Trap

Qin Wentian moved with the speed of lightning, sprinting to the side of the forest and successfully eluding his pursuers. The two men chasing him eventually halted their pursuit, deciding to redirect their attention elsewhere.

Meanwhile, Yanaro dashed forward at an incredible pace, gesturing for those around him to follow closely.

"Stay on their tail," he ordered, and the people around him nodded in silent agreement as they stealthily trailed their quarry.

As time passed, the banquet attendees all entered the hunting grounds and crossed into the Dark Forest. Here, the demonic energy was much denser, causing many to slow down as they cautiously made their way through.

Mu Rou had already dismounted her horse and skillfully killed a demonic beast, swiftly extracting its demonic core. The young nobles from aristocratic clans had been training in the art of hunting since a young age, so they were well-versed in these activities.

"Demonic energy," Mu Rou murmured as she sensed a change. Without hesitation, she turned and sprinted away. She had learned the correlation between the density of demonic energy and danger, and this surge was too overwhelming. She decisively retreated in the opposite direction.

No sooner had she left the area than a surge of intense heat swept through, setting nearby trees ablaze. Several lion-shaped demonic beasts emerged, their rock-hard bodies shimmering with an amber glow.

Astral Demonic Beasts, Volcanic Lions.

These creatures absorbed Astral Energy from fire-type constellations to aid their growth. They not only possessed fiery attacks but also had incredibly tough bodies. They were fierce and bloodthirsty opponents.

The Volcanic Lions charged toward Mu Rou, who desperately tried to outrun them. However, she soon sensed another surge of dense demonic energy from the side.

"Chu Ling," Mu Rou whispered as she spotted a figure surrounded by a pack of demonic wolves. Chu Ling was in grave danger.

In addition to Chu Ling's predicament, another group was engaged in a fierce battle with other demonic beasts – it was Qin Yao and her Snowcloud Country companions.

Mu Rou rushed to Chu Ling's rescue, her Wind-type hurricane Astral Soul greatly increasing her speed. She arrived at Chu Ling's side and struck out with powerful palm strikes, cutting down a demonic wolf that had been about to pounce on Chu Ling.

"I don't need your help," Chu Ling replied icily, though she was visibly trembling.

"Stronger demonic beasts are closing in. We need to run," Mu Rou urged. With numerous wolves blocking their path, she could already see the Volcanic Lions approaching.

"You're trying to harm me deliberately," Chu Ling accused, her face paling as she spotted the approaching lions. The aura exuded by these beasts marked them as at least 5th-level demonic creatures, equivalent to human cultivators in the middle Arterial Circulation realm.

Volleys of flames were spat out by the lions, heading straight for Mu Rou. She grimaced and called upon the power of her Wind-type Astral Soul, enhancing her speed to evade the fiery projectiles with expert footwork. The Volcanic Lions' defenses were too formidable for Mu Rou to challenge directly.

As they struggled against the demonic beasts, Yanaro strolled out with a strange smile on his face.

"Yanaro, why aren't you helping?" Chu Ling cried out desperately when she spotted Yanaro. He smirked coldly, "Do you want me to assist you or Mu Rou?"

"Considering how much Mu Rou despises you, you shouldn't keep embarrassing yourself by sticking to her," Chu Ling replied, narrowly avoiding an attacking beast and letting out a scream.

Mu Rou's expression froze. She and Chu Ling had been extremely close before, and now, because of Qin Wentian, Chu Ling seemed to harbor intense resentment.

"Hehe." Yanaro didn't seem in a hurry to step in, instead standing there, chuckling. "What's the price you're willing to pay?"

"I'll give you 50 2nd-layer Yuan Meteor Stones," Chu Ling grudgingly offered, cursing Yanaro in her heart. This guy was actually trying to extort her in the midst of this crisis. Mu Rou remained silent, continuing to battle the demonic beasts.

Suddenly, a blurry figure streaked by with incredible speed. This person appeared next to Mu Rou and executed a powerful fist technique with draconic roars, smashing one of the Volcanic Lions.

"Boom!" A mighty force sent the Volcanic Lion hurtling through the air. The strength of the Dragon Subduing Fists was evident.

"It's him!" Surprise washed over Mu Rou as she looked at the kirin-masked figure before her. Despite the change in his attire, when she considered his physique and the Dragon Subduing Fists technique, she knew that her savior was none other than Qin Wentian.

Chu Ling also noticed the kirin-masked figure's arrival. She wondered which academy he hailed from.

"Leave it to me," Qin Wentian said in a deep voice, executing his Garuda Movement Technique. Mu Rou watched as a series of afterimages whizzed by. The demonic wolves posed no threat, and even the Volcanic Lions crumbled upon contact with Qin Wentian. The Dragon Subduing Fists, a human-grade innate technique, demonstrated its full power under his control, stunning all who witnessed it.

Qin Wentian's innate techniques drew their energy from the Qi absorbed from the 5th Heavenly Layer, condensed into Divine Energy. His attacks were exceptionally domineering.

Yanaro's expression darkened. This was the same person who had hunted down members of his Knight's Association in the Dreamsky Forest.

In the blink of an eye, only one Volcanic Lion remained after Qin Wentian's relentless assault. It was now on par with a human at the 6th level of Arterial Circulation.

"Roar!" The Volcanic Lion roared in fury as it lunged at Qin Wentian.

In that moment, Qin Wentian chose not to evade but to confront the lion head-on.

"Die!" Qin Wentian growled softly. Simultaneously, he unleashed a potent palm strike, harmonizing the dual concepts of hardness and softness. His palm trembled slightly in the air as it landed squarely on the lion's head. The sound of cracking echoed as the Volcanic Lion's skull shattered, collapsing to the ground, silenced forever.

"That strength..." Chu Ling's heart quivered. The aura radiating from this man suggested he was at the 5th level of Arterial Circulation. His martial prowess was far beyond even those at the 6th level.

Yanaro's eyes gleamed sharply. That palm strike earlier appeared to originate from the Thousand Hands Imprint, but he couldn't be certain.

Mu Rou remained composed. Having sparred with Qin Wentian for many days, she understood his exceptional combat abilities. She swiftly dispatched the demonic wolves surrounding Chu Ling, clearing the battlefield.

On the other side, Qin Yao and her group continued their battle, with Qin Yao seemingly unharmed.

"Boom!" A surge of dominant sword intent emanated from Yanaro, his killing intent surging as he locked eyes with Qin Wentian.

Qin Wentian was ready. He pivoted and, upon observing Yanaro's actions, a frigid glint flashed in his eyes.

A low hum filled the air as Yanaro closed in, his sword Qi intensifying into a raging tempest of blades.

The ground shattered beneath Qin Wentian's feet as he surged toward Yanaro. Divine Energy coursed through his five circular arterial pathways, creating an ocean-like resonance.

"Chichi..." Yanaro's finger thrust, releasing energy that transformed into a sharp sword aimed at Qin Wentian.

However, Qin Wentian didn't slow down; he accelerated. Just as the sword was about to pierce his body, he contorted his form and surged ahead.

"Hmph," Yanaro sneered, waving his hand. This time, five swords manifested from his five fingers, releasing sword Qi capable of rending all.

Simultaneously, Divine Energy surged within Qin Wentian. Concentrating this power in his palms, he launched a strike toward Yanaro. The force in his palm seemed capable of moving mountains and seas.

Their attacks clashed. Qin Wentian's palm imprint was mercilessly shredded, and he rapidly retreated. Yanaro was also pushed back. His gaze on Qin Wentian grew even more intense with killing intent.

Qin Wentian glanced down at his robe. The formidable sword energy had torn a gaping hole in it. If he hadn't swiftly retreated, he might have been injured by the sword Qi. After all, Yanaro, a 7th-level Arterial Circulation cultivator, wasn't an easy opponent to overcome.

In that moment, several figures emerged. Qin Wentian quickly assessed the situation and moved backward. As he retreated, he glanced over at Qin Yao's group. They had finished their battle and were making their way forward.

"No..." A voice filled with agony pierced the air, causing Qin Wentian to freeze. It was Qin Yao's voice.

Ignoring everything else, Qin Wentian's body flickered, his speed pushed to the limit. When he saw what was unfolding, his body involuntarily trembled.

In his line of sight was a massive, foreboding black stronghold. Crafted from darksteel, it emanated an ominous aura, casting a heavy pall over the surroundings.

Just beyond the black stronghold, there was a training ground. In the center of that field, a horde of savage beasts were closing in on a middle-aged figure. The middle-aged man bore numerous bloody wounds, his hair disheveled in the fierce wind. Despite his battered state, there was a steely determination burning in his eyes.

"Father..." Qin Yao sobbed hoarsely.

"Father..." Qin Wentian took a deep breath, struggling to maintain his composure.

Had Yanaro followed Qin Yao all this way just for this moment? To make her witness their father being torn apart in such a cruel manner?

Was this gruesome scene specifically orchestrated for Qin Yao?

Chu Tianjiao – what was his motive in all of this?

Yanaro, Chu Ling, Mu Rou, and the others gathered near the black stronghold.

"The infamous black stronghold," Mu Rou murmured. The black stronghold was rumored to be hidden deep within the Dark Forest, a place where death-row inmates were held. Once you were imprisoned there, escape was nigh impossible, even if you had wings.

The middle-aged man under attack was none other than Qin Wentian and Qin Yao's father, Qin Chuan.

Realization struck Mu Rou, and she hurried to Qin Wentian's side, whispering cautiously, "The black stronghold is known for its impenetrable security. It permits entry but rarely allows anyone to leave. Now that Qin Chuan is outside of it, we must be careful; this might be a trap."

Qin Wentian's heart quivered. So, Mu Rou had known his identity all along.

It was undoubtedly a trap, but why did Chu Tianjiao go to such lengths?

Though he couldn't fathom the reason, an unrelenting fury blazed within him.