"Puh!"
Qin Yang suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood, unable to suppress his internal injuries any longer.
Earlier, Qin Jian's Explosive Punch had struck the Dragon Jade, providing crucial protection to his most vulnerable point.
Despite this, Qin Yang remained gravely injured, every cell in his body throbbing with pain.
This opponent is truly a Zongshi Realm expert!
A battle is possible, but I must avoid his attacks at all costs!
Qin Yang sat cross-legged, regulating his breathing. Without his cold-tempered body, that punch would have shattered his bones. Fortunately, his robust cultivation and physical strength, honed through years of cold-tempering, proved their worth.
His body rapidly healed, far surpassing ordinary limits.
To fully recover would take days, he thought, though even this extraordinary healing speed proved insufficient for his current needs.
No time left. Must recover quickly!
Exhaling deeply, Qin Yang rose to his feet. He glared at the unblinking Qin Jian, snorted derisively, then turned and left.
Not long after his departure, a shadowy figure emerged from the darkness.
Two eerie green eyes scanned the area like dangerous beams of light.
The creature's full form revealed itself - a Jadeblood Mantis standing as tall as a man!
Entirely emerald green, its two terrifying forelegs resembled broad axes, so sharp that a single glance seemed to threaten a cut.
It appeared like an assassin, having lurked in the shadows. A startling claw mark on its back suggested it had been attacked by a bird-like demonic beast.
Its antennae trembled slightly as its jade-green compound eyes turned toward the direction Qin Yang had left.
Chirp-chirp!
A spine-chilling sound echoed as the Jadeblood Mantis began devouring the corpses scattered across the ground. In no time, it had consumed all the remains.
Whistle!
A loud bird call pierced the sky as the Silver-backed Great Peng dove down.
Cyan wind blades whirled through the air.
The Jadeblood Mantis raised its forelegs, sending green afterimages shooting upward. Like a barrage of jade-green blades, their momentum matched the wind blades' force.
The Silver-backed Great Peng circled upward, halting its descent.
The Jadeblood Mantis' translucent wings fluttered as it seized the opportunity to flee.
The Silver-backed Great Peng let out an angry cry, forced to resume its pursuit.
Soon, Qin Family members arrived in succession.
"Why would the family head's Silver-backed Great Peng be here? Did it discover prey?" A white-haired middle-aged man, his shrewd face filled with confusion, voiced the question.
"Fourth Elder, the distress signal was sent from this location," a young disciple said, gazing at the red clouds in the sky that had been dispersed by the Silver-backed Great Peng.
The white-haired middle-aged man frowned, examining the traces around him. The remains of bodies gnawed by Jadeblood Mantis lay stark before his eyes.
"So they didn't find Qin Yang after all, but encountered a demonic beast instead? Hmph! A bunch of useless fools! That signal flare was actually for calling for help!" The Fourth Elder snorted angrily, leading the group away.
"Wait!" The Fourth Elder's figure froze mid-step as he suddenly turned back.
The positions of these corpses were wrong!
The demonic beast hunted by the Silver-backed Great Peng in the secret realm must have been of high rank, possibly even a Zongshi-level beast. Facing a Zongshi-level beast, Qin Jian and the others would have scattered in all directions. They would never have died bunched together like this.
After carefully examining the remains, the Fourth Elder's pupils contracted.
"These were killed by humans first, then eaten by the beast!" he declared.
The people around him jumped in fright.
"Could it be Qin Yang did this? Is he that strong?" One person shuddered, their hair standing on end.
The others might be disregarded, but Qin Jian was the family's Nineteenth Elder!
The Fourth Elder chuckled softly, an odd gleam in his eyes. "This is perfect."
"We should continue tracking Qin Yang immediately. If we delay, our clan will suffer heavy losses! Moreover, we must spread news of his extraordinary strength..."
"Why spread such news?" the Fourth Elder asked quietly. "To incite panic within the clan? We must not rush the pursuit. Let's proceed methodically. The secret realm teems with roaming wild beasts. Do you wish to encounter them?"
The group shook their heads in unison.
"The Fourth Elder is the most powerful among us, rivaling even the clan leader in strength. We follow your lead completely!"
"Your orders, Fourth Elder."
The elder nodded approvingly, smoothing his white hair. "Report all incidents as wild beast attacks. Have the clan remain vigilant against them."
After analyzing the ground traces, they determined Qin Yang's direction of departure.
The Fourth Elder headed in a different direction, instructing, "Send more men to track toward the Beast Hunter's Field. Qin Yang may have fled that way."
"Why not go directly to the Beast Hunter's Field?" someone asked, puzzled.
"You fool!" another whispered. "Most wild beasts in this realm originated from that very place..."
"But we're supposed to be chasing Qin Yang..."
"You fool!"
Meanwhile, Nangong Ling and Wei Yu led their subordinates, splitting up with Gongsun Ming and Lou Mengyu.
The entire Qin Family was hunting Qin Yang, but their true goal remained treasure-seeking.
"Such a commotion will draw the demonic beasts," Nangong Ling said with a smile. "We'll be much safer this way."
Wei Yu gazed at the dispersing red clouds on the horizon. "Let them keep busy. The longer Qin Yang survives, the more time we'll have."
The subordinates chuckled, each anticipating what treasures they might find.
"Wait!" Wei Yu checked their direction. "This is the area Qin Wuyi warned us against approaching—the Demon Hunter's Field. And there's the Wandering Marsh nearby."
Nangong Ling clicked her tongue. "Are there no dangers in this secret realm? Why single out this place?"
Wei Yu's eyes lit up. "I get it now! He's afraid we'll find the treasure! When we proposed seeking treasures as gifts, it must have felt like we were robbing him."
The group set off immediately, heading straight for the Demon Hunter's Field.
In the mountain forest ahead, Qin Yang moved cautiously, his steps slow and deliberate.
His injuries had been stabilized by cold ice power, making him appear unharmed. Only Qin Yang knew he couldn't fight anyone at this moment.
"I wonder if the panda and Fire Dog are done fighting yet. I should use my dragon's might to search for spirit medicine first," Qin Yang muttered, frowning as he watched the Treasure Rat leading the way. The rodent kept glancing back every few steps, darting forward occasionally before scurrying back again.
Qin Yang's forehead creased with frustration. Through their bond, he could sense the Treasure Rat's... disdain for him!
"You little bastard! Do you want me to skin you alive?" Qin Yang snapped.
The Treasure Rat immediately stilled.
Qin Yang checked their direction. "That's the Wandering Marsh over there," he muttered, glancing left. Then he looked at where the Treasure Rat was leading them and sighed in relief.
At least they weren't heading toward the Wandering Marsh.
"Even though I'm moving slowly, this secret realm is so vast. They probably won't find me by chance," Qin Yang whispered to himself.
Yet an uneasy feeling persisted. For some reason, the memory of Lou Mengyu calling him a crow's beak surfaced in his mind.
"Ha! A crow's beak? Don't be ridiculous. What are the odds?" Qin Yang chuckled.
Suddenly, his heart clenched. A primal sense of danger pierced his back.
Qin Yang's body twisted violently to dodge, pain erupting in his arm. Only then did the whistling wind and the thud of an arrow striking wood reach his ears.
"Am I really cursed?" Qin Yang stared at the scraped shoulder, disbelief etched on his face.
He turned to face the attacker - and froze. It was... Nangong Ling!