After the battle in the barren valley, Ling Shuang’s attitude towards Chen Ping underwent a complete transformation.
Her former disdain and doubt vanished like smoke, replaced by heartfelt reverence and a subtle, barely noticeable sense of dependence.
She began proactively seeking Chen Ping’s opinions. When directing the disciples, she would glance at him from time to time, only feeling reassured after he gave a slight nod.
The interrogation of the captives went smoothly. Under the absolute deterrence of force and the Sword Sect disciples’ specialised interrogation methods, the remaining Demon Sect disciples and Fusion Beast warriors quickly revealed what they knew.
“Mercy, my lord! We were only ordered to patrol this area, searching for the remnants who fled from the Myriad Beast Sect, especially Sect Leader Lietian and his close aides… oh, and spies from the Xuantian Sword Sect.”
One Demon Sect disciple confessed tremblingly. “The higher-ups said to send a signal immediately upon discovering traces, and experts would lead a team to encircle and suppress them.”
“What is the deployment situation in this area? How many patrol teams are there? How are the experts distributed?” Ling Shuang asked coldly.
“This… this lowly one only knows about our team, led by Elder Liu and Commander Liaoya.”
“As for the others… I heard that Sect Leader Zhengu and several important figures from the Myriad Soul Demon Sect are stationed at the Myriad Beast Sect headquarters. The periphery is guarded by mixed teams of Fusion Beast clans and Demon Sect disciples, divided into regions for searches. I truly do not know the exact number of teams.”
Another Fusion Beast warrior provided slightly different information. “Sect Leader Zhengu has ordered a focused search in several old hunting grounds and abandoned mine caves in the northwest and southwest directions, saying those places are easy to hide in…”
Chen Ping listened quietly, committing this information to memory.
Northwest and southwest directions… these might be the escape routes that Lietian and the others had chosen.
After dealing with the captives, the group took a short rest. Chen Ping looked at the map and pondered for a moment before saying, “We will move towards the southwest, paying attention to concealing our traces along the way.”
“If Sect Leader Lietian and the others have indeed withdrawn in this direction, we might find clues. At the same time, we can avoid known patrol routes.”
“Yes, Senior Chen.” Ling Shuang responded immediately, then instructed the disciples to cast concealment spells, restrain their auras, and advance along the route indicated by Chen Ping.
Over the next two days, Chen Ping’s group moved like ghosts through the complex terrain of the Myriad Beast Mountain Range.
They evaded three sizeable patrol teams and discovered several sites that appeared to have seen battle, but found no definite traces of Lietian and the others.
Chen Ping’s brows furrowed ever tighter.
The mountain range was too vast, and Lietian and his group were deliberately hiding. Searching like this was no different from looking for a needle in a haystack.
Moreover, he could feel the net of pursuit tightening.
The Fusion Beast Clan’s familiarity with the mountain range far exceeded that of outsiders, combined with the tracking methods provided by the Demon Sect. Lietian and the others were likely in increasing danger.
Ling Shuang also felt the pressure. Seeing the gravity in Chen Ping’s eyes, she could not help but say softly, “Senior Chen, continuing the search like this is not sustainable. Should we perhaps…”
Before she could finish, Chen Ping suddenly raised his hand to signal silence, his gaze sharply turning towards a dense ancient forest to their left.
Moments later, an extremely faint rustling sound came from the forest, almost imperceptible unless one’s divine sense was exceptionally strong.
Immediately after, two cautious figures, almost blending perfectly with the environment, quietly emerged from the shadows between the trees.
They were two beast clan members!
They maintained a half-beastified state: one resembling a wolf, the other a leopard. Both bore injuries, their auras weak, their eyes filled with vigilance and exhaustion.
When they saw Chen Ping’s group, especially Chen Ping and Ling Shuang, they first tensed in alarm and assumed defensive postures. But upon clearly seeing Chen Ping’s face, the wolf-like beast clan’s eyes suddenly burst with incredulous joy!
“It… it’s Senior Chen?!”
The wolf-like beast clan’s voice trembled, nearly shouting out loud before forcibly suppressing it.
Chen Ping recognised him as a rather clever fourth-level Heavenly Immortal Realm wolf clan elder who had been close to Lietian, seemingly called Jifeng.
“Elder Jifeng?” Chen Ping stepped forward, lowering his voice. “Where is Sect Leader Lietian? What about the others?”
Upon seeing Chen Ping, Elder Jifeng felt as if he had encountered a saviour. His eyes reddened with emotion as he quickly said, “Senior! It really is you! The Sect Leader and the others… they are in a concealed valley not far ahead!”
“Everyone… everyone’s condition is not good. Many brothers are injured, and the Sect Leader’s wounds are especially severe. We were sent out to scout the path and gather resources…”
“Lead the way!” Chen Ping said without hesitation.
Under Elder Jifeng’s guidance, the group proceeded even more cautiously, bypassing several natural illusions and a seemingly calm but actually deadly swamp.
Finally, they arrived at a valley entrance completely concealed by vines and strange rocks.
The entrance was protected by crude yet ingenious illusion arrays and warning restrictions, clearly set up in haste.
Elder Jifeng formed several specific beast clan hand seals. The illusion array rippled slightly, revealing a gap just wide enough for one person to pass.
Everyone quickly slipped inside.
The interior of the valley was not large but quite deep.
More than twenty Myriad Beast Sect disciples sat or lay about, most bearing injuries, their auras weak. The air was filled with a faint mixture of blood and herbal scents.
Seeing Jifeng bring back strangers, many of the wounded struggled to rise and prepare for defence. But upon seeing Chen Ping, especially after some old disciples close to Lietian recognised him, the valley erupted in suppressed, excited murmurs.
“Senior Chen!”
“Senior has come!”
Deep in the valley, on a relatively flat boulder, Lietian leaned back, his face as pale as paper. His chest was wrapped in thick bandages with faint bloodstains seeping through.
When he saw Chen Ping, a spark ignited in his dim eyes. He struggled to stand. “Senior… you… you have finally arrived!”
Chen Ping flashed to his side in an instant and pressed down on his shoulder. “Do not move.”
At the same time, his divine sense swept over, and his heart sank slightly.
Lietian not only had severe external injuries but also significant internal trauma. His meridians were damaged in multiple places, and there were clear traces of demonic qi erosion. He had evidently gone through a fierce battle.
