Gateway of Immortality

Chapter 162: Encounter

After Wu Yuesheng departed, Qin Sang returned to the fork in the path, a thoughtful expression on his face.

Though Wu Yuesheng had remained hidden and had not made any actual attempts to ambush him, Qin Sang was certain that the other’s intentions were not benign. He mentally classified Wu Yuesheng as a potential threat.

While Qin Sang hoped to join forces with someone to navigate the impending dangers, he did not wish to ally himself with a tiger that might turn on him.

Traveling alongside Wu Yuesheng meant not only facing the dangers that could arise at any moment but also being wary of Wu Yuesheng himself, which would prove to be more trouble than it was worth.

In his haste to evade the flames’ probing, Qin Sang had not seen which of the other four paths Wu Yuesheng had taken. However, he had no intention of engaging in a struggle to the death with him.

Wu Yuesheng was stronger than Qin Sang and was well-versed in evasion techniques. Unless he managed a sneak attack that could deliver a lethal blow, any confrontation would quickly descend into a stalemate. With the dangers lurking in the cave, it was not the right moment for a deadly struggle.

Even if they were to meet again later, Wu Yuesheng would remain unaware that Qin Sang had seen through his concealment. In that case, the roles would be reversed, and Qin Sang would have a much calmer approach to the situation.

With that thought in mind, Qin Sang retraced his steps down the path he had initially chosen.

Fortune favored him; he encountered no malevolent corpses along the way. After passing through several stone corridors, he suddenly heard a series of roars and sounds of crashing ahead.

Someone is battling a malevolent corpse?

Qin Sang’s heart stirred as he stealthily approached, soon spotting two figures tangled in a struggle within a stone chamber. As expected, one was the malevolent corpse, and the other was Liu Jiang, the elder brother of the Liu brothers.

Qin Sang swooped closer, glancing around, but he did not see Liu Shan, indicating that the two brothers had also become separated.

The strength of the malevolent corpse was comparable to the one Qin Sang had previously slain; its physical defenses were formidable. A Foundation Building Realm cultivator would find it troublesome, but they could eventually defeat it after some time.

However, Liu Jiang was only at the thirteenth stage of the Qi Refining Realm, and without Liu Shan's support, his strength was akin to a normal cultivator at that stage, making it challenging for him to cope.

Qin Sang could sense the tension emanating from Liu Jiang and found it unsurprising. He thought to himself that if their positions were reversed in such a place, he would also be wary of any ulterior motives from the other.

"Daoist Liu, have you and Liu Shan become separated as well?"

Liu Jiang let out a wry smile and replied, "The suction came too suddenly. We didn't react in time and were sucked into the cave. At that moment, we nearly got scattered. Later, when the Fire Crow Array exploded, the shockwave separated us further, and I couldn't maintain my art. Luckily, I was flung into a cavern. Liu Shan kept falling downward; the last I saw, it seemed that Senior Qingting had caught him. Since we practiced the same art and have had a mental connection since childhood, I could sense that Liu Shan is still alive. I was just thinking of joining up with him when I unexpectedly encountered this troublesome malevolent corpse."

Qin Sang had been quick to escape into the cavern and hadn’t witnessed the moment when Qingting rescued Liu Shan.

However, he recalled the positions of everyone during the Fire Crow Array's explosion. If Liu Shan continued to fall downward, he would indeed be closest to Qingting.

"Can you determine Liu Shan's location?" Qin Sang pressed.

Liu Jiang nodded. "I can sense Liu Shan below us to the left, but it’s quite vague, and there’s a significant distance between us. He must be able to sense my position as well, but unfortunately, the stone paths are constantly shifting. We haven’t been able to reunite, and it might take a long time before we cross paths."

"Mhmm," Qin Sang responded, "You must have noticed that as we go deeper, these passages converge toward a specific point. We’re bound to meet up eventually. Since that’s the case, please lead the way, and let’s head downward. This place is the stronghold of a demonic sect, and there are certainly numerous refined corpses here. While we can still manage, we may encounter even stronger malevolent corpses later. It’s best to regroup with other allies and face the dangers together."

Although Liu Jiang was not as strong as a Foundation Building Realm cultivator, he would still be a helpful ally. Facing the malevolent corpses would be much easier with his assistance. Even without the ability to use psychic sense, Qin Sang was prepared to take him along.

After the recent battle, Liu Jiang understood that he could not go far on his own. If he encountered a slightly stronger malevolent corpse, it could very well cost him his life.

Moreover, Qin Sang had saved him once already. Hearing Qin Sang's suggestion, Liu Jiang saw no reason to refuse and readily agreed.

A thunderous rumble echoed from the stone corridor behind them, and the Earth Malevolent Qi remained menacing. They dared not linger too long. After Liu Jiang took a moment to catch his breath, they hurriedly set off.

With their combined efforts, dealing with the malevolent corpses became significantly easier. They soon encountered two more malevolent corpses, one of which was exceptionally strong—troublesome even for Foundation Building Realm cultivators—but they managed to slay it without incident.