Chapter 57: The Calculated Confrontation

Even by last night, Qin Yangjun had discerned that Yin Kang Xuehan had not departed, for the threads employed by the paper puppet to abduct Ah Ling were woven from spiritual energy.

Given that paper puppets lacked any mechanism for storing spiritual energy, Yin Kang Xuehan could not have been manipulating it from a distance; she was likely still concealed within Canggu City at that very moment.

Her objective was to seize an opportune moment to abduct Ah Ling.

Within the narrative, Yin Kang Xuehan harbored profound concern for her sister, whom she had never met, for with the demise of their parents, Ah Ling remained her sole blood relative in this world.

It was precisely for this reason that Qin Yangjun had insisted on bringing Ah Ling along during their endeavors.

The recent exchange, filled with classic deliberate hindrances, had been uttered solely for Yin Kang Xuehan’s benefit.

Qin Yangjun’s intention was to meticulously craft an atmosphere of utter desperation, compelling her to reveal herself and intervene.

Yin Kang Xuehan, at this juncture, was seething with indignation, having overheard every word of their preceding conversation.

She reasoned that she shouldn’t have had to intervene at all; if they couldn’t prevail, fleeing would suffice.

After all, this was Canggu City, the dominion of their human cultivators, and even the Little Peng King would not possess the audacity to openly hunt them down within its bounds.

Yet, he insisted on orchestrating a melodramatic display of feigned weakness.

Despite her fury, she knew she had no choice but to act; she could not idly stand by and witness the Little Peng King slay the sister she had so desperately sought.

Concurrently, upon recognizing the newcomer, the Little Peng King’s countenance darkened considerably, an expression of profound displeasure settling upon his features.

“Heavenly Fox King! What is the meaning of this?!”

Just as Yin Kang Xuehan furrowed her brow, poised to speak, Qin Yangjun abruptly bellowed from behind her.

“Xuehan! You’ve finally arrived! I told you this situation was perilous, yet you insisted on delaying your intervention until now. I was nearly killed because of your tardiness!”

Yin Kang Xuehan was utterly bewildered.

Ah Ling stood frozen in disbelief.

The Little Peng King was struck speechless.

The Little Peng King, his finger trembling uncontrollably, pointed accusingly at Yin Kang Xuehan.

“You… you are actually colluding with Qin Yangjun?! Fine! You’ve certainly hidden your true colors well!”

Yin Kang Xuehan vehemently refuted his accusation.

“Don’t heed his nonsense! Who said I was colluding with him!”

“Xuehan, there’s no need to be upset. It was merely a rejection of your confession, wasn’t it? Be a good girl! Don’t be so stubborn; I’ll buy you all your favorite treats when we return.”

Yin Kang Xuehan’s eyes widened in astonishment as she fixed her gaze upon Qin Yangjun.

How could this man utter such blatant falsehoods, fabricating them on the spot?

“You—!”

Yet, before she could utter another word, Qin Yangjun cut her off once more.

“Ah, let’s cease this charade. For a Great Ascension Realm cultivator like yourself to assassinate a mere Golden Core cultivator such as me, it should have been effortless, shouldn’t it? My survival, completely unscathed, speaks volumes. Furthermore, despite your undeniable failure to assassinate me, you appeared in Canggu City perfectly safe and sound…”

“And you even rescued me just moments ago! There’s no point in prolonging this act, is there? Let’s not torment them any further.”

Following this relentless barrage of fabricated words, Yin Kang Xuehan found her throat constricted, leaving her utterly unable to utter a single syllable.

She truly found herself at a loss for how to retort, for from the perspective of any observer, every detail seemed perfectly plausible.

Then, Qin Yangjun delivered his final pronouncement, a statement that, like a struck match, instantly ignited the Little Peng King’s simmering rage.

“Enough, Xuehan, let’s cease this jest. As per the intelligence you provided, I have already instructed Zhuang Hancheng to deploy the Divine Mechanism Puppet at the crossroads, precisely as we planned. He has now been gravely wounded by the puppet. You may dispatch him at your leisure, and as previously arranged, his treasures shall be divided: three parts for me, seven for you. There is no need to share the spoils with that fellow, Zhuang Hancheng.”

This colossal fabrication left Yin Kang Xuehan utterly incensed, her chest heaving violently with indignation.

What in the world was he even saying?

Yet, with her anger clouding her judgment, she found herself at a loss for words, managing only a single, terse utterance.

“You! Shut your mouth!”

“Alright, alright, I’ll be quiet. My apologies. I’ll defer to your wishes.”

“You—!”

Yin Kang Xuehan stamped her foot with furious emphasis; had she not been wary of the Little Peng King’s impending strike, she would have undoubtedly lunged forward to silence his audacious mouth herself.

Indeed, this rather petulant stomp only served to make them appear even more like a pair of bickering Dao companions.

The Little Peng King, now grasping the full extent of the deception, felt an inferno of boundless rage surge within his heart.

His eyes blazed crimson, his entire body quivered with indignation, and prominent veins pulsed upon his forehead.

These wretched scoundrels!

“No wonder such a formidable puppet lay in wait there! So it was you who betrayed our plans! Those demon kings had forewarned me of your closeness to human cultivators, but I never imagined it had escalated to such a degree. You dare to conspire with human cultivators to deceive me, even plotting my demise? Dream on! Yin Kang Xuehan! You traitor to the demon race! Prepare to face your end!”

Granting Yin Kang Xuehan no opportunity to explain, the Little Peng King erupted in a dazzling golden light, his furious eagle cry piercing the very heavens.

Without a moment’s hesitation, he launched himself directly at Yin Kang Xuehan.

Boom!

As the unleashed torrents of demonic power clashed violently, Qin Yangjun swiftly pulled Ah Ling into the distant undergrowth, seeking refuge.

A cultivator in the early Great Ascension Realm clashing with one in the middle stage—the residual shockwaves of such a battle could effortlessly inflict harm upon any onlookers.

Even now, Ah Ling remained deeply engrossed in the astonishment of the preceding moments.

Yet, her attention was not captivated by the fierce confrontation unfolding before them.

“Young Master…. is she… truly your woman?”

Ah Ling’s question emerged with a slight tremor, for as Qin Yangjun’s personal maid, entrusted with the intimate details of his daily life, the revelation that she had been utterly unaware of such a significant matter brought with it not only shock but also a peculiar pang of discomfort.

“Oh… that? Of course, it was all a fabrication.”

Qin Yangjun replied with an air of dismissive nonchalance.

“Ah… what?”

Ah Ling’s eyes widened in bewilderment.

Yet, it seemed to Ah Ling that her young master’s words held a kernel of truth; she distinctly recalled Yin Kang Xuehan’s abrupt halt in her initial attack, a puzzling detail she had never had the chance to inquire about.

Now, hearing her young master’s explanation, she genuinely believed the fox demon to be an ally, especially since the woman had indeed saved them both moments ago.

‘Could such a thing possibly be fabricated?’

Meanwhile, the Little Peng King’s assaults grew increasingly ferocious, while Yin Kang Xuehan, seemingly disinclined to engage in a full-blown battle, continuously parried and evaded.

However, after merely a few exchanges, Yin Kang Xuehan was violently flung backward, her delicate form slamming into the city wall with a jarring impact.

This collision inadvertently activated the city’s defensive array, unleashing a torrent of lightning, akin to enraged thunder serpents, that enveloped her, eliciting a sharp, agonizing cry.

Having strenuously torn herself free, Yin Kang Xuehan’s eyes now held a distinctly colder, more menacing glint.

At this juncture, Yin Kang Xuehan’s own fury was finally ignited.

This thick-headed bird was relentlessly pursuing her with murderous intent, refusing to listen to any explanation, and remained utterly oblivious to the fact that he was being manipulated.

Yet, considering the current predicament, it had escalated into an irreconcilable, life-or-death struggle.

Damn Qin Yangjun! This old woman will remember this affront!

A ball of vibrant pink flame ignited within Yin Kang Xuehan’s grasp; with a sudden flick of her wrist, the inferno instantly transmuted into a colossal nine-tailed fox, lunging with bared fangs towards the Little Peng King.

“Hmph! Mere parlor tricks!”

A searing blue light erupted from his pupils, summoning a ferocious gale that swept through the air, causing the colossal flame fox to dissipate into nothingness.

As the fiery illusion vanished, the Little Peng King’s expression froze, and a flicker of raw terror became discernible in his eyes.

Before him, Yin Kang Xuehan stood with one hand raised before her lips, two slender fingers delicately gripping a black-and-white Dao talisman, upon which two peculiar, intricate patterns were etched.

Unbeknownst to him, as he had dispersed the fiery fox, the talisman had already been subtly activated, and now a dark, insidious mist began to creep from the ground, coalescing ominously beneath his feet.

Two spectral figures, one shrouded in black and the other in white, materialized behind Yin Kang Xuehan.

The black phantom exuded an oppressive aura of death.

The white phantom radiated vibrant life force.

The Little Peng King was utterly aghast.

“The Life and Death Talisman! How could you possess such an artifact?!”

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