"If you insist on clinging to notions of chastity and virtue, then you are being needlessly stubborn. Those are merely mortal morals, created to uphold the order of the mundane world. For cultivators like us at the Spiritual Infant Realm, everyone below us is no different from ants. To refrain from casually slaughtering cities and kingdoms is already considered mercy. If you can’t see through even this much, then your cultivation has all been in vain."
Dongyang Bo’s threats and enticements were expertly crafted. He had fully seized upon Chenyan’s desperation to save her master, hoping to pressure her into submission.
Chenyan suddenly caught sight of Qin Sang’s eyes. Like a bolt of lightning, they pierced straight into her heart, and she froze on the spot.
What kind of gaze is that?
It is as though he is questioning me...
When you're threatened, cornered in despair, do you surrender and accept your fate, or do you seize even the faintest sliver of hope and fight to the end, never bowing?
In the next instant, a blood-colored sword light suddenly burst from the bronze hall. It was brighter and more piercing than the blood pearl in Chenyan’s hand. Scarlet and blinding, yet tinged with sorrow and tragic beauty.
Qin Sang, whose cultivation had supposedly been sealed by the talisman, rendered a cripple...
Had actually summoned a slender flying sword from his Baihui point, aiming straight for the Vajra Bangle!
The Vajra Bangle was Dongyang Bo’s life-bound astra, refined day and night alongside him. Among high-grade astras, it stood at the very peak.
In comparison, Qin Sang’s sword seemed feeble and insignificant.
Yet the blood light radiating from that flying sword caused Dongyang Bo’s expression to change dramatically.
"Blood Defilement Divine Light!"
To prevent Qin Sang from being taken away by Chenyan, Dongyang Bo had used the Vajra Bangle to suppress him, sealing him tightly with no room for escape. But with Qin Sang’s sudden strike, even someone as powerful as Dongyang Bo couldn’t retrieve the astra in time.
The Blood Defilement Divine Light was a supernatural ability Qin Sang could only use once inside Ziwei Palace.
Back when the Sin Abyss launched its surprise attack and Leng Yuntian’s astra was nearly destroyed, Qin Sang had saved the technique. In all the battles afterward, whether against monstrous beasts or roaming spirits, he never found the right moment to use it.
And now, here it was, his final lifeline.
Dongyang Bo’s talisman was immensely powerful, rendering Qin Sang’s physical body completely immobile. He had tried countless ways to break free, but the power of the seal remained unshaken.
However, his primordial spirit was protected by the Jade Buddha, rendering the talisman ineffective against it. He could still wield the ebony sword!
Although his meridians and Qihai were sealed, his spiritual power locked down, and he couldn’t even sense his false core, the killing symbol on the ebony sword acted as an alternative dantian. It could autonomously absorb the surrounding spiritual qi and provide enough power for him to control the sword.
Moreover, his spiritual consciousness remained unimpeded.
Qin Sang had, in fact, been waiting all this time for the right moment.
Originally, he had planned to escape when Dongyang Bo and Chenyan inevitably clashed.
But the moment Dongyang Bo presented Stone Bridge Zen, Qin Sang knew he couldn’t afford to wait any longer.
Dongyang Bo viewed him as no more than an ant. Chenyan was his only hope. If she truly accepted Stone Bridge Zen and agreed to a deal, Qin Sang would never get another chance to escape.
He could not allow her time to reconsider. He had to take the risk.
That final glance he gave Chenyan was a question. What choice will you make?
Swish!
The Vajra Bangle was engulfed in crimson light.
The Blood Defilement Divine Light was not powerful enough to destroy the Vajra Bangle entirely, but it carried enough corruptive force to momentarily disrupt Dongyang Bo’s control over it.
As expected, the light surrounding the Vajra Bangle dimmed.
Qin Sang felt the suppression on his body finally lift. His gaze briefly met Chenyan’s before he rose on his sword and shot out of the bronze hall without looking back.
Chenyan stood stunned, shaken by the look in Qin Sang’s eyes. It finally snapped her back to her senses.
She hadn’t imagined that Qin Sang could free himself from Dongyang Bo’s grasp. But that didn’t mean he could escape. His fate still hinged on her choice.
So what should she choose?
There was no time to deliberate. But Chenyan didn’t hesitate for even a second. She raised her Phoenix Sword and thrust it fiercely at Dongyang Bo.
Within the ancient bronze hall, battle erupted in an instant!
On the other side, Qin Sang burst out of the grand hall. Sensing the shift in the battle behind him, a wave of relief washed over him. Chenyan had not let him down.
A map suddenly emerged in his mind. It was the guidance Chenyan had secretly passed to him, showing him how to escape by retracing his steps through the secret passage.
Qin Sang clenched his fist. His greatest worry had been how to get out of this place, and Chenyan had resolved it for him.
Though he knew she had done this primarily to eliminate Dongyang Bo’s leverage over her, Qin Sang still offered her a silent thanks in his heart.
Swish!
Qin Sang unleashed the Sword Qi Thunderclap and raced toward the exit of this stage without holding anything back.
He moved with incredible speed, the boundless black qi trailing far behind him. As he neared the exit, a furious roar rang out from the bronze hall behind him. “Kill him! Tear him to pieces!” Dongyang Bo bellowed in rage.
At the same time, Qin Sang caught sight of several figures in the distance—Mu Yifeng, Ji Qing, and Yu Wansen.
They were all standing and staring at him in astonishment, while Qiu Mubai remained slumped, breath weak and drained from overexertion.
Qin Sang’s heart tightened. Even in the midst of battle, Dongyang Bo hadn’t forgotten to issue a kill order, commanding Mu Yifeng and the others to strike!
Surrounded on both sides, Qin Sang gritted his teeth and charged forward without hesitation.
The four of them met face to face. Hearing Dongyang Bo’s command, they exchanged uncertain glances.
To Qin Sang’s shock, the first to make a move was Mu Yifeng!