Chapter 575: Snatching Treasures, Meeting Old Acquaintances Again (Combined Chapter)

Seeing this, Song Qingming tried another secret chamber next to it. The result was the same; he was bounced back by the restriction on the spot. The counterattack encountered this time was even more fierce, almost shaking him onto the wall opposite.

"It seems these secret chambers are the same as where I came out; they can only be opened actively from the inside. People outside have no way to get in."

Knowing that the restrictions at the entrance of these secret chambers were somewhat powerful, Song Qingming did not go to try to study them again and continued to walk forward along the endless passage.

After walking a distance of about a hundred zhang, Song Qingming suddenly heard a burst of fighting sounds coming from ahead. He immediately tensed his nerves, released the "Phantom Boat," and then released the breath-restraining technique to hide his figure on the spot.

After waiting for half an incense stick of time, the fighting sounds ahead still didn't stop at all. Song Qingming thought for a moment and finally couldn't help but release a few small silver-white insects from a small spiritual beast bag on his body.

After these few silver insects came outside, they immediately became somewhat excited and spread their wings to fly into the sky.

Seeing this, Song Qingming hurriedly pinched the magic seal and cast a spell to control them, letting these few spiritual insects take the initiative to fly toward the position where the fighting was happening ahead.

These few silver insects were precisely the "Golden Illusion Butterflies" that Song Qingming had obtained from someone else back then.

After decades of careful cultivation, the Song family had already cultivated quite a few "Golden Illusion Butterfly" larvae, a small portion of which had already advanced to the adult stage and could release more powerful divine abilities and spells.

One of the red-faced, long-haired men had the highest cultivation, already at the eighth layer of Jin Dan. The art on this person was very strange, and he was also a demonic cultivator. The other two were a late-stage Jin Dan Demon King and a sixth-layer Jin Dan Star Sect cultivator.

After a few "Golden Illusion Butterflies" circled around in the sky from afar, Song Qingming, who was still in the distance, also roughly knew that there were three cultivators fighting in the hall.

"Kid, daring to snatch things under our noses!" Just after the black crow obtained the treasure, it was immediately discovered by that big Demon King. Soon, a light blade with incomparable power slashed toward his side.

The black crow took advantage of the other two not paying attention and quietly bypassed from the side, approaching the small wooden box.

Although that black dragon looked very fierce in momentum, it only persisted for a moment before being directly pierced through the dragon head by the small blue sword, then dissipated in the sky and transformed back into a banner, returning to the red-faced man's hand.

Song Qingming, who was controlling the "Golden Illusion Butterflies," although he had no way to share vision with these spiritual insects, could still judge the approximate situation of the cultivators appearing ahead by sensing the aura on the cultivators at close range through the "Golden Illusion Butterflies."

Seeing that the black crow was about to fly out of the hall, the Star Sect cultivator took out a yellow spiritual talisman and cast a spell to release a small blue sword, heading straight for the black crow.

The small blue sword was now continuing to rush toward the black crow, which hadn't completely avoided it yet. Fortunately, the black dragon released by the red-faced man just now helped him win a little time to dodge and had also consumed most of the power of this spiritual talisman.

"Careful!"

Seeing this, the black crow was about to retreat to avoid this attack when the red-faced man had already taken the initiative to release a streak of blood-colored light, blocking the light blade that was about to reach him.

The few "Golden Illusion Butterflies" controlled by Song Qingming were spiritual insects that had already advanced to the adult stage. Besides having powerful illusion divine abilities, they could also hide their figures while flying, making them an excellent sharp tool for tracking and scouting.

"Hmph! Want to leave? It's not that easy. Give me your life!"

Seeing that this black crow was so lucky, actually surviving under his third-tier top-quality spiritual talisman, the Star Sect cultivator and the big Demon King beside him also revealed looks of surprise one after another and flew forward, wanting to continue chasing the other party.

The other two saw that this black crow and the red-faced man were in the same group, and they were also somewhat anxious, rushing up to try to intercept the black crow that was taking the treasure.

Just when the few were in a stalemate, the black crow that had just flown past Song Qingming's side secretly broke into the hall again.

In the hall ahead, three Jin Dan cultivators who had already passed the trial were struggling to snatch a small wooden box floating in mid-air in the hall, wrapped in bursts of spiritual light.

After the black dragon bit the blue flying sword, a strong white light immediately lit up in mid-air, and the aftermath of the collision between the two items also forced the few people fighting in mid-air back a few steps.

"Yucheng, hurry and take the treasure. Remember, you must safely bring this thing out. Otherwise, don't come to see your master again."

Just when Song Qingming was still hesitating whether to get closer to see the situation, he suddenly heard a rustling sound from the direction he came from. Immediately following this, a black crow flew rapidly from afar, directly crossing over Song Qingming's head to head toward the hall direction ahead.

At this time, the black crow had already exerted force to release a few defensive shields in front of him and also used a jade plate defensive magic treasure, only then finally intercepting the aftermath of the small blue sword and narrowly picking up his life.

Although he picked up his life without danger, the black crow was not having a good time now. Not only was he shaken and injured in his meridians by the spiritual talisman's attack, but even the defensive magic treasure he had just used also immediately snapped and transformed into several incomplete fragments after this, looking like it couldn't be used anymore.

After resolving the crisis, the black crow didn't care about these, immediately grabbed the small wooden box, passed through the hall entrance, and escaped into the passage he came from.

After the red-faced man intercepted the two opponents in front of him, he also quickly transmitted a secret sound to the black crow behind him, letting him bring this treasure out first.

Although in a one-on-one fight, the red-faced man could easily defeat either one of them, under the joint effort of the two, the red-faced man was also difficult to get close to the small wooden box for a while.

The first to pass the trial and enter the hall was that late-stage Jin Dan big Demon King. After arriving here and seeing the small wooden box in mid-air, just when he had just broken most of the restrictions and wanted to take the treasure, the Star Sect cultivator happened to arrive here, and the two immediately had a fight here.

Those who could enter the ninth layer were basically strong Jin Dan experts at the mid-stage or above. In front of these people, Song Qingming's strength now was indeed somewhat insufficient. If he were discovered by the other party, it would be difficult to escape.

Among them, two were relatively strong, with cultivation levels already reaching the late Jin Dan stage. The cultivation of the other person was lower, probably at the mid-Jin Dan stage. From the actions of the few, it seemed they were snatching something there.

This blue flying sword was transformed from a very precious third-tier top-quality spiritual talisman. Ordinary early-stage Jin Dan cultivators would definitely be difficult to handle when facing this kind of attack. When seeing the blue flying sword attacking with great momentum, the black crow also revealed a few looks of panic.

"It actually turned out to be the demonic path's body-transformation art!"

Seeing the powerful pressure transmitted from the small blue sword, the red-faced man also frowned and couldn't help but shout. The black banner in his hand also immediately transformed into a black giant dragon, rushing forward to try to intercept the small sword.

After passing by this black crow at close range, Song Qingming immediately sensed that this crow was transformed by a Jin Dan demonic cultivator, and this demon's cultivation was not very high, at most only at the second layer of Jin Dan.

After these few "Golden Illusion Butterflies" that had already turned invisible flew to the end of the passage, they soon plunged into a relatively tall hall.

Seeing that this magic treasure of his had been destroyed, the red-faced man also couldn't care about the heartache now and hurriedly looked at the black crow who was still in danger.

After the two fought for a moment, the more powerful demonic cultivator broke in again. In the midst of a chaotic battle, seeing that the red-faced man had higher cultivation and was about to snatch this treasure, the big Demon King and the Star Sect cultivator immediately joined forces tacitly to deal with that red-faced man.

Thinking of this, Song Qingming carefully withdrew the few "Golden Illusion Butterflies" in the hall and then walked back along the original path quickly.

You must know that Song Qingming had only managed to arrive here with great difficulty by following Huo Feng, a Nascent Soul cultivator. The other party appearing here was very likely also the same as him, having entered by following those powerful Nascent Soul demonic cultivators.

"Seeing this Jin Dan demonic cultivator in such a hurry, there must be more than one demonic cultivator ahead. I'd better not go over and meddle!"

Seeing a Jin Dan demonic cultivator actually appear here, Song Qingming was also slightly startled in his heart. He didn't expect that this demonic cultivator's cultivation was not high, yet he not only mixed into the Heaven-Reaching Tower but could also enter this ninth-layer "Heaven-Reaching Pavilion" like himself.

However, the red-faced man in front was really somewhat difficult to deal with. Even if the two used their full strength, they still couldn't rush past the red-faced man's obstruction and could only watch helplessly as he quickly broke the restrictions, picked up the wooden box in one bite, and then flew toward the entrance.

For Song Qingming now, being able to obtain a Nascent Soul cultivator's cultivation memory through the trial this time was already considered a fruitful harvest, not a wasted trip. There was no need to continue taking the risk of death to go ahead and snatch spiritual objects from those Jin Dan experts.

After seeing the black crow's figure, the red-faced man was overjoyed and immediately secretly transmitted a secret sound to him. Subsequently, blood-colored light flourished on the red-faced man, and he used another powerful divine ability to firmly attract the attention of the two opponents in front of him.

However, the red-faced man blocking in front of them wouldn't let the two of them get their wish. Even though he had lost a magic treasure to help the black crow escape just now, the red-faced man's strength hadn't been affected much. Blocking at the hall entrance, he still easily intercepted the two who wanted to rush out.

After the black crow grabbed the small wooden box and flew out of the hall, he returned along the original path and rushed rapidly toward the end of the passage. When he came just now, he already knew that there was a teleportation formation over there that could directly leave this place.

As long as he arrived there and took the teleportation formation to run out, basically he would have safely completed the task his master had given him.

Just when the black crow's tense nerves had just relaxed a bit, an unexpected change occurred at his side. Five streaks of golden light attacked from a secret chamber that had been opened on his right side, immediately shining under the black crow's feet, and soon knocked down the small wooden box he had been holding.

A figure wearing a bronze mask suddenly darted out, reached out to catch the small wooden box that had fallen from his feet. Subsequently, he immediately took out a white flying boat and rushed rapidly toward the teleportation formation at the front of the passage.

This green figure was precisely Song Qingming, who had been hiding in a secret chamber to the side and ambushing for quite a while.

After deciding not to meddle in the hall's affairs, Song Qingming left a "Golden Illusion Butterfly" at the passage entrance to watch the movements of those people, while he himself went to the other end of the passage to find an exit.

Just when he had just found that formation and wanted to try to see if it was the exit to go out, the "Golden Illusion Butterfly" in the passage sensed that someone was coming toward this side rapidly again.

For the sake of safety, Song Qingming still didn't choose to rashly take the teleportation formation directly and ran back to the secret chamber he had just gone out of to hide his figure, wanting to see the situation first before talking.

When seeing that black crow flying over holding a wooden box with spiritual light scattered everywhere, Song Qingming hesitated slightly for a moment, but still couldn't help but directly make a move to snatch the wooden box in his hand and ran directly toward the teleportation formation in the passage ahead.

If one were to talk about going to snatch spiritual objects in front of those late-stage Jin Dan experts, Song Qingming indeed didn't have such great courage. However, facing a second-layer Jin Dan demonic cultivator who was dangling treasures in front of his eyes, this indeed made him somewhat unable to endure, so it could only be considered that this guy was unlucky.

After Song Qingming put away the "Five-Colored Divine Light Mirror" that was still in mid-air, he looked behind him and discovered that the black crow hadn't caught up yet, so he hurriedly accelerated the speed of the "Phantom Boat" under his feet.

The black crow was thrown into a panic by this sudden attack and thought he had encountered a powerful opponent's sneak attack, retreating more than ten zhang in a row before stabilizing his figure.

After he reacted and saw that the person who snatched the wooden box from his hand was only a Jin Dan early-stage cultivator with cultivation similar to his, he immediately shouted angrily and then chased after him rapidly.

"Who is it? Leave the thing behind!"

Hearing the shouting coming from behind, for some reason, Song Qingming always felt it sounded somewhat familiar, but for a moment he couldn't remember where he had heard it before.

Now that Song Qingming had snatched someone else's things, he was also afraid that others would chase after him later, so he didn't want to entangle with the other party too much here. In his heart, he only wanted to escape from here rapidly and didn't have any time to think about these questions that weren't very important to him now.

Seeing that the other party had already opened up a distance from him, the black crow endured the injuries on his body and directly swallowed a blood-red elixir. Instantly, the magic power on his body surged a bit, and his flying escape speed also accelerated quite a bit, only then rapidly closing the distance with Song Qingming.

Song Qingming, standing on the "Phantom Boat," saw the black crow chasing from behind, and its escape speed was not inferior to his at all. A look of surprise also appeared slightly on his face.

It seems the other party should also be carrying some secret arts; otherwise, under normal circumstances, a person with only second-layer Jin Dan cultivation would be impossible to catch up with Song Qingming, who was fully driving the "Phantom Boat."

The two flew to the end of the passage one after another soon. Just when Song Qingming was about to enter a white ring of light that looked like a teleportation formation ahead, the black crow behind him suddenly spat out a sharp arrow formed by black feathers, shooting rapidly and fiercely toward Song Qingming, who was still rushing with all his might.

"Damn it!"

After sensing the danger attacking from behind, Song Qingming immediately stopped his figure, cast a spell to overlap the "Five-Elements Divine Light Mirror" in front of him, and fully received this attack from the other party.

Just one step away, Song Qingming could have entered the teleportation formation to escape from here. It was a pity that the other party's methods were not ordinary, and a sharp attack still interrupted Song Qingming's plan to escape directly with the help of the teleportation formation.

"Fellow daoist! My master will be here soon. If you want to run like this, you definitely won't be able to run away. Better obediently hand over our things. I can spare your life and let you leave now, how about that!"

The black crow, who had already chased over, looked at Song Qingming, who had covered his face, and directly transformed into a black-robed man on the spot, revealing his original appearance.

"How is it possible? It actually turned out to be him!"

Seeing the face of the black-robed demonic cultivator that was eight or nine parts familiar to him, Song Qingming's expression changed, and he almost couldn't help but shout out directly.

Although nearly a hundred years had passed, Song Qingming still recognized at a glance that the black-robed demonic cultivator in front of him was precisely Du Yucheng, whom he had met several times back then.

After the incident at Black Stone Valley back then, Song Qingming had once gone to investigate this matter with people from the Xiaoyao Sect. Several Xiaoyao Sect Qi Refining disciples, including his third brother Song Qingze, all died there. Only Du Yucheng's body was not found.

At that time, the people from the Xiaoyao Sect's Law Enforcement Hall all thought this guy had long since fallen into the hands of demonic cultivators. Unexpectedly, he not only didn't die but directly fell into the demonic path and succeeded in forming a Jin Dan.

Seeing this face that made him very surprised, Song Qingming also felt a thousand emotions in his heart for a time. Who could have thought that Du Yucheng, who had ordinary aptitude and always had an honest appearance back then, could become a terrifying Jin Dan demonic cultivator.

Seeing the other party staring at him with eyes fixed, and not having any reaction for a long time, Du Yucheng thought Song Qingming should have been bluffed by the words he just said. With a somewhat vicious expression, he continued to speak toward Song Qingming:

"Fellow daoist being able to come here through the trial just now is already a very difficult thing. There's no need to lose your life for one thing, right? I advise you to obediently listen, otherwise, if we start fighting in a moment, even if you want to leave, I'm afraid you won't be able to."

"I think you should also know that I am a person of the demonic path. My master's methods for dealing with people are not something ordinary people can bear. If you don't want to be imprisoned in soul and spirit, and never be able to transcend for a lifetime, listen to my advice and don't challenge my patience again!"

"Your face reminds me of an old acquaintance of many years. Fellow daoist, could it be that your surname is Du?"

"Who are you? Why do you know me?" Hearing Song Qingming call out his surname in one breath, Du Yucheng was also stunned for a moment, and his brain began to quickly recall the somewhat familiar voice in front of him.

"A hundred years have passed since we parted. I really didn't expect Fellow Daoist Du to have fallen into the demonic path."

Ever since he was forced to switch to demonic arts under Xiao Huang's threat back then, Du Yucheng had almost never revealed his identity in front of people he was familiar with.

Not long after Xiao Huang died, Du Yucheng turned around and worshipped under the Nascent Soul demonic sect, the Blood Spirit Sect, becoming a disciple of Ma Wuchen, the fourth disciple of the Blood Demon Ancestor. Since then, he left the Wei Kingdom and never went back again.

Logically speaking, Du Yucheng was only an unfavored Qi Refining disciple in the Xiaoyao Sect back then. It was impossible for any Jin Dan cultivator to notice such an inconspicuous Qi Refining cultivator, let alone remember his name and recognize him at a glance.

Staring closely at the person wearing the bronze mask in front of him, a face that had already become somewhat blurred suddenly flashed in Du Yucheng's mind, making a look of disbelief slowly appear on his face.

"Hearing fellow daoist's voice so familiar, it must be someone I once knew. Could it be that you are Fellow Daoist Song from Funiu Mountain!"

Seeing Du Yucheng break through his identity so quickly through the two sentences just now, Song Qingming was also slightly surprised in his heart. He had only revealed a little flaw, but he didn't expect this guy to see the clues.

Seeing this, Song Qingming didn't want to hide his identity anymore and took the initiative to take off the bronze mask on his face.

"It really is you! Song Qingming, I really didn't expect that you also succeeded in forming a Jin Dan."

Seeing Song Qingming, whom he hadn't seen for a hundred years, become a Jin Dan cultivator and also have a cultivation level one layer higher than his own, Du Yucheng was also immediately filled with shock.

Ever since worshipping under the Blood Spirit Sect, Du Yucheng had basically been hiding in places far away from the Wei Kingdom these years. Naturally, he was not clear about the things that happened in the Wei Kingdom, and even less did he expect that Song Qingming, who had similar talent to him back then, could become a high and mighty Jin Dan ancestor respected by everyone.

Song Qingming and Du Yucheng, facing each other, saw the other party, and their hearts were filled with mixed feelings. For a time, they were actually both stunned on the spot.

Both of them were born in small Qi Refining families in Qinghe County back then. Now, they had both exceeded everyone's expectations and become Jin Dan cultivators who could ride the wind and clouds and dominate one side.

The only different place was that Song Qingming was already a Jin Dan True Person respected by people, while Du Yucheng, after falling into the demonic path, even if he succeeded in forming a Jin Dan after much hardship, still could only be controlled by others, living days of worrying and fearing all day long.

In the eyes of demonic cultivators, morality and righteousness are things that are not worth money. Even if it is a direct disciple, they are all tools that can be discarded at will.

Du Yucheng had also seen with his own eyes many fellow disciples who died miserably at the hands of his master because they made mistakes or didn't complete tasks well these years. If it weren't for his own understanding of forbearance and observing words and expressions everywhere, it would have been impossible for him to live until today and succeed in forming a Jin Dan.

"Fellow Daoist Du, I have already formed a Jin Dan for decades. It's not strange that you, as a demonic cultivator, don't know. Seeing you today, to tell you the truth, I am also very shocked."

"After you disappeared in Black Stone Valley back then, I also went to investigate with the Xiaoyao Sect's Law Enforcement Hall. You should have been tempted by the demonic cultivators in the Demon-Suppressing Tower at that time and fallen into the demonic path, right!"

Du Yucheng smiled and nodded slightly: "Haha! I know what Fellow Daoist Song wants to ask. Not bad, I did switch to demonic arts after that. However, fellow daoist, rest assured, your third brother and the others were not killed by me."

"Of course, if fellow daoist doesn't believe it and insists on counting this account on me, it doesn't matter. The righteous cultivators who have died at my hands these years can already be piled up like a mountain, and it's not missing those few of them."

"Seeing that we knew each other back then, I will advise you one more time. My master will be here soon. You had better hand over the thing now. Don't force me to make a move, otherwise, when he arrives, you will definitely not have a life to walk out of here today."

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(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 576 =====