimately led him to take the gamble.
Li Yue, though at the peak of the Divine Transformation realm, was merely a rogue cultivator whose combat prowess couldn't be too formidable. As for the fake monk before him, with his mere early-stage Divine Transformation cultivation, he posed even less of a threat.
In Jin Xun's estimation, even if the two joined forces, they would be no match for him.
Therefore, he believed this transaction should proceed without major complications.
"Master Mi Hai, why are you cultivating at Azure Oak Lake? The Spiritual Qi here isn't suitable for a Divine Transformation cultivator to reside in for long," Jin Xun said, his tone flat as he probed Song Wen.
"Benefactor Jin Xun misunderstands," Song Wen replied. "This humble monk merely uses this place as a temporary residence. I enjoy wandering the world, aspiring to traverse every mountain and river in the Qicang Domain, study various cultivation techniques and secret arts, visit hidden realms, and seek out rare treasures. Hence, I have no fixed abode, content to settle wherever fate leads me."
"So, just another wandering robber cultivator," Jin Xun thought, a hint of disdain rising in his heart.
Yet his face remained impassive, even forcing a faint smile.
"I never imagined a great master like you would possess such a carefree spirit, living so freely and independently. It's truly enviable."
"Benefactor, you flatter me," Song Wen replied politely, gesturing toward the island below. "This isn't a suitable place for conversation. Please, let's move to the island for a more detailed discussion."
"We'll trouble you to lead the way, Master," Ye Bing interjected suddenly, her tone suggesting she feared Mi Hai might be plotting something against her and Jin Xun. "This island is your domain, after all. It wouldn't be appropriate for us to intrude without your guidance."
By having Mi Hai lead the way, she and Jin Xun could remain vigilant, monitoring his every move and reacting swiftly to any suspicious behavior.
Of course, this was merely a performance for Jin Xun's benefit, meant to lower his guard and lure him into the Entrapment Formation they had prepared.
However, Jin Xun refused to play along.
"There's no need to land on the island."
As soon as he spoke, countless streams of Sword Qi erupted from his body.
Song Wen and Ye Bing's expressions shifted abruptly, but they refrained from rash action.
Though the Sword Qi was razor-sharp, it didn't target them directly. Instead, it spread outward in all directions.
The streams of Sword Qi aligned themselves neatly in the air, emitting clear, ringing clang sounds as they gradually coalesced into a massive, hundred-zhang-wide sphere of Sword Qi.
Sword Qi swirled around them, forming an impenetrable barrier that completely enclosed the trio.
"Let us discuss matters here, gentlemen," Jin Xun said, his voice calm yet carrying an undeniable authority. "With this Sword Qi barrier, no cultivator below the Void Refinement Stage can eavesdrop on our conversation."
Song Wen's gaze darted nervously between the surrounding Sword Qi and Jin Xun, a deep-seated wariness flickering in his eyes.
"Very well, let us proceed as Benefactor Jin Xun suggests."
Jin Xun nodded in satisfaction. "Mi Hai, present the complete Devouring Soul Array for our consideration."
With a subtle flick of his wrist, Song Wen produced a jade slip. However, instead of immediately handing it over, he spoke with respectful caution, tinged with a hint of awe.
"Benefactor, might we also request you to display the Azure Scale Wood?"
Jin Xun didn't refuse. Without any visible movement, a rod of iron-gray spirit wood materialized before him.
The spirit wood was about six feet long and as thick as a thumb, its entire surface covered in scale-like patterns that shimmered with a metallic, cold light. Around the wood, faint vortices of energy spontaneously formed, accompanied by the faint sound of sword hums.
"The Azure Scale Wood is here, Great Master. You may examine it at your leisure. Now, may I have the jade slip?" Jin Xun said calmly, his eyes fixed on the jade slip in Song Wen's hand.
Song Wen nodded slightly and casually tossed the jade slip toward Jin Xun.
Just as Jin Xun reached out to catch it, a sudden, unexpected change occurred!
A cold glint flashed.
A chilling spear had materialized before Song Wen, striking with the force of thunder, aimed directly at Jin Xun's face!
Jin Xun was instantly both shocked and enraged, hastily retreating.
His spiritual power surged wildly as he attempted to conjure a Mana Shield before him.
The thousands of Sword Qi that had been still moments before suddenly erupted into motion, emitting ear-piercing shrieks as they swarmed toward Song Wen like a tidal wave.
(End of the Chapter)
Translator's Corner:
ALERT! [Demonic Cultivation: Starting as a Horse Bandit] is now COMPLETED and FREE on the site!
🔓 𝐰𝐰𝐰.𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐥.𝐜𝐨𝐦 — 13 Series (7 Ongoing) | 14+ New Chapters Daily | 6,100+ FREE