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"Now is the moment to break free amidst the chaos. No one can stop me!"
Yu Qin pulled out a quasi-third-rank flight escape talisman, channeling her mana into it. In about half a breath’s time, she pressed it against her waist.
For those with low cultivation, activating high-grade talismans is often not instantaneous due to the immense power that needs to be drawn from the talisman.
Swoosh!
In an instant, Yu Qin's speed surged, surpassing the level of a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator.
The clan elder chasing her, also at Foundation Establishment, was instantly left far behind.
Yu Qin’s lips curled in satisfaction. Her mission had gone off without a hitch, and she had accomplished a significant feat.
Though she had stirred up trouble within the Xia Family, she hadn’t actually killed anyone.
The young master Xia Mingqu she targeted was the Xia Family's next-in-line to lead the Wufu Merchant Association. He was nearly a guaranteed late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, with a high potential to reach the Core Formation Realm in the future.
However, due to the exotic poison she had concocted, Xia Mingqu’s advancement had failed. The severe backlash he suffered would inevitably damage his foundation.
As a result, even if he barely managed to reach late-stage Foundation Establishment in the future, his chances of forming a core would be slim.
Moreover, Xia Mingqu’s father, Xia Yongzhong, had failed to form a core in his youth and had been overseeing the merchant association's business affairs in a managerial role ever since.
The clan head, Xia Hongyu, though skilled in health preservation techniques, had far less life remaining than the Fake Dan immortal from the Xin Family.
Yu Qin’s plot not only prevented the Xia Family from adding a new late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator but also created a risk of a gap in their future high-end fighting strength.
Beyond that, Yu Qin had even cast suspicion onto Lan Chang'an, the Xia Family’s strongest offering.
The poison she had concocted included certain ingredients she specifically bought on Autumnwind Isle.
These traces would lead the Xia Family’s upper echelon to conduct an investigation, and they’d be unlikely to fully trust Lan Chang'an afterward.
“Xia Mingqu, don’t blame me for being ruthless. Back then, your parents opposed our relationship, looking down on my humble family background.”
"With this achievement, the Xinyue Merchant Association will not only reward me generously but will also accept my family through marriage."
Yu Qin’s expression shifted, showing a complex mix of emotions, even a slight pang of guilt.
When Xia Mingqu suffered from backlash upon his failed advancement, she actually had the chance to kill him on the spot.
She didn’t act, partly because of lingering guilt, unable to go through with the fatal blow.
On the other hand, Xia Mingqu, as the young master, might possess powerful life-saving techniques.
"Stop her!"
Yu Qin had already flown past the Xia Family's inner grounds; ahead lay the clan-protecting formation's radiant barrier.
With the quasi-third-rank talisman boosting her speed, low-level Qi-Refining cultivators couldn’t approach her, and any that tried were easily dispatched. ṝ�
"The Xia Family's protective formation is quasi-third-rank, but without a sufficient number of Foundation Establishment cultivators to operate it, its power is greatly diminished."
Brimming with confidence, Yu Qin flew straight toward the barrier.
As long as she broke through, she’d be safe—she even had allies waiting to pick her up outside.
...
Buzz!
Ahead, the clan-protecting formation flared with intense light, and thunderclouds gathered in the sky, brewing thick, serpent-like blue lightning bolts.
"Something’s wrong!"
Yu Qin’s face turned pale as she sensed the formidable spiritual pressure from the heaven-and-earth formation, making her breath heavy.
Whosh!
The formation summoned a storm of lightning and rain, blanketing her escape route and significantly slowing her down.
Meanwhile...
Two figures sliced through the air behind her, chasing relentlessly.
"Xia Mingqu?! You—"
Yu Qin glanced back, her almond-shaped eyes widening in disbelief as she spotted Xia Mingqu and Xia Shenglan, both unharmed.
The two were also using quasi-third-rank flight talismans. Additionally, each held an array flag, channeling the power of the quasi-third-rank formation to block Yu Qin’s escape.
Xia Mingqu's face was grim, his eyes cold as he stared at the alluring figure in the pink dress.
To him, Yu Qin's betrayal was not only treacherous— it was a path-blocking grudge! If she succeeded, his cultivation journey would forever stagnate at Foundation Establishment.
Thanks to Lan Chang'an’s warning, he had suspected the worst outcome—that Yu Qin might be a mole and was trying to sow discord.
But he had never imagined that she would strike with such ruthless intent.
Because Yu Qin hadn’t used a conventional poison, he hadn’t detected anything amiss beforehand and couldn’t hastily accuse either Lan Chang'an or her.
After Lan Chang'an restored his identity, the second-rank spiritual contract he’d signed was already voided, which made it possible for him to be compromised by a rival force.
Thus, his attempt to break through was all an act.
He bathed in various medicinal brews to expel the toxins, feigning a failed advancement to confirm Yu Qin’s treachery.
"Yu Qin, the protective formation has been activated. Today, you won’t escape even if you grow wings!"
As he spoke, Xia Mingqu directed the formation's power to limit Yu Qin’s movement.
However, due to the rushed activation and the lack of sufficient Foundation Establishment cultivators, they couldn’t unleash the full might of the formation.
Swoosh!
While Xia Mingqu was speaking, another figure closed in from several li away, emitting a powerful late-stage Foundation Establishment aura.
"It’s Talisman Master Lan."
Xia Shenglan and Xia Mingqu exchanged a glance, relaxing slightly.
Lan Chang'an had approached from Autumnwind Isle, his speed on par with the peak of late-stage Foundation Establishment.
Judging by the timing, he had come immediately and hadn’t deliberately held back.
Though Lan Chang'an hadn’t used his trump cards, he had already fulfilled his duties as an external provider by assisting in the clan’s defense.
...
"If I want to leave, none of you can stop me!"
Seeing Lan Chang'an closing in from the side, a trace of panic finally appeared on Yu Qin's face.
The intelligence from the Xinyue Merchant Association rated Lan Chang'an’s combat power very high, saying that it would take two or three late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators to subdue him.
Fortunately, Lan Chang'an had started from the distant Autumnwind Isle and was still the farthest away.
Boom! Crackle!
Reluctantly, it packed up the remaining half of the spoils.
With a flicker of earthy yellow light, the Earth Burrowing Rat burrowed into the ground and vanished.
...
Shortly after the Earth Burrowing Rat disappeared, a sound of low-altitude flight approached from the other side of the forest.
Soon, a burly, bearded man exuding an aura of fierce energy floated above the area where Yu Qin had met her end.
"Strange... The Xia Family's defensive formation was activated, and she managed to break through and escape. According to our agreement, she should be here..."
The burly man, named Kou Sen, furrowed his brows, his peak Foundation Establishment spiritual sense sweeping over the area.
Kou Sen was the vice president of the Xinyue Merchant Association and was responsible for providing support to Yu Qin on this mission.
Though he held the title of vice president, Kou Sen didn’t handle the guild’s business affairs; his primary role was overseeing the guild’s guards. His martial prowess was exceptional, placing him among the strongest within the Foundation Establishment realm.
Years ago, the sect fugitive from the Liang Kingdom named Fang Zhong had managed to withstand no more than ten breaths against Kou Sen, despite also being at the late Foundation Establishment.
Several years ago, Fang Zhong had suffered a defeat near Qingsha Bay, and Kou Sen had since looked down on him.
This mission was of great importance, and for the sake of caution and secrecy, Kou Sen had come personally, without informing any subordinates.
Kou Sen searched the area for a long time but found no trace of Yu Qin’s aura or presence.
A sense of foreboding began to creep in, and he prepared to turn and leave.
Just then, the ground quaked.
Shnk!
A massive, jagged stone spike shot up from the ground, hurtling towards Kou Sen in mid-air.
"Not good!"
Kou Sen’s instincts screamed danger, sending shivers down his spine as a feeling of mortal terror washed over him.
A veteran of countless battles, his reactions were sharp. As the stone spike broke through the earth, he unleashed a surge of mana.
Swish!
With a sharp crackling of wind and lightning, Kou Sen barely managed to dodge to the side, moving six or seven zhang away to avoid the full impact of the stone spike.
Steadying himself, Kou Sen looked down to find his body bloodied and mangled.
His entire right shoulder, along with a portion of his torso, had been sheared away as if sliced off by an invisible blade, leaving blood splattering through the air.
Despite his immediate reaction, the spike had still grazed him, shattering his peak Foundation Establishment protective barrier and nearly costing him his life.
"A... a third-rank great demon!"
Kou Sen barely had a moment to catch his breath. Despair flooded his face as he looked down at the small, dog-sized demon rat emerging from a yellow glow in the ground.
Though only the size of a small dog, the rat exuded a spiritual pressure comparable to a Core Formation Realm cultivator.
"A mighty Core Formation demon... stooping to ambush..."
Kou Sen’s heart filled with dread, a bitter smile crossing his face as he realized he was doomed.
If he had been in peak condition, he might have been able to hold out a bit longer against a Fake Dan Immortal, maybe even escape.
But with his heavily injured body, facing a third-rank demon beast was nothing short of a death sentence.
Struggling, he reached out to summon his magical treasure prototype and activated a life-saving third-rank talisman.
In that instant, the Earth Burrowing Rat moved, leaving only a blurred afterimage.
Thunk!
Kou Sen’s body stiffened, staring down at the sharp claw piercing through his chest from behind.
"My master says, if a sneak attack works, never engage in a frontal fight."
The Earth Burrowing Rat slowly withdrew its claw, shredding Kou Sen’s organs in an instant.
"A third-rank great demon... Lan Chang'an’s demon rat spirit pet..."
In his dying moments, Kou Sen’s final sliver of consciousness recognized a terrifying truth.
He wanted to relay this information to the Xinyue Merchant Association, but it was too late.
Following its usual procedure, the Earth Burrowing Rat devoured Kou Sen’s body, and then retrieved his storage pouch.
As a vice president, Kou Sen’s storage pouch contained a wealth of spoils, far more valuable than those of ordinary late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators.
As the vice president of the Xinyue Merchant Association, Kou Sen's spoils of war were quite abundant, far surpassing the average late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator.
"This human stumbled upon this place by accident. To prevent any future troubles, I took him out. Master shouldn’t blame me for it," the Earth Burrowing Rat muttered to itself. It then devoured half of the heavenly treasures and earthly materials among the spoils, treating itself to a hearty meal.
...
Half an hour later.
In the secret chamber of his mansion on Autumnwind Isle, Lan Chang'an sat expressionless, inspecting the two storage pouches presented to him by the Earth Burrowing Rat.
After a brief count, he found a pleasant surprise in Kou Sen's storage pouch.
Inside were third-rank talismans, a talismanic treasure, the prototype of a magical weapon, and other valuable items. There were also materials that Lan Chang'an needed for crafting puppets, such as third-rank beast hides and various ores. Additionally, there was a sizable amount of spirit stones, medicinal pills, and magical weapons.
"The vice president of the Xinyue Merchant Association..."
From a few account books and jade slips, Lan Chang'an learned of the identity of the person the Earth Burrowing Rat had "accidentally" killed.
After killing Yu Qin, the Earth Burrowing Rat had thoroughly destroyed all evidence, leaving no trace behind.
In reality, the vice president didn't need to be killed. His death would undoubtedly stir up the upper echelons of the Xinyue Merchant Association.
Lan Chang'an understood that the Earth Burrowing Rat had taken it upon itself to kill an additional person because it wanted to replenish its diet and advance its cultivation.
Lan Chang'an didn’t blame it. He turned a blind eye to the fact that it had pocketed some of the spirit stones and spiritual items for itself.
Although the Xinyue Merchant Association had some power, they lacked a True Dan Immortal to oversee them, so Lan Chang'an wasn’t concerned.
If any issues arose in the future, he’d simply let the Earth Burrowing Rat enjoy another "feast."
"Next time, when you gather spoils in the field, make sure to destroy any suspicious items to avoid being tracked later."
Lan Chang'an took out a few suspicious items from the storage bag and handed them to the Earth Burrowing Rat, imparting his insights.
"You're a third-rank demon beast with a powerful spiritual sense and a keen nose. In the future, try to learn more about human culture. It shouldn’t be difficult for you."
Squeak squeak!
The Earth Burrowing Rat nodded its little head earnestly, absorbing the lesson.
It memorized the instructions: from now on, when bringing back spoils of war, it not only had to eliminate all traces but also destroy any suspicious items to help its master avoid future trouble.