Chapter 29: Unexpected Turns and a Fatal Blow

The Scarlet Glutton’s True Essence held a higher priority than the remains themselves.

With the True Essence now gone, even if he managed to return safely with the skeletal remains, he would undoubtedly face severe reprimand.

A silent curse escaping his lips, Deacon Zhao’s gaze sharpened, fixing on Qin Yangjun.

‘All of this was because of this wretched brat!’

“Even if we fail to acquire the True Essence, killing you will still be enough to fulfill our duty!”

Deacon Zhao unleashed a surge of power, the ground beneath his feet fracturing as he instantly materialized before Qin Yangjun. His hand clenched into a fist, and a spectral skull materialized ominously behind him.

Qin Yangjun, not one to hesitate, met the attack with a blazing palm, his right hand erupting with fierce flames.

Boom!

The ghostly fist clashed violently with the palm wreathed in scorching fire, unleashing a tempest of energy that erupted between them.

A flicker of astonishment crossed Deacon Zhao’s face.

That a late-stage Golden Core cultivator could contend with him, a Nascent Soul expert, without falling into a disadvantageous position—this was an unprecedented encounter for him.

The chasm between major cultivation realms was not a simple matter of addition.

A ruthless glint then sparked in Deacon Zhao’s eyes.

The more astonished he became, the more convinced he was that this individual could not be permitted to live.

Should this person be allowed to flourish, they would undoubtedly become a grave threat in the future.

Suddenly, a chilling intent assailed Qin Yangjun from his flank.

“Die!”

As Cheng Lieqing’s hysterical roar echoed from his side, Qin Yangjun’s gaze sharpened. Xue Yin shot forth, streaking towards Deacon Zhao.

With the keen blade rapidly closing in, Deacon Zhao was forced to dissipate his power and evade.

Qin Yangjun executed a swift backward somersault, narrowly dodging Cheng Lieqing’s treacherous ambush.

In mid-air, Xue Yin arced back, seamlessly sliding beneath Qin Yangjun’s feet.

Qin Yangjun remained suspended in the air, gazing down at the two men with a commanding air.

In that moment, Qin Yangjun felt an urge to curse, utterly bewildered as to why Yu Lingyue was still alive.

Nor could he fathom why Yu Lingyue claimed it was his grand scheme.

All he knew was that his meticulously crafted plan had utterly fallen apart.

The unfolding events had already veered into an unforeseen direction.

Qin Yangjun let out a soft sigh as countless bolts of lightning began to coil around his form.

With his adversaries clearly eager to dispatch him, he had no choice but to fight.

Thus, he could only engage in battle!

Qin Yangjun’s eyes widened slightly as Xue Yin appeared in his grasp. He transformed into a streak of lightning, hurtling towards Deacon Zhao.

Deacon Zhao understood that Qin Yangjun’s Heavenly Gang Sword Art was not something he could directly parry empty-handed.

He swiftly transformed into a wisp of black mist and retreated, yet in that instant, the bolt of lightning abruptly vanished in mid-air.

“Mirage Mirror Image!”

Deacon Zhao’s heart clenched with immediate realization. He then bellowed towards Cheng Lieqing’s position.

“Run!”

It was too late, however. Before Cheng Lieqing could even react, a bolt of lightning materialized behind him.

Thwack!

With the sickening sound of flesh being rent apart, Qin Yangjun’s blade pierced Cheng Lieqing’s heart, striking him through.

The moment Xue Yin penetrated, a burst of electricity erupted from Cheng Lieqing’s body.

“Ahhh!”

Cheng Lieqing’s agonizing screams reverberated throughout the cavern.

Simultaneously, a chain formed of demonic energy manifested in Deacon Zhao’s hand. He whipped the chain, lashing it fiercely towards Qin Yangjun.

Qin Yangjun, however, evaded with a backward leap. Cheng Lieqing’s charred body slammed lifelessly onto the ground.

Qin Yangjun flicked the blood from his sword and turned his gaze to Deacon Zhao.

He was already at a significant disadvantage, battling a Nascent Soul cultivator while only a realm below. With Cheng Lieqing interfering, his struggle would have been immense, making Cheng Lieqing’s elimination his foremost priority.

Now, he could dedicate his full attention to the remaining adversary.

Deacon Zhao realized then that he couldn’t easily overcome Qin Yangjun in the short term, so he devised an alternative strategy.

“Truly, you are Mu Xianxian’s younger brother, formidable! Utterly formidable! By the way, I am quite curious: Cheng Lieqing bore a secret technique from our Sect Leader, one so potent that even Mu Xianxian herself couldn’t discern his identity as a demonic cultivator. How, then, did you see through him?”

From the corner of his eye, Qin Yangjun briefly glanced at Hua Yaoyao and Yu Lingyue, who were still engaged in battle with two Golden Core cultivators.

Hua Yaoyao’s prowess was understandable, but for Yu Lingyue, a mere mid-Foundation Establishment cultivator, to overpower a Golden Core expert was utterly preposterous.

Yet, considering they were part of the protagonist’s inner circle, it made a strange kind of sense.

Qin Yangjun’s thoughts stirred.

‘It seems these two are almost done with their fight…’

‘The killing sword intent within Xue Yin was a finite resource; expending it on this single individual would be a waste. It seemed his best course of action was to wait for the others to finish their battles, then engage in a collective assault.’

“A guess.”

Qin Yangjun replied with an air of nonchalance. After all, he was merely working backward from a known outcome; no matter how absurd or perfunctory his explanation, it would be taken as fact.

“A guess?!”

Deacon Zhao stared at Qin Yangjun with utter disbelief, then burst into uproarious laughter.

“Hahaha! A guess! What a magnificent guess! We toiled and schemed for so long, only to suffer utter defeat because of a mere *hunch* from you, Qin Yangjun! Your luck is truly astounding!”

The final words were practically ground out from between Deacon Zhao’s gritted teeth.

Judging by his expression, it seemed he yearned to flay the man before him and drink his very blood.

A medley of emotions churned within Qin Yangjun’s heart.

‘My luck is good? This is what good luck looks like?’

‘Not only did I transmigrate as a villain, but every scheme I hatched backfired spectacularly. Now the protagonist has completely soared, and that magical artifact is utterly out of reach. Thinking of all this, Qin Yangjun felt so dejected he could almost vomit blood.’

“Senior Brother, be careful!”

Just as Qin Yangjun wallowed in his gloom, Yu Lingyue’s alarmed cry rang out beside him.

Deacon Zhao revealed a sinister grin. He knew Qin Yangjun was attempting to stall for time, but wasn’t he doing the same?

A surge of black mist erupted from Deacon Zhao’s body as he slammed both hands forcefully onto the ground.

“Ten Thousand Laws Descend, Evil Bones Prosper!”

A wave of darkness spread across the ground, instantly manifesting beneath Qin Yangjun’s feet.

In less than half a breath, a black skeletal cage materialized, trapping Qin Yangjun entirely, while a colossal skull phantom appeared above the newly formed prison.

The skull phantom then opened its maw, letting out a wild, unrestrained laugh as countless bone spikes erupted within the cage.

“Hahaha! Qin Yangjun, no matter how clever you are, without sufficient strength, it all amounts to nothing! This Evil Bone Technique devours both body and soul; no one below the Cave Void realm can withstand it. To die by this move is no injustice for you.”

Witnessing the success of his ambush, Deacon Zhao laughed with unbridled glee.

In that instant, Hua Yaoyao seemed to lose all her strength, collapsing directly onto the ground.

She had just finished dispatching the two demonic cultivators, ready to assist her Senior Brother, only to turn and witness such a sight. How could she possibly accept it?

Yet, Yu Lingyue, standing nearby, noticed something amiss and spoke up urgently:

“Wait… Senior Sister, look! That cage… there’s no blood. And Senior Brother’s aura hasn’t dissipated; in fact… it’s grown stronger.”

The moment Yu Lingyue’s words trailed off, Deacon Zhao also sensed that something was amiss.

When his Evil Bone Technique claimed a life, he would always receive a distinct feedback. This time, however, he felt absolutely nothing, as if his secret art had struck empty air.

“Wha—what is happening?”

He stared at the Evil Bone Cage, only to discover that the prison, which should have been drenched in blood, was instead beginning to seep clear water.

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