Chapter 104: Splitting Up to Pursue

The sandstorm expanded rapidly, soon spreading to the nearby areas. The air was filled with swirling sand, and the howling wind roared in their ears, making it difficult to keenly sense the surroundings.

As the sudden change unfolded, Gu Kongshan had no time to think further. With winds swirling around him, he was about to rush into the sandstorm to rescue the Supreme Elder of the Zhaixing Tower.

At that moment, a long, powerful hand blocked his path.

“Master Gu, do not act rashly. Be cautious of an ambush,” Meng Qi said solemnly.

Gu Kongshan, a veteran of the martial world, understood the implication immediately. He inwardly scolded himself for being too hasty. If the fiends of the Devil Sect were launching a surprise attack on the Supreme Elder, it would be one thing. But if they were employing a feint, using the sandstorm to obscure their movements and lying in ambush along the way, a single misstep could lead to his downfall.

Although he was the foremost martial expert among the righteous sects, he knew that he was evenly matched with Hu Buwei, the Devil Sect Leader. If caught off guard by Hu, he would likely suffer serious injuries. With the added threat of the Heaven-Earth-Man Triarchs as new reinforcements, even escaping might not be possible.

Therefore, recklessness was not an option; caution was necessary.

Taking a light breath, Gu Kongshan politely said, “Thank you, Master Meng, for the reminder. Let us proceed carefully.”

Bringing along this group of formidable individuals would reduce the danger, even if an ambush were to occur.

Nonetheless, he remained vigilant. What if these people were actually spies from the Devil Sect? Thus, as Meng Qi and the others prepared to enter the sandstorm one by one, Gu Kongshan opened the box he carried.

Instantly, a brilliant blade of light erupted, shooting straight into the sky. Clouds gathered overhead, and whirlwinds formed into dragons, clearing the sandstorm momentarily.

As a skilled swordsman, Meng Qi couldn’t help but gaze in awe. The blade was enveloped in a clear, radiant glow. Its hilt, simple and unadorned, appeared to be made of ordinary wood. On one side of the blade, faint azure patterns shimmered with a mesmerizing glow, forming a vivid five-clawed dragon. Beneath its claws, clouds swirled and dispersed.

Gu Kongshan drew the Fengyun Blade, slung the scabbard behind his back, and made a light, sweeping motion forward. A fierce gale erupted, scattering the sand and revealing a clear, open path.

Only then did Meng Qi notice the other side of the Fengyun Blade. A dark crimson glow formed a lifelike tiger, its body surrounded by a gentle breeze.

Truly a divine weapon… Meng Qi inwardly praised as he followed Jiang Zhiwei and others into the sand-free path carved by Gu Kongshan, crossing through the storm.

…

At the Zhaixing Tower’s encampment, many tents were blown away. Numerous disciples were lost in the sandstorm, unable to see or hear, making mutual rescue impossible. They could only guard their own positions carefully, moving cautiously toward areas with weaker winds and sand.

Near the main tent, dark devilish qi swirled and surged, blocking the Zhaixing Tower’s Leader and several elders and disciples who had arrived slightly late.

The Heaven-Earth-Man Triarchs appeared in the storm. Some obscured the “falling stars” one by one, others absorbed devilish energy into their bodies, unafraid of pain or injury, their flesh constantly regenerating to block the desperate rescue attempts by the Zhaixing Tower Leader and others.

Despite the Zhaixing Tower’s numerical advantage, they could not advance even an inch.

Inside the tent, an elderly man with white hair and a furious expression glared at the middle-aged man before him. Blood trickled from his eyes, nose, mouth, and ears. His silver-white metal gloves were bound by dark devilish energy, preventing him from unleashing their full power.

Opposite him, the thin middle-aged man had his hands submerged in the dark devilish energy, seemingly merging into it.

Sweating strange bloody droplets from his forehead, the thin middle-aged man appeared strained but wore a relaxed smile as he looked at the back of the elderly man.

Behind the elderly man stood Yun Tingfeng, his long hair loose, thick eyebrows calm, and hands gripping the elderly man’s shoulders. His muscles rippled, as if something were rapidly flowing into Yun Tingfeng’s body.

Beside the slender middle-aged man, a strange, eerie green vertical eye opened on Su Yuanying’s forehead. Covering his mouth, he let out a light cough. At his feet lay two captured female disciples of the Star-Seizing Tower. Dressed in white, Gu Xiaosang observed the scene with a faint, indifferent smile.

After a few breaths, the elderly man’s muscles withered, and his strength drained away as he slowly collapsed. His eyes blurred, and his hoarse voice muttered, “Devil… devil…”

The thin middle-aged man remained cautious. The terrifying devilish energy still surrounded the silver-white gloves until they were removed from the old man’s hands, when he finally exhaled in relief.

A flash of crimson passed over Yun Tingfeng’s face before vanishing. He stroked his hands in satisfaction and said, “Master, what shall we do next?”

The thin middle-aged man was none other than Hu Buwei, the Devil Sect Leader.

Hu Buwei smiled slightly, “With the three of you possessing unparalleled martial prowess, we are fortunate to have your aid.”

After a brief compliment, he continued seriously, “Gu Kongshan and others are about to arrive, and we are not yet ready to face them directly. We must retreat immediately. Once the seal of the Devil’s Grave is completed, they will be powerless to act.”

“To prevent them from pursuing us and reclaiming the ‘Zhaixing Hand,’ we will split into four groups, using feints and real attacks to disperse their forces. As long as we bring the Zhaixing Hand back to the Sacred Volcano and seal it within the Devil’s Grave, our mission will be accomplished.”

“At that time, the sect will reward you three generously—whether it be divine weapons, secret martial arts manuals, medicinal pills, or beautiful disciples, nothing will be withheld.”

Yun Tingfeng bowed gracefully, “As the Master commands.”

Gu Xiaosang, using the name Xiaozhi, smiled faintly, “That is precisely what I had in mind.”

…

The fierce winds howled, and clouds were swept away as Gu Kongshan slashed the Fengyun Blade, finally clearing a path to the Zhaixing Tower and revealing its chaotic encampment.

“Where is Leader Luo? Where is Elder Qi?” Gu Kongshan saw the Zhaixing Tower Leader preparing to chase into the sandstorm.

Hearing Gu Kongshan’s voice, Leader Luo paused, then turned excitedly, “Master Gu, our sect’s Elder Qi was ambushed by the fiends, and the Zhaixing Hand was stolen!”

“What?” Although somewhat expected, Gu Kongshan and Meng Qi still felt a jolt of shock.

At that moment, sword qi slashed across the sky, and fluttering ribbons appeared as the Sword Sect Leader and the Elder Keeper of the Xiaoyue Gate arrived from different directions with their elders.

“Who holds the Zhaixing Hand? Which direction did they flee?” Gu Kongshan, without greeting, sternly asked Leader Luo.

The Sword Sect Leader was a graceful, beautiful middle-aged woman, while the Xiaoyue Gate’s Elder Keeper was an old man with a hunched back and wrinkles so deep they could trap mosquitoes. They did not interrupt, listening intently while inquiring about the events from others.

Caught off guard by Gu Kongshan’s question, Leader Luo hesitated, somewhat bewildered, “They split into four groups and fled in four directions. I don’t know who has the Zhaixing Hand.”

Gu Kongshan immediately understood the tactic of feints and real attacks. However, there was no way to predict which group held the Zhaixing Hand, and guessing incorrectly could lead to irreversible disaster. “In that case, we will also split up to pursue them. Which direction did Hu Buwei take? Who was with him?”

By now, the sandstorm had begun to subside, and he decided to personally pursue Hu Buwei, the Devil Sect Leader.

Leader Luo calmed himself and quickly replied, “Hu Buwei was alone, heading in that direction… the Tianzun and the strange man with the third eye went together… the Renzun and the long-haired man went another way… and the Dizun with the woman in the white dress went the last way…”

Without hesitation, Gu Kongshan said, “Then I will go with you to pursue Hu Buwei.”

Chasing alone might not guarantee retrieving the Zhaixing Hand!

Then he turned to the Sword Sect Leader and said, “Madam Huan, please pursue Tianzun with your elders. Be cautious of the strange man with the third eye, as he can directly attack souls.”

Madam Huan solemnly nodded, “Rest assured, the Taihua Sword can sever spiritual essences.”

Without further words, she immediately led two elders to pursue Tianzun and Su Yuan Ying, leaving the other two to organize defense and advance plans.

“Master Gu, we will pursue Renzun,” the Xiaoyue Gate’s Elder Keeper, unwilling to waste time, said directly.

Gu Kongshan nodded, “Beware of the long-haired man; he can absorb inner energy through physical contact.”

The Elder Keeper memorized this warning and departed immediately, leaving some elders behind to stabilize morale.

Gu Kongshan had originally intended to send several elders from the Zhaixing Tower to pursue Dizun, but upon second thought, recalling Meng Qi’s group’s mysterious origins and their potential unreliability, he decided against leaving them behind, fearing they might cause trouble. Thus, he said solemnly, “Please pursue Dizun, with two companions from the Zhaixing Tower assisting.”

This served both as surveillance and to prevent them from getting lost in the unfamiliar desert terrain.

“Understood, Master Gu.” This time, Luo Shengyi did not take the lead. Zhang Yuanshan exchanged glances with Meng Qi and others before promptly agreeing.

This was a rare opportunity to eliminate Gu Xiaosang when they were not scattered!

Gu Kongshan did not dare delay further. With a slight nod, he surged forward with the Fengyun Blade, leading Leader Luo to pursue Hu Buwei.

Jiang Zhiwei hesitated slightly before saying, “Brother Zhang, you and Zhen Zhen should return to the Fengyun Estate. Her vision is newly opened, and her footwork is not yet refined. She may struggle to keep up with such a pursuit. And if she were alone, we would be worried.”

At this critical moment of pursuing the enemy, she did not waste time with unnecessary words or consider superficial matters.

Meng Qi felt a sense of empathy; he was glad he had followed her advice earlier and worked hard on his footwork, exchanging for the Divine Steps and Wind Legs techniques. Otherwise, he might be the one left behind.

Zhang Yuanshan, always mindful of the bigger picture, paused briefly before saying, “If anything happens, send a signal.”

Jiang Zhiwei, about to descend the mountain, naturally carried the special signal items of the Xijian Pavilion.

Zhen Zhen’s expression dimmed slightly, but she understood and did not protest, handing a small candle each to Meng Qi, Qi Zhengyan, and Jiang Zhiwei.

Afterward, Meng Qi and the others followed two elders of the Zhaixing Tower toward the direction Gu Xiaosang and Dizun had fled.

Along the way, Luo Shengyi and Jiang Zhiwei’s expertise in tracking left Meng Qi and Qi Zhengyan deeply impressed. They realized that their shortcomings were not merely in martial arts skills. The two elders’ proficiency in identifying desert traces further moved Meng Qi, who thought to himself: if he had such experiences earlier, how could he have been caught by An Guoxie?

Perhaps Dizun and Gu Xiaosang had fled in haste, although they had tried to erase their tracks, they still left behind some clues, allowing the group to follow without losing them. By evening, as the sun set, they arrived at an ancient ruin covered in thick yellow sand.

This ruin spanned dozens of miles, with various desert-specific structures, though now decayed and buried under sand, leaving only outlines. At its center stood an ancient temple, unchanged for centuries.

The crimson twilight fell upon the ruins, creating a scene of “burning” grandeur—majestic, desolate, and vast.

“What ancient ruin is this? Why did Gu Xiaosang and the others flee here?” This question echoed in the minds of Meng Qi and the others simultaneously.