Chapter 456

Huaguo Mountain, before the Water Curtain Cave, the waterfall still surged, mist swirling thickly.

Yet the entire immortal mountain felt deeply oppressive.

The Zhou Tian Jue Ling Array had been active for half a month, its three hundred and sixty-five array flags deeply buried in the earth veins, locking away spiritual energy.

At the array’s core, Chang Xi stood in silver robes, motionless as the moon, her cold gaze sweeping over ten thousand li of the Eastern Sea’s waves.

Bai Ze stood on the other side, arms crossed, his white robe stirring slightly, eyes half-closed, sensing every ripple in the void.

Yet for the past half-month, Huaguo Mountain had shown not the slightest anomaly.

Tian Peng stepped up to Su Chen, lowering his voice: “Kid, you’re sure that old Kunpeng bastard will come? Or… did he chicken out?”

Su Chen sat cross-legged on the green stone at the cave’s entrance; at these words, he opened his eyes, his primordial cultivation power swirling within, as if able to pierce through mountains and clouds.

“He won’t chicken out,” Su Chen said calmly, yet with absolute certainty. “But he is the Demon Master—apparently, we underestimated him.”

Tian Peng blinked: “What do you mean?”

Su Chen did not answer immediately. He rose, walked to the cliff’s edge, and gazed down at the vast Eastern Sea below—the roar of water, the crashing waves—all seemed normal.

Given Kunpeng’s nature, the grievance of a severed Dao path was unforgivable.

His first reaction after escaping should have been furious retaliation—but half a month passed, and Huaguo Mountain remained calm.

That could mean only two things: either he was too severely wounded to move, or he was waiting for a better opportunity.

Given Kunpeng’s modus operandi, Su Chen felt the latter was far more likely—that Kunpeng was plotting something.

Su Chen’s mind raced with thoughts.

After a moment, Su Chen called for Chang Xi and Bai Ze: “Elders, we set up a kill trap here, waiting for him to walk right in—but it seems this Demon Master hasn’t let his hatred cloud his judgment.”

Bai Ze’s aged face deepened in wrinkles: “Do you think the old devil has seen through this trap?”

“It seems so,” Su Chen shook his head. “But I still believe he hasn’t abandoned his vengeance.”

Tian Peng scratched his head: “Then what’s he planning? Just stalling us?”

“Unlikely,” Chang Xi’s cold voice cut in. “In the current situation, the longer he waits, the worse it becomes for him—he must strike swiftly.”

Su Chen’s eyes flashed with sharp light: “If a direct assault on Huaguo Mountain won’t work, and he must avenge himself quickly… then what will he do?”

Inside the Water Curtain Cave, Luan Erjie was organizing recent messages from the Demon Alliance, her brow furrowed.

Niu Wang had recently sent word that the area around Flame Mountain was uneasy—foreign cultivators seemed to be lurking.

Jiao Wang, while patrolling the seas, also detected traces of unidentified powerful beings in several regions.

Individually, these scattered reports meant little—but Luan Erjie felt something was off.

She was hesitating whether to report her suspicions to Su Chen.

At that moment, a crimson transmission jade token flared to life.

“It’s Yan Que’s urgent message!” Luan Erjie’s face changed; she activated the jade token and read the message.

Her spiritual sense flooded in—her expression turned pale. She burst out of the Water Curtain Cave and found Su Chen: “Strategist! Something terrible has happened!”

Su Chen, Chang Xi, Bai Ze, and Tian Peng all turned to her.

Luan Erjie spoke rapidly: “Western Niuhe Continent! Yan Que transmitted an urgent plea from Vice-Chief Niu—he says that Niu’s son, Hong Haier, was ambushed by a mysterious strong force while cultivating at Flame Mountain, severely wounded, and now missing! Niu Wang is enraged, scouring Western Niuhe Continent frantically—but the attacker left no trace. He suspects… suspects someone deliberately kidnapped Hong Haier, targeting him!”

Luan Erjie’s words struck like thunder, jolting Su Chen awake.

“So that’s it,” he said. “He didn’t come to Huaguo Mountain because he knew we were waiting for him.”

Su Chen turned, his gaze sweeping over them all. “But he cannot let his vengeance go unfulfilled. So he chose another target.”

“His target is the Demon Alliance,” Bai Ze replied, his tone heavy. “He attacked Hong Haier not to kill a child. Niu Wang is one of the Six Great Saints of the Demon Alliance. If Niu Wang’s beloved son vanishes, he will not sit idle—and if Niu Wang falls too, you will be forced to act.”

Su Chen nodded: “Kunpeng is aiming to strike the Demon Alliance, forcing me to leave Huaguo Mountain and go after him myself.”

“That old devil is truly treacherous,” Tian Peng hissed, drawing in a sharp breath. “This is an open strategy—you ignore it and the Demon Alliance fractures; you act and you walk straight into his trap.”

“Precisely,” Chang Xi added coldly. “He’s turning our advantage into his.”

Su Chen took a deep breath, suppressing the churning fury and icy killing intent.

Now was not the time to panic. Kunpeng had placed his pieces in the shadows—they must not follow his rhythm.

“Luan Erjie,” Su Chen said, his voice steady again.

“Yes!” Luan Erjie straightened her spine instantly.

“Immediately use the Demon Alliance’s emergency transmission channels to notify all high-ranking members outside—Niu Wang, Jiao Wang, Shituo Wang, and all regional Demon Generals and Kings,” Su Chen’s tone was calm, his orders precise. “First, except for Niu Wang, everyone must immediately halt all current tasks and rush toward Huaguo Mountain at maximum speed. Maintain contact en route—no one is to act alone.”

“Second, inform them that Hong Haier’s disappearance is very likely a trap set by Kunpeng targeting the Demon Alliance. Any emergency message claiming a fellow Demon Alliance member is in distress, or involving a comrade’s family, must be verified thrice—do not act rashly.”

“Third,” Su Chen paused, his gaze sharpening, “tell Niu Wang to hold firm. Tell him I will recover Hong Haier for him. But if he charges off alone to die, he plays right into Kunpeng’s trap and ensures Hong Haier’s sacrifice is in vain. He must immediately consolidate his forces, fortify Cuiping Mountain, and wait for our instructions.”

Luan Erjie nodded firmly, spun on her heel, and dashed back into the Water Curtain Cave. Her hands moved like butterflies through flowers, weaving a flurry of talismanic seals as she infused spiritual power into several specially crafted transmission jade tokens.

The jade tokens shot off as streaks of light in different directions.

After arranging all this, Su Chen turned to Chang Xi and Bai Ze.

“My Lady, Elder Bai Ze,” Su Chen bowed. “Our battlefield with Kunpeng may now shift from Huaguo Mountain to Western Niuhe Continent.”

Bai Ze stroked his beard, his eyes deep. “Western Niuhe Continent lies within the Buddhist sect’s territory. For Kunpeng to strike there, he must have absolute confidence in victory. I suspect he has already made a pact with some faction.”

Chang Xi said coldly: “Regardless of the circumstances, I believe this is the best chance to kill him—we cannot let it slip.”

“My Lady is right,” Su Chen nodded. “I believe Kunpeng, though he didn’t come directly to Huaguo Mountain, never anticipated that we three would unite against him. That is our advantage—if we strike together, no matter his tricks, the worst outcome is merely his escape.”

“Indeed,” Bai Ze nodded. “The three of us together—unless a Saint intervenes—we can always retreat safely.”