Chapter 1046 - 877: Betraying One's Own for Outsiders

Shi Chun's eyes lit up; it was indeed feasible, confirming that the previous issues were indeed due to the internal environment of Yanfu Continent.

Once confirmed, he didn't dare to linger here any longer, and quickly disposed of the evidence.

When he climbed out from the underground again, the outside was already filled with thick smoke; the smells were chaotic and confusing, with the burnt odor from the pot being very obvious. The smoke was so irritating that Shi Chun himself was choking, forcing him to hold his breath and grope his way through the smoke.

The group outside the array could not smell this at all; to their eyes, the Protection Array had transformed into something tangible due to the smoke inside, resembling a giant overturned bowl, with all the smoke and smell trapped within the array.

The group of guards also saw such a spectacle at the entrance of Yanfu Continent for the first time and had no idea what kind of method Shi Chun was using for healing, but it looked quite sinister.

Shi Chun felt his way to the shield of the Protection Array, and upon seeing the clearer scene outside, he realized that the array even blocked smoke. He silently noted this.

Seeing Shi Chun's silhouette, the Heavenly Court Guard General immediately approached and questioned him through a layer of Xubo: "What's going on?"

Though Shi Chun was feeling choked, he still pointed to himself stubbornly and said: "Using smoke for a medicinal bath to heal, the smell might not be pleasant. It didn't bother you, did it?"

The Heavenly Court Guard General frowned and said: "It's fine outside; the array isolated the smell, so we can't smell it. But as for you, are you coming in or going out?"

Upon hearing that the outside couldn't smell anything, Shi Chun's eyes brightened. This meant that the strong scent emitted by the Death Refusing Incense was also blocked by the array. It seemed that this array not only provided external protection but also added some precautions against Yanfu Continent, creating a kind of isolation to prevent leakage.

In this way, the hidden danger of using the Death Refusing Incense was indirectly resolved, which was very much to his liking.

He became increasingly aware that many things relied entirely on imagination, and even the most rational mind and experience could not replace the breakthroughs achieved through practice.

Having the smoke linger here indefinitely was also not viable. Being trapped inside would not harm others but would affect him. He replied, "I'm not satisfied," and then turned back into the smoke.

As for the meaning behind "I'm not satisfied," he left it to the people outside to guess.

This belonged to his instinctive rough approach to dealing with some situations. Whether it was right or not wasn't important, as it certainly wouldn't be wrong, and it could always be explained later in whatever way necessary.

The group of guards exchanged glances once more, seeming to understand, yet still unsure of what that rascal intended to do, though they could somehow comprehend it.

However, they quickly noticed something unusual, as someone exclaimed first: "Look, the smoke inside is rotating."

Indeed, it was rotating, as Shi Chun was casting spells to stir and sweep the smoke away. There was only one exit, which was the crack leading to Yanfu Continent.

After the smoke was mostly cleared, Shi Chun returned to the side of the hole he had dug, sitting cross-legged facing the crack with hope only on Li Hongjiu.

As long as he stayed here, he believed that after Li Hongjiu met with and learned from the Nanshan people, he would surely come to investigate what was going on.

He wouldn't wait indefinitely; he was estimating how long it would take for Li Hongjiu to return and silently set a time limit. After that, he took out a handful of Spirit Pills, swallowed them, and began to meditate and refine them, striving to recover the mana he had consumed.

If Li Hongjiu could not return within the set time limit, he couldn't gamble everything on a single hope and might have to call for reinforcements from the Heavenly Court.

Over here, the Five Forces stationed personnel were continuously reporting the situation.

Among the Nanshan people hiding inside the crack, the nearest one suddenly turned back and shouted, "Wait, it seems like smoke is coming in."

The view was poor and unclear, so a group quickly flew closer to investigate.

As they saw the smoke pushing in, Yu Yifu loudly warned: "Everyone back off a bit. That guy comes from the Land of Exile, with very low moral standards and is not a good man. Be careful, it might be poisonous."

The group unanimously agreed and backed off, and Yu Yifu addressed, "Brother Yan, you're quite experienced with poisons, see what kind it is."

An elderly man with somewhat disheveled hair and beard slowly approached the dispersing fog, dropping some liquid from a medicine bottle to test, then he sniffed it closely.

After a while, he returned to Yu Yifu, shaking his head and shrugging, "Strange, I don't know what kind of poison it is. It seems slightly toxic, but it doesn't seem harmful to humans. The smell is like something burnt but carries a special fragrance. It seems my knowledge is limited, but there's surely a reason behind this. I can't figure it out; it doesn't mean it's benign. We should best avoid it until we figure it out, to prevent falling for anything."

Everyone unanimously acknowledged it with action.

After backing off to observe, Yu Yifu turned his head toward the site of the previous incident, muttering in confusion, "Haven't found Li Hongjiu yet?"

In theory, the distance isn't too far, and with the capabilities of the Demon Eye, even if Li Hongjiu had died and his body was shattered, he still should have been discovered, right? Especially since those tracking signs don't easily dissipate here, they should be easy to find.

Feeling increasingly uneasy with the delay, he turned back and ordered, "You few go check what's happening."

Thus, a few people accepted the order and went.

The Golden-haired Rat Clan was still digging as before, busy as ever, while Huang Yingying did not participate, sitting atop a sand dune near the excavation site.

Sitting in meditation, he gazed up at the incomparably splendid starry sky, cultivating Beidou Demon Book, as if conversing with this magnificent starry sky. While his Cultivation Technique was operating within him, he looked upwards with open eyes at the heavens, as if his inner operation resonated with the vastness of the star river.

That endless and vast universe, indifferent to any human or demon, showing the reason for existence in itself; existing means having a trajectory, and among countless trajectories, the profound trajectory visible to oneself is the one that resonates with oneself.

Previously, he merely followed the Beidou Demon Book for cultivation, aware he was cultivating yet unaware of the reasons. But now, as he gazes at the starry sky, it's as if he is overlooking himself, overlooking his own body. He can clearly see the path of the Cultivation Technique operating within his body, seemingly foreseeing the significance of continuing this path.

This was a mysterious feeling of understanding and foreseeing the future.

This sense arose unexpectedly during his closed-eye cultivation, a faint feeling of sensing the pulse of the stars.

Prior cultivation of the Beidou Demon Book also vaguely gave such feelings, an obscure sense of connection with the stars, but never had he felt such a close encounter with the throb of the starry sky.

It used to feel like taking a pulse, sensing the faint beating through the fingertips, but now it's like pressing the ear against the heart to listen.

Thus, he slowly opened his eyes, slowly lifted his head, leading to this result.

Earlier cultivation felt hesitant due to lack of verbal instruction and demonstration, moving forward felt akin to crossing a river by feeling the stones, but now the mysterious foresight and clarity let him understand what is right and what is wrong.

Thus, the operation of the technique within his body is like a mighty river rushing continuously, increasingly resembling the natural force of heaven and earth.

He had been cultivating the "Beidou Demon Book" for nearly a year; aside from the foundational cultivation techniques, his practice remained on the first move of the demon book, the first skill, called the "Ten Thousand Demons Ritual."

Only by reaching the realm of summoning a hundred demons could he further engage in the cultivation of the second move, but currently, he could only summon over ten demons, far from reaching the state of summoning a hundred demons.

The highest realm, as implied by its name, is naturally to summon ten thousand demons.

And at this moment, his foundational cultivation techniques within him flowed like a rushing river, gradually widening the riverbanks, and his understanding and interpretation of the "Ten Thousand Demons Ritual" were like continually branching out on both sides of the river, each branch representing his ability to summon one more demon skillfully.

His progress in cultivation at this time could truly be described as advancing at a tremendous pace.

When he felt the operation within his body resonating with the pulse of the starry sky, Zhu Xiangxin, who was standing on another sand dune acting as a guard, suddenly turned to look at Huang Yingying, who was meditating cross-legged.

Zhu Xiangxin at this moment experienced an illusion, unsure of what was heaven, what was earth, whether looking at Huang Yingying or looking at the starry sky, everything seemed inverted, as if he was standing upside down on the sand, looking at people and the starry sky upside down.

After an unknown amount of time, suddenly heaven and earth returned to order.

Huang Yingying abruptly turned her head to the side, her eyes reflecting an unprecedented depth.

Someone is coming.

Li Hongjiu has arrived.

Upon sensing figures ahead, Li Hongjiu dared not approach recklessly, intending first to observe and confirm.

Yet, as soon as the tip of his foot touched the ground, a person suddenly appeared before him, almost shocking him – a familiar face, the sleazy old man from the Golden-haired Rat Clan, the husband of the rice shop owner for whom Shi Chun had once played matchmaker.

But now he did not appear at all sleazy, rather at this close distance, he exuded a profound sense of intimidation and aggression.

The other seemed to recognize him too, instantly became incorporeal, dispersing into nothingness like being blown away by the wind.

Li Hongjiu was greatly surprised, having clearly sensed Huang Yingying herself before, yet it turned out to be false, though the oppressive demon energy felt genuinely real.

Knowing he had already been exposed, there was no point in hiding. He once more shifted and leapt to Huang Yingying's side, who was meditating cross-legged, examining everything with uncertainty.

Zhu Xiangxin flashed over, surprised, "Why has Mr. Li come?"

She even suspected if it was really him.

Li Hongjiu had no time for small talk, glancing around, "Where is Wu Jinliang?"

Zhu Xiangxin replied, "He has gone with a few Dingnan Prefecture personnel to survey the sandalwood gold mine vein, not sure when he will return, what's the matter, is there something wrong?"

Li Hongjiu frowned, "Shi Chun instructed me to convey something to him; the situation is urgent, and I can't stay long, quickly find him back."

Zhu Xiangxin hesitated for a moment, then nodded, "Alright, I'll search along his departure direction, whether I can find him or not, I can't be sure if they deviated from their path along the way."

Li Hongjiu frowned.

Just then, Huang Yingying turned her head again, gazing towards the direction Li Hongjiu came from, saying, "Someone is coming, are they with Mr. Li?"

Both Li and Zhu turned their heads to look back, seeing nothing, puzzled at how Huang Yingying discerned someone approaching in this silent place.

"I came alone," Li Hongjiu said, his face tense, sensing Huang Yingying wouldn't speak lightly, considering she had noticed him even before he had revealed himself.

As soon as he spoke, laughter echoed from afar, "I intended to watch the show, but never expected to meet such capable masters here."

Soon four figures appeared from behind several overlapping sand dunes, led by the cloaked man who had been sent by Yu Yifu to track them.

As they descended, they had already taken up four positions, surrounding the three.

Due to faster travel speed, they had quietly tailed Li Hongjiu before he even arrived here.

It must be said, this Yanfu Continent is indeed a great place for tracking people, not easily revealing movements.

Li Hongjiu was not unfamiliar with them, though he didn't know their origins, having interacted with them on the same team, and upon discovery, his face changed dramatically, realizing the trouble had indeed come.

For the sake of the sect, he already harbored killing intent.

Quickly surveying the surroundings, fearing Yu Yifu and the others had also arrived.

Floating semi-airborne, the cloaked man gazed at Li Hongjiu, sneering ceaselessly, "Li Hongjiu, oh Li Hongjiu, you surely do justice to Yanbao Sect, truly worthy of being Grandmaster Qu's outstanding disciple, performing such internal betrayal skillfully enough to make people doubt, if not seen with one's own eyes, who would believe?"