Chapter 296: Damn it, damn it, truly damn it! (6k)

Yan Sen looked down at the two of them in their disheveled state and sneered.

“That’s right—he left a seal in your mind-seas to prevent outsiders from soul-searching you, but never erased your memories.”

He stroked his chin, his tone laced with mockery and confusion.

“She’s just too soft-hearted, can’t bring herself to be cruel. I truly don’t understand how someone like her broke through to the late Stage of Severing Spirit so quickly.”

“We were at the same cultivation level before.”

Then he snapped his fingers lightly; the invisible restraints binding Zhou Qing vanished instantly.

Zhou Qing’s knees buckled, nearly collapsing from exhaustion.

Ignoring his churning blood qi, he staggered to Lu Yaoyao’s side, confirmed she was unharmed, then exhaled softly in relief.

Slowly, he turned his head toward Yan Sen, his bloodshot eyes flickering with suppressed rage.

“Speak. How did you get in? And don’t even think of playing tricks—my patience is limited.”

Yan Sen’s triangular eyes flashed with malice: “Or I’ll make you understand what it means to beg for death but be denied it.”

Zhou Qing forcibly suppressed the surging killing intent, his Adam’s apple struggling to move.

But right now, he was powerless—the gap was too vast; any resistance would be futile.

Yet—

He recalled the wounded, late-stage Severing Spirit Azure Fire Tortoise that had nearly killed Shen Hanyi in the Peng’s Forbidden Zone.

And this was merely the outer perimeter; according to No.6, there were certainly beings of Emperor-level within.

A bold plan quietly took shape in his mind: to break the deadlock, he must bide his time and step into the trap himself.

“After the six-colored array activated, wasn’t there a translucent old man’s shadow in the lower-right corner?”

Zhou Qing spoke, his voice low but steady.

Yan Sen’s eyes lit up instantly; his body beneath the black robe leaned forward eagerly: “Exactly!”

“That old man was an ancient Peng King who perished long ago in our Eastern Region.”

Zhou Qing paused, then continued: “He once entered it and left special methods embedded within. I inherited his legacy.”

“That’s why Senior Shen was willing to bring us along.”

Yan Sen frowned, then suddenly understood: “Resonance, perception, deception?”

Zhou Qing nodded: “Correct.”

“So that’s it! Why didn’t you say so sooner? Show me!” Yan Sen urged impatiently.

Zhou Qing turned to Lu Yaoyao; her pale face was filled with worry, and she shook her head slightly.

He gave her a reassuring smile, signaling her to calm down.

Then golden light erupted around him, violently manifesting into a colossal Golden Winged Peng that blotted out the sky.

Yan Sen’s eyes gleamed with greed, his desire unhidden: “It has form and presence—what’s this technique called?”

Zhou Qing reverted to human form, his robes snapping in the wind: “Imperial Radiance Scripture.”

“Imperial Radiance Scripture? Excellent name—this is truly your fortune!” Yan Sen beamed, stepping forward to affectionately brush the dust off Zhou Qing’s clothes.

“Look at you—such a simple matter, why make such a fuss? It hurts our bond!”

【Heart Mirror Point +6】

The next instant, the word 【ANT】 above Yan Sen’s head instantly changed to 【DEAD MAN】.

Zhou Qing’s expression remained calm, but his eyes held hidden blades.

This was exactly what he expected.

The Imperial Radiance Scripture originated from the ancient bloodline of the Golden Winged Peng; even half-pure-blooded Peng Kings endured countless tribulations to awaken this technique.

How could such a power not ignite Yan Sen’s killing intent?

Had it not been for Second Uncle’s intervention, Xuan Yuan Shuo would have struck him long ago.

“Come on, let’s go—no time to waste!”

Yan Sen waved his arm impatiently; a black rift tore open in the air, and a ship etched with strange talismans slowly emerged.

Before Zhou Qing and Lu Yaoyao could react, an invisible force seized them and hurled them violently into the vessel.

In an instant, the ship shot across the sky like an arrow, leaving only a fleeting black trail.

…

The next day, Shen Yunzhou stepped out contentedly from the sect’s depths, his body wreathed in thick decay Deqixi , a satisfied smile still on his face.

“That was amazing, Brother Zhou—I’ve gained profound insight. Mind if I close off here for a while…?”

His voice cut off abruptly—he realized the surroundings were eerily silent; Zhou Qing and Lu Yaoyao were nowhere to be seen.

“Gone back?” Shen Yunzhou scratched his head, puzzled.

That didn’t make sense—they’d agreed to wait for him.

Even if they had to leave, they’d leave some message.

At that moment, the black-gold Shit Pusher leapt from his chest, stretched its front paws upward to sense, then scurried swiftly in one direction.

Shen Yunzhou frowned and followed.

Soon, he spotted two pools of blood near the sect gate; the Shit Pusher circled them, pointing at them with its head.

Shen Yunzhou frowned and immediately crouched down, sniffing the blood.

“Fresh—no more than a day old!”

He muttered to himself, then looked up, scanning the area; his face darkened instantly.

The ground bore a layer of pulverized blue stone; nearby boulders were cracked with spiderweb-like fissures, horrifyingly clear.

There were also chaotic footprints on the ground.

This sect, like the others before it, showed no outward signs of being destroyed.

Even inside, nearly all structures remained intact—how could there be battle traces here?

“Could Jin Leizong have returned? Did Zhou Brother and Little Lu fall victim to an ambush?”

Thinking of this, Shen Yunzhou clenched his fists; his aura turned icy, a ruthless glint flashing in his eyes.

Without hesitation, he bit his finger and dripped a drop of his blood onto one of the pools.

Then his hands moved rapidly to form seals.

When he established his Foundation, his elder sister had secured for him a strand of the Fourteenth-ranked Heavenly Dao Qi—Ask the Ancients!

And when he condensed his Nascent Soul, the enhancement granted to him was called 【Blood Reflection】.

【Blood Reflection】 could reconstruct the scenes surrounding any residual traces left by others.

Previously, to comprehend his insight, he’d frequently used the saliva, blood, or even feces of ancient Beast Kings and Emperors to trace their paths.

But there was a time limit—after roughly five days, the traces could no longer be manifested.

Now, as his hand seals grew faster and faster, dense crimson runes suddenly surfaced on the ground.

The runes twisted and writhed, absorbing all lingering qi around them.

Soon, a hazy projection emerged above the blood pool, gradually growing clearer.

He soon saw a familiar figure, gripping Lu Yaoyao’s throat tightly, smirking at Zhou Qing, frozen in place before him, unable to move.

“Yan Sen—”

Shen Yunzhou’s eyes instantly filled with bloodshot veins as he roared.

He never imagined Yan Sen had silently come, and had treated his two closest friends with such brutality.

“It’s the Peng Palace where the transformed divine herb my sister brought back is located!”

Though the vision had no sound, Shen Yunzhou immediately deduced the key.

After all, when they’d discussed “Smiling Tiger,” Lu Yaoyao had told him in detail what had happened that day.

Clearly, Yan Sen had returned to re-enter the ruins.

Indeed, in the final frame, Yan Sen dragged them onto the ship, which vanished instantly.

“Damn it, damn it, damn it all!”

Shen Yunzhou clenched his fists, spiritual power surging; he kicked a nearby stone pillar with all his strength—the pillar shattered, shards flying everywhere.

At this moment, regret and fury filled his heart—he had dragged them into this because of his own affairs.

But right now, he had no idea where that island was.

“Lu Yaoyao said it was near the border—yes, the border. Zhou Qing and I went there before.”

At this moment, Shen Yunzhou didn’t care about anything—he immediately pulled out his ship and chased after the direction Yan Sen had vanished.

“If you harm my friends even slightly, I, Shen Yunzhou, will sacrifice my life to make you pay in blood—you’ll die a wretched death!”

Shen Yunzhou gritted his teeth, his voice thick with resolve and killing intent.

…

On the ship, Zhou Qing slowly withdrew his hand from Lu Yaoyao’s back, his spiritual power retracting like threads into her meridians.

Then he asked softly: “How do you feel?”

Lu Yaoyao’s face was still pale, but thanks to the Ice Purity Scripture flowing through her and the spiritual power Zhou Qing had infused earlier, her breath had steadied.

She nodded slightly, glancing at Yan Sen, who sat cross-legged on the deck, and whispered silently.

“Brother Zhou, the next opening of that secret realm isn’t for another thousand years—if they find they can’t enter once we arrive, won’t they kill us on the spot in rage?”

Zhou Qing followed her gaze, staring at Yan Sen’s back, his eyes brimming with killing intent.

But back then, the situation was desperate—you were nearly crushed to death. What could I do?

And if he’d kept insisting he didn’t know, Yan Sen, a man of such vile character, would have torn open space and dragged us straight back to Taiqingmen.

At that point, the entire sect would have been drenched in blood, forced to submit under threat.

At that time, the damage would have been even greater.

So he could only take the gamble!

Once they were far from the sect and reached that island, they’d rely on the [Dual Eyes] and [Daily Insight] to test their luck.

After all, Yan Sen had already sentenced them to death—whether it was about the secret of the six-color array or the [Emperor’s Radiance Scripture], he would never let them return alive.

If that’s the case, better to risk everything.

“Stay close to me!” Zhou Qing said, his expression icy.

Lu Yaoyao looked at his determined profile and nodded firmly, a flash of resolve in her eyes.

She didn’t want to ask too many questions about her father’s plan; since she’d grown up, such life-or-death crises had haunted her constantly, and she was long accustomed to surviving in darkness.

Now she only hoped not to slow them down—she needed to recover as quickly as possible.

Zhou Qing, meanwhile, watched silently, continuously pondering his next move.

On the border, Xuan Yuan Shuo, the Dragon Emperor, Qing Luo Beast, and Wei Lun Demon had been potential allies, but now they had no chance of contact.

Besides, given those bastards’ temperaments, who would want to wade into this mess?

Don’t forget, Yan Sen mentioned an “Eighth Uncle” waiting.

An uncle who had reached the mid-stage of the Severing Spirit realm must have unfathomable power.

This was indeed troublesome.

It seems this journey is truly nine deaths and one life!

Zhou Qing’s brow furrowed deeper.

…

Yan Sen’s airship was wrapped entirely in dark runes, moving at astonishing speed—even capable of briefly tearing through space.

Each time its energy filled, it would vanish into spatial rifts.

A journey that normally required three months via relay arrays was now covered in just over ten days.

Zhou Qing gazed down at the black Great Wall winding like a colossal serpent below, silently hoping Xuan Yuan Shuo would appear here.

But the airship passed the defense line without obstruction, plunging straight into demon territory—his last hope shattered.

Fortunately, Lu Yaoyao had nearly recovered and quietly pulled out a sketchbook, frowning as she studied it.

It depicted a weathered middle-aged man holding a broken sword, endlessly battling various Demon Emperors.

In one corner, a trembling little girl was curled up.

She tried to trace memories for traces capable of challenging a Severing Spirit cultivator—but found nothing.

Perhaps her arrival had unknowingly altered many predetermined paths.

Her father had agreed to that smiling tiger solely because of her.

But what if she hadn’t been there? Would things have taken a different course?

Thinking of this, she looked again at the figure with furrowed brows, filled with guilt.

As if sensing Lu Yaoyao’s gaze, Zhou Qing turned slightly and offered a faint smile.

“Don’t worry—I’m here,” Zhou Qing whispered telepathically.

Lu Yaoyao’s eyes welled up; she nodded firmly.

“If this is truly a death sentence, don’t you dare leave me behind again!”

Lu Yaoyao whispered to herself; her fear and unease gradually faded, replaced by calm.

[Today’s post is refreshing…]

[New post saved to the Odd Post Archive—please check promptly.]

Just as Zhou Qing was deep in thought, a familiar voice suddenly echoed in his mind.

After a brief stunned pause, his face lit up with wild joy.

Random post, random post—you’re really random.

Without hesitation, Zhou Qing’s spiritual sense darted toward the Odd Post Archive.

Soon, a dull yellow post rested quietly within.

[Curse Post: Can be implanted into another’s body. The target will suffer a bloody disaster—ranging from severe injury or disability to instant death. Duration: three days!]

[Note: This post’s power is ten times that of the Bad Luck Post. Use with extreme caution! The Dao has cycles—the caster has a certain probability of bearing corresponding karmic consequences.]

Seeing the newly refreshed post, Zhou Qing reread its description and nearly wept with joy.

He was already near death—what did it matter if he bore the karmic cost?

Curse Post, ten times stronger than Bad Luck Post—damn it, if he didn’t use this on Yan Sen, he’d be insulting the post itself.

I’m going to make you taste the flavor of a bloody disaster.

Once they entered the Peng Palace, they’d be forcibly expelled after five days.

Three days is enough!

“We’re here!” Yan Sen slowly turned, a sinister glint flashing in his triangular eyes.

Zhou Qing and Lu Yaoyao had barely risen when the airship dissolved into black mist.

An invisible force seized them, dragging them plummeting downward.

When their feet touched the ground, a bone-chilling cold spread from their soles.

They now stood beneath six towering colored pillars; blinding light revealed countless runes writhing like serpents.

Before the pillars stood an old man in a greatcloak, his back turned; half his face was grayish, covered in spiderweb-like patterns.

His withered fingers tapped the array continuously, producing crisp metallic chimes.

Yan Weiyi whirled around, his cloudy gaze sweeping over Zhou Qing and Lu Yaoyao. “A Soul Transformation cultivator? A Nascent Soul cultivator? Is this who you claim can break the seal?”

He slammed his calloused palm onto the array, shaking the air with a resonant hum. “Can their cultivation levels match? Can their array skills match? This is nonsense!”

Yan Sen calmly clapped his hands and smiled. “Eighth Uncle, each has his specialty. Sometimes, four taels can shift a thousand catties.”

Yan Weiyi waved his hand irritably, his withered face twitching. “Let them try.”

Yan Sen looked at Zhou Qing with a half-smile.

Zhou Qing suddenly straightened his spine and spoke clearly: “I cannot open it.”

“Boom!”

A terrifying pressure crashed down like a tidal wave; Zhou Qing felt a thousand mountains crushing his head, his knees cracking as he knelt.

The bone in his right leg shattered under the pressure—but a faint golden glow flickered, and it healed instantly.

Lu Yaoyao cried out and lunged forward, only to be thrown back by an invisible force wall.

“Are you mocking me?” Yan Sen stepped forward slowly; the air cracked under his weight, the ground fracturing in his wake.

“I cannot break this array—but I can enter it!” Zhou Qing bit down hard on his molars, blood trickling from his lips.

The pressure vanished instantly; Yan Sen’s brow knotted tightly. “What do you mean?”

Even Yan Weiyi paused his actions, his cloudy eyes shifting slightly.

Lu Yaoyao rushed to Zhou Qing’s side and helped him up, her eyes brimming with worry.

Zhou Qing gasped for breath, feeling as if every bone in his body had shattered.

Fortunately, the [Subduing Golden Bones] scripture was continuously aiding his recovery.

Then he looked at the six-color array and said: “According to Elder Shen’s records, this array opens once every thousand years. Since it was last activated, the next opening won’t occur for another millennium.”

“But if there’s a way to alter its preset time runes and reset it to its original state, I can get you inside!”

Hearing this, Yan Weiyi turned again to study the six-color array.

His withered fingers idly brushed the edge of his greatcloak.

After a long silence, he rasped: “This child speaks truth. In my studies these days, I’ve noticed the same clues.”

Yan Sen spun around, his triangular eyes blazing with fury. “Why didn’t you say this sooner!”

Zhou Qing stood tall, his neck tendons twitching under residual pressure, yet his expression remained calm. “I live one day at a time. Even if you kill us both now, you still can’t enter.”

He glanced at the flowing runes on the array and sneered.

“Besides, I haven’t lied. If you can deceive this array, I truly can get you inside. Otherwise, tell me—who else can break a six-color array?”

Yan Sen was about to explode, but Yan Weiyi raised a hand to stop him.

A faint smile curled his lips. “Sen’er, I have a way to shorten the time runes—but I’ll need your help.”

“Eighth Uncle, you’re serious!” Yan Sen’s eyes lit up instantly; he stepped forward eagerly.

Yan Weiyi nodded. “While you were away, I’ve uncovered some insights.”

“Even a legendary sixth-rank array master might not open this array.”

“But merely altering certain elements—though difficult—isn’t impossible. As long as he’s not lying and can truly get us inside, that’s enough.”

Yan Sen rubbed his hands excitedly, his gaze fixed on the old man’s shadow in the lower-right corner of the array. “He can do it.”

His voice turned icy, a lethal intent surging forth. “But if he dares to trick me, I’ll make them endure the cruelest tortures this world has to offer!”

With a flick of his black robe, Yan Sen summoned a shimmering binding barrier that engulfed Zhou Qing and Lu Yaoyao, intricate runes coiling around them like chains.

“Stay put!”

Then, under Yan Weiyi’s guidance, countless spirit seals spilled from their bodies, beginning the array’s unraveling.

“Twelve thousand spirit seals! Thirty thousand spirit seals!”

Watching the spirit seals hovering around them, Zhou Qing glanced at Yan Weiyi in surprise.

This guy’s array mastery is astonishing!

“Are you alright?” Lu Yaoyao asked anxiously.

Zhou Qing shook his head. “I’m fine. I was worried they couldn’t get in—but now, we might have a chance to escape.”

Lu Yaoyao’s eyes instantly brightened, as if she had guessed something: “Drive the tiger to swallow the wolf?”

Zhou Qing nodded approvingly and quickly said: “Control your expression—don’t let them notice anything odd.”

Lu Yaoyao immediately adopted a deathly pale, despairing expression, slumping to the ground in defeat, her shoulders shaking violently as sobs came in broken gasps.

Zhou Qing: “...”

“Another two weak human beings? Why does that woman look so familiar?”

A few drops of water on the leaves nearby slipped quietly away, then bounced swiftly into the ocean.

The Emperor’s Bell-Lute Beast, upon seeing the scene, frowned in thought.

Soon, its eyes lit up.

“Isn’t this the little girl from under Peng Huang Feng Xuanling’s claws? She didn’t die?”

“Then again, I originally planned to invite Peng Huang to visit the Spider Emperor—I feared he’d steal from my place.”

“But then that veiled human female cultivator appeared, and her power was terrifying—I barely escaped.”

“Perhaps because they’re both human, that woman survived.”

The Bell-Lute Beast muttered to itself, then shook its body, and several more inconspicuous droplets slowly seeped away.

Thus, half a month passed, and Yan Sen and Yan Weiyi’s hand seals grew faster and faster.

Then, in the next instant, the six-colored pillars of light shuddered violently, and from the center of the formation came a grating, metallic screech.

The runes that had flowed across the formation’s surface suddenly flickered wildly, then twisted furiously.

Both men’s faces broke into delighted smiles—but suddenly, a thick, serpent-like stream of chaotic energy, Guoxie ing countless runes, erupted forth.

Just as it had once backlashed against Shen Hanyi.

But this time, its speed was beyond ordinary—they had no time to react before being blasted away.

Puff—

Blood arced through the air in a crimson line; Yan Sen crashed hard against the stone wall, shaking loose a cascade of falling rocks.

Yan Weiyi smashed through dozens of giant trees before finally gasping to a stop.

“Perfect opportunity!”

Zhou Qing’s eyes lit up; he immediately, amid the swirling dust, thrust the newly acquired [Curse Scroll] into the pile of rubble...

(End of Chapter)