Free Web NovelChapter 338: Chapter 67: Tracking
The people sacrificed in the deep pit had been specially prepared. Most had been flayed across their chests, with special arrays inscribed upon the exposed areas. The few others had their faces flayed, with arrays likewise carved into the flesh beneath.
The sight made even Wang Ping’s eyes twitch. Staring at it for too long sent a palpitation through his heart. Besides, these people were already desiccated corpses. If they had been alive, the scene would have been more terrifying than Avici Hell.
"There are still remnants of negative emotions like madness, fear, despair, and helplessness here. Perhaps these emotions are what they wanted."
Yu Lian reminded Wang Ping.
Wang Ping nodded silently. Just then, Zi Luan descended from the sky. When he saw the horrific sight in the pit, the constant smile on his face disappeared.
DING.
Wang Ping took out the Copper Coins and performed several divinations in a row.
But they were all Yang Trigrams, which meant the situation was unclear.
At this moment, several Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivators from the Pingdong Sect descended from the sky, paying their respects from afar before waiting quietly.
After interpreting the trigrams, Wang Ping turned to the Pingdong Sect disciples and ordered, "Investigate this matter from top to bottom. I want to know everything."
"Yes!"
The Pingdong Sect disciples acknowledged the order.
Wang Ping turned to Zi Luan. "Go check out Mozhou Road?"
Zi Luan paused. "You have a lead?"
"I have just the thing!"
As Wang Ping spoke, he took out the Demon Soldier designated ’Beta-Sub-03’. He had intended to use a True Spirit to activate it, but Tongyu Taoist manifested directly.
"What is this?"
"Something good!"
But Wang Ping didn’t explain. As he spoke, he channeled a stream of Wood Spirit Qi to Tongyu Taoist.
The Eight Trigrams Plate was immediately activated, and the sealed Demon Race consciousness within it darted left and right above the plate. Wang Ping directly connected with Tongyu Taoist’s consciousness and said to Zi Luan, "Shall we go have a look?"
"Alright!"
Zi Luan summoned a bronze bell.
...
「Mozhou Road.」
On the ruins of White Crane Mountain, the bare piles of rubble had been cleared away at some unknown time. The destroyed mountain range had been mostly repaired, and a new Dao Field was under construction.
The plaque on the Dao Field’s main gate bore three large words: Broken Water Sect.
Deep inside the sect, a Water Element Array was set up. A continuous stream of Water Spirit Qi emerged from the array, drawing up groundwater to flow along the mountain paths, nourishing the once-barren slopes of White Crane Mountain.
Suddenly, three streaks of light shot across the quiet sky, landing in a Dao Field behind White Crane Mountain where a Spirit Gathering Array had been built.
Of these three, two wore the Daoist Robes of the Daoist Scripture Hall, and one wore black martial attire. After they landed, the cultivator in the black martial attire immediately jumped into a newly dredged river channel nearby, following the underground Dark River to escape.
The remaining two exchanged a glance, then walked to the center of the Spirit Gathering Array and sat down, entering a meditative trance.
「A quarter of an hour later.」
Two figures appeared silently in the clouds above the Dao Field.
"A Dao Field on White Crane Mountain again? These people have some nerve." Zi Luan’s tone was teasing, but it was a tease laced with profound killing intent.
"We let our guard down."
Wang Ping reached up and pressed the spot between his eyebrows, preventing himself from frowning over the matter.
As the two spoke, they first scouted the surroundings. After confirming there were no other Great Realm Cultivators, they spread their Wood Spirit Qi all around White Crane Mountain.
At this moment, with but a single thought from either of them, all life on White Crane Mountain would be extinguished.
"The strongest is only a Second Realm Cultivator!" Zi Luan looked at Wang Ping.
"Should we go after the one who ran?" Wang Ping asked, changing the subject.
"The underground Dark River has countless tributaries. Even if we know his escape direction, the dangers ahead are unknown. Are you willing to take that risk?" Zi Luan asked in return.
"Of course not!"
Hearing Wang Ping’s reply, Zi Luan extended his hand and formed a spell, saying, "But there’s no need for these people to remain. See? They’ve already given up on themselves."
As his voice faded, every cultivator on White Crane Mountain collapsed, unable to rise. On a spiritual level, the surging Wood Spirit Qi frantically drained their life force, including that of the two cultivators at the center of the Gathering Spirit Array.
After the two cultivators in the center of the array lost their life force, their bodies turned into streaks of light and shot into the clouds. Zi Luan had intended to read their memories, but only when he got closer did he discover it was impossible, because they were both puppets!
Furthermore, long before Zi Luan had even acted, the two puppets had already self-destructed their internal cores.
"Wu Ma Daoist?" Wang Ping said doubtfully.
"I can’t be sure. We need to organize people to investigate as soon as possible!" Zi Luan casually put the two puppets, now devoid of consciousness and their cores, into his storage bag.
Just as Wang Ping was about to summon the Chief of the Mozhou Road Daoist Scripture Hall, a colorful Five Elements Diagram at the edge of the sky in the direction of Nanlin Road made his brow twitch twice.
Yu Lian said instinctively, "Nanlin Road?"
"Let’s head back!"
Zi Luan formed a spell, and the bronze bell in his hand expanded to an immense size, then fell and covered half of White Crane Mountain. He then transformed into a streak of light and chased after Wang Ping, who was already flying away at high speed.
「Almost an hour later.」
Wang Ping and Zi Luan landed one after the other above Jinhuai Prefecture City. Everything seemed calm, but Wang Ping soon discovered that Zuo Xuan and Yunshan were both heavily injured, each healing in a room on the top floor of the Daoist Scripture Hall’s front hall.
Zi Luan went to check on Yunshan, while Wang Ping landed directly in front of Zuo Xuan.
Zuo Xuan was severely injured. Her abdomen had been torn open, with ghastly white bone visible amidst the flesh and blood. Beneath the bone, her writhing organs were mostly damaged, and her Qi Sea was in chaos. At this moment, she was relying on an array of her magical artifacts to barely cling to life.
Her Calico Cat was jumping up and down on a nearby chair, looking anxious. Seeing this, Yu Lian flew over to comfort it.
Wang Ping’s brow furrowed slightly. He gestured to Zuo Liang, who was standing Guardian nearby, to dispense with the formalities, then quickly formed a spell. The ’Cyan Wood Technique’ took shape, and a healing, pale cyan halo emerged, completely enveloping Zuo Xuan’s body.
The next moment, a reddish-yellow gas seeped out from Zuo Xuan’s body. This gas carried a corrosive aura and was comparable in intensity to the energy of the ’Cyan Wood Technique’ that Wang Ping had cast. However, it was finite, whereas Wang Ping could continuously supply energy to his ’Cyan Wood Technique’.
「After half a quarter-hour.」
The corrosive aura within Zuo Xuan’s body was completely cleansed, and the gruesome wound was also rapidly healing under the ’Cyan Wood Technique’.
Before long, Zuo Xuan opened her eyes. When she saw Wang Ping, she instinctively tried to get up and greet him, but the moment she moved, her body lurched forward and she vomited a mouthful of coagulated blood.
Zuo Xuan let out a long, comfortable sigh of relief and cast a ’Cleansing Spell’ on herself.
Wang Ping then said, "First, guide the energy in your Qi Sea through two full cycles."
Zuo Xuan followed his advice.
Another quarter of an hour passed. When Zuo Xuan opened her eyes again, the color in her face had improved considerably.
"What exactly happened?"
Wang Ping asked.
’Given the severity of Zuo Xuan’s injuries, her attacker could have easily finished her off. Yet, they left her alive. If it was an enemy, that would have been an incredibly foolish move. But if it wasn’t an enemy, why beat her to within an inch of her life?’
