Chapter 47: Waiting for the Rabbit to Run into the Trap

Shortly after Song Changsheng departed, an elderly man with hair as white as snow emerged leisurely from the dense forest.

The old man possessed a youthful complexion despite his white hair. He wore a gray robe covered in patches and looked quite disheveled, with a messy mop of hair. Had it not been for the ancient, simple longsword strapped to his back, he would have been indistinguishable from a seventy-year-old beggar on the streets.

Zhu Yiqun’s eyes widened instantly, and he cried out in pleasant surprise, "Old man, when did you get here?"

Mo Zhexian scratched his temple and gave a cheeky grin. "I arrived when that kid in Sunset City was dealing with that Blood Demon."

"What? Then you just stood there watching? Can't you be a bit more reliable, you old geezer?" Zhu Yiqun grumbled in dissatisfaction.

"Heh, this brat is actually talking back. Hurry up and pack your things; follow me back."

——————

As night fell, a bright moon hung high in the sky, emitting a pure, white radiance, adorned by scattered stars that made the scene dazzling.

Under the moonlight, a streak of earthy-yellow light swept past rapidly, startling countless birds into flight.

Suddenly, a flash of cold light shot out from a nearby mountain hollow. The rapidly moving streak of light was abruptly intercepted, revealing the figures of Wang Wanzhou and Song Changsheng.

"Who goes there, daring to block my path!" Wang Wanzhou bellowed, his white eyebrows bristling as he glared at the hollow below.

"Wang Wanzhou, leave Song Changsheng behind, and we shall let you go." Two streaks of light suddenly rushed out from the hollow, hovering on either side of Wang Wanzhou.

"Cheng Yufei, Du Huating—your Earth Fire Sect truly has no shame. To actually send two Foundation Establishment cultivators to target a junior, aren't you afraid of being laughed out of town?"

Wang Wanzhou scanned the two with his tiger-like eyes, speaking with heavy sarcasm.

"Senior Wang, this matter has nothing to do with you. Why involve yourself? Your Wang clan has already shed enough blood for the Song clan; no matter how great the debt, it should be considered repaid. Leave at once," Du Huating said calmly, his hands tucked into his sleeves and his eyelids drooping.

"You, surnamed Du—your master was once my defeated opponent. What, do you think you are stronger than him?"

"I have naturally not yet reached my master's cultivation realm, but today, my senior brother and I have arrived together. You cannot protect him; you are old," Du Huating replied, staring calmly at Wang Wanzhou as faint streaks of lightning surged beside him.

Song Changsheng’s expression was as dark as water. He hadn't expected the Earth Fire Sect to want his life so badly; not only had the late-stage Foundation Establishment Cheng Yufei arrived, but even the mid-stage Foundation Establishment Guardian Elder from Liuyun Market had shown up.

"Child, things have indeed become a bit troublesome today. Although I do not fear these two, if a chaotic battle breaks out, I won't be able to look after you. I will restrain them in a moment; you must flee immediately."

While Wang Wanzhou appeared to be confronting the two, he secretly transmitted his voice to Song Changsheng via divine sense.

"I must trouble you, Senior." Song Changsheng took a deep breath. This was his only option; with his current cultivation, being caught in a battle between Foundation Establishment cultivators would surely mean certain death.

"Junior Brother, why bother talking so much to him? We have been tracking him away from the market for so long. If we delay any further, that person from the Li clan will notice."

Cheng Yufei looked at Song Changsheng, who was being protected behind Wang Wanzhou, with eyes full of coldness. No matter what, the boy had to die today. Lingzhou could not afford a second Song Xianming!

"Sigh, forgive me!"

Du Huating let out a soft sigh, and his entire body suddenly erupted with dazzling purple lightning. Countless electrical arcs leaped across his skin, making him look as if he were bathing in thunder, a sight that unsettled the soul.

"Come and fight!" Wang Wanzhou replied without fear, summoning a seven-colored glazed mirror that reflected a kaleidoscope of colors into the pitch-black night sky.

"[Heavenly Fire Meteor Technique]!"

Cheng Yufei formed a hand seal, and the sky was instantly filled with a layer of fire. Meteors manifested from spiritual energy, trailing long tails of flame as they descended like a doomsday catastrophe.

*Hum—*

The glazed mirror suddenly expanded dozens of times over, shielding the two beneath it. The "meteors" crashed against it with a thunderous roar, sending ripples through the barrier.

*Zzzzt!*

A chain condensed from lightning lashed out from a diagonal lower position, accompanied by the crackling of bursting electrical arcs.

Wang Wanzhou’s hair and beard stood on end like a raging lion. He extended his left hand, manifesting an illusory hand of spiritual energy that gripped the chain firmly.

Fighting two against one, Wang Wanzhou was not at a disadvantage, but Song Changsheng, positioned behind him, was having a difficult time. Enduring the simultaneous pressure exerted by three Foundation Establishment cultivators, his breathing became labored.

"Now! Go!"

Once both opponents were embroiled in the battle, Wang Wanzhou wrapped Song Changsheng in spiritual energy and hurled him toward the distance, before turning to face the two alone.

Seeing Song Changsheng flee, Cheng Yufei did not attempt to stop him; instead, a smile of successful scheming appeared on his face.

Wang Wanzhou felt a sudden sense of foreboding. He roared, "You did this on purpose?"

"Senior Wang, we would naturally not violate the rules by attacking a junior directly. We only came today to block your path. Let the juniors settle matters between themselves," Du Huating said, standing amidst the lightning storm, devoid of all emotion.

"Shameless scoundrels!" Wang Wanzhou glared at them. "Let the juniors settle it"? They had clearly set an ambush ahead.

"Hmph, just stay here and trade blows with us. That kid is as good as dead," Cheng Yufei sneered. Since he had moved against Song Changsheng, it was part of a meticulous plan that accounted for not just Wang Wanzhou, but even the Song clan.

Before dawn, no one would come to disturb them, and that time would be more than enough to kill Song Changsheng several times over!

"Bastards!"

Furious, Wang Wanzhou plunged back into the life-and-death struggle with the two...

Wrapped in spiritual energy, Song Changsheng traveled several miles through the air before landing in a dense forest. Feeling the fluctuations of spiritual energy coming from behind, worry surfaced in his eyes.

Though Wang Wanzhou was powerful, he was old and lacked sufficient vitality; he might not truly hold the upper hand against those two.

"I must get back to the market as quickly as possible." He knew clearly that staying here would only be a hindrance.

After orienting himself, Song Changsheng sped toward Liuyun Market.

The surrounding scenery moved rapidly behind him, but Song Changsheng gradually realized something was wrong—he seemed to be running in circles.

He came to a sudden halt and began to scrutinize his surroundings. Suddenly, a thick vine lunged at him from an extremely concealed direction.

He quickly summoned his [Water Element Shield] to block it, while simultaneously shifting his body sideways. A moment later, a sharp earthen spike erupted from the spot where he had just been standing. Had he hesitated for even a second, he would have been impaled through.

Retracting the [Water Element Shield] to his side, Song Changsheng called out loudly to the surroundings, "I do not know which fellow Daoist has laid this [Earth-Wood Universe Array] here. Would you care to show yourself?"

His voice echoed within the array, but his only response was more vines and earthen spikes...

(End of Chapter)