Chapter 381: 215, fought with Song Knife, got badly screwed.
Recruiting guards on Huge Mastiff Island was something disciples from major sects would disdain to do, nor could they afford the price. The only ones who could be recruited were cultivators from small and medium-sized sects, and freelance cultivators.
Most of these people had engaged in illicit dealings.
Hence, recruiting guards not only couldn’t guarantee one’s safety but would also invite trouble. This was an unwise move.
Furthermore, the cultivation Xu Xing showed on the surface was that of a Dao Pill Daoist, which already granted him considerable strength to traverse the Wangchuan Sea freely.
Traveling alone was actually safer than moving in groups.
Since he chose to go alone, Song Knife didn’t even need to guess that the best time for Xu Xing to leave Huge Mastiff Island would certainly be the night the banquet ended.
He would pretend to recruit guards to deceive those cultivators with malicious intentions, then sneak away at the opportune moment...
「On the other side.」
After leaving the Cloud and Flower Building, Song Knife first went to the Flying Feather Pavilion. After changing his appearance, he sneaked away, heading outside Huge Mastiff Island to begin setting up traps.
The traps consisted of three advanced third-grade array techniques: a Trapping Array, a Killing Formation, and an Illusion Array.
As Chief, he had borrowed the Array Banners from the Flying Feather Pavilion.
Although ’Yan Sheng’ hadn’t revealed the location of the hidden cultivation sect, Lang Huan Pavilion, from fragments of his conversation with Xu Xing, Song Knife had generally guessed that Lang Huan Pavilion was likely located in the Western Sea of the Outer Sea of the Wangchuan Sea. Some local customs couldn’t be faked.
"To ensure no accidents, Daoist Nan, you station yourself on the east side of Huge Mastiff Island..."
"Once Yan Sheng’s whereabouts are confirmed, if he’s on the west side, you come to support with all your might. If on the east side, I will hasten to coordinate..."
After hiding the last Array Banner, Song Knife sent a Voice Transmission Talisman to Nan Lu.
’Yan Sheng’ had stayed on Huge Mastiff Island for more than a month. This period was sufficient for Nan Lu to hurry over to Huge Mastiff Island from the Mingquan Sect’s island.
Nan Lu was currently hiding near Huge Mastiff Island.
"Understood."
Shaoqing, a Voice Transmission Talisman flew to Song Knife’s side, hovering unsteadily. It contained Nan Lu’s crisp voice, like a silver bell.
A True Monarch of the Flying Feather Immortal Palace and a True Monarch of the Mingquan Sect, who logically should have been mortal enemies, had joined forces under Song Knife’s mediation.
To get the Substitute Puppet.
I would then have the confidence to find Xu Xing for settlement.
Song Knife ignited a flame in his palm, burning the Voice Transmission Talisman to powder, leaving no trace. Then, he used an Erasing Symbol to eliminate the aura around the array technique, leaving no trace.
Just waiting for the fish to bite.
Song Knife was self-satisfied.
He transformed into an Escaping Light, returned to Huge Mastiff Island, went to the streets of the Huge Mastiff Island Market, and inquired about ’Yan Sheng’s’ movements.
Since ’Yan Sheng’ was planning to recruit guards, he would certainly leave some clues in the Market.
Sure enough, not much later, Song Knife saw ’Yan Sheng’ dressed in a black cloak, sitting cross-legged behind a stall with his eyes closed, seemingly meditating.
A banner hung on the stall, stating he was recruiting guards. The offered price was extraordinarily high: 500,000 Spirit Shells for a Returning Core Realm cultivator and 2,000,000 Spirit Shells for a Dao Pill Realm cultivator.
In total, he sought to recruit three Dao Pill Realm cultivators and seven Returning Core Realm cultivators. The mission duration was only half a month.
Putting on airs.
Upon seeing this, Song Knife sneered contemptuously.
Dao Pill Realm cultivators, each possessing an outstanding status, were not so easily recruited.
In his view, ’Yan Sheng’s’ behavior was merely an attempt to create an air of mystery to deceive the cultivators on Huge Mastiff Island who coveted his wealth.
「At night, the moon was bright and the stars were few.」
A shadowy figure quietly left the Cloud and Flower Building, transformed into an Escaping Light, departed Huge Mastiff Island, and headed towards the sea beyond the island.
After the figure departed, several more beams of light ignited on Huge Mastiff Island, tailing the figure while maintaining a distance of over thirteen miles.
Thirteen miles was the typical non-combat Divine Sense Detection range for a Dao Pill Daoist.
However, not long after these beams of light appeared above the sea surface, they quickly dimmed and vanished, transforming into several blossoms of blood that disappeared into the seawater.
"A few insignificant Younger Generation members..."
"This hardly warrants you, Daoist Yan, presenting that Cultivation Method to request my intervention."
The figure, standing in the void, took a Token from his sleeve and transmitted a message through a Communication Array to Xu Xing, who was a hundred miles away.
His facial features were identical to Xu Xing’s disguised appearance as ’Yan Sheng’. It was as if they were cast from the same mold.
"This time, I learned from a friend that a True Monarch intends to ambush me and seize my treasures. I have focused on arduous cultivation since youth and am not skilled in combat, which is why I invited Senior to intervene..."
Through the Communication Array, Xu Xing slowly revealed the secret in his clear voice.
"Senior, you once battled a Dao Lord and managed to slay him; dealing with a True Monarch should be child’s play for you."
He continued, flattering the other party.
This fake ’Yan Sheng’ was none other than the Burial Halberd Elder who had attended the auction.
At the auction, Xu Xing had already contacted the Burial Halberd Elder via Sound Transmission via Divine Consciousness to arrange a meeting. Afterward, he paid a price to ask the Burial Halberd Elder to take action for him once.
The price he paid was no ordinary item; it was the Kunpeng Killing Immortal Technique he had obtained from the Instance World.
This secret technique was extremely valuable, worth at least tens of millions of Spirit Shells.
However, Cultivation Methods and secret techniques, unlike Resources with fixed values, could be duplicated by the possessor without any personal loss.
Of course, for this transaction, the Immortal Law Xu Xing gave the Burial Halberd Elder was only the initial part. They had agreed that the latter part would be provided after the task was completed.
"Daoist Yan, as agreed, if the ambushers are from the Higher Teachings, this Old Man will not intervene and offend them..."
The Burial Halberd Elder reminded Xu Xing.