Far away, thirty li outside the Yin Yang Mountains, Fu Song sensed the disturbance and immediately left his hiding place in alarm.
The instant the blood sac was destroyed, he felt the evil qi dissipate. Without hesitation, he fled as far as he could. He clearly sensed the presence of a Mahayana Zhēnzūn. If that existence locked onto him, death would be his only outcome.
Just as he escaped the Yin Yang Mountains and exhaled in relief, Fu Song was suddenly surrounded by a hunting squad from Tianya Haijiao.
"Hmph! Finally caught you!"
A Tianya Haijiao cultivator cloaked in black robes and hood had already laid down an array beforehand. Fu Song, in his frantic flight, failed to notice and blundered straight into the trap.
"Someone actually helped you erase the tracking mark!"
Another rasping voice followed coldly.
"Who else but that little tramp Du Yanran? Did she really think she could escape the pursuit of Tianya Haijiao?"
The moment Fu Song struck the barrier, his expression darkened. Sword in hand, he immediately recognized them as the very hunters who had pursued him relentlessly all this time.
"Daoyou, you only seek wealth. I am willing to hand over my entire fortune. Please, spare me this once!" Knowing he could not break free of the nine-man encirclement, Fu Song softened his tone at once, hoping to barter for a sliver of survival.
"Kill you, and your fortune will be ours anyway."
"I left myself a backup! I have another cave abode where half my wealth is stored!"
He hastily added. The nine exchanged glances, weighing if his words held profit. This was exactly what Fu Song had been waiting for. The corner of his lips curled as he teleported toward the weakened part of the array. Yet the very next instant, a colossal iron hammer slammed him back.
"Trying to run? Not that easy! Attack!"
The nine saw through him. Fu Song had only been stalling for time, feigning desperation while preparing to escape.
They gave no quarter. Four Void Refinement cultivators launched the main assault while the Divine Transformation cultivators supported, blades and swords flashing like lightning within the array. Explosions shook the formation with every clash of power.
In truth, Fu Song had already released a "Formation-Breaking Spike" the instant he entered the array, deliberately feigning weakness and offering bait to divert their focus so he could break out.
But he had overestimated himself and underestimated them.
This was Tianya Haijiao's strongest squad. Hardened by countless life-and-death hunts, they saw through his ploy long ago. They even played along, letting him think he had a chance, only to crush his hope at the final moment. That was their true enjoyment in the hunt.
In the end, Fu Song's Primordial Soul was obliterated. With their mission complete, the nine-man squad turned back toward the Yin Yang Mountains. One target remained: Du Yanran.
They had all felt the aura of a Mahayana Zhēnzūn from earlier, so when entering Yin Yang Gate's domain they moved cautiously. There they happened to witness Yin Yang Gate cultivators issuing a public decree.
"Disciple Du Yanran has betrayed Yin Yang Gate, schemed against her Master Bao Chunlai Jūnshàng, and is officially expelled. She will henceforth be hunted by the sect."
One of the squad slipped away to gather details. He returned with only a single fact: Du Yanran had fled Yin Yang Gate. Nothing else was known.
"Slippery little fox. Runs fast, too. Boss, what now?"
The scout reported back and asked their leader.
"Hmph! She won't be lucky forever. Move out!"
Above the seas surrounding Cloud Sea Sect—
Tian Zhuo Zhēnzūn heard Jian Dan's voice. He only nodded, and Heavenly Sword Sect cultivators rushed into the barrier.
Once inside, they cut through like tigers into sheep. Sword-light flashed. In less than a quarter-hour, all puppet cultivators rising into the sky were slaughtered, including eight disciples of Heavenly Sword Sect among them.
The moment the puppets were destroyed, Yue Liang began flashing across the battlefield in successive teleports, her tiny claws slicing with relentless precision. In her obsidian eyes gleamed only the intent to kill her targets.
Jian Dan's divine sense enveloped Yue Liang, guarding her closely. Jian Xu stayed by her side, while the "Heaven's Punishment" squad, after cutting down a wave of puppets, quickly formed an array to aid the two Zhēnzūn in assaulting the massive blood sac.
"So that's the same evil cultivator who attacked Cloud Sea Sect last time?"
Jian Xu stood with sword in hand beside Jian Dan, his voice grave.
"Yes. This time we cannot let him escape again."
Within the barrier, the combined strikes of the two Zhēnzūn took effect. The blood sac's regenerative speed was slowing. Its bulk was shrinking. It would not last much longer.
Jian Dan's eyes flickered as she murmured, "Senior Brother, this blood sac feels too weak."
Jian Xu knew his Junior Sister's sharp mind well. If she said so, there had to be something amiss.
"What do you mean?"
"For a Mahayana evil cultivator, he should not be this fragile."
Her words carried no transmission. But every high-level cultivator present caught the meaning.
Yun Yun formed a seal, reversing the seawater into a great sphere that imprisoned the blood sac within. Tian Zhuo Zhēnzūn, sword in hand, cleaved down with a soundless strike, a yellow sword-light erupting forth.
In a single breath, the water sphere split in two, the blood sac severed along with it. A mangled figure tumbled out, only for a violet thunderbolt from the heavens to strike, reducing it to ashes.
Yun Yun Zhēnzūn clenched her hand, the divided seawater sphere merging back together. It held the descending thunderbolt, wrapping the blood sac within. The violet lightning burned fiercely, reducing the massive sac to cinders.
Then Yun Yun flicked forth her unique flame, the "Frozen Ice Flame." A ghostly blue fire ignited within the sphere. In less than three breaths, all ashes and seawater had been vaporized.
Only then did Yun Yun withdraw her flame. The sea returned to calm.
But the Nine-Tailed Demon King still hovered aloft, not leaving.
By now, high-ranking cultivators from the Buddhist Sect, Yin Yang Gate, Purple Sky Sect, and Heavenly Demon Palace had rushed to the scene, witnessing the final strike.
All saluted the Nine-Tailed Demon King with respect. She had not left the beast clans' territory for a thousand years. Her presence here meant the threat of the evil cultivators was dire indeed.
The nine-tailed one's nose twitched. Her violet eyes narrowed as she cast a subtle signal toward Jian Dan. Jian Dan caught it instantly and exchanged a glance with Jian Xu.
Such movements could not escape the perception of Mahayana Zhēnzūn.
Tian Zhuo Zhēnzūn had not dispersed the barrier. On the contrary, his hand spread wide, extending it outward. The newly arrived Mahayana Zhēnzūn stepped inside.
Suddenly, the seawater surged. The deep blue shifted into a muddy crimson. From the depths, countless thick, crimson tentacles shot upward, lashing at the cultivators in the sky.
"He's here!"
Jian Dan's Mò Xī Jiàn appeared instantly in her hand. From the pendant at her chest, swarms of silver-armored insects poured forth, surging like a tide to cover her robes.
Almost simultaneously, Jian Dan slashed backward, severing two tentacles aimed at her and Yue Liang.
Jian Xu's Sword of Light struck in tandem. The two flanked one another, counterattacking together.
The nine members of the "Heaven's Punishment" squad formed their array like a moving grinder, hacking tentacles apart one after another.
The Nine-Tailed Demon King's claws swept down, leaving trails of violet marks as tentacles were shredded. Her alluring voice rang across the battlefield:
"Do not waste your strength on these limbs. Strike below—he hides in the sea!"