Chapter 2409: Chapter 2409
Trapped in the illusionary formation, the deeper they ventured, the more disoriented they became. They immediately used communication talismans to discuss a plan to break the array.
Seizing the moment when the group paused, Ye Liuyun, his doppelgänger, and the Qiong Qi beast stealthily approached one of the martial cultivators. Launching a synchronized soul attack, Ye Liuyun swiftly implanted a slave seal and began sifting through the man’s memories.
Within moments, Ye Liuyun uncovered the number and strength of their adversaries. However, the martial cultivator’s memories held no clues about the treasure’s location.
"Next!" Without hesitation, Ye Liuyun led his doppelgänger and the Qiong Qi beast to subdue more of the martial cultivators.
Meanwhile, Leng Jian, still fixated on tracking the defensive barrier’s energy signature, insisted, "They’re just ahead! A little farther and we’ll reach them!"
The two martial cultivators behind him exchanged glances before deciding to press on, gripping Leng Jian tightly as they advanced.
Leng Jian shut his eyes, relying solely on his senses to guide him, deliberately avoiding the illusionary formation’s deceptive visuals. He moved forward until he sensed the defensive barrier’s energy pulsing right before him—then halted.
But before he could open his eyes, a crushing blow from behind sent him crumpling to the ground, unconscious.
There, lying on the grass before them, was the other defensive barrier.
"It’s a trap! This bastard led us into an ambush!" one of the martial cultivators spat.
"Don’t kill him yet. Seal his true energy and bring him back for the Young Master to deal with. That way, we’ll have an explanation," the other said, swiftly sealing Leng Jian’s meridians before hoisting him like a sack.
"Everyone, follow the tremors in the ground and regroup on me!"
After securing Leng Jian, the martial cultivator immediately issued orders to the others, then began stomping rhythmically on the earth, sending vibrations as a signal.
By then, Ye Liuyun’s group had already subdued three martial cultivators—who promptly relayed this development to him.
"Go after them and ambush those two martial artists!" Ye Liuyun immediately ordered them to give chase while he, along with his doppelganger and the Qiong Qi beast, focused on capturing the remaining martial artists.
At this moment, all the martial artists had their eyes closed, no longer watching their path, as they rushed toward the source of the tremors beneath their feet.
Ye Liuyun and his group effortlessly captured three more martial artists before joining forces with the six they had already subdued, advancing together.
The moment these six appeared, the two remaining martial artists immediately ordered them to halt and stay where they were.
These two were wary, suspecting the others had been controlled and might pose a threat.
Ye Liuyun and his doppelganger stealthily closed the distance, silently acknowledging that these two were sharper than the rest. Without hesitation, they unleashed the Qiong Qi, coordinating an assault on the martial artist holding Leng Jian.
To their surprise, however, the man’s sea of consciousness was shielded by an artifact that defended against soul attacks.
"We’ll handle him. The rest of you—two block his physical strikes, the other four, focus on soul attacks!"
Ye Liuyun swiftly directed the group, intending to overwhelm the martial artist in one decisive strike before dealing with the other.
Reacting instantly, the martial artist hurled Leng Jian toward his companion, then struck out—one palm aimed at the Qiong Qi, the other slamming violently into the ground.
"Go! Escape underground!" he shouted to his ally.
It turned out that his earlier stomping had been a deliberate attempt to weaken the formation beneath them. He had some knowledge of formations and had identified the illusion array’s weakest point—the ground.
Without hesitation, his companion caught Leng Jian, split the earth with a single strike, and plunged downward.
Meanwhile, the six martial artists under Ye Liuyun’s control sprang into action—some intercepting attacks, others unleashing soul energy to assist. The artifact shielding against soul attacks shattered under the combined assault, allowing Ye Liuyun and his allies to invade the martial artist’s sea of consciousness and brand his soul with a slave seal.
"Finally found you!"
A surge of excitement coursed through Ye Liuyun’s veins. This soul-searching endeavor had finally yielded concrete information about the treasure’s location.
The martial cultivator he interrogated had indeed heard rumors of a hidden treasure near the coast—an unremarkable island roughly two days’ journey from the shoreline, beneath which lay an ancient palace. However, according to the man, those waters were perilous, and the palace itself was guarded by formidable beings.
The cultivator had learned this from a senior, and while he couldn’t guarantee its absolute truth, he was fairly certain it wasn’t a trap. In fact, he had once entertained thoughts of seeking the treasure himself. But knowing his own limitations, he never dared to venture alone. The idea of forming a team crossed his mind, yet fear of exposure kept him from finding reliable allies.
Without delay, Ye Liuyun relayed the news to Qiong Qi.
"What? No way!" Qiong Qi exclaimed in disbelief. "When they tried to lure you last time, they actually used a real treasure location?"
"Not exactly," Ye Liuyun replied. "The spot they mentioned was still far from the island. And even if we knew its general whereabouts, reaching it is another matter entirely."
"Could it be a trap?" Qiong Qi voiced his concern.
"Possibly," Ye Liuyun admitted. "But even if it is, we’ll have to check it out. Still, that’s a problem for later. Right now, let’s deal with Xiao Muyu first."
With that, Ye Liuyun swiftly stored his doppelgänger, Qiong Qi, and the seven captured martial cultivators into his spatial realm.
Meanwhile, the demonic vine had already ensnared the fleeing cultivator and Leng Jian, draining their energy relentlessly.
"Let them go," Ye Liuyun commanded. "They’ll deliver a message for us." He had a plan—keeping Leng Jian alive would allow him to later assume the swordsman’s identity and infiltrate Xiao Muyu’s circle.
The vine, having absorbed most of their strength, loosened its grip, allowing the two to escape.
The cultivator’s cultivation had plummeted to the eighth level of the Immortal Realm, while Leng Jian fared even worse—his power had fallen below the Immortal Realm entirely.
Even more tragically, the two of them were underground and couldn’t even see the full form of the demonic vine, completely unaware of what had attacked them.
The martial cultivator stubbornly dragged Cold Sword back to the military camp and accused him before Xiao Muyu, claiming Cold Sword had led them into a trap.
Enraged, Xiao Muyu immediately ordered Cold Sword to be hacked into mincemeat and fed to the savage beasts.
Cold Sword had brought this upon himself—his scheme backfired, and he never even got a chance to explain before meeting his end.
Xiao Muyu had lost eight of his strongest warriors in one fell swoop. One was crippled, another’s fate remained unknown, and the other six had been captured alive by the enemy. How could he not despise Cold Sword?
Whether Cold Sword had acted deliberately or not, Xiao Muyu would never have spared him.
As for the demonic vine underground, the survivor who returned had no idea what it was either, only speculating it might be some kind of native plant.
Seeing that even this well-traveled expert could only guess, Xiao Muyu didn’t pay it much mind.
"Attack the tribe at full force immediately. Before they can intervene, we must seize control of everyone inside."
He made the snap decision to mobilize his troops right away, aiming to conquer the tribe before Ye Liuyun and his group had the chance to cause trouble.
Xiao Muyu sent his strongest warriors to lead the charge, and with the soldiers now well-rested, the full assault quickly overwhelmed the local tribespeople once again.
Moreover, as they fought, they captured prisoners one after another, forcing them into master-servant contracts. The more they fought, the weaker the tribe’s resistance became—until they stood no chance at all.
