Chapter 33: The Arrival of a Formidable Foe

“News about Liu Qingyao?”

At those words, the two men’s eyes lit up, their gaze fixed intently on Lin Xian.

Though they could not be certain if she spoke truth or falsehood, her expression betrayed no hint of deceit. Even if what they saw was not the whole truth, they refused to believe Lin Xian would choose to lie to them.

Suppressing his excitement, Qin Lang smiled frankly. “Sister Xian, could you tell me what news you’ve received about Liu Qingyao?”

Seeing how eager they were, Lin Xian decided not to conceal anything. “Recently, my people spotted Qingyao in Mutian City.”

“Hm?”

Both men narrowed their eyes, staring at Lin Xian. Liu Qingyao appearing in the city? How could that be?

Yet on second thought, it made sense. Their arrival would surely have attracted the attention of the demon clan. Especially with Qin Lang’s presence—his appearance alone would be enough to draw them in.

“Sister Xian, are you certain you’re not deceiving us?” Qin Lang asked calmly.

“Master Qin, I would never lie without reason. Though my people only glimpsed Qingyao’s figure, they are certain it was her.”

Lin Xian responded sincerely.

Convinced she was not lying, Qin Lang and Hua Manlou were elated. Liu Qingyao was already in the city—they need only cast their bait, and the fish they sought would be lured out.

The thought that their quarry had already taken the bait filled them with joy. Now, all that remained was to lay the lure and wait.

...

After Lin Xian departed, Qin Lang and Hua Manlou exchanged glances and burst into laughter. Though their laughter was wild and unrestrained, it could not fully reveal the delight in their hearts.

“Brother Qin, fortune favors us! We’ve barely arrived and Liu Qingyao has already come to us—would you say Heaven is smiling upon us?”

Qin Lang shrugged, shaking his head gently. “It’s true she’s come on her own, but it also means she’s protected by powerful allies. If you hope to capture her, it will not be easy.”

Liu Qingyao’s personal appearance signified her intent to eliminate him, with absolute determination. He was certain she had brought a host of strong cultivators, and their target was him.

Feeling the danger approaching, Qin Lang pondered how he might respond, and how to deal with the demon clan.

Liu Man and his group were strong, but the demons would be no weaker—they might even surpass them in strength.

After all, if he survived, the demons’ plan would fail...

Hua Manlou nodded in agreement. “Indeed, this task will be far from simple. Our people and Brother Liu must prepare carefully, lest something unexpected happens.”

If they were not fully prepared, not only would they fail to capture their target, but Qin Lang himself might be lost.

Before departing, Wang Kai had personally emphasized that Qin Lang must come to no harm, nor perish in the course of their mission.

Should anything happen to him, the three great authorities of the Supreme Celestial Prison would not forgive them. It might even reach the Celestial Emperor himself...

Parting ways with Hua Manlou, Qin Lang returned to his room and promptly fell asleep.

When he awoke, Milk Candy was right before his eyes, rolling about on the floor with a smile on its face.

With a thought, Qin Lang conjured a ball of fur and, grinning mischievously, tossed it across the room.

Milk Candy, suddenly seeing the ball, chased after it and began playing with it energetically.

“Milk Candy, look at your feline ways—how can you claim not to be a cat?”

“Ugh—”

“Nonsense! I am no mere cat. I am a Chaos Sacred Beast, I only happen to resemble a cat,”

Milk Candy, startled awake, kicked aside the ball and adamantly refused to accept being called a cat.

Qin Lang asked blandly, “Since you’re a Chaos Sacred Beast, then tell me—what kind are you, and why do you always refer to yourself as ‘Master Cat’?”

“My memories are still sealed, so I don’t know what type of Chaos Sacred Beast I am. But I’m certain I must be very powerful.”

“Isn’t that just nonsense?” Qin Lang’s brow twitched as he thought, speechless. “If you don’t even know what you are, how do you know you’re powerful? Don’t tell me you’re just guessing.”

He now strongly suspected Milk Candy was just a cat, not any kind of Chaos Sacred Beast.

If it truly were a Chaos Sacred Beast, that would be like a sow wearing a bra—layer upon layer of absurdity.

“Guessing your sister!”

“I was born a Sacred Beast—believe it or not, it’s up to you.”

Milk Candy retorted with a curse, looking at Qin Lang with utter disdain.

As a Chaos Sacred Beast, did it need to guess?

Yet, what kind was it? And how had it ended up sealed inside the “Record of Flame and Yellow Mountains and Seas,” serving as a spirit?

Ignoring Milk Candy, Qin Lang turned to practice swordsmanship.

He had yet to fully master the “Eighty-One Exorcism Sword Techniques”; his skill had not reached the realm of divine proficiency or effortless command.

...

Two days later.

Night had fallen, stars shining brightly in the sky.

At the Li family residence, in Li Jian’s courtyard.

Bang! Bang!

Li Jian was fiercely striking a sandbag, venting his anger with each blow.

He had believed the Berserk Immortals would kill Qin Lang, but unexpectedly, Qin Lang had escaped.

Now, he would have to find another way to eliminate Qin Lang.

He needed to quickly sever all ties to the Berserk Immortals and any dealings with them, lest the Immortal Dynasty discover his involvement—his family would be doomed.

Swish!

Suddenly, a golden barrier flared to life. Li Jian, still pummeling the sandbag, looked up, bewildered.

Why had the family’s protective formation been activated so abruptly?

“Ah!”

As confusion filled him, screams echoed from all around.

Hearing the heartbreaking, agonized cries, he shuddered, nerves taut, staring toward the courtyard gate.

Why such misery in the dead of night?

Without delay, he rushed outside, only to be greeted by a hellish scene: corpses strewn across the ground, blood everywhere, the courtyard transformed into an inferno.

Stunned by the carnage, Li Jian froze, unable to believe what his eyes told him.

But the black-clad killers slaughtering his family made one thing painfully clear—this was all real. Someone was exterminating the Li family.

As one of the assassins, wielding a gleaming Tang blade, lunged at him, Li Jian’s heart clenched. He turned and fled in panic...

Elsewhere, Li Ningwen—the family patriarch and its strongest member—faced three black-clad killers. His gaze was sharp, murderous intent radiating to the heavens, his eyes cold as he stared them down.

With his sword pointed at his foes, Li Ningwen spoke icily: “Who sent you? Why do you target the Li family?”