Jin Wanshan and Lou Mengyu jumped in fright; a Zongshi-level demonic beast was far beyond their capabilities!
"I propose we leave immediately!" Jin Wanshan blurted out.
Qin Yang pondered briefly before nodding in agreement.
Lou Mengyu, naturally having no objections, solidified their unanimous decision.
"Pill completed!"
The rich medicinal aroma invigorated Qin Yang. He eagerly swallowed the pill, instantly feeling refreshed. His mind cleared as his drained spiritual energy rapidly recovered.
Jin Wanshan and Lou Mengyu watched this scene in stunned silence, utterly speechless.
This guy's pill refining success rate was 100%—and every batch produced premium-grade results? How could he be so consistently skilled?
Little did they know, Qin Yang's proficiency in this art was already maxed out...
"Stop gawking. You'll get used to it." Qin Yang packed away the pill furnace and prepared to move.
The two men felt their chests tighten in frustration. What kind of nonsense was this? It was infuriating!
"Where are you going? Get back here!" Qin Yang grabbed the Treasure Rat's tail, studying its intended path with a wry smile.
That direction had to be avoided at all costs!
Jin Wanshan and Lou Mengyu understood the danger too. The trio took a detour toward the secret realm's entrance.
Soon they reached their original entry point, but the portal was nowhere to be seen.
"Damn it! The portal's vanished!" Jin Wanshan's face paled.
Lou Mengyu proceeded to explain the situation to Qin Yang.
Qin Yang clicked his tongue repeatedly. "Aren't they forcing us down a dead end?" He glared at the Treasure Rat in his hand, frustration building.
"The secret realm must have a light gate connecting to the mainland, but we'll have to search slowly..." Jin Wanshan said, his voice thick with despair.
Easy for you to say, Qin Yang thought bitterly. How do we find a light gate in this vast expanse?
With no other choice, the trio set off again. The weight of their situation hung heavy on their shoulders.
"They're over there! We found Qin Yang's group!"
A sudden shout echoed through the air as Li Mingyang charged toward them with a dozen men in tow.
The three companions exchanged bewildered glances. What was happening?
"Heh heh, hand over that Treasure Rat now," Li Mingyang growled, his eyes glinting with malice. "Or don't blame us for getting rough. In this secret realm, even if we kill you, no one will ever know!"
Li Mingyang's confidence came from the numbers - his own recruits mingled with Nangong Ling's lackeys, their combined force intimidating.
After sending a messenger to Nangong Ling, Li Mingyang ordered his men to surround Qin Yang's group.
Qin Yang frowned. Before, he wouldn't have cared about the Treasure Rat and would have given it up without hesitation. But now, with the secret realm's gate vanished, searching for both the exit and treasures seemed like the best course of action.
As long as one is cautious enough, there shouldn't be any problems.
Moreover, the Qiankun Ring still contained plenty of spirit medicines for refining Mind Concentration Pills, with the dragon's might serving as a last-resort life-saving measure.
"What's so impressive about numbers? Just a bunch of small fry. I don't even feel like lifting a finger," Qin Yang sighed. All these cultivators were at the Qi Gathering Realm stage anyway; copying their cultivation methods and martial techniques would be utterly pointless.
"Such arrogance! With our numbers, you won't escape today even if you grow wings!" Li Mingyang sneered, waving his hand and shouting, "Attack!"
Qin Yang scratched his head, exasperated. "Your leader didn't dare fight me himself. Where does your confidence come from?"
"Preserving strength for the rankings, of course!" Li Mingyang retorted. "We're all taking the Celestial Academy assessment—how could you possibly be better than us?"
He added, "My leader is from one of the Eight Clans. He had to face you alone for honor's sake, but what are you? Defeating you is expected. If he loses, it's too great a loss, but I don't care—I just want results!"
"Don't push me!" Qin Yang frowned.
The cultivators closed in, showing no intention of stopping.
A powerful dragon's roar echoed as Qin Yang drew the Dragon Song Bow. Arrows rained down, striking the ground beneath his assailants' feet.
The feathers at the arrow's tail trembled gently, each shaft burying itself three inches deep in the ground.
In an instant, the crowd froze, too terrified to advance another step.
"We're all castaways in this realm," Qin Yang sneered. "You'd do well to focus on finding the exit. Don't mistake my good temper for weakness. It's a facade. Make me truly angry, and I'll crush you like ants!"
Li Mingyang's face darkened with conflicting emotions. Qin Yang's display of archery had stunned him. The man had loosed so many arrows in the blink of an eye, sealing off their path forward.
If those arrows had been aimed at our bodies, few here would have survived!
"Pathetic sneak attacks! What kind of warrior are you?" Li Mingyang roared. "If you've got balls, let's settle this with fists!"
Qin Yang stared in disbelief. This... is called a sneak attack? I fired those arrows in broad daylight, you fool!
"So you're determined to die?" Qin Yang's eyes turned glacial.
"Die? You dare threaten a Li Family member?" Li Mingyang's hand snapped in a dismissive gesture. "Kill the boy immediately! Ignore Jin Wanshan and Lou Mengyu. His archery may be impressive, but with our numbers, he can't protect us all!"
The disciples, hearing this, clung to a sliver of hope. With so many of them attacking together, the arrow might not find its mark...
Li Mingyang pressed on, "With the Treasure Rat, we're safe in this secret realm. Just think of the treasures—those heaven-blessed treasures! That sixth-order spirit medicine alone could make us stand out among all cultivators! Any find would transform us into geniuses! Once we enter Celestial Academy, we'll be highly regarded..."
The disciples' hearts burned with fervor, casting Qin Yang's warnings aside.
They surged forward in a single wave.
"Truly, wealth kills men as food kills birds," Qin Yang sighed. Only blood will wake these greedy souls.
The dragon's roar shook the heavens.
Pained screams composed a frenzied symphony.
Arrows flashed like lightning, each strike painting crimson flowers across the scene.
Qin Yang still withheld lethal blows, his arrows avoiding vital points. Yet even this restraint left every attacker, including Li Mingyang, bloodied.
Arms pierced through, thighs riddled with arrows.
The ground trembled with wails as the battle concluded in an instant.
Li Mingyang stared at Qin Yang in terror. This brat's archery skills are actually this formidable? No wonder even Gongsun Ming himself wouldn't dare confront him head-on—he really can't match up...
"Even high-level demonic beasts fall to a single arrow from me," Qin Yang sneered. "What makes you think you stand a chance? I'll spare your lives this time, but don't blame me for showing no mercy if you dare interfere again!"
Li Mingyang's eyes burned with hatred, his teeth grinding in fury. There was no relief at surviving the ordeal—only burning desire for vengeance.
"We should move," Qin Yang began, "demonic beasts have too keen a sense for blood..." His words were cut short by a piercing cry from above.
A silver-backed roc dove toward them. Before the beast could reach them, razor-sharp wind blades sliced through the air. Earth and stone shattered, trees snapped like twigs—like a bomber unleashing its payload.
"Another Zongshi-level demonic beast!" Qin Yang swallowed hard, dodging the wind blades.
"Why did you say 'another'?" Jin Wanshan grumbled from the side.
Qin Yang froze. Lou Mengyu pointed toward the distance.
A crimson three-headed flame hound crouched there, its fiery coat crackling.
"No way... This can't be happening! If you've got the guts, then—" Qin Yang's protest was muffled by Lou Mengyu's hand clamped over his mouth.
"Keep that crow's beak of yours shut!" she hissed.