In the corridor. "Roar~~" "Roar~~~" The ancient Golden Turtle blocked the cave entrance, occasionally letting out a roar to communicate with Wu Hou.
"Zhao Danchen, don't just stand there; it's useless to be anxious." Wu Hou stretched lazily, then his expression suddenly changed. He stared toward the other end of the corridor and hissed, "Someone!" Wu Hou, who had been sitting on the ground, shot forward like a bolt of lightning, covering over twenty zhang in an instant.
"Someone?" Zhao Danchen also bolted toward the corner like a flash of lightning. Teng Qingshan, who had been crouching silently at the corner, was stunned to see Wu Hou and Zhao Danchen rushing towards him.
"How could he possibly have spotted me?" Including reaction time, Teng Qingshan barely managed to flee three zhang away. "Qin Lang?" Wu Hou stared in shock at the fleeing figure.
"There was someone at this corner?" "It's Qin Lang!" Zhao Danchen was shocked at first, then his eyes turned crimson, his face contorted into a snarl. "Qin Lang, don't run!!!" The roar still echoed through the corridor, while Zhao Danchen himself pursued Teng Qingshan at top speed.
During the chase, the distance between them narrowed to just five zhang. At Zhao Danchen's speed, how could Teng Qingshan escape?
"Whoosh!" Teng Qingshan had only charged thirty-odd zhang when a figure shot past overhead, blocking his path. "Qin Lang, where do you think you're going?" An unconcealed killing intent burned in Zhao Danchen's eyes; the muscles around his eyes twitched violently.
His once handsome face was now utterly savage. "Elder Zhao, remarkable lightness skill," Teng Qingshan praised with a sigh, before forcing a wry smile.
"So it was them!" At that moment, Teng Qingshan also detected faint sounds about twenty zhang ahead. Immediately after, six figures materialized around the far corner—the five Innate experts from the Carefree Palace, along with the long-browed old monk.
In that instant, Teng Qingshan understood and couldn't help but smile bitterly: "Wu Hou didn't spot me at all. He spotted those few people!" "Qin Lang, your ability to conceal your aura—you were so close, and I didn't even notice you." Wu Hou walked over now, his eyes shining as he looked at Teng Qingshan.
"I rarely admire others, but your aura concealment ability—I am truly impressed. Remarkable, truly remarkable!" Wu Hou praised him several times.
"Impressive is useless," Teng Qingshan said, barely keeping the smile from his face. "Senior Wu Hou, please lend me a hand and hold back this maniac Zhao Danchen.
I would be eternally grateful." "Brother Wu Hou, this Qin Lang caused the death of Elder Hu of my Azure Lake Island. It's highly likely that the deaths of the other elders are also tied to him!
My Azure Lake Island vows to kill him!" Zhao Danchen said gravely. "If you interfere, you make an enemy of my entire Azure Lake Island!" Zhao Danchen's face flushed scarlet with anger.
Clearly, he was furious beyond measure! What he hated most was this 'Qin Lang' who had exposed their secret abyss.
"He's about to lose it," Wu Hou remarked, stepping to the side of the wall, signaling his non-involvement. "Settle your own grievances." "What are you all doing here?" Elder Shi, the refined scholar in purple robes from the Carefree Palace, asked with feigned surprise and a laugh.
"It seems the treasure won't be acquired so easily," the long-browed old monk frowned. Zhao Danchen and Wu Hou were here, but they weren't moving to claim the treasure.
This was strange! If they had found the treasure, they should have left quickly, not wasted time here.
The longer they delayed, the more disaster could strike. Teng Qingshan looked at the approaching group and said clearly, "Elder Shi, those people who died from the Azure Lake Island...
now, Zhao Danchen has a clear target in me." The five from the Carefree Palace and the long-browed old monk frowned. The old monk and the Carefree Palace group had already learned on the road that they had jointly killed a contingent of Azure Lake Island masters.
This was a collective action; Teng Qingshan was not solely responsible. "Elder Shi, the demise of my Azure Lake Island elders undoubtedly stems from many complex reasons.
We will investigate the exact circumstances thoroughly later. However, we are certain that this Qin Lang is the primary culprit!" Zhao Danchen's eyes seemed ready to spit fire as he looked toward the Carefree Palace group.
"We hope none of you will interfere." "Naturally, this is a matter between your Azure Lake Island and Qin Lang," said Elder Shi of the Carefree Palace with a gentle smile. These great sects were too sophisticated to confront the Azure Lake Island over a lone wanderer like 'Qin Lang'.
Before, killing the Azure Lake Island elders was done together, something the Azure Lake Island wouldn't dare bring up later. But now, interfering would pit the Carefree Palace directly against Azure Lake Island...
was one Qin Lang worth it? No.
* In the dim corridor, Teng Qingshan was utterly isolated. The identity of 'Qin Lang,' unaffiliated with any sect, meant no one was willing to help him.
Even the Beast King 'Wu Hou' would not risk offending the monolithic 'Azure Lake Island' for someone he had no deep connection with like Teng Qingshan. "What should I do?
What must I do now?" Teng Qingshan frantically cycled through various possibilities in his mind. He knew he couldn't force the Carefree Palace to help...
if he dragged them in, their anger might turn them against him, leading them to join Zhao Danchen in killing him. Right now, the only one explicitly trying to kill him was Zhao Danchen.
There was still a sliver of hope! "Even if I fight them all, even if I draw out the Samsara Spear, it would be useless," Teng Qingshan thought anxiously, though his words were aimed at stalling for time.
"Elder Zhao, with my strength at the Innate Solid Core level, how could I possibly kill Elder Hu? I am clearly being framed." "Hmph, I heard Elder Hu's dying roar clearly enough," Zhao Danchen advanced step by step, his face a mask of ferocity.
"Stop struggling... but don't worry, I won't let you die easily.
I will make you regret ever opposing my Azure Lake Island!" Zhao Danchen ground out the words through clenched teeth. Naturally, Zhao Danchen could not simply kill Teng Qingshan with one sword strike; that would be too merciful, allowing him to die without experiencing any pain.
He needed torture! Severe torment!
It would be best to cripple his martial arts, sever his limbs, gouge out his eyes, and cut out his tongue! Then, lock him in a dark dungeon, torturing him daily...
letting 'Qin Lang' die amidst endless torment in despair and darkness. Only then would Zhao Danchen find release.
So many Innate experts dead, and they were still blocked from the Yu Emperor's Treasure... Such deep hatred meant that even the cruelest methods of torture were deemed acceptable by the Azure Lake Island.
"Killing you with one sword? You must be dreaming," Zhao Danchen advanced slowly.
Teng Qingshan retreated step by step. In that brief moment, a multitude of plans flashed through his mind, but none held any promise: "For someone at the Innate Golden Core level, killing me is as easy as lifting a finger!
My only option now is to throw myself into the jaws of death to find a new path! The Golden Turtle is over there...
I must escape next to the Turtle." Since humans wouldn't help, Teng Qingshan could only place his hope in the demonic beast. "Near the Turtle, relying on the special nature of my body, fighting Zhao Danchen to the death, perhaps there is a sliver of hope." Teng Qingshan knew clearly that his only advantage lay in his physical uniqueness, utilizing grappling techniques honed on the prosperous Earth of his past life.
Such arts were rare on the Nine Provinces Continent. However...
his opponent was an Innate Golden Core! One move could extinguish all his hope.
"Elder Zhao, I only ask for a swift end!" Teng Qingshan shouted. He had already retreated to the corner.
"Hahahaha..." Zhao Danchen laughed wildly in his rage. Whoosh!
Teng Qingshan suddenly darted toward the Golden Turtle. "Hmph, a final death throe," Zhao Danchen wasn't rushed, knowing the treasure chamber exit was a dead end; Qin Lang had nowhere left to run.
"First, I'll sever your hamstrings and Achilles tendons," Zhao Danchen shot into the corridor leading to the treasure entrance like lightning. Behind him, the 'Beast King' Wu Hou, the five from the Carefree Palace, and the long-browed old monk all entered this corridor.
"What a pity, such an outstanding figure," Wu Hou sighed. "But it seems he has a serious feud with the Azure Lake Island as well." ...
Two luminous pearls cast a faint, dim light. The Golden Turtle lay there, and upon seeing it, the faces of the long-browed old monk and the five from the Carefree Palace changed drastically.
The Golden Turtle being here complicated matters! And Teng Qingshan was right beside the Golden Turtle.
"You think the Turtle will help you?" Zhao Danchen held his long sword, simultaneously bowing slightly to the Golden Turtle in a gesture of respect, then straightened up and continued toward Teng Qingshan. "Zhao Danchen!" Teng Qingshan's face was cold, devoid of fear.
"Crackling sounds~~~" A grating noise emanated from Teng Qingshan's body. His height visibly increased, and his arms and thighs began to thicken alarmingly.
"Hiss hiss~~" The clean black fabric of his sleeves ripped apart, revealing powerful arms corded like steel cables. Veins, thick as coiled green snakes, writhed across his entire body.
In an instant, Teng Qingshan transformed into a demon god! "Hmm?" Zhao Danchen watched the scene with surprise, then sneered, "It looks a bit imposing, but your resistance is futile." Zhao Danchen was completely unconcerned...
Teng Qingshan, however, had made up his mind. Initially, he used his supreme Yang and rigidity to create a misconception in Zhao Danchen's mind.
At this moment of life and death, he would unleash his body's astonishing flexibility. Be it his fingers or his skull, any part of his body...
as long as the opponent hadn't killed him, he would fight desperately to kill them! "Then try me!" Teng Qingshan stated coldly.
From a distance, Wu Hou, the long-browed old monk, and the five from the Carefree Palace watched. "Come on!" Teng Qingshan felt his blood surging; the flow rate was tens of times faster than usual, and his eyes were bloodshot.
A cruel smile touched the corner of Zhao Danchen's mouth as his body suddenly dissolved into a gust of fierce wind. Teng Qingshan, resembling a massive ape, lunged forward.
"Boom!" The sound was immense. Zhao Danchen, who had just transformed into a gust of wind, sprayed blood and was flung over ten zhang before crashing heavily onto the ground.
Zhao Danchen lay prone, spitting out a mouthful of blood with a "Pfft." He turned his head toward the distance in disbelief, staring fixedly at the Golden Turtle! "Turtle, how could..." Zhao Danchen was utterly stunned.
"Old Turtle?" Wu Hou, the long-browed old monk, and the five from the Carefree Palace also looked at the Golden Turtle in astonishment. Teng Qingshan, who had retreated only three zhang, looked equally surprised at the colossal creature beside him.
"It... why did it help me?" The Golden Turtle had moved from the entrance.
Its large pupils swept over the group of humans before it turned its massive head to look at Teng Qingshan beside it. Teng Qingshan sensed the benevolence contained within those large eyes.
"Thump!" It swung a hoof. The Golden Turtle's hoof moved too quickly; even Zhao Danchen hadn't managed to dodge before, and this time, Teng Qingshan couldn't dodge either.
"Thump!" Teng Qingshan was smashed like a large stone, tumbling directly into the treasure entrance! The Golden Turtle then crawled to the treasure entrance, lay down again, and blocked the opening.
It looked at the dumbfounded faces of Zhao Danchen, Wu Hou, the long-browed old monk, and the others, then tilted its head back, parting its jaws widely to let out a roar that shook the entire Heaven Flood Palace— "Roar~~~"